Chapter 3

So the thing was; Stiles was definitely bisexual. There was no maybe in there anymore.

Normally he didn't take much time to think about it, it wasn't really that big of a deal to be honest. But hanging around a certain tall, dark and broody lately, he was back to being in a more or less constant state of arousal.

During the time Stiles had spent with Derek before he left, Stiles hadn't felt any attraction against Derek. Well, he had approved of the way he stretched or the way one of his rare smiles made Stiles' breath hitch sometimes, but it also hadn't been like that. At least Stiles didn't think it had been.

Not before one of the last times they hung out together. Derek had snuck into Stiles' bedroom late at night, just before they all drove to Mexico.

Derek had seemed so restless and to be honest; scared. Not that he had told him but Stiles had been getting to know Derek a bit better over those last few weeks so Stiles thought he could read Derek pretty well then.

-o-o- Flashback –o-o-

"You alright, dude?"

"Don't call me dude"

Stiles rolled his eyes and turned away from his laptop. "Seriously; you alright?"

The older man sat down on the edge of Stiles' bed and rested his elbows on his thighs as Stiles watched him, trying to figure out what was going on in Derek's head.

"This is about your wolfyness, isn't it?" He just got a stern look back and knew he was on the right track. "Alright, so wolfyness isn't a real word, but it is now. And I think I'm right"

He got up from his chair and walked over to sit next to Derek. "Hey" His voice was softer than normal, without any hint of sarcasm or jokes.

Derek lifted his head to look at him and Stiles sighed. "I know that it must be frustrating and I can't even imagine how it would feel to lose something like that. Your wolf-side, I mean. But I know how it's like to lose something and not knowing what's going on with your own body. Or mind" They both knew he was talking about the Nogitsune and Derek's stern look softened a little. "But we're going to figure it out, okay? You're Derek Hale, dude. There's no way you're not getting your powers back, alright?"

He put a hand on Derek's shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze and the tension seemed to drain out of the other man.

"It's just.. I don't know what's going on with me and Braeden is teaching me to use these guns and weapons and I just.. It doesn't feel right, you know" Derek didn't normally show his vulnerable side so Stiles just sat there, his hand rubbing Derek's shoulder soothingly. "I'm sorry for coming here so late, but I saw you're lights were on so.."

"It's alright. I was doing some research anyway. Hey, do you happen to know something about the origin of the Berserkers? I've been trying to find some info about them but there's not all that to go on and I've-"

"I don't know anything about them. Except that Kate seems to hold power over them" Derek got up, standing with his back to him and Stiles could see the clenched fists and the rigid way Derek was holding himself.

"It's not your fault, Derek. None of this is" Stiles walked around Derek to look into his eyes, begging him to understand the truth in Stiles' words. "You couldn't have known. Not back then or now. We all thought she was dead"

"It was my fault. I should have-"

Stiles felt anger rise in him and he ran a hand through his hair before fixing Derek with a hard stare. "Should have what? Understood that she was insane and wanted to kill your whole family? How? How could you have known, Derek? God, we've been over this before and why can't you believe me? And now she's back and how- just how- could that be your fault? Come on, Sourwolf, you can't take the blame for that. If someone is to blame, it's your crazy uncle who couldn't kill her and make sure she really was dead"

Derek just looked at him before seeming to give up winning this conversation. "You should get some sleep"

Stiles deflated and frowned. "You.. how can you go from king of self-torment to telling me to go to bed in 1.3 seconds?"

Derek lifted a hand and cupped Stiles' jaw. "Get some sleep, Stiles"

It was then that Stiles noticed just how close they were standing and that their chests were almost touching. The hand on his chin was warm and it made Stiles want to lean into the touch. So he did, just a little bit.

Without realizing what he was doing, he had his hand on the other man's hip and Derek's hand had pulled him closer so that Stiles forehead was resting against his shoulder.

Stiles breathed in the now familiar scent of sandal-wood, cone pines and something he found to be uniquely Derek and felt how tired he was all of a sudden. Safe.

He heard Derek breathe deep and was he.. was Derek scenting him? He felt Derek's nose and chin in his hair, rubbing back and forth as if he did it unconsciously.

Not really knowing what was going on, Stiles went with the feeling of wanting to be closer. Wanting the comfort and the safety Derek provided. His hand slid from Derek's hip to his back and pulled him closer and the other man let him.

Stiles felt an embarrassing wave of arousal hit him as their hips met and he prayed to all that was holy that everything below the waistline would behave. He did not want to get out of this hug, or whatever it was, just so Derek could throw him a punch for getting an ill-timed boner.

Derek tightened his hold around Stiles and Stiles thought he heard content sigh coming from Derek.

This was something new; something they never had done before. They hadn't really touched all that much either, except from when Stiles' had his nightmares and Derek draped himself around him like a blanket.

But this, this was a different hug. It was not a brotherly hug, nor a friendly hug. This felt way too intimate but Stiles wasn't thinking at the moment. He was too busy soaking up the warmth coming from Derek, and the feeling of calm washed over him. He didn't know which one of them who needed the comfort the most, but he didn't care. He'd never felt this type of calm before. It was as if Derek made his mind settle. Breathing him in once again, he felt like he was right where he was supposed to be.

-o-o- End flashback –o-o-

Stiles was ripped out of his thoughts as his dad poked his head in the door opening, telling him he was heading to the station to take the night-shift.

"Yeah, sure. I'm meeting Scott soon anyway. Be sure to grab those boxes in the fridge" He looked at his dad knowingly. "Don't think I don't know about the donuts and pizza's you're eating when you so conveniently 'forget' your lunchboxes"

His dad made a grimace as if in pain. "It's tofu, Stiles. And I am the grown-up here. I can take care of myself"

Stiles looked at his dad and cocked his head. "U-hu, yeah, no. Don't think so. Take that lunchbox with you. I only wants what's best for you, and clogged arteries is not the way to go"

The Sheriff shook his head while his eyes gave away the fondness he felt for his son. "Don't run that smart mouth on me, young man" He turned to leave before looking back. "And if I am eating tofu and something that tastes like cardboards, you'd better be home before midnight tonight. It's a school-night, son." From the alarming blank face his son gave him, he raised a brow. "I might know about all of the.. supernatural stuff that's going on and that you've somehow decided to run with wolfs, sort to speak, but still; school is also important. So is sleep"

"But dad, there's a-"

"No way. Be home by midnight. I'll check, Stiles. You know I will find out"

"But if Scott needs my help I have to-"

"He's a werewolf and he's got several other werewolves to help him"

Stiles wondered how this had gone from their normal banter to something a bit more serious. "But dad, there's chimera's and-"

"I know, Melissa told me." The Sheriff breathed out, like he was reluctant to admit that his son did what he wanted, especially when it came to helping his friends. Stiles' dad both loved and hated that trait with Stiles. He was fiercely protective of those he cared about. And that was a good thing, but he also ended up in the worst and/or possibly deadly situations almost on a daily basis. "Stiles, just… be careful, alright?"

Stiles nodded and knew how hard this was on his dad. "I will, dad."

"Love you, son"

"Love you too"

His dad went down the stairs and Stiles yelled after him; "Don't forget your lunch!"

He heard low grumbling and chuckled to himself.

He pulled on his hoodie and found his phone and keys before heading over to the loft. Derek had said they could meet there, since Scott and the rest didn't really have a place to meet while Derek had all that space.

Stiles shook his head, remembering Scott's surprise when Derek had suggested they could meet up at his place. Derek had become friendlier, yes. But he still held the authority of an Alpha (which Stiles secretly liked a bit too much) and Scott still treated Derek with the respect of someone who was above him, or at least at the same level as him, in rank.

Derek may have had his.. troubles back when he was an Alpha, but he also had helped Scott when he first became the Alpha and Stiles knew Scott appreciated his help.

Stiles checked the time on his phone and cursed. He would be late. Well, later than he had intended to be.

It wasn't that he tried being too late but, a few days after Derek's reappearance, Stiles was achingly aware of the fact that he couldn't be alone with the former Alpha either. Stiles was afraid he would say or do something that would make things awkward. Or he would, yet again, be thrown against a wall and punched. Or get his throat ripped out. With a set of some quite impressive teeth.

Having Derek back was both a relief and torture. Relief because he had missed their talks and their conversations. Torture because he had been forced to admit to himself that what he felt for the man was more than just friendship. And he had no idea where Derek stood in this, but he didn't think Derek would be over the moon in joy when he found out about Stiles' growing feelings. Or growing other things, Stiles thought to himself, if the bulge in Stiles' jeans was anything to go by. It would be a long night, Stiles could just tell.

-o-o-o-o-

Thank you for reading, and if you made it all the way down here, I'm thanking you all over again! I don't know how many times I have written and re-written this chapter and this was what I ended up with.

It's the first time I'm writing a TW-story and it's both exciting and terrifying to show my writing to you. So your response means the world to me:)

Anyway, the next chapter will be longer. And maybe a little more.. sterek :p Take care, people:)