I Remember Now (Sterek Fanfic// ON HOLD)

Another Bridge Crossed

  If Stiles were anything close to how Derek was, he might have understood why he was so upset about striking a bargain with Danny. Unfortunately, not all minds think alike. Stiles, had he a charm to combat Derek's, wouldn't mind getting with Danny for a little while. Overall, the guy was sweet and most definitely had more experience with the whole sex spiel. So, naturally, when Derek comes storming out of Danny's house Saturday night, Stiles is a bit thrown. He's never seen the man this angry, not even when they were in the hospital together (he kind of just assumed Allison told him all about it.)

  He's even more baffled when Derek upright passes him by with a discomforted frown, especially since he doesn't seem to have been doing...anything. So, why was he so angry?

  "Wait up, dude!" he chimed, jogging to catch up to him. Derek kept going, dead-set on leaving this place (meaning Stiles) behind in a trail of dust. "Derek," he prompted. It didn't take long for him to realize he wasn't going to get Derek to budge unless he did something really stupid or said something that might spark Derek's interest.

  "Was it really that bad? Did you even do anything?" he huffed between strides and altogether, Derek halted and flipped around.

  "Yes, Stiles, we did something," he snapped, shoving that damned camera into his hands. The latter glanced between the device and Derek's burning hazel eyes, partly surprised that he had the camera in the first place.

  "How did you even-?"

  "Doesn't matter. Camera's fixed. Take it and watch it for all I care." Stiles' brow lifted and he gently fingered the camera with his nimble fingers. To say the least, he was speechless. Derek was being ridiculous in all manners of the word. It couldn't have been that bad. Everybody likes Danny.

  "Don't you wanna watch it...? Derek? Are you even listening?" Aaaand nothing but the cold shoulder. Stiles' lips pressed together and he slung the camera around lazily. He put a pin in the conversation for now, promising himself he would come back to it later. Derek certainly wasn't going to open up about anything. "Fine! I'll go home. And watch the video... Alone."

  Nothing. Derek was stone cold, his eyes more shallow than Stiles had ever seen them. While it did move him, Stiles had nothing to say. He just couldn't wrap his head around why Derek was so goddamn upset. Stiles wouldn't have minded, so why did Derek?

  Whatever. Stiles sighed and shook his head. He was acting like a child and Stiles had no time for that.

  "Have fun with your pouty party. Call me when you're ready to talk." Of course, there was no reason for Stiles' sudden hostility, but the growing irritation was one of the reasons he couldn't be bothered to reign in his temper. His body ran on autopilot as he tromped back home. His heart was thudding in his chest, and the farther he got, the more he realized that he should probably go back. Apologize. Because maybe it wasn't Derek being childish. Maybe it was himself. That seemed a more likely theory than anything else. This was Stiles, after all.

  Stiles took the short way home- a path through the forest despite Derek's protests against forest walks ever again -and kicked the leaves around. The camera was flipping around in his jacket pouch, both hands carefully cradling it. It was getting colder, fall was on its merry way.

  Nothing compared to how cold Derek was being, though. He was beginning to think the season should have been named after the Hale family itself. Derek, despite his and Stiles' adventures of late, was the exact opposite of friendly and Cora wasn't any better. Peter was friendly in all the wrong ways. He wasn't exactly at the top of the list of the people you would call in a crisis. Case in point, when he basically abducted Stiles after his shining peak of bravery (also somewhat cowardice) and offering him the bite in the midst of a third-degree chaos.

  Stiles ran a hand through his hair, taking a moment to catch his breath after stomping for so long. He toyed with the camera for a bit, fingers gently massaging the buttons as if he were going to press them. The screen was cracked, but according to Derek, the memory was perfectly fine now. Stiles sighed again. It was becoming quite the trademark.

  Half an hour later and he was laying in his bed safe and sound, his legs thrumming with an aching sensation. He was all over the camera and though he desperately wanted to stream through it's contents, his hands became clammy. It wasn't that it was too hot or too cold, such weather was to be expected in Beacon Hills, it's that he physically and mentally could not do it. He wouldn't even turn it on.

  He rolled over, wiped his hands on his sleeves, and pawed at the device again. Still couldn't do it. He hopped off the bed and paced around the room a bit, even sat down to read a book, (though his attempts to focus were futile) and then returned to it. Every time the thing became in reaching distance, it was like a barrier flew up around it. Why was he so damn indecisive? Stiles took another round in his room, eyes fixed on it as if it were a thing to be reckoned with. He pounced at it this time. While he did catch it, his fingers sparked with electricity.

  He couldn't do it. And he knew exactly why, too. Derek wasn't there with him.

  Ugh. Stiles was getting sick of this. Derek this and Derek that. I promised, I swore, I sealed a pact, etc., etc...

  And, cue the backtracking. In the drop of a hat, Stiles was back to Derek. What had got him so mad that he decided to leave the camera with Stiles and walk away like that?

  Stiles let the camera fall off the bed and kidnapped a pillow from its resting place. He curled up on it, cuddling it with a ferocity only a lover knew. Maybe that's what had Derek so uptight. Loyalty to Stiles or something like that. But, come on. This was Derek Hale. Then again, love wasn't a word to toss around lightly here. What if Derek actually was taking this more seriously than Stiles? The boy rolled around in his bed, grumbling into the pillow and biting the case. This was all so frustrating. He knew he shouldn't have gotten involved in this whole romance business. It wasn't his place to stick his nose in it at such an early age. When he thought about it though, Stiles hadn't even been involved in it for that long and he already felt like shit. At this rate, he might have to ask his dad for advice. (Gag. Stiles tried his best to avoid high school romance topics at all times.)

  He set the pillow back and buried his face beneath it. He wanted nothing more than too dissolve into his sheets and disappear. Maybe some sleep would help clear things up.

A/N:

WOOO NEXT CHAPTER UP. I'M SUPER DUPER BUSY NOWADAYS BUT I'LL STILL BE AROUND. I PROMISE.