He's Caught in a Bind so You Help Him Out

After the encounter Danny had with Stiles in the café, he kept a look out for the object of his affections wherever he went. It was a little obsessive but he couldn't help but feel frustrated when he thought about a missed chance to talk with Stiles again. So he looked around when he went to work. He peeked into the café on his way back home, praying that Stiles would be in there with another cold cup of coffee. Stiles never showed up at the café again, at least not yet. Danny found himself disappointed every time he arrived home at night without seeing Stiles. It was like the young man didn't exist anymore. It was a silly thought but Danny couldn't help but think that one night as he toes off his shoes and heads into his kitchen. He peered at the little note posted on the fridge that he wrote to himself earlier that morning. It told him to go grocery shopping. Danny opened his fridge to take a look. It was indeed empty. He only had one bag of vegetables left and it was turning yellow on him. He looked into the freezer. There was only a cellophane wrapped steak left, once part of a package of three. Danny sighed. Quickly he grabbed his keys and wallet before putting on his shoes again. He turned off all the lights and headed back out into the night.

The supermarket was quiet with only few people wandering about with carts. There were hardly any families around, only single men and women still in their business attire and looking weary. They were men and women who could relate to him. Danny grabbed a cart and made for the vegetables. He always went for the vegetables first. The aisle was empty. He pushed the car slowly as he examined the veggies. They weren't the best qualities but he wasn't expecting the best. He was ok with decent and edible. Danny plucked a bag off the roll at the side of the stand and began to pick through the broccolis. That was when he heard his voice. Danny stopped immediately and looked around frantically for Stiles. His eye scanned everyone that was near. None of them looked like Stiles. Stiles' voice filtered through the supermarket's buzzing noises once more. It sounded a little farther away. Danny quickly picked out several batches of broccoli before following the voice. He sounded frustrated and he was yelling at someone.

Danny found Stiles at aisle three, the cereal aisle. The young man was standing by a cart near the center of the aisle. He wasn't alone though. A man dressed in a white T-shirt and faded blue jeans stood by him. The man stood extremely close to Stiles, invading his personal space. Stiles tried to back up but the man was persistent. Danny felt anger boil in him when Stiles turned his head away and he saw the expression of utter disgust. Without thinking, Danny charged down the aisle with his cart. He left his cart behind a few paces before walking up to the pair.

"Look dude," Stiles spoke again with annoyance. "I am the Sheriff of this town." His voice turned threatening. The man chuckled. He leaned his weight onto the shelves behind Stiles, boxing the man in. Stiles leaned heavily onto the shelves to get away from the man.

"I don't mind. Most people find it a turn off but I love a little kinky play." The man breathed in Stiles' face. Stiles made a "blech" face. The man didn't appreciate it. He growled and gripped onto Stiles' right bicep.

"Look kid, I'm going out of my way here. You're attractive and I like you. So throw me a bone here." He had the audacity to think Stiles was the one being difficult.

"Let go," Stiles glared at the hand that was gripping him too hard.

"Quit playing hard to get, kid. Don't think just because you're the Sheriff you can do as you please." The man growled. Stiles glared at him.

That's it. Danny grabbed onto the man's wrist. They both turned to him in surprise.

"Stiles, is this man bothering you?" Danny asked in a menacing tone. Stiles blinked then turned to glare at the man.

"Dude, get your hands off me before my man here beats you." Stiles threatened. Playing along, Danny tightens his grip on the man's wrist. He grunted in pain and released Stiles' bicep. Stiles slid out from between the shelf and the man to stand beside Danny. Danny released the man's wrist.

"You should have told me you were taken. I don't do taken fuckers." The man spat. Stiles glared at him.

"It shouldn't matter whether or not I'm taken. You should have backed off the minute I said I wasn't interested." Stiles took a menacing step forward. The man curled his lip upwards in dismissive annoyance.

"You're wasting my time." He turned to go. Stiles breathed out when the man disappeared. He turned to Danny.

"Dude, where'd you come from?" He asked with a crooked smile. Danny turned to him.

"I was actually at the vegetable aisle when I heard you shout." Danny pointed to his cart. Stiles laughed.

"So you decided it was smart to come and see what I was screaming about? The people who were around dispersed immediately when they realized he was hitting on me." Stiles waved to the empty aisle for emphasis. Danny took a look around just to be polite.

"Well, I'm not most people besides I wanted to make sure you were ok." Danny couldn't help but let a little fondness escape him. Stiles arched a brow at him before turning to the cereals. He observed them with serious seriousness. (lol, I love that)

"You do know I'm the town's Sheriff," he commented as he plucked a box of Fruit Loops off the shelf. Danny leaned against Stiles' cart as he watched Stiles examine the box like he's never seen it before.

"Doesn't mean you don't need caring," Danny countered. Stiles looked at him with mild surprise. Slowly he dropped the Fruit Loops into his cart.

"You know, I've never actually had many people say that to me." He commented with a thoughtful look before he turned back the aisle to pluck a box of Cheerios off the shelf. He dumped it into the cart without examining the box. Danny straightened himself when Stiles made to grab the cart's handle. He rushed to get his cart before joining Stiles in walking to the next aisle. Stiles didn't bother to look at him as he looked at the different brands of bread. Danny wasn't having any of that though.

"I find it strange that we've never met before but the moment we do, we keep bumping into each other." Danny said as he plucked a bag of wonder bread off the shelf. He placed it gently into his cart. Stiles took a bag of small hamburger breads then a bag of wonder bread.

"I was thinking about that actually." Stiles said. He turned to face Danny. A mischievous smirk graced his lips. "You wouldn't happen to be stalking me, are you? If you are then you'll have to excuse me while I go call Derek. He takes care of all my stalkers."

Danny laughed. Stiles snickered.

"No, I'm not stalking you. I just happen to be wherever you happen to be from time to time." Danny winked. Stiles arched a brow.

"Ok, that was a little creepy." He admitted before moving onto the jam and butter section. He picked out a large jar of strawberry jam then orange jam and a large container of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter. Danny made a disgusted look at his choice of butter. Stiles caught the look and pretended to look offended.

"You have your choices, I have mine." He waved the container at Danny before dropping it into his cart.

"Right," Danny said before moving past him to the milk aisle. Stiles followed him. They picked out their milk. Danny went for the 1 percent and Stiles went for the 2 percent. They continued their grocery shopping together. Stiles made comments left and right. Danny was soaring high in the sky. Much like most of his encounters with Stiles, he did not expect to see Stiles at the supermarket. He also did not expect to save him from a creep. However Danny accepted everything with gratefulness. Everything that had happened so far was working in his favor. Stiles was becoming familiar with him and he got to know about Stiles more.

As they stood in line waiting to get their items checked out, Danny went over what he learned about Stiles. Stiles liked to eat Fruit Loops and Cheerios. He liked wonder bread and small hamburger breads. The jams he preferred are strawberry and orange. He doesn't actually eat real butter. He drank milk but extremely reduced fat milk. He had a habit of buying his groceries in pairs of twos. He ate beef, steak, and pork more than he eats chicken. It appears he had a preference for meat more than vegetables considering his cart was mostly filled with meat. There were several bags of vegetable but not a large variety.

Danny felt accomplished as they made their way out of the supermarket and into the parking lot.

"Where are you parked?" Stiles asked as he waddles beside Danny, weighed down by bags of groceries. Danny wasn't that much better off himself. He had at least six bags hanging off his arms. He needed to stock up for at least a week. He didn't have much time to do grocery shopping.

"I'm near the center." Danny said. "What about you?"

"I walked here." Stiles said bluntly. Danny looked at him weirdly. Stiles chuckled nervously. "Do you think you can give me a ride?"

"Sure, I don't mind." Not only did Danny not mind, he was beyond ecstatic. He had a chance to see where Stiles lived. Stiles was allowing him to know. That was a huge step he had taken to get Stiles to be his boyfriend. He was closer than ever. He knew it. They walked together quietly. Or at least Danny wished they managed to do so. Halfway through the parking lot, the scum that had hit on Stiles in the supermarket appeared from between two dark SUVs. In his hand was a can of beer. Danny checked his watch. They had been in the supermarket for at least forty-five minutes. The man looked drunk.

Great… His night was going so well too.

Stiles stopped walking once the man spotted them and advanced on them slowly. His footing was sloppy, wobbly, and dangerous for his physical health. At any moment he could have toppled over and hit his head or harm himself in some other way. The man lifted a hand to point at Stiles.

"I know you." He slurred. Stiles arched a brow.

"Do you, now?" He asked in a disinterested voice. Danny had to do a double take. He had never heard Stiles sound so emotionless or was it angry? He wasn't sure which one it was. They sounded so close in tone. The man stumbled closer.

"You're that cutie who wouldn't stop being difficult. All I want is a quick fuck but no! You can't give it to me!" He shouted.

"My answer is still no." Stiles said. The man growled and lurched forward but stumbles backwards. One of his legs lifted into the air and he danced around on one leg before finding his footing.

"Stiles, I don't think engaging him is a good idea." Danny whispered.

"I got this." Stiles responded in a dismissive manner. He dropped his bags onto the pavement and walked forward. He placed his hands on his hips. Danny stared at him worriedly as he approached the drunken man. He grabbed the man by his shoulders and steered him towards the closest car, one of the dark SUVs. The man leaned against the trunk when Stiles pressed him against it. He tried to make a grab at Stiles but Stiles pushed his arms back roughly. The man grunted. He glared then charged forward. Stiles side stepped him then pushed him back towards the car with a palm to his chest. The man coughed then looked at his beer can. It hadn't spilt. He took a sip. If the situation wasn't serious, Danny would have applauded for the man's miraculous feat.

"Give me that can of beer." Stiles held his hand out as if the man was just going to give it up like that.

"Fuck you, bitch!" The man shouted.

"Sir, I'm reminding you that I am this town's Sheriff. I have the authority to arrest you for drunken disorderly and public indecency." Stiles warned him. The man appeared to not have heard him. He charged for Stiles.

"I'll show you public indecency!" He shouted. Stiles took a couple of steps back when the man ran for him. However Stiles miscalculated and tumbled over his own grocery bags. Danny's eyes bugged.

"Stiles!" He shouted. Without thinking he dropped his bags and raced for the man charging at Stiles. He tackled him and they both fell to the ground. The man, despite being drunk, was fast though. He flipped them before Danny managed to get himself into the right state of mind and punched him square in the face.

"Danny, shit!" Stiles scrambled up onto his feet. Danny grabbed the man's fist as it came in for another blow. He didn't see the man's other fist though and it connected with his left cheekbone.

"Mind your own god damn business, you fucking piece of shit!" The man shouted. His beer breath smelled awful. The man breathed directly into Danny's nose and Danny couldn't help but cough. That earned him a knee to the balls. Danny squealed in pain. He curled into a ball. The man slid off of him with a smug look.

"Sir, you are under arrest!" Stiles shouted as he grabbed the man. Danny didn't really get a good look at what was going on. He was too busy cradling his balls and praying to all the Gods he knew for them to still have proper functions after such an attack. However he caught a glimpse of the two men wrestling before Stiles had the man pinned and a grocery bag wrapped tightly around the man's wrists. When did Stiles get the grocery bag, Danny didn't know. Stiles looked over to Danny once the man stopped struggling, presumably passed out.

"Danny, you ok?" Stiles asked. Danny tried his best to sit up. It hurt but he managed. He panted then took a deep breath.

"Yeah, I'll live." Danny smiled tiredly and painfully. Stiles looked down on the man he was sitting on top of. He pulled his head back by his greasy black hair.

"Looks like he wore himself out," Stiles dropped his head softly. Then he looked at Danny. "Umm… think you could drop me and drunk-y here off at the precinct. It'll be a lot faster if I bring him in myself than have someone on patrol bring in him."

Danny looked at the man then at their grocery bags. He didn't have a desire to make a trip to the precinct. It was late enough already. If he made that trip he wouldn't get the six hours of sleep he was looking forward to.

"I understand if it's too much trouble. I'll just have someone pick him up if you don't want to drop me off." Stiles said hurriedly when Danny hesitated to answer. Danny quickly stood and gathered up the grocery bags.

"No, no, it's not a problem. I'll take the bags. I'm not sure I can handle carrying someone, especially violent drunks. I'll leave that to the professional." Danny smiled at Stiles. Stiles smiled back gratefully. He picked the man up by his arms and dragged him along. Danny walked ahead of Stiles, trying to locate his car while the adrenaline pumped through his veins. Stiles was quiet as he maneuvered the man to walk and not slump over. How he was doing that with the man unconscious was behind Danny.

"Here she is." Danny announced when he saw his small four door black BMW. He fetched his key as best as he could and popped open the trunk. He dumped everything inside before opening the back seat's door. Stiles dragged the man inside. They both got into the car and Danny drove off towards the precinct. Stiles pulled out of his cell phone and began texting.

"Who you texting?" Danny couldn't help but ask.

"I'm texting Derek, telling him what happened and that I'm stopping by the precinct to book drunk-y." Stiles jabbed a thumb back at the drunk man. Danny furrowed his eyebrows but concentrated on driving.

Why is he texting Derek about it? What does it have to do with Derek?

The precinct was quiet when they arrived. Danny parked the car and Stiles moved to get the man out of the back seat.

"I need you to come in and make a statement; be my witness." Stiles said after they haul him into the main lobby. Two of the uniformed officers immediately came around the desk to haul the guy to where they needed him to be. "I know for a fact that the moment he wakes up, he's going to claim I attacked him without reason and threaten to sue me for police brutality." Stiles rolled his eyes.

"Alright," Danny agreed.

"Great," Stiles looked around before waving a passing officer over. "I need you to take Mr. Mahealani's statement on the guy I just brought in." Stiles nodded to where the officers disappeared with the drunken man.

"Of course, Sheriff," the officer responded easily. He looked at Danny. "Mr. Mahealani, this way please."

Danny followed him but not without a glance back at Stiles. Stiles had already turned away and was heading in another direction. The officer sat Danny down at an empty desk with a witness form and a pen. He explained what he needed to write down and that his signature needed to go on the bottom. Danny nodded his head and got to work in writing down what happened. The officer ventured off somewhere but came back with a cup of water.

"Here, it's to calm your nerves." The officer commented. "You look a little freaked." He said. Danny looked down at his hands. They were shaking a little.

"Thanks," he drank the water in one go. "I'm done." Danny handed the paper over to the officer. The officer looked it over.

"Ouch, he got you in the nuts huh?" The officer winced.

"Yeah," Danny winced as well. "I hope they're still in working order."

"You should get them checked just in case." The officer said. "Hey, listen, you want to press charges?"

"Press chargers? I attacked him first." Danny pointed out.

"That's true but you did it in defense of the Sheriff when the man attacked him. You have a case. It's small but you have one." The officer explained. Danny took a look around the precinct. It was pretty empty. Then he shook his head.

"Naw, I'm not pressing any charges." He said with a small smile. The officer shrugged.

"Suit yourself," he said.

Danny didn't think it was right to sue a guy who was probably living paycheck to paycheck. He was rich enough as it is. He didn't need any more money.

"Can I go?" Danny asked.

"Yeah, you're done." The officer waved him along.

"Is it ok if I say good bye to the Sheriff?" Danny asked.

"Yeah, his office is to the right, straight down." The officer said.

"Thank you." Danny followed the instructions and made a right. He saw Stiles' door immediately. It was closed but the lights were on. He knocked gently. "Stiles, may I come in?" He asked.

"Sure, com in." Stiles sounded distracted. Danny opened the door and walked inside. The office was clean but had an old feeling to it. Stiles sat at the desk with a file filled with papers, messily scattered about the table.

"Whoa, what's all this?" Danny asked as he approached the desk.

"The paperwork for bringing in that guy," Stiles said. He looked back down at the current paper in front of him. "I got to fill out all sorts of forms. I haven't even gone through his personal effects yet." He groaned. Danny couldn't help but chuckle.

"Well, I'm done so I'm gonna head home." Danny said. "Do you need a ride?"

Stiles looked up.

"Actually—"

"Stiles!" A voice interrupted them. They both turned to see Derek charging down the hall. He barged into the room. Stiles was up from his seat immediately.

"Derek, I told you I was fine." Stiles said.

"That was a text." Derek grabbed Stiles' hands and turned him around, checking him for bruises. Stiles rolled his eyes.

"It was only a drunkard. You're making it look like I was shot or stabbed."

"You're lucky it was only a drunkard." Derek countered. Danny couldn't help but laugh. They looked at him.

"What?" Stiles asked.

"Nothing, you two must be close. I've never seen Derek so worried and disheveled before." Danny commented. They looked at each other.

"Danny—"

"Danny, thank you for helping Stiles," Derek interrupted Stiles once more. Stiles glared at him as Derek stepped forward to offer Danny a hand to shake. Danny took it.

"No problem, I just happened to be there is all. I'm assuming you're Stiles' ride home?" Danny asked.

"Yes," Derek answered.

"Alrighty then, good night Stiles, Derek," Danny nodded to each of them before leaving. Derek closed Stiles' office door behind him. As Danny made his way to his car he wondered about Derek's behavior. It was kind of strange. The way he practically ran through the precinct wasn't normal behavior for friends, even best friends. There was also that phrase Derek spoke to him: thank you for helping Stiles. It seemed out of context. From social experience, that wasn't a phrase for Derek to use. It was a phrase for family to use.


A/N: OMG! Two chapters in a day!? I think not! But then YES IT REALLY DID HAPPEN! *screams in extreme joy*

I think this chapter was pretty good. It's the longest one yet too.

As usual, review and tell me what you think. :D