"Of course we aren't dating!" Stiles exclaimed, scrunching up his face like it was the craziest idea he'd ever heard. It kind of was, even though it was true. But the pack didn't need to know about it. He still wasn't sure how it started. Maybe the late nights of doing research? Or the couple times they'd been stuck in the car for hours on stake-outs? Either way, they'd been together for a few months, but had decided to keep it to themselves. They really didn't need the commentary. And Stiles could admit he was scared Derek would get tired of him and drop him, and he really, really didn't need everyone to know if that happened.

"Sure. That's why I smell him all over you right now," Isaac scoffed, rolling his eyes. Isaac was the one who bothered them the most about it, for some unknown reason. Maybe he felt entitled to the information since Derek was his Alpha? It didn't really matter to Stiles though. He wasn't giving anything up.

"I probably smell like Scott too. That doesn't mean anything," Stiles shot back. He was pretty confident he could win in any argument against Isaac.

"That's explainable, since you're best friends. The constant Derek smells, not so much," Isaac pointed out with a smug grin. Stiles wanted to knock it off his face, but while he was confident in his verbal sparring, he wasn't with his physical sparring.

"Why would you care either way? Do you have a crush on Derek? Or me? If you want a date, why don't you just ask? No need to go through this whole jealousy routine," Stiles asked, snickering as Isaac's face twisted in disgust.

"No, it's because you guys are so over the top in your squabbling these days, as if that will throw people off your scent. It's really just making everything more obvious. Now excuse me while I go throw up at the thought of wanting to date you two," Isaac grumbled, stalking off to go kick puppies or steal old ladies purses. Whatever it was Isaac did in his spare time.

Stiles frowned, thinking back to recent interactions with Derek. He didn't think they were being over the top with their needling at each other, but they had agreed to not show any affection in public. Had they really gone so far in the opposite direction? They must have, if someone like Isaac was noticing. Isaac wasn't dumb, but Stiles also wouldn't pick him to join his academic decathlon team. They'd just have to be a bit more careful around everyone these days.

After that, Stiles noticed Isaac watching them closer. They still weren't doing anything in front of anyone, but the constant scrutiny was making Stiles second guess every move he made. He obviously wouldn't sit next to Derek during pack meetings, but if he sat too far away, would that be more evidence? Or if he offered to grab drinks for everyone, what order did he hand them out? Isaac was driving him crazy and Stiles didn't even understand how.

"You need to do something about your Beta," Stiles grumbled during one of the rare moments he and Derek could sneak away to be alone.

"Which one?" Derek murmured into his neck, scratching his tender flesh with his beard in that way that made Stiles' knees weak.

"Isaac," Stiles sighed, squirming to get a little more contact. "He's convinced we're dating and he keeps trying to get me to admit it."

"We are though," Derek reminded him, as if the deliciously painful hickeys on his collarbone weren't reminder enough.

"Yeah, but we agreed to keep it secret," Stiles huffed, biting his lip as Derek's fingers ghosted along the button of his jeans, the tease.

"You agreed. I don't care either way," Derek mumbled.

"Be that as it may, it's the principle of it now. I shouldn't have to disclose any information I don't want to," Stiles muttered, raking his fingernails along Derek's back. Not being able to mark him up the same way was just unfair.

"It's a pack thing. It's only natural for a Beta to be concerned about who their Alpha is interested in. He probably doesn't even understand why he cares so much," Derek explained.

"Really?" Stiles asked. He'd never thought about it from that angle.

"Yep. But it also doesn't help that you two like to antagonize the shit out of each other on a pretty consistent basis," Derek snorted.

"You got me there," Stiles admitted, purring as Derek started kissing along his jaw. "And there. And there. Do you think you can talk to him though? It's kind of exhausting."

"Don't you think that will make him more suspicious? Me actually talking about relationship stuff?"

"You're probably right," Stiles grumbled, accepting defeat.

"Just ignore him and he'll lose interest," Derek said, propping himself up on an elbow so he could hover over him. "Now, how about we stop talking about Isaac and start taking advantage of our limited time here? We only have an hour before we have to meet up with the pack and I plan on using every second we've got to take you apart."

"You don't have to tell me twice," Stiles sighed, letting himself get lost in the touch of his lover. He could deal with the Isaac stuff later.

Later came about two weeks later. Isaac had been backing off a bit more, but Stiles stayed wary. He wasn't going to be lulled into a false sense of security and caught off guard. And it helped that he'd gotten a little bit of blackmail material over Isaac recently. Stiles had popped over to the loft unannounced and caught Isaac watching a video on his laptop. He'd closed it before Stiles could get a look at the screen, but he'd distinctly heard the sound of a woman moaning. Stiles just gave him a knowing look and went about his business. Looking at porn wasn't a big deal, but in Derek's room on his computer? That was something to hide.

But now it was one of those nights that Stiles' dad was working overnight at the station and Derek took the chance to sneak over and spend the night. Overnight shifts had gotten pretty rare these days, but half of the squad getting taken out by the flu called for a bit of extra coverage. They were going to take advantage of this gift though.

After enjoying themselves for the night, they finally passed out in bed around 2am. No sooner than Stiles had gotten caught up in a really nice dream about Derek in assless chaps did his phone ringing snap him back into the world of the living. He'd make a note of that fantasy when he had the chance.

"Hello?" Stiles mumbled into the phone.

"Stiles! Thank God. Do you know where Derek is?" Isaac shouted, putting Derek on high alert from where he was listening beside him. Stiles put his fingers to his lips, wanting to hear what was up before exposing their secret.

"No, I was sleeping. What's going on?" Stiles lied, grimacing at Derek's eye roll.

"I got up to get a glass of water from the kitchen and found blood on the floor. I went to get Derek, but he was gone!" Isaac cried, sucking in a gasping breath. "What if someone took him?"

"Isaac, calm down. I'm sure he's fine," Stiles insisted, cutting his eyes toward Derek. Why would there be blood?

"You don't know that! If someone hurt him while I was in the other room I'll never forgive myself," Isaac choked out, sniffling loudly into the phone.

"Isaac-"

"Oh God, I need to call Scott. Maybe he can help me track him," Isaac wept, making pained little moans every few seconds.

"No! Don't call Scott!" Stiles exclaimed, gritting his teeth. He couldn't let everyone get caught up in this panic.

"But Stiles, what if he's not okay?" Isaac whimpered, and that did it.

"Isaac, he's fine. He- he's here," Stiles sighed, shaking his head in resignation.

"What? What do you mean?" Isaac whispered.

"I mean he's okay. Derek is here and nothing bad happened. I don't know whose blood you found, but Derek isn't hurt," Stiles said, glaring over at his boyfriend.

"But what's he doing over there this late? Is something going on?" Isaac gasped, quietly clearing his throat. "Why on earth would he be at your house at this hour, on a night the sheriff is working?" Stiles closed his eyes in complete disappointment with himself. He'd been had.

"You bastard!" Stiles growled, resisting the urge to throw his phone. He didn't want to have to replace another one.

"You can't blame me for being worried about my Alpha," Isaac defended, his voice the epitome of innocence.

"You are such a dick!"

"Oh, don't be so dramatic. No one cares if you guys are boning. Now you don't have to be so weird about it in front of everyone," Isaac scoffed.

"Obviously you cared if you did all this, you intrusive little butthole!" Stiles snapped. "I'm gonna tell Derek about your little porn habit!" Stiles frowned when all he got after that revelation was cackling from Isaac.

"I wasn't watching porn. I was watching online videos of an acting coach so I could learn how to cry on command," Isaac snickered.

"That's insane! You're insane! And devious, and evil, and- and-"

"Impressive, I know," Isaac gloated, letting out a little pleased sound that grated on Stiles' nerves. "At least I was considerate enough to give you guys enough time to finish up what you were doing."

"I hate you!" Stiles hissed, hanging up the phone. It was a lot more satisfying when you could slam something down instead of just hitting a button.

"So, he knows," Derek shrugged.

"Can you kill him? Or at least use your Alpha powers to make him do something terrible?" Stiles whined, flopping back onto his bed.

"Is it really such a bad thing if people know?" Derek asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Are you ashamed of me or something?"

"More like the other way around," Stiles snorted, shooting him a self-deprecating smile. "As if anyone would believe someone like you would want someone like me." Derek growled, surging up to pin Stiles to the bed.

"I'm here, aren't I? You think I care what anyone thinks?"

"Well no, but-"

"You think anyone can stop me from getting what I want? The other person willing, of course."

"No."

"Why don't you let me show you how much I want someone like you?"

"God, you being all dominating is so hot," Stiles moaned, pulling him down into a kiss. Who needed sleep? He might have to thank Isaac for his nosiness after tonight.

Stiles woke up alone, but he was used to that. He could hear his dad puttering down in the kitchen, probably trying to sneakily cook an unhealthy breakfast before Stiles could stop him. He rolled his eyes fondly, creeping through the house to catch him in the act.

"Gotcha!" Stiles shouted, jumping from around the corner. He froze when he encountered an unexpected sight. "Isaac?"

"Morning!" Isaac greeted brightly, flipping a pancake. "Did you sleep well?"

"Not really, no," Stiles grumbled, looking around the room for something to come out and attack him. That's usually how his nightmares worked, since Isaac couldn't possibly be cooking breakfast in his kitchen right now. "What's happening?"

"I'm cooking breakfast, what does it look like?" Isaac scoffed, cracking a couple of eggs in a pan.

"Well, I'm not sure. Cooking breakfast would be a nice thing to do and you aren't really known for that," Stiles shot back. Isaac shrugged, but didn't argue. "Really though, why are you here?"

"I maybe feel a little bad about what I did last night," Isaac confessed, biting his lip a little. Stiles was almost convinced that he was really sorry, but then he saw the beginning twitches of a smile. He groaned and flopped onto a kitchen chair. "I was good though, wasn't I? With the crying and everything?"

"You even had me worried about Derek and he was lying right next to me," Stiles admitted, shaking his head ruefully. "Why'd you do it though? Was it all worth it, just to find out for sure about us?" Isaac sighed, sliding a full plate in front of Stiles. It looked amazing, but he was still suspicious of it. He'd wait until Isaac took a bite before he started eating.

"Derek's the closest thing I have to a parental figure and I don't want to see him get hurt," Isaac explained, jabbing his fork into his food. "We both know how much he's been through and I just want to make sure he's happy."

"Wait a minute, is this one of those 'treat him right or they'll never find your body' talks?" Stiles laughed, leaning back to take in this revelation.

"Maybe," Isaac grumbled, shoving a bite of food in his mouth.

"Oh my gosh, you are so soft and precious! You're like whipped cream filled with glitter!"

"Glitter can be sharp," Isaac muttered, frowning down at his plate.

"Glitter can be sharp!" Stiles wheezed, clutching his chest as he tried to breathe. All thoughts of being angry had been swept away. Anyone who would go to these lengths to protect the man he cared about was okay in his book.

"I know we don't really get along, but I believe you're a good guy. Just treat him right, okay?" Isaac asked, looking at him with those puppy dog eyes.

"Of course," Stiles assured him, finally deeming the food safe enough to eat. It was delicious, dammit.

"And are we good?" Isaac wondered, raising a hopeful eyebrow.

"On one condition," Stiles said with a sly grin. "How do you feel about using your newfound crying abilities on Scott?"