Losing my Mind

Chapter 24: Hale...

He put his legs in charge of his movements, not caring where he would end up and about an hour later he showed up at the loft.

He was confused as to why he would come here but he did, maybe it's because he knew he was going to the loft after his walk, a subconscious decision, he scratched his cheek and realised there were tears running down his face.

He tried to force himself to remember when he had started crying but nothing came up.

Maybe I do need a bit of company...

He quickly rubbed his face, forcing the tears to end and wiping the salty liquid off of his pale cheeks.

He composed himself, willing himself to look normal before walking up to the door and knocking.

He waited a few minutes before the door swung open revealing a very irritable Peter.

" Derek! Your weirdo friend is here!" He yelled after examining Stiles for a moment.

" Which one? " Derek yelled back.

He has friends?

" That hyperactive spastic one!"

"Stiles? " Derek shouted back confused.

" Yeah!"

"You know I'm right here" Stiles said in frustration.

"Oh I know" Peter said with a smirk, he fully opened the door in order to let Stiles in, "He's upstairs, the first door to the right"

"Thanks " Stiles said heading for the stairs.

Peter examined Stiles as he walked up the stairs, felt the emotions flowing from him like a Tsunami, listened to his weird, erratic and off beat heartbeat, his rough breathing as though he was struggling, saw the slight limp and smelled a faint odour that he couldn't pinpoint, it wasn't bad, it was actually pleasant, but he wasn't sure it was a good smell either.

Stiles walked into the room to find it empty, he walked further into it, looking at his surroundings and at everything I the room.

As he picked up an odd picture in a black frame he heard someone clear their throat behind him, he jumped back into the desk, dropping the picture.

" Hey, uhm, Peter said you were in here" Stiles said still pressed against the desk.

" I was but I had to fetch something from the other room" Derek said while putting a bag on the bed, "Aren't you supposed to be in school?"

" Yeah, something happened and I had to... leave..." Stiles said moving off the desk and sitting on a chair.

" What happened? " Derek asked sitting on the bed and facing Stiles.

Stiles' heartbeat quickened, "Uhm.."

He didn't know what to say.

"It's nothing really" He said looking at the floor trying to calm his heart.

"Doesn't seem like nothing" Derek said looking intensely at Stiles.

Stiles glanced up at him and regretted it immediately, Derek was giving Stiles his full attention; something he never did, and that angered Stiles because he knew if he wasn't in the state that he was in Derek would've ignored him or something of the sort.

Stiles looked down and shook his head slightly, forcing a smile to hide his actual emotions.

While looking at the floor his eye caught sight of the picture, leaning over he picked it up.

"I broke your frame" Stiles said stiffly examining the picture, he knew that picture anywhere, he had drawn it.

"Where'd you get this drawing?" He asked hesitantly.

"Found it in the woods, it's great isn't it" Derek said smiling a little.

"Yeah, it's alright" Stiles said handing Derek the framed artwork.

Stiles took his wallet out of his pocket and handed Derek $10.

"What's this for?" Derek asked examining Stiles.

"It's for the frame ...sorry" Stiles said as he started to stand.

" You don't have to pay for it" Derek stood while putting the money in Stiles' hand.

" I want to" Stiles said trying to hand it back but Derek refused so he put it down on the desk and started walking for the door.

" What are you doing?" Derek asked.

" I'm leaving" Stiles said, rummaging through his bag for the papers he printed out, " I have to go somewhere, oh.. and.." He pulled the papers out of his bag and handed them to Derek, "This is all I could find on the Oni, Kitsunes and Nogitsunes, I couldn't find anymore, sorry"

" Thanks Stiles" Derek said as he looked at the stack of papers, there were loads of information there, Stiles headed for the door again, "By the way, I know you just lied about having to go somewhere" Derek said making Stiles stop in his tracks, he looked around at Derek with an almost pained expression.

" What's happened to you? You used to be so hyperactive and now it's like you're... broken" Derek said concerned, " Scott came to me the other day saying that you're not yourself and you haven't talked to him about anything. Stiles he's your best friend. He's worried about you"

Stiles looked down feeling empty.

" You're right, he is my best friend and that's exactly why he doesn't need to know everything" Stiles said stiffly, "Why everyone else doesn't need to know"

"Why'd you come here then?" Derek asked loudly.

"You wanted information, so I gave it to you" Stiles shrugged as Derek placed the papers on his bed.

"Okay, now what's the real reason?" Derek walked closer to Stiles, folding his arms.

" ... You were the only one who didn't seem to care" And with that said he walked out of the room leaving Derek stunned.

He followed Stiles out the door and down the stairs.

" Leaving already?" Peter asked putting his book down.

" Yeah, I have to go " Stiles said letting himself out.

The door closed and Derek turned to Peter exasperated.

" You heard? "

" Every last word" Peter said smugly, standing up.

"Good, we need to tell Scott"

******

As soon as Stiles got home he went up to his room, tears streaming down his face.

I don't want pitty! Especially not from Derek!

Stiles let out a shout of anger and punched the wall next to his bedroom door, his fist connected with the wall, pain exploding up his arm as his hand broke through the wall.

He pulled his arm out of the wall only to find that the bangage had moved and showed a few new cuts and some older ones that opened again.

" Shit" He mumbled grabbing his arm.