CHAPTER 1
The next morning, Derek wakes up more rested than he's been in years. Before opening his eyes he remembers the night before and a warm feeling comes to his chest ; until he realizes that there is no other heartbeat in the loft. Stiles is gone.
Derek stands up and goes to the window to see no Jeep in the parking lot.
"No breakfast then" he mutters to himself.
- Hey man, your mother let me in before she went to work. Says an overly greeting Stiles to a very sleepy Scott
- Ok, the alpha mumbles. Why are you here so early?
- Just testing a theory, says Stiles looking intensely at his best friend.
- Why are you even here? Asks Scott pulling away as he remembered he wasn't supposed to see Stiles.
- Take a deep breath Scotty, in and out, Stiles says mimicking a yoga teacher.
Scott does as he is told since he would trust Stiles with anything, or maybe because he is still half asleep.
- So? asks Stiles
- You smell a little weird says Scott frowning
- Do you have any urge to kill me? inquires Stiles
- No… hesitates Scott still finding his scent off
- Dude! You don't want to kill me anymore! says Stiles all smile
- No I don't! Scott hugs his best friend. He doesn't want to kill him anymore, that's the best news in weeks!
The morning after, finds Derek grumpy. He spent yesterday doing, pull ups and push ups, debating with himself if he should call Stiles, if only to verify that his plan worked. In the end, he decided the teen probably needed time and that he wasn't about to transform in some sort of pinning girl anyway.
A scent caught his nose, a very good scent. For a second his eyes turn blue as an unusual feeling of comfort goes to his chest. "Stiles" he thinks.
He goes to open the door, disappointed to find no one. Then he looks to the floor and sees a basket. He can smell blueberry pancakes and chocolate sauce. He actually smiles fondly pinking up the V shaped thank you card. "I guess it did work" he thinks to himself.
The next few weeks are uneventful in Beacon Hills, at least on the supernatural front. Scott calls a Pack meeting just before the full moon, it's more about marking the event as a pack than anything since everything has been quiet and everybody is in control.
When they arrive at the loft, Allison and Isaac are sitting in the love seats, smiling at each other. Lydia is on the chair, painting her nails and looking bored.
- Where is Derek? asks Scott
- Why would I know? answers Stiles a little bit to fast, as he seats on the couch.
Scott just shrugs and goes to sit with his best friend.
- So, says Scott, since everything is cool these days, I thought we could chill and watch a movie together.
- The notebook!
- Star Wars! say Stiles and Lydia simultaneously.
Allison and Isaac don't seem to have listen, which leaves Scott to decide between his best friend and a glaring Lydia when Derek walks in the room.
- I'm not watching The notebook, he says, grabbing the remote, putting Star Wars on.
Scott stares at him :
- How… Did you anticipate a Star Wars request?
Scott looks at Stiles for support but his best friend is staring at the floor. Derek doesn't answer and sits down between him and Stiles while the film begins.
Derek smelled Stiles the minute he entered the loft. He hasn't seen him or heard from him since that night. Minus for the pancake basket. When he went to return it, Stiles wasn't home. He waited half an hour before going back to the loft where he smashed the poor thing against a wall in frustration.
This was getting ridiculous. He saw the kid more when they weren't even friends! And now that they were, well something else, he was second guessing himself each time he wanted to reach out to him. Hell, he used to wish Stiles would leave him alone and now… Well now, if he was honest, he wasn't sure he would be able to let go of him after the meeting. Just his distant scent got him so emotional he had to take a minute before joining the pack in the living room area. When he heard the mention of the Notebook, he went in tough : there was no way he was enduring a love story now.
The minute he turns the TV on, he can feel Scott's stare but he doesn't really care. He is more concerned about Stiles stillness. Stiles is never still ; well except on a certain night when a certain werewolf was holding him tight, but that isn't the moment to review those memories.
Derek wants to kiss the anxiety better, again. Will he be able to see Stiles again without wanting to kiss him from now on? Derek surprises himself by thinking he'd rather be kissing Stiles every time he sees him.
Derek sits down, his elbow on his laps and his knee touching Stiles' hoping physical contact would make him feel better, or at least not worse. When Stiles relaxes a few minutes later, Derek relaxes as well leaning in the couch, their shoulders slightly touching and his right hand tentatively reaching for Stiles'.
Stiles tenses up again. Derek will never know if it is due to his action or to Peter's interruption.
- Nice of you to invite me, his uncle says in a snarky voice.
Derek takes the remote, puts the movie on pause, stands up, goes to his uncle, gives him the biggest punch in the jaw and goes back to the couch to turn the movie on again.
- What was that for? Isaac asks
- Paige, Stiles mumbles between his teeth, leaning into Derek's touch and patting his lap without looking at anything except the tv.
Peter stares at Stiles then at Derek.
I see, he says under his breath, I will be going then.
A few days later, Stiles is at Scott's playing video games. He is spazzing like always, his right leg is like an independent limb who can't stop buzzing and he cannot concentrate. The Call Of Duty is not strong enough to pull him from his thoughts nor Scott ranting about the new japanese girl, showing he is finally getting over Allison.
Stiles is lost. Of all possible scenarios, he has never foreseen this one. He was supposed to make Lydia Martin fall for him in a 10 years plan. Yes, he was gonna indulge himself some side affairs, to be... you know, ready for her… But know he is…confused? No confused isn't even the right term. He is numb. And every time he begins to try understand what he is feeling, what he wants, every time he is frozen.
He doesn't know. He doesn't know what to think, what to do, what is next. He just doesn't know anything anymore. He is stuck. He has no plan and no idea how to formulate one. He doesn't even know what direction the next step should take ; and it is so very frustrating that the only way to keep the panic attacks away is probably to ignore the problem until it goes away. Plain and simple Stilinski avoidance technique.
- Dude, what are you doing? asks Scott
- Stiles looks up at the screen, he grasped at the controller so tight that he is shooting endlessly at a wall.
- Shit, sorry; he mutters
- Ok, what's going on? the alpha interrogates his best friends, standing in front the tv.
- Nothing, it's 'll good, answers Stiles stretching his neck trying to get a view of the game.
- Are you…. are you still mad at me for the beatings? hesitates Scott looking at the floor.
- What? No man, I know it wasn't your fault! Says Stiles sitting straight again.
- Then who's was it? Scott asks looking Stiles in the eyes
- No one's… it was… it's okay now… he mumbles eyes half closed.
- Stiles? Says Scott a bit louder
- LET IT GO SCOTT! Stiles says standing up signifying his best friend he should not push the issue.
- Alright, alright, says Scott picking up his controller and gesturing for Stiles to sit back down.
Once he is sat down again, he puts the game back on and adds :
- Wanna talk about how Derek was practically grooming you the other night and you let him?
Scott's eyes aren't leaving the tv. He hears the sound of a controller meeting the floor and of a door being slammed shut.
Hidden in the tree line across the street, a grumpy werewolf is frowning.
- So Malia? Isaac asks as he arrives in the locker room before Lacrosse practice.
- What about her? aks Stiles. Are you wondering if she is into werewolves with a scarf fetish? Although I thought Allison was the one you would want to take on your knitting lessons!
- I don't know what you are talking about and I wouldn't dare, answers the werewolf.
- You should have this conversation with Scott, says Stiles pointing at his best friend.
- No, Isaac, says a bit too fast. I mean, since Malia showed up in school she seems very interested in spending time with you.
- She is just appreciative of the fact that I helped pulling her off the woods, shrugs Stiles without stopping putting his Lacrosse gear on.
- Yesterday she yelled at Scott that he ruined her life by forcing her out of her coyote form! answers Isaac
- She just needs a friend to help her with the transition; says Stiles going out on the field.
Since Malia showed up to his place to study, Stiles is replaying what Isaac said in the locker room. He also can't help thinking about what "study sessions" used to mean for Scott and Allison. Maybe it was life giving him a chance to make the problem go away.
So he sits with her on the bed instead of on the floor. He smiles when their shoulders are touching and he follows her when she ends up lying down in an attempt to reach for a textbook.
When she turns her head to look at him when he explains that if hunting techniques are valuable survival skills, graduating high school would also come in handy, he turns his head towards her as well. When she leans in for a kiss, he doesn't fight it. He kisses her back. And when her tongue slides on his lips, he opens his mouth and rolls on his back so she is on top, straddling his hips with her legs.
A weird sound is heard on the street. The neighbor's cat met a pair of very angry and shining blue eyes.