Stiles is standing in the doorway ready to walk into his room. His muscles ache and both his split lip and cheek are throbbing from where he's been beaten. He doesn't need to see his father's tensed figure because he's sensed it. He can feel the stress and worry radiating off of him in waves. Well, he thinks, now is as good a time as any. "Hey, Dad."
His father looks up from where he's been texting Scott to try and get information to help him find his missing son. He takes one look at his kid's face and immediately hovers over and grabs the side of his face to try and inspect the damage up close.
"What the hell happened-"
"It's nothing, dad. Just trying to warn the pack by beating on the leader's boyfriend, I guess. It's okay. I'm here now."
The sheriff's face turns into a series of emotions and he goes from horrified, relieved, and sad, to sudden anger. And his face is twisting at the way that his son is trying to justify whatever has happened to him.
"Stiles, this isn't okay. None of this is okay. You can't keep running around town holding hands with the Alpha. Not if this is what's going to keep happening. It's the second time this month, son! What's next? Am I gonna get a call saying they've found my son's body in the middle of the forest? Hell, maybe they'll be nice enough to leave your body on my front doorstep!"
"Dad-" Stiles tries to interrupt him, but the sheriff is having none of it. He needs to get this off his chest. It's time to step up and protect his son. Protect the only person he has left.
"No, Stiles, you listen to me. I need you to be safe. You may have your pack and Scott and Derek to keep you sane but I only have you, Stiles. If I were to lose you-" The sheriff looks away. He hasn't felt this close to losing someone since he was told his wife had only three more months to live. And here is his son, right in front of him, his face marred and bruised and he won't stand here and keep wondering whether he'll come home that night. So the sheriff says the only thing he can possibly think of helping them when it comes to keeping Stiles safe.
"I need you to stop seeing Derek." Stiles is quick to open his mouth to try and protest but the sheriff has already made up his mind. "I won't lose you, Stiles. I need you to do this." But Stiles is just standing there and looking at him with those big brown eyes and god, he looks just like his mother. Can't lose you, too. I can't. He thinks. But what he says instead is, "Promise me. Promise me you'll do it. Promise me you'll stay away from him."
"I-I can't. Dad, it's not that easy-I just." He can see his son's resolve crumbling and he knows what's coming next. "I-okay. Okay, dad. I promise." He sighs in relief but when he looks at his kid Stiles is on the verge of tears and so he does what a dad needs to do and clutches him tight and whispers thank you thank you thank you, Stiles. Later that night before he falls asleep, the sheriff tries to convince himself he didn't make a selfish choice in trying to keep his son all for himself. I'm doing what's best for my son, he thinks.
The next day later he hears his son's heart wrenching sobs while he's walking across the hallway. He opens the door and let's Stiles fist his shirt in his hands while he rubs his back and he wonders if he's done the right thing. If stopping his kid from seeing the alpha will be any good for anyone. He hugs Stiles tight and the only thing he can keep thinking is don't hate me. Don't hate me. I need you to be safe. It's for the best.