It was a warm morning in Beacon Hills, peaceful and calm. Scott was driving Stiles to morning practice, as they rotated from time to time. Scott eventually noticed that Stiles hadn't said anything the whole ride. He had merely been looking ahead at the road, listening to the radio in silence.
"What's up…?" Scott asked, glancing over at him.
Stiles looked back at him. "You know… breathing, living… kinda important," he answered, subtly sarcastic.
Scott gave him a look. "But you're quiet… You're never quiet."
"Man, what is it with you people? Can I not just sit and be quiet for a while?" he asked exasperatedly.
Scott lifted an eyebrow. "Yeah… You can. But you don't."
Stiles sighed. "Okay then… You asked. How would you feel about me being in Derek's pack?" he asked questioningly, turning his head to look at Scott.
Scott shrugged, assuming it was just a rhetorical question. "Um… I don't know…" He really wasn't sure how to answer that, seeing as it was so sudden and he'd never even thought of it before. Stiles lifted an eyebrow, "So you wouldn't be upset…?" Scott looked at Stiles, eyebrows furrowed, "Why…?" he asked, confused.
"Because… Derek asked me to. Well… not really." Scott stared back at him, glancing back at the road every now and then, but his eyes growing wider in shock as Stiles tried to explain. "He told me that he didn't want to put me in that position, give me that much responsibility, being his… partner and all, but I told him that I wanted to." Scott stared, eyes wide open, "Wait what? His partner? Stiles, are you gay…?"
Stiles shrugged, "Well I thought you would've caught on by now… being my best friend…"
"Well, yeah, I mean you've always seemed a bit… debatable at times to me, but I thought that was just the way you are."
"Well apparently, the way I am is gay, or bi maybe. But that doesn't matter. It's just that… I know you're going to say I'm crazy—honestly, at this point, I'd have to agree with you—but I just… have this weird feeling that I can't explain that makes me feel like I belong with him. And I don't know why, but he sees something in me no one else has…"
Scott couldn't believe the serious tone Stiles was using to talk to him. And he couldn't even focus on the major shock from Stiles telling him he and Derek had feelings for each other—so ignoring that, he went back to the other pressing topic, "Join Derek's pack? Are you crazy?" he exclaimed.
"I'm still going to be here with you—in your pack. But it's not like I'm really useful to you… being human and all…"
"Stiles, it's not a status thing. I'm not an alpha, not a real one. I don't want a pack; I don't need one. I just don't understand how my best friend could want to be with Derek… Remember all the things he's done…? Remember how he's treated me—us?"
"Scott, he's never done anything wrong. He always has good intentions. He just tries to do what's right…" Stiles suddenly realized just how much he understood Derek. He paused. "I may be with him more, but I'm still your best friend. You'll still have me just as much as ever."
Scott sighed, "I know. Sorry… I was just kinda shocked I guess. I've never really considered Derek a 'friend'… But I could get used to it. I mean it's your choice…"
"Thanks, man," Stiles replied.
Scott focused back on the road, and Stiles turned the radio up, feeling better as he let the sun warm him through the windshield. He glanced over to Scott. He knew Scott would be in a kind of shock around him for the rest of the day, maybe longer, but he was probably already too busy thinking about Allison. Sometimes Stiles was thankful for Scott's simple, one-track mind.