Stiles looked toward his window at the sound of it slowly being pushed open. He smirked a little at Derek climbing through.
"You know Sourwolf, there was a time that seriously annoyed me. Funny how things change."
Derek closed the window back and looked at him, his face expectant.
"What?" Stiles asked him. "No hi Stiles? How are you?"
"Sorry," Derek muttered, looking at the floor like it was interesting. "Its not just you Stiles. Maybe I'm a little... depressed too."
Stiles would have been surprised to hear Derek admit he was depressed, but who was he kidding? He knew the Sourwolf wasn't completely emotionless. He had learned a thing or two about Derek this summer. Now he only felt concern.
"Why are you depressed?" Stiles asked carefully, gently.
"Funny," Derek replied. "I thought we were here to talk about you."
Okay, so Derek didn't want to talk about it. That was fine by Stiles. The teen knew what he wanted to say. He'd been thinking about he and Scott all evening almost non-stop. His chest contracted slightly with emotion at what he was about to say.
"About me and Scott. I'm just not sure I can do it anymore Derek. For over a year now its been all about him. Our friendship has become increasingly one-sided. When I need him he's nowhere in sight, like this whole summer, I've been alone... "
Stiles paused and wiped at his eye a little with his hand, heaving a sigh. Derek wanted to comfort him, to tell him he wasn't alone. Seeing Stiles cry made him feel things... an unexplainable, emotional kind of pain. He walked closer and sat down on the bed next to the boy, giving him a blank look. Only his eyes told the truth. Derek was concerned. Stiles found his arms embracing the Sourwolf, snuggling up against him, needing some form of closeness. Derek let him.
"I don't know when everything changed," Stiles sighed, inhaling Derek's cologne. "Because everything is changing for me Derek. Not just how I see Scott, but... how I see you... "
Derek felt a wave of emotions crash into him at those words. Not that he wasn't changing too. The world had changed for all of them today. Scott was the alpha of a rival pack. Things would never be the same. Yet Derek was glad he was here with Stiles, that Stiles wanted him here. He hadn't lost him, but he feared he was going to. The boy would probably end up choosing Scott out of years of friendship and loyalty, and Derek would be alone again. His heart didn't feel quite so alone, so empty with Stiles in his life. Derek knew that few people in his life really cared about him, and to save someone's life. To risk your own life to save someone. The pool flashed in his mind, and Stiles struggling to breathe as he refused to let him go under. Stiles did care, and Derek was actually starting to notice. Now he was afraid, and it was hitting home more than ever right now. He didn't want to lose Stiles.
"Everything changes Stiles," he said quietly. "For me too... "
Derek meant what he was feeling in his heart right now, the feeling he swore he'd never allow himself to feel again, but he did- for Stiles. That feeling hadn't been very much at first. He'd thought he could control it, keep it from growing. It had started as a mere thought the night Stiles had saved him. He'd found himself asking why. All he could come up with was maybe, just maybe Stiles felt something more than he let on.
"Its funny," Stiles said, cutting into his thoughts. "There was a time Scott would have asked me if he could change me, and I would have told him yes. I wouldn't have even thought about it. I realize just how far we've grown apart. I've continued doing everything he asked me Derek, but what has he really done for me?"
Derek had no disagreement to offer. He could see what Stiles meant exactly. Scott had been a bad friend, but he wouldn't be.
"Scott isn't your only friend," he found himself saying. "I'm your friend too."
Stiles felt a rush of happiness at those words. Derek's wolf sensed that. He felt happy.
"I know Derek. I'm glad. Someone has to be the one to change me... "
Derek's stomach twisted in knots, as he dared to hope it might be him. Was Stiles about to ask him? Accompanied with his hopes was more confusion. His wolf was saying something else, expressing something else besides a desire to change Stiles. His wolf was... pining for the boy. A single word flashed in Derek's mind- mate. He could not let himself go there.
"I need to think about it more," Stiles went on. "I don't think it'll be Scott though. I think... "
Stiles inhaled and Derek could sense his sudden sadness.
"I think that it'd be best for both of us, me and him, if our friendship ends."
More tears, and Derek wasn't sure what he felt seeing them in the boy's eyes.
"It hasn't been an easy conclusion," Stiles went on. "It won't be easy, but things are changing Derek. I feel... strange though this may sound, that Scott is my past. I'm growing up Derek. He's growing up. He found Allison and we grew apart. Suddenly he didn't need his childhood best friend anymore."
Stiles choked and swiped at the tears in his eyes. He hated the words, that he had to say them, but they were what he felt. Derek pulled him tighter, holding him, his heart breaking at the boy's pain.
"Its you Derek," Stiles whispered. "You're the one who's been taking me forward all summer. You."
Derek's inner wolf jolted him, maddened him with desire. Stiles was telling him everything he wanted to hear. Why did he feel so confused and conflicted? This was a teenage boy. There was no way this could work, but the other side of his brain just didn't care. Right now that side was winning, and he found his hand gravitating to the boy's chin, gently lifting his face. Stiles gazed at him with those gentle brown orbs, gazed right into his soul, as his lips parted in that way of his. Derek's pulse quickened, eyes widening with shock and emotion when Stiles suddenly brought a hand to his face. The feeling was stronger now and it was taking control. He hadn't felt it since Kate. He'd never wanted to feel it again, but he couldn't help it. Stiles suddenly connected their lips, and Derek was helpless to stop. He felt those lips pressing, begging for a response. That's what he wanted. He felt himself giving in, pressing back with increased fervor. He felt his lips open, felt the boy's tongue begging for his, and he fell into that too. What the hell? Why was he so on fire? His every nerve tingled, his pulse pounding. He never wanted to stop. His lips were devouring, tongues dancing madly. Derek forced himself to pull away, his breathing coming out frenzied and ragged. He heard Stiles' own maddened breathing, the thumping of the boy's heart.
"Derek," he whispered with wide eyes. "I'm sorry."
Why was he sorry?
"I shouldn't have. I don't know why I did that."
"Shhh," he told the boy, pressing a finger over those lips to quiet him.
He gave Stiles a small smile.
"I wanted you to."
Stiles blushed and he couldn't contain the grin on his face. He noticed what time it was, his heart sinking, which Derek noticed.
"My dad will probably be home in like ten minutes."
"I should probably go," Derek nodded.
They looked at each other for a long moment. Derek grabbed Stiles' hand gently.
"I wanted this," he told him. "Don't let yourself doubt it. Don't over-analyze it and stress out. I wanted it... I'll see you tomorrow."
The boy watched the alpha jump from his window, and things had changed yet again, but in a totally good way. Derek liked him back. Stiles smiled a little. His first kiss... with Derek Hale, and that was totally fine. He found himself thinking he could probably sleep now.
ooOoo
Derek walked into the burned out foyer of his house, feeling things for Stiles he'd never felt. His heart was still racing. He didn't take note of his uncle sitting in the living room.
"You look all a flutter Derek," he said with an amused look. "You smell like Stiles."
"Its nothing," Derek said, eying him with annoyance. "Just mind your own business."
Peter watched his nephew go up the stairs, probably headed to his bedroom. Derek was the one lying now. Something Stiles had done had brought Derek's walls down. He was open like a book. Peter thought he knew what it was, and an idea occured to him. That was how he could fuel the hate between Scott and Derek! Hurt Stiles. Bring him within an inch of death. Force Derek to save him. It was obvious to Peter now, as a smirk crossed his features. How had he never seen it? Derek cared about Stiles, maybe even loved him. He would save him if anything happened. He'd give him the bite to save him, and Scott would hate Derek all the more...