If the World Was Wide Enough (Sterek)

Chapter 4

Sighing to himself, Deaton helps Scott stand. The boy is dripping wet. "Are you okay?" He asks him. 

"I— I'm fine," replies Scott, his eyes glued to Stiles. There's fear in McCall's eyes and he isn't thinking straight. To Scott, what Stiles did just then is unnatural. It's only now, when it's soaked with water that Stiles conjured up from thin air, that Scott realizes this is actually happening. This isn't Stiles. This shouldn't be what's happening. 

Deaton's face is serious as he speaks. "I think you should leave. Call Lydia or one of the others. I'll see you at 5." He leaves no room for argument as he leads Scott out of the room. Deaton pops his head back in. "I have to get back to work. Try not to cause more trouble." 

Derek and Stiles are left alone in the room. The werewolf sits Stiles down in one of the chairs, doing his best to assure him that what he did to Scott is not his fault. "You didn't know, Stiles, okay? You've had these powers for less than a day, you're going to make mistakes." 

Despite Derek's words being somewhat of an anchor (—ha! Stiles will have to ask about that later—) to Stiles, he's still panicking, overthinking the way his best friend had reacted to being hit by Stiles' magic. "The-the way he looked at me. He's never looked at me that way before. There was fear, most likely some hatred, in his eyes, Derek! God, he probably hates me right now." 

"He doesn't hate you. Might be a bit upset and annoyed because he just got soaked, but he doesn't hate you. I doubt anyone who knows you like Scott does, could hate you." 

Slowly, Stiles begins to calm down. He's about to ask Derek what it's like to have an anchor. Would Derek even know? He always seems to be so good on his own. Is there a chance that sarcastic, brooding, lonely Derek Hale knows what it's like to have an anchor? And describe it enough to Stiles so he can tell if what he feels right now is an anchor. 

Before Stiles can bring up the subject, Deaton walks back into the room. 

"If you'd like, we can take a break. It's just about my usual lunch break time, and I assume with all the magic use, you're probably hungry." Deaton looks at Stiles and Derek. "Unless you'd rather keep going, I'm fine with either." 

The topic of eating makes Stiles' stomach growl. He and Derek had rushed out of his house earlier and therefore didn't eat any breakfast. "Oh yeah, I'm starved. I'd be down for a break. Derek?" 

Derek gives a shrug. "Whatever you want." 

They plan it out carefully. Deaton will stay at the clinic, while Stiles and Derek go back to Stiles' house. And yes, Stiles insisted that Derek come with him. It actually took less convincing that Stiles thought it would. They are to spend some time at the Stilinski home and then return in an hour, recharged from their meal. Then they'll continue with Stiles learning how to, this time, understand his powers with some light reading. 

The ride back to Stiles' home seems to go by quicker than the ride to the Clinic, despite being roughly the same distance of a ride. Derek makes the mistake of asking, with a small hint of amusement, how school was going. Which leads to Stiles ranting about each of his classes, complaining about the homework, explaining the just God-awful lacrosse training sessions he has to do; going on about how for the first time in years History isn't that bad of a class because they're going over mythology and it's incredibly amusing when they go over werewolves and he won't stop teasing Scott about the true and false details in all the myths. 

And yet, Derek doesn't seem annoyed by Stiles' non-stop talking. He listens to the human, asking good questions and prompting Stiles to go deeper into detail, which he gladly does.