Burning Slowly

Chapter 35

"Dude, that was such an awesome trip," Scott said excitedly as he paced back and forth in front of the window in Stiles's room.

Stiles spun in his computer chair, eyes staring up at the ceiling. "Yeah... awesome..." His heart wasn't really in it though. Stiles was glad to be home in a way, but at the same time he really wished they were still at the house on the beach. Derek had dropped the two of them off awhile ago and continued on his way to take the rest of the pack home. Stiles missed him already.

"I can't believe you're not still excited. You got like everything you wanted right?"

"I guess..."

Stiles was startled when Scott grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him in the chair. "Stiles," Scott said, "you lost your fricken virginity!"

"How do you-"

"Oh my god, everyone on that beach for miles had to have heard you lose your virginity. You were all 'Oh Derek please more'!"

Stiles gaped at his friend, he spluttered trying to make some sort of response, but he couldn't find anything to say. He felt like he was suddenly afflicted with Scott's vocabulary. Stiles was momentarily horrified at the thought of what it would be like to never have the words to explain something again. That sounded like Scott's whole life.

Scott kept going with his totally inaccurate Derek impersonation. He brought one hand up using it to illustrate what Stiles only assumed was supposed to be himself. "Oh Derek..." Scott stroked the top of the hand he was using as Stiles's head. "Shhh, Stiles. I'll never hurt you again. I'll make you feel so good."

Stiles closed his eyes as Scott proceeded to make out with his own hand. That was just embarrassing. He was sure he hadn't sounded anything like that. He knew that Derek hadn't sounded anything like that.

"It wasn't like that... it was special," Stiles said.

"I know man, I'm sorry I was just teasing you"

Stiles opened his eyes when he heard Scott sit down on the bed. His friend suddenly looked uncomfortable. Stiles opened his mouth to ask what was wrong but Scott opened his mouth also.

"You first," they said at the same time.

Stiles made a motion like he was zipping his mouth closed and gestured for Scott to go on. His friend looked down at the floor and scuffed his shoes on the carpet. He looked nervous. Stiles rolled the chair closer and punched him in the arm. Scott looked up at him and grinned.

"I just..." Scott began, voice soft, "I just wanted to say I'm sorry, for like... being such a huge dick to you recently." Stiles watched Scott struggle silently on the bed to find the words to say what he wanted to say, to get it out the way he needed to. "I just wish I had been paying more attention. I'm not going to do that sort of thing to you again. I want to make it up to you."

"You already did Scott, and you're still making up for it right now." Stiles said. "Besides, I was happy for you. Sure I was lonely sometimes, but I totally went full on drama queen." He rubbed a hand over his short hair and licked his lips nervously.

"What? What do you mean?"

"You helped me, when I really needed it, you helped me," Stiles told him, "When it really came down to it, you helped me figure something out; you helped me do something that I didn't even know I needed help with. We're here right now, together. Still friends, we always will be." Stiles stood up from the chair and sat down on the bed next to his friend, bumped his shoulder into Scott and smiled. "When push came to shove, you were there; Derek may not have come back if we hadn't tried your plan. Don't sell yourself short. I mean, you're not the smartest guy, but you've got a lot of heart kid."

"Well don't tell Derek this, but..." Scott paused looking for more words, "I'm glad you're with him." Scott ruined it when he continued and said, "He's probably the only person in the world who could keep up with you anyway. I know he's the only person who has enough energy to tire you out. The only thing he seems to not be good at is keeping you quiet, but no one expects the guy to do miracles."

Scott pushed Stiles. Stiles hit him with a pillow. Scott got a pillow and hit him back. Things quickly got out of hand and they were jumping around Stiles's room making a horrible mess of his bed and everything else.

"Just because Derek Hale is your girlfriend now doesn't mean you can take me in a fight," Scott taunted, "I'm still top dog here."

"You just love saying things you're going to regret," Stiles said, eyes catching movement near his desk outside the window. Scott might have caught it too if he wasn't too busy fighting off Stiles. He tried to herd Scott over towards the window as Scott continued his banter.

"Oh yeah? What are you going to do to make me regret it huh?"

"You're such a bad werewolf," Stiles told him.

Scott blinked at him suddenly confused. Stiles had no pity, as soon as he had talked smack about Derek, Scott had sealed his own doom. If he'd been paying more attention with his wolf senses, he might have been able to save himself from the embarrassment about to take place.

"What do you mean?"

Stiles just smiled and looked pointedly over Scott's shoulder. Scott sniffed the air, closed his eyes and groaned. Stiles chuckled slightly at his friend's discomfort.

"He's right behind me isn't he?"

Stiles nodded. He laughed as he watched Derek reach out slowly and put his hand on Scott's shoulder. Scott stared at Stiles as though looking for help. Stiles just grinned.

"Is he glowing?" Scott gestured toward his own eyes.

Stiles shook his head negatively. Scott let out a sigh of relief. That was probably because he couldn't see the look of mischief on Derek's face.

"Did you call me someone's girlfriend?" Derek's voice was a low, threatening growl.

Scott gulped nervously as Derek placed his other hand on Scott's shoulder, and got a good grip on his shirt. He looked at Stiles for help. Stiles shook his head and waved goodbye to him.

"It was just a joke," Scott said.

"So is this," Derek told him, right before tossing him out Stiles's window.

Stiles walked over and looked out to see Scott on his back in the grass shaking his head. "You okay, buddy?"

Scott gave him a thumbs-up and slowly got to his feet. Stiles turned around to give Derek a slow clap of appreciation, but froze when he saw Derek was shirtless, belt unbuckled, and undoing the button on his jeans. Stiles licked his lips nervously.

"W-what—"

"You're dad's working late right?" Derek asked. Stiles nodded. Derek gestured toward Stiles's bed. "This spot taken?"

Stiles shook his head negatively.

"Good, then get your clothes off. We're wasting time; we may only have a few hours left before your father gets home," Derek said.

Stiles swallowed nervously, but he was pulling his shirt off over his head as he walked toward the half naked werewolf. He tripped and fell on one of the pillows that had fallen to the floor during his pillow fight with Scott, but Derek caught him before he hit the ground. The trip may have been awesome, but Stiles thought having Derek in his room, taking off Stiles's clothes, was pretty fucking awesome too.

Author's Note:
Hope you all enjoyed the story!