Chapter Text
“They’re so little,” Isaac said in awe, rubbing Luca’s toes between two fingers with a doofy smile on his face as Danny swayed the baby back and forth in his arms.
“They’ll be heading off to kindergarten before you know it,” John warned from his seat in the glider, lazily rocking his granddaughter while Stiles took a much needed shower with his husband. “Enjoy it while it lasts.”
“I can’t believe I missed them being born,” Cora said from her spot on the floor, arms wrapped tight around a wolf plushie as she watched the men interact with the twins.
“You should be glad you weren’t there,” John told her, Isaac nodding in agreement, eyes wide, “it wasn’t pretty.”
“But still,” Cora protested, running a frustrated hand through her hair, “it’s my pack, my family. I should have been here.”
“Then stay,” John suggested, thinking that having another set of claws around could only help the pack. “Derek and Peter would love for you to be here.”
“Maybe I’ll stick around this time,” Cora said, lips twisting into a small smile as she looked up at the way Scarlet was snuggled into John’s chest. “Do some babysitting.”
“They’re cute, but I like that you can give them back at the end of the day and go home,” Danny said, dimples twitching as he made silly faces at Luca.
“You better watch out or Jackson will have you adopting before you know it,” Lydia said from the doorway. She leaned against the frame and took in the view, Cora, three men and two babies giving the new fathers a much needed break. Allison came up behind her, brushing the strawberry blond locks off her shoulder so she could lean her chin there.
“It’s true,” She agreed, pecking Lydia’s cheek, scenting her subtly. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Jackson was already poking holes in your condoms.”
“I can’t get pregnant,” Danny protested easily, rolling his eyes. Then he caught Isaac’s skeptical expression and turned back to the girls. “I can’t, right? I’m new to all this supernatural stuff. Stiles only got pregnant because he’s magic, right? Right?” he asked again when no one answered immediately.
“Right,” John said, a little unsure, looking back at Lydia for a second opinion.
“We think,” Lydia told a now pale looking Danny. “Stiles is a Mage and Peter is an Alpha werewolf. Jackson’s only a Beta wolf.”
“And I’m not magic,” Danny added, still looking for a more solid answer.
“That we know of,” Allison said, eyes flashing red as she flared her nostrils, searching for any unusual scents she may have missed in the months since she was bitten. Even if she was the newest wolf in the pack, she was already an Alpha, and her senses were second only to the born Alphas.
“What do you mean, that you know of?” Danny asked, incredulous.
“Well Stiles wasn’t a Mage until he was,” John said, head tilted to one side in contemplation. “He never did a single magic thing until Deaton told him he could and he started trying. It can lie dormant until it’s needed, I suppose,” John shook his head in contemplation. “Thank God. Stiles as a kid was enough of a handful without being able to shoot fire out of his hands.”
“This town does draw in the supernatural,” Isaac added, lifting Luca out of Danny’s arms and against his own shoulder, giving the confused human a break. The baby began screaming immediately.
It had become clear very quickly that Isaac was the twins’ least favorite pack member. Nevertheless, the Beta had become desensitized to the screaming within the first two weeks and was now determined to win their hearts, offering to put them down for their naps and feed them their bottles while Stiles rested. Jackson was constantly pulling the pups out of Isaac’s arms, insisting that he needed to get his baby time in before he and Danny left for school.
“I’ve seen weirder things happen in Beacon Hills,” Cora added absently as she went over to the glider where John sat with Scarlet, getting a closer look at her baby cousin.
“But— “ Danny stammered, not believing for a second that he would turn out to be a merman or a fairy or something equally ridiculous.
“I know how you feel,” John said, lifting himself out of the glider with Scarlet still sound asleep in his arms. He leaned in to Danny’s personal space to mutter, “but I’d still use the condoms if I were you.”
“How are we doing?” Peter asked cheerily, feeling like a whole new man after a much needed shower. Stiles hooked his chin over Peter’s shoulder to see into the nursery, checking that both of their kids were still present and accounted for.
“We’re ready for a feeding, I think,” Isaac said, holding a screaming Luca out for Peter to take. John passed Scarlet off to Stiles and ushered the rest of the group out of the room to give the new fathers some privacy.
“We need to leave for the airport in an hour, and I demand a proper send-off,” Lydia said, poking her head back in the door before closing it behind her.
“It’s going to be so quiet around here when everyone heads off to school,” Stiles complained while settling down in the glider with his squirming and fussing daughter in his arms.
“I think quiet is a strong word,” Peter said, rocking Luca against his shoulder in an effort to subdue his constant cries.
“Different then, at least,” Stiles said, gesturing to his mate to hand over his son so he could feed both pups at the same time.
“I don’t think I’ll ever get over how incredible you are,” Peter said dreamily, perching on a cushion in front of his husband, watching in awe as Stiles fed their children from his own body.
“Well it doesn’t feel too incredible, I can tell you that much,” Stiles said with a grimace, even as he looked down fondly at the soft, content faces of the twins. “It was much better when you were doing it.”
“I know, I’m sorry,” Peter said, reaching up to run a comforting hand through Stiles’ still damp hair. “It won’t be forever, and you can stop any time you want to.”
“You say that like a year of raw nipples won’t feel like forever,” Stiles quipped, rolling his eyes at his husband while pushing his head into Peter’s hand for more relaxing head scratches.
“Well just think of it this way,” Peter said with fake enthusiasm, “you’re still not technically old enough to drink anyway, so that’s one less thing to be upset about missing.”
“Yeah okay,” Stiles glared, “that’s only fair if you promise not to drink any more of Derek’s wolf brew until I’m done breastfeeding.”
“Deal,” Peter said, taking Scarlet from Stiles when he held her out so they could trade sides. “It’s not like I’ve ever had the option before anyway.”
“God Peter,” Stiles groaned when the twins latched on again, “at least make it sound like you’re making a sacrifice, you smug bastard.”
“Are there any other sacrifices you’d like me to make instead?” Peter offered, a wicked smirk twisting onto his face.
“How about a blowjob a day and you take all the middle of the night feedings?” Stiles asked, eyebrows raised at his mate.
“Blowing you isn’t a hardship Stiles,” Peter said, “and I think you might need to get up at least some of the time if you have too much milk, so try again.”
“Dishes, laundry, one pie per week, and daily blowjobs,” Stiles countered as Peter turned toward the door a few seconds before the Mage heard a knock.
Allison opened the door a crack and stuck her face into the nursery. “You guys just about done?” she asked as Stiles passed the pups to Peter and righted his clothing.
“Not now Ally,” Stiles said, eyes still on Peter’s face. “We’re negotiating.”
“Yeah, I heard,” Allison said, nose scrunching in amused embarrassment. “Now pass me my niece,” she ordered, stepping fully into the room and making grabby hands at Peter.
“Deal,” Peter said to Stiles, agreeing to the terms, as he lowered Scarlet into Allison’s waiting arms.
“Why am I not holding a baby?” Jackson asked immediately as he stepped into the room, the rest of the pack not far behind him.
“Because you don’t have breasts?” Stiles said cheekily as Peter passed Luca over. “If you want to be present for feeding time, you’re going to have to grow a pair.”
Jackson looked genuinely disappointed with himself as he said, “I wish,” rubbing his nose up Luca’s chubby little cheek. Peter looked on, wondering if Jackson would ever get over his baby fever or if it would only get worse with time. The Beta flashed electric blue eyes at Luca who just blew a spit bubble back at him, being human and unable to reciprocate. Peter rolled his eyes. The twins both still had newborn blue, but Peter was secretly hoping at least one of the pups would end up with Stiles’ whiskey color.
“No,” Stiles said with a grunt, letting Derek help him out of the glider, body still sore in places, “you really, really don’t.”
Jackson huffed, but continued making silly faces at Luca like he had never heard anything so amusing in his life. “Danny and I leave this afternoon. I need to get my pup time in before it’s too late,” he cooed, pressing a kiss to Luca’s forehead.
Wrapping a supportive arm around his mate, Peter led the group out of the nursery and into the music room, knowing he would never hear the end of it if Lydia didn’t get a farewell song. “You feeling up to playing drums?” he asked Stiles as the pack filed in behind them, arranging themselves on cushions and the floor, already a captive audience.
“I think I can manage it.” Peter raised his eyebrows at his mate and tugged on their mating bond, silently asking for Stiles to tell him the truth. “I’ll take it easy,” Stiles assured him, sitting down behind his set while Peter grabbed his twelve-string and slipped the strap over his head. “We need you for this one,” he said to Boyd, who dutifully took his seat at the piano, taking a quick look at the music Peter had left there for him.
Stiles counted it off and Boyd started to play bright, staccato chords while he clapped his hands, waiting to pick up his sticks until Scott and Isaac caught the rhythm and the group began to clap along.
Stiles tapped one stick against his tambourine as he began to sing.
“We’re on top of the world
We’re on top of the world now darling so don’t let go”
Peter joined him in a low harmony, strumming along with careful claws against his guitar strings.
“Can I call you mine?
So can I call you mine now darling for our whole life time
My heart finally trusts my mind”
Stiles looked between Peter and the rest of the group, feeling his heart swell at the sight. The pack was a bright, warm light in the back of his mind, growing just that little bit stronger from the addition of Scarlet. They expected that Luca might develop an ability at some point in the future, but for the time being, he was missing from the pack bond along with Danny and Lydia.
Peter and Stiles tried not to be disappointed by his absence. They were lucky to have two healthy children at all. After all that had happened during Stiles’ pregnancy, Peter was glad his mate was alive, let alone well enough to care for their children and play music for the pack. Stiles stopped playing for a beat, letting Peter strum without him and sang.
“And I know somehow it’s right”
Coming back in with a cross-stick beat, tapping his bass pedal lightly, Stiles shot Peter a wry smile, knowing his husband’s voice would be there when the chorus came around. He wasn’t disappointed. As Peter sang, he looked between his mate and his pups. Sleep deprived but smiling through the bruising under his eyes, Peter watched his daughter. Scarlet was propped up against his nephew’s chest. She wasn’t able to hold her own head up yet, but her wide curious eyes stared at her parents while Derek clapped her tiny hands together to the beat. Luca was leaning against Jackson’s shoulder, the Beta rubbing his scarred cheek back and forth against the baby’s fuzzy head. His pack felt whole for the first time in decades, and he felt his eyes prickle with unshed emotion.
“And oh, we got time, yeah
Darling just say you’ll stay right by my side
And oh, we got love, yeah
Darling just swear you’ll stand right by my side”
Stiles brought one of his sticks back to the tambourine, grinning broadly as his gaze met Peter’s. The instant they locked eyes, Stiles could feel their mating bond sing. They hadn’t had the opportunity to play for each other since the pups were born, and Stiles hadn’t realized what his soul had been missing. Peter harmonized with him, eyes never leaving his mate, letting the rest of the room look on as they reacquainted themselves with the warmth of their bond and the tingling they felt in their fingers whenever they played for each other. Stiles’ tenor and Peter’s baritone wove together, words twining like satin ribbons in his chest.
“We’re on top of the world
We’re on top of the world now darling so don’t let go
Mmm, I got something to say
You’re perfect in every way, I’m gonna shout it out
I wanna tell you now
‘Cause I know somehow it’s right”
Over the last few weeks, exhausted and sore, Stiles had woken up several times in the middle of the night to find his mate wasn’t in bed. Needing to pump or stretch his back, Stiles would go padding through the hall looking for Peter. He didn’t have to look very far. The light sound of finger picked strings led Stiles to the nursery every time. Stiles would creep in, even though he knew Peter would hear him. Even though Scarlet could probably hear him, he still didn’t want to disturb the quiet contentment of his little family.
Long toes gripping the soft like-new carpet, Stiles would stand in the doorway, leaning against the frame for a minute to take it all in. Scarlet and Luca were nestled together in an electric rocker. It wasn’t technically safe, both of them in the one seat, but Scarlet would heal if she got hurt and they had decided early on that the more pack contact the twins had, the better they would connect to the wolves.
Peter was singing a lullaby. Stiles was pretty sure it was in Italian, but he still didn’t understand the lyrics. He wasn’t focused on the words, but on the tone. Peter’s voice, so soft and sweet was keeping their pups asleep, floating on a cloud of paternal affection. Stiles’ breath caught just thinking about it. He’d never seen anything so beautiful in his life.
Stiles played a fill, a little less exuberant than he would if he hadn’t pushed two watermelon-sized children out of his body earlier that month, but his head still bobbed with the beat, eyes closing as he felt the pulse of the song. Peter and Boyd followed along, much more professional and polished with their instruments than Stiles would ever be. Locking eyes with Peter, he sang with his mate.
”And oh, we got time, yeah
Darling just swear you’ll stay right by my side
And oh, we got love, yeah
Darling just swear you’ll stand right by my side
Be my forever, be my forever, be my forever
Be my forever, be my forever, be my forever”
When Peter looked back at the group, Stiles’ attention followed. Melissa had just walked in, waving shyly at everyone as she took a seat on the floor next to John. Grabbing a cushion and plopping it in front of him, the Sheriff patted it until Melissa took a seat between his legs, her back against his chest. Seeing his father cozying up to another woman made Stiles’ heart ache, but only a little. He wished his mother could be there, but the pain of her absence was overshadowed by how happy he was that Scarlet and Luca would have a grandmother in Melissa.
With a fond look at how Luca had fallen asleep on Jackson, Peter sang.
“You’re my bright blue sky”
Stiles answered, flashing his eyes red as he watched Lydia tickle the bottom of Scarlet’s feet, Allison and Cora laughing along.
“You’re the sun in my eyes”
He looked back to Peter, unable to keep the smile from his face when they sang together.
“Oh, baby you’re my life, you’re the reason why”
Boyd and Peter stopped playing, Stiles clicking his stick against the rim of his snare drum a few times before leaving his seat and walking over to his husband. Together they sang a cappella.
“We’re on top of the world
We’re on top of the world now darling, so don’t let go”
Stiles kissed Peter on the cheek as he pulled a spare tambourine from the bookshelf and tossed it at Isaac, who caught it deftly. Backing up behind Peter, Stiles wrapped his arms around his husband’s neck, pressing a quick kiss to his mating bite before counting the instruments back in.
“1, 2, 3, 4”
Stiles let go of Peter so he and Boyd could start playing again, and sang along to the rest of the song together with his mate. Getting down on the floor with a small hiss of pain at the stretch, Stiles went over to Derek to snuggle his daughter. He grabbed Scarlet’s hands and clapped them together, eyes brightening when she gave him a toothless grin.
“I think she’s smiling at me!” Stiles exclaimed, punching Erica in the shoulder to get her to look.
“Babies don’t smile until at least six weeks, Stiles,” Lydia said promptly, rolling her eyes. Melissa nodded in agreement.
“Maybe she’s a smile prodigy! Peter, we have the smartest daughter in the world!”
“Can we finish this song? My hands are getting tired,” Boyd protested from his seat at the piano where he was vamping until Stiles got his ass off the floor.
“You’re a werewolf, your hands are not tired, you liar,” Stiles argued, but caught Peter’s attention to finish the song anyway.
“And oh, we got time, yeah we got love
Darling just swear you’ll stay right by my side”
Pecking Scarlet on the cheek and then doubling back to ruffle Derek’s hair, Stiles took his seat back at the drums and picked the beat back up. Derek glared at him, but there was no heat behind it.
“And oh, we got love, yeah
Darling just swear you’ll stay right by my side
Be my forever, be my forever, be my forever
Be my forever, be my forever, be my forever”
Danny had pried Luca out of Jackson’s clutches and handed the sleeping baby off to Scott so he could dance with his boyfriend. They were leaving that afternoon along with the girls, and Danny was determined to get a little bit of Jackson’s attention before they had to separate for school. He hoped Jackson’s obsession with the twins would subside so they could focus on classes and each other, but something told him that Jackson wouldn’t do well being apart from the pack. Danny expected that Jackson would transfer closer within six months, and Stiles couldn’t help but agree.
Pulling his eyes away from the way Danny gripped Jackson’s scarred hand, Stiles looked at his husband, his mate, the father of his children, and beamed. With just a few words, a simple melody, he felt Peter’s heart swell through their bond.
“Will you love me forever?”
Peter answered, as Stiles knew he would, with the obvious reply.
“I’ll love you forever”
Stiles wasn’t sure if the rest of the pack had caught on to how their mating bond worked, or if they just thought Stiles and Peter were crazy for constantly breaking into song, but when he felt the warmth in his chest as they finished the song together, he knew it didn’t matter. Even if the rest of the world never understood, Stiles would always have his mate and the love that they now shared with their children.
“Be my forever
Be my forever, be my forever, be my forever”
When the song finally came to a close, Melissa started a round of applause, John clapping his hands together around her waist. Stiles twirled his sticks with a broad smile on his face, letting Peter put his instrument down before he stood up and leapt onto his mate’s back, long arms wrapping themselves around Peter’s neck, catching a scratch of stubble along the way.
Chris Argent appeared in the doorway as Stiles busied himself with scenting his mate’s throat, rubbing his smooth cheek back and forth with a contented rumble in his chest. He had finally gotten the chance to shave that morning, and it had been a long time coming. Chris coughed roughly to announce his presence. Stiles pulled his lips away from the pulse in Peter’s throat and raised his eyebrows.
“Girls? We have to leave now if we’re going to catch our flight.”
Stiles could almost hear the whine of the wolves through the pack bond. Even Erica was sad to see Allison and Lydia go. It had been hard enough when they were abroad for a few weeks, but now Jackson and Danny would also be separated from the pack. It would be a difficult transition for all of them, but Stiles was particularly worried about the day Peter would go back to work and he would be left alone with the twins. Derek and the rest of the Betas would help out, but ultimately, Stiles would be in charge of two little lives. He wasn’t too proud to admit that he was terrified.
“I guess it’s time,” Allison said, pulling Lydia off the poufy cushion they were sitting on and smoothing down her skirt.
“Walk us out?” Lydia asked the room at large, eyes darting between each member of the pack before they landed on Stiles, who was still wrapped around Peter, mouth agape as he searched for anything he could say that might make them all stay a little while longer. He had no words.
“Of course,” Peter said after a beat, kissing Stiles on the cheek before standing and taking Scarlet out of Derek’s lap. “We’ll all come say goodbye. Let’s go sweetheart,” he said to the baby, rubbing his cheek across the top of her head, getting a bit of a high pitched babble in response.
A few minutes later Chris and Jackson’s cars were packed and the group was gathered in the gravel in front of the house, ready to say their goodbyes. “Just one last thing,” Lydia said, pulling a digital camera out of her purse and handing it to Chris. “We need a new pack photo.”
Chris took the camera and waited for the group to assemble on the front steps, Stiles in the middle, cradling one twin in each arm, hiding his breasts from view while Peter sat on the step behind him, strong arms wrapped around his family. Everyone else gathered around them, Derek with one arm thrown across Isaac’s shoulder and the other around his sister, Scott tucked in close to his mother and the Sheriff, Erica hanging off Boyd’s back like a spider monkey, and the other two couples pulled in tight on either side.
“One, two, three,” Chris counted out, not at all surprised when Stiles and Peter kissed right as the camera went off. Erica had shamelessly copped a feel, making Boyd yelp and nearly drop his girlfriend on her ass. Lydia’s head was thrown back in laughter at the ridiculous face Cora had made, never one for tradition. “Okay guys, take a serious one this time.”
After a few more clicks, Stiles was even more convinced that the first photo would be the one that he would frame and put up on the mantle next to their first pack photo, taken when they first saw the new Manor house. In less than a year, his entire world had changed, shifted on its axis, his whole existence narrowed down to the two fluttering heartbeats he now held in his arms instead of his stomach. His mate was wrapped around his back, strong thighs bracketing his hips, arms wrapped tight around his waist, lending support to his tired body as it held their pups upright. A wisp of breath tickled the back of his neck, the camera snapping again while Peter whispered in his ear, “I love you Przemysław.”
“I love you, too,” Stiles said, twisting his head to the side so he could rub his cheek against his husband’s temple. “You happy?” Stiles asked quietly as the group dispersed, everyone taking a turn hugging Allison, Lydia, Danny, and Jackson.
“Are you kidding?” Peter asked, squeezing Stiles’ waist tighter as he hooked his chin over Stiles’ shoulder. “This is so much more than I ever thought I would get,” he said, untwining his arms so he could rub a callused palm across each of his children’s foreheads. “It’s so much more than I deserve.”
“That’s not true,” Stiles said, passing Luca to Peter so he could stand up and face his husband. “I love you, and the pups love you, and we want to give you everything you’ve ever wanted. You don’t get to decide what you deserve. I do.”
“Why?” Peter asked honestly, eyes wide as he looked between Stiles and the baby in his arms.
“Because I know you,” Stiles said, crouching down until his eyes were level with Peter’s, “and I know what you’re capable of.”
“Murder?” Peter asked with wolfish grin on his face, blue eyes dull and harsh in the afternoon sun.
“Change,” Stiles said, balancing his weight on the balls of his feet before cupping the side of Peter’s cheek and leaning in for a kiss, Scarlet pressed between them in his other arm. He pulled away slowly, lips twisting into a soft smile as he straightened up and went to bid his friends farewell.