Leave Me In Ruins

Lonely

The lid to the tomato juice gave with a soft pop as Stiles twisted the lid off. He poured it into the tub, watching it splash onto the bottom where he'd already poured two other bottles.

Reaching for another of the ten bottles he paused as his dad walked by and then backed up so that he was in the doorway.

"Hey, dad." Stiles waved, hoping his dad wouldn't pry.

"Stiles, what are you doing?" His dad asked, looking towards the tub.

"Uh—I ran into a skunk." Stiles shrugged as if it was just a thing that happens.

"You don't smell like it." His dad narrowed his eyes.

"Well, I can smell it. It's all in here." Stiles gestured wildly at his own face, scrunching his nose as he did so.

"Uh huh," his dad hummed doubtfully. "Well, you know that's a myth, right? You want peroxide, baking soda and dish soap."

Stiles threw his hands up. "Dad you're a genius."

Noah opened his mouth to say something in response but just shook his head and turned away from the bathroom, leaving Stiles to do whatever he was going to do.

Stiles washed out the tomato juice he'd already poured into the tub.

"What am I gonna do with all this juice now?" He sighed. He'd figure it out later. Right now, he had to get Derek's scent off of him and he was running out of time.

He gathered the ingredients his dad had suggested and mixed them together in a spray bottle before starting the shower.

As the hot water poured over him, he closed his eyes and for the first time since he'd left Derek's, he let his mind process what he'd done.

"What do you think Lydia's dream means? I mean I'm not one to doubt her, but maybe it's nothing?" Stiles asked hopefully, his eyes scanning the page in front of him.

"When is it ever nothing with Lydia?" Derek asked, flipping through the pages of the book on his lap.

"Fair point," Stiles conceded. "Do you think it's tied to the missing people my dad is trying to keep hidden from me?" He still didn't look up from his book.

"Lydia dreamt of the nemeton growing full size and skewering her. I don't see how the missing people would relate. And your dad probably didn't feel like it was something you needed to know."

"He's trying to keep me out of it."

"He worries about you."

"Yeah well, I worry about him, I mean...what if something happens to him and I can't protect him because he didn't tell me?"

Derek was silent for a moment.

"This...life we live in...the supernatural. It's a lot for anyone. You're just a human, you can't expect to save everyone all the time. Don't get me wrong you're important to this pack and we'd be in trouble without you, but it's dangerous. You can't be upset that he worries about you and wants you safe."

"With knowledge comes responsibility. I can't just pretend like this stuff isn't happening." Stiles gestured to the book in front of him.

"And no one's asking you to."

Stiles didn't respond as he flipped the page.

Derek put a hand on Stiles' arm, pulling his attention.

"He's not the only one who worries about you. I worry about the pack all the time."

Stiles' tongue ran across his bottom lip anxiously, "We worry about you too."