Stiles is happy. He and Derek have new dynamic and he's satisfied. It's not all good, but he feels in control. When Scott pay him an unexpected visit, he is forced to reconsider a few things.

Getting together with Derek wasn't as easy as he'd have thought. Stiles was a little annoyed with Isaac always hanging around the Alpha. Without Allison glued to his side, Scott came over to Stiles almost every day and effectively prevented Derek from showing up.

After the party when Derek threw everyone out, they hadn't been hanging there for a while. Erica and Boyd were both gone and nobody seemed to care. There was a general concern among them about the Alpha-pack, but for the time being it had been quiet.

Stiles was perfectly aware that they had to keep the relationship a secret, but it was taking it's toll on him. He'd been so over letting Derek in through the window, but he didn't have much of an option if he wanted to be with the guy.

Stiles had been at Derek's place only one time over the last few weeks. Isaac was out and Stiles seized the opportunity to be with Derek alone. They almost got caught in the act – Stiles sprawled out on the bed with his hands tied to the bedposts – but luckily Derek heard the front door and managed to get out of there and act casual.

For a whole hour Stiles lied there unable to do anything, listening to Isaac and Derek talking. The fact that Isaac didn't even smell that he was there was probably just pure luck. Eventually it got quiet and Derek came to untie him. He'd got Isaac out by sending him to the store and after a rushed goodbye, Stiles hurried out of there. After that they decided to meet at Stiles' instead.

It was still different. One evening when Mr. Stilinski left for work, and Stiles was alone, Derek came early and they'd watched a movie together. Cuddled up on the couch, they could be perceived as a normal couple. It was nice, but it only happened that one time. The visits mostly occurred late in the evening and with school the next day, there wasn't really much time. The biggest change was that Derek always spent the night. He also never left in the morning without waking up Stiles to give him a goodbye kiss.

They also got a chance to talk more. Derek shared little snippets of how it was growing up as a werewolf. The secrecy was tough on a young boy. He barely had any friends outside the family. After being forced to kill his girlfriend at fifteen, he'd been reluctant to enter into any relationship at all, especially with a human.

He was still fairly young when he met Kate and believing she was different, he let his guard down. It turned out really bad and trusting humans after that was difficult for him. Getting seriously involved with anyone was something he avoided. He'd settled for random sexual encounters to shield himself from heartbreak.

With Stiles it was different. Derek had not only told him that he trusted him with his life, also his actions showed that. And then still, the bottom line was that they were back to these secret encounters at night. So what if Derek stayed until the crack of dawn? It was still clandestine and sordid.

The love Stiles felt for Derek made him persevere. In spite of the fact that he never really got any confirmation that it was reciprocated, he wanted to believe. He knew for sure that Derek cared about him. He also knew that Derek would protect him from harm if it came to that, but the guy had never used "the l-word". Derek had never ever said anything that would imply that he was in love.

Stiles hadn't really done it either. Except for that heat-of-the-moment thing ages ago, he hadn't dared to reveal how much Derek meant to him. He was afraid that it would scare Derek away.

Not being able to share his thought about this with anyone was also hard. More than once Stiles had contemplated on telling Scott, but every time there was an opportunity, he chickened out. Derek didn't give him any guidelines on this either. Stiles knew that it was supposed to be a secret, but it was different with Scott. He wouldn't tell anyone, but Stiles was afraid that his friend would freak out and not be particularly supportive.

Spring turned into summer, and vacation time was around the corner. Derek came over as often as possible, sometimes also when the sheriff was home, but those nights they just slept and Derek left before the sun was up. He was questioned about his absence from the loft. Isaac often wondered where he spent the night, and he had jokingly suggested that he had a secret lover somewhere in town.

-o-o-o-o-o-

Stiles was still practically asleep when he moved towards the window after he heard a gentle knock. For a second he wondered why Derek didn't just come inside as usual. As he slid the window open and before he even looked up, he suddenly remembered that he'd been cuddled up in Derek's arms moments ago.

"They're back." Scott crawled inside and slumped down on the chair by the desk. "I tried calling you, but you didn't answer." Startled, Stiles turned to the bed and saw it was empty. He had no idea where Derek was. "Eh, I, what? Who?" He paned the room and discovered that Derek's clothes were still there.

Scott didn't notice. "The Alphas. They're back. They are searching for Derek. I can't find him." He shrugged and looked down. "Put something on, I didn't know you use to sleep naked." Stiles reached out for the blanket and wrapped it around himself. "I don't, I mean, I do. What are you talking about? Why are they looking for him?"

He wondered were Derek could be. He could of course have heard Scott coming and was hiding somewhere in the house. Stiles moved over to the pile of clothes on the floor to cover them up. Scott stared into the air and shook his head. "Don't know. Because he's an Alpha? I think they want him to join their pack."

Wrapped in the blanket, Stiles wondered if he should just pick up Derek's things and make an excuse to leave the room. He didn't count on his friends heightened senses. Suddenly Scott turned to him and stared into his eyes. "I can smell him. Was he here?" He narrowed his eyes and took another whiff. "I can smell..." He looked at the bed and then he turned back to Stiles. The disbelief in his face was clearly visible. "Stiles? No! What is going on?"

Stiles didn't know what to say. He stared at his friend. If the floor had opened up and swallowed him it would have been great. "Nothing. Nothing's going on." There was a slight tremble in his voice and he knew that Scott wouldn't be fooled. "What did he do to you? I'll kill him." Scott got up from the chair and clenched his hands into fists.

"No, Scott. I don't know what you're thinking, but no." Stiles knew exactly what Scott was thinking. He also knew that this attempt to act stupid was futile. "I mean, oh." He heard the door to his room open and knew it was Derek.

He turned his head slightly. Derek had wrapped a towel around his waist and held it up with one hand. With the other, he picked the clothes up from the floor. "It's pointless. He knows. Just as well give him the truth."

Standing between the two wolves didn't seem like the best position to be in. Stiles could see that Scott was about to turn and attack. For a moment he wanted to flee, but then he took a step forward making sure that Derek was right behind him. "Stop! Scott! Relax. It's okay. Please sit."

An actual punch couldn't have changed the expression on Scott's face. He looked so flabbergasted when the truth sank in that Stiles was afraid his friend would pass out. "I wanted to tell you but..." Stiles rubbed his forehead as it would help him find words.

Scott stood there frozen for a second. "What did he do to you? It was him, wasn't it? The bruises?"

Again his face hardened and he fixed his gaze on Derek. "I don't know how, but I will kill you." Stiles took another step forward and grabbed Scott's arm. "Scott, please. He didn't do anything I didn't want. I, we, we have a thing. It's mutual." He tried to look for understanding in the face in front of him, but if possible, the guy seemed even more confused. "I wanted to tell you, but I was afraid you wouldn't understand. We, me and Derek, are, we have, we're friends with benefits." He wanted to say that they were a couple but he wasn't sure if that was the case.

The silence in the room was painstaking until Scott sank down on the chair. "But you, I mean, are you gay? Not that it's anything wrong with that, but, you know." He threw his hands out and sighed. "And he hurts you. You had scars. How can that be mutual." Stiles chuckled a little causing Scott to look at him puzzled. "Why is that funny?" He shook his head and Stiles smiled. "It is actually. It was an accident, or, no, it was just, he kinda wolfed out a little." He spoke as if Derek was not still standing by the door listening. Now he sat down on the bed and started to get dressed.

Both Stiles and Scott turned to him. With a lopsided smile, he looked at Stiles fondly. "Friends with benefits? Yeah, okay, if that's what you want to call it." He bent down to pick up his socks. "I would say it's a little bit more to it than that." He didn't say another word until he had his socks on and got up to fetch his shoes. "I should probably leave now." He rounded the bed and grabbed onto Stiles' shoulders. "See you around," he said as he leaned in and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. Stiles had to hold on to the blanket with one hand but the other he wrapped around Derek's waist. "You can do better than that." Then he opened his mouth slightly and kissed Derek back with passion.

A grunt from behind Stiles made them pull apart and soon after Derek was gone.

The next few seconds Stiles just stood there smiling to himself. All he could think of was what Derek had said before got up to leave. He considered this relationship to be more than just friendly. More than just friends having sex. Stiles heart skipped a beat in sheer joy.

"Ahem." Scott exclaimed, and Stiles suddenly remembered that this as far from over. He turned slowly towards his friend and swallowed hard. This was not going to be easy. He wasn't sure if Scott was still angry, the deadpan expression on his face was impossible to read.

"I'm sorry. I..."Stiles walked over to the bed and sat down. "I'm sure you can understand why this is difficult to talk about. I wanted to tell you, I really did, but I didn't know where to start." Scott was still staring at him, but didn't say a word. "I'm not sure if I want you to comment on it. I think you're mad and disappointed. But believe me, I wanted to tell you."

Scott shook his head and fixed his gaze somewhere behind Stiles. "How long? For how long has this been going on?" He looked pained but managed to stay calm. Stiles cleared his throat and twisted his hands. "Eh, I, we, well it started, I mean, really not more than a few weeks."

Finally Scott looked straight at him. "A few weeks? Those claw-marks – they were claw-marks, right – they were there more than two months ago." The stare was intimidating to say the least, and Stiles knew he had to explain that fact. "Well, yeah, there was, we kinda, oh, it started almost four months ago." Scott's eyes widened but he didn't interrupt. "Back then it was, it didn't... it lasted for a while but, uh, I broke it off. Derek behaved like a jerk."

For almost a minute it was completely silent in the room, and then Scott leaned forward. "Because he hurt you?" The concern in Scott's expression was genuine, and Stiles felt a little embarrassed. "No, that was, it was not like that, no. That was... is nothing to worry about." Stiles twisted his hands and searched for the right words. "I didn't even notice. I just thought he didn't care about me, but now I know that he does. He changed."

Again this scrutinizing stare. "Changed? He changed? Come on, Derek is still a sociopath, he's still a jerk. I mean, he's a friend, but, come on." Scott rolled his eyes. "And he's a guy, for crying out loud." He shook his head and looked down on the floor.

"Oh, yeah, that. I, I don't know how that works." Stiles shrugged. "It's just..." It wasn't easy to explain, and he couldn't make himself say the words that were struggling to get out. The fact was that he was in love and wanted Derek with every fiber of his being.

"You're scared of him, he's using you because you're too afraid to stop him." Scott's expression had now changed from quizzical to concern. "Wake up, I'll protect you. Don't let him do this to you."

Stiles had to smile. He took a breath before he again met Stott's eyes. "I'm not afraid. He doesn't scare me anymore. He's sweet and gentle and I, I." For a second he had to close his eyes. "I'm in love with him"

Scott got startled. "What? No? This is an alternate reality, please pinch me, you can't be serious?" He actually did pinch himself as for show. "You're delusional."

Not knowing how to make Scott understand, Stiles searched for words. "I, I am serious. Maybe it, it may not last forever, but this is now, and this is how I feel. I don't know if he... Maybe he... I don't know if he's in love, but he might be. I'm willing to take my chances. It's all good and I am in control."

It was obvious that Scott didn't believe that, but his friend's face softened a little. "I feel sorry for you. I'll be a friend and I'll pick up the pieces when all this shit hits the fan. In the meantime I need to digest this. It's very disturbing."

Stiles nodded and with a sigh he looked at Scott. "The only thing I ask for is an open mind. Oh, and that we, we can still be best friends." With a huff he continued. "And one more thing. You can't tell anyone."

Scott had leaned forward and had his elbows on his knees, cupping his own cheeks in the palms of his hands. He cocked his head slightly and squinted. "Are you happy? You've actually looked happy lately."

"I am happy. For the most part." Stiles nodded slowly. "The secrecy is, it's bothering me, but we can't..." He shrugged and gave Scott a tentative smile. "Not until I turn eighteen. It's too dangerous for him." Scott's expression changed. His features softened and it looked like he was getting the message. That he started to believe that this was real, and that Stiles needed his best friend's support.

"Okay, okay. I see. I don't know if I can wrap my mind around this right now, but I will try. And I'm sorry to say this, but I need to see this changed Derek with my own eyes before I truly believe." Scott's words was heartwarming. Stiles hadn't expected him to rejoice, and he'd been afraid that their friendship would suffer, but now there was actually hope that everything would work out fine. "I'm not asking for more. Take your time."

Scott huffed. "I'll definitely need time, this is so way out of... I couldn't even, I don't know how I couldn't sense this." When Stiles started laughing, Scott looked up and stared at him. "I still don't find it particularly funny." He rolled his eyes, but there was a little smile tugging his lips.

"I really thought you were on to this a few weeks ago. You know, after that infamous party? You thought he wanted to turn me, remember?" Stiles looked at Scott for confirmation and when his friend nodded, he continued. "I thought you were talking about him wanting to... uh, you know, eh..." Another nod and Stiles was happy he didn't have to explain it any further. "I was about to tell you then. I wanted to, but when I realized that you were on a totally different page I chickened out...again."

It felt good to tell his friend, but Stiles sensed that there was something bothering him. "What? Just say it." Scott gave him a lopsided smile. "And yet he just left. He left you to deal with me alone."

"Oh, that. Yeah, he always leaves before dad gets home. It's safer. And anyway, you did threaten to kill him." Stiles had been a little disappointed about Derek's sudden departure, but it was explainable. "He's a shy guy, you know. And he probably figured that it would be easier for me to talk with you without him around."

Scott did not look convinced. "Lame excuses, but okay, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. We'll see." He got up from the chair and moved towards the window. "I should leave. I won't tell, but I'll keep an eye on him. If he hurts you... I mean. I understand the secrecy, but he could have stood by you. He could have tried to convince me that he is serious about this before he left. Your dad won't be home for another couple of hours. I don't want to be a party-pooper, but I'm just saying."

Inside Stiles knew that Scott made sense, but he didn't want to believe that Derek left because he didn't want to be confronted. He'd been so sure about Derek's feelings, but now there was an uncomfortable sliver of doubt crawling up his spine. What if all this was an act? Could it be that Derek faked compassion just to get what he wanted?

"I have to go. I only came because I was looking for Derek. To warn him. I really didn't expect to find him here, it was just... I thought maybe you could have a clue to his whereabouts. I didn't believe so, but I had to try." Scott shook his head. "I really, really didn't expect it." He waved goodbye and exited.

Stiles couldn't sleep. In his head he went through every conversation, every gesture, every little sign he'd got from Derek. It was real! This relationship was not one-sided! Derek had really showed that he cared! The last few weeks had been wonderful. Secrecy aside, they shared a bond; a mutual bond. Even if Derek wasn't in love, he'd said that this was more than just friends having sex. As night turned into morning, Stiles wondered how good of an actor Derek was.

There will be a new development in this story and I will give my friend Mike kudos for helping me with this. I hope you'll support what's coming.