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Stiles Stilinski had always been loud. Too loud, Derek thought sometimes, though not in a bad way. It was just... Stiles filled the silence with his words, his laughter, even his nervous rambling. It was something Derek had grown used to over the months they had been spending together, something he had come to crave.
But recently, Stiles had gone quiet. Not completely, he was still Stiles, after all, but there was a weight to him now. His laughter didn’t quite reach his eyes, his jokes felt forced, and there were long silences where there hadn’t been before.
At first, Derek thought it was nothing. Stiles had his own life, his own worries, and Derek wasn’t the kind of person to pry. But then the distance started to creep in. Stiles wasn’t coming over as often. When he did, he made excuses to leave early. The texts that used to come in rapid succession now arrived sporadically, sometimes not at all.
It wasn’t until one night, when Stiles canceled their plans for the third time in a week, that Derek realized something was wrong.
Stiles hadn’t been sleeping. Derek could tell by the shadows under his eyes when they saw each other during pack meetings. He looked thinner too, like he hadn’t been eating much. And every time Derek tried to talk to him, Stiles would brush it off with a joke or a quick excuse before disappearing again.
It was driving Derek insane.
Finally, Derek decided he couldn’t take it anymore. He cornered Stiles one evening at the loft, refusing to let him dodge the conversation again.
“Stiles, we need to talk.”
Stiles froze, his hand halfway to grabbing his backpack. “Uh, okay? What about?”
Derek crossed his arms, his jaw tight. “About you. About what’s going on.”
“Nothing’s going on,” Stiles said too quickly, avoiding Derek’s gaze. “I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine.” Derek’s voice softened, but it still held an edge of frustration. “You’ve been avoiding me. Avoiding everyone. You’re barely eating, barely sleeping. Something’s wrong.”
Stiles let out a bitter laugh, running a hand through his hair. “Wow, you really are observant, huh? Guess those wolf senses come in handy.”
“Don’t do that,” Derek snapped, his patience thinning. “Don’t make a joke out of this. Just tell me what’s wrong.”
Stiles clenched his jaw, his shoulders tense. “Why do you care, Derek? I’m just the annoying token human who tags along because I don’t have any cool powers or a pack bond or whatever.”
Derek’s eyes narrowed. “Is that what you think?”
“I don’t think, Derek,” Stiles shot back, his voice rising. “I know. You don’t have to keep pretending to put up with me, okay? I get it. I’ll stop bothering you.”
“Bothering me?” Derek repeated, his voice sharp with disbelief. “Stiles, what the hell are you talking about?”
Stiles laughed again, but it was a hollow, broken sound. “I’m talking about the fact that I’ve been in love with you for months, and it doesn’t matter because we’re not even dating, and I’m just making a fool of myself thinking we’re more than we are.”
The words hung in the air, heavy and raw.
Derek stared at Stiles, stunned. “You think we’re not dating?”
Stiles’ face twisted, like he was trying not to cry. “Of course we’re not, Derek. You’re... you. And I’m just me. Why would you—”
“Stop,” Derek said, stepping closer. His voice was firm, but his expression had softened. “Stiles, we are dating.”
Stiles blinked, his breath hitching. “What?”
“I thought you knew,” Derek said quietly, guilt flickering in his eyes. “I thought... the time we’ve spent together, the things we’ve done, the way I feel about you... It’s not something I’ve done with anyone else. I thought it was obvious.”
Stiles shook his head, his voice breaking. “How was I supposed to know, Derek? You don’t talk about feelings. You barely talk at all. I thought you were just tolerating me because I wouldn’t leave you alone.”
Derek reached out, his hand gently cupping Stiles’ cheek. “I’m sorry. I’m not good at this... at saying things. But I thought I was showing you.”
Stiles closed his eyes, leaning into the touch. “You have to tell me, Derek. I can’t read your mind.”
“I know,” Derek said softly. “I’ll do better. I promise.”
Stiles let out a shaky breath, a tear slipping down his cheek. “You really... you really feel the same way?”
Derek wiped the tear away with his thumb, his gaze steady. “I do. I love you, Stiles. I’ve been in love with you for a long time.”
Stiles let out a laugh, this one full of relief and warmth. “God, I'm such an idiot.”
Derek’s lips twitched into a small smile. “Maybe. But your my idiot.”
Stiles wrapped his arms around Derek, holding him tight. And for the first time in weeks, the heavy weight on his chest lifted, replaced by something lighter. Something that felt a lot like hope.