Foxgloves

rain and ivy

Once Stiles and Derek got back to the Camaro, he noticed that everyone had already left. Even his dad. The sky was getting dark as clouds rolled in, the leaves on the trees above them shaking in the wind. Stiles climbed into the passenger side, setting his glittering shoe up on the dashboard. Derek started the Camaro and headed towards the Vet Clinic. "What did my dad say while you guys were out?" Stiles asked.

      Derek looked at him, then to the road. "Nothing, really." His finger tapped on the wheel.

      "Derek c'mon. The father I had two days ago would've drug me away from by my feet before leaving me in the woods when people are going missing. Now he just leaves us alone and goes back to the station without a word?" Stiles huffed.

      "We just talked," Derek explained. "He said he didn't trust me and I just explained why he should. Or at least why he should uh trust you around me." Derek literally looked like he was going to throw up, and Stiles eyes went wide.

      "Did he threaten you?" Stiles questioned. Derek said nothing and Stiles groaned. "He did, didn't he? I'm so sorry, Derek, you aren't dangerous and he's just overprotective-"

      "Stiles. It's really okay, I don't blame him. But I promise it's okay now. He doesn't wanna blow my brains out and he doesn't mind us spending time together now." Derek shuffled awkwardly in his seat. "He knows I care, that's all he wanted to make sure of."

       That made Stiles' heart sink back into his stomach like lead. He knew his dad. And he imagined that conversation went something like 'If you even try something more with Stiles, I'll kill you.' Derek would've accepted, lied to Stiles about it, and leave him with this yearning forever. The fire burning in his chest would turn to a slow burn, boiling him alive and alone.

      Stiles stayed in his head the rest of the ride there, worrying about what his dad had or hadn't said. Anxiety was twisting in his gut like thorns. Stiles felt like him and Derek were finally getting somewhere and now his dad drilled some no sex rule or whatever the fuck into Derek's head. Maybe Derek was 26, and maybe Stiles thought he was a bit younger... but it didn't change anything. Stiles would be yelling at his dad tonight for sure. John and Claudia were almost ten years apart and they met in college, so he was not one to talk!

      "Stiles?" Derek asked, stopped at a red light half way into the town. "You smell anxious, what's wrong?"

      "Stop sniffing me," Stiles barked. "I'm sorry... I just. You would tell me what my dad said, right? I don't care what threats he gave you, please tell me he didn't freak you out or-or say anything weird?" Stiles was buzzing in his seat, his fingernails bleeding from his gnawing. He was silent once Derek grabbed his hand, pulling it from his mouth. He looked down at the blood pooling, and sighed, wiping it off with his thumb.

      "Hey, when I said don't worry, I mean it. Your dad was just confused. It's not an issue, and I swear I would tell you if it was." He smiled, letting himself go a bit, following his urge and sweeping the hair out of the boy's eyes, letting his hand slide down to cup Stiles' jaw. "And I meant it, what I said earlier, Stiles. You are beautiful... and you worry too much."

      Stiles heart stopped, he didn't know what to say with the sudden praise of his appearance, with the feeling of Derek's warm hand cradling his face. "T-Thanks," he nearly whimpered as their eyes locked together in a trance. That was until an angry driver blared their horn behind them. The light had turned green and Derek quickly snapped back, putting his hands on the wheel and attention to the road as they sped off.

      Stiles was sitting there like an empty shell trying to process everything that had happened. Derek was suddenly being so open? flirty even, and it was good? Bad? Stiles was getting a headache. That and the situation with his dad, then Derek's confession and affection... Stiles confused to say the least. He watched rain drops began to fall down outside as they pulled into the parking lot.