Stiles thrummed his fingers on his knee as he and Derek sat in silence.
"Are you going to let me go home?" Stiles asked looking at Derek.
"No." Derek answered blatantly.
"I'm fine, Derek." Stiles sighed leaning his head back on the car seat.
"I want to be sure." Derek didn't look away from the road.
"Why do you care?" Stiles snapped. He didn't want to have to be around Derek any more than necessary.
"Because despite what you may think, you are part of my pack. The wolf in me reacts the same to you as it does to Scott or Isaac, maybe even more so cause you're human...or well...you were." Derek let out a frustrated sigh.
"And now?" Stiles looked at Derek.
Derek sighed knowing where Stiles was going with this.
"Now you get better." Derek answered simply.
"I'm not gonna do it, Derek." Stiles said as he climbed out of the car.
"We can talk about it later." Derek was afraid to get Stiles' riled up. Even though Deaton insisted Stiles wasn't dangerous anymore he was afraid to risk it.
"We can talk now, or tomorrow, or next week or in fifty years and the answer will still be no." Stiles snapped. He wanted to be completely clear where he stood with Derek.
Derek's nostrils flared. Stiles had been pushing his patience all day and Derek was snapping. There was only so much patience Derek could exercise in a day. "Would it be so bad?" Derek demanded as Stiles opened the door to the loft.
Stiles stopped, turning to Derek.
"Being tied to you for the rest of our lives? Yes, yes it would. In fact I can't think of anything I'd hate more." Stiles yelled. He was less than a foot from Derek.
"Is that so?" Derek snapped his face not showing any emotion.
"Yes, so like I said before, the answer is always going to be no." Stiles turned walking towards the kitchen. Derek on his heels.
"So what are you going to do now? Huh? Just pretend like nothing happened?" Derek didn't know how to convince Stiles but right now he was too mad.
"This wouldn't be an issue if you hadn't poured that puddle water down my throat." Stiles was shouting again.
"I saved your life." Derek growled.
"Yes once again Derek Hale saves Stiles. Well maybe I don't want you saving me anymore." Stiles threw his hands up.
Derek clenched his jaw. He could smell the anger and frustration dripping off of Stiles. "You would have died."
"That's a lot better than being here with you." Stiles snapped.
Derek's heart dropped. There was no stutter of Stiles' heart no skip of his breathing. Stiles really felt that way. Derek forced his face to remain blank not wanting the hurt he felt to show through.
Stiles stalked up the stairs leaving Derek and the rest of the pack gaping after him.
"What just happened?" Theo whispered to Scott.
"I think Derek just got dumped." Scott answered with a confused frown.
Derek shot a deadly glare at the smirking werewolf.
"I thought they weren't dating?" Theo frowned.
"I don't know about before but they're definitely not now." Isaac responded looking at Theo.
"Theo, why don't you go check on Stiles. We'll handle Derek." Lydia smiled pushing Theo towards the stairs.
"I don't know if that's such a good idea." Theo shook his head glancing at Derek who was glaring at him.
"Oh, Derek will be fine. They fight like this all the time. Go." Lydia shooed Theo away.
Stiles was sitting on the edge of Derek's bed his head in his hands.
"S-Stiles" Theo approached the door cautiously.
"Theo, hey, I didn't realize you were still here." Stiles forced a smile as he looked up at the gorgeous guy in front of him.
"You look a lot better." Theo smiled taking another step towards Stiles.
"Yeah, I broke the fever and the doctor gave me some magical medicine." Stiles chuckled.
"So what was all that about?" Theo asked gesturing towards the door. "When I asked before Derek said you two weren't together."
"Wait, you thought Derek and I were together? Like together together?" Stiles asked.
"The way he treated you...like he'd break into a million pieces if something happened to you. He barely left your side." Theo took a seat next to Stiles. "He seems to really love you."
Stiles snorted. "No, he doesn't love me. Trust me he's just using me. Or well, he wants to." Stiles smiled at Theo. It was funny to him that Theo thought Derek Hale had any kind of feelings for Stiles other than disdain.
"I don't think so. I think you should give him a chance." Theo put a hand on Stiles' knee. Stiles felt his heart race and his fingers itched to reach for Theo's.
"Ahem." Derek cleared his throat in the doorway causing Theo to snatch his hand from Stiles' knee.
"Theo, could you give us a second?" Derek asked politely but his facial expression was threatening.
"Sure." Theo stood.
"Wait." Stiles grabbed Theo's hand stopping him.
"Are you gonna stay?" Stiles asked his voice hopeful.
Theo tossed a nervous glance at Derek. "I should go."
Stiles nodded sadly dropping his hand.
"Everyone else is staying you might as well too." Derek said in a flat tone.
"If you're sure." Theo looked at Derek nervously.
"We'll be down in a minute." Derek pushed Theo out closing his bedroom door behind him.
"What do you want, Derek?" Stiles sighed.
"Look, we need to talk about...us." Derek grimaced at his choice of words.
"Us, Derek, really?" Stiles rolled his eyes.
"You're under this assumption that I hate you. I don't, Stiles, I-"
"Am trying to backtrack because you want me to be your emissary." Stiles cut in.
"Damn it, Stiles, no. Would you just listen for five seconds please." Derek huffed. "I don't hate you, I never have. In fact..." Derek shifted uncomfortably.
"I didn't realize how...important you were to me." Derek frowned once again at his choice of words.
Stiles raised a brow, doubt evident on his face.
"When I thought you were dead...my first reaction wasn't how am I gonna tell his dad or Scott or Lydia. You know what my first reaction was? I can't lose him. What I felt in that moment reminded me of when I found Laura..." Derek trailed off.
Stiles was frowning at Derek but listening carefully trying to understand what Derek was trying to convey.
"Look, I'm not good at this okay, but you're...like a...brother to me." Derek swallowed hard. He glanced at the floor as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"You're cute." Stiles said causing Derek to look up with a frown.
"What?" His tone laced with confusion.
"You're cute, this whole little charade was cute." Stiles waved an exaggerated hand. "But I'm not buying it."
"It's not a charade Stiles." Derek sighed. He'd tried the honest approach because Scott had assured him it would work.
"Derek, I'm sure you're a great guy, I'm just not interested." Stiles patted Derek's shoulder giving him a wink before opening the bedroom door.
Derek took a deep breath. For someone so easy going and bouncy and fun, Stiles was a very guarded person with a lot of walls up. Walls that Derek was ready to punch through.
*AN*
Hope you guys liked it! Let me know!