"Stiles, it would have been interesting, you and I. But I don't want you wasting your time on something that isn't going to happen."
"What?" Stiles stared at Lydia, feeling his heart squeeze painfully, as if it were trying to run from the oncoming pain. "What... What are you saying?"
"I'm saying that now that Jackson is back to his... Almost normal self, things are going to go back to the way they were. Sort of."
Blinking slowly, Stiles stared at her. Did Lydia call him over just to break his heart? She had to know his feelings for her. That wasn't much of a secret anymore. "Okay," was all he managed to get out before he turned and began to walk away.
"Oh, and Stiles, thank you. For everything." She closed the distance between them and hugged him from behind, arms slipping around his middle. Stiles placed his hands over her own, giving them a squeeze before he pulled them off to walk away.
When he got home, he went straight to his room, kicked off his shoes, and let himself fall against the bed. Was this what it felt like to die? He didn't want to feel any of this anymore.
Stiles hadn't left his room for much. He went downstairs for some beef jerky and he made some bacon. His dad tried to get him to come down to eat, but Stiles wouldn't budge.
And when Scott came to give it a go, Stiles didn't have to say much to get him to understand what this pain was like. But Scott's suggestions were no good an Stiles was still intent on dying on his bed.
So when Derek came through the door on the third day, Stiles had to do a double take before he scrambled to sit up, pulling the sheets around himself.
"What are you doing here? Don't you have things to hunt? People to change?" Stiles asked, eyeing Derek warily.
"I'm here to help you."
"Help me? What can you do?" Stiles asked, skeptical. Derek narrowed his gaze at Stiles, who cleared his throat. "Sir?"
Derek rolled his eyes and stood by the side of Stiles's bed, arms crossing over his chest. "People are worried about you, Stiles. You can't stay in your room forever."
"Oh yeah? Watch me." He pulled the blankets closer to himself, pulling his gaze away from Derek.
"All this over a girl?"
"It's not just any girl. It's... It's Lydia. I can't just stop feeling what I feel for her because she decides she isn't going to give me a chance."
"It's not the end of the world, Stiles."
"It is for me."
Derek rolled his eyes and sat on the edge of Stiles's bed. "You don't need some girl, Stiles." He let out a sigh. "Especially one who isn't going to appreciate you for who you are. And if it's taken her this long to see that, then I don't think she's worth your time, moping about what could have been."
Stiles stared at Derek for a long moment before he nodded. "Okay, I'm gonna go break up with her."
"You're not even dating her, Stiles."
"What's it matter to you, Derek? All you ever care about is yourself and your stupid pack."
"That's not true."
"'S that supposed to mean?"
"I'm here aren't I?"
Stiles's gaze flickers to Derek, lips parting with a sarcastic reply that doesn't exist. Derek was right. He was there. He figured Scott had asked Derek to come rough him up since no one else was getting through to him. But Derek hasn't even touched him since he walked into the room.
"Why are you here, Derek?"
"Let's just say you're a very... Important player in the game. And we can't play if you've been benched."
"Did Scott tell you to say that?"
Derek looked at Stiles, narrowing his gaze.
"...I'll take that as a no." He let out a soft breath before he shrugged. "Alright, I guess. I was just.. Afraid I'd be alone forever, y'know?"
"But you aren't alone, Stiles. Remember that."
And then Derek was out the door before Stiles could ask what he meant.
"Can I at least get a hug?" He paused. "No? Okay. That's cool."