#Darius: but-but guys. its been so long since i could just sit back and relax

[iaf]

I know we've acknowledged Darius potentially being the victim to many pranks now that he has two older brothers BUT we are forgetting the most powerful trick that a youngest sibling could hold. Puppy dog eyes.

Darius is a good kid but he is not immune to a little scheming. He would most definitely use this tactic when he needs something to be done for him or when he needs to convince Mrs. Bowman to pick his side in a sibling argument. All he's gotta do is sadden his expression and look at his target as innocently as possible and it works 90% of the time.

[hutchhitched]

Peeta Mellark, CEO

Written by: @hutchhitched​

Prompt 8: Peeta is a rich CEO and in love with another who disappeared before their marriage. So he withdraw within himself. But then he meets Katniss (her background is up to you) and falls in love for the second time. [submitted by @mysteriouslycraftyreview ]

Ratings/Warnings: E

A/N: I’m continuing to post the nine @everlarkficexchange prompts I took and then sat on throughout the early months of the pandemic. This is the fifth of the nine. Thanks for your patience, and I hope you enjoy. Huge thanks to @javistg for understanding the delays. While this submission fills the prompt, I have more in store for this couple.

 ______________

 Peeta Mellark tossed his glasses down on the desk and scrubbed a hand over his face. His tired eyes felt like they were full of sandpaper, and the stubble on his jaw was definitely not the look of a successful businessman, let alone the CEO of an up and coming manufacturing cooperation that was poised to break into the Fortune 500 in the very near future. Exhausted, he shoved at the pile of papers on his desk and cursed his luck. He needed an administrative assistant immediately. Like yesterday. Or two weeks ago.

 To be fair, he needed a lot more than a new administrative assistant. He’d been in a funk for the past year, since his fiancée sent him a text (seriously, a text?) and called off their wedding—three days before it was to take place.

 Cashmere’s rejection had been tough to take. He had loved her so much, still did, if he was telling the truth, and it hurt every day to go home to his empty apartment and not see her there. His friends, business acquaintances, and family all tried to make him feel better by telling him he was too good for her, but that didn’t help at all. Cashmere and he were good together for a long time. It wasn’t her fault that his ardor had grown after their engagement and hers had cooled. It sucked that her attraction to him had abated to friendship, but he didn’t regret anything other than that his marriage had never happened.

 Since his broken engagement, Peeta had retreated into himself. He didn’t spend much time with anyone, including his family or close friends who all wanted to help so much it made him anxious. He couldn’t handle their good intentions when all he wanted to do was curl up on the couch in sweats and binge shows and eat junk food. If he hadn’t been the head of a company, he would have done that every day. Instead, he went into the office and buried himself in his work before going home and heading to bed—incredibly alone. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d talked to his parents on the phone or grabbed lunch with anyone if it wasn’t for business.

 Sometimes he missed being part of the human race, interacting with others and seeing their eyes light up with joy when they laughed. He missed family dinners with his brothers and nights out at the club with Finnick, Darius, Thom, and Gale. But most of all, he missed being in love with someone. Having a relationship with a woman who wanted only him. A person to come home to and wake up with. A confidante who knew his secrets and faults and loved him anyway. More than anything, he was just really, really lonely and more than a little horny. He was an All-American adult male, after all, and it had been far too long since he’d been with anyone other than himself.

 Peeta pushed the intercom button on his phone and spoke into it. “Delly, can you come in here, please?”

 “Right away, sir.”

 Peeta smiled at Delly when she entered the room. As office manager, she’d worked her job and that of his missing assistant for too long. She deserved a raise. She also happened to be one of his oldest friends, which is why he managed to keep it together every day instead of losing it each time he thought about how empty his life was outside the office.

 “Delly, I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of the way things are going around here,” he said and idly twirled a pen between his fingers. “I think we need a change, don’t you?”

 “Sir?”

 “Delly, you’ve known me your whole life. Can you cut it out with the ‘sir’ bullshit? It’s me.”

 She visibly relaxed and sank into the chair opposite his desk. “What do you want to change, Peeta? Am I not doing a good enough job?”

 He winced at the worried furrow of her brow and chided himself for making her job harder than it already was. He made a mental note to submit the paperwork for a raise for her the next day.

 “You’re doing an amazing job,” he assured her, “but you’ve been covering for two people for months. It’s time I bite the bullet and get someone else in here.”

 “Do you want me to take a look at the resumés and send you the most qualified?” she offered. “I can go over them this evening and send them your way.”

 “No,” he insisted. “You’ve done enough. Go home. Take the weekend off, and don’t worry about anything. I just need the applicant file before you leave. I’ll review them and set up some interviews for early next week. Deal?”

 Her relief was palpable, and he tried to quell the guilt he felt for pushing her so hard instead of finding a replacement for his last assistant. She brought him the file right away, and he waved her out the office doors before she could find something else she had to do before she left. He’d flipped through several applications before his phone buzzed.

 “Finnick,” he answered. “How’s it going, man?”

 “Peeta Mellark, my man,” came the hearty response. “Haven’t seen you in months. It’s Friday. Come meet us at Ripper’s.”

 “I’d love to. I really would, but—”

 “But nothing, man. Get your ass down here. Time to rejoin the living.”

 “I can’t. Snowed under here.”

 “I will come drag you out of that office if you don’t get the fuck down here within the hour. I proposed. I will not take no for an answer.”

 “Congratulations, man, but I really—”

 “One hour, you asshole. You’ve been warned,” Finnick threatened and disconnected the call.

 Peeta heaved a heavy sigh and sat back in his chair. Finnick engaged. That was really something—something that made his insides twist and curl and hurt. Despite that, he had to go meet his friends. Finnick was the first to congratulate Peeta after he’d ask Cashmere to marry him and had been there after the breakup, too. Peeta couldn’t shirk, no matter how much he wanted to go home and hide.

 Frustrated and despondent, he packed up his laptop and files carefully before reaching into the bottom drawer of his desk and pulling a bottle of whiskey from its depths. He poured two fingers of the dark liquid and loosened his tie. When he took a sip, the liquor burned a trail down his throat enough that he tugged the tie off completely and unbuttoned the top two buttons of his dress shirt. By the time he’d finished his drink, he’d also lost his jacket and rolled up his sleeves to reveal his forearms. At least this way he looked like a regular working schmuck instead of an uptight executive who had no life outside the office.

 Fortified by the drink and a burgeoning desire to reconnect with his friends, Peeta made his way uptown to Ripper’s. Memories hit him in the gut as soon as the door opened. The sounds and scents assailed him, and a flash of evenings out with his friends and his fiancée flickered in his head. Cashmere leaning over to kiss him as his friends whooped. The taste of her lips after they both shot tequila, lime and salt clinging to her lips. Finnick grinning at him when he got his last promotion. Gale and Darius ribbing him about a new crush. Thom announcing his impending fatherhood. So many memories, and all they did was remind him how desperately lonely he was, despite his financial and professional success.

 Except that did matter tonight. It was Finnick’s time to celebrate, and he wound his way through the tables to the back corner where his friends waited.

 “Peeta Mellark! The man, the myth, the legend, right here in Ripper’s with us lowly humans.”

 Peeta couldn’t help but chuckle. “Good to see you, too, Finn. It’s been too long.”

 “That’s not our fault. Is it, boys?”

 “Who are you calling a boy?” Gale snorted over his beer. “I only see men here. At least, those of us sitting down. You and Mister Hotshot might not have reached full maturity yet, though.”

 Peeta laughed as Finnick flipped off the other guys at the table and then settled into the booth. It felt good to see his friends again. He needed to remember to make more time for them in the future.

 “So, how’s the high life, man?” Thom asked.

 Peeta shrugged and ordered before answering. Thanking the waitress, he slumped down in his seat and admitted, “Crazy busy, as always. I need a new administrative assistant. I’m working Delly to death, and she deserves better.”

 “Some of us would like to see our wives,” Darius grunted. “Should never have agreed when she asked.”

 “Didn’t realize she had to ask permission to leave the house,” Peeta answered pointedly.

 “Oh, come on, man. I didn’t mean it like that,” Darius protested. “We just have one of those marriages where we talk things through and make decisions together.”

 He knew he shouldn’t, but he envied Darius and Thom their marriages and Finnick his engagement. Even Gale had a serious girlfriend, although he hadn’t met her yet. Maybe that was why it didn’t seem too far-fetched when he spoke.

 “My girlfriend’s in between jobs. She’s a fantastic office manager. Maybe she could help you out.”

 “Seriously?”

 “Sure. I’ll have her give you a call.”

 “Thanks, man. You’ve just saved my life.”

 Finnick leaned in and grinned cheekily. “Great. Then you can afford to get drunk tonight.”

 “I really can’t.”

 “Too bad. Here’s our first round of shots.”

 ****

 Peeta woke the next morning hung the hell over. How he’d allowed his friends, in particular Finnick, to convince him to stay and then do shots was beyond him. His only excuse was that it was the weekend, and he didn’t have to go to the office today. Otherwise, his headache and significant dehydration might have killed him. He managed to stagger to the kitchen where he brewed a pot of coffee and downed half a liter of water before his phone rang.

 “Hawthorne. What’s up?” he rasped into the receiver.

 “Hey, Peet. I know it’s early, but my girl’s here, and I suggested she call you about the job. She’s game for it, so I figured I might as well hook you two up before I forget. You free to chat?”

 Peeta grunted but agreed. Reaching for a mug, he poured himself some coffee and added cream before settling at the counter. He wasn’t prepared for the snarky voice that echoed through the phone, but he immediately straightened when he heard it. The woman on the other end of the line was a spitfire and sounded exactly like what he needed to help keep his office running and give his oldest friend a break.

 “Gale tells me you need some help keeping your workplace running smoothly. I can do that for you, but I don’t come cheap. Pay me well, don’t give me shit, and I’ll make your life easier.”

 “That’s quite an offer, Ms., uh…?”

 “Mason. Johanna Mason. I’ve been keeping corporate America organized for the past ten years. You have quite a reputation. Youngest CEO at Panem Industries in ages. Survived the Coriolanus Snow purge and caught the eye of the board of directors in a good way. I think you surprised everyone when they realized you weren’t just a piece in their games. Congratulations.”

 “Thank you,” he answered, impressed with her knowledge of the business world. Gale must have given her a heads up, but he suspected she’d already known more than most. “You seem to be a player, too. I’m impressed.”

 “I’m very impressive. I’m sure you’ve heard about some of my best attributes from your friend, so let’s just move past the posturing and get to the specifics,” she announced, her voice businesslike. “I can start Monday. Gale indicated this could be temporary or long-term, depending on your other assistants. I’m amenable to either. As for my salary—”

 Peeta almost blanched at the figure but wasn’t deterred by her request. Good office managers were worth every cent they were paid, and Ms. Mason—Johanna! She was his friend’s girlfriend, after all—seemed to be exactly what he needed.

 “I have one caveat,” he insisted. “Gale is my friend, and you and he are together, but you are my employee. Our relationship needs to stay professional.”

 “Gale, honey,” she purred. “Peeta wants me to be professional. You think I can handle that?”

 Peeta cringed at the wet sounds in his ear. He’d be offended if Gale hadn’t taken the phone briefly and hissed, “She’s good for it, Mellark. You won’t regret it.”

 “Fine,” he muttered. “Can I call you Johanna? You’re hired. Thirty-day trial, and a five percent raise once you’ve proven yourself.”

 “You won’t need thirty days for that.”

 He was almost positive she was right, and he looked forward to Monday when he could offer Delly some time off to spend with her family.

 ****

 “I need that folder,” Peeta announced into his phone and scribbled a few notes on the report before him. Johanna swept into his office a few seconds later. She’d only been working for him for a week, but she’d already revamp his world. Everything ran smoother; Delly’d already put in for some well-deserved vacation, and he hadn’t been subjected to any inappropriate knowledge of his friend from his new employee. “Thanks, Jo. Can you—”

 “Already done. Meeting with Heavensbee is moved up to 1:00, and you have a business lunch tomorrow with Seneca Crane at the Capitol Grill. Both indicated their interest when I arranged the details.”

 “You are a gift,” he said, distracted by the email he’d just received about a new project in China. “Seriously, thank you for everything you do.”

 “No thanks needed. You pay me enough. I’m happy to make your life better.”

 He chuckled and sat back when she plopped a hot chocolate in front of him. “How’d you know? This is my favorite.”

 “You forget who I’m banging on the weekend?”

 “Gale, of course.”

 “And I don’t wait for the weekend, either,” she said with a wink over her shoulder. He smiled fondly as she slipped out the door and back to her desk. He understood what his friend saw in her. She didn’t take any shit, was sexy as hell, and knew how to get stuff done. If he had fifteen more like her, he’d take over the world. Not that he was too far off from that anyway.

 ****

 “You mind if I take a long lunch tomorrow?” Johanna asked as she handed Peeta several files and watched him tuck them into his briefcase. “A girlfriend of mine just got back to town, and I promised I’d meet up with her. Won’t happen again.”

 “Take all the time you need,” he agreed. “Delly can handle everything while you’re gone. It’s not a problem.”

 “Thanks, boss,” she said with a wink. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Got a hot date with my man.”

 Peeta chuckled as he shrugged on his jacket. “Tell Gale I said hi. Been a while since we hung out at Ripper’s.”

 “That’s because I make it worth it to him not to leave the house.”

 “I’m sure you do,” he mumbled as he headed for the elevator.

 “Good luck on your date!” she called as the doors slid shut, and he groaned.

 If she hadn’t reminded him at the last second, he could have argued with her, but now it was too late. He’d stupidly agreed to a setup. It was only drinks at a cocktail bar around the corner, but he had a million things to do before the next day. He didn’t have time to make small talk with a woman he didn’t know as they both sipped overpriced drinks and tried to figure out how long they had to stay before they escaped with a modicum of dignity. If he didn’t have to answer to Johanna the next day, he’d skip, but he just didn’t want to hear it. With a sigh, he turned left out of the building and made his way to meet his date.

 “Rue?” he guessed when he met the slim, African American woman sitting at the bar alone. She was lovely and smart and very sweet, but he could tell within five minutes that they weren’t right for each other. He offered a second round, but she declined politely.

 “You’re a great guy,” she said with a kiss to his cheek when she slid from her stool to the ground. “I’m glad we met.”

 “Likewise,” he nodded. “Best of luck with your startup.”

 He watched her walk away with a half-smile on his face and a hint of regret. It wasn’t that she’d passed on him. That wasn’t it at all. Despite being a perfectly attractive woman, there wasn’t a spark between them, and he’d been too deeply in love before to settle for anything less. With another huge sigh—they seemed to be becoming a habit—he grabbed his suitcase and coat and headed home to his empty penthouse.

 He hated being lonely.

 ****

 “Johanna, can you come in here, please?” Peeta waited for her reply, but when he got nothing, he walked to his office door and poked his head out. “Jo?”

 Delly glanced up from her desk and replied, “She’s still at lunch. You told her to take the time, remember?”

 “I do, actually. Sorry. It slipped my mind.”

 At that moment, the elevator door opened, and his employee walked down the hall, chatting happily with another woman. She drew up when she saw him and narrowed her eyes.

 “It’s not even 1:00 yet. Surely, the place didn’t fall apart with me gone only 80 minutes.” Johanna rolled her eyes at him and waved to her companion. “Peeta Mellark, this is Katniss Everdeen. Katniss, Peeta. I left something in my desk for her. She’s not staying.”

 The woman in question glanced back and forth between him and her friend uncertainly. She was slight and unassuming with storm gray eyes and thick, dark hair worked into a loose braid. A few strands of hair escaped and framed her face, which was far prettier than he’d realized at first glance. Quickly, he snapped to attention. Stepping toward her, he extended his hand and waited for her to shake it. When she did, electricity sparked through him.

 “Ms. Everdeen,” he said. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Any friend of Johanna’s is a friend of mine. Welcome to Panem Industries.”

 “Sheesh! She’s not interviewing for a job,” Johanna snickered. She’s just here to get something from me, and she’s Gale’s friend, too. I’m surprised you haven’t met before now. Those two have been thick as thieves since they were tweens. You really haven’t heard of her before?”

 “Why would I have?”

 “I thought you and Gale were tight?”

 “We are tight. What does that have to do with anything?”

 Katniss smiled wryly and spoke in a smoky voice that shot straight to his groin. “Gale and I were best friends for years. We had a rough patch when he developed feelings for me in high school. Didn’t talk much through college, but we worked it out. I think Jo’s just surprised he didn’t mention me to his friends.”

 “You okay there, boss?” Johanna asked, her eyes wary as she observed him.

 Peeta shook himself, aware that he’d been frozen as Katniss’ voice washed over him. “Fine! I’m fine. Katniss, it’s wonderful to meet you. Johanna, I need to see you in my office when you’re finished with your friend.”

 He moved quickly and closed the door behind him. Walking on unsteady legs back to his desk, he sank into his chair. Needless to say, he was unsettled. Something about those smoke colored eyes and husky voice had reached inside him and pulled feelings to the surface he hadn’t felt in ages, and it was disconcerting in a way he wasn’t quite ready to admit. Flustered, he turned in his chair and gazed out over the city until Johanna entered his office. It was only then that he could expel Katniss from his mind.

 ****

 “You know, it’s bad enough that you foisted your girlfriend on me as an employee,” Peeta teased as he downed another whiskey. “The least you could do is pass on your best friend’s number. No, scratch that. The least you could do was warn me your best friend from high school is smoking hot now.”

 Gale tipped his head back and laughed hard at his friend and Peeta’s obvious attempt to weasel Katniss’ number from him. Finnick and Thom hooted their amusement, and Darius waved to the waitress for another round of drinks. Peeta hadn’t meant to end up at Ripper’s again, but he’d been off kilter all week. When Finn had asked, Peeta shrugged and went.

 “You only like me for my girlfriends,” Gale teased and clinked his glass with Thom. “To be fair, they are pretty spectacular. I have great taste in women.”

 “Says the most modest man alive,” Finnick crowed. “You like them wild, and there’s nothing wrong with that.”

 “Wait,” Peeta blurted. “Wild? Katniss?”

 “Not in the traditional sense,” Gale drawled after a long pull of his beer. “Nothing like Jo. She’s amazing—completely herself, likes to party, will rip me apart with her bare hands if I cross her—but Katniss is something else. Feisty but stealthy. She can skin a squirrel and look like an angel doing it. I’ve never been able to explain her to anyone. She really has no idea the effect she has.”

 “But you dated? You two?” Peeta prodded. Something about the thought of Gale kissing the woman he’d met made his stomach clench.

 “Not for long. She wasn’t much interested, but I would have given my left arm for her back in the day. She’s only improved with age. I’m lucky she still bothers with little old me.”

 Peeta snorted and flicked his eyes to each of his friends. Gale may not have been the best-looking guy in the group—Finn pretty much had that locked no matter who was around—but Gale’s tall, dark, and brooding nature made him pretty popular with the opposite sex. He hadn’t had trouble meeting women in ages. Unlike Peeta, who’d had terrible luck with women both before and after Cashmere. Couldn’t get them to look at him instead of his money now that he was wealthy, and he’d been dismissed for being way too nice when he was younger. His former fiancée had been an exception, but then he couldn’t get her to stay, with or without his bank account.

 “But seriously, dude. Help a guy out. I’ve been single for ages,” Peeta wheedled, but Gale just shook his head.

 “If she asks, I’ll give your info, but there’s no way I’m gonna try to set her up. I value my life and limbs too much to intervene.”

 “You just said you would have given your left arm for her!”

 “Back in high school and college, man. Not now. I need them both for the work I do.”

 Peeta conceded then. It wasn’t like him to pump his friends for information about women, and he wasn’t going to start now. Maybe she’d come by work again with Jo, or maybe Johanna would—

 No. Johanna would not. That was a terrible idea, so Peeta shoved Katniss Everdeen from his mind and sipped his drink. If nothing else, he could use a night out with his friends.

 ****

 Later that night, when Peeta lay in bed alone, his penthouse dark and empty, and his heart shriveling with sadness, he allowed Katniss to flutter through his thoughts. If he imagined her in love with him, no one could prove it. Just like there were no witnesses when he reached into his sleep pants and palmed his half-hard cock.

 He hadn’t masturbated with anyone particular in mind for a very long time—not since Cashmere and he had been a couple. There was something intensely erotic about stroking himself with mental images of a specific woman smiling at him, touching him, taking his dick in her mouth and sucking until—

 “Oh, fuck,” he hissed as he swelled and hardened. “Katniss. Yeah, just like that.”

 He fumbled in his bedside table for some lube and was so worked up he squirted half the bottle onto his pelvis. Rubbing his hand in the fluid, he groaned when he wrapped his hand back around his erection and tugged. His hips bucked, and his headboard slapped against the wall. Startled by the sound, he bit his lip and shook his head.

 It seemed wrong to jack off like this when he barely knew her. Stranger fantasies were fine, but this was one of his best mate’s long-time friends. Johanna would rip him apart if she knew what Peeta was doing and leave the leftovers for Gale to destroy.

 God, he didn’t care, he realized. Something about Katniss Everdeen made him want to throw caution to the wind. He’d been a goner since he first heard her voice, and he’d paid his dues with his loneliness. One night of lustful thoughts and indulgence seemed like a just reward for being single for so long. He’d only met her once, but there were all the tell-tale signs of a massive crush. Except, yes, he was attracted to her, but he also wondered if he might have a case of love at first sight. She invaded his thoughts constantly, and he ached to see her again.

 Until that could happen, though, he needed some relief. Closing his eyes and tossing his head back into the pillow, he moved his hand until he gained a steady rhythm. The wet squelching sounds of the lube on his skin echoed through the apartment and stirred mental images that made his breath come harder and faster.

 In his fantasy, her lithe body bounced on top of him, riding him with abandon and wanton pleasure painting her face. Her small breasts jiggled prettily with dusty nipples pert and pointed and inviting his mouth to lavish them with attention. His fist tightened, he jerked harder, and then—

 He whited out, stars bursting behind his eyelids, ecstasy flooding his body, and all the tension draining through ropes of thick fluid painting his torso. Dazed, he lay there for several minutes, doing nothing but enjoying the lazy tingle in his veins and the dopey grin turning up his lips with delight. His spent cock filled his right fist, and he squeezed it a few times to keep the buzz going.

 When he could think clearly again, he opened his eyes and snorted at the mess. He was sticky and sweaty and slick with his cum and lube. Covered in his ejaculate, he stumbled to the bathroom on shaky legs. He meant to rinse off and then drop into a dreamless sleep, but he ended up hard and wanting a second time as the water coursed over him. Turning the temperature to cold didn’t help either. Only another round with his fist calmed him enough to fall into a restless, dream-filled slumber. His body insisted on round three the next morning.

 Within a few days, a pattern emerged. He woke hard, masturbated, and then went to the office where two women ran his world. When he returned home, he beat off again, sometimes two times, before he was able to sleep. By the second week, Peeta had to admit his feelings for Katniss weren’t going away.

 His only choice was to get her to fall in love with him, too, or his name was Peeta Mellark. CEO of Panem Industries, captain of industry, jilted fiancé, and desperately in love with Katniss Everdeen. Johanna was going to have a field day with this.

[jazziwritesthings]

Crazy Part 2- Derek Hale

I do not own teen wolf or any of its characters.

Word count: 2,803

Pairing: Derek Hale x Reader

Summary: Part 2 to this

Warnings: Fighting? Parenthood?

Inspired by It Won’t Be Like This For Long by Darius Rucker. Lyrics in Bold. 

A/n: Read Part 1 Here

************

He didn't have to wake up

He'd been up all night

Laying there in bed listening

To his new born baby cry

Ever since you had brought her home, Derek hadn’t been able to sleep. He was constantly listening to her heart beating from the other room. He was paranoid that something was going to happen. You had reassured him multiple times that nothing was going to happen. He knew you were right, but he just couldn’t shake this feeling that something was going to happen the minute he closed his eyes. 

He makes a pot of coffee

He splashes water on his face

His wife gives him a kiss and says

It gonna be OK

Knowing that he wouldn’t be getting to sleep anytime soon he got out of bed slowly, trying not to wake you. Before he even thinks about it he is walking towards the room next door. Peeking his head in the door he saw her lying there, sleeping peacefully. Taking a deep breath of her scent he walked into the kitchen and started to brew some coffee. Making his way to the sink he splashed some water on his face to wake him up a bit. Making himself a cup of coffee he sat down at the kitchen table. Resting his head on his arms, he slowly falls into a light sleep. 

He was startled awake when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He jerked his head around to see you standing there in his shirt with your own cup of coffee in your hands. Shaking his head he looks up at you with his eyebrows knit together. “I found you here about 4 hours ago. It’s 9am. She’s awake if you want to get her up.” At the sound of a soft cry he was out of his chair and down the hall to get his little girl. 

It wont be like this for long

One day soon we'll look back laughin'

At the week we brought her home

This phase is gonna fly by

So baby just hold on

It wont be like this for long

She had been so cranky the past two weeks and neither of you could figure out why. Deaton told you that it wasn’t safe to try to take pain from a baby. You didn’t understand why but he was adamant. So you and Derek were feeling all sorts of helplessness. Then Melissa showed up and told you what was wrong immediately, “ Guys, she teething.” Both you and Derek looked down at the little girl currently crawling around the living room. “Just get one of those teething toys and put it in the freezer. It should help. Don’t be surprised if she gets a fever, it’s known to happen.” Thanking Melissa as she left you looked over to where Derek had just been to find him missing. Looking around the loft for him you find him in her room. Sitting on the rocking chair with her laying on his chest. He was gently rubbing her back and just staring at her lovingly. The sight before you melted your heart. “Remember when we first brought her home and you didn’t sleep for days?” He looked over at you and smiled while looking back down, “ I wouldn’t change a single thing. Except maybe her being so grumpy and in pain.” Walking over to him you press a gentle kiss to his head, “ It’s not going to be like this all the time. I promise.” You stepped back and pressed a kiss to your daughters head before heading into your bedroom and getting ready for bed. 

Four years later bout four thirty

She's crawling in their bed

He heard the pitter patter of little feet before he actually saw her. Then there she was, standing in the doorway to your bedroom holding her blanket and teddy bear. Without saying anything she walked into the room and towards Derek’s side of the bed. He smiled at her when he saw that her eyes were glowing a precious golden yellow. She was already using her eyes to see in the dark. He picked her up and placed her in the middle of the bed between you two. You turned onto your side feeling the bed dip down. Seeing your daughter smiling up at her daddy made your heart feel full. You silently watched as she pushed Derek's arm and weazled her way to be nuzzled into his side. He kissed the top of her head before his eyes met yours. You smiled at him reaching for his hand and intertwining your fingers with his. “ I love you.” It may have been dark but you could see the smile on his face, “ I love you too.” It amazed you that no matter how long you two had been together. Whenever you said that to him it caused him to get shy and adorable. 

And when he drops her off at preschool

She's clinging to his leg

The teacher peels her off of him

He says what can I do

She says now don't you worry

This will only last a week or two

She was starting preschool in less than a week and to say that both of you were stressed would be an understatement. You knew it wasn’t going to be easy because of what happened a few weeks back.

You and Derek were in desperate need of a night out. No baby, no pack. Just the two of you. So when Scott volunteered to babysit you were more than ecstatic. You took your time getting ready before going and dropping her off at Scott’s. Pulling into the driveway you were surprised to see Stiles’ jeep in the street. He had been in virginia for over a year at this point and you missed him like crazy. You didn’t even wait for Derek before getting out of the car and running to the door. You weren’t surprised at the fact that it opened before you got there and Stiles stood there with his arms open. You leapt at him wrapping your arms around his neck and placing a kiss on his cheek. He wrapped his arms tightly around you. He set you down and you grabbed his face just looking him over. The pudginess of his cheeks was gone, there was now stubble on what was once smooth skin, and he was muscly. Your baby had grown up and you weren’t there to see it. You didn’t even notice that you were crying until he wiped a tear from your cheek and pulled you into another hug. “ I missed you mama.” He rested his head on top of yours. He only let go when he saw who else was walking towards him, “ Oh my god! You’re so big! Do you remember me?” He squatted down so he was just a little taller than her. She looked at him with a bit of a glare and then she smiled and walked into his waiting arms, “Sties!!” You all smiled at how she tried to pronounce Stiles’ name. Scott came and stood on the porch as well and pulled you into a hug. “Hey mama.” Stiles put her down and she came right over to you and you gave her the biggest hug ever, “ You be good for the boys okay?” She looked kind of confused but nodded her head. Then she walked over to her daddy and demanded to be held. He held her tight before he tried to hand her off to Scott, “ No!” She had a death grip on Derek’s jacket. “ Hey, It’s okay. You're gonna play with the boys tonight okay? Mommy and Daddy will be back later, Okay?” That was when the water works started. You immediately knew that your night out was not going to happen now. She had Derek wrapped around her finger that when she started to cry, whatever was making her cry would be stopped immediately. He looked at you and saw that your face had fallen and you were smelling of sadness. “What’s wrong?” You shook your head, “ Nothing. Are we going?” He knew what you were asking. He knew he never did anything that made her cry. “Babe, I can’t just-” He didn’t get to finish his sentence before Scott stepped in and pried her hands free from Derek, “ Yes you can. You both need this. We got this. Now go.” Derek couldn’t disobey and order from an alpha so he nodded and grabbed your hand. 

Now here you were. Waiting for Derek to get back from dropping her off at preschool. It was nerve racking and you didn’t know what to expect. When he came home by himself it was a relief but it also concerned you how he had been so quiet. “What happened?” You asked as you stood next to where he sat at the table. Beginning to rub his back you saw him visibly relax. “She had a meltdown. She grabbed my leg and wouldn’t let go. The teacher had to pry her off of me because I couldn’t do it myself. I don’t think I can do this again.” You rested your head on his shoulder, “ Well, you have too. I go back to work soon and I won’t be able to drop her off. It won’t be like this for long. I promise.” 

One day soon she'll be a teenager

And at times he’ll think she hates him

As you arrived home from work the first thing you heard was a door slamming. Taking a deep breath and walking deeper into the house you saw Derek on the couch with his head in his hands, “ What happened?” He didn’t even look at you before and threw himself back on the couch, “ She hates me.” Shaking your head as you take off your heels, “ No she doesn’t and you know it.” He looked over at you with a look of defeat all over his face, “ She said she hates me.” You walked over and kissed him gently, “ I’ll go talk to her.” You walked up the steps of your little home and made your way to your 14 year old daughters room. “ So. You hate dad now?” She just groaned from her spot on her bed. Walking over and sitting down she moved until her head was lying in your lap. Gently playing with her hair, “ What happened?” Looking down at the beautiful teenager in your lap, all you could see was the little baby you had made. “ I got into a fight in school. I got detention and then I came home and Dad just started in on me about the fight.” Stopping your movement, “ You got into a fight and detention?” She closed her eyes, “Not now mom. Please.” You sighed and decided to let it go, “ What happened, why did you get into a fight?” This time she sat up and faced away from you. “ There were these kids. They were making fun of Stilinski. I couldn’t let that just happen.” Nodding your head your thoughts drift to Stile’s oldest boy, he was about 4 years younger than her. All the kids in the pack were referred to as cousins. So when someone hurts one, all of them are hurt. “Did you tell that to dad?” She looked over at you, “ I didn’t get that chance. He was just so mad about the fight and then add onto that the detention I got. I just couldn’t take being yelled at. So…” You nodded, “ So you told him you hated him to get him to leave you alone?” You saw her face fall as the gravity of what she had said finally sunk in. “ What do I do mama?” You stood up and held out your hand. She took it in her own and looked into your eyes, “ Tell him the truth. That’s the best thing to do.” She walked out of her room and stood at the bottom of the stairs watching them interact.

Derek saw her walk into the living room. She didn’t say anything, she just sat next to him and curled into his side. He looked over to where he knew he would find you. You nodded your head as you walked into the kitchen to start dinner. “ I love you daddy.” His heart swelled at the words he would never get tired of hearing. “ Want to tell me what happened?” She told him everything that had happened. From the kids picking on Stilinski to her throwing a punch when they said something about her family. She just spilled her guts to the man you both loved. 

Then he'll walk her down the isle

And he'll raise her veil

You stared at the women standing before you. In a few short hours she was going to be married. She would no longer be Miss Hale. She would now be Mrs. McCall. She was marrying Scott’s oldest boy, who was only a few months younger than she was. You hugged her one last time before leaving the room to go find your seat. You sat down next to Scott and grabbed his hand. He gave yours a squeeze, “ It’s going to be okay mama.” he gently kissed your cheek as you looked up at the man standing at the altar. It was just so hard to believe that at one point in time, he was just a baby that you had over for playdates. You had always had your suspicions. Every time the pack got together they would go off somewhere just to hang out. Being the oldest 2 of the pack's kids they didn’t want to hang around the younger ones, but they were too young to hang with the adults. You heard the music and knew it was time.

Derek stood at the door waiting for his daughter to come out of a room. When she did he had to do a double take. This woman, she couldn’t be his daughter. His daughter was just a little girl. Still wearing pigtails and tu-tus. Not this beautiful woman wearing this white dress about to change her life forever. “Daddy?” He hadn’t realized that he was staring, “ Do I look okay?” He didn’t trust his voice as he felt tears well up in his eyes. “ Oh daddy.” She saw he was crying and she walked closer and pulled him into a hug. “You look beautiful baby. Absolutely stunning.” He pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head. He heard the music start playing. He offered up his elbow and she laced her arm through it. “ You ready?” He looked down at her. Seeing the big smile on her face, “ Born ready.” Then they started the walk towards the altar. It seemed like it took ages to get there. All he could see was this gorgeous woman beside him. His mind was flashing with memories. Everything from the day they brought her home, to her first tooth, first step, first word. Then to her riding a bike. Her first full shift. Her first car accident. Her first boyfriend. All the things he never thought would happen because he didn’t believe that he was father material. Buth this girl right next to him, she proved him wrong. He was father material. He was the best dad ever.

But right now she up and crying

And the truth is that he don't mind

As he kisses her good night

And she says her prayers

He lays down there beside her

Till her eyes are finally closed

And just watching her it breaks his heart

Cause he already knows

It wont be like this for long

One day soon that little girl is gonna be

All grown up and gone

“Derek?” The voice startled him awake, “What happened?” He looked around and realized that he was still in bed, in the loft. Shaking his head thinking of what he just saw, “ It’s your turn to feed her.” He slowly got out of bed and walked down the hall. Walking into her room he saw the infant crying in her crib. He felt a pang in his chest as he picked her up and made his way to the kitchen. Getting a bottle for her, he makes his way to the couch and lays on it and feeds his little girl. “This isn’t going to last long enough, is it?” She made a noise as she continued to drink from her bottle. After she finished he burped her and stayed lying and just talked to her. He told her all about the dream he had and how it had felt so real. Looking down at the little girl, now asleep on his chest, “ I’ll love you no matter what.”