Suffer Well (Sterek)

Responsibility

The four had walked back to Stiles' in silence. Derek had smelled Stiles' exhaustion, but it had also been laced with anger. Derek didn't understand where the anger was from, maybe from being caught? He couldn't be sure.

"Oh thank God," Allison threw her arms around Scott's neck as they walked in.

"We're okay," Scott hugged back.

"Stiles," Allison smiled hugging the other guy next.

"Hey, Allison," Stiles chuckled.

"What happened?" She asked pulling away and glancing at all of them.

"One of her men had me," Stiles explained.

"I took care of him," Derek added.

"And Kate?" Allison asked nervously.

"We never saw her," Isaac shook his head.

"She's headed back towards your house it looks like," Scott said holding out Allison's phone.

"I should get back," Allison said grabbing her phone then, "If you need anything..." She looked to Derek.

"Thank you," Derek nodded. She'd already done more than he'd ever expected from the niece of the woman who killed his family.

"We should get going too," Isaac said grabbing Scott's arm.

"Right, yeah, if you need us just call," Scott agreed following Isaac.

Stiles let out a heavy sigh as he dropped into a seated position on his bed.

"You should have listened to me," Derek said in a low tone.

"Why? That would have lead Kate and her henchmen right to you," Stiles scoffed.

"That was the idea," Derek growled.

"Well it was a stupid one, she and her three dickbag helpers were armed better than the entire police station, and I'm sure the bullets in those guns were wolfsbane. I had no interest in being your family's demise," Stiles snapped.

"Why did you follow them in the first place, that was stupid," Derek snapped back.

"Because I told you I would help, if that means following her into the woods at six a.m. then so be it. You shouldn't have come after me," Stiles' tone was harsh with annoyance.

"You called me," Derek reminded Stiles.

"So you would know she was looking for you," Stiles threw his hands up, "Not so you would come after me."

"What did you think I was gonna do, leave you for dead?" Derek barked. How could Stiles have possibly thought Derek wouldn't come after him.

"Yeah, actually, that's exactly what I thought," Stiles answered bitterly.

"Why the hell would I do that?" Derek frowned. What kind of person did Stiles think he was?

"Cause, we're not friends, remember?" Stiles spat.

Stiles' words and tone were like a slap to the face.

"If you're so mad at me, why are you helping me still?" Derek demanded, his tone lower than before.

"Because you may not consider us friends, but I do, and I'd do anything for you and your family, even if that means getting batted around like one of Kate's playthings," Stiles stood, he was yelling now.

Derek's stomach twisted and flipped. He felt guilty and thankful. Stiles truly had proved himself over and over again, but the nagging in Derek's chest begged him not to let the human in. It was too dangerous.

"I appreciate all you've done, but I'll handle this alone from now on, tell Allison, Scott and Isaac to back down. I don't need your blood on my hands," Derek spoke stiffly.

"What? You're benching us?" Stiles' tone immediately switched from anger to worry.

"I shouldn't have let you get involved at all," Derek shook his head.

"Derek, please, we want to help," Stiles grabbed Derek's arm stopping him from walking out Stiles' door.

"It's too dangerous, I was so concerned with killing Kate, I didn't stop to consider what risks I was putting you all through," Derek said looking at Stiles, who was now blocking the exit. Derek could easily overpower the human, but he'd been man-handled enough.

"Stiles, move," Derek said in a tone that said he was serious.

"No, not until you agree to let me help you," Stiles shook his head.

"No, Stiles," Derek growled. He stepped towards the human. He could see the slight concern flash in Stiles' eyes for a brief moment, but his scent didn't give off any scared emotions. Just concern and determination. Stiles wasn't scare of him. The idea was soothing to Derek. He never wanted anyone to be afraid of him, especially not stiles.

"If you leave, I won't stop, I'll just do it alone," Stiles said his tone breaking slightly.

Derek's heart skipped. The way Stiles was looking at him with pleading whiskey brown eyes and the way his teeth worried his bottom lip, the way he cared. Derek took a step towards Stiles.

Stiles didn't move.

Derek's hand raised slowly.

Stiles' breathe caught as Derek's thumb touched at the small cut that sat raw and red on his cheek.

"I don't want you getting hurt, please, Stiles. She's my responsibility," Derek begged quietly.

"Winston Churchill always said 'The price of greatness is responsibility' I realized what that meant when Scott was bit. He had this great gift, but he now had a responsibility to be smart with it. But I realized that knowing about it made me just as responsible. That's why I worked so hard to help him control his shift, and why I've been there for Isaac as he learns how to handle the bite. I may not have anything to do with Kate and what she did, but I know about it, and that makes me just as responsible," Stiles spoke calmly, though he reeked of stress and worry.

Derek let out a heavy sigh, "You sound like my mother," Derek said in a tone so quiet, Stiles' almost didn't hear. Almost.

Stiles swallowed, Dominic had told Stiles that Derek avoided talking about their family especially their parents.

"From now on, call me before you go chasing four hunters into the woods, please. We may not be friends, but that doesn't mean I want you hurt," Derek said in a soft tone, "Besides, Dominic would kill me if he found out I was letting his boyfriend play with hunters," Derek snorted slightly.

Stiles' face dropped as he stepped aside, "You can go."

Derek frowned at the human, all worry and anger was gone. Now he smelled...sad?

"What's wrong?" Derek found himself asking.

"I'm not going to date Dominic," Stiles sighed.

"Why?"

Stiles' brown eyes met Derek's. "I don't see him that way," Stiles said after a moment of silence.

"Oh," Derek was shocked. He'd expected Stiles to be very interested in Dominic. But there was no sound of a stutter or blip in his heartbeat. He truly didn't see Dominic that way. Derek's stomach flipped at the happiness he felt, but he pushed the relieved feeling aside. He shouldn't be happy about that. Dominic would be crushed and it's not like he would ever be with Stiles. For one, if Stiles didn't like Dominic, he definitely wouldn't like Derek and two, Derek would never allow it. No matter how much he was starting to trust Stiles, he wouldn't be blinded by his feelings ever again.

*AN*
Here you are, lovelies. Let me know what you think!