Like it or Not

Happy

"So what was that back there with Damon?" Derek asked once they were on the way to meet up with the team. He hoped he didn't sound like a jealous boyfriend. He didn't want to be the jealous boyfriend ever again.

Stiles shifted in his seat, his teeth sunk into his bottom lip.

Derek could see the debate on his face, deciding whether to tell him. He wanted to press, but he was trying to trust Stiles.

"Promise you won't be upset?" Stiles looked at Derek with genuine concern on his face.

Derek's back stiffened instinctively. Whatever he was about to hear wasn't going to be good. There was a sinking feeling in his gut as he nodded.

"I questioned Damon," Stiles started. He shifted in his seat again. "About his intentions."

Derek's brows furrowed in confusion, he knew Damon had been hoping to swoop in.

"He admitted that he came with Elijah with the intention of testing our relationship. He didn't think it was serious between us."

Derek knew it was no coincidence that Damon had shown up on Elijah's arm. He had just assumed it was Elijah's doing.

"I assured him it was serious." Stiles' eyes studied Derek for any panic. Instead, he got a surprised eyebrow raise.

Stiles pushed on, not wanting to linger on that detail. "When I told him that, he admitted something else to me." His eyes dropped to his lap. He didn't want to tell Derek this. He wanted as little strife as possible, but he wanted him to be aware that Elijah was playing a game.

"Stiles?" Derek pressed gently when he saw the hesitation.

"Damon was meant to be a distraction for me so that Elijah could get you alone."

Anger surged through Derek. So Damon being there had been Elijah's doing.He knew something was off about Elijah. He'd had moments alone with Derek, though they were only moments. He recalled the attempts at talking about Derek's happiness.

"Why?" he asked.

Stiles shrugged. "Damon didn't know."

Derek frowned. His mind wandered to what Elijah could have been hoping to accomplish.

Stiles shifted once more. "I don't want to sound..." he waved a hand through the air aimlessly. "...but did he say anything?"

Derek sighed, scrubbing a hand over his face. "He acted like he cared about my happiness. He apologized for the comment about the proposal. I don't know... nothing...that he hasn't already said."

Stiles reached over and grabbed Derek's hand. "Hey, I didn't mean to upset you."

"You didn't." Derek's expression softened. "He just frustrates me."

"I wanted to wait to tell you, but...I didn't want to keep it from you since you asked."

Derek smiled softly. "Thank you."

The car pulled up in front of the outdoor bar where the team usually met up at.

Derek's worry about Elijah faded into a new kind of worry.

"Whoa, why the sour face?" Stiles asked as the pair approached the door.

"They don't really like me very much," he said.

"That's cause they don't know the real you."

Derek only glared at Stiles.

"Let's show them," Stiles tugged on Derek's arm as he pushed inside the door.