Derek had been lying on his face, sprawled out on his couch, when Isaac made the phone call to Scott. He hadn't wanted to agree to let Charismatic Criminal go on tour with them. He hadn't been able to stop thinking about Stiles (his long fingers, his bright eyes, the moles that speckled his skin as if they were just waiting to be licked) and the idea of spending three months in close quarters with him was agonizing. He hadn't been able to get off to anything other than images of Stiles' perfect lips around him in weeks. It was enough to make him want to bang his head against a wall. Or smother himself with one of the decorative throw pillows Erica had insisted he needed. At least if he killed himself with it the damn thing would finally have a use.
The thing was, Charismatic Criminal was a good band. They had a more upbeat quality that would balance out the dark, haunting quality of Moon Fever's music, and Derek actually loved their stuff. He hadn't gone to any of the shows (he wasn't a complete masochist) but he had listened to the demos on their Facebook page several (hundred) times.
He could only hope that their respective parents said no. They were still young enough that that could be an issue right?
Isaac was grinning ear to ear when he hung up the phone and as he turned that smile on the alpha, Derek felt instantly guilty for hoping that it wouldn't work out. Isaac almost never looked as happy as he did now. Derek was being selfish. He was a grown man; he should be able to get his hormones under control.
"Scott's going to tell the others and they'll let us know," Isaac said, flopping into the armchair next to the couch that Derek was currently attempting to become one with.
The alpha gave a noncommittal grunt.
"Ah, c'mon," Isaac said, "they're good, you know they are, they totally deserve this chance."
Derek turned so that he could look at his beta, one half of his face still smooshed into the pillow. "You know Scott's got friends and family. And a girlfriend. There's a good chance he won't want the bite."
Isaac bit his lip and looked at the floor for a few silent moments. "I know that," he said, his voice a little bit softer than before. "But I like him, and he's... I dunno, there's something about him. We're friends."
Derek didn't say anything, just watched the younger boy thoughtfully. Isaac started to fidget under the attention and Derek looked away.
"I'm glad you have a friend Isaac. Scott seems like a great guy. Even if he does have a girlfriend already."
Isaac let out a huff of laughter and when Derek sat up on the couch the beta was grinning. "Trust me, I'm very aware of the girlfriend status. But I don't think it's going to be a problem."
Derek raised a brow at that. He'd thought the girl –Allison– had been pretty flirty at the party but he had assumed it was just the booze. Apparently not.
"What does Scott think about that?"
Isaac shrugged. "Not sure, but I have the feeling he'd follow that girl to hell and back."
Derek wasn't sure if that made Scott admirable or incredibly stupid so he didn't say anything, instead running his hands through his already mussed up hair.
"Do you think they'll go on tour with us? Like actually get their shit together and get a bus and all that?"
"I think that if Lydia wants to there's probably not much anyone could do to stop it from happening."
"Is she that headstrong?"
"That girl has got just about everyone wrapped around her designer stilettos, her and Erica would get along well."
The thought of the two women joining forces was more than terrifying and Derek repressed a groan. He was sure this tour was going to kill him. How much worse could it get?
"And seriously," Isaac continued, "if Scott would follow Allison into hell, Stiles would lead the way for Lydia if she wanted to take a goddamn daytrip there."
Derek scowled against his will. Apparently that much worse.
"They're dating?" he asked against his better sensibilities.
"Nah, she's got some thing with that Jackson guy. Total douche."
That just made the alpha's head hurt more and he pinched the bridge of his nose, hoping to quell what felt like the beginning of a headache. "I do not want to deal with high school drama."
Isaac rolled his eyes. "You're being ridiculous. And besides, in a few weeks none of them will be in high school anymore anyways."
"You don't have to be in high school to have high school drama."
"I think you're just looking for things to complain about."
Derek grunted an incoherent reply to that and Isaac laughed again, launching himself up from the chair. "Erica says she's got the beginning of a new song in the works. Practice at six?"
The alpha just nodded his consent.
"Excellent, I'm off to see Scott then, see you later."
"You were just on the phone with Scott," Derek pointed out as Isaac moved towards the door of the loft they shared.
The beta just shrugged, grinned, and slipped out leaving Derek sitting on the couch and wondering what his life had become.
"You're going," Erica said, hands on her hips, her face stern. "They are going on tour with us in a few weeks and you should see them perform."
"I have seen them perform," Derek pointed out.
"On a stage. When we aren't all drunk off our asses," she retorted.
Derek huffed, wanting to argue but not able to come up with anything compelling. When Erica made up her mind there was no changing it anyways. She'd make a good alpha if anything ever happened to Derek. It was how he comforted himself when faced with her stubbornness, although he was hoping it would never come to that. Their pack tended to stay out of trouble, but touring made it difficult sometimes. Most other packs were understanding, but they'd definitely gotten into a few territorial scrapes.
"Good," Erica said, "I'm glad that's settled. Now go change so we can leave."
"What is wrong with my clothes?" he demanded, shooting a glare at where Isaac and Boyd were snickering on the beat up couch. They were in the small studio Derek had had built outside the loft a few years back. It was just big enough for their equipment and the sad excuse of a couch Isaac had found at Goodwill. Erica hated it, but seeing as she'd already had free reign decorating the tour bus, she left it alone.
"You worked out in those clothes," said the blonde, rolling her eyes.
"We're going to a bar, there's not exactly a dress code."
"No, but we are a semi-famous band with an image to maintain. And that image is not sweaty grunge." She wrinkled her nose at the thought.
Derek threw his hands up in defeat and turned towards the door, yanking it open onto the cool night.
"Wear that charcoal button up I got you, it looks great with your eyes!" Erica called after him to which he just shut the door. He was not wearing a button up.
An hour later Derek was sitting at the table closest to the stage (he should have known this would be their usual spot) squished between Isaac and Erica and not in the charcoal button up thank you very much. He'd just gone for a clean black tee and his leather jacket. Erica has given him a disapproving glare (looking stellar in a black slip dress and platform boots) to which he'd just responded with "it's a bar, these are bar clothes."
Besides, he wasn't an idiot, he knew he looked good. He didn't like the attention he got from a lot of fans because of his appearance, but that didn't mean he didn't know he was attractive. So Erica could suck it.
When the band came on stage Derek looked everywhere but at the all-too-enticing drummer. He could feel Stiles' eyes on him, but he refused to meet them, instead watching Lydia sling on her bass guitar. He had to admit, she pulled of the hot redhead rocker chick look well. She made ripped skinnies and a jean vest look like high fashion.
His band mates were chattering around him with Allison and Jackson, going on about the tour and music and how excited they all were. Erica nudged him in the ribs with her elbow.
"We're so happy to hopefully have them with us, aren't we Der?"
He gave a small nod and a grunt that passed for affirmation. Erica narrowed her eyes but didn't say anything and Derek knew she was saving whatever she had to say for later. She had that look she gave him when she thought he was being an asshole and she wasn't happy about it. It was a common theme in their relationship if he was being honest.
"There's a lot to work out, a bus and all that," Allison said, "but I think you can definitely count on having them. None of their parents would deny them the opportunity."
"Not that it matters, they're all adults," Jackson piped up in a tone of voice that made Derek want to punch him.
There was a strum of a guitar from the stage and Derek redirected is attention, watching Scott who was grinning out at the bar, instrument in hand and a ridiculous green baseball hat sitting backwards on his head, containing his mop of brown hair.
"Good evening everyone, we are Charismatic Criminal and this is a song we like to call Follow You."
"AKA I love my girlfriend so much I make my friends want to puke," piped in Stiles from his spot behind the drum set, eliciting a laugh from the small crowd. Derek let his gaze flick to the back of the stage without even thinking. And then he was stuck, staring at the goofy and ridiculously attractive drummer, his hair sticking up every which way and clad in tight red t-shirt that made Derek's mouth go dry. He was grinning, gripping his drumsticks in his slender fingers and Derek was so not looking at his hands, no, absolutely not.
The song started and the alpha couldn't help but be entranced by Stiles' playing. He put his whole body into playing, just like he had at the party. He smiled and sometimes sang along (his voice twisting things in Derek's stomach that he didn't want to think about) and between him, Lydia, and Scott, the energy coming off of them was almost palpable. They had incredible stage presence.
When they finished their set Derek had downed three beers and had almost gotten up and left twice. They'd done a fucking Fall Out Boy cover. Derek loved Fall Out Boy. Not that he would admit to it. And once he had started watching Stiles he hadn't been able to stop, unable to stop his body from reacting. The last thing he wanted was for one of his pack members, god forbid Erica, find out about his, uh, problem. He'd never hear the end of it. They'd interfere. Just the thought of what they might do was terrifying.
For betas, they were pretty bad at following orders, something he took every opportunity to remind them of. They took those same opportunities to ignore him.
"I say we have another party!" Eric proclaimed, "now that everything in the loft is turned back on."
Derek raised a brow at her. "You can't just decide to have a party where I live."
"Isaac lives there too," she said, pointing to the doe-eyed beta who was grinning up at Scott while the band packed up their equipment. Derek continued to stare at her without saying anything.
She huffed. "Fine, you're such a killjoy. Why am I in a band with you again?"
"I believe the words you used once were because of my underwear model physique and broody eyebrows," he said dryly.
"Someone's full of himself," came a voice from the other side of the table and Derek tried to suppress a groan. It was Stiles. Of course it was Stiles.
Although, to be fair, Scott and Lydia were with him, pushing their way into seats. Lydia dropped gracefully into Jackson's lap who immediately started kissing her neck and jaw. Derek could not fathom why anyone would allow Jackson to touch them but he didn't say anything. He was too busy being distracted by Stiles' general existence.
"I was quoting," he said, schooling his tone and expression into nothing but cool indifference. He'd never had to work so hard at it before.
Stiles grinned and Derek gripped his beer bottle tighter.
"If Derek doesn't want to have the party at his place, we can always have it at mine," Boyd volunteered, tipping his chair back slightly and sweeping his gaze over their group. "My dad is out of town for the next few days and I've got a couple of bottles of booze stashed away."
Stiles' grin widened. "Excellent."
"I don't see what we're waiting around then for," Erica said, slamming her hand down on the table. "Let's go, I want a drink in my hand within the next half hour and to be dancing around drunkenly in celebration of our new tour companions before ten."
Derek followed them out the bar, migrating to his Camaro when they hit the parking lot, Isaac behind him.
"I'm going home, you're going to want to ride with Erica," he said, unlocking the doors.
Isaac pulled a face. "You really are no fun tonight, what's got your panties in a bunch?"
Derek just looked at him and the younger boy shrugged before sauntering away. "Have fun brooding by yourself," he called over his shoulder.
Derek grunted, knowing Isaac could still hear him, and got into his car.