Stranded (Sterek AU)

Chapter Nine

 After he's been there what he thinks is a month, Stiles starts breaking away from Derek more to explore the island. He stays with Derek all the time, being treated like an island King, but he likes to explore on his own. Maybe they're still looking for him, Stiles really hopes so, and he just tells himself that every night that he's still here. Derek is always walking around near him, but he's giving him some privacy for when he wants to explore.

The weather is going back to the muggy grossness that the island is usually like it always is, and Stiles walks through the forest trying to sneak up on him. He can see Derek gathering firewood in the clearing, and Stiles bends down as he's a lion stalking his prey. Derek looks up for a second before he moves to go back to what he was doing. Stiles smiles to himself before he jumps out at Derek only to be overthrown.

"No! I was so close!" Stiles whines, hiding his face from Derek's who's laughing at him. It's a gorgeous sound that Stiles is growing addicted to the sound while he bites back a smile at Derek. "That's not fair. You should just give me every once in a while, you know? Just take pity on me and let me take you down to the dirt." Stiles sighs, and Derek shakes his head while he moves to go to the middle of the campfire area.

"You should be quieter." Derek says, unconcerned with how Stiles is laying on the ground by himself. Stiles lays there for a second before he moves to get up, and Derek helps him up without a word. Stiles smiles at him before he moves to hug him tightly to him, and Derek pats his back some before he moves to pull away. Derek doesn't seem to like to be affectionate all the time, but he hugs Stiles back always so Stiles doesn't mind.

"I'm just loud. Even when I'm trying to be quiet." Stiles sighs, sadly. "I'll never be able to sneak up on you or be like you." Stiles sighs to himself, and Derek smiles to himself as he shakes his head while he goes to do something else. Stiles hums to himself as he moves to follow after him, and Derek just lets him follow him like he always does.

Stiles hums to himself as he walks, and he leans over to use Derek's shoulder as leverage so he can hop over something. Derek slows down when he walks with Stiles, it's thoughtful Stiles thinks when he realizes that he does it, and Stiles gets lost in thought. He's been her awhile, longer than he thought, and he doesn't even know Derek's last name. He wants to know more about Derek, but he doesn't want to upset what they have now but he feels like he almost have a right to know something about Derek other than his name. "Derek?" Stiles says, and Derek turns his head to look at him before they go come to the campsite.

"What?" Derek asks him, putting down the sticks before he moves to start another fire. Stiles licks his lips while he moves to sit down on the log that works as a makeshift bench, and he doesn't say anything at first. Derek thinks that maybe he just forgot his question or he just wants attention, which Derek doesn't mind giving him, but when he looks at Stiles he sees that he has a pained look on his face. "Stiles. What?" Derek asks, again.

Stiles licks his lips nervously before he sighs and he plays with his hands, and he looks up at Derek nervously. "How long have you been on this island?" Stiles asks, and Derek frowns. He thought that they had an unspoken rule that means that Stiles wouldn't ask him how long he's been here because he doesn't want to talk about it. Stiles looks uneasy when Derek doesn't answer him, and Derek sighs before he gestures for Stiles to follow him.

****

Stiles follows after Derek nervously as he leads him through the trees until they get to the waterfall, and Stiles gets more nervous. Derek walks to the side of the waterfall, and Stiles follows cautiously after him. He doesn't think that Derek is going to try to drown him or anything, but he's understandably anxious since Derek still seems odd to him most of the time. "Derek?" Stiles questions, and Derek turns to look at him before pointing to the wall.