Seeking comfort

2.

The pack all start to arrive at Derek's, messy hair and tired eyes. They hug Derek when they come in, wanting both to comfort and to be comforted.

When they are all sat in the living room Derek clears his throat and cracks his knuckles.
"Stiles and I have agreed to try out a Dom/Sub dynamic for a little while to let him decide whether he'd like me to be is legal dominant. But this morning, Stiles went missing. We need to get any scent trail we can and follow it."

He separates the group and tells them where to go and look, telling Allison to stay at the loft and cook/ order some food.

The sheriff has been asked by Scott and Derek to wait to involve the police. So he agreed, reluctantly.

They find him at twenty past nine in the preserve. He is curled into a little ball on the floor unconscious. It's Erica and Boyd that find him, so they tell Derek to get here, quick.

It is raining hard and while the werewolves are unaffected, Stiles is worryingly pale and shivering, radiating pain.

Derek growls when he sees him, goes and noses at his stomach. He nuzzles his way under one of Stiles' arms and Erica shifts so she can pull Stiles onto Derek's back properly.

She shifts back and rubs her nose against Derek's chin to comfort him. They tell everyone to get back to the loft and then begin their journey back.

The sheriff is at the loft with Alison, pacing back and forth when Scott arrives.

Everyone starts to come in, thirty seconds apart from each other. Derek comes in last with Stiles on his back. He shifts and carries Stiles over to the couch. The pack and his dad crowds around his body, but Derek stalks off, a frown etched into his face.

When Stiles wakes up he's covered in pack members, overly warm but incredibly comfy.

"Where's Derek?" He asks, everyone grinning at the sound of his voice.
"He's uhm- gone out," Danny says, snuggling in further. Stiles tries not to look too disappointed.

"Hey, kiddo," his dad says gently as he squats down in front of the pack to be level with his son.
"Hi, dad," Stiles smiles sadly. John opens his arms and Stiles grins, standing so he can curl up with his dad.

But when he stands he yelps loudly and falls, Scott catching him.
"My ankle," Stiles pouts, staring down at the throbbing joint. "I need that."

Everyone chuckles.
"We'll go the doctors, c'mon, my mums in today," Scott says gently. He helps Stiles hobble to the car, the sheriff following them.

Stiles is quiet, still feeling blurry but now it is paired with a horrible weight on his shoulders and he feels sick.
"Why did Derek leave?"
"I don't know," Scott replies honestly. He watches his best friend's face fall and nod his head.

Stiles and Scott go in together to be seen by Scott's mum. She sighs when she sees them and pats the bed. Scott helps Stiles jump up and sits in a chair next to him.
"What happened?"

John stays outside and rings Derek, demanding to know where he is.
"My son is in the hospital and you've just ran off when you promised me you'd look after him," he argues.
"Why is Stiles at the hospital?"
"He hurt his ankle."
"I'm on my way."

Derek waits with the sheriff, foot tapping but eyes unfocused.
"Derek, what's wrong?"
"I uhm-" Derek sighs and shrugs.
"Son, have you dropped?"
"I'm not a-"
"I know you're not a sub, but doms can drop, too. When they feel like they've failed their sub. Once we can leave we'll get you both feeling better, okay?"
"Yeah," Derek murmurs.

When Stiles is brought out to the waiting room, foot in a cast and crutches over his lap where he's sat in the wheelchair, Derek whines.
"Oh hi, Derek!" Stiles waves. He is always happy after seeing Melissa, she was like a mum so she really helped with everything. Plus he felt pretty safe with her being able to fix him up. "I broke my ankle!" He exclaims.
"How on earth did you manage that?" John asks, smiling though because Stiles seems to be a bit happier.
"I don't know, can't remember anything after leaving the loft," Stiles says, eyebrows furrowing and the smile disappearing.