Archive of Our Own ^beta

I Will Find You Anywhere

Derek panted as he swerved around another tree, seamlessly jumping over a fallen log as his body automatically reacted to its surroundings in his desperation to escape. Trees, bushes, foliage, rocks, all passed him in a blur as he ran and kept running.

Goddamn hunters. 

How the hell had they found him? Although he was fairly sure that they had no clue who he was, which was both a relief and disheartening at the same time.

They had to know this area, he’d been running for a couple of days now and they’d somehow managed to keep up with him. He had no idea how they hell they’d done that or even knew he was a werewolf. He was in his full shift, but then he supposed large black wolves weren’t exactly native to these parts. Especially one with blue eyes. Although he knew they hadn’t seen that about him yet. He hadn’t flashed his eyes in over a week and that had only been in recognition of another shifter.

He stumbled as he lost his footing and found himself falling, wincing as a stray branch smacked him round the face. What he’d thought was the forest floor had been an illusion, and he found himself at the bottom of a steep slope. Luckily it was only the forest's camouflage and not a hunters trap. 

He ran forward, biting his tongue to stop his whine as his front left paw gave out underneath him. He paused for a moment, to allow his paw to heal and to listen for the hunters. He cocked his head, ears twitching back and forth with his paw raised while the pain slowly faded as the sprain healed.

The hunters were a ways back but still on his trail. He pushed forward again. Maybe if he followed the stream he might lose them, although he had no idea how they were not only following him but keeping up with him too. He had no clue who these hunters were, he didn’t recognize any of their individual scents, just the telltale smell of gunpowder and wolfsbane that lingered around all hunters.

He’d only made it around the first bend when something darted out at him. He dodged away from it, turning to snarl but only caught sight of a bushy orange tail and the smell of fox and human.

Another were? He’d never met a werefox before and according to his uncle Peter they weren’t to be trusted, but well, neither was Peter. 

He mentally huffed at the thought of his uncle. He’d had tentative plans to meet up with him before this had happened. And while he wanted to trust in his uncle, he doubted his vague agreement to visit sometime would warrant Peter sending out a search party for him, especially as Derek hadn’t bothered to give him an estimate of when to expect him. He hadn’t even definitively decided to come until he’d realized how close he actually was. Peter's so-called cabin that Derek would bet his entire life on being a luxurious estate than the rustic cabin his uncle had portrayed had only been a few days' travel away before he’d started running for his life. Now he had no idea where he even was, let alone how far away from Peter’s he was.

He continued on, swerving when the fox came at him again. What was this fox's deal? They were definitely a shifter, but why the hell were they bothering Derek when he was running for his life? Foxes were meant to be canny and cunning, this one must be stupid with a death wish.

And why the hell were they coming back? He jumped over the fox and snarled when they grabbed hold of his hind paw. He landed with a thud, whipping around and snarling at them. He wanted to gape when the fox rolled their eyes and looked at him so sardonically. 

Did he know this fox somehow? While he hadn’t expected that reaction, it was kind of familiar somehow. It reminded him of being a part of something, of having someone who cared, someone who loved. And it had been such a long time since he’d had something like that, the mere memory of it hurt. He didn’t want to remember the last time he felt as if he had someone like that.

The fox ignored his snarling and shoulder checked him, deliberately pointing his snout off to the side where the rocks were larger and more cumbersome to find a path through. There was nothing there, no path that Derek could discern or even make. Derek waited for the fox's next move, cocking his head to one side and watching silently as the fox led the way and neatly disappeared into the foliage. 

Not only did the fox seem to know the area, but he also seemed completely at ease with Derek’s distrust and his voicing of it. Did this fox know him? He raised his nose, sniffing the air, taking the time to sparse out more individual scents but nothing was clicking in his brain. The only scents he could definitively identify were fox, human, male, and possibly something else, something that reminded him of home but he didn't recognise what it was. For all intents and purposes, Derek had no idea who this werefox was, nor why he seemed so adamant on helping him. Or was he actually helping him? What if he was leading him into a trap?

The fox reappeared, looking distinctly pissed off. Derek raised an eyebrow. He was not stupid, even humans knew not to follow strangers. They even had that saying: stranger danger, and yet this fox was expecting Derek to blindly follow him when he was already in a highly dangerous situation.

A shout sounded, making Derek flinch and the fox flatten himself to the ground, his tail bushing up twice it’s size. The hunters were still behind them and nowhere near far enough away for Derek's liking. Maybe, just this once, he could follow the stranger and not have his rash act come back and sink its claws into his heart. Or maybe Derek was just a glutton for punishment. He followed the fox all the same, trying hard to ignore the pleased tail swish as the fox led him through a trail Derek would never have been able to find on his own. 

He wanted to say that the fox's reaction to the hunters' noise was what had convinced him to follow, but Derek would be lying to himself. There was something telling him to trust this fox and that in itself worried Derek. His instincts about people were garbage — his dead family could attest to that — which is why he was wary about following his instincts to trust this fox.

Glancing back, Derek realized just how perfect this trail actually was. Not even he could see any signs telling others that they had come this way. The stone rocks prevented any pawprints and the bushy foliage swept back into position without a leaf out of place and barely any of their fur clinging to it with no broken branches to give them away. Only a were would be able to tell anyone had come this way and only by their sense of smell. 

It stood to reason that this fox was a local. Maybe that was why he had helped him. Maybe he hated hunters just as much as Derek did and wanted them off his territory. It would make sense, especially as all he really knew about werefoxes were they were known for their cunning and elusiveness. This werefox certainly seemed to have those two traits down perfectly, Derek just wished he knew who the hell he was and where the hell they were.  

He heard another shout, much further away now. Wherever the fox was leading him, he was taking him further and further away from the hunters. They carried on climbing for a while, the air getting clearer the higher they went. Derek breathed it in gratefully. He’d forgotten just how good the clean clear air made him feel. He’d grown up playing in the preserve in Beacon Hills. He just wasn’t made for city life and had hated it when he’d fled there with Laura. He’d understood it was necessary, that they’d needed somewhere to blend in and hide, to recover, but he never had recovered and in all honesty, wasn’t sure he ever would. How did one recover from losing everything? Not just once, but twice. He was tired of constantly having to pick himself up and start over, again and again and again. Life was much easier drifting, until something like this happened.

They crested the top of what was apparently only a small hill as the area opened out into yet more forestry. Derek sniffed the air appreciatively. He could smell water up ahead, clean fresh running water that he could drink from and quench his thirst. He couldn’t see it yet, but it thankfully seemed to be the direction the fox was leading him as it had been days since he’d last drunk from fresh running water.

The fox turned his head back to Derek, his tongue lolling out happily as he stared at him, looking almost expectant. Derek inclined his head in knowledge that the fox had saved his hide after all, the least Derek could do was admit it and act grateful over it.

The fox chuffed happily, ducking his head into Derek’s scruff before bounding away, a clear spring in his step. Derek blinked, taken aback. Did the fox even realise that that move was a sign of affection? Derek sniffed again, was he sure he didn’t know who this fox was? But all he could smell in the air were the scents he had already picked up on, along with happiness and a lot of smugness. 

He sniffed again and he smelt that scent that reminded him of home. It was stronger up here in the clearer air, but it didn’t smell of the preserve in Beacon Hills. It didn’t remind him of his childhood in the slightest, but it still made him think of home. He wished he could place it, but there were more important matters at hand, like keeping their lead on the hunters until they managed to lose them.

He willingly followed the fox this time, ignoring his distrust of his own instincts and baffled by the intermittent signs of affection the fox kept showing him which were spaced out by what could only be sarcastic reprimands. A soft curl of the fox’s tail around his muzzle followed by the flick of mud in his face by the fox’s paws. A gentle nudge in the right direction followed by a chortle when he’d pushed into a prickly bush. A lick to the muzzle followed by full blown chuffing when he got soaked after being tripped into a pool of water.

He glared at the fox that was so familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. He felt as if he knew him and, much to his internal dismay, already trusted the fox to keep him safe even though he hadn’t known him long and had no idea who he really was. He couldn’t understand this sudden kinship he was feeling. Maybe it would disappear the second he turned human, but he was actually enjoying himself. Enjoying running through the forest, with the fox leading the way as they tried to outsmart each other. All while stealing little snatches of affection and contact. He had almost forgotten about the hunters. 

Almost. 

They were constantly in the back of his mind but he was struggling to even hear them now. They definitely hadn't followed them up the rocky incline, instead following the little stream of water that Derek had initially planned to attempt to lose them in. 

He cocked his head, listening intently as he realized that he actually couldn’t hear them anymore. They’d lost them. He lolled his tongue out happily, turning to face the fox who touched his nose to his before turning to face the setting sun.

Derek blinked. Had that been deliberate? Had the fox actually just booped his nose? Derek scowled after him, jumping forward and pouncing but landing on soft earth as the fox chortled and danced on the spot right beside him. Derek narrowed his eyes but the fox was already running away, yipping happily but not too loudly. It seemed even the fox was being cautious in his happiness.

Derek obligingly bounded along after him, buffeting into him and sending him rolling head over tail. He chortled at the sight, mimicking his new friend, but knew the fox would get him back soon. 

They rounded a corner and Derek stopped, abruptly sitting on his hunches as he stared. The water that he’d smelt was right in front of them, a river trailing out and winding its way through the forest before disappearing into the trees. The fox came and sat down next to him, a feather light weight settling on his tail. He guessed it was the fox's tail but didn’t want to break the magic of his view to check. The sight was gorgeous and filled him with hope.

With the help of his new friend he’d lost the hunters, was unharmed and still free. He wasn't sure if he was ready to go back to his drifter lifestyle but was more than content to see how long the fox would stay with him.

He glanced at the fox and was pleased to see him looking back, waiting for Derek to make the next move. Derek slowly touched his nose to the fox's before standing up and looking out at the river. The fox stood next to him and side by side they splashed into the water. Derek dipped his head, lapping at the water greedily but knowing from past experience not to drink too much too quickly. He glanced at the fox and blinked. He was lapping at the water but had lowered his head in and was drinking it like a human would.

Derek shook his head slightly. This werefox was so weird. He blinked when he felt water splash his face and the fox stared at him innocently. Derek huffed but was too pleased to retaliate. He splashed further into the river, pleased when the fox trotted up to him and he could revel in the freedom of being an animal and free. He ran, the fox keeping up with him, water spraying up behind them as they ran side by side in the shallows. 

Picking up speed, Derek launched himself into the heart of the river, allowing the water to swallow him up as he initially sank before his body rose to the surface and he began to swim. The fox glared at him, shoving his nose up into the air and staying in the shallower part of the river.

Derek chuffed, enjoying the feeling of being buoyant in the deep water and the coolness it brought after he’d been on the move nonstop for days now. He knew he needed sleep and that soon he would crash, willingly or unwillingly, but he hoped that his new friend would stay with him. There was something about him... Derek didn’t trust easily, had never been given a reason to, but there was something about this fox that made him trust him. It wasn’t because the fox had saved his life; others had done that and Derek still didn’t trust them. There was something else about this fox, something that told Derek he was safe with him, that he was home and could relax.

He swam for a little longer, just long enough for the water to thoroughly cool him and ease the slight ache his healing hadn’t been able to fully conquer. The fox watched as he made his way over and joined him in the shallower section of the river. Derek frowned when the fox barked, raising his head as if pointing to something up ahead. Squinting, Derek could make out a faint alcove in the river. He glanced back but the fox had already trotted ahead. Sighing, Derek followed, wondering if the fox would be able to smell his exhaustion or if Derek was going to have to either fall over or shift to explain it.

The fox headed inland when he got to the alcove and Derek could see the faint remains of a path, but no one seemed to have come this way for many years. Frowning, Derek followed, giving the river one last look. The fox hadn’t tricked him yet, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to. Was this the moment when he did it? How would it happen? Would the fox lead him back to hunters or did he have something else in store for Derek? Something worse? Or something that wouldn’t end in certain death? 

Derek froze, one paw still in the air when a ramshackle old cabin came into view. It looked like it might fall down at any moment. He sniffed, his nose scenting the air as he listened intently, but it was just him and the fox. There wasn’t anyone in the derelict wooden cabin.

Had the fox realized just how tired he was or was this a trap? He went to back away even though his instincts were telling him to stay, that he could trust this fox, but froze when the sound of cracking bones hit his ears and the fox shimmered. He was shifting. The fox was shifting back into a human.

Derek stared, his jaw falling down slightly as the man stood there staring back at him as if this was all Derek’s fault.

‘Really Derek? I can smell how exhausted you are. You lived in your burnt out house and then an abandoned train depot for how many years? Just get in, and you know, it’s easier and quicker to dry off as a human without all that fur. Seeing as you’ve been able to full shift a hell of a lot longer than me, I’m shocked you haven’t figured that out by now.’

Derek shifted back to human, too startled to stay as a wolf and needing answers to a whole lot of questions he couldn’t ask as a wolf. Although he had never realized just how good Stiles looked naked. He subtly averted his eyes after a moment, once he realized that he was literally just staring at Stiles’ junk. His imagination had not done it justice. Now that he was faced with it, quite literally, he couldn’t deny how he felt about Stiles.

‘And seriously, does trouble follow you everywhere you go or am I just lucky in finding you when you find trouble? I mean, how many times is this now?’ Stiles continued, seemingly on a roll, his arms thrown out to emphasise his point.

‘Stiles?!’ Derek accidentally interrupted. He was still trying to process that it was Stiles and the feeling that seeing him had awoken. Although Derek really did have more important matters at hand than his unrequited feelings for one Stiles Stilinski, namely that Stiles was a werefox. Stiles had been the one to save him. Again. 

It made sense that he had instinctively trusted the fox now, he trusted Stiles with more than just his life but the lives of people he loved and cared about. Stiles had proved countless times that he could be trusted, and Derek did trust him.

‘I know, I know.’ Stiles waved his hand and turned his back to him, giving Derek the perfect view of his toned ass, heading inside the cabin. ‘I’m a werefox, I got bitten, yadda, yadda.’

Derek’s mouth went dry. 

‘And I mean, I know that werewolves were not the only weres out there, hello, Malia anyone? But still, I was not expecting werefoxes to be a thing, but they’re actually kinda great. It was an accident, and all is forgiven and even though I said I never wanted to be a werewolf and refused the bite, I actually love it.’

Stiles was still talking and Derek had to mentally give himself a kick to follow Stiles inside and find out just what the hell had happened.

‘You refused the bite?’ Derek frowned, he had never offered Stiles the bite when he was alpha, knowing that Stiles had always been comfortable in who he was. He wondered who had. Was it Scott or another alpha? ‘When?’

‘Peter, when we were kids.’ Stiles paused and glanced at him thoughtfully over his shoulder. ‘He actually listened to me and respected my refusal, which back then was very unPeter like.’

Derek frowned at that but let it go, even if he couldn’t ignore the resentment he felt at Peter offering Stiles the bite. His uncle was still a snarky little shit and not to be trusted, but he was no longer homicidal or hell-bent on revenge to the detriment of whatever stood in his way. Derek wouldn’t go so far as to say he was no longer murderous, because, well, he was still Peter and if someone hurt someone he loved, he would kill them in a heartbeat and never think twice about it.

Stiles disappeared into the ramshackle hut and Derek ventured closer, hearing a few thuds until he could see Stiles hunting through the meagre belongings left behind.

Stiles turned around, holding a rotting and threadbare small towel that may have once been a dishcloth. ‘So there’s no blankets and this is the only towel, and I’d rather drip dry than use this. Anyway we can bunk down here for tonight, there’s a safe place a day or two’s run from here we can stay.’

‘Why don’t we head there now?’ Derek asked, cocking head but unable to hear any sign of the hunters.

Stiles rolled his eyes. ‘What are you, a masochist? There’s no way you'll get there without any rest, I can actually smell your exhaustion.’

Derek glowered at him, not wanting to admit he was right. ‘And you’re going to be happy sleeping on the floor?’

Stiles grinned at him, ‘Sure, when I’ve got you as my pillow.’

Derek huffed and quickly turned away, before his naked body betrayed just where his thoughts turned to at that statement. Thoughts of himself curled up and entwined with Stiles were a little too much for him at the moment and he was too exhausted to be able to keep up whatever smart retorts Stiles would most definitely come up with.

He glanced around wondering if there was anything to dry himself with seeing as there was no way he was touching that disgusting bit of cloth. Unless he wanted to rub himself down with leaves, there wasn’t anything. He gave himself a shake and ran a hand through his hair, he was already a lot dryer than he had been before he shifted to human. How bad would it be if he shifted back still damp? He could already hear the arguments Stiles would undoubtedly come up with. While it would be just like old times, listening to Stiles rant, it probably wouldn’t be worth it in the long run.

He rubbed his eyebrows tiredly, trying to think. The image of Stiles’s naked body popped up in his head. He needed to think about anything apart from Stiles being naked.

‘Come on big guy, you need sleep.’

He startled at Stiles’ touch on his shoulder, he hadn’t even heard him approach.

‘You want to sleep as is or as a wolf?’ Stiles asked. ‘Probably be easier and warmer if we shift, there’s not much room but it’s not as if we're going to get sick.’

‘You’d better not fidget in your sleep.’ Derek grumbled.

Stiles chuckled, ‘Like you’re even going to notice, you’ll be dead to the world the second your head hits the floor. Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.’

Stiles winked at him and Derek couldn’t help return the smile. He knew Stiles would protect him and that he would probably barely get any sleep, on alert for the hunters approaching just so that Derek could rest.

‘You’ll wake me if you're worried?’ Derek checked.

Stiles made a cross over his chest with his fingers. ‘Scout’s honour.’

‘That’s not how scouts make a promise.’

Stiles grinned. ‘Aww, Derek, were you a Boy Scout?’

Derek glared at him and instead of responding, shifted back into his wolf. He trotted into the ramshackle hut, delicately stepping over the debris but noticing that Stiles had tried to clear a patch for them to sleep in. He circled a couple times, before settling down. He raised an eyebrow at Stiles, who was watching him, still in his human form, with a warm smile on his face that Derek was too tired to try to figure out.

He tucked his head into his paws and wrapped his tail around himself, he was still a little damp but he would dry soon enough. He listened as Stiles shifted but instead of coming in, he settled outside like a watchman defending his charge and Derek’s eyes fluttered closed as he gave in to sleep.

Derek woke slowly, he was lovely and warm and could hear a steady, albeit slightly fast, heartbeat under his ear. He sighed deeply but kept his eyes closed, basking in the slumberous afterglow of a wonderful night's sleep. He did not want to wake up, he was too comfortable and it had been a long time since he’d felt this relaxed and at ease. 

He stretched out his limbs, holding in his relieved groan but allowing the heartfelt sigh as he relaxed, keeping his eyes closed. He heard the heartbeat falter slightly but didn’t want to wake up enough to find out where he was and who he was with.

A tongue licked his nose and he startled, his eyes shooting open. He blinked into a pair of molten brown eyes staring closely into his as his memories returned. 

He was in a broken down cabin in a forest with Stiles. And he still didn’t know the full story of how Stiles had become a werefox but he really needed to know if Stiles knew that he was flirting with him. If Stiles understood what all the tail flicks and nose touches meant and if he’d been doing them deliberately.

He stood up and shook himself, properly stretching his limbs out before shifting to human. He stared at Stiles who was still a fox but was watching him intently.

Derek’s mind backtracked over yesterday, sticking on all their interactions. He decided to just ask him outright if his flirtation was intentional. ‘You mean it?’

Stiles shifted back, an impressed look on his face. ‘Derek, I found you in the middle of the Boise National Forest, which covers two and a half million acres and leads into the Payette National Forest which covers two point three million acres. I will find you anywhere and you ask me if I mean it? Of course I mean it you stupid, oblivious idiot!’

Derek frowned at him, inching himself forward although he was positive that Stiles hadn’t even noticed. ‘There’s no need to be insulting.’

‘Insulting!’ Stiles screeched, his arms flailing around.

Derek hid his smile as he stepped closer.

‘Have you any idea how many times I’ve saved your ass? How many times I’ve been there for you and yet you never seem to see me!’

‘I always see you.’ Derek informed him, lining his body up with Stiles’ and slipping his arms around Stiles’ waist while taking care to lean into him. He was very aware of how naked they were and knew that any accidental touching of certain areas would lead them straight to the floor but Derek wanted them someplace safe and secure before anything like that happened.

Stiles scoffed, glaring at him while resting his hand on Derek’s arms. ‘Oh you see me, do you? And yet you still asked if I mean it? Oomph.’

Stiles kept talking right up until Derek finally plastered his mouth against Stiles’. He knew he could have been a lot smoother, but he loved the rants that Stiles went on when Derek had made feel righteous and indignant and couldn’t help himself. He licked along the seam of Stiles’ lips, humming in pleasure when Stiles opened his mouth, granting him access, a throaty moan coming from Stiles.

Derek licked into Stiles’ mouth, unsurprised when Stiles met him head on every step of the way. He ran his hands up Stiles’ back, feeling the strong smooth ridges, wanting to stay in this moment forever.

It seemed that Stiles had no such reservations about keeping certain areas of their bodies separate and rubbed their groins together, eliciting a desperate groan from both of them.

Derek pulled back, almost gasping for breath, feeling absolutely wrecked. Stiles looked exactly like he felt and he wanted nothing more than to pull him closer and see exactly what he looked like while Derek did best to thoroughly wreck him and pull even more of those gorgeous breathy moans from him. ‘We can continue once we’re safe and no longer looking over our shoulders.’

Stiles glared at him. ‘Why the hell do you have to be so sensible? Where’s my sourwolf who always runs in head first without a plan?’

Derek scowled at him. ‘I do not.’

Stiles knocked his forehead against Derek’s with a resigned sigh. ‘You so do, and as much as I hate to admit it, you’re right.’

Derek smirked, kissing him quickly and chastely, feeling his chest warm when Stiles chased his lips. ‘You mentioned a cabin?’

Stiles grinned, a sly look entering his eyes. ‘I did.’

‘What?’ Derek wanted to know, narrowing his eyes when Stiles emitted a smug scent.

‘Come on, if we hurry and don’t dally, we can get there tonight, maybe early tomorrow.’ Stiles shifted into his fox, cocking his head to one side before deeming it safe and scrambling out the broken door.

Derek huffed a sigh, feeling as if Stiles was already playing some joke on him, but he shifted as well and followed, keeping an ear out for the hunters or anything out of the ordinary.

Stiles led him back to the river and they followed it, this time keeping to the shallows, enabling them to run faster before they finally crossed it. Derek may not know exactly where they were, but Stiles’ earlier mention of Boise National Forest did ring a bell. He had been somewhere along the Oregon/Idaho border when the hunters had started chasing him so he wasn’t surprised they were now in Idaho, although it seemed that Stiles was leading him north. If Derek’s geography was correct, then the cabin Stiles was leading him to was either in the north of Boise National Forest or in Payette National Forest. That was the direction that Peter was in but there was no way that Stiles could know that.

He had so many questions to ask Stiles once they were safe. Stiles had said he’d find him anywhere but how had Stiles found him? How did Stiles know he was here, that he was being chased by hunters? How did Stiles know this land? What had happened to him when he’d been bitten? And after he’d been bitten? He’d always known that Stiles would make an amazing were, but he was sorry that the choice had been taken away from him, that the gift had been forced on Stiles.

Following Stiles, as he ran through the woods, nimbly jumping over fallen logs, dodging stray branches and using rocks as jump starts. Derek was right in how magnificent Stiles was, with his tongue lolling out happily and his eyes sparkling as they ran.

Stiles hadn’t exactly set a slow pace and it felt more like they were racing each other for the fun of being able to and for the promise of the reward at the end than anything else. Stiles was, without a doubt, beautiful as a fox, and Derek could easily admit that maybe he was better suited as a werefox than a werewolf. 

Derek could easily match his pace but he quite liked hanging back and watching Stiles move, the flick of his tail just after he collected his limbs and bunched his muscles when he prepared to jump. The sun glinting off the fur and the myriad of colors that wove through the oranges, browns, whites, and blacks. Derek could spend hours watching Stiles move as a fox, his movements natural and fluid without any of his stumbling or flailing that he somehow still had as a human. The only reason Derek could think that Stiles could still possibly be so clumsy was that by now, it was ingrained in him. It was a relief really, that Stiles was still Stiles. That even after everything, he was still the same.

They stopped only to drink or chase and catch a quick, easy meal that wouldn’t delay them too much but would sustain the hard pace they’d set. When they stopped to drink, Derek would always take the opportunity to submerge himself in the cool water from whatever river or stream they were drinking from. Stiles would always paddle or lay down in the shallows but he’d never go as far in as Derek. 

It was companionable and Stiles had clearly taken to were life better than a duck to water, and he certainly excelled at driving Derek up the wall with his touches and tail flicks in his face. He’d taken to biting little nips on Derek’s body when they passed, Derek retaliated at first but when he’d found himself pinning Stiles to ground and about to shift back to human, he’d stopped himself. Instead flicking dirt into Stiles’ face when he’d jumped off of him and sped away, chuffing loudly at Stiles’s indignant yelp.

It had the unfortunate effect of making everything feel surreal, that Derek hadn’t been running for his life only yesterday, that he hadn’t met this strange fox who he inexplicably trusted while he led him to safety. Derek had trusted him before he had known it was Stiles, it made sense now, but why had Derek not realized it was Stiles? Why had he not recognized Stiles’ scent? He sniffed Stiles, recognizing all the scents he had yesterday, and only now realized that combined they all made up Stiles’ unique scent, but he hadn’t managed to put it together yesterday. He must have been more tired than he’d realized.

Stiles’ shoulder checked him, a quizzical look on his face that made Derek bark out loud in laughter. A fox should never wear that expression on his face.

They kept on running, and it was only after the sun had set, once Stiles had kicked up the pace another notch, that Derek realized why. They’d crossed into someone’s territory, only Stiles seemed more excited and eager than worried. It must be this person's territory that held the promised safe place. 

Derek inadvertently slowed when he recognized the scent of the person and mentally huffed before picking up the pace and matching Stiles. Did Stiles really think that Derek wasn’t going to recognize them? True, Derek hadn’t recognized Stiles, but he hadn’t been expecting Stiles to be a werefox, he knew these people and he knew that Stiles had certainly delivered on his promise of a safe place. He would be hard pushed to find a safer place.

It was only a couple hours later when Stiles led them up a well worn path that eventually led to a cosy looking rustic cabin but Derek wasn’t fooled. He could smell the luxuries inside from here and could hear the moment the occupants realized they weren’t alone. His uncle bickered with his partner about who would get the door and let them in. Of course his uncle won and a few moments later the door swung open, the lights silhouetting Chris Argent in his pyjamas as he welcomed them in.

‘Boys.’

Of course they knew that the fox was Stiles. Derek narrowed his eyes as Stiles smugly swished his tail in his face and led them inside.