Author's Notes: I wanted to get some things out before the new season starts, so these are just some unrelated, stand alone drabbles I've accumulated. Some humor, some angst, lots of hurt/comfort. Most will contain Pack-ness, Sterek, Pre-Sterek, and Bromance of Scott and Stiles.
Summary: Derek sees Stiles before Void is revealed and just *knows*. He thinks Scott does too.
10 (Off)
Derek watches Stiles, leaning against the doorframe, slightly away from the rest of Scott's pack. He just observes the boy while Scott talks to the others because Stiles is quiet and something is wrong.
Derek noticed some of it right away. Nothing specific or profound, just hitches in the teen's behavior. Stiles wasn't as spastic as he was a few months ago when Derek had last seen him. His skin was paler, eyes seeming too big for some reason with dark circles beneath them.
As Derek was watching, Stiles' eyes drifted over to a far corner of the room, roving and focused. Like he saw something in the empty space, was tracking where there was nothing.
He was too still. Derek instantly recognized that behavior, forcing yourself not to react. Too scared of what will happen if you do. Stiles' jaw was set, his breaths shallow, eyes tired, but wide, smothering panic, fingers curling into his crossed arms.
Something was wrong.
"Stiles?" Derek heard Scott call and couldn't immediately place what was being conveyed in the tone. Something there between dread and worry; with that little tilt of hope the alpha always managed to infuse any situation with. That optomisim that made Scott who he was, made the pack strong and good and ready to follow whered he led.
Scott had grown quickly with new responsibilities and newer tragedies. The alpha protected his pack; threw himself into danger for them constantly. But, like Scott had told Derek once before, the only reason he could be there, do that for them, was because of Stiles. Scott protected the pack. Stiles protected Scott. He was the foundation under the wolves feet.
"Stiles?" The tremor in Scott's voice was like an aftershock. The earth had shaken. They pulled themselves up. They surveyed the damage fearfully. Quakes could crack foundations.
Stiles didn't seem to hear him and Derek saw Scott's eyes take on a sheen, the beginning of tears. "Stiles." The third time, Stiles blinked and looked over at his friend. He had a hazy half-there look in his eyes that disappeared when he shook his head and refocused on Scott.
"I'm awake." He told him. Like a kid caught sleeping in class. "I'm awake." He mumbled it again, like he was trying to convince himself as much as Scott. The strained, lie of a smile he tried to use to reassure Scott was a horrible thing to see.
God, something was wrong.