Work Text:
Derek was good with subtlety, and giving people privacy (unlike his boyfriend, he might add). But quite frankly, this was getting ridiculous. By this, he meant Theo and Liam. Liam and Theo. Or Leo, or Thiam, whatever that was.
On his first few weeks back to Beacon Hills - back home, Derek found out he and Theo worked surprisingly well together. Who could have guessed, them being murderous wolves and all.
It was just that Derek understood the guilt and the lost and the longing, he knew how it felt to be manipulated and used and turned into a monster - he knew so he acted normal til' one day Theo finally collapsed, in the backseat of his Camaro. He started talking, something 'bout Laura and their games before the fire until Theo's heatbeats became steady and he can finally breath properly.
Which was why he found himself in this ridiculous situation, in which he had to sit through an entire car ride with Theo and Liam and their ridiculous tension.
Scratch that, he had to sit through an entire car ride with Theo and Liam and their ridiculous sexual tension.
It was after a meeting with a neighbor pack, since Scott insisted they go in group of three - their group would be the fighters should anything went wrong - so Derek wasn't with Malia, or Stiles, like usual. Instead he went with Theo and Liam.
Bad choice here, Der-bear, he could practically hear Stiles voice in his head.
Theo rode shotgun while Liam was in the backseat. Derek scrunched his nose at their chemosignals - he could cut through their sexual tension with his claws. They must be drowning in their own scent, since apparently neither of them noticed the other's.
After that drive, Derek started to keep his eyes wide open. He didn't miss that soft fond look Liam sent at his friend when the chimera wasn't looking, nor did he miss that death glare in Theo's eyes every time Liam talked to a girl. He did not miss the smell coming from the young beta when Theo was sitting shirtless on Deaton's operation table, freshly healed wounds leaving pinkish whitish scars on his tanned skin, the smell that suggested something really interesting was going on down there between Liam's legs. And surely he didn't miss the way Theo reeked of distress, and sadness, and longing while watching Liam from afar.
So when Derek decided to screw subtlety and intervene, it was for the sake of his bestfriend, and his boyfriend bestfriend's beta, and his poor sensitive nose.
"Yesterday I saw Liam with a guy," He started, not necessary a lie - yesterday was a day and Liam could be seen with any guy in a day (he was picking up Stiles's logic, for sure.)
Theo didn't seem to realize that, the lovesick fool - not that Derek blamed him, and frozed, a small frown on his face.
"I didn't realize he swings that way." He finally said, calmed. Derek could see through his carefully masked expression to his chemosignal - a little hopeful, but mostly sadness and anger and hurt.
"Theo, buddy, he swings your way," Derek said, slowly, since his friend was kinda emotional right now and emotion could be a real bitch sometime - most of the time, to be exact.
"No he doesn't." Theo face was firmed, as if he was sure of what he said, and Derek realized it.
"You don't think you're deserved to be loved."
"What?" The chimera looked startled, his eyes dark, and Derek felt guilty, and slightly out-of-character (he should have said it was none of his bussiness and backed off, too late now.)
"Theo, I've been in your situation before. With Stiles. I didn't think I deserved it either. But everyone deserves a second chances, everyone deserves to have human feelings, to love and to be loved. You should give yourself that. Just - "
Derek meant for his speech to be cool and inspiring and whatsoever. It came out as a ramble, because honestly, he was just as constipated as Peter when it came to expressing feeling-related matters with words. Fortunately Theo didn't notice that. He didn't laugh at his stupidity (a proof that showed Theo had drastically changed.) He just sit there like a rabbit in the headlight. Finally, finally he stood up, excused himself.
"I've gotta go home."
He left quickly, too quickly, leaving Derek with the dawning realisation that as in home, he meant the Geyer's household.
It was heart-warming, really.
The next time he met the couple, they were holding hands, and his friend no longer smelt sad. Theo was smiling, real actual smiles that reached his eyes and lit his face up like the fucking sun.
So sometime you just have to screw subtlety.
