spamalot } { of announcements and promises

[wildkingdom]

Malia: [takes his hand and makes him sit] You're going to make them think something's wrong with me.

Isaac: Well, nothing's wrong with you. Just... you know.

Malia: Exactly. So relax. My dad's starting to look at you funny.

Isaac: Your dad always looks at me funny.

Malia: More funny than usual.

Isaac: But, well maybe he can, you know... [whispers] hear it too.

Malia: Not if he's not listening for it. So stop.

Peter: [looks up at Nadia] those two are plotting something.

Nadia: [glances over before raising an eyebrow] Something we should be concerned about?

Peter: I'm not sure yet. [just watching Isaac, because he gives a lot more away than Malia]

Nadia: [squeezes his hand gently] I'm sure you'll find out eventually.

Peter: But that involves waiting. [smirks]

Nadia: [sighs softly] She'll tell you when she's ready.

Peter: Until then, I will just keep staring at my son-in-law and see if he cracks first.

Nadia: [sighs]

Malia: [is just giving Isaac a slight look] Would it make you feel better if I just told everyone?

Peter: I'm allowed to have a little fun at his expense still, aren't I?

Isaac: Maybe. But only if you want to tell them

Nadia: Eventually it gets old, sweetie.

Malia: [sighs] We might as well. Everyone's here.

Peter: [looks up at her] You can always find ways to distract me. [big smile]

Isaac: You sure?

Malia: [she nods a bit before shifting and turning to the rest of the room] Hey, guys? Can I distract you all for a second?

[all the men are suitably distracted to her as Isaac gets up to stand next to her]

Malia: [yep. Everybody's looking at Malia which is a bit more intimidating than she originally thought so she's just going to find Isaac's and as she talks] We just wanted to say that ... Isaac and I are ... having a baby.

Peter: [not that he wasn't expecting that to happen soon but still, his eyes widen just a bit in surprise]

Scott: [handing Stiles five bucks]

Dina: [bursts out into tears]

Stiles: [goes to take money, then omg small child crying] Dina... Dina honey what's wrong?

Dina: Auntie Malia is having a baby! I wanted you to have a baby so I could have a baby sister. Santa gave me the wrong gift. [goes to crawl into Stiles and Cora's laps]

Stiles: Not even going to point out how physically impossible that is... [goes to hug his daughter]

Cora: [ laughs a bit as she slides her arms around the little girl] Oh, honey. Aunt Malia asked for a baby for Christmas too.

Malia: [is laughing a bit at that] Sorry, Dina.

Isaac: What was the five bucks for? [to Scott]

Scott: Stiles had money on Christmas, and I thought you'd not get it done until Valentine's Day.

Isaac: Oh.

Peter: [is finally getting over the shock and gets up to go and hug his daughter tightly]

Malia: [is not going to comment on that particular side conversation and just burrow into her dad's shoulder holding on just as tightly]

Peter: Congratulations, sweetheart. You're going to be a wonderful mother.

Malia: Thanks, Dad.

Stiles: [is still trying to get Dina to stop crying] You'll get a baby brother or sister one day, kiddo. Just not right now, alright?

Dina: But Ryan got one.

Stiles: Yeah, well Ryan's mommy and daddy are gluttons for punishment.

Scott: Hey.

Dina: I don't know what that means.

Cora: What Aunt Malia left out of the story the first time was that sometimes it can take a while for a daddy to find the right mommy. In order to have a baby they need to love each other a lot.

Dina: [sniffles] Do you love my daddy, Auntie Cora?

Stiles: Nope, no I know where this child's thought process is going and we're not going there. [and he's getting up and picking Dina up] Come on, I think it's past your nap time anyway.

Dina: I don't wanna nap. [and buries her head in Stiles' shoulder anyway, exhausted. it's been a long day playing]

Stiles: You'll change your mind the second you touch the pillow. [and heads for the stairs]

Cora: [is grateful for the Daddy intervention there and is just going to reach for her wine and take a long sip while she waits for Stiles to come back]

Allison: [gives her shoulder a squeeze]

Derek and Jason: [Just sitting back, highly amused at it all]

Scott: Ryan, you want to go upstairs and nap with Dina?

Peter: [finally lets his daughter go, and then ruffles Isaac's hair before hugging him too. Proud daddy is proud]

Ryan: [great big yawn] Do I have to?

Allison: [nods a bit as she reaches to take Noah from Scott] That yawn means you do.

Scott: [goes to pick up Ryan] Come on, champ. Let's get find your cousin and see if she hasn't taken up the entire bed yet.

Ryan: [sighs as he curls into his shoulder] Okay.

Stiles: [once he and Scott get the kids down, he's jogging down the steps and goes to Malia, hugging her happily]

Malia: [returns the hug with a smile] 'Bout time, right?

Stiles: Hell yes.

Malia: [laughs a bit as she pulls back with a smile] I'm still good for babysitting though.

Stiles: We'll figure it out. I'm just glad you're finally having a few of your own. You're going to love being a mom.

Malia: I hope so.

Stiles: You will be. I mean, seriously, if I can do it, you're going to be freaken awesome.

Malia: You're pretty awesome yourself, Stiles.

Stiles: Yeah, but I'm making half this up as I go.

Malia: And you think we won't be?

Stiles: [he shrugged] You've got enough babysitting experience that you'll at least have a head start.

Malia: Babysitting is one thing. When you're babysitting, you eventually give them back.

Stiles: Yeah, you're going to have to learn about late night stuff. Schedules are the biggest thing to set right off the bat.

Malia: I'm sure we'll figure it out.

Scott: [and he's now going to hug her as Stiles patted Isaac on the back] If it's a boy, I'm sure we'll have more than enough hand-me-downs we can pass along to you.

Malia: Oh, we are not that far. [she glances down at her stomach] Right now we're having a kidney bean. That's as far as I'm letting it get.

Stiles: You realize you don't get a choice in that. They grow and come out in a mostly set timeframe.

Malia: That's not what I mean. I mean I'm not considering whether it's a boy or a girl right now. That's ... too much pressure.

Scott: So until further notice, we're calling your baby "Bean"?

Stiles: [smirk] Sounds like a plan to me.

Isaac: [eyeroll] Guys.

Malia: [sighs] If it makes you happy, sure.

Stiles & Scott: [exchange grins. Nope, you told them they could. Whatever comes from those best friends silent plotting is now all your fault, Malia]

Cora: [sees those looks and is now going to tug on her boyfriend's hand to pull him back to her] Alright, enough.

Stiles: But I'm not doing anything wrong!

Cora: Yet.

Stiles: We have at least eight months to plan before we do anything. [is being led away]

Isaac: [just slides his arm around his wife because what are their best friends, Malia?]

Malia: [leans back into him with a sigh. Terrible people, that's what they are.]

Cora: [will just tug him to the front porch, away from everyone else] Dina get to sleep okay?

Stiles: Yeah, she did. She and Ryan and snuggling under a blanket.

Cora: Good. I get you all to myself for a bit.

Stiles: It's a little too cold to go walking in the woods, don't you think?

Cora: Probably. We should stay inside where it's warm.

Stiles: Oh, wait. Before we go back in... I have a present for you.

Cora: [a curious look as she turns back to him] For me?

Stiles: [he pulls a tiny box from his pocket. It's a ring box, and he holds it out to her]

Cora: [she stares at him for a moment, glancing up at his face as she takes it, before opening the box]

Stiles: When I left, I happened to grab my mom's engagement ring back. But I didn't want to give it to you. So I talked with my dad, and then a metal worker in town, and I wanted to give you something that didn't scream engagement ring, but more of a promise ring.

Cora: [she stares at it for a moment, before looking back at him again] Stiles, it's beautiful.

Stiles: [smiles] And well, since I can't mark you without hurting myself, it seems... I wanted you to have something to have that can stand in for a mark.

Cora: [she smiles a bit at that before stepping closer and leaning in to kiss him] It's perfect.

Stiles: [kisses her back, sliding his arms around her. When they pulled back after a bit, he smiled and kissed her nose] Merry Christmas, Cora Hale.

Cora: [she smiles at that] Merry Christmas, Stiles Stilinski. [then she holds out the box to him] You put it on me.

Stiles: [he nodded, and went to take the ring out of the box and carefully slipped it onto her finger] Until we're ready to go further, consider this a promise that I'm not going to give up on us every again, and I'm going to be here for you.

Cora: [she looks at it on her finger, letting her hand rest against his chest before looking up at him again] Me too.

Stiles: [his hand goes to press against her hand on his chest, and he smiled a very confident smile. Because this was right. It felt right and perfect.] I love you.

Cora: I love you too. [and she'll lean in to kiss him again, sliding her arms around his neck]

Stiles: [and his hands go to her waist, holding her close as they just kissed. Of course, he's not thinking at all about if anyone inside was listening into the conversation - not that they would be surprised at all how far they were getting along in their relationship in just the last six months]

Cora: [oh they're totally listening. but they're letting them have their moment all the same]

Stiles: [kisses her for a bit longer, and then pulls back] Okay, I'm starting to get cold now.

Cora: [she laughs a bit at that] Okay, we can go inside.

Stiles: Sorry, you had to fall in love with a human. We get cold. [laughs with her]

Cora: Mmm. We'll we're naturally warm. So I'll make sure you don't freeze.

Stiles: Thank you, I really appreciate that thoughtfulness.

Cora: I'm glad. [And with that she'll pull him back inside and ignore the pointed looks from all of the wolves in the room]

Stiles: [yup, no they had all been listening. He can tell and just smiles and nodded at them because really, what else can he do?]

Scott: [nope, just beaming from his spot, having whispered to Allison what had happened outside. He's very proud of how far his brother had healed.]

Malia: [yeah, she's smirking too. even if Cora is glaring at her to shut up]

Fiona: Okay, I think this one has had enough family for the day. [referring to Lucy who is out cold in her arms] We should probably get going.

Liam: [from where he is, playing his new video game] Man, do we have to?

Derek: Yes. Go say your goodbyes. [and he goes to get the car seat for them to put Lucy into so they can say their own goodbyes as well]

Fiona: [slips her into the car seat as she makes her rounds, congratulating Malia and Isaac and so on before going to put Lucy in the car]

Derek: [goes to give his family their typical Derek cuddle hugs, except for Peter who gets the "man hug" before getting Liam to help him carry the rest of the things to the car]

Scott: [looks at his watch] We should get going too. I'll go get Ryan. He can finish his nap in the car.

Allison: [nods a bit before going to find where they left Noah's car seat] Okay.

Isaac: Here, Allison, I'll help.

Scott: [goes upstairs to get Ryan]

Sheriff: And I'm going to have to get to the station so that the morning shift can get home to their families. Talia, as always, it's a pleasure.

Stiles: [goes over to hug his Dad before he goes.]

Talia: [smiles in return before nodding] The pleasure is all mine, Sheriff. Merry Christmas.

Sheriff: Merry Christmas. [hugs Stiles, and then holds out his hand for Melissa]

Scott: [and he comes downstairs with a sleeping toddler on his shoulder] Dina's still out, so don't worry about her.

Stiles: I'll tell her you guys had to go, but we'll see you Saturday. [Stilinski Family Dinner is just as important as the Hale family dinner]

Sheriff: We'd better. [looks at Cora] You know, you're more than welcome to join us too on Saturdays.

Cora: [smiles a bit at that before nodding] I'll keep that in mind.

Stiles: [slides his arm around Cora's waist]

Jason: [looking at four kids in various stages of alertness] So what do you think, Laura?

Laura: [looks around, and then down at Jonathan who's dozing in her lap and sighs softly] I think it's home for us too.

Jason: [leans over to kiss her, and then gets up to collect the twins who are curled up with each other and a pile of toys, shaking his head as they make raccoon chittering noises when he tries to separate them]

Peter: I guess it's that time then. [gets up as well, holding out a hand to Nadia] Malia, dear, there are a few things at the house for you and Isaac still. Do you want to pick them up on your way home?

Malia: [nods in agreement] Yeah, that sounds good.

Laura: [scoops up Jonathan and calls for her oldest as she goes to say goodbye to her mom]

Peter: [gives his goodbyes to Thomas first, then his sister with a smile and a kiss on her cheek, before going to get their jackets since they had walked over in the dusting of snow in the preserve that morning]

Talia: [Nadia says goodbye as well and soon it's down to just Talia, Thomas, Stiles and Cora] Heading home yourself?

Cora: [shakes her head as she curls into Stiles's shoulder more] I think I'm gonna stay for a bit.

Stiles: Good. We can clean up though, if you and Thomas want to relax and have some time to yourself...

Talia: [gives them both a small smile] Thank you.

Cora: [nods as she gets up to go with Stiles into the kitchen]

Stiles: [he does try to be a help around the house, and so he goes to start the sink for dishes] This was a good day.

Cora: [starts collecting them from the table] Yeah, it was.

Stiles: And Malia is finally getting her own little bean.

Cora: She is. It's good, I'm happy for her.

Stiles: Me too. [turns to take the plates from her, smiling before he starts to scrub them down] So um... do you have to go back tonight?

Cora: [glances over to him before shaking her head] No. Not unless you want me to.

Stiles: I mean, we can't do here what we do at your place [that rule had been in effect since they were kids and Stiles wasn't going to break it now] But I'd like you to stay. We could just hang out, watch a movie? Dina will be up in a bit and you can witness the horror of this pony show she watches.

Cora: [she laughs a bit] Yeah. Sounds good.

Stiles: [as he finishes a plate, he puts it in the rack for Cora to dry] And it's not like your mom doesn't have leftovers enough for you. Though the fact there is leftovers scares me a bit.

Cora: [she nods] Me too. Just a little.

Stiles: I've gotten really good at holding back my comments about the kids being raised by wolves.

Cora: [she laughs] I'm sure they appreciate it.

Stiles: [washing the dishes, thinking a bit] You know, eventually we will need to figure out what to do about our living arrangements.

Cora: Eventually. [she glances down at the plate she's drying] Lydia still needs someone with her.

Stiles: Yeah, I know. That's why I'm not pressing for anything. She needs someone who can help her with her. And with Dina, it's going to be awkward no matter when I go.

Cora: What do you mean?

Stiles: Well, it's just... not sure how to explain to her about things adults do in bed yet. She tends to like to crawl into bed with me when she has bad dreams. Or if she's awake before I am. Or just.... anytime she really feels like it.

Cora: Ahhh. Gotcha.

Stiles: You don't really know parenthood until you're in bed with your spouse and the fingers tickling your feet are not hers.

Cora: [she smirks a bit] Well, we could just be careful. Not be ... not kid-safe when she's not home.

Stiles: Which means... when she's in preschool. Which is usually when we are at work.

Cora: Well, there's playdates. Which occasionally happen in the evenings.

Stiles: For a four year old? [gives her an amused look]

Cora: [she shrugs] You never know.

Stiles: I wonder if I can get her a cowbell to wear at night...

Cora: [she laughs] Well, I do have werewolf hearing.

Stiles: Like you're focusing on listening for a small child in that moment.

Cora: [... no, she's probably not] Point.

Stiles: Could always ask your sister for pointers. I'm sure she had more than one incident.

Cora: [her nose wrinkles a bit] You could ask Scott?

Stiles: Actually, he's the one who asked me. I told him a lock on the door.