Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

There was something off about Alex’s new roommate. Sure, he was friendly, bouncing around both literally and figuratively to the point that it gave Alex a headache. But there was something about him, he was magnetizing, sure, but had an air of mystery that only the people he was closest to would even pick up on.

He was bright and energetic, quickly attracting people to him. He and Alex had become close friends with a couple students down the hall, Bill and Katie.

Still, every once in awhile, Stiles would clam up, and a look would cross his face that made him appear much older, honey eyes darkened with something sad. It never lasted long, blink and you’d miss it, and then Stiles would force a big smile and subtly try to change the subject. Alex would have never guessed Stiles was capable of being that subtle, but then again, Alex didn’t really know him that well.

Katie would poke and prod at Stiles, asking about his family, his friends back home, Bill would ask about his school, his hobbies, but Stiles would either make a joke to deflect or give an answer just vague enough to not arouse any further questions. It was odd, to say the least. Alex wondered if Stiles was embarrassed, maybe he didn’t have many friends at home? Maybe high school was rough for him. (Surely it couldn’t have been grades, Alex at least knew Stiles enough to be certain of that) Some kids become completely different people when they come to college, so maybe Stiles was just trying to create a new life for himself. Alex couldn’t fault him for that.

-

Alex wasn’t sure what to make of Stiles when he first came barging through the door.
The kid seemed as about as coordinated as a newborn deer, and gangly limbs flying everywhere as he fell to the floor (which Alex later learned was a frequent occurrence). He had boyish good looks and messy dark hair that only served to make him look more ridiculous falling on his ass. Alex lept from his desk to offer a hand, which Stiles took with a sheepish grin.

“Ha, well, at least I made an entrance,” He gave a cheeky grin and winked. He was tall, with dark hair and bright eyes. Something about him screamed ‘friendly’ with a dash of ‘mischief.’ “Stiles Stilinski. And you must be…?”

“Alex Rivera.”

“Well,” Stiles rolled up his sleeves and picked up his fallen suitcase and turned back to Alex, extending a hand with a lopsided grin, “Nice to meet you!”

As Alex looked down and clapped the other boy’s hand in his, he noticed the boy’s forearm was covered in bruises, some looking like fingerprints. Stiles must have noticed, and he quickly retrieved his hand and pulled down an ugly plaid sleeve to cover his arm.

“Sorry, I’ve got a few battle scars from playing lacrosse with my buddies. Well, they play, I’m more of a punching bag than anything,” Stiles laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.

Alex didn’t think much of it at the time, especially after he got roped into Stiles’ rapid-fire questioning as he unpacked. Okay, he was a little weird, Alex was pretty sure most people needed to breathe more between sentences than Stiles did, and half the time he would go rambling on about something completely random (Alex wasn’t even sure how they got from “what’s your major?” to a diatribe about Batman) but he was nice. At least he wasn’t the angry, surly, black-cloud of a roommate Alex had nightmares of.

And besides, everyone was a little weird. He was sure of it.

Alex looked back towards Stiles just in time to see a small stuffed wolf fall out of his suitcase. Stiles laughed and picked it up, reading the card attached to its neck with fondness in his expression before gently placing the stuffed animal next to his pillow.

--

Alex awoke to the sound of shuffling and a voiced whispering frantically…

“No, no, Okay, I said I’m coming… No, I’ll be there in 20, just keep him there,” A long pause and then “No, Derek, I’m serious! Don't. Wait unt-”

Alex recognized Stiles’ voice. He sounded upset. He could practically hear him pinch his nose. “God, okay… yeah, I will.”

There was more shuffling, Alex opened one eye just enough to see a dark figure shoving something into a backpack, and the neon blue clock which read ‘3:17 AM.’

“Stiles?” Alex rasped, voice strained from drowsiness, but apparently it didn’t make it to his roommate’s ear. Alex heard the door to their room close with a soft thud and he closed his eyes.

When he opened them again the morning light was shining through the window. Alex brushed the sleep from his eyes before glancing blurrily around the room. Stiles’ bed empty, and his side of the room in even more disarray than usual. Boxes were pulled out from under the bed, both the dresser and desk drawers were left partially open with clothes hanging out or thrown across the room. Alex had a brief moment of panic. Maybe they’d been robbed? No, Xbox and TV were still there. Alex glanced to his side of the room where everything seemed normal. He froze when he remembered the conversation he heard last night.

Jesus, what was that about? Did he just take off in the middle of the night? Something must have been really wrong. Alex had only known Stiles for a few weeks, but it was enough for him to feel the coiling of worry in his stomach. Where was he? Alex pulled out his phone, no new texts from Stiles. He shot him a quick message:

From: Alex
Are you okay?? Where are you?

No reply came immediately. Alex glanced at the clock, realizing he was running late, and ran to take the quickest shower he could manage. After getting dressed in record time, he grabbed his backpack and phone, only glancing to see Stiles’ reply.

From: Stiles
Yeah, everythings fine. Needed to help someone out. I’ll see you guys at dinner

Stiles really didn’t seem like the kind to skip class, Alex thought, so it must be important, right? That didn’t ease the prickling feeling of worry much, though. Alex bit the inside of his cheek and made his way to his first class. He would try to focus on that for now.

--

Unfortunately, seeing Stiles did little to ease his worry. Stiles was sitting alone at their usual table looking worse for the wear and nursing a coffee. Alex sat down across from him and Stiles gave him a small smile. He had dark circles under his eyes like he hadn’t slept, which, now that he thought about it, he probably hadn’t.

Unsure of how to start with Stiles, he went with, “how are you feeling?”

Stiles still had his head hung low but looked up a little at him. “Oh, you know, making it through. Really worried about this history midterm I have comin-”

“What happened to you last night?” Alex blurted.

Stiles was silent, shifted in his seat, “just helping out a friend.” was all he gave, with that dark expression in his eyes.

It was clear that that was all Alex was going to get, so he signed, “Yeah, I heard that midterm was killer, but I have access some of the past years tests, my sister’s sorority has, like, a file on them. I can try to grab you some if you want.”

Stiles lifted his head a little, expression brightening and the usual humor back in his eyes. “Yeah, that would be awesome! What kind of other secrets do those sororities keep? Do they-” and Stiles continued on his usual rambling and million questions and they fell into their usual pattern again. A few minutes later Katie and Bill joined them, eager to share the news of the super-secret frat party they had snuck off to the night before.

While Stiles was listening intently to the exploits of his two friends, Alex noticed that he had a few long red scratches by his temple, almost at the hairline, and his lip was split towards the edge. Stiles glanced over at Alex and casually lifted his arm so he could lean against it, effectively covering most of the damage. Alex knew better than to push it, but he didn’t miss how his eyes flicked back to Alex every once in awhile.

Stiles’ kept a lot of things pretty close to the vest. He loved to goof around and make jokes but the second thing started to get more personal, he seemed to get uncomfortable. Alex could guess whatever happened last night was not a subject Stiles was going to budge on. Still, Alex couldn’t help but wonder. He was helping a friend? What was the name he’d said on the phone? Derek? Who needs help at three in the goddamn morning? Alex decides to file that away. It might be the only way of getting anywhere close to solving the puzzle that is Stiles Stilinski (and really? Even his name is weird).

Bill is gesticulating wildly as he recounts a particularly exciting game of beer pong he’d played. Stiles burst into laughter along with his friends, nearly in tears at the stupid antics of his friends.

“Yeah and then the guy wants a rematch, you know? To soothe his poor bruised ego, so- Stiles, you’re bleeding!” Bill said.

All three turned to Stiles, who touched a finger to his mouth. His split lip had opened and a few drops of blood were spilling out. Katie and Bill looked concerned but before they could say anything Stiles just smiled and said, “Looks like you’re going to have to tone down the humor, Billy boy, doesn’t look like I can handle it.” He put a hand to his lip but still managed to flash a charming grin that seemed to satisfy Bill, although Katie looked less convinced, although she remained silent about it.

Stiles and Bill got up to turn in early for their big history midterm in the morning, but Stiles cast one last, fleeting look at Alex with an expression he couldn’t read. Alex didn’t know what to make of that, but he had bad a feeling rising in the pit of his stomach.

Alex returned to their room sometime later to find Stiles starfished out on his bed, all the covers had been kicked off. At the sound of the door closing, Stiles groaned and turned onto his stomach, still not completely awake. Alex chuckled to himself, but any mirth flew out the door at the sight of Stiles’ t-shirt, bunched up to reveal a large purple bruise on his hip. Alex let out a hiss. Jesus, what was Stiles into? That wasn’t something you get running into a door. Was someone hurting him? Alex felt sick.

He didn’t get much sleep that night.

--

Alex caught up with Stiles after his exam. He was worried, but Stiles seemed ever more the chipper loudmouth he’d always been.

“Holy god,” he sighed dramatically. “No one ever asks me again about the history of pasteurization. NO ONE. I need to spend the weekend slowly turning to jello. My brain my explode, this is a health crisis.”

“I’m sure you did fine, Stiles,” Alex hummed. Bill exited the building, eyes wide and shell-shocked, looking even more haggard than Stiles. They laughed and joked about what a bitch the professor was, when Stiles’ phone rang. He smiled at the screen before putting the phone to his ear.

“Scott! Buddy, I’m so glad you called, I just had this history midterm and-”

He walked off to the courtyard and chattered away with Scott. A friend from home? Alex though. Probably. Stiles was gesticulating dramatically as he talked, grinning from ear to ear and laughing hysterically at something Scott said. Bill was looking over at him fondly. It was nice to see him so open and happy.

Stiles made his way back to the pair, looking rejuvenated and practically vibrating with glee. “HA! Okay. Yeah, I gotta go. Talk to you later, Isaac.” One last smile and he put his phone away.

“Who was that?” Bill asked with a grin.

“Just a couple buddies of mine,” he said dismissively before turning to face the pair and threw his arms in the air. “GOD I’m STARVING! I’m going to need a mountain of curly fries to make ups for the horror of that that professor inflicted on her poor innocent students,” He clapped a hand on both Bill’s and Alex’s shoulders, pushing them towards the dining hall.

Scott and Isaac. Friends from home, surely. Alex stored this information away. One more piece to the puzzle that was Stiles.

--

Katie was the next to notice Stiles’ strange behavior. Stiles bailed on a study session, citing needing to go visit his dad, and took off for a whole weekend.

Stiles came back with bruises around each wrist, irritated and red as if they were rope burns.

Katie shot a look at Alex, both questioning and alarmed. Alex shot her a look, shooking his head, clearly communicating “do not say anything.” Katie’s expression softened, but her face still betrayed her concern.

Stiles fidgeted with his sweater, pulling it down over his hands and balling his fists.

“Soooo... “ he started, “what shenanigans did I miss this weekend?” His cheery smile seemed a bit forced, only something someone who knew him well would notice. Stiles attempted his normal level of excitement, but the bag under his eyes and the weak smiles betrayed him. He looked exhausted.

Alex forced a grin and began recounting the weekend’s escapades. Katie stayed mostly silent but watched Stiles intently through her lashes as she picked at her lunch.

--

There were more and more calls from this “Derek,” each one seeming to put Stiles on edge. He’d bolt out of the room whenever the name flashed on his phone. Even though it always garnered a grin, Alex heard Stiles speak in hushed tones to Derek and always came back looking more somber than before.

Other times the calls seemed to make Stiles jittery, he would pace or hiss something into the phone, looking beside himself and upset. Katie claims she would hear him says “Please, Derek… don’t. Please…” pleading. Bill would catch him checking his phone dozens of times in an hour, as if waiting on some message with great apprehension.

Sometimes the calls would prompt Stiles to leave, even in the middle of the night, and Stiles would only supply vague excuses and then disappear for hours or days.

And the trio all noticed that whenever Stiles did come back, it was with new scrapes, bruises, and cuts. It made them all worry about the damage that they couldn’t see, what Stiles was hiding beneath layers of plaid and sarcasm.

--

“Okay, we have to talk about Stiles,” Katie said, slamming her art history textbook down, making a loud bang in the otherwise silent library.

Alex worried his lip, unsure how to start, Katie slumped back in her chair. The trio shared a somber beat before Bill piped up, “I mean, we’re all thinking the same thing, right? Someone’s doing that to him.”

“I don’t know, maybe there’s another explanation,” Katie looked miserable.

Bill barked out a laugh, “Yeah, like what? A fight club?”

“I don’t know! Maybe it’s a drug thing or -- I just can’t believe Stiles would, I just don’t understand how someone could do that. Stiles is so funny and smart...”

“If there was another explanation he would be trying to hide it. Anytime you mention something to him, the shuts you down. That’s not exactly how you act when you don’t have something to hide,” Alex said.

Katie nodded, looking ill. “So what,” she said quietly “someone’s beating him? His dad or…”

“I met his dad during orientation. He’s the sheriff where Stiles’ from. He seemed really nice.”

“Sometimes they do,” Bill muttered.

Alex sighed and said, “I don’t know, seems to me like it might be this Derek guy.” Alex was just stating what they were all thinking. “I mean, Stiles hasn’t said anything, I don’t even know if they’re dating but…”

“Every time he calls Stiles drops everything for him.” Bill supplied, looking profoundly uncomfortable.

“Yeah, even at god know what hour of the night. The truth is: Derek calls, Stiles leave, Stiles comes back looking like someone beat the shit out of him, and Stiles denies anything happened.”

“I just feel like there’s so much we don’t know about him. Like, personal stuff. He just doesn’t engage, you know?” Katie said quietly, tapping her pencil.

“Look, I found some stuff online. Signs, you know?” Bill stared at his phone. “Listen to this, ‘Signs someone you know is in an abusive relationship: seem afraid or anxious to please their partner, goes along with everything their partner says and does, checks in often with their partner to report where they are and what they're doing, receive frequent, harassing phone calls from their partner.’” he gave the group a pointed look before continuing, “‘ People who are being physically abused may have frequent injuries, with the excuse of ‘accidents,’ dress in clothing designed to hide bruises or scars, and frequently miss work, school, or social occasions, without explanation.’” Bill looked up from his phone.

“Okay so, yeah, that sounds bad,” Katie said. Alex agreed. He’d never seen an abusive relationship up close but this seemed to have all the hallmarks.

“So, what do we do?” Alex started. “Like, report it to the dean? The police? Derek’s not a student. And if we say something to the Beacon Hills police…”

“We’d be talking to his dad,” Bill finished.

“Shouldn’t his dad know?” Katie questioned. “Like, he’s a cop. How can he not know his son is getting beat up on the reg?”

“What, you don’t think a Sheriff’s son would know how to cover something up?” Alex snided,

“People don’t see what they don’t want to see,” Bill stated.

“And we don’t even know something is going on. Stiles could have a perfectly reasonable explanation for… everything,” Katie said.

“So, then, what do we do?” Alex questioned, almost beside himself.

“Nothing,” Bill said definitively, “Until we have real, solid proof that he’s in danger.”

Alex bit his lip, but it was hard to argue with Bill. Even if every one of his instincts was telling him that this Derek character was bad news, he couldn’t do anything until they were absolutely sure. Alex nodded in agreement and turned back to his textbook, trying to distract himself from Stiles’ well-being with criticisms of post-modernist art.

--

The thing about Stiles was that he was never lacking in intriguing quirks, Alex could at least say that much.

Alex walked into their room soaking wet from the literal downpour that had begun just as he exited the library (because of course it did). Stiles was sitting at his desk and appeared to be skyping with a redheaded girl. He looked around to see Alex looking like a drowned rat and had to stifle a laugh.

“Hey Alex, rough day buddy?” he said, grinning like a cheshire cat.

“God, you have no idea. McNamara was deadly today, you should have seen the way he interrogated a girl just for being late. I thought she was going to cry.” Alex draped himself on his desk chair dramatically.

The girl on the screen seemed amused by his misfortune and she chuckled. “Oh,” Stiles said, turning the computer to Alex, “Lydia, this is Alex. Alex, Lydia.” Alex gave the best smile he could given the fact that he was freezing and sopping wet.

“Charmed,” Lydia said in a tone that made it clear that she wasn’t.

Alex was not waiting another second to remove is soaked and dirty clothes, so he moved out of Lydia’s view while Stiles chatted away with her about the proper translation of latin something or other… Alex didn’t really know.

Alex pulled a grey henley off the floor, after stripping off his own rag of a t-shirt, and started to pull it on.

“NO!” Stiles gasped and quickly got up to pull the henley off Alex’s arms. It startled Alex and his confusion was probably pretty evident on his face.

“Sorry, this Derek’s. He… wouldn’t like anyone else wearing it.”

Alex gave him a quizzical look, eyebrows raised, but Stiles seemed to not want to discuss the topic further. He sat back at his desk and held the henley on his lap, grasping it tightly as if it were a security blanket. Alex noticed Lydia shot him an inscrutable look before continuing to battle Stiles on the proper translation of some obscure text.

Alex had other shirts.

--

One day Stiles, Alex, and Katie were chatting around outside the auditorium when their conversation was interrupted by someone bumping into Stiles. Literally. Ever graceful, Stiles flailed his arms, attempting to grab onto the brick wall of the building to support himself but only managed to scrape up his arm as he fell on his ass.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry,” the girl was wide-eyed, she looked like she was still in high school. Probably taking a tour, Alex though. “Here let me help you,” she blushed started picking up Stiles’ book.

“No problem, I’m a clutz on a good day, I need to hit the ground at least once a day or i’ll lose my title.” Stiles flashed a winning grin, and then pulled his arm over to examine the scrapes, many of which were colored with drops of blood. The girl looked up from Stiles’ books and then froze. She seemed to almost sniff (?) the air before going pale white and jumping back a few steps. Her eyes wide that in the sun, making them look almost golden.
“I am so sorry-” she started

Stiles eyes darkened fractionally and he repeated, “It’s okay.”

The girl, nodded quickly, looking sick to her stomach, and handed the books off to Stiles, leaning in just far enough for his fingers to grab the edges and then she was several paces away again. She gave one last remorseful look, edged with what almost seemed to be desperation. “I’m sorry.” She said one last time before practically running away from the scene.

“That was... really weird…” Katie muttered squinting after the girl. Alex and Bill gave each other confused looks.

Stiles shrugged, dusting off his arm. “She must not like the sight of blood.”

--

“So who’s this Derek guy?” Bill sat down at the table casually.

Stiles looked up from his book, blushing, “Just some guy. A friend from home,” he said, suddenly seeming to find his biology book very interesting.

“He sure calls you a lot for just being ‘some guy’,” Katie pried with a smirk.

“Well, I’m an interesting person, don’t you think?” Stiles smirked. “Lots of people are dying to get some of this,” he gestured to himself with a chuckle.

“Oh yeah, I know plenty of people who are dying to get some of that,” Katie said suggestively. “The thing is, Stiles, you mention Scott, Isaac, Lydia, your dad, lots of people. And somehow the name Derek hasn’t come up…”

Alex was watching intently now. “Yeah, why’re you trying to keep this guy from us?” He was going for casual but was probably missing by about a mile, to be honest.

“It’s nothing, guys. Really. He’s just someone I know. He hangs out with my friends. I barely know him. What’s his name again? Derek?” Stiles seemed to think he was hilarious. The tactic didn’t phase the wiles of Katie.

“Just someone from your hometown? Someone you’re definitely not dating, right? Someone who definitely doesn’t,” Katie gestured to Stiles’ body, “get all up in that?”

“No, no definitely not,” Stiles’ smiled, big enough that his textbook couldn’t hide it, his tone just riding the line of sarcastic and serious. Figures Stiles would be a master of something like that.

“So,” Bill said after a long beat, “what’s he like?” He nudge Stiles with his elbow.

Stiles seemed to preen a little, but shook his head, “doesn’t matter. Like I said, he’s no one, really,” he said with a sad smile.

“Aw, you’re not gonna tell us anything?” Bill whined.

“NOPE.” Stiles grinned cheekily, punctuating the word by slamming his book on the table. They must have crossed some kind of invisible line with Stiles, the dark look gave the trio a look was very clear: do not push.

“Just curious, you know. About you,” Bill muttered, stabbing at a piece of salad.

--

Another thing with Stiles was the books. Weird leather-bound volumes with runes and symbols and languages Alex couldn’t even recognize. Stiles mostly kept them hidden away under his bed, but in those rare moments Alex did sneak a look at what Stiles was reading, Stiles would discreetly close, cover, or otherwise obscure the book while trying to engage Alex in a subject totally unrelated. This was becoming old hat for Alex, he was learning to not be so taken with Stiles’ attempts to divert him and every time he did Alex was one step closer to figuring Stiles out.

Except that every new clue, every new puzzle piece, seemed to belong to completely separate puzzles. Each step he felt he got closer to Stiles the more he could see that he didn’t know. It was infuriating and intriguing.

--

Late one evening the dynamic duo of Katie and Bill managed to drag Stiles to party to get him engaged in typical college fraternizing for once is his life. Besides, it was Halloweekend. That practically mandates partying and irresponsible behavior.

“I don’t understand why you act like it is such an inconvenience to hang out with us,” Katie moaned, literally pulling Stiles bodily toward the house. She was wearing a cheap costume with cat ears because apparently Katie had no qualms advertizing how much she wanted to get laid. Stiles had refused to wear a costume but was convinced to wear devil’s horns so long as Bill wore a halo, which Bill agreed to because Bill is weak. Anyways, it wasn’t like anyone would care, approximately 2.5 seconds after arriving at the party they would be drunk so it really didn’t matter who had a good costume. Alex could already smell the cheap beer from there.

“Hang out with you? No. Dancing in a stranger’s basement while drinking shitty booze? I can think of a hundred other things I would rather be doing,” Stiles smart-mouthed.

Alex chuckled to himself at his roommate’s total unwillingness to act like he was an eighteen-year-old and not a thirty-something divorcee as he adjusted his own costume, a black shirt with a hammer insignia safety pinned to it. Alex wasn't big on the whole costume thing either. A group of college students should be cleverer, he mused.

“Filing your taxes will have to wait another day,” Bill smirked as they descended the stairs into a pit of sweaty college students holding red cups.

A game of beer pong and some shots toasting something the four of them knew nothing about, Stiles was still acting like a sourpuss. He was leaned up against a wall texting while Katie was singing a spirited rendition of Roxanne for a group of other drunk children. Alex just sipped his drink, whatever it was, and observed Stiles out of the corner of his eye. Alex couldn’t see for sure that Stiles was texting with “Derek,” but he really didn’t have to.

“Texting the boyfriend?” Bill said with a wink. He apparently had no qualms confronting Stiles on his behavior. Or maybe the alcohol had no qualms and Bill was just the mouthpiece. Alex was internally rubbing his hands together in anticipation, glancing around casually.

Stiles ducked his head to hide the small smile that spread on his face.

“Oh my god, you are!” Bill teased. Stiles cheeks turned red. “Let me see, let me see!” Bill tried to grab Stiles’ phone away, quickly turning it to a wrestling match.

“No, STOP!” Stiles giggled, full on giggled, hiding the phone behind his back. He couldn’t even hide the big smile on his face.

“What, we’re too boring for you. Is Derek going to be sad if you have more fun with us?” Bill teased.

“No, he’s just -- Ugh, fine.” Stiles made a big show of turning his phone off and putting it in his pocket. “Boyfriend free, okay? Let’s go check out this vodka-melon I’ve been hearing so much about,” He grabbed Bill and Alex by the wrists, pulling them upstairs while Katie chatted up a cute guy who just loved her voice so much, she’s sooooo talented.

Grabbing slices of the vodka-watermelon, Stiles’s sleeve lifted just enough to reveal an angry red scabs that ran across his shoulder, almost like fingernail scrapes. Bill made worried eye contact with Alex.

The pair said nothing.

--

“How about American Werewolf in London?” Asked Katie, innocently, the Sunday of Halloweekend. The were all piled into the small media lounge on their floor, just two doors down from Katie. Alex insisted that they needed a dark and quiet place to recover from the weekend’s festivities before he was ready to face the sun again, or like, ever (a sentiment that earned him several ‘vampire’ jokes).

“Ugh, too unrealistic.” complained Stiles with a dramatic sigh, draping himself over a tattered, but largely unstained, futon.

“Aren’t you minoring in Mythology?” Bill deadpanned.

“Yeah but not in hollywood bullshit,” came Stiles’ reply, quick as ever.

They settled on Silver Bullet, much to Stiles’ dismay. Alex managed to coax him out of pouting by throwing gummy worms at his head until he relaxed, plucking one from his hair and popping it in his mouth.

Throughout the movie Stiles continued to make remarks as to the “realism” and “special effects” (“Seriously? Are they even trying?”). Apparently suspending disbelief was out of Stiles’ repertoire.

He made a mental note to never invite Stiles to a creature feature again.

--

“I swear to god, Stiles, if you trump this I will rip your head off,” Alex growled as he was looking at losing at cards for the fifth time in a row.

“Ha! I’ve heard worse,” Stiles smirked as he played a winning hand, again.

The regular gang was hanging out in Bill’s room while his roommate was away visiting his parents. He went over there every weekend, which Alex thought was super weird. How is he supposed to get the full college experience without hopping frat parties on Friday night and commiserating over hangovers Saturday morning? Poor chump was missing out.

The group was all tipsy on cheap vodka and diet soda enjoying a nice night in. Bill taught them all a complicated card game from his home in Kansas that Alex didn’t completely understand. The vodka didn’t help.

Alex leaned his head back against Bill’s bed and moaned, “This is impossible! Why can’t we just play poker like normal people?”

Bill smacked Alex’s head and grabbed the water bottle of vodka Alex had lifted from from a frat party (suck it Sigma Chi) and poured it into a tumbler. He took a swig of straight vodka before his face betrayed the fact that that was obviously a mistake. Amature. Serves him right. Stupid card game.

“You okay, Stiles?” Katie asked quietly. Despite his winning streak, Stiles was uncharacteristically silent. He was looking at his drink intently and swaying side to side. Like he couldn’t handle a couple drinks? What kind of college student was he?

“No, sorry. It’s just that, you know, my friends don’t drink really and…” He trailed off, but the rest was clear. Derek doesn’t drink.

Stiles’ phone buzzed and Alex groaned internally. Why did Stiles need to always be so damn accessible to everyone but them? It seemed like Stiles was always at the beck and call of whoever back home was texting him that day, and more often than not it was Derek.

Stiles opened the text and his whole demeanor changed. He ducked his head and put a hand over his mouth to cover the very obvious smile that stretched across his face.

“Whatcha got there, buddy,” Alex teased. A blush crept over Stiles’ cheeks.

“Sorry, it’s just… Derek’s coming to visit,” he said, looking up through his lashes, still trying to hide his smile, pretty unsuccessfully too because he was practically vibrating joy. Alex’s heart sank.

“When?” Katie asked, doing her best to make her voice steady and pleasant.

“Next weekend,” Stiles’ eyes were shining. He seemed almost giddy.

“Does that mean we finally get to meet this mystery man?” Alex asked cooly.

“Yeah,” Katie chimed in, “Why don’t we all go to dinner together? You know, show him the town? I know all three of us have a million questions we’d like to ask him,” she added, and, really? Katie could use a course on subtlety.

Stiles stilled, his entire demeanor changed and something flashed in his eyes. It wasn’t quite fear, apprehension?

“He’s um… not really much of a people person,” he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck, looking very uncomfortable all of a sudden.

“What? You don’t think he’d like us?” Alex teased.

“Naw man, it’s just that… he’s kinda intense, you know? He’s coming to see me, he just, might not want to share is all.”

“You think he won’t like us?” Katie asked. Alex bit his lip.

“Like I said, not so good with people,” Stiles winked. “But… I think I might just be charming enough to convince him.”

Alex laughed, “you’re always charming, bro.”

“You know it,” Stiles said, distinctly lacking the bravado a statement like that needed. He proceeded to refill his drink and took a not-so-subtle drag from it before plastering on a happy face and looking back at his cards.

Chapter Text

One of the great thing about SoCal is that you can have a picnic almost any time of year. Alex had dragged an old blanket out of his closet and down on the quad outside their dorm so the four of them could spread out and enjoy some sunshine.

Stiles was a ball of nervous energy. He’d paced around their room all night, tossing and turning and bouncing and driving Alex up the fucking wall, especially after Stiles had arranged and rearranged all the books on his shelf for the past hour. Alex finally convinced Stiles to take a shower, hoping that some hot water would calm his roommate down at least a little bit, or at least give Alex 10 minutes of peace.

That brought the regular gang, sans Stiles, out to the quad, laying down on some plaid blanket Bill brought from home. Everyone seemed to be putting on a casual and carefree front about the upcoming visit from Stiles’ mysterious boyfriend, but the tension between the three was palpable.

The world was oblivious as ever, though. Students were laughing and dragging backpacks half as heavy as themselves back to their dorms, sorority girls were tanning out in the open grass, and the occasional random adult was traipsing across the quad, a parent or professor or something probably.

One such rando was leaning against the wall of the Delta Gamma house, wearing a black leather jacket and glaring at a phone under thick eyebrows.

Tall, dark, and gloomy was somewhat out of place in the scene. It appeared like someone had cut him out of a picture of someone lurking in an alley late at night. Not the middle of the day in front a sorority house, where he was no doubt waiting for his spoiled girlfriend, trying to piss off her parents by dating a leather-clad bad boy.

“So when are we going to meet this Derek?” Bill interrupted Alex’s train of thought just as the guy perked his head up from his phone.

“Stiles said he should be here any minute,” Alex replied, checking the time on his phone.

“What do you think he’ll be like?” Questioned Katie, looking out from under her sunglasses.

“I don’t know, all I know about the guy is that he calls in the middle of the night all the goddamn time and Stiles doesn’t talk about him much.”

“Yeah, but he sure seemed excited about him coming. They must be serious, right?”

“I think so. It’s not like Stiles is ever interested in going out and getting laid, you know? Probs because he has a man at home,” Alex shrugged.

Just at that moment Stiles came bounding out of the dorm door onto the steps, clutching his phone in one hand, scanning the quad. Alex made a move to wave him over but Stiles didn’t get to see it before he practically galloped over to DG house and the creeper, throwing himself bodily at the guy. Leather-man wrapped one arm around Stiles’ waist and his other hand on his neck, pulling Stiles in for a fucking pornographic kiss.

Alex’s jaw dropped.

Bill whistled. “So that must be Derek.”

“For some reason I was expecting someone more normal-looking. You know, not the whole obvious serial killer vibe.” Katie bit her lip.

The couple seemed wrapped up in each other for a few moments, leather-man was nuzzling at Stiles’ neck and face in a way that was disgusting before Stiles pulled away and led him by the hand across the quad towards his posse.

“Um, guys, this is my boyfriend, Derek,” he gestured to Adonis in Flesh, “Derek, these are my friends, Alex, Katie, and Bill.”

Adonis gave them little more than a grunt before turning his gaze back to Stiles. Alex was a little affronted. Like, okay, he gets that they haven’t seen each other in a while, but they’re a little more interesting than that. Rude. Dude needed to learn some manners.

“Lets go,” he said, corralling Stiles towards the parking lot, not appearing to care at all that Stiles had just introduced him to his posse.

“Wait, wait,” Stiles said, squirming in Derek’s grip. “You go ahead and start the car, I’ll be there in a sec.” Derek locked eyes with Stiles, looked the three strangers up and down stone-faced, then released his grip on Stiles and headed towards the parking lot.

“Sorry about him,” Stiles smiled sheepishly, “he… doesn’t like to share.”

“We didn’t realize your boyfriend was so…” Bill started. “...wow.” Stiles beamed.

“Yeah, he gives off the ‘gloom and doom’ impression when you first meet him. After you get to know him, he’s strictly ‘gloom,’” Stiles looked over to where Derek was walking with a warm smile. “Will catch up with you guys at dinner.” And with a final smile, he trotted off to catch up with Derek, leaving his three friends in his wake.

--

Derek and Stiles were supposed to see a movie, then all five were to meet up at the dining hall for an early dinner.

Honestly, if Alex had been put off my the guy’s initial impression of ‘bad-boy-scary-creep,’ he was even more creeped out by interacting with the guy across the table. The word ‘predatory’ just oozed out him like an unsettling aura that left Alex with a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Alex felt like he was stalking a lion or something, intently watching Derek’s every move while simultaneously doing everything he can to prevent Derek from seeing him. Derek, however, notices and has been shooting him dark looks every couple of minutes when their eyes meet.

Derek sat to the right of Stiles, curled protectively over his plate.

Katie, Alex, and Bill were all huddled around the salad bar, having small pow-wow about Derek.

“So what do you think?” Katie whispered, pouring cocoa puffs into her bowl.

Alex and Bill exchanged looks. “He doesn’t seem too bad. Just scary, standoffish, non-verbal.”

Alex glanced over to Stiles, who had his forehead pressed to Derek’s, shaking his head and growling. Gross.

“He’s pretty scary,” Bill ventured, glancing over to where Stiles was making a face at Derek.

“How did Stiles end up with him?” Questioned Katie. “They don’t exactly go together. How old do you think he is?”

“25 maybe? Too old to make it not weird,” Bill said. “Especially if he’s hanging around high schoolers enough to date one.”

“Must be, like, puppy love.” Katie commented, taking a sip from her bowl. Behind her she heard glass break.

“Let’s just try to be friendly,” Bill said generously, leading them back to the table. Derek bristled immediately like they were invading on his own private table. Rude, “So Stiles, you got plans for the next few days?”

“You know,” Alex said, “there’s this big party coming up next weekend. You should come! My sister is flying in from Texas because there’s this whole “sorority-alumnae” thing beforehand. Then the fun really starts.”

“He’s busy,” Derek interrupted gruffly, starling Alex. He peered over at Stiles, who had his head cocked at Derek, brow furrowed.

“The Mendozas.” He said simply without looking at Stiles, as if it was obvious.

“Oh, right right right,” Stiles seemed to understand. He looked across the table sheepishly, “Sorry, Derek’s right. Some old friends are coming into town,” he finished lamely, averting his eyes. Alex thought it was weird.

“Did Ivanna had her baby yet?” Stiles asked quietly after a beat of silence, not looking up from his soup, but his eyes were soft.

Derek grunted a response, looking over at his boyfriend. “She’s bringing him along. We’re setting them up in Isaac's room.” His lip quirked up that couldn’t be interpreted as a smile on literally anyone else’s face, but Alex wasn’t sure the hulking mass in front of him had a solid handle on the entire range of human expression.

Stiles turned and gave an odd sort of smile that almost looked sad. “That will be nice,” he commented softly.

“Couldn’t we steal you away for just one night. I’m sure they wouldn’t mind you being gone for a few hours,” Katie teased lightly, bringing the couple back to the present from whatever googly-eyed silent convo they were having.

I took less than a beat for Derek to turn back into scary-predator mode. The NO was firmly implied,and Derek returned to glaring at his plate as he stabbed at pieces of meat. Stiles looked obviously uncomfortable, but gave nothing more than a small apologetic smile as he shifted in his seat. So yeah, clearly seeing Stiles at all this weekend was off the table.

The rest of the meal went about just as well, with everyone asking Derek and Stiles questions and getting gruff, grunted responses from Derek, and soft apologetic looks from Stiles. This only added to the mystery that was Stiles and Derek and StilesandDerek.

After a round of ice cream to top off the awkward encounter, Stiles stood up and cleared the plates. Derek took the dishes from the other three, which was a surprisingly gentlemanly gesture if you could look past the scowl.

“Well,” Stiles said, clapping one hand on Derek’s shoulder and looking at the other three, “I think we’re going to head out. Got some sights we need to be seeing, if you know what I mean,” Stiles winked. Bill grimaced and Derek elbowed Stiles in the ribs (the force in the gesture didn’t go unnoticed by Alex). Derek put his hands around Stiles’ shoulder and began herding him away like a sheepdog. “Catch you guys later!” Stiles called, turning back before putting his arms around his partner’s waist and exiting the dining hall doors.

The remaining three sat in silence, following the couple with their eyes. Alex was once again left with the feeling that he was no closer understanding the couple than before.

--

It was a few days later, Derek had departed and the three were walking by a man-made lake shooting the bull and gossiping about this teacher, that TA, which one Katie was going to fuck, etc. Alex thought the down beat might be an appropriate time to gently breach the subject of ‘scary boyfriend.’

“So, Derek, huh?” He started. “Seems… interesting.”

“He’s really not that bad, guys.”

“Not that bad, huh?” Bill commented diplomatically. “He’s kinda intense. How did you guys meet?”

“He’s from my hometown, met him in a forest of all things. Causing trouble as per usual.” Stiles grinned, almost privately at the memory.

“And you thought meeting a guy in a forest like a serial killer was a good idea? From what I’ve seen he seems like the kind to lock you away in his basement.”

Stiles, stammered, explaining absolutely nothing.

“You don’t know him. He’s… a good person really.”

Alex snorted at that. “He kinda gives off a bad vibe. You know, Stiles, if there’s something we should know--” Alex was interrupted because Stiles was promptly sided by a cyclists, knocking him over into the bushes by the sidewalk. Stiles let out a yelp.

The rider was either too high or completely unconcerned as he sped off with little more than a half hearted “Sorry!” and a little wave.

“Are you okay?” Alex asked, reaching a hand to help Stiles up.

“Yeah, just scared me is -- Jesus fuck,” Stiles exclaimed suddenly clutching his side.

“Did he hurt you? Let me see?” Katie said, attempting to lift the right side of Stiles’ shirt.

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” Stiles assured her, batting her hand away from anywhere near the impact spot.

“Are you sure? It could be like a broken rib or something,” Katie worried her lip, but didn’t approach Stiles further, who was acting like a kicked puppy who didn’t want anyone near him.

“No, I’m completely fine,” Stiles winced a little as he took a step. “I’ve had worse.”

The three exchanged looks. Once again no one opted to make waves by pressing the matter, but it was getting harder and harder to ignore when Stiles was obviously in pain and he couldn’t even charm into faking.

“We’re taking you to the Health Center,” Alex said definitively. Stiles had a stony look on his face, but agreed to go “just to get it looked at” because it was “probably nothing.”

At the campus Health Center, Stiles sat on the table looking like he was going to bolt as the doctor left to get bandages.

“No, really guys, I’m fine. They said it was just like a bone bruise or something on the ribs and a couple stitches on the arm,” Stiles flexed his right arm demonstratively, “See? Nothing to worry about. It takes more than that to take down this bod. Just a love tap,” Stiles grimaced suddenly from flexing to hard.

An unfortunate choice of words. Katie and Alex exchanged furtive looks.

God, Stiles always downplayed everything, Alex thought, irritated. But there again, in that moment, something cold and hard passed through Stiles’ face. Just for a moment, like he had let his mask slip.

Just then Stiles’ phone vibrated and he picked up before the second ring.

“Scott, thank god you called. Look-” Stiles began detailing the accident to Scott, just as he did with his dad earlier. Scott, like Stiles’ dad, didn’t seemed to accept ‘I’m okay’ as a complete answer.

“No, really! I’m fine. I’m fine! Just…” Stiles let out a long sigh, “Don’t tell Derek, okay? You know how he gets…” Alex froze, “He’ll… he’ll just flip if he knows something happened to me. It’s nothing, really. It’s not worth getting him worked up about,” Stiles gave a sad smile, “I promise I’m okay! I’ll call you when I get home. Full update, pictures and everything… Okay, thanks man. Bye.”

Alex and Bill helped Stiles back to his dorm room. They gingerly deposited Stiles on the bed. Stiles almost immediately fell asleep, probably from the pain meds, Alex guessed. That still didn’t stop him from worrying and wondering why it was such a big deal that this ‘Derek’ not find out Stiles was injured.

Unfortunately, not even 10 minutes later, Stiles’ phone rings. There is no name, just an emoji of a wolf that comes up. Stiles picks up.

“Don’t freak out,” he opens with. There is a long silence while the person on the other end is talking. “No, it was just an accident. Listen to me…” more silence, “yes, I understand. Derek, please -- I can’t go home right now, I’ve got midterms. No, you have work, you can’t just…” Stiles sighs. “Okay, you’re right. I’m sorry, I’ll be more careful,” a couple beats. “Yes, yes I understand. Love you too.” Stiles looks like a shell of himself when he hangs up the phone.

That night, Alex googled how to file a police report.

--

Not 24 hours later the group was eating dinner in the dining hall when something caught Alex’s eye.

A blonde in head-to-toe black was sashaying in a bee line in their direction, eyes dark and intent. The stranger sat down casually next to Stiles as if she had every reason in the world to be sitting with four strangers.

“Erica!” Or maybe not. Stiles’ face brightened and he threw an arm around the girl before planting a kiss on her lifted cheek. “Not that I don’t love every minute of your company, but what are you doing here?”

“Derek threw a hissy fit,” she started, grabbing Stiles’ sandwich and taking a bite, “so I’m here to babysit you for the next few days,” she winked.

Alex stiffened, he glanced at Bill, who was staring fiercely at the girl.

This didn’t go unnoticed, apparently. The girl slung her body so she was facing Bill straight on, eyes cold and intimidating.

“You got a problem, blondie?” She throwing her hair over her shoulder in a sleek glare.

“No, ma’am,” Bill lifted his chin defiantly.

“Erica, be nice,” Stiles elbowed her as Erica opened her mouth to respond. “Don’t worry about her,” he said as he attempted, unsuccessfully to retrieve his sandwich from her Erica’s perfectly manicured hands. She evaded him with ease. “Apparently she gets her manners from her daddy,” Stiles muttered almost to himself.

The comment earned a snort from Erica.

Even though it was just friendly bickering, Stiles started stacking plates immediately like he couldn’t wait to get away from his three friends. Or to get the blonde away from them, Alex thought.

“Well, come on then, these bandages are not going to change themselves,”

“Whatever you say, mom,” she said with a flip of blonde curls like it was nothing to her.

Stiles shot her a dry look but said nothing. Erica pulled Stiles by the arm out of dining hall and Alex listened to the click-clack of her heeled boots until the pair were gone.

The half-eaten sandwich was left behind, forgotten.

--

“Okay, so this Derek, what do we know about him?” Alex hums, pencil in his mouth.

“Not fucking much,” Bill snorts, looking out the window.

“Yeah, but, do we have any, like, proof that he’s a bad guy?” Alex questioned.

“Well, he sends babysitters to watch Stiles’ every move when he’s not there, so that’s not a great sign.”

Katie taps away at her laptop, “I’m looking him up. If there’s anything super sketchy about him, it should come up. If not in news articles, in public record.” Katie was weirdly good at this, She even had a tab open to track Derek’s tax records. Right now, Katie was searching ‘Derek Hale’ and ‘Beacon Hills.’ She furrows her brow at the screen. Bill and Alex crowd around her to get a better look.

A few articles about a fire

“What’s this?” Bill asks, pointing to a news article. When the link is open, the article reads DEREK HALE ARRESTED IN CONNECTION TO MURDER OF JANE DOE.

Alex cannot contain his gasp.

“Murder?” Bill asks quietly. The group shares a moment of stunned silence. There he was. A blurry mugshot of the same guy they had met, no mistaking it.

“It says there was anonymous tip, and he was arrested a while later, but no follow up.” Katie frowns, clicking another article. “There’s no mention of a trial, it looks like the charges were dropped.”

“So Stiles is dating a fucking murderer?” Alex says in disbelief, the shock setting in slowly.

“Looks that way,” Katie nods grimly and closes her laptop.

Bill rubbed his face and peeked through his fingers, “Do you think Stiles knows?”

“What does it matter?” Alex exclaimed, “Stiles’ judgment on this guy doesn’t seem to be that reliable. He’s still protective of Derek. So either he knows and doesn’t believe it or he doesn’t and Derek is hiding it. Either way, they’re still together.” Alex let out a noise of pure frustration.

“Okay, so, sketchy guy. Sketchy past. If he has a history of violent behavior, Stiles could be in real danger,” Katie commented.

“He’s already in danger!” Alex stands up, frustration building in him by the second. “It’s not like we’re waiting for something bad to happen! It already has. The bruises, the marks, the cuts. We have to do something?” Alex was almost beside himself. How can this be going on? How can Stiles not see how truly fucked up this relationship was? It made Alex sick all over again.

“Obviously Stiles seems to get something out of the relationship,” Bill said quietly.

“Yeah, a fist to the head,” Alex spat.

There was a moment of silence between the three.

Bill was the first to break it. “Look, it’s not like I trust the guy, but, I don’t know, I trust Stiles. I just don’t get it.” Bill shook his head. “I just don’t get it.”

“How can Stiles be caught up in all this?” Katie questioned. “He’s a good kid, he’s got a good head on his shoulders.”

“Yeah, so why the fuck does he need a murderer boyfriend who watches his every move?” Alex says.

“You don’t think it’s like, one of those low-self worth things? Like Stiles doesn’t think he can do better?”

“Sounds like it might be,” Bill chimed in. “Like, this amazingly hot guy is interested in him? Since he was in High School? Who knows what kind of mind games Derek could have played on him. For all we know this is his first relationship,”

“It says here he’s been suspected of several crimes, but ultimately pinned as the prime suspected of the brutal murder of an unidentified girl,” Bill read.

“So, not only does he have the personality of a rock with violent tendencies, he is literal murderer?”

“Accused,” Katie piped up,

“Okay, fine, fuck it. An accused murderer,“ Alex was seeing red.

“We’ve got to do something,” Kate said.

“Like what? What can we say to him? I feel like he’s gonna be the next body in this guy’s basement and there’s nothing we can do about it!” Alex was rubbing his head in frustration.

“We can say something,” Bill suggested, “start out slow, pry a little more. Try to get him to see that he’s worth more than the piece of shit he’s with.” Always the voice of reason.

Katie nodded, “Otherwise we’ll just make him mad and he won’t listen to anything we say.”

Alex begrudgingly agreed.

--

Stiles had seemed more jumpy than usual lately. A slammed book, a loud bell would have him jumping out of his seat. The alarm in his eyes told Alex a lot, but he kept it to himself, as always. The facts seemed to be boiling up and Alex didn’t know when he was going to break.

Stiles continued to get weird calls late at night, whispered words that a half-asleep Alex couldn’t comprehend. Stiles would jump out of bed and be gone for the next day or so, always coming back with more unexplained cuts and bruises. One such time he came back with a black eye and split nose where someone had obviously punched him.

“It’s my fault,” Stiles said. “Trying a break up a fight.” as if that explained everything.

“What fight?” Alex asked. “Was it Derek, did he--”

“Whatever,” Stiles cut him off, looking pissed. “I’m going to the library.” He slammed the door as he went.

Stiles had left his overnight bag by his desk and Alex couldn’t restrain himself from looking. Inside were a change of clothes, more of those weird, old books Stiles seemed to be so fond of. Inside the small pocket in the front, Alex felt something sharp. He gently pulled out a large, serrated hunting knife with an old wooden handle and flecks of blood on the blade where someone obviously had tried to clean it, but not well enough.

Jesus Christ, was was Stiles involved in?

--

Coming back from winter break is when shit really hit the fan.

Alex didn’t see Stiles right away, but they usual gang decided to meet at a diner to recount their tales of old friends and nosey relatives.

Alex, Bill, and Katie were already seated when Stiles walked in. He was wearing his usual red hoodie that complemented his complexion beautifully, but there was something else about him. He was positively glowing.

“Stiles!” Alex exclaimed. Stiles returned with a big grin and took a seat next to Katie, who placed an exaggerated kiss on his cheek.

“We’ve missed you!” Bill said, cuffing Stiles on the shoulder.

“Aw, I missed you guys too. How was your break?” Stiles said, staring down at the menu innocently.

“More importantly,” Katie said, eyeing him suspiciously, “How was your break?” Alex was not the only one who picked up on Stiles’ energy, apparently.

“It was good. Really really good.” Stiles blushed, still staring intently at the menu as if breakfast skillets were the most interesting thing he’d ever seen.

“Really really good? Why, did you get a pony?” Katie giggled, elbowing Stiles.

Stiles laughed, almost nervously, blush still going strong on his cheeks. “Not quite.”

“Then what’s got you all-” Bill gestured to all of Stiles. His blush deepened.

“I, um. I got engaged.” He said, ducking his head even further into the menu, but not enough to hide the soft blush that colored his cheeks.

Alex’s blood ran cold. He didn’t even have to look at Katie and Bill to know they felt the same. Three pairs of eyes all snapped to Stiles’ left hand, a silver band with a single stone that was flanked by twisting spirals adorned his ring finger.

“Congratulations,” Alex said cooly. The other two followed suit. Stiles was beaming, but was quick to change the subject. He ordered curly fries and a shake, a smile never leaving his face. Alex was sick.

After dinner, they made a plan.

--

Stiles came back from one of his excursions with marks on his neck where someone had tried to choke him out and his friends couldn’t take it anymore.

Katie, surprisingly, was the first to bring it up. They were gathered in Stiles’ and Alex’s room. “Stiles, tell us what’s going on..” She said, completely flat. It wasn’t a question. There was no sweetness in her voice.

“What do you mean?” Stiles asked dumbly, but Alex could see him fidgeting with the red sleaves of his hoodie. The cuffs were all worn out, like Stiles had chewed and rubbed them until there were holes.

“You disappear all the time, you come back bleeding and bruised,” Stiles averted his eyes, “you are covered in scars and you never tell us what they are or where they come from.” Katie continued. Again, not a question.

“Those… those are completely my fault,” Stiles asserted, suddenly looking frightened. Alex’s stomach dropped for the hundredth time since he met Stiles.

“They’re not your fault, Stiles. No one deserves to be hurt like that. If he’s doing that to you-”

“If who’s doing this to me?” Stiles asked.

“Derek, Stiles,” Bill joined. “We know he’s been hurting you.”

Stiles let out a harsh laugh. “You have no idea what you’re talking about. These aren’t even that bad. Derek wouldn’t do that to me. He loves me.”

“No offence, but judging from what we’ve seen, he’s not exactly the poster child for effective communication and anger management.”

“Well you don’t know him, do you? How the hell would you know what he’s like?” Stiles said through gritted teeth..

“Stiles, do you hear yourself?” Katie asked, “‘You don’t know him, it’s not that bad, it’s my fault…’?”

Stiles huffed in annoyance. “You guys don’t understand. I can’t believe this.”

“Then explain it to us, Stiles,” Bill pleaded. “And please don’t say ‘it’s complicated.’”

“Well just because you don’t want to hear it doesn’t make it any less true,” Stiles spat. Alex had never seen him this upset.

“We’ve put up with this shit from you for long enough! It’s Derek, isn’t it?

“You know this guy was arrested for murder, right?”

Stiles face looked shocked, mouth agape. Silence filled the room. Then his eyes narrowed, “Yeah, I know. The question is, why do you know?

“You know?” Exclaimed Alex, “and you’re still fucking with him?”

“Yeah I know.” Stiles threw his hands in the air, looking irate, “I was the one who got him arrested for that. And you know what? He didn’t fucking do it. He couldn’t have fucking done it. I was in an entirely different fucking state at the time.” Stiles’ eyes were practically glowing with anger and betrayal.

“They must have had something on him, or they wouldn’t have arrested him,” Katie pressed.

The room got very quiet.

“Derek and I are a packaged deal,” Stiles said slowly and firmly. “If you’re not going to accept him, then you don’t need to be a part of my life.” Stiles stood up stiffly, grabbed his car keys, and made for the door.

Bill grabbed at his arm, but Stiles wrenched his arm back with a “Get the fuck off me!” and shoved Bill back into the wall, hard enough to make a loud thump. Stiles bristled, but left without another word to the group. The door echoed loudly as it slammed.

Stiles was gone for the rest of the night, going god-knows-where with god-knows who. After he had gone to bed Alex faintly heard Stiles across the room crawling into his bed. Alex turned over to see the tense line of Stiles’ shoulders, laying with his back to Alex.

--

Alex awoke to a coughing fit unlike any he had ever had. The next thing he noticed was the distinctive smell of smoke that was filling the small dorm room. It was only then that he registered that the blaring siren he was hearing was not, in fact, his alarm clock, but the fire alarm sounding to alert everyone to exit the building. Except this time Alex was sure it was not some underclassmen over-microwaving his mac and cheese.

Panic overcame him. He bolted out of bed and wiped his head around to Stiles who was still, somehow passed out and smelled vaguely of alcohol. He threw himself towards Stiles’ bed and started trying to pull the sleeping college student up.

“Stiles, Stiles! Wake up! We need to go now!” Alex could feel his heartbeat in his head and dizziness start to overwhelm him.

“Wha?” Stiles’ bleary eyes began to open.

“Stiles! Fire! Go. Now!” Alex heaved, each breath labored and he tried to wrestle long-limbs out of his bed.

Shock must have hit Stiles and he began coughing all over himself.

“I can’t. Catch. My breath,” he wheezed. Alex grabbed a t-shirt and tied it around Stiles’ head, then got one for himself. It didn’t do much to help the overwhelming dizziness, but it had to be better than nothing right?

“Let’s go!”

Alex made for the window, but it was bolted shut. Stiles was become more and more aware by the second, his eyes wide with panic.

“The door!” he coughed, “the stairwell!” Stiles grabbed at Alex’s arm and they tumbled out their dormroom door. The smoke was thick and heavy, it was hard to see. Luckily they were near the stairwell and Alex felt Stiles fumbling for the doorknob. They made it through the metal doors and into the stairs, the smoke rising to the upper levels of the stairway.

“C’mon!” Alex urged, still clinging to Stiles arm as he began to run down to the exit door.

It was too fast though, Stiles slipped trying to catch up and was suddenly hanging over the railing, grasping at anything to keep him up.

“I can’t see!” Stiles yelled, his voice becoming broken. Alex didn’t even think. He grabbed at Stiles’ worn red hoodie and held on for dear life.

“I’ve got you,” he reassured, but he was feeling weak. The fumes were going to his head and he wasn’t sure home much longer he could hold on.

The fire alarm still blaring, Stiles was able to hook his legs around Alex enough that Alex could pull him up. He tried to take a big sigh of relief but was only met with thick smoke filling his lungs. He fell to his knees.

Stiles was somehow able to pull Alex onto his back, reassuring him as the two made a slow and terrifying decent until at last they were outside in the cold, but clear air.

Stiles deposited Alex on the ground and it took a couple minutes for Alex to regain his sight. He looked back at the building, oddly illuminated, with sirens ringing in this ears in tandem with the fire alarm. Alex had never felt so scared or so relieved in his life.

He looked over at Stiles next to him, “We’re okay,” he reassured, “we made it. We’re okay.”

Stiles was shaking. He was clutching his phone for dear life, texting at a rapid-fire pace.

“Hey,” Alex said, closing in on Stiles, hand on his arms. “Hey, it’s okay, Stiles. We’re safe.”

This did not seem to calm Stiles at all. He continued shaking as his fingers struggled to type keys into his phone. “I - I have to call Derek. He’s - he’s not picking up.”

“I understand, but-”

“No, you don’t understand!” Stiles exclaimed, suddenly jerking from Alex’s grip, “You don’t understand anything! You-” Stiles stopped, his eyes appeared darkened and hollow. His hands shook as he dialed again. This time someone picked up.

“Dad! Yeah, I’m okay, I’m okay. Don’t worry, everything’s fine. There was a fire and -- yeah we’re all safe… Have you heard from Derek?” Stiles’ voice was shaking, “I can’t get ahold of him. He --” A siren was blaring as another fire truck arrived. Stiles’ whole body hunched over his phone. “I -- he won’t pick up. I need to find him, dad. I don’t know what he’s going to do.”

Alex averted his eyes

Stiles hung up the phone, shoulders hunched and his eyes red around the edges as tears were welling up.

“STILES!” came a voice off in the dark somewhere.

Stiles looked up and the tears that had been threatening to fall began to swell over. He bolted towards the voice, “Derek! I’m here! It’s okay. It’s okay.”

The man wrapped Stiles in his arms “It’s okay, it’s okay,” Stiles repeated softly into his shoulder.

“I was so scared--”

“I know.”

“I thought--”

“I know.” Stiles rubbed his forehead gingerly against his neck.

They stayed like that for a long time. Police and fire department came and assessed the damage, but the two seemed glued to each other, not willing to let the other go.

--

Alex, Bill, Katie, Stiles, and Derek all went to Katie’s aunt’s house for the night, a small two-story cottage 5 minutes away from campus. It had been such an eventful night, everyone had passed out right away.

Around 4am Alex was getting water in the kitchen and a massive form appeared in the doorway,

“Oh shit man, you scared me,” Alex exclaimed clutching his chest, almost spilling the glass in his hand. He coughed a couple times, still affected by the smoke and ash.

“I just wanted to thank you,” Derek said, quietly. His voice was very small. “Stiles, he means the world to me. He’s everything to me. And you saved him, so… thank you.” Derek furrowed his brow, clearly uncomfortable with this moment of vulnerability.

Maybe because he was sleepy, or had just had a near-death experience, or that maybe in the middle of the night, the kind of early that feels like a different universe, Alex seemed to see Derek clearly in that moment. Somehow, despite all that had happened and all he had accused Derek of, he felt safe in Derek’s presence. A calmness and an understanding. In that moment, Alex thought that maybe he could see the Derek that Stiles sees, the Derek that Stiles loves.

“You’re welcome,” he said calmly yet firmly, gazing at Derek straight on.

“Our… wedding,” Derek started, like he was having trouble forming the words. His eyes focused on a picture to Alex’s left. “It’s on the 27th. You… should come.” Derek’s eyes flicked to Alex’s and back again.

“Um, yeah man. I’ll be there.” Alex stated, unsure.

Derek nodded his head once, accepting this, and headed back up the stairs. Back to Stiles.