Like it or Not

Safe

Stiles shifted as he tried to focus on the models in front of him. He was rarely so distracted but the interaction with Derek earlier had him vibrating. He couldn't stop thinking about the kiss. It was different. It made him hopeful, which he knew was stupid. Derek Hale wasn't actually his. As soon as Elijah was gone, their relationship would end. He kept reminding himself of this, but his lips tingled with the memory of Derek and squashed any reality he tried to hold onto.

Elijah was surprisingly quiet throughout the photo shoot. There was no flirty edge to his tone like usual. It made Stiles wonder if it was something he'd said earlier. Part of him hoped it was. Part of him worried it was something that had happened at dinner with Derek.

"Do you have an outfit picked out for the charity event? I know how much Derek likes to coordinate," Elijah asked as he gathered his bag.

The models were clearing out, leaving only Stiles and Elijah.

"Yeah, we're doing Navy blue," Stiles answered proudly. He was finally starting to feel like he knew Derek well enough to be dating him.

"Huh. Navy?" Elijah frowned. "He always looked better in greens."

Stiles narrowed his eyes at Elijah but before he could respond, his phone rang.

"Ric, hey," Stiles answered enthusiastically.

"Hey, Stiles, I was calling to see if Derek had killed you or not," Alaric laughed into the phone.

"Surprisingly not." Stiles glanced towards where Elijah looked surprised and curious. He grabbed his notes and headed for the door, not wanting to continue this conversation in front of Elijah.

"I haven't gotten a panicked call from him telling me that he did something stupid, so I'm guessing everything is okay?"

Stiles glanced around the hall to make sure he was alone before answering.

"Honestly I don't know. He was super apologetic and then started being weird. We got into...not really an argument but sort of. I don't know Ric, he's so..." Stiles ran a hand over his face.

"I know, Stiles. I'm sorry he's being this way."

"But then he admitted to me that I made him feel safe and he said he was taking advantage of me."

Alaric was silent on the other end for a long moment before he spoke in an unsure tone. "He said you make him feel safe?"

Stiles' heart started to hammer in his chest. What if he'd misread Alaric's intentions? Elijah claimed he thought Alaric had feelings for Derek. He'd been sure that wasn't true. But what if it was and Alaric just didn't see Stiles as a threat? He took in a breath and timidly answered. "Yeah."

There was a moment of silence before Stiles heard a scoffed laugh.

"What's wrong? Is that...bad?"

"No...it's just..." Alaric trailed off, making Stiles' nerves heighten.

"Oh god, you're super in love with Derek, aren't you?" Stiles stopped walking down the hall. He leaned against the hallway wall, his head falling back against it.

"What? No. No. Not at all. I just...he talks highly of you and for him to admit that you make him feel safe is..."

Stiles waited anxiously for Alaric to continue.

"I'm just glad."

Frustration built up in Stiles' chest. "Alaric if there's something I need to know then, please tell me."

There was a long pause. "I just know you're not the biggest fan of him. And that's partly his fault. I just...want to know..." Another long pause.

"Want to know what?" Stiles pressed.

"Is he actually safe with you?"

Stiles froze. That had not been what he'd expected Alaric to say.

"I'm not asking you to love him. And I know this isn't real and you're just doing this to help him, but I need to know that you aren't gonna hurt him."

Stiles' stomach knotted. Alaric was right, it wasn't real, but Stiles was beginning to think that he did love him.

"I don't think he'd be the one getting hurt," Stiles answered quietly.

There was once again a long moment of silence before Alaric carefully asked, "Stiles, are you falling for Derek?"

"No. No. No. Of course not." Stiles answered too quickly.

"You are, aren't you?" Alaric pressed.

"No. I'm just- he's- we're- no." Stiles stumbled over his words. His heart was racing in his chest.

"Wow. I did not see that coming. That's why he feels safe with you, because he is."

"Alaric, you can't tell Derek this. He doesn't need to worry about my stupidity. I didn't realize this would happen. He's my boss. It shouldn't have happened. I know it's one-sided and that's fine. I let myself get too deep." Stiles rambled, desperation in his tone.

"I promise not to say anything, but maybe you should."

Stiles scoffed.

"You might find it's not so one-sided."

Stiles' heart leaped. "What?"

"Talk to him," Alaric suggested simply.

"But—"

"I have to go. Call me if anything happens."

"Ric, wait—" But the line went dead.

Stiles stared down at his phone. Did Alaric know something he didn't? Surely not. Derek had hardly talked to Alaric. There was no way he'd know anything. Maybe he just wanted what was best for Derek and he thought that was Stiles.

He pushed himself off the wall and started for the office. Brushing his fingers over his lips, he recalled the kiss from earlier. What if Derek did have feelings for him? He shook the thought from his mind. Tomorrow night was the charity event and he still had a lot to do. He couldn't think about his feelings for Derek or the possibility that Derek might feel the same.

He stepped into the office to see Derek sitting at his desk, phone to his ear, a smile on his face as he chatted up whoever was on the other line. Stiles couldn't help but admire him. He pursed his lips, once again recalling the kiss from earlier. What he wouldn't give for Derek to kiss him like that again. Hope bubbled in his gut at the prospect that that kiss might have been motivated by reciprocated feelings. Normally Stiles was good at reading people but Derek was difficult. One second he was sure he and Derek were friends and the next Derek was claiming they weren't friends. But then he followed it up with a kiss that Stiles would be dreaming about for the next month. He wished Alaric had given him something earlier. Now he had to risk his job and what little friendship was there to find out himself. Stiles bit down on his bottom lip. He didn't know if he could do that. Not when he was so unsure about Derek's feelings.

*AN*
Hope you like it!