Something of a Habit

Pairing: Stiles Stilinski/Derek Hale

Warning: Slash/yaoi/homosexual men; don't like – don't read.

Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf or anything related.

Stiles could have - you know - left Derek after he had fallen into the pool. It would have been easy too; probably sparing himself from future trouble. The young teen could have made a run for it, heading out the side door into the open night - after all, the giant venomous lizard-shifter seemed to be after the newly made Alpha. As Stiles started to take his first step, he hesitated. Derek Hale, brooding bad-boy and mister eighty-foot-walls-to-keep-others-out, had saved his life at the station. The only reason Stiles was even remotely close to having Isaac rip out his throat was because of Derek. That almost negated the fact the older man had rescued Stiles from almost certain death; it would have been Derek's fault. The protectiveness from Derek, however, seemed genuine - even if his "I'm the Alpha", response came off a little proud; okay, too proud, with that sexy and devious smile. Who gave him permission to be that sexy, anyway? That one facial expression could commit terrible acts - Stiles would be an ultimate witness if it was tried in court; his pants were almost ripped off on sight. Then there were those two, a few...okay, a handful of other scenarios where Derek had saved his meddling ass. Derek had even turned his back on the ultimate threat, not long ago, to tell Stiles to get the hell to safety (Peter could have murdered them)! Who even does that?

Stiles eyes batted down to the cell phone once more. Without another thought Stiles changed his forward momentum and hurled himself into the cold, clear water, soaking him through instantly and raising every hair on his body in protest. It took but a second to reach out for the densely muscled werewolf, grabbing him and kicking them toward the open air above the waters surface. They broke, Derek relishing in the air coursing through his lungs, while Stiles tried to control the adrenaline and dread coursing through his body. Now he was trapped in a pool, with a flesh-eating Kanima stalking the perimeter, and a heavily muscled and paralyzed werewolf in his arms.

Derek's dark eyebrows melded into their signature scowl, as he did he best to look at Stiles. Stiles was currently busy treading water, his face puffing up in a gold fish-like look with each powerful breath. The effect of Derek's glare was rendered worthless, driving the Alpha to almost rolling his eyes.

"I told you to run, Stiles," Derek said, his mouth filling with water that he, a moment later, spat out.

"The funny part is that I almost did," Stiles admitted.

"Well," Derek growled.

"I couldn't do it - you were, and still are, may I remind you, in danger of drowning," Stiles noted, Derek instantly wishing to hit him with a witty retort about his keen power of observation. "You've saved my life before. I'm returning the favor. I'm a little reckless."

"You're infuriating," the wet werewolf ground out. "You're an idiot."

"Is that what I am?" Stiles asked, still treading water as if it were his job.

Derek cracked a small smile, which Stiles both caught and stared at, his eyes latching onto the lips and perfect white teeth.

"So how does the Alpha wind up getting paralyzed anyway?"

"Shut up, Stiles," Derek growls from behind clenched teeth, a dangerous edge to his voice.

"I thought you'd be stronger and faster and smarter now," Stiles says without missing a beat. "I had high hopes for you."

"Silence!" Derek barked around a mouth full of water.

Derek loosed a glare upon the teenager currently saving his life. Stiles merely looked at Derek, his face neutral. Stiles was one human being that did so much to Derek; for Derek. The boy was feisty, insubordinate, and devious, but adorable, witty, brilliant, and life-saving. Derek could not for the life of him pick which trait wass his favorite. Even his flaws (see: insubordinate) were turn ons. If Derek wanted a mate, it was not going to be some Beta looking to roll over. Stiles presented a challenge. Sure, he wasn't a werewolf, the true "flaw" in the grand scheme of things, but Derek could easily overlook that fact; given time, perhaps he would change his mind. Derek had thought maybe human-Stiles would be even better than werewolf-Stiles, but Derek wanted the boy for eternity.

They had been in the pool for forty-five minutes when the Kanima returned from hiding to look down upon its prey. It gave a serpentine hiss, tail flicking in aggravation. The lizard-shifter looked at the water, then in the direction of Derek and Stiles, as if it was trying to make a decision. To the horror of Stiles, the Kanima reached out an arm to the water. The Kanima screamed and shrank back from the water soon after.

"Did you see that?" Stiles said, pointing out his observation when he was unsure Derek noticed. "I don't think it can swim."

"Stiles?"

"Yeah, Derek?"

"That's the least of our problems. Please, resume the silence."

Stiles made his awkward, rejected-but-that's-okay face, and resumed concentrating on the task at hand. The task; Stiles could have almost laughed. Like that could even be said with a straight face. No, that was a lie. This was a marathon. A task is something like picking out an outfit for a date or switching the laundry over from the washer to the dryer. Keeping a man larger than yourself while treading water continuously? Definitely not a task.

Stiles was grateful for the lacrosse practices he went through, sprinting and running for long periods of time. If he hadn't, the experience would have been torturous. Beside the whole keeping Derek afloat thing.

"Hey, Derek?" Stiles asked after another fifteen minutes, figuring the Alpha had enjoyed enough silence. The wolf made a sound akin to a sigh, but it was half-hearted. As if Derek couldn't even be bothered at this point to give a proper, full sigh. As if the guy floating in the water was too tired to make a simple noise; any noise. However, Stiles took the other man's expression as his green light. "Let's say you're stuck on a deserted island, in the middle of the ocean. You have a few necessities that will help you to survive, but you get to choose a partner to help you survive. Who would you pick?"

His question was very much innocent. They needed to pass the time. Why not bring out the hypothetical situations?

"Stiles, I don't really know many people," Derek said with seriousness.

"Then choose from your pack or the people you do know," Stiles said. Derek rolled his eyes to look at Stiles, passed him a look of unadulterated annoyance, and then took a deep breath.

Derek chose not to answer. Why was Stiles doing this to him?

"Is it Erica?" Stiles asked.

"No, I would not choose Erica." A brief image of Derek throwing the newly made Beta across the floor played through his mind.

"Is it Scott?"

"As much as I need Scott in my pack to bring it more strength, your best friend is a total dumbass."

"That's harsh," Stiles squeaked out, not desiring to know what Derek thought of him.

"Sorry, Stiles," Derek said. Stiles, though not werewolf, could hear his genuine apology. What was happening to him? Side effect of the paralysis that made victims spew apologies and kind words?

"Allison?" Stiles pressed on.

"Her father would charter a boat, magically find that island in two seconds flat and kill me. So no, no it would not be Allison."

Stiles tossed the idea around in his head and nodded, agreeing with, "True. Well is it-"

"Stiles!"

"What Derek?"

"It would be you. I would choose you."

A blush crept up on Stiles out of nowhere, hopefully unseen by Derek.

"If it's not too much to ask, could I ask why?

"Well you said it was a situation where we need to survive, and well, you help me do that a lot. I help you out a lot. It seems like a logical choice," Derek explained truthfully, but not in whole - he left many things unsaid.

Stiles nodded thoughtfully, "You made a good choice Derek." The Alpha werewolf couldn't have agreed more, trying his best to keep his eyes away from Stiles's.

Finally, after the second hour straight, Stiles reached his point of desperation. His discarded cell phone was on the side of the pool, the Kanima unseen for an hour and a half.

"I have a plan," Stiles said, gulping. It wasn't the best, but it was something. Something that Derek would kill him for.

Derek looked at him with questioning eyes, and then followed Stiles's line of vision during a moment of distraction; he noticed the phone, ten feet away. They were in eight feet of water!

"No." Derek growled.

"Just trust me this once." Stiles pleaded, his eyes going wide.

"No." Derek said again, trying his best to ignore the hurt in the honey eyes that bore upon him. Stiles needed his trust; it was plain to see in the boy's face. Every line on Stiles's face was full of worry and concern.

"I'm the one keeping you alive. Have you noticed that?" Stiles's feisty side was back in full force. Stiles bravely locked eyes with the Alpha. Derek stared back, noticing the eyes were now filled with justified anger.

"You don't trust me, I don't trust you," Derek gasped quickly. "You need me to survive, which is why you're not letting go."

Stiles just glared.

"You're tired, and when the paralysis wears off, I'm the one who will have to fight the Kanima to keep you alive."

The ordinary teenager looked at the phone, then to the werewolf in his arms, and then made up his mind.

Please don't hate me for this, Stiles thought, releasing Derek with a painful twang in his heart.

"Stiles!" Derek gasped, before slipping under the cold water and sinking to the bottom. As the Alpha werewolf sank, he could only hope that Stiles was being careful in attaining the phone. The other boy was right; it was their best chance. Stiles couldn't realistically tread water any longer. It was their one shot. Derek just hoped that Stiles would make it back to him in time.

Stiles barreled through the water toward the pools edge, watching as the Kanima slowly stalked forward to meet him. Stiles launched himself halfway out of the water, before throwing himself backward as the lizard-shifter swatted for him. It gave a frustrated growl as the human swam back into the middle.

Please be alive, Stiles thought worriedly while holding the phone above the water. I'd do anything for you.

Stiles dialed Scott's number, being that he was the one most well-equipped to fight the monster and extract them from the gymnasium pool. Stiles growled with frustration at his best friend, hanging up, and chucking the phone into the pool. It swirled lazily past him as he submerged himself to retrieve Derek. He threw the older man's arm around his neck, and pushed off powerfully from the bottom. When they broke, Derek took generous and grateful gulps of air.

Derek and Stiles locked eyes, hazel meeting brown in an exchange of information. The results Derek took away weren't promising.

"See what I meant earlier about him?" Stiles nodded mutely, his face filled with stress and exhaustion. "He can't protect you, Stiles. He won't."

"It's not his job, Derek," Stiles said quietly, not making eye contact with the Alpha.

"Stiles, look at me," Derek commanded gently. The younger man turned his head. "You're his best friend. You do so much for him - endure so much for his sake without thinking of yourself. He should have the decency to come through for you."

"Seems like you're more so my best friend," Stiles scoffed. "You make it a habit of taking care of me. You're always there somehow - and we don't even always get along."

Derek fixed him with a look, his eyebrows almost adorning the sad puppy face. Derek's voice was so low Stiles almost missed what he said. "I can't help it - I have this drive, this need to protect you." Stiles blushed, but was once again attributing it to the Kanima venom.

"I'm getting us over to the diving board. We're - I'm going to hang on for all its worth," Stiles said, interrupting Derek's confession.

The Alpha didn't even mind that their moment was broken by the desire to live. Hell, surviving was much better than letting the Alpha pour his feelings out right before they drowned in the school swimming pool. Now that his confession was out, Derek was hoping Scott wouldn't save them. That the venom would run its course and he would be able to save them; prove that he was worth Stiles's time.

Stiles kicked his legs, giving a valiant effort in getting them over to the diving boards that lined one end of the pool. Stiles took a deep breath, mustering up all his energy, and attempted to launch himself toward the handle. The drag from his clothes slowed his momentum just enough that his fingers hit the bar, unable to find purchase. All hope is lost, Stiles thought as he and Derek sank - Derek still paralyzed and Stiles all out of juice.

That was when they were both hauled bodily out of the water. The two men breezed through the air like rag dolls, landing harshly on the tile as Scott roared. Derek looked down at Stiles, who was lying a few feet over from him, unmoving.

"Stiles?" Derek called, eyes still watching because his body refused to move. He heard Scott growl as he was cast across the way, slamming into a mirror that was obliterated into shards upon impact. Derek didn't pay much attention to the fight between Scott and the Kanima. His eyes were solely focused on the unmoving teenager he could reach if only his body would respond to his commands. The yearning to get up and reach Stiles pulsed through Derek, who in a moment of desperation allowed himself to turn Alpha. The transformation was brief, and when he settled back into his sexy, normal self, he felt his muscles twitch in recognition. Derek pulled himself over to Stiles, who lay on his side. Derek pulled Stiles up, cradling the boy's head in his hands, allowing the contact as Stiles body sprawled in the Alpha's lap. Derek heard a hiss, and watched as the Kanima retreated from the pool gymnasium, bursting through the skylights, producing more falling glass. Derek hunched himself over Stiles in protection while the shards fell. Thankfully most of the projectiles were gobbled up by the pool.

Scott paced over to where the Alpha was cradling his best friend.

"What's wrong with him?" Scott asked, voice laced with concern.

Derek unleashed his feral anger, eyes glowing crimson red and his teeth elongating. The brutal, savage look in the Alpha's eyes made Scott back up a few steps. Once Scott was deemed far enough away, Derek shifted down.

"You knocked him out," Derek said, examining the boy who was breathing. A large bump formed on the side of his head, just above his temple. Derek's voice was light, almost a whisper, "He saved my life."

Scott just watched with half-interest, worried about leaving Allison alone too long with the Kanima now back outside, wandering.

"You should've been more careful," Scott chided, causing Derek's head to snap up and face the other wolf. "You know what the venom does."

Derek's jaw tensed, causing it to square out as he did his best to avoid shifting. "You're kidding me, right? You're not actually going to stand there and chastise me about what happened, right?" Scott realized his mistake too late.

"Well - I - uh," Scott blundered with his mouth.

"Just shut your damn mouth," Derek growled, holding Stiles closely; possessively. "I'd hate for Stiles to wake up to find his best friend without a tongue. I can't imagine he would enjoy spending his days blathering on without having someone to talk with - oh, wait, that's right...he doesn't." Derek's eyes became ice blue with anger, his body vibrating. "His best friend is too self-absorbed with his damn hunter girlfriend, an Argent, to even come to his aid. If I hadn't been paralyzed, I sure as hell would have made sure to protect him. How hard was it for you?"

"What do you mean?" Scott asked through his genuine shock.

"For you to pull the only brain you think with out of Allison to come here? How hard was it to say to her 'That's my best friend, he needs me'?" Scott remained silent, and Derek's arctic eyes finally became too much - he diverted his eyes to the floor. "That's what I thought. You have a lot to learn, and a lot to change, Scott."

With unnatural grace, and what seemed to be one fluid motion, Derek had Stiles hanging limply in his arms. The older man was very gentle in his movements, guarding Stiles from bumping into anything as Derek left Scott standing next to the pools, and out into the night heading for his car.

Stiles came to with a severe headache. He winced as his eyes fluttered open, disoriented by his body's perception. He could hear steady, low growling, and feel as if he was being propelled forward. When he opened his eyes, he was in a dark car, the headlights lighting up familiar land out the windshield. His skin prickled with goosebumps and he realized he was cold. Looking down he found his hands lying limply in his lap. What was strange was that he was bare-chested. The only thing he had on creaked slightly when he shifted - a black leather jacket was wrapped over his shoulders; Derek.

Stiles turned his head. Derek was facing forward, eyes intently watching the roads, one arm up, hand gripping the steering wheel.

"What happened?" Stiles asked, tentatively rubbing his head in his hands. Each movement made his head throb with fresh waves of pain.

"Scott showed up," Derek gritted out. "You were knocked out when he so graciously threw us out of the pool."

"And the lizard-shifter?"

"Kanima."

"What?"

Okay, so maybe Derek had been multitasking, watching Scott out of the corner of his eye. However, his main concern had been the well being of Stiles.

"The lizard-shifter - they're known as Kanimas. Scott confused it with a piece of broken mirror. That's how I could tell what it was. After they've shifted, they don't who they are, what they are, or what they're doing."

Stiles nodded as gently as he could so as not to send jolts through his head. "How are you feeling?"

Derek turned to look at him, his greenish eyes fluorescing in the dim light, flashing with concern. "I'm fine," he gave a small smile. "How are you?"

"I've got a massive headache," Stiles confessed, wincing when the headache decided to show him proof with a resounding wave that made even his body ache.

Derek's car went curbside; at Stiles's house. Derek unbuckled his seat belt and turned to face Stiles, whose light brown eyes watched his every movement. Derek sat still, but then his mind betrayed his body with a single, thoughtless command. Touch.

Slowly, Derek's arm climbed upward, his large hand grazing the side of Stiles's face where his injury was. "It's not hurting here right? No need to make a trip to see Ms. McCall?"

Stiles smiled shyly, casting his eyes to his hands. "No," he promised, his shy smile getting a bit wider. Derek bit back at the need to smile along with him. Then felt the need to blush when he realized his hand was still cupping the side of Stiles's face.

Stiles hand rose, his smaller hand (not by much) coming up to cover Derek's own. The Alpha wolf's breath hitched, sucking in air and holding it. Stiles held their hands like that, breathing in Derek's scent.

"I just wanted to say," Stiles said, his eyes becoming heavy-lidded, "Thank you."

Derek watched, releasing his breath. Stiles was absolutely breath-taking in this exact moment, the two young men locking eyes. "You're welcome," Derek breathed out. "I'm grateful to you too - for keeping me afloat for so long." Derek wasn't even talking in regard to the impromptu swimming session. That shy smile crept back into Stiles's expression. Derek slowly withdrew his hand, both men shivering from the loss of physical contact.

Derek popped his door open and got out. He scanned the surrounding area, noticing the Stilinski home was totally dark, the Sheriff's car parked in the driveway. Derek made his way over to the passenger side and opened the door quietly. Derek helped Stiles out of the black Camaro, gently helping to raise Stiles from his seat with a kind grip on the other's bicep. Derek dipped back into the car once Stiles was out, snatching his soaking wet jumpsuit jacket.

"Let me walk you inside," Derek said, shutting the door. He placed a hand on the small of Stiles's back, ushering him toward the darkened residence. Stiles hugged the leather jacket around him, gripping the zipper lining with his arms crossed.

Derek studied the boy's steady heartbeat. He was unafraid and extremely calm. Derek's own heartbeat was the calmest it had been in weeks. Dealing with the recently turned Betas and Scott always had his heartbeat thumping with annoyance or anger. The interactions with Kate - before her slaughter -, the Kanima, his own uncle - before his burning death - and Allison's father were not at all calming either. Here with Stiles, he was extremely calm and collected; happy, even.

They reached the door in silence. Stiles turned leaning against the wood structure, still hugging the jacket to him. Derek looked down at Stiles, his hazel eyes watching the pupils opposite his - scanning for concussion or other possible head trauma injuries.

"I -," Derek started, sort of awkwardly and out of place. Did he really need to explain? "I wanted to make sure you got in safely. It's been a rough night. You're exhausted, and I can't have you walking at night defenseless." Stiles nodded in understanding, worrying his bottom lip, drawing Derek's eyes briefly before he refocused his attention. The teenager looked like he was struggling with ambivalent feelings; something on his mind.

"You're being quiet," Derek noted, "for once." Stiles smiled, a ghost of an expression that passed briefly.

"I was going to ask," Stiles said, but cut himself off. Derek's eyebrows rose, silently pleading Stiles forge through with his words. Stiles registered the action and steeled himself. "Would you - would you stay tonight? You have this habit of showing up in my room anyway. You know, you could stay to make sure I don't, uh, die in my sleep from brain injuries. Hemorrhaging. That kind of stuff."

Derek let out a low chuckle. "After you," he said politely, making a sweeping gesture with his arm toward the door. Stiles managed to open the door, thankfully because his keys remained in his pocket during his water treading.

"We can get your car tomorrow," Derek promised. The Alpha wolf paced silently behind Stiles up the stairs, following the boy into his room. "I'm going to drive my car back to my house, and I'll run right back."

"That's fine," Stiles said, walking to the window and unlocking it. "Be safe, don't let the Kanimas bite." Derek gave a low laugh, before stalking out the door and out to his car.

Derek returned as fast as he could, intent on being by Stiles's side. The wolf ran for the house and leaped, aptly landing on the small space between the window and the gutter that held his weight. Derek entered the dark bedroom, the moonlight outside casting faint luminescence over everything. Derek smiled as he approached the bed. Stiles had successfully gotten out of his wet clothes, which lie in a heap by his closet door, and managed to throw on a pair of loose-fitting sweats that hung on his hips. He had fallen asleep, stomach down, with Derek's leather jacket still wrapped around him. Derek moved slowly, reaching down, but hesitated, deciding he rather liked the look of his jacket on Stiles.

And so Derek sat on the bed, watching Stiles deep, even breaths as he slumbered, deciding his favorite quality about Stiles was his defiance in the face of authority - even if it was the big bad wolf who could rip his throat out...with his teeth.

Thanks for reading 'Something of a Habit'. I was planning on writing a second chapter. Since we don't know what's going to happen in the morning. Or the week after. Just drop a review and let me know if you want more; what you liked, what you would want to see more of. I'll get the next chapter up as soon as possible – if one is desired of course!