Chapter Seven
Talking
*Stiles
Stiles walked back into the camp almost an hour later; he'd followed Derek the entire time, and it had been deafeningly quiet. It was so awkward and tense, and he really had no idea how to make it better. Though for starters, he probably could talk about what happened in the closet, but he didn't know if that would just make it worse or not. He was thinking that it would just make it worse. So he just stayed quiet, and when they made it back to the camp he still didn't say anything. He just walked over to the cooler and made himself a sandwich, because he was starving. Then he sat down by the still burning embers and started eating.
Derek watched Stiles for a moment before just sitting by the fire pit, he saw that it was pretty much out so he moved to restart it.. "So uh….. what's the plan?" he asked kind of awkwardly.
"Same as before I guess," Stiles said after a moment. "If the police find us actually camping it won't be a big deal and well we can lie and say we were just about to pack up," he said and shrugged slightly.
Derek nodded slightly and sat back when he decided the fire was good enough. "What are we going to do about the body they found?" he asked after a few minutes of awkward silence.
Stiles shrugged slightly "I guess we can wait until they all clear out and then go and check it out for ourselves" he said and ate the last little bit of his sandwich. He sighed softly before finally looking at Derek, for the first time since he'd left him in the closet. "Though that might take a while, don't know what'll happen until then," he said with a shrug. He really wasn't liking how tense and awkward things seemed to be, he kind of just wished that they could go back to how it was before, before they even went into that stupid closet.
Derek sighed softly, "Can we talk about it?" he asked, because he couldn't hold in the question any longer. Even as the words left his mouth he regretted them, knowing they would probably just make everything worse.
Stiles let out a slow sigh, "What is there to talk about? You kissed me, it was amazing, I freaked out, and almost got us both caught by the police," he said and looked at Derek again. "There, we talked," he said, he wanted to stand up to leave, but there was really nowhere for him to go, so he stayed where he was.
Derek growled, not appreciating the attitude coming from the human. "I'm sorry that it upset you so much, but all the signs were there. Unless I misread your boner," he snapped.
Stiles sighed softly, "You're right, things have been different between us and I don't know what it is, but it can't be that" he said and let out another sigh. He wasn't really looking for another relationship right now anyway. He broke up with Malia just a few weeks ago and it was still a little sore.
Derek frowned, "And why not?" he asked, again surprised by the words just popping out of his mouth. Since when did he want to date some annoying human….. boy. Since when did he even want to date a boy for that matter. God, there is definitely something wrong with me.
"Because I'm not gay for one," Stiles snapped.
"Yeah, neither am I," Derek said with a sigh. "But, like you said, the kiss was amazing. I don't know why, but it was."
Stiles sighed softly, knowing that Derek was right, but still didn't know how he felt about this. It was all just too weird, and he had no idea how to get out of it, go around it, or go through it. "Okay, then, because I don't even know how it would work," he said with a nod and actually walked away this time. "Going to bed," he said and kicked his shoes off before climbing into the tent. He laid in the same spot as before and curled up under the covers. He hadn't gotten too much sleep before, so he fell asleep almost immediately.
Derek sighed softly and stayed out tending to the fire. He waited until he heard Stiles' breathing slow and his heart beat mellow, before crawling into the tent as well. He had wanted to wait until the boy was asleep before trying to get some as well. He figured it would be a little less awkward that way. He got under his covers and rolled onto his side, his back facing Stiles, so he wouldn't have the urge to pull him into his arms. It took him a long time to fall asleep, but it happened eventually.
The next several days were kind of strange, but uneventful, no Ahzi attacks or reappearances from Josie. They were beginning to think she'd finished what she was doing, whatever that was. Things between Derek and Stiles were still tense, the kiss still seared in both their minds, but neither of them were willing to actually go for it again. They talked about it, a lot actually, and they eventually admitted that there was some weird connection between them. They just couldn't get past that last barrier and kiss again just yet. So they decided to just be friends, and not just ignore each other like they kind of did before the whole Ahzi thing happened.
*Stiles
Stiles sighed softly as he started packing up some of their camping stuff, this was going to be their last night there, after all. There was nothing left for them to do out here, especially since Josie and the Ahzi haven't made an appearance in over four days. He was only packing some of it away now because he had nothing else to do and he wanted it all to be ready for tomorrow.
Derek lay in the tent staring up at the top of it, thinking about everything that he and Stiles had talked about over the past five days. He couldn't believe this was all happening, but it was and he felt sad that it didn't seem to actually be going anywhere.
Once Stiles was done packing, he kicked off his shoes and looked in the tent, he stared down at Derek for a moment before carefully crawling over him and laying down next to him. "I'm sorry," he muttered and turned his head to look at the werewolf.
"For what?" Derek asked, a little confused. He turned his head to look at Stiles and smiled small when their eyes met. Stiles had the most beautiful whiskey colored eyes.
"For screwing this up. I think I kind of over reacted," Stiles said with a small laugh and looked up at the top of the tent. "Though, I guess I tend to do that a lot, don't I?" he said.
Derek chuckled softly, "Yeah, I guess you do, but I think it's kind of cute."
"Gee thanks, Derek," Stiles said and shook his head slightly before looking at him again. "But I really am sorry," he said.
Derek nodded slightly, and searched Stiles face for a moment before their eyes met again. He felt the same connection he had in the closet, only this time it was stronger, because he knew Stiles could see him too.
Stiles smiled at Derek as he stared into his eyes, feeling the same connecting Derek did. There really was something going on with them. He just didn't know what ti was or how to describe it.
Derek wanted to lean in and kiss him but they agreed to just be friends and he didn't feel like screwing that all up. So he just smiled again before turning his head away, "It really is fine Stiles, don't worry about it" he said and turned his head to look at him.
Stiles felt a little disappointment when Derek turned his head away from him, but didn't let it show. "Good, I'm glad" he said with a smile. "I'm going to bed now" he said and laughed softly before rolling over to go to sleep.
*Derek
Derek listened at Stiles breathing slow, enjoying the sound of his human falling asleep…. My human, oh that can't be good he thought to himself. He closed his eyes trying to get some sleep as well. He was about to fall asleep when he heard something outside the tent, it sounded like a twig snapping. His eyes snapped open when he heard footsteps walking around the tent. He looked down at the sleeping Stiles for a moment before carefully sitting up. He didn't want him to be awake for this if it was Josie or the Ahzi out there. He'd probably just be in the way and he'd just rather not have him involved in the fighting, for other reasons as well.
Derek quietly unzipped the tent to the door and crawled out. He couldn't see anyone near by so he quickly pulled on his shoes and then turned around to close the tent door. Before he could even touch the zipper though he was thrown across the clearing. His back slammed into a tree and he let out a grunt as his body fell to the ground. He groaned in pain as he pushed himself back onto his feet and faced the werewolf before him. "Josie," he spit out and glared at her.
"Hello again," Josie said with a smile, showing off her sharp canine teeth. She walked closer to him, her face morphing into full werewolf, her eyes turning dark blood red once again. "Miss me?" she asked.
"No, not really," Derek growled and morphed his face into his own werewolf face, his eyes turning bright aqua blue. "Though I am curious where you've been for the past few days," he said and cracked his neck before eyeing her as she moved closer. "Get bored of watching your Ahzi maul people?" he asked. "What's up with the symbol, anyway?" he asked, because he never really got that.
Josie smiled. "So many questions. Didn't know you were the inquisitive type Derek," she said with a small laugh. "Has your little human sex toy been rubbing off on you?" she mocked. "Oh wait, he rejected you didn't he" she said harshly. "What would that make him now, just a toy, or maybe just a thing?"
Derek growled and jumped at her, he slashed his claws through the air, just barely missing her chest.
Josie chuckled softly, obviously loving this. "Temper, temper," she tsked before moving in for the attack. She sliced her claws at him, the sharp tips cutting through the flesh of his right arm.
Derek ignored the pain and moved on her, his arm swung out, his fist meeting her face with a sickening cracking sound. He smiled when he saw her stagger backwards and he didn't stop with the blows, he hit her again, his claws digging into her abdomen this time. He landed blow after blow until she was laying on the ground bloodied and… Laughing? She's nuts.
Josie laughed as she laid on the ground looking up at Derek, "That all you got, sweetheart?" she asked and jumped back up onto her feet. She staggered slightly, but other than that, she seemed strong and ready to fight.
Derek eyed her for a moment before shaking his head slightly and just getting back into it. His arm shot out and his claws made contact with her gut, cutting through her flesh making her stumbled back again, almost tripping over her feet. This is almost too easy. He thought to himself but didn't stop the assault. He again landed blow after blow until she was laying on the ground again, she got in a few of her own but not nearly as many. "You had enough yet?" he growled and knelt down next to her, about ready to rip her throat out and get this all over with once and for all.
Josie smirked up at him, "Have you?" she asked and sat up enough to spit out a mouth full of blood. "Ever hear of a Target Focus, Derek?" she asked, her smile growing. "You were so focused on me, you forgot about poor ol' sleeping Stiles in the tent," she said with a laugh. "But I didn't forget, and neither did my Ahzi," she said and chuckled softly.
Derek felt panic grow in the pit of his stomach as he listened to her speak. No.. No.. No.. No.. he repeated over and over again in his head. This couldn't be happening, not now. He ran over to the tent, forgetting about Josie entirely, all he cared about was his Stiles. He ripped back the tent flap and nothing. The tent was empty, other than a few tattered and bloodied blankets. "Oh god, no," he said shaking his head slightly. This can't be happening. He thought to himself and turned around to face Josie, but she was gone too. "Damn it," he growled. He focused all his senses, hoping he might be able to pick up Stiles' scent, or maybe hear him… screaming, as much as he would hate that, but there was nothing, absolutely nothing. "Stiles!"
