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"I don’t understand how you can do that," Scott says, looking at Stiles in confusion.
"How I can do what?" Stiles asks, equally bemused.
"How you can spend the entire class period arguing with Derek," Scott clarifies, and now it’s Stiles’ turn to look at him oddly.
"Dude, it’s debate," Stiles replies, frowning. "Arguing’s kind of the point."
"But he’s your partner,” Scott says, and okay, maybe he does have a bit of a point. “You’re supposed to argue with the other team.”
"I - he just - he debates everything the wrong way,” Stiles whines, slumping against Scott’s shoulder. “Like today! He spent way too much time tearing down the other team’s argument and nearly didn’t leave enough time to properly develop our own! We almost lost!”
"Dude, it wasn’t even a practice debate," Scott replies. "You guys were supposed to be watching and taking notes on last year’s national championship final."
"Scottie, Lydia’s team won last year. I have the video practically memorized,” Stiles snorts, clapping Scott on the shoulder. “And although I may have struck out this year, next year she’s totally gonna be my new debate partner. Just you wait and see.”
Stiles and Scott both jump as Derek slams the door behind him when he leaves the debate room.
"Jesus, what is his problem?" Stiles mutters.
Scott shrugs.
—-
"Well, if we focused more on the cuts to NASA’s funding and how - " Derek argues, but Stiles interrupts him with a groan.
"Oh my god, would you just shut up about NASA already?” Stiles snaps, flailing a hand at Derek.
“Shut up about NASA?” Derek replies, scowling. “NASA’s one of our main points!”
"No, NASA’s one of your main points,” Stiles retorts, folding his arms over his chest.
"Well, in case you haven’t noticed, teams are supposed to have the same points,” Derek snaps, grabbing the Scientific American article out of Stiles’ hands. “So maybe it’s about time you found a different partner.”
"You know what? Fine!" Stiles hisses, slamming his laptop shut and shoving it into his bag. "It shouldn’t be too hard. After all, anyone’s better than you!”
"Fine!" Derek yells, but Stiles barely hears him as he storms out of the classroom.
—-
"Aren’t they just disgusting?" Stiles grumbles to Scott, eyeing Derek and his new debate partner from across the room.
"Who?" Scott asks, looking up from his notes. "Derek and Paige?"
"Seriously, though, how the hell did he get Paige when I’m stuck with Greenberg?" Stiles groans, running a hand through his messy hair.
"Hey, well, at least this probably means that Coach thinks you’re the better debater, right? Because he’s trying to get your genius to balance out Greenberg’s… lack of genius," Scott says, and Stiles really does appreciate his efforts to cheer him up, but it’s so hard to look on the bright side when Derek’s right there, rubbing it in his face.
"Paige is way too good for a jerk like him," Stiles grumbles petulantly as Paige gives Derek the barest hint of a smile.
"Wait, you don’t have, like, a crush on her, do you?” Scott asks, his eyes widening.
"What? No!" Stiles squawks, giving Scott a bewildered look. "Lydia Martin’s the only girl for me. I just think that Paige is nice, and that she can do way better than someone like Derek Hale."
"Oh, okay. It’s cool, dude," Scott replies, looking oddly relieved. "I just wanted to make sure, because I’m pretty sure I saw them kissing outside the music room yesterday."
"Ugh," Stiles groans. "Please never use the words ‘Derek’ and ‘kissing’ in the same sentence again."
For some reason, however, Stiles can’t help but notice that what he’s feeling isn’t quite disgust. Fuck, he feels like he wants to punch something. Or someone.
Probably Derek.
—-
He and Greenberg don’t even make it to state, because Greenberg can’t debate his way out of a paper bag. Stiles had to prevent himself from just giving up and storming off nearly five times during the previous tournament. Even Scott’s going to state, but Stiles suspects that has more to do with the fact that his partner is Kira, and although she can hardly say five words to Scott without blushing or rambling, she’s ruthlessly competent once the clock starts ticking.
Even though he’s not participating, Stiles still goes to the state tournament, though, in order to cheer on the rest of the team. In fact, he’s almost excited when they get there, because watching Lydia debate seriously is probably going to be the highlight of his month.
Which actually says a lot more about how amazing Lydia is and not about his lack of social life, thank you very much.
"Stiles! Get your ass over here!" Stiles hears someone yell, making him turn around to find Cora, of all people, heading towards him.
"What?" he asks, confused. This is probably the most Cora’s ever said to him before.
"Derek’s looking for you," she answers, which really doesn’t make any sense.
"Uh, yeah, how about no? I don’t need to hear him brag about how he’s competing and I’m not," Stiles snorts, watching as Cora gives him an odd look.
"That’s not what this is about," Cora replies, hands on her hips. "Derek got a phone call and started freaking out. Said it was an emergency."
"Ugh, fine. I’m coming," Stiles sighs, although he can’t help but admit that he’s reluctantly curious now.
"Stiles," Derek says once they find him, standing near the bathrooms. "You have to read through these sources within the next half hour. You’re my new partner."
“What?" Stiles explains, staring at Derek incredulously. "Dude, you can’t just - what?”
"Paige’s mother just called. She got into a car crash while driving over," Derek replies stiffly.
"Fuck, dude, I’m sorry - " Stiles says, wincing.
"Look, just read my notes and sources and be ready to compete in thirty minutes," Derek interrupts, holding out a stack of papers.
"Right," Stiles replies.
He reads them in twenty-five.
—-
"This must be what it feels like to get run over by a steamroller," Stiles moans as he slumps into a seat on the school bus the majority of the team had taken to get to the tournament.
Derek stares at Stiles for a moment, like he’s trying to figure out what the hell Stiles is doing voluntarily sitting next to him for a bus ride which will probably last for at least a few hours. Stiles is about to awkwardly go find another seat when Derek says, “I guess.”
"Dude, we just got our asses handed to us by Lydia Martin and Allison Argent in the final," Stiles snorts. "We were steamrolled."
"We held our own," Derek replies, shrugging.
"Not really," Stiles sighs, although he’s not actually that disappointed about losing. "I mean, I was completely unprepared. You and Paige would have probably done way better."
An uncomfortable silence falls over them, and Stiles winces, realizing that he probably shouldn’t have brought up Paige, considering she’s Derek’s girlfriend and is currently in the hospital.
"No, we wouldn’t have," Derek says suddenly, breaking the silence. "Paige and I don’t make a very good team."
"Yeah, well, you guys would probably do better if you spent your time researching instead of playing tonsil hockey," Stiles snorts, making Derek give him an odd look.
"Tonsil hockey?" Derek asks, scrunching his nose.
"Please, Scott saw you guys going at it outside the music room," Stiles answers, rolling his eyes.
"Oh, that," Derek says, his face flushing. "I’m not actually - it’s - she tried kissing me, but I’m, uh, interested in someone else, actually."
"Wait, really?" Stiles asks, surprised. "Huh."
"Yeah," Derek replies. "It’s made our partnership kind of… awkward."
They fall into an uncomfortable silence again.
"So are you saying that you wanna try being partners again?" Stiles asks, almost tentatively.
"No," Derek replies.
Stiles feels like someone’s just taken his heart and squeezed, although he can’t for the life of him understand why. He’s about to say something, but Derek continues.
"It would be even more awkward to try being partners with my crush, after all," Derek says.
Stiles stares, his mouth falling open.
"Wait, I’m your crush?” Stiles exclaims, completely thrown for a loop.
"Shit, this was a mistake," Derek mutters under his breath. "Just forget it."
"No, I mean - I - "
Stiles blinks. Suddenly everything he’s been feeling for the last few weeks makes sense.
"I like you too!" Stiles blurts out, and now it’s Derek’s turn to stare.
"You have a hell of a way of showing it," Derek finally replies.
"Well, how’s this for showing it?" Stiles asks.
He leans forward and smashes their lips together in what’s probably the most inelegant kiss in history. It’s rough and biting, and Stiles kind of feels like they’re arguing.
"So," he says once they break apart, his mouth throbbing and lips swollen. "Wanna see a movie on Saturday?"
"Only if I get to pick the film," Derek replies.
Stiles opens his mouth to argue, but then closes it again. He can live with that.