Mornings Like These
Also on AO3
Word Count: 870
Derek wished he could live in moments like this one forever. It was a lazy Sunday morning, the sun just barely peeking above the tree line, with no rush to get up and be anywhere or do anything. So they didn't, they stayed right where they were. Stiles got up just long enough to grab Tillie from her crib and change her diaper, before bringing her back to their bed where Derek was waiting. And that's where they've been for the last fifteen minutes or so. Soon Tillie will start getting fussy for her breakfast, but until then they were just enjoying the peace.
Stiles sat on his side of the bed, sitting with his back against the headboard, scrolling on his phone. Derek laid on his stomach next to Stiles, with his head resting on his arms. He had his eyes closed, but he wasn't sleeping. He would dose occasionally, but mostly he was just enjoying the moment with his family. Tillie sat between them, gumming on her teething ring, and letting out cooing noises every once in a while. When she got bored of that she would pull herself up into a standing position using Stiles' arm as leverage. She couldn't stand on her own yet, but she loved being able to bounce a little while she held onto something for balance. So that's what she did, slapping a hand against Derek's back and laughing. Then she would get bored again and plop back down onto her butt, drawn to whatever else caught her attention. She seemed content entertaining herself as her dads relaxed in the morning calm.
The room smelt of home, of pack. It smelt of thunder, pine, and lavender, a smell that was so distinctly Stiles. It smelt of laughter and vanilla, Tillie's smell becoming just as much engrained in their room as their own. But along with that came the smells of their home. The scent of the same laundry detergent that Stiles has been using since he was a kid, because it was the one his mom used. The smell of the autumn air drifting in from the window that is cracked open across the room, the morning dew that still clung to the grass and the fog that was beginning to retreat with the sun. It smelt of love and family, and a home so deeply established that it was ingrained in the land. Derek hummed quietly, taking in a deep breath through his nose, letting the smell and sounds of his family wash over him.
Tillie pulled herself up again, only to plop back down so she was leaning against Derek's shoulder. He peaked an eye open, making her giggle. She started planting messy and noisy baby kisses onto his shoulder, exaggerating the 'mwah' noise each time. Derek chuckled quietly, leaning in to nuzzle his nose against her cheek. She squealed in delight, planting one of her kisses to his cheek this time. And then she got bored again, pulling herself back up so she could do some more bouncing, occasionally running a chubby hand over Derek's stubble.
It continued like this for a while, the three of them just basking in each other's presence. The sun casting a golden light into their room, covering them like a hug. Derek felt his breath hitch as he watched his husband. He looked gorgeous like this, sleep rumpled and barely awake, but happy. The light of the sun made his eyes glow impossibly brighter, making him want to swim in the honey color. Stiles must have felt his gaze because he looked over at him, smiling warmly. He mouthed 'I love you,' Derek smiling and mouthing it back.
Tillie babbled a little, rolling herself into Stiles' side. Stiles smiled down at her, running a hand over back. She looked up at him with wide eyes that matched Derek's, her fist in her mouth as she gummed at it. Stiles chuckled, gently pulling her hand down and replacing it with her teething ring. She garbled, swinging the ring around.
"Da!"
"Yes, Matilda?"
She made some other baby noise, not quite catching onto the words thing yet beyond Da. Stiles just smiled at her softly, gently using his fingers to push her chestnut hair back away from her forehead. She sighed, flopping down so she was half on Stiles' knees, half on the bed. She seemed to have tired herself out a little with the repeated up and down, so her eyes started fluttering, her eyelashes brushing against her cheeks. It only took a couple of more moments before they closed entirely, once again asleep. Derek moved forward, curling himself around her, his head in Stiles' lap.
Stiles smiled contentedly at his little family, carding his fingers through Derek's hair. Derek took another deep breath, his hand tightening where it was fisted in Stiles' sleep shirt. He wished this moment could last forever, in their little bubble of peace that they've created, but he knew they couldn't. Eventually, this day would end. Tomorrow would come and they would have to get back to their responsibilities. But for now, they were content to ignore that, just existing in this moment for as long as they could.
