A Poison I Drink Often(Sterek)

I can't

Jeremy turned to Derek once Stiles walked away from the table. "I don't know why you're here, but can't you see what you're doing to him?" Jeremy snapped.

Derek's eyes closed, his chin dropping to his chest.

"You're making it worse."

"I know, but...I can't. I can't leave him again," Derek shook his head, his eyes meeting Jeremy's.

"Why not? Haven't you done enough?" Jeremy's tone was frustrated more than it was angry.

"I promised I wouldn't leave him again, I can't do that to him again," Derek's jaw clenched.

"Why'd you leave in the first place?" Jeremy demanded.

"I thought he was okay. Everything he'd gone through...I couldn't help him. I felt responsible, so I ran. He had Scott, I didn't think..." Derek trailed off running a frustrated hand over his face.

"Oh don't get me started on Scott," Jeremy growled. He clenched the coffee cup the waiter had just dropped off. "Look, I don't think you realize how much you meant to him." He turned his eyes back to the raven-haired man.

"That's why I left, because he meant too much to me and I..." Derek trailed off. He was saying too much.

Jeremy narrowed his eyes.

"I screwed up, okay, I get it," Derek's tone was suddenly defensive.

"You loved him," Jeremy guessed quietly.

Derek's jaw clenched. "No."

"Wow, you're a terrible liar," Jeremy snorted. He hadn't passed at the top of his class for nothing. He knew his body language and Derek's was screaming defensive and vulnerable.

"That's why you approached him in the bar, you couldn't walk away again," Jeremy nodded in understanding. "You still love him."

"Okay, I get it, you're good at your job, are you done interrogating me yet?" Derek snapped harshly. He was putting the nice guy away. Jeremy was treading in dangerous waters.

"Don't tell him," Jeremy demanded then much to Derek's surprise.

"What?"

"Don't tell him that you love him," Jeremy clarified.

Derek's frown deepened.

"You've done enough damage. He wants to trust you again, I can tell. If you truly care about him, let him heal." Jeremy's tone turned pleading. Like he was begging for Stiles' life.

"If you're asking me to leave, I can't," Derek shook his head.

"I'm asking you to let him heal. Don't hurt him again. If you do... I don't think even I could save him," Jeremy's tone was quiet.

"Thank you," Derek whispered earning a frown from the brunette. "For being there when no one else was. He told me he was worse off a few years back and that he's gotten better, it's because of you. Thank you."

Jeremy sat back in his chair without responding. Stiles walked back to the table then.

"I'm sorry, I just needed a minute," Stiles sat back down. "I realize now that leaving you two alone at a table was probably not smart." Stiles could feel the tension between them like a thick fog. He grabbed his cup, letting the hot caffeine calm him.

"Stiles, I need you to be honest with me," Derek spoke up then. He had the serious look Stiles had gotten used to so many years ago.

Stiles paused, the cup still pressed to his lips.