Leave Me In Ruins

It doesn't have to be a date

The words on the computer screen in front of Stiles started to blur. He blinked to clear them but it only lasted a few seconds before the words were slurring together once more. He wiped at his tired eyes and leaned back in his chair. It didn't matter how much research he did, or how long he stared at his computer screen, as long as he wasn't getting answers, he continued to feel useless.

A buzzing from his table caused him to jump. His heart now racing as he reached for his phone. Dread and hope swelled in his chest as he opened it.

The dread was that Lydia had found another body. The hope was that Derek was the one texting him.

Instead, he got a strange mix of the two as he saw a text message from Adrian.

Hey, are you free tomorrow night? I've got tickets to a party. Danny, Angela, and Morgan will be there.

Stiles stared down at the text. Part of him desperately wanted to go but part of him could only picture the dead werewolf.

"Hey, man." Scott's voice pulled Stiles' attention from his phone and to his bedroom door.

"Hey." Stiles set his phone down. "What are you doing here?"

"Well I went to Derek's to look for you, but he said you were having dinner with your dad. So I swung by the station. Your dad said you went home."

Stiles rolled his eyes. "Okay, but why were you looking for me?"

Scott shifted in a way that made Stiles know this was a serious conversation.

"What's wrong?" Stiles asked, panic settling in his gut.

"You know you don't always have to figure it all out, right?"

Stiles rolled his eyes and spun his computer chair back towards his desk.

"Hey, I'm serious." Scott caught the chair, spinning it back to face him.

"Maybe not, but I feel useless otherwise. We've been over this, I don't have the abilities you all do."

"And I've told you before, you don't need them."

Stiles scoffed.

"None of us think badly of you just because you haven't figured it out. None of us know what's going on." Scott took a seat on the edge of Stiles' bed. It whined under the weight.

"Yeah, but if I don't figure this out, more people get hurt."

"We don't even know if all this is related," Scott countered.

Stiles pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Maybe you should take a break." Scott gestured to the laptop with twenty tabs open.

Stiles' phone buzzed again.

Guilt hit Scott's nose.

"What's wrong?"

"What?" Stiles frowned, ignoring his phone.

"You smelled guilty when your phone went off."

"It's nothing." Stiles hated that they were able to read his emotions.

Scott gave Stiles a look that told him he didn't believe him.

Stiles sighed and handed his phone, with the text thread from Adrian, to Scott. He chewed on his lip as Scott read the last few messages.

"I don't see the problem." Scott handed the phone back.

Stiles finally read the last text from Adrian. It doesn't have to be a date.

"How am I supposed to go out with this guy when people are missing and Lydia is dreaming about...about..." Stiles waved his hand through the air.

Scott caught Stiles' hand and held it tightly between both of his.

"What is it you told your dad that time? The whole of beacon hills isn't going to implode while you're out with one guy?"

Stiles rolled his eyes. "First of all, don't try to quote me to me. Second, he didn't even make it to the date because the station was attacked."

Scott released Stiles' hand with a sigh. "Stiles, you need a break. And Adrian likes you. He's a good distraction from all of this. When was the last time you had a decent distraction?"

Stiles let out a sigh. He would absolutely not be answering that.

His phone buzzed again, this time with details of the party.

"How about this, I'll see if I can get Malia and me tickets. Would you feel better if we went too?"

"I don't need a babysitter," Stiles snapped.

Scott held up his hands. "I'm just trying to help."

Stiles scrubbed a hand down his face. "I know. I'm sorry." He didn't mean to lash out, but he was struggling. Between not knowing what was going on, Adrian wanting to go out with him, and his feelings for Derek. He felt like he was being pulled in ten different directions.

"This is what I'm talking about. You're so stressed and pent up. You need fun. Away from the pack. And he said it doesn't have to be a date."

Stiles stared down at his phone. Maybe Scott was right. He could go out with Adrian and not think about the problems they were dealing with. Not think about Derek. His tongue swiped over his bottom lip. It doesn't have to be a date.

"One night isn't going to hurt. I'll call if anything happens."

Stiles huffed. "Fine."

I'll meet you there. Stiles sent back to Adrian.

Scott smiled, pleased that he'd agreed.

"But you've just earned yourself research duty." Stiles tossed Scott a book from the stack on his desk.

Scott groaned and rolled his eyes as he took the book and flopped back onto Stiles' bed.

-

Derek laid in bed staring at the wooden beams on his ceiling. It was quiet. Too quiet. He'd grown used to hearing the soft breathing of Stiles next to him. The steady thrum of his heartbeat. It had become like a lullaby for Derek. A comfort in the darkness.

Running a hand over his face, he fought the urge to call Stiles, just to hear his voice. When had he gotten so pathetic? It wasn't healthy to be this dependent on Stiles, even if he was his anchor. That had happened years ago. It nearly broke Derek when Stiles left for the academy. But he'd managed to keep it together, though some nights were harder than others. He reached for that anger that used to ground him. It was a cheap comfort compared to what Stiles gave him, but it was better than nothing. That is, until Stiles returned. It took twenty-four whole hours for his wolf to latch back onto Stiles.

Derek let out a growl of annoyance at himself as he rolled over and buried his face in his pillow. The faintest scent of Stiles lingered. He reached over and grabbed the pillow Stiles used. He pressed his face into it and inhaled. The familiar scent of sandalwood and earth hit his nose. Every muscle in his body relaxed.

If he was this bad when Stiles was away for one night, how much worse would it be when this ended? Maybe he needed to stop this now, before it got worse.

*AN*
Hope you like it! 😊