You don't have to love me [McHaleinski]

Part 3

Part 3

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Things are... different after their confrontation beneath the Nemeton. Derek wouldn't say that they're better, exactly, but they're certainly not worse. For days after the incident, they avoid each other completely. It seems to work until the Pack descends upon his loft for the first time Scott since had become his sixteen-year-old self, bringing the reluctant Alpha with them. (Derek isn't sure if he should be blaming Stiles or Lydia, because both of them look a little too smug about the whole ordeal.) They have no choice but to be in the same room, carefully avoiding each other's eyes the entire time the Pack is arguing over what movie to watch, and to sit on either side of Stiles for the duration of it. He still catches Scott looking at him when the boy thinks he isn't paying attention. But whatever resentment Derek keeps expecting to find just... isn't there.

Where Scott seemed tense and suspicious in his presence before, now he just looks sullen. Embarrassed, even. Still sore over what happened between them, perhaps. And Derek-- no. Derek doesn't want to think about that. He doesn't want to consider that Scott is hurt over Derek rejecting him.

Stiles never asks him about that day, which tells Derek that Stiles knows exactly what happened. Stiles is not subtle about nearly anything, and repentant about even less. And so Derek knows exactly what his boyfriend is doing when he keeps suggesting that the three of them should go out to lunch together, or should go see that the new Captain America movie that he's been dying to watch. (Even though the last superhero movie Scott had technically seen was Iron Man 2.)

"It's not going to happen," he tells Stiles one night, as he's saying goodbye to his boyfriend on Sheriff Stilinski's porch.

"What's not?" Stiles asks with deceptive - poorly deceptive - innocence. Derek gives him a Look. "Seriously. No idea. You're gonna have to use your words on this one."

"He's sixteen," Derek says roughly.

"Well if that's your only issue here, I'll call it an improvement--"

"And he doesn't want me. Not really."

Stiles' head tips back with an irritated sigh. "Annnd we're back where we started."

"Stiles. He's a sixteen-year-old who has no idea what's going on, much less what he wants. All he knows is what you've been telling him. You can't keep pushing us together and insisting that this is going to be a thing!" He gestures helplessly. "Just spend time with him. Stop trying to convince him. He needs you."

Stiles watches him for a long moment. "Are you done?" he says finally.

Derek rolls his eyes. "Yes."

"Okay. First of all--" He steps down from the porch, his smile almost incredulous. "I cannot believe I am about to be the optimist in this situation. You know it's fucked up when I'm playing the optimist out of the three of us. Second, no, I will not stop spending time with you for Scott. I like spending time with both of you. And third..." Stiles shuffles in close, angling his body towards Derek to catch his eyes. "Trust Scott, if you can't trust me."