Suffer Well (Sterek)

Cute together

Derek had text Stiles when he got home, but there had been no response. Derek wouldn't have thought much of it except Stiles always responded. Literally always. Even if there was nothing to respond to. 

"You smell stressed little bro. What's wrong?" Damon asked setting the table. 

Derek glanced at the clock, Stiles was due to arrive shortly and if he was being honest he was torn on how he felt about it. On the one hand, he was a bit excited to see Stiles, but on the other, he wasn't looking forward to Dominic flirting with him.

"I'm fine," Derek lied. He knew Damon would know he was lying, but he didn't care, and he knew Damon wouldn't push it, he never did. The only one who ever did actually, was Amora.

"If you need to talk, you know I'm here for you," Damon gave his brother a sympathetic smile.

Derek only nodded as he sat down at the table. He knew Dominic was waiting in the living room for Stiles. Derek had wanted to ask why Dominic invited Stiles over, but he was afraid that he would tell him something he didn't want to hear and that Dominic would be able to sense it. 

When Stiles' arrived Derek's heart sped up earning a raised brow from Damon. 

Derek sunk in his seat a bit, wishing werewolves couldn't hear his heartbeat or smell the way he was feeling. Thankfully Damon didn't say anything. 

"The life of the party has arrived," Dominic announced walking in with Stiles.

Stiles smiled, a light blush touching his cheeks.

Derek noted the change of clothes. Earlier he'd been wearing a simple black t shirt and red hoodie, but now he was wearing a crisp white t-shirt with a blue and white checkered button down. The sleeves rolled half way up his forearm. He always looked good in blue, Derek thought. 

"Hey, Derek," Stiles gave a simple nod. 

Derek only nodded in response. He knew the feeling in his chest as Dominic touched Stiles' lower back was jealousy and he hated it. He was starting to like Stiles. He had tried to deny it, but the conversation between them earlier about Dominic and Stiles' dating had really rattled Derek. He hadn't expected to feel so strongly about it, but now as he watched Dominic pull out a chair for Stiles, Derek felt nausea bubble inside him. He definitely wasn't okay with Stiles dating his brother and he seriously regretted telling Stiles he was.

"You alright, Derek?" Amora asked taking a seat next to Stiles.

"I'm fine," Derek said, not meaning for his voice to come out as a growl.

"Clearly," Amora raised a brow doubtfully. 

"Amora," Damon said in a warning tone. Damon was always good at reading Derek, and he knew Derek wasn't in the mood to be pushed, and if Amora continued, Derek would seriously snap. 

"I'm happy to see the bruise is almost healed," Laura commented on Stiles' cheek, changing the subject gently.

"Uh, yeah," Stiles nodded, tossing a nervous glance at Dominic.

"I'm really sorry about that," Dominic said sympathetically, touching Stiles' forearm gently. 

Derek fought to keep from drawing attention to himself. He needed to try and mask his jealousy as best as possible. 

"You don't have to apologize, it was a screwed up situation," Stiles shrugged, staring at his plate.

Something was off about Stiles. Derek could sense it, but he couldn't quite put a finger on it.

The rest of dinner was just as tense. Derek sensed Dominic's guilt and frustration. He clearly thought that the mood Stiles was in was because of him. Derek wondered if that truly was the case.

Stiles helped Derek clean off the table.  While his siblings started a small fire in the pit out back taking the ingredients to make smores with them.

"I've got this, you go ahead," Derek said taking a plate from Stiles.

Stiles gently stopped Derek by his wrist, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Derek said pulling away from Stiles carefully.

"But you're not, you're visibly more tense than usual, even more so than earlier. And Amora kept giving you odd looks through dinner. I'm pretty sure she would have forced you to talk if Damon didn't keep shooting her warning glares," Stiles responded, grabbing another plate from the table.

Stiles' observation skills always impressed Derek.

"I'm fine," Derek insisted again, hoping Stiles would take the hint. He did. Though he refused to leave Derek to clean up on his own.

Just then Dominic walked in, "Hey Derek, I'll finish up here, they're having trouble getting the fire going, you've always been great at starting fires," Dominic smiled, taking over cleaning up.

Derek flinched slightly, his brother would never know how much that sentence hurt him. Without a word Derek walked out.

He carefully took the match from Damon, lighting the fire, and gently coaxing it to catch the log in the fire pit.

He glanced through the window to see Stiles laughing with Dominic.

"Damon really seems to like him," Cora said also noticing the pair.

"It seems so," Laura agreed.

"They're cute together," Cora added.

Derek fought to keep the jealousy away. She wasn't wrong, they were cute together.

"I think Stiles and Derek would be cuter together, " Amora piped in, looking at the youngest brother.

Derek scowled, but didn't respond. He was honestly too afraid that his tone might give him away.

"Amora," Damon growled.

The middle girl put her hands up in defense, but didn't push it any further.

Derek was thankful for the subject change Laura once again provided. He allowed another glance at the window to see Stiles backed against the refrigerator with Dominic standing uncomfortably close.

Stiles teeth were buried in his bottom lip as Dominic ran a gentle hand up Stiles' arm before brushing the human's cheek with his thumb.

Stiles released his lip, a blush forming on his cheeks at whatever Dominic had said.

Stiles carefully glanced past Dominic as he spoke. Dominic leaned in, clearly planning on going in for a kiss once Stiles had finished talking. However it seemed Stiles realized and slipped by Dominic so he was no longer pinned between the werewolf and the kitchen appliance.

Derek felt relief flood him. Stiles had rejected Dominic's advance. He couldn't have been more relieved, however it did leave Derek confused. Stiles had Dominic eating out of his hand, Derek's family approved of him, Derek had stupidly given Stiles permission to date Dom, so why did he reject him?

Just then the back door opened to Stiles who was shoving his phone in his pocket.

At that exact moment Derek's phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out to see a text from the human.

'You didn't start it,' was all it said, but Derek knew what it meant. The comment in the kitchen, Stiles must have noticed him flinch.

Derek looked up to meet Stiles' whiskey brown eyes, as the light from the fire danced in them. A small smile tugged at his full lips.

This was why he was falling for Stiles.

*AN*
So sorry it's taken so long to get this up!