Flirt Responsibly

Apologizing

By the time Stiles got home it was fairly late. His dad had already left for work, leaving him alone with Paige and Jennifer.

"Hey, Stiles," Paige smirked as her brother closed the door behind him.

"Don't," Stiles groaned. He knew by her tone what was coming.

"How was your date with Derek?"

Stiles let out a sigh. She was doing it anyway.

"It wasn't a date. How was your date with Heather?" Stiles asked hoping to derail the conversation.

"Great actually, even though it wasn't like a date date. We're still just friends," Paige pouted slightly.

"It's a step though, right?" Stiles offered encouragingly.

"I guess," Paige nodded. "So Roscoe's dead, huh? Figures."

"It just needs some new spark plugs. He'll be back up and running in a day or two," Stiles waved a dismissive hand.

"Well, I for one am not looking forward to being stranded at the school so I managed to ask Heather for a ride. I'm sure you can ride with us, unless you're going out with Derek again," Paige fought to hold back a grin.

"Paige, it's not like that. I like him but he and Danny are basically dating," Stiles huffed as he trudged up the stairs in frustration.

"What? How?" Paige stayed on her brother's heels.

"Danny asked me to give Derek his number and put in a good word," Stiles explained.

"He what? You didn't do it, did you?"

"Yes, he got me in goal for the first game, I owed him," Stiles tossed his bookbag on the floor at the foot of his bed. He had homework, but he didn't much care to look at it at the moment. He'd just copy Paige's in the morning.

"You're playing matchmaker with the two guys you like?" Paige gaped at Stiles.

"It's not like I want to."

"I still think that maybe Derek has a thing for you," Paige tossed her long hair over her shoulder and leaned against Stiles' doorframe.

"Oh, yeah, no he made it very clear he didn't see me that way," Stiles slumped onto his bed with a huff.

"What do you mean?"

"He literally said 'I like you, but not like that.' It was right after I gave him Danny's number."

Paige gave Stiles a sympathetic look.

"Is there anything I can do?" She crossed the room and took a seat next to Stiles.

"You could let me copy your homework," Stiles smiled hopefully.

Paige rolled her eyes but went to fetch her bag.

-

The next day Stiles was dreading seeing Derek. He didn't like feeling that way, but he was sure it would only cause problems for him to spend more time with the gorgeous Hale.

"Stiles," Derek's voice made Stiles drop his head with a huff.

Paige gave her brother a questioning look that asked if he wanted her to stay or go. His returned glance kept her where she was.

"Hey, Derek," Stiles tried not to sound so disappointed but ultimately failed.

"I went ahead and got the spark plugs for the jeep after I dropped you off. I figured you wouldn't know which ones to get. Anyway, I can put them in after school if you want."

"Oh," Stiles rose his brows in surprise.

"Umm, yeah, sure, I'll pay you back for the plugs," Stiles nodded. Why did Derek have to be so sweet?

"No worries, my dad gets a discount at the shop. It can be a start in apologizing," Derek gave a hopeful smile.

"Apologizing? For what?" Paige piped in then.

"I've kind of been an ass lately, when it comes to Stiles. He's allowing me the chance to make it up to him," Derek answered, his eyes not leaving Stiles.

"Oh," Paige pursed her lips to hold back a grin.

"By the way, I text Danny. I told him that I was flattered but I had my eye on someone else so you don't have to worry about that," Derek ran a hand along the back of his neck as he spoke now.

"So you lied," Stiles raised a brow.

Derek only shrugged. He couldn't tell Stiles it wasn't a lie because then he'd know Derek had his eye on someone else.

"He's so gonna think it's Stiles," Paige pointed, out not bothering to hold back her smile anymore.

"But it's not," Stiles frowned.

"You and Derek have been talking a lot more. Danny's totally gonna think it's you."

Stiles let out a groan.

"Who cares who he thinks it is?" Derek frowned. He would be lying if he said he wasn't disappointed in Stiles' response.

"Exactly, who cares? You gave Derek his number. It's not your fault Derek doesn't feel the same way," Paige nudged her brother. She knew that look; he was stressing.

"But he does feel the same way," Stiles ran a hand through his already tousled brown hair.

Derek wanted to object but remained silent.

"I'll see you after school," Stiles sighed. He didn't want to be seen talking with Derek by Danny, just in case. He stepped by Derek and towards his locker.

"He hates me, doesn't he?" Derek sighed after Stiles.

"No, he's just..." Paige couldn't say that he was head over heels for Derek, Stiles would kill her.

"Crazy about Danny?" Derek hoped that Paige didn't pick up on the disappointment in his tone.

"Look, it's sweet of you to not date Danny, really, but..."

"Don't tell me you think I should," Derek was getting real tired of hearing that.

"I think if you want to, then yeah. Don't do it out of pity for Stiles. That's not a good way to get on his good side."

"But I don't want to date him," Derek blurted before he could stop himself.

"Wait, what?" Paige frowned at Derek in confusion. "Is there someone else?"

"No, no, I just...Danny's a good looking guy but..." Derek looked over to where Stiles was now with Scott and Allison. He wasn't Stiles is what he wanted to say.

"But?" Paige urged Derek to continue.

"He's not dating material. He's probably just in it for a little fun and that's not my thing," Derek shrugged. That part was at least true.

Paige smiled, "You're a good guy, Derek. I wish my brother would date someone like you," her smile turned sympathetic as she looked over towards Stiles.

"What?" Derek hadn't expected her to say that.

"He's always falling for the people who hurt him. Lydia, Danny, I can't even remember who it was before Lydia, maybe Theo before he moved? Anyway, I just hope he finds someone who puts him first for once."

The bell rang then, signaling class was about to start. Paige stepped by Derek, leaving him to contemplate her words.