Like it or Not

I don't know how

Derek poured the last little bit from the wine bottle into his glass as he listened to Elijah and Stiles banter about work. He had been listening to them compare projects and horrible designers for the last half hour. Derek held up his hand to call for another bottle of wine when Elijah caught his arm, lowering it.

"Derek, you've had a lot, maybe it's time to slow down. You know how red wine gives you headaches if you have too much," Elijah's tone was gentle.

Derek snatched his hand away, "I'm fine."

Elijah's brows knit together in a concerned scowl.

"He's right, babe, you drank that second bottle on your own," Stiles placed his hand over Derek's.

Derek pulled away from Stiles as well. "I said I'm fine."

Stiles clenched his jaw so as to not spout any snide remarks. Playing Derek's boyfriend in front of someone Derek had been with for so long was too hard. He couldn't be Elijah.

A shrill ringing pulled Derek and Stiles' attention to Elijah.

"Oh, my apologies," He pulled out his phone, silencing the ringing. "I should take this, it's Declan."

Elijah stepped away from the table, leaving Stiles and Derek alone.

A moment of silence hung between them.

"Are you okay?" Stiles finally asked, steeling himself long enough to not snap at Derek.

"Other than the fact that you're bonding with my ex-boyfriend? I'm great," Derek snapped, tipping back the last of his glass of wine.

"I'm not bonding. I'm getting through this dinner as painlessly as possible and I thought talking about work would be the way to do that," Stiles snapped back, being sure to keep his voice low so the nearby patrons didn't hear.

"Could you seem a little less interested?" Derek snapped again, leaning closer to Stiles.

"Could you act like my touch doesn't burn you?" Stiles growled back, "I'm trying here, but you're acting like I'm also an ex-boyfriend."

"You might end up being one if he has his way," Derek reached for his wine glass and then huffed when he realized it was empty.

"We're not actually together, what part of that aren't you getting?" Stiles waved a fork between the two of them as he went for a bite of the last bit of steak on his plate.

"The part where we're supposed to act like we are."

"I am acting, but you won't even acknowledge me and then just get pissed when I so much as look at Elijah," Stiles threw his hand up, leaning back in his chair.

"That's not true."

"It might as well be. I don't know what you want from me," Stiles rubbed his temples. He was beginning to understand why Elijah broke up with Derek.

"I just want to be left alone," Derek blurted, his voice still low enough to keep their conversation private. He reached for his empty wine glass again and then set it down in defeat upon remembering it was empty.

Stiles raised his brows at Derek as he leaned forward.

"I don't know how to do this, okay? I don't know how to be with you in front of him. I don't know how to be around him. I don't know how to be with you. This is too hard," Derek waved a hand around. He knew he needed to stop talking but the wine kept moving his lips.

"I agreed to be here for you. If you don't want me to be here then-"

"I do," Derek cut in. He closed his eyes and cursed the wine. "I need you here."