an unpaid parking ticket from eight years ago has derek sitting at a desk in the beacon hills police station, filling out paper work and a check. or, really, pretending he is while checking out the ass of the deputy a few desks away. he’s yet to see the guy’s face because since he’s walked in, the guy has been leaning half way across his desk, talking to someone that derek can’t see.

but maybe derek is appreciating it too much because the guy straightens out and turns, walking towards the sheriff’s office and derek has to swallow around the lump in his throat, directing his attention back to his own paperwork.

“derek?”

well, shit.

derek lifts his head enough to catch sight of the deputy whose ass he had been checking out, standing up and coming face to face with stiles stilinski. “stilinski.”

well, at least his grin hasn’t changed. derek has flashes of the small gangly teenager that he last saw, but apparently he was replaced by a tall, filled out police deputy who clearly wears his pants a size too small.

“holy shit, the mighty derek hale back in beacon hills.” his mouth hasn’t changed either. “jackson isn’t going to believe this.”

derek knows he must look confused by stiles merely grins at him, clapping a hand on his shoulder. “i’d love to stay and chat, but i got to get this one home,” he gestures towards his desk and a red headed toddler wanders over, immediately latching on to stiles’s leg.

derek feels a pang. it might be jealousy, but he isn’t sure.

“uncle stiles, can i go home now?” the knot in derek’s chest loosens a little, but it just tightens back as stiles lifts the kid into his arms, talking to him in soft words. his wolf is having an almighty fit just under the surface, derek doesn’t blame it either.

“we’ll catch up later, yeah, derek?” stiles grins at him before starting out of the building. the child makes a face at derek over stiles’s shoulder, like a wolf howling at the moon, and derek sighs, knowing he better make arrangements to stick around for a while.

he sits back down to finish his paper work, looking at stiles’s desk once more. maybe more than a while, if he actually decides to claim his mate this time around. his wolf seems to like the thought of that.