Chapter Text
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***
Jordan Parrish sits in his cruiser outside the diner watching carefully as patrons enter and exit. The person in particular he’s looking for is already inside, nervously chewing on a straw and appears to be contemplating whether he should order something to drink or wait for his guests. The guy in question is just a kid. 20 is what it said in his file, but his upturned nose and pouty mouth give way to a youthful innocence that the rest of his body defies.
The kid has long arms with impressive biceps and sinewy fingers. He’s got a thick column of neck accented with mole-dotted skin that stretches beautifully every time he turns his head to scan the place. He’s tall, Parrish could see that before the kid sat down. He’s probably the same height as Derek, who’s slightly taller than Parrish, but though the kid’s shoulders are broad, he’s still a little more slight.
Fuck, he’s perfect. Derek is going to love him. Hell, Parrish loves him. Could see loving him, wanting him... inviting him inside.
“Hey officer, you gonna sit out here all day like a perv, or get out so we can meet this guy?” Parrish’s head snaps over to see a tall tan man with raven black hair and stunning hazel eyes, cocking a sardonic eyebrow in his direction.
“I don’t know, chef, this guy seems a little young. Are you sure I won’t have to arrest us just for having this meeting?” Parrish says as the other man leans into the car and presses a kiss onto his lips. Parrish draws back and looks at the vision in front of him. “Damn, Derek. Are you sure you wanna do this, because I can just drive us to a secluded spot and-”
“I’m more interested in meeting our potential omega than getting ticketed for public indecency… again. Get out of the car, Jordan.” Derek insists with a smirk and an extra swagger in his hips as he begins walking towards the entrance of the diner.
“You won’t even let me stay here and enjoy the view?” Parrish says as he watches Derek’s ass stride away from him.
“If you don’t come with me now, this is the only view you’re gonna get all week.” Derek turns and crosses his arms over his chest, challenging his mate. Parrish rolls his eyes and finally gets out of the car. He walks up to Derek and puts his arm possessively around his waist.
“Dammit Hale, you fight dirty.” Parrish says as he kisses Derek on the cheek. Derek smiles and nuzzles Parrish’s neck, scenting him discreetly.
“Everything I do is for our family.” Derek says, his eyes boring strength, security and confidence into his mate, “I know you’re nervous, but adding an omega is a good thing. I’ve heard a lot of good things about this kid, this will be good for us.”
Parrish nods. In general he agrees. He and Derek have been talking about starting a family for years now and adding an omega seems to be the way to do it that will please everyone. Parrish is a human alpha and Derek is a werewolf alpha. Neither can get pregnant, but both long for a family. They’re not averse to adopting, but for Derek, having children who are connected to the pack is very important. Surrogating wouldn’t be ideal because they want their cub to be connected to the birther as well. After much discussion they settled on adding an omega to their relationship.
Triads were nothing new and not even rare. Parrish’s little brother was currently the omega in an alpha/beta/omega triad and was very happy, Parrish supposed. He’d be expecting any day now, Parrish was sure of it. He wasn’t so sure how he felt about adding an omega to what he and Derek had, but there were other examples of it being really beneficial for everyone involved. Derek was a former culinary student who turned chef and was going to open his own restaurant soon; and Parrish is a local deputy for the county. They were originally going to wait until they were 30 to start talking about kids, but the restaurant Derek works at has been invited to participate in an elite restaurant week and Derek wants to parlay the opportunity into opening his own spot.
In short, their 10 year plan got condensed down to two, meaning they either have kids now, or in 10 years. They both decided now was the time and today was the day to meet their potential omega.
Parrish holds the door open for Derek as they enter the diner. He knows exactly where the boy is sitting, but allows them a little bit of time as Derek searches the restaurant. He looks back at Parrish and motions towards the boy who has finally noticed them coming in. He fidgets a bit before standing up and wiping his hands on his jeans. He clears his throat, extending a hand way too early and ends up standing there for a few extra seconds with said hand out and a look of panic on his face.
“Stiles?” Derek asks, pointing at the boy who nods quickly and runs his extended hand through his hair just as Derek is extending his. Parrish narrows his eyes as Stiles blanches and Derek bursts out laughing.
“Oh my god, 30 seconds and I’ve already fucked this up haven’t I?!” Stiles flails as he looks around, seemingly searching frantically for somewhere to hide. Derek reaches out a hand and places it on Stiles’ shoulder calming him instantly.
“Stiles, it’s okay. You’re not… fucking anything up.” Derek assures the young man whose eyes widen.
“Shit, is it okay I said fucking? My mouth is colossally dirty. I know you wanna have kids and I can control myself mostly when young ears are involved, but man I’m really putting the cart before the horse aren’t I?”
Parrish looks at Derek who is clearly already smitten. And Parrish can understand why; the boy has sparkling coffee brown eyes and his mouth is lush and pink. His frenetic energy is bolstered by what appears to be an inherent compassion that could easily be attributed to him being an omega, but Parrish surmises it’s probably just who Stiles is. He can see why Derek would take an instant liking to him, Parrish likes him too. What he doesn’t like is how uneasy that makes him feel.
“Stiles, why don’t we have a seat?” Derek suggests motioning to the booth. Stiles zips his lips and slides in on one side while Derek and Parrish slip into the other side. “This is my partner and mate Jordan Parrish.”
Stiles nods knowingly at Parrish, “You’re my dad’s deputy. He really likes you.” Parrish grins as he remembers telling the sheriff they would be talking to Stiles about becoming a triad. At the time the only memories he had of the kid were from when Parrish was younger and he had to visit the station to deal with his dad. At the time the kid was just around waiting for his dad -then a deputy himself- to get back from whatever case he was out on. Parrish never thought that deputy would become his boss and he would end up potentially courting his boss’s son.
“And of course, I’m Derek Hale. Isaac is the one who originally suggested you. Isaac and Parrish are actually brothers.” Derek finishes as the waitress comes over to take their drink orders. As Derek orders, Stiles’ eyes glint towards Parrish. He’s not sure how much Stiles remembers of Parrish, but there is a look of recognition and hope in his eyes that Parrish doesn’t have the context for. He’s learned for the most part to ignore when people look like they recognize him, but since Stiles is going to become a big part of his and Derek’s relationship, he wonders if he should ask?
After graduating high school, Parrish enrolled in the military. About 2 years in he was disarming a bomb and sustained injuries that caused him amnesia. When he returned to Beacon Hills he didn’t regain his memories until nearly 4 years later and even then they were kind of spotty. Parrish has always been told Stiles has a sharp mind, he wonders if he’s hiding anything.
“So, Isaac said that you were opening a restaurant?” Stiles says as he fiddles with the wrapper from another straw. Derek grins sheepishly.
“Not quite, but the plan is to open one within the next few months. Ultimately I’ll be participating in a restaurant week that will get me a lot of buzz. I hope to turn that buzz into backing to open my own place. We decided it would be good to do the setup and get an omega concurrently, so when it’s time to have kids I’ll be a little more settled and can manage my time a little better. Right now I’m pretty settled so this would be a good time for you and I to bond and then in a few months when my schedule gets crazy, you’ll have plenty of time to bond with Parrish. That is, if you’re interested in us courting you.” Derek grabs Jordan’s hand and looks at Stiles hopefully. Stiles blushes slightly and ducks his head.
“Courting? Damn, that’s so frilly. The omega in me likes it, but the video game nerd just finds the whole thing really embarrassing.”
“You like video games?” Parrish asks, perking up as Derek sighs and rolls his eyes. Parrish ignores him. Derek’s distaste in, but complete domination of video games is one of the endearingly infuriating things about the man to Parrish. He remembers the first time he finally made Derek sit down and play Call of Duty and got beaten so soundly Parrish didn’t pick up the game for months after. Derek always made it a point to rag Parrish with, “Weren’t you in the actual army?”. It might be nice to finally have someone to game with.
“Oh yeah! Scott and I usually go hardcore on X-Box, but I also have a PS4, even a Wii. Gaming is very fucking important. My buddy Danny and I engineered a gaming computer that uses NVIDIA’s SLI technology for enhanced 3D graphics that will blow your fucking mind.”
“Whoa!” Parrish gapes, “What about the sound card?”
“Not to interrupt this upcoming nerd parade…” Derek interjects.
“Hey! This is important, big guy!” Stiles bursts out with uncharacteristic boldness and enthusiasm, “The way to some omega’s hearts are flowers and candy. The way to my heart is food and a really stable power supply!”
Parrish laughs as Derek sits slack jawed and wide eyed.
“And internet!” Stiles yelps out before sinking further into his seat. Parrish laughs more; someone willing to take Derek down a peg occasionally? Parrish could grow to like this kid.
“Annnnd, I just yelled at my future alpha over video games.” Stiles says, blushing and ducking his head. After a beat he shrugs and looks up. “Actually, I can’t lie, it’s probably mostly gonna be like this. Just to prepare you. I’ll understand if you wanna back out.”
Derek furrows his brow and leans forward on to his elbows on the table. He looks long and hard at Parrish who is still snickering and then intensely at Stiles who seems to be putting his all into trying not to burst into flames… or tears.
“Stiles, when can we take you on a date?”
Stiles beams and breathes a sigh of relief and together, the three make plans.
***
Derek and Parrish make out against the side of his cruiser when another cruiser drives by with a quick ‘whoop’ of the siren. Derek pulls away and rolls his eyes, waving at the cruiser with one hand and flipping it off with the other. He leans back against his mate as the car drives out of view and runs his hands through Parrish’s hair..
“I liked him a lot, Jordan. What did you think?” Derek asks, settling into Parrish’s arms.
“He’s nice.” Parrish says with a quick shrug. “He seems nice.”
Parrish leans in to kiss Derek again who smooshes his face with his hand, pushing him back.
“Jordan, this is serious! We’re adding an omega to our relationship, not picking out fucking drapes. Be serious for just a minute and I promise I’ll take care of the rest.” Derek implores the deputy who has taken to rolling his eyes in whichever direction the wind was blowing.
“Fine! Okay… umm.. I like that he likes video games. And he seems smart and motivated; he’s got a lot of energy which will be good for when the little rug rats come.”
Derek groans, “Sweetie, what have I told you? Please don’t refer to our future children as rats.”
“When you add ‘rug’ it makes it adorable, Derek. C’mon!” Parrish says, playfully nuzzling into Derek’s neck. Derek leans his head back exposing more to Parrish which he knows is a great sign of respect and love.
“What else do you think about him?”
“What else is there?”
“He’s a pretty kid.” Derek says, his head bowed as he looks up through his eyelashes at Parrish.
“Prettier than me?” Parrish smirks, pouting out his lower lip, selling the look with a raise of his eyebrows. Derek reaches over and grazes his thumb across Parrish’s jaw.
“He’s got his own thing, you know? A little awkward, but in a graceful way that makes him accessible. He’s got great features and he’ll give us gorgeous kids.”
Parrish nods and thinks about little girls and boys that look like a mixture of Derek and Stiles. He tries to imagine himself, but for some reason it doesn’t seem to work.
“Is it okay if I reserve judgement until we go out on a date with him? I just… you know I love you and want you to be happy-”
“But you need to be happy too. Of course, sweetie.” Derek kisses Parrish’s cheek and finally pulls away. “Because this is for all of us. Triads are very special, several of my pack are in them and they’ve always shown to be really beneficial for the kind of lifestyle we have. I can’t wait to start our family with you and hopefully with Stiles if all goes well” Derek walks away to get in his car and Parrish does the same, settling into the front seat of his cruiser. Derek pulls up to him.
“See you at home?” Parrish calls over.
“Of course, love you!” Derek waves as he drives off. Parrish sits there, idling for a while. He’s got a little time before he has to go back to the station so he watches the traffic go by as he tries to figure out why he doesn’t like Stiles.
Or.. he does like him, he supposes. As much as you can like someone whose instant attraction is based more on hormones than actual compatibility. Alphas and Omegas are a given. Because they are the only pairing guaranteed offspring; biologically they fit. Over the years the need for procreation has slowed, and some betas have even reported giving birth to other betas, but the instant connection between an alpha and omega is still strong. Parrish remembers the way his father was when he talked about his mother. There was an instant obsession in his eyes for the woman and a connection whose power scared Parrish.
Something about the boy makes him uneasy. His father taught him everything he knows about omegas, since the only one he really dealt with was his mother and she wasn’t around all that much (not for him at least), and his brother whom he really doesn’t remember.
Jordan Parrish was born Victor Camden Lahey, son of Victor and Evelyn Lahey. Parrish’s father was a hard working alpha and his mother was a beautiful omega. She had long blond hair, sparkling blue green eyes and could light up a room just by walking into it. There had been several rainy, whiskey drenched nights where Victor would tell Parrish about how they met.
“It was a mixer, you know, one of those ‘Find Your Mates!’ things that only desperate and lonely curmudgeons go to. I was there with my buddies from the yard, you know, for moral support.” Victor would clarify with a swish of his glass. Parrish remembers sitting on the floor cross legged, enraptured by how the story changed based on how empty the glass was. “So I’m standing there, minding my own business, just watching these jokers go around making crappy small talk and trying to find their mates, when the crowd literally parts and the prettiest girl in the room comes up to me.”
Victor points at himself with wide eyes, cueing Parrish to nod excitedly, ‘You? Get out of here!’ is probably what one of Vic’s buddies would say if he were telling the story to them, though Parrish really never knew his dad to have any buddies.
“So she’s walking up to me -sauntering, really- in this gorgeous red dress,”
“Like a mermaid’s tail!” Parrish squees. He’s heard the story many times and it never ceased to amuse him.
“That’s right kid, all frilly and layered, it looked like she could be lounging on a rock out there in the middle of the ocean and be right at home. Your mother’s good at that - always fitting in, looking like she belongs. So anyway, she chucks me lightly under my chin and she says, ‘My girlfriends and I made a bet. They say that you come to these things to make fun of all the lonely losers looking for love,’ Even her alliteration was charming, Cam, let me tell you! And she gives me a cute little wink and says, ‘I say, a big grumpy man like you can probably cut a mean rug’.
“And I’m looking at her confused, because what the heck does that even mean, you know? So I ask her what kind of bet was that. And she answers, ‘I’d say a sure one’ and as if on cue, old blue eyes himself starts crooning over the radio.”
“Cheek to Cheek?” Parrish would ask excitedly as his dad waggled his eyebrows and swayed his glass to the tune in his head. .
“There’s none better, Cam my boy! And don’t you forget it!” Parrish would laugh and his dad would continue, “So then I ask her what she gets if she wins and she says, ‘Well, I suppose I get a great dance with a handsome man’ and you know what Cammy? She won that bet!”
“For that song and the next three!”
“That’s right, my boy! And we’ve been dancing ever since, ain’t that right, honey?” And Parrish would swing around to the door where his mother was leaning against the frame with a delicate smile on her lips. She’d come in and take Victor’s outstretched hand and sometimes she would sit on his lap and they’d retell the story with silly little details and elements thrown in. Then there were times she would pull her mate up and have Parrish sing Cheek to Cheek in his warbly, word salad of an a cappella while Victor and Evelyn swung around the room.
Parrish remembers, he was a child, only about 5 or 6, but he remembers it vividly. It was one of the few times that he remembers them being happy. Before Isaac… before the longer working hours and the glasses that started fuller and emptied faster. Before his mom’s diamond brilliance wore to a dull finish, before everything… changed.
Parrish starts to make his way back to the station and decides to push thoughts of Stiles out of his mind until their next date. Instead he ends up thinking about Derek. He’s usually always thinking about Derek in some capacity, he still can’t believe he hasn’t messed this one up yet. When he came to Beacon Hills he dated a little here and there, but Derek was the first person who challenged him and made him want for more. After a colossally disastrous first encounter, Parrish couldn’t believe how lucky he was when he finally won Derek over.
Back in Afghanistan, during a particularly grueling defusing session, his squad was attacked by a group of insurgents. Victor Camden Lahey was pronounced Missing in Action - Presumed Dead and Jordan Parrish awoke in his place. He’d completely lost his memory and was found weeks later recuperating in a nearby village. He’d found a random set of dog tags and made the long journey back to Beacon Hills which he couldn’t even identify as his home.
He just knew he felt a pull, something leading him back there. When he arrived he had no idea where to go or what to do. He’d collected a little bit of money doing odd jobs on his sojourn and he was at the local grocery store picking up items to take back to his motel room when he ran into Sheriff John Stilinski.
After a short conversation the sheriff mentioned they were always on the lookout for new deputies and Parrish seemed just like the type of young man that should apply. Parrish went to the sheriff’s station the next day and has been working there for the past 4 years.
One day, shortly after his first week on the job, Parrish was issuing a ticket for a double parked black Camaro. The owner ran out of a local restaurant supply store cursing and saying he was going to move. Parrish shrugged and told him not to bother rushing, he was going to get the ticket anyway. The young man sighed and looked at the officer, at first with annoyance, but then with… recognition?
“Hey… don’t I know you?” The devastating hazel eyed man remarked, “Yeah… we.. we went to highschool together, right?” Parrish huffed and rolled his eyes behind his aviators.
“Cute way to try and get out of a ticket, kid. But I’m not from here.”
“Kid? What the fuck?” The young man scoffed, obviously perturbed. Parrish was only 22 at the time, but suffered from baby face syndrome. This guy actually looked to be at least a few years older than Parrish, but that didn’t mean it was okay to try and flirt his way out of a ticket.
“I’m sure those eyes get you out of a lot of things, but not today... Mr. Hale, is it?”
“Fucking Camden Lahey.” Derek Hale seethed with an intense glare and a stiff upper lip.
“What?” Parrish asked. The name doesn’t seem familiar, but something in the way Mr. Hale said it ignited something in Parrish. Something that frightened more than soothed him.
“You’re Camden Lahey, I thought you joined the army?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, sir.”
“Oh yeah, you’re definitely him. You were an ass then and you’re an ass now.” Mr. Hales taunted as he crossed his arms defensively over his chest.
“Says the guy with the double parked dick car?” Parrish snorted and tore off the ticket, flapping it in front of Derek’s face. “Just pay your ticket, Mr. Hale, and next time try to be a little more courteous. Afterall we have to-”
“Share this world so it won’t be such a shithole for the future, I know, Cam.”
“What? How?” Parrish started to say, but Derek had already gotten into his car and sped off. Parrish looked after the car, wondering about what just happened. He figured he’d find out in a month or so if the man tried to contest the ticket. Parrish looked down at the carbon and groaned. He’d forgotten to sign it.
Still, he did run into Derek again a week later at the farmer’s market. Parrish was there with Valerie, a fellow deputy that he was working up the courage to ask out. He was hoping to show her a softer side of himself and picked up an avocado from one of the stands.
“You know how to tell how an avocado is ripe?” He asked her, fingering the avocado a bit too suggestively for the demonstration he was proposing. She giggled and shook her head and just as Parrish was about to open his mouth to allow for some well timed innuendo to fall out, another voice interjected.
“You can buy it and take it home and find out. You know, instead of fingering my avocados to impress your date.” Parrish looked over and saw Derek Hale glaring at him.
“Mr. Hale? What are you doing here?”
“I’m putting in a few extra hours so I can pay off my parking ticket.” Derek answered with a sly leer.
“Well you don’t have to worry about it, I forgot to sign the damned thing, so…”
Derek sighed and rolled his eyes, “I know, Deputy Parrish. I… look, can I talk to you for a minute?” Parrish nods and excuses himself from Val who has already started looking at the pashmina in another stand.
Derek ushers him behind the stand and hands Parrish a plain business card.
“Alan Deaton, Veterinarian.”
“Yes, and if you make one dog joke, I’m going to kick you in the nuts.”
Parrish creased his brow and looked between Derek and the card. “Why would I-”
“Because I’m a werewolf, Cam, Jesus Christ!”
“Who is ‘Cam’ and why do you keep calling me that?”
“What the fuck happened when you went away? I know I’m not crazy, I asked Laura and she knows it’s you too. I was going to ask Isaac-”
“Isaac?” The same jolt that hit Parrish when Derek first called him Cam, hit him again, only this time something unraveled, something vague, but intimidating.
“You really don’t remember, do you? I mean, I’m not so vain to think you’d remember me from highschool, but I thought… well, we were getting close and-”
“Mr. Hale-”
“Derek.”
“Derek Hale?” Parrish asked. Again, it was like a light switched was being flicked, but the lightbulb wasn’t in all the way. Parrish quickly became unsettled and agitated. “Look, I don’t know what you think you’re doing or if this is some sort of joke-”
“It’s not a joke, Cam!” Derek insisted. Parrish cut him off, shaking his head.
“Don’t call me that! I’m Parrish, Jordan Parrish.”
“Okay.. Jordan.”
“What is this?! What’s this card? Why would I go see a vet, I don’t even have fish! Wait, you’re a fucking werewolf?!” Parrish started to hyperventilate as Derek stood there and rolled his eyes, clearly unimpressed by Parrish’s dramatics.
“He’s the emissary for our pack. Beacon Hills has a lot of supernatural shit and I think your obvious memory loss might be a part of that. Go see him, Ca- ahem Jordan. He can help you.”
Parrish turned the card over in his hand, “So if you believe that I’ve lost my memories, what makes you think I’d want them back? So I can know exactly why you’re so condescending to me?” Derek huffed and narrowed his eyes.
“An ass then and an ass now.” he mumbled under his breath.
“What was that, Mr. Hale?”
“Go see the doctor, Jordan. And by the way. Your date doesn’t know it’s a date and she’s trying to hit on Natalie Martin.”
Parrish spun around and saw his would be girlfriend shamelessly flirting through the opening in Derek’s booth. He blushed hard and shook his head, walking off without looking back. He could feel Derek’s smirk piercing him like a knife in his back.
Later the next week Parrish decided he had nothing to lose and went to go see the doctor. The animal clinic was on the edge of the preserve and was a small, unassuming building with a vinyl decal of a dog bone in the window. Parrish walked inside and saw a black man with a graying goatee behind the counter. The man gave him a knowing grin.
“Camden Lahey.” He said without pretense, “I heard you were back in town.”
Parrish remembers when he first saw Deaton, his eyes glazed over. He simply nodded at the older man and followed him into his back office. After a couple of weeks, Parrish’s memories began to return.
***
Parrish ran into Derek at the farmer’s market again, but this time it was intentional.
“Hello officer, are you still crazy?”
“Are you still a rude, condescending dick with a dick car?” Parrish returned smoothly with a cocky grin. Derek smiled, but not enough to give anything away.
“Look, I… I remember you. Bits and pieces still, not everything is all the way back, but I had a lot going on during high school so even if I hadn’t have gotten nearly blown up in the middle east, I still probably wouldn’t have remembered you.”
Derek cocked an eyebrow, “Ummm.. thank you?”
Parrish rubbed the back of his neck, knowing how his attempt at an apology was coming off, but he still continued, “What I mean is I’m sorry for being an asshole and I’d like to take you out for coffee to say thank you.”
“Wow, 20 oz. of caffeinated bean water as payment for restoring a section of your life. Sounds about level.”
“Who said anything about 20 oz.? I think you’ll be just fine with 12. Or whatever the free one on this nearly expired gift card is. Are you free anytime before midnight on…. dammit, tonight?” Parrish said, checking the card. He looked back up to see Derek watching him with eyes that beheld a mixture of amusement, confusion and irritation. Parrish gave an innocently shit eating grin and Derek sighed.
“Once an ass, always an ass.” Derek huffed out. Parrish wrinkled his nose.
“You use that line way too much.”
“Yeah? Well even though it’s true, I guess it does deserve an upgrade. How does ‘Deputy Dick’ sound?”
“Sounds good.” Parrish blushed and that’s the moment he knew he was a little in love with Derek Hale.
The next few weeks were -for Parrish- an embarrassing pattern of Parrish trying to flirt, Derek calling him various law enforcement dick puns: ‘Patrollee Peen’... ‘Sergeant Ballsack’ (that was Parrish’s favorite) and rejecting his offer for dates.
“Just stop trying, Lieutenant Left Hanger-”
“Nice, a promotion and something to let me know you’ve been thinking about how I hang.”
“I’m never going to go out with you. You’re an ass and I don’t have time to smell your bullshit all day.”
“Trust me, if you go out with me, you’ll be begging to have my ass all day.”
“Jordan-”
“Fine! I’m going, I’ll see you next weekend?” Derek didn’t say yes, but he also didn’t say no. Parrish decided to go for broke and arrived the next week with a giant bouquet of wolfsbane. Derek watched the bouquet with horror as Parrish approached his stand.
“Jordan, what the fuck? You realize that’s large enough to kill me, right? I don’t even think that’s legal!”
“You wouldn’t go out with me and have called me every version of dick and asshole that there is-”
“And you think this is helping, you diseased frenulum!?” Derek yelled.
“Well, I figured I would show you a nicer side of me and kill you with kindness.” Parrish held his ground and after a good long staredown, Derek Hale burst out into laughter.
Derek laughed for a good minute and then went behind his stand coming out wearing two long, elbow length, thick rubber gloves. He grabbed the bouquet for Parrish and went back behind his stand. Before he disappeared he turned and gave Parrish an appraising look up and down.
“You can ask me out now.” Derek disappeared behind the stand and Parrish fist pumped the air in triumph. He looked around the circle at the other vendors many of whom appeared to be horrified. He waved sheepishly and walked off.
He did ask Derek out again, and three weekends later he finally accepted. They went out and that evening back at Parrish’s shitty little studio they rolled joints with some of the dried wolfsbane from the original bouquet and smoked it getting so high Parrish swore he could see the stars. He and Derek fuck each other hard and the next day they’re an inseparable couple. They fuck and fight and drive each other crazy and fall so deeply in love it’s a little alarming for both of them. It’s okay though, they even each other out. Parrish keeps Derek from being too serious and Derek knows how to put Parrish in his place (though he’s perfectly happy bottoming too). The two work well and date for the next two years while Derek gets his culinary degree and Parrish works at the station.
They move in together and the next couple of years after that, Derek starts catering and working for a prestigious restaurant. He cooks his way up the epicurean ladder and gets a name for himself in the culinary world.
“I want to have kids with you.”
Parrish grinned when Derek sat him down in front of a bowl of lemon chocolate soufflé. It was a pain in the ass for Derek to make and Parrish’s favorite dessert. He knew them having it on a Tuesday meant something big was coming. Parrish reached behind him and grabbed his own ass.
“Nope, still not self-lubricating, and unless your knot is just a showpiece, I don’t know how this is going to work, Derek.”
Derek reached out and pulled Parrish’s plate away from him, causing the deputy to pout.
“Jordan, I’m serious! At the restaurant these couples and their families come in and I want that for us.”
“Derek,” Jordan sighed and ran his thumb over Derek’s jaw. He wrapped an arm around Derek’s waist and another around his neck, leaning into him. “I want that too for us, I just don’t know how that’s going to happen. We can adopt or get a surrogate I guess?”
Derek kissed Parrish sweetly and then gave him the bowl back with a sideways grin.
“I was actually thinking about getting an omega.”
And so it began. Derek explaining about omegas to Parrish and Parrish accepting whatever would make Derek happy.
“We’re established, Jordan. I know I wanted to start the restaurant first, but I feel like having a family will be great motivation and reward towards that goal. Also, I’m going to be out for days at a time with the restaurant and I don’t want you to get lonely.” Parrish rolled his eyes as Derek held him while they lay together in bed. It was early Sunday morning and blowjobs and kisses had already been exchanged. Although he would never admit it, Parrish was relieved and appreciative that Derek considered how much work opening the new place was going to be and how much stress would be placed on their relationship..
“Having some omega here isn’t going to replace you, Derek. It won’t be the same.”
“I know, sweetie. But by the time it happens you’ll have your own bond with the omega. We’re not just making him or her a side piece, they won’t be an escort, they’ll mate with both of us and we’ll be sure that we’re all compatible before moving forward.
Parrish nodded.
“I think I want a guy, if that’s okay? The only omega female I really knew was my mom and I feel like that could get weird.”
“Whatever you want, sweetie.”
Which would have been great if Parrish knew what he wanted. Omegas were always such a mystery to him, especially when he’d originally lost his memory and forgot about them completely. Now, the bits and pieces make a picture that’s staggering to him and he’s not sure what the future holds.
On one hand, his little brother is an omega in a triad with human alpha Allison Argent and her mate, human beta Scott McCall. Isaac seemed happy, but Parrish wondered mostly about Scott. Because he was a beta he couldn’t procreate with either Isaac or Allison so his kids would never really be his kids. And there’s Isaac, having sex with Scott’s mate and pumping out his omega pheromones making Scott think he’s happy, when.. how could he be? Omegas could make you feel like you’re perfectly fine and then one day you wake up completely fucked and half your life is gone. That’s what Parrish’s mom did to his dad. That’s what his dad told him. Parrish doesn’t want that for himself or for Derek.
“Isaac knew him from highschool and he comes pretty highly recommended. He’s very smart and even completed IT courses at the Omega college down in LA. He’s the right age, and is looking for a triad so that might be a really good option.”
Parrish knew better than to question what Derek said before so he just nodded and tried to catch up.
“Uhh.. has he been in a triad before, or were his parents in a triad?”
“Isaac said he’s the son of a human alpha and human omega mother, but evidently they had friends and family in triads and Stiles is best friends with Scott who seems really happy.”
“Yeah, seems so.”
Derek looked at Parrish for a moment before grinning slowly.
“So… can we set up a time to meet this kid?”
Parrish was conflicted. He didn’t really trust omegas, but he did trust Derek. He loves him more than anything. Parrish nodded and Derek beamed before pulling out his phone to get Stiles’ contact info from Isaac.
Parrish sighed.
***
Parrish sighs. He’s at his desk filling out the last of the paperwork before he gets to head home. Soon he’ll be heading home not only to Derek, but possibly a new omega. Possibly Stiles. He’ll be okay. Parrish loves Derek and trusts him to know that they’ll be okay. And Stiles… Stiles seems good. He’ll be a good fit as long as he doesn’t ruin what Parrish and Derek have. Not that he could or even wants to.
No… they’ll be fine.
Parrish will be fine.