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“Derek?” Derek glances up as Stiles walks over, having heard him approach. “Why are you out here alone? In the middle of the night?”
Derek shrugs, holding his knees a bit closer to his chest.
“Are you seriously giving me the silent treatment right now? After all we’ve been through?” When Derek doesn’t say anything, Stiles huffs and sits down beside the naked man. “So… Have you finally got the full shifting thing under control?”
“Not really,” Derek says after a moment, staring out into the open field in front of them.
“But tonight’s not a full moon.”
“No, it’s not.” He can practically hear Stiles frown, smelling the concern wafting off of him. “It’s just a constant itch that needs to be scratched. I’ve held back for a few weeks and I just… I needed to let it out.”
“I’m not judging you, Derek.” Stiles’s voice becomes soft, gentle. It eases some of the tension that Derek didn’t even realize he had. “Here.” Derek glances over when he hears shuffling and sees Stiles pulling off his plaid shirt. He raises a brow when Stiles hands it over, knowing it won’t fit. “You can at least put it over your shoulders. Maybe.” Derek does so and mutters a quiet ‘thank you’ to Stiles.
They don’t speak again for a while, just listening to the sounds of the night. Derek glances at Stiles at one point, surprised that the boy isn’t babbling his head off. But he can see Stiles slowly blinking, barely staying awake. He moves closer and wraps his arm around Stiles, letting him lean against him.
“Mm… I’m not sleeping out here tonight,” Stiles mumbles.
“Mmhmm.” Derek smiles softly because he knows Stiles will. He was gone most of the day looking for Derek. Derek had shifted suddenly helping him study for an exam and run off. Normally, Derek wouldn’t have run off, but it was in the middle of the day at a park and it had startled him. He’d run deep into the woods, but circled back a bit and laid down a few hours before Stiles found him. “I’ll make sure you’re back in your bed before the sun comes up.”
Stiles hums in response before he sags against Derek, his breathing slow and deep. Derek kisses the top of Stiles’s head, feeling at ease again. As if nothing had ever happened.