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He heard the foot steps across the loft. The downside of the architecture was that every little sound was amplified 10 fold when you were pissed off, or when your wolf like hearing was in over drive from the fight that you'd just had with your girlfriend.
No.
Ex-girlfriend. Might as start getting used to that adjective. She was leaving and made it clear in no uncertain terms that she wasn't coming back. Staring at the ceiling as he heard the door slam shut, he winced as it rebounded back open. He'd have to fix the latch later. The Harpies apparently did more than just unhinge the door.
Slipping the earphones of his phone in, he thumbed through the Brit Pop playlist Lydia had snuck on to break up the sheer volume of rock he possessed.
Incompatible, it don't matter though
'cos someone's bound to hear my cry
Speak out if you do
You're not easy to find
Sighing, he rolled over, and groaned when he heard someone sliding the door open.
"Derek? You home? Just about got run over by Braeden on her way out."
Rolling out of bed, he looked over the railing and saw a crestfallen Stiles looking around like a lost little boy.
Is it possible Mr. Loveable
Is already in my life?
Right in front of me
Or maybe you're in disguise
Thumbing the pause button, he pulled the earphones out, setting the traitorous device on his bedside table, and tossing the earphones on the bed. Casting a side long look at it, he caught the title as the screen went dark. Raising an eyebrow, he moved to the stairs.
"Yeah I'm up here. What's up?"
Hand in his pockets, Stiles just shrugged. Tears pooled in the corner of his eyes, threatening to spill down his cheeks. Feeling his frown deepen, Derek tentatively reached out to place a hand on Stiles' shoulder. As the younger man came completely undone, he pulled Stiles into a firm hug, letting him just dissolve.
"What's wrong? Did someone..."
With Kate still out there calling for their blood it was a reasonable concern.
Feeling him shake his head, Derek pulled back as Stiles frantically wiped the tears from his face.
"No. Malia and I...we just..."
Giving a sad half smile.
"Yeah. Me and Braeden just..."
"Dude?!?"
"Yeah. Dude."
Hearing the song start up again, Derek's eyes were cast heavenwards.
Who doesn't long for someone to hold
Who knows how to love you without being told
Somebody tell me why I'm on my own
If there's a soulmate for everyone
"Just a second. Let me grab that phone. I have beer in the fridge."
"I'm still underage."
"And that stopped you when."
"Good point. You want one?"
"Sure."
Here we are again, circles never end
How do I find the perfect fit
There's enough for everyone
But I'm still waiting in line
Leaping straight up and over the railing he powered down his phone to keep it from playing. He could have sworn he'd paused it. Then again, with the number of deaths in the building, he wouldn't be at all shocked if there were ghosts haunting him and this was their payback. Still...it was an enjoyable song at least.
Taking the stairs down, he took the opened beer and flopped down on the couch, stretching his leg across the middle cushion. Watching as Stiles folded himself on the far cushion, legs bent in awkward angles, Derek sighed and took a long pull from his beer. Moments like this he lamented his inability to get drunk.
"You wanna talk about it."
Derek nudged Stiles who just shook his head, playing with the neck of his beer bottle. Watching his young friend wrap his lips around the beer bottle and taking a slow drink of it. Feeling his cheeks warm as Stiles' Adam's apple bobbed as he drank, he looked down and away quickly before getting caught. Taking a sip of his own, he shook his head to clear away the image.
"She said I couldn't love her."
"Who?"
"Malia. After we came back from Mexico. She said I couldn't love her. I could like her. We could be close friends, but I'd never be able to love her."
Derek grunted. The werecoyote had even fewer social skills than he did.
"Progress?"
"Yeah." Stiles clinked his beer against Derek's. "Progress."
Derek took a swig of his beer.
"I'm too obsessed with a Pack that isn't even mine to lead."
"What the...? Who cares if we're not your Pack to lead. We're still Pack?!?"
Derek threw his hands up as if to say, 'Thank The Lord, Someone Gets It.'
"I tried explaining that to her, but I just got a hostile glare and she demanded her fee for finding Kate."
"She didn't find Kate."
"No...so I may or may not have insinuated that the only thing the money got me was sex so..."
"You didn't."
Derek hangs his head.
"Not my proudest moment."
"Well. If you're going to break up with someone..."
Taking a sip of his beer, he give Stiles a look as his foot makes contact with his cell phone.
Who doesn't long for someone to hold
Who knows how to love you without being told
Somebody tell me why I'm on my own
If there's a soulmate for everyone
Fumbling in his pocket, he watches as two patches of colour rose on Stiles' cheeks. Snorting, he pulled out his phone.
If there's a soulmate for everyone
"I take it Lydia's Brit Popped your phone at least once or twice."
"Are you kidding? She wrote a program so only she can change out my music. I'm at the mercy of a strawberry blonde size 6 with a sense of whimsy that borders on the psychotic. Yeah. She's Brit Popped my phone."
Derek relaxed into the couch a bit more, stretching out, as Stiles did the same, stretching out his legs to rest on Derek's lap.
"Who did she say you were in love with."
Stiles looked away and mumbled something under his breath.
"Hmm? Even with my hearing back I didn't quite catch that."
"She seems to think I'm in love with you."
Derek's eyes went wide. Thumb twitching, the music blurted out.
Most relationships seem so transitory
They're all good but not the permanent one
Pausing again, he looked at Stiles who looked like he wanted to die right then and there. Swallowing nervously, as Stiles started to shift to get up, he rested his hand gently on Stiles' shin. Giving it a light squeeze and a sheepish smile, he absentmindedly traced the triskelion pattern on Stiles' leg.
"Would that be a bad thing?"
"I don't...I mean...you're...and I'm..."
Moving his hand back, he all but flinched as Stiles took it and squeezed, an intent look in his eyes.
Leaning forward, Derek placed a hesitant kiss on Stiles' lips. A quick blink-and-you-miss-it kiss, but there was a definite move there. Pulling back with inhuman speed, he watched as a million conflicting emotions danced across Stiles' face. Sitting up and leaning forward, Derek buried his face in his hands, letting his phone drop to the floor. As the song started up again where it left off, he felt Stiles hands softly caress his cheek.
Looking into the shining depths, he saw himself reflected in Stiles eyes, once again brimming with unshed tears. Pressing a more firm kiss to his lips, he relaxed into the feeling of the music.
Who doesn't long for someone to hold
Who knows how to love you without being told
Somebody tell me why I'm on my own
If there's a soulmate for everyone
Wrapping his arms around Stiles, he felt the human cling to him for dear life. Not pushing past the simple kiss, he felt their grip on each other get impossibly tighter. Feeling his own tears join the dampness on his cheeks, their kisses turned salty as they kissed away each other's pain.
Who doesn't long for someone to hold
Who knows how to love you without being told
Somebody tell me why I'm on my own
If there's a soulmate for everyone
If there's a soulmate for everyone
Breaking the kiss with a heavy pant, Derek pressed his forehead to Stiles. With a soft kiss down Stiles cheeks, the tear tracks fading to the impression of soft lips and stubble, he smiled softly.
"I can't be your rebound guy Stiles...I don't have it in me to be your rebound guy."
Feeling Stiles move to curl up in his arms, he felt a knot release in his chest.
"You're not my rebound guy Derek. You're my guy."
Wrapping his arms around Stiles, he stretched out on the couch, and let the night fall.