Chapter Fourteen:
Derek hadn't left the room since they had brought Stiles in… He just couldn't find it in himself to leave the boy- leave him alone, or even with Isaac.
Derek, for some weird reason, had developed feelings for the sarcastic teenager. It wasn't as if he'd tried not to…acting mean, grumpy, avoiding the kid whenever possible. But it was like Stiles was a constant in his life- always around, talking and laughing, his entire presence screaming happiness to Derek.
Of course, Derek hadn't felt that way at first. Sure, he'd always had this nagging in the back of his head that Stiles was a little bit attractive, but the kid was always just too damn annoying. It had seemed that the only apparent qualities of his personality were sarcasm and an impulse to ramble insultingly. But then, Derek had actually been forced- through supernatural means- to spend time around Stiles and had found out just what kind of person he was.
Caring, at least for anyone that mattered to him- and brutally defensive of his friends, something that was always a good quality in a wolf. He was smart too…his researching capabilities and lightning-fast wit had proven that on countless occasions. Derek had also noticed, that although Stiles joked and bantered. Most of the time he did it in situations when everyone was uncomfortable- Stiles was the comedy-relief to lighten the mood in any given situation.
And once Derek had noticed Stiles, he found it hard to get the boy out of his head. It had started with simple glances at the kid…just innocent looks, just so he could observe the way the boy always tapped his fingers, scrunched up his face when he was annoyed and generally looked calm, peaceful when he thought no-one else was around. But then, slowly, it had escalated to every other sense. He'd always open up his ears, listen to what the boy had to say, listen to the rise and fall of his chest- his uneven heartbeat soothing to Derek. He'd also found comfort in Stiles' scent- which was one thing Derek had, at first, been extremely afraid of. Letting Stiles get to him like that was pathetic…and would only end in pain.
He'd soon found attraction as well, and when he'd found it, he knew he was doomed. He'd found himself tuning out to the boy's words in favour of looking at his plump, cupids-bow lips. Found himself entranced by the way Stiles' eyes weren't even real…seriously how can they be chocolate one minute- then change to gold- then to honey and then to this deep, dark brown that he could just drown in… it made absolutely no sense. He'd look at the way the boy's body moved under his many layers of clothing- secretly wondering what it would look like if he took those layers away…wondering if Stiles would let him.
But it was all just a joke. Stiles had never even talked to him without needing to. Never had he had a conversation with the boy without being insulted or pushed aside on some way... and he always felt himself pushing back, angered and tired at the façade he'd always have to put on.
Derek just wanted to express his worry, express the fact that he was never going to let the Siren hurt him…that if he died, Derek's whole world would come crashing down.
As he thought about this, his worry and his feelings, Derek looked down at the unconscious boy, so pale and fragile-a large bruise forming on his temple- that Derek had put there. The Alpha felt guilty, but it was a better alternative than Stiles stabbing himself, surely.
When he'd woken up, to the sound of Isaac yelling…heard what was going on- and what he saw in the kitchen…he'd been overcome with dread. Stiles was just going to keep trying, keep finding ways to end his own life…and he didn't even realise he was doing it. The Siren's song had that much of a hold over him.
They needed to find a way to solve this…but for now, Derek was contented with watching the boy sleep- protecting him from the world he would find himself in when he awoke.