Fic: Derek and the Unnecessary Pining (6/14)
Title: Derek and the Unnecessary Pining
Series: Bizarre Love Polyhedron
Rating: PG-13
Genres: Humor, Angst
Setting: Post Season 3A
Pairings: Stiles/Derek, background Scott/Stiles, Scott/Isaac/Allison, Lydia/Aiden, Danny/Ethan, implied Scott&Stiles&Derek
Wordcount: 910 (this chapter); ~18k total
Beta: percygranger
Stiles is unfairly attractive, Scott is terrifyingly earnest, and Cora is a brat. Derek just wants them to leave him alone so he can finish reading his book. Is that so much to ask?
Chapter 1: Back to Bacon Hills
Chapter 2: Pity Party
Chapter 3: Awkward
Chapter 4: Guardian
Chapter 5: It’s Not Stalking, Really
Chapter 6: Giving Advice
The next morning, Derek woke up to an empty apartment. Sunlight was streaming through the windows and burning Derek’s eyelids. His mouth tasted less like death than it had yesterday, and the mattress was much more comfortable than the shingles had been, but he still opened his eyes reluctantly, blinking up at the ceiling for a few moments. He didn’t move right away, just breathed through his nose, cataloging the familiar smells of the loft, of Cora, of sour milk from the poorly rinsed carton in the recycle. He curled his toes, tensed and relaxed his leg and core muscles to get the blood flowing again.
Letting out a soft grunt, Derek rolled over to grab his phone off the floor, and swiped the screen to check his notifications.
3 unread text messages
From Cora: omg we still dont have milk go to the grocery store already!
From Cora: im getting breakfast somewhere fend for yourself loser
From Scott: Sorry about Friday
Derek was still blinking at Scott’s text when his phone started signaling an incoming call.
“Yes?” Derek answered, his voice still rough with sleep.
Scott’s voice was laced with panic when he spoke. “I haven’t seen Stiles today, is he with you?”
Derek frowned. “What? No.”
“Crap. I think he’s avoiding me.”
Derek raised an eyebrow. Not that Scott could see it. “You’re surprised?”
Scott was silent for a beat. “I want to make sure he’s okay.”
Derek collapsed back onto his pillows. “A little late for that, don’t you think?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Derek snorted. “I think after being dumped by his boyfriend, Stiles is probably a little upset.”
“Dumped?” Scott sucked in a sharp breath. “Who told you that?”
“No one, I-”
“Was it Stiles?”
“No.” Derek pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. “No one told me. It’s obvious.”
“How is it obvious?” Scott squeaked. “Never mind. That’s not why I called. Do you think he skipped school just to avoid me?”
“No,” Derek said, holding up a hand to shield against the sun shining in his eyes. “What time is it?”
Scott sounded confused when he answered. “12:07, why?”
“He’s probably eating lunch.”
“Yeah, that’s why I called. It’s lunchtime and he’s not in the cafeteria.”
Derek sighed. He had just woken up. He didn’t need to deal with this bullshit. “So?”
“So, he’s not outside either. So where is he?”
“This is Stiles. Where does he go when he’s avoiding people?”
“Uh… The library?”
“Then check there,” Derek said, irritation coloring his tone. “And don’t bother him. If he’s avoiding you, it’s for a reason.”
“Oh,” Scott said. “Uh. Thanks, Derek.”
Derek rolled his eyes and pressed the end call button.
***
Seven hours later, Derek got a series of text messages from Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb.
From Aiden: operation cheer up styles is go
From Ethan: what my brother means to say is
From Ethan: come over to stile’s house for portal and pizza
From Aiden: that’s what i just said
From Aiden: also we don’t have pizza yet just chinese food
From Ethan: so come early if you want to decide what goes on the pizza
***
Derek ended up lurking in the corner while Stiles stuffed his face with crab cheese wontons, Ethan and Aiden completely failed to make any progress in the video game they were playing, and Lydia made snide comments.
Stiles ran up to his room shortly after Isaac arrived, and Allison headed up after him. In deference to Lydia and Danny, who couldn’t eavesdrop on the conversation, the twins kept the television volume turned up until Allison came back downstairs, beaming.
“He’ll be okay,” she said.
“We should give him some space,” Derek said.
Six pairs of eyes turned to him. Lydia was the first one to speak. “Obviously. Aiden, can you put the leftovers in the fridge while I turn off the TV?” She turned her laser focus onto Aiden, who immediately snapped to attention and scrambled off the couch. The others sprang to life soon after, Ethan wiping down the counters with a paper towel, Danny putting the game back in its case, and Isaac and Allison gathering everyone’s belongings and handing them off to their corresponding owners.
Derek frowned to himself as he gathered up the paper plates to throw in the trash. No one had ever followed his advice this well back when he was alpha.
Once Isaac had delivered a shy parting wave and closed the front door behind himself, Derek headed out to the back to check on Stiles. He was sitting at his desk, laptop open to some Wikipedia page about rabbits. For the first time in days, he seemed, more or less, content. Satisfied, Derek climbed back down, silently dropping to a crouch in the grass. He detoured inside to snag one last piece of pizza from the fridge before heading back to the loft.
***
Derek dropped by the Stilinski house just before midnight over the next few days. On Tuesday, Stiles was fast asleep, huddled in a ball because at some point, the covers had slipped off the bed. Derek readjusted them and shut the window behind him.
On Wednesday, Stiles was downstairs, watching something on the television. Probably waiting for his dad to get home.
On Thursday, Stiles and Scott were curled up together on Stiles’ bed, and both of them smelled warm, comfortable, content.
Derek didn’t bother checking after that.
Chapter 7: Odd Behavior
Series: Bizarre Love Polyhedron
Rating: PG-13
Genres: Humor, Angst
Setting: Post Season 3A
Pairings: Stiles/Derek, background Scott/Stiles, Scott/Isaac/Allison, Lydia/Aiden, Danny/Ethan, implied Scott&Stiles&Derek
Wordcount: 910 (this chapter); ~18k total
Beta: percygranger
Stiles is unfairly attractive, Scott is terrifyingly earnest, and Cora is a brat. Derek just wants them to leave him alone so he can finish reading his book. Is that so much to ask?
Chapter 1: Back to Bacon Hills
Chapter 2: Pity Party
Chapter 3: Awkward
Chapter 4: Guardian
Chapter 5: It’s Not Stalking, Really
Chapter 6: Giving Advice
The next morning, Derek woke up to an empty apartment. Sunlight was streaming through the windows and burning Derek’s eyelids. His mouth tasted less like death than it had yesterday, and the mattress was much more comfortable than the shingles had been, but he still opened his eyes reluctantly, blinking up at the ceiling for a few moments. He didn’t move right away, just breathed through his nose, cataloging the familiar smells of the loft, of Cora, of sour milk from the poorly rinsed carton in the recycle. He curled his toes, tensed and relaxed his leg and core muscles to get the blood flowing again.
Letting out a soft grunt, Derek rolled over to grab his phone off the floor, and swiped the screen to check his notifications.
3 unread text messages
From Cora: omg we still dont have milk go to the grocery store already!
From Cora: im getting breakfast somewhere fend for yourself loser
From Scott: Sorry about Friday
Derek was still blinking at Scott’s text when his phone started signaling an incoming call.
“Yes?” Derek answered, his voice still rough with sleep.
Scott’s voice was laced with panic when he spoke. “I haven’t seen Stiles today, is he with you?”
Derek frowned. “What? No.”
“Crap. I think he’s avoiding me.”
Derek raised an eyebrow. Not that Scott could see it. “You’re surprised?”
Scott was silent for a beat. “I want to make sure he’s okay.”
Derek collapsed back onto his pillows. “A little late for that, don’t you think?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Derek snorted. “I think after being dumped by his boyfriend, Stiles is probably a little upset.”
“Dumped?” Scott sucked in a sharp breath. “Who told you that?”
“No one, I-”
“Was it Stiles?”
“No.” Derek pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. “No one told me. It’s obvious.”
“How is it obvious?” Scott squeaked. “Never mind. That’s not why I called. Do you think he skipped school just to avoid me?”
“No,” Derek said, holding up a hand to shield against the sun shining in his eyes. “What time is it?”
Scott sounded confused when he answered. “12:07, why?”
“He’s probably eating lunch.”
“Yeah, that’s why I called. It’s lunchtime and he’s not in the cafeteria.”
Derek sighed. He had just woken up. He didn’t need to deal with this bullshit. “So?”
“So, he’s not outside either. So where is he?”
“This is Stiles. Where does he go when he’s avoiding people?”
“Uh… The library?”
“Then check there,” Derek said, irritation coloring his tone. “And don’t bother him. If he’s avoiding you, it’s for a reason.”
“Oh,” Scott said. “Uh. Thanks, Derek.”
Derek rolled his eyes and pressed the end call button.
***
Seven hours later, Derek got a series of text messages from Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb.
From Aiden: operation cheer up styles is go
From Ethan: what my brother means to say is
From Ethan: come over to stile’s house for portal and pizza
From Aiden: that’s what i just said
From Aiden: also we don’t have pizza yet just chinese food
From Ethan: so come early if you want to decide what goes on the pizza
***
Derek ended up lurking in the corner while Stiles stuffed his face with crab cheese wontons, Ethan and Aiden completely failed to make any progress in the video game they were playing, and Lydia made snide comments.
Stiles ran up to his room shortly after Isaac arrived, and Allison headed up after him. In deference to Lydia and Danny, who couldn’t eavesdrop on the conversation, the twins kept the television volume turned up until Allison came back downstairs, beaming.
“He’ll be okay,” she said.
“We should give him some space,” Derek said.
Six pairs of eyes turned to him. Lydia was the first one to speak. “Obviously. Aiden, can you put the leftovers in the fridge while I turn off the TV?” She turned her laser focus onto Aiden, who immediately snapped to attention and scrambled off the couch. The others sprang to life soon after, Ethan wiping down the counters with a paper towel, Danny putting the game back in its case, and Isaac and Allison gathering everyone’s belongings and handing them off to their corresponding owners.
Derek frowned to himself as he gathered up the paper plates to throw in the trash. No one had ever followed his advice this well back when he was alpha.
Once Isaac had delivered a shy parting wave and closed the front door behind himself, Derek headed out to the back to check on Stiles. He was sitting at his desk, laptop open to some Wikipedia page about rabbits. For the first time in days, he seemed, more or less, content. Satisfied, Derek climbed back down, silently dropping to a crouch in the grass. He detoured inside to snag one last piece of pizza from the fridge before heading back to the loft.
***
Derek dropped by the Stilinski house just before midnight over the next few days. On Tuesday, Stiles was fast asleep, huddled in a ball because at some point, the covers had slipped off the bed. Derek readjusted them and shut the window behind him.
On Wednesday, Stiles was downstairs, watching something on the television. Probably waiting for his dad to get home.
On Thursday, Stiles and Scott were curled up together on Stiles’ bed, and both of them smelled warm, comfortable, content.
Derek didn’t bother checking after that.
Chapter 7: Odd Behavior