For the third time in the last 24 hours, Stiles had found his way over to the Hale house. More specifically, the kitchen. And it wasn't that he was complaining, per se, but he couldn't imagine it was all that enjoyable for Peter or Derek.

Stiles knew he was an acquired taste, and it was entirely possible neither of them had acquired it. Yet. Because he knew even the most headstrong person in his life had eventually succumbed to Stiles' special brand of sarcasm and self-deprecating humor.

Frankly, it was impossible not to fall madly in love with him for those two things alone.

But right now his main fear was that he'd overstay his welcome and miss out on the ridiculous amount of unbelievable food that always seemed to magically poof into existence when he and Scott appeared at the door.

"Well, why didn't you deny it?" Derek bellowed from the office near the back of the house. "Are you just going to tell everybody who guesses right that you're a goddamn werewolf, Scott?"

Even with the door closed, and several hundreds of square feet separating them, the voices that reverberated from the other side of the house could still be heard clearly. But Stiles was content to ignore them fully for Isaac's benefit, the man-child currently coping with his predicament by shoveling large quantities of shrimp lo mein into his mouth with reckless abandon.

Probably praying that the chewing would help him tune them out. He was a lot like Scott in that way. Maybe he did deserve to be a werewolf too.

"You should've seen what his Dad was doing to him, Derek," Scott retorted loudly. "He's in trouble. He needs help. And we can give it to him."

"Scott's right, Derek," Peter interjected softer, though Stiles didn't need to strain to hear him either. "Besides, this is a perfect opportunity. We've been talking about increasing the strength of the pack, and this is our chance. How often do we get a willing convert?"

"No!" Derek thundered. "Absolutely not. Scott's one thing. We didn't plan on that. But Isaac's a kid. We can't bite a fucking kid, Peter."

"He's not a kid," Peter argued. "He knows what he's asking."

Derek huffed loudly, but didn't protest audibly again. And Stiles jabbed his chopsticks in the direction of the noise as he decided to break through the silence that surrounded him and Isaac.

"Twenty bucks says they're having a staring contest and Derek's got that hot, broody thing going on."

Isaac snorted, but his spooked expression made it clear what was resting just below the surface of that otherwise calm exterior. He was nervous they were going to turn him down and he'd be right back where he'd started.

But this time it'd be without a seemingly idyllic escape plan.

"Any idea who's going to win?" he murmured after another second.

"Peter's the Alpha," Stiles explained with a shrug. "I'm pretty sure he can override everybody."

"I can, Stiles, but I prefer a consensus!" Peter called toward them.

"You gotta work on the volume if you don't want us to eavesdrop," Stiles teased, yelling over Isaac's bowed head.

"Duly noted."

Another tense moment of silence descended, this time accompanied by the one in the back too, and Stiles found even he was waiting for them to decide Isaac's fate.

"Scott, what's your vote?" Peter queried him.

"I vote yes. We turn him."

Isaac perked up, hope seeming to bloom in his chest. "I concur," Peter offered. "Derek? What's it going to be?"

Whatever Derek's answer had been, if he'd given one, it hadn't been out loud, and it wasn't ten more seconds before they all reappeared, heading down the hallway to join them with grim expressions that otherwise gave nothing away.

As they filed in, Stiles motioned to the spread, inviting them to eat as well.

"We paid for it, Stiles," Peter joked. "Do you really think I'm not aware I can have some? Now... where's my shrimp lo mein?"

Isaac peered down at his container in alarm. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Hale," he stammered. "I think I'm eating it, actually. I just grabbed a box. I didn't realize it was for you."

Peter chuckled as he took in Isaac's general anxious demeanor, reaching out and plucking another box from the monstrous pile.

"No worries, Isaac. I always get more than one box," Peter confessed. "Because no matter what Derek says, when he smells it, he wants some too." He then winked at Isaac, causing the teenager to visibly relax at a sentiment Stiles imagined he rarely experienced from his father. "And for the love of all that is holy, child, do not call me Mr. Hale. It makes me sound so... old. Peter is fine."

Isaac nodded and put his head back down, chewing carefully as he waited for someone to drop the hammer and finally come clean about what they'd decided.

But several minutes passed with only the sound of chewing to accompany their dinner.

"We heard most of that, but are you going to tell us what the final vote was?" Stiles blurted out when he couldn't take it anymore.

Scott sighed and Peter raised an eyebrow at Derek. "I think you should tell him since you're the holdout."

Derek growled around his egg roll, quickly swallowing and slamming his own box on the island. "Do not make me the bad guy here. This isn't about wanting to stick it to Isaac and you fucking know it. This is about doing what's best for him."

Then he took a deep breath and looked at the boy in question, it probably hitting him that talking about him and not to him was a little rude. Not that it wasn't the habit of adults everywhere.

"I'm sorry, Isaac," he said. "We're not going to change you. It... just isn't a good idea. I can explain why in more detail if you need me to, but that doesn't mean we're not going to help you, okay? You can stay as long as you want and we can help you come up with a way to get the thing with your Dad settled. In normal human ways."

Isaac poked his shrimp glumly in response, and Stiles bristled as if it had been him they'd said no to or something. As he went to open his mouth to protest on Isaac's behalf, he reached out and touched Stiles' shoulder, shaking his head.

"Yeah, I had a feeling you were going to say that. Thanks for the offer. I'll, uh, definitely crash here tonight," he agreed. "But you should know I'm not giving up either. I heard what you said back there and I know I can be an asset to your pack. If all you need is a little time to see it, that's fine with me."

And the longer Isaac talked calmly and concisely, the wider Peter grinned, even winking at him as he tossed a big, plump shrimp into his mouth.

"Atta boy, Isaac," he murmured.

Derek huffed and got up, making his way down the hallway again and slamming the door to his bedroom.

"That was a great speech, man. You come up with that all by yourself?" Stiles quipped. "How long it take you?"

"Think it'll work?"

"On Derek?"

Isaac nodded and Stiles chuckled low and shook his head. "No. No way. He is literally the most stubborn person I have ever met in my life." Peter snickered and took another large bite. "On a normal person? Absolutely. No question."

Everyone still huddled around the table laughed quietly, letting the topic drop as they shifted focus to their food again.