For the Love of Chaos

Know him

The next morning the werewolves found Stiles face down on the table in the living room. A candle was still lit nearby.

"What happened to him?" Erica asked with a raised brow at the human.

"Couldn't sleep," Derek answered.

"Hey, Stiles," Scott nudged his friend.

Stiles snapped upright, his eyes wide, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, you fell asleep on the table," Scott snickered, gesturing towards the piece of furniture.

"Oh," Stiles wiped the sleep from his eyes and yawned.

"Isaac and I will go grab breakfast. Can you three play nice while we're gone?" She pointed at Scott, Derek and Stiles.

"How's Boyd?" Stiles asked then, standing up.

"He's better," Erica gave a soft smile, gesturing towards the back room where Boyd was.

Stiles hurried off to check on him leaving Scott and Derek alone.

"I heard you, you know...asking him to be your emissary," Scott said, not looking up at the alpha.

Derek tensed. He hadn't meant for that be common knowledge just yet. He didn't want Stiles to have any outside influences persuading him one way or another. He wanted this to be Stiles' decision.

"He'll do it ya know. He believes you, that you're not just using him."

Derek remained silent.

"I don't. I know you're just using him," Scott's eyes finally met Derek's. There was a bitterness to his look.

"I'm not," Derek finally answered. He wouldn't normally care what Scott thought but Scott could easily convince Stiles that Derek was in this for personal gain.

"And why would you care about Stiles otherwise?" Scott snapped, taking a step forward, almost like he was challenging Derek.

"Why do you?" Derek countered.

"Because he's strong in ways that matter. He's loyal. He's kind and caring despite his trust issues. He's always got my back. He'd risk his life for anyone, even people he doesn't know well, like Boyd," Scott gestured towards the direction Stiles had disappeared.

Derek gave Scott a look that said he'd just answered his own question.

"Don't pretend to know who Stiles is," Scott growled. A new anger to his tone.

"I may not know him as well as you do. But I know him better than you think I might." Despite Scott's hostility Derek's tone remained calm.

"Just because you both have lost family doesn't mean you know him," Scott spat again.

Derek's jaw clenched.

"He's saved my life more than once. When I came to you, in fact. He's never once done anything that makes me think I can't trust him, unlike you. I know the reason he was hesitant to tell you about his magic. I know how much Deucalion scares him and yet he's still willing to fight, for you and for Boyd...he's not selfish when he could be. He's helped me do research when I didn't know where to turn. I may not know him like you do, but don't think for a second I don't plan to," Derek took a step forward now. His eyes glaring, and tone sharp.

At that moment Stiles walked into the room with Boyd slowly behind him.

"Are you two behaving?" Stiles noted the tension between the two werewolves.

"Yeah," Scott lied; thankful his best friend couldn't tell.

Derek decided not to disagree.

-

After breakfast, Derek had offered to help Stiles with the training like he'd promised.

The pack and Scott gathered outside at the edge of the reserve to watch.

"Okay, just come at me," Stiles gestured for Derek to attack.

"I don't want to hurt you," Derek sighed.

"Trust me, I won't let you, but you have to try."

"Can't I attack one of them and you counter that?" Derek frowned, glancing at the other wolves.

"Later, for now, come at me," Stiles insisted.

"Fine," Derek stepped forward and threw a punch.

Stiles caught his arm with what looked like an imaginary rope, and twisted, forcing Derek to his knees. He looked up at Stiles with surprise to see the human equally as shocked.

"I so didn't expect that to work," Stiles gave a chortle as he released Derek.

"What did you do?" Derek stood back up, turning to face Stiles again.

"It's not really traditional druid magic, it's more of spell that witches use, but because I'm a druid I don't need to harness any special thing to do it. I can harness myself. It's just a small spell, but it's effective, apparently."

"This Bonnie Witch taught you this?" Derek frowned.

Stiles nodded, waiting for some type of reprimand.

Derek only nodded.

"We talked last night after you went to bed. She thinks it could help against Deucalion. The only problem is it'll weaken me. Like I'll get tired, but it's not dangerous. Not like blood magic."

"Good, then I'm really gonna come at you this time, are you ready?" Derek asked.

Stiles nodded, and spread his feet, getting himself ready for any blow Derek might throw his way.

The alpha leapt. He was coming down on Stiles with an unclawed hand.

Stiles, using the same simple spell, held his hands up as if holding a foot-long rope. It served as a shield. Catching Derek by the throat with it, Stiles used his magic to muster up enough strength to force Derek onto his back, the imaginary rope still at his throat.

Derek coughed with a groan.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry," Stiles' eyes widened.

"No, it's okay," Derek answered in a grimace.

Stiles helped him up into a sitting position.

"Did I hurt you, I might be able to-"

"Stiles," Derek cut the druid off. "I'll heal. Werewolf remember?"

"So I did hurt you," Stiles' eyes widened again. He was now knelt in front of the alpha.

"I'm pretty sure you broke a rib," Derek chuckled. He glanced over at his betas who were clapping. Even Scott was clapping at that one.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean-"

"Stop," Derek pressed a finger to Stiles' lips halting any further words from leaving the human's mouth. "It was a good move. I really think that particular spell will help a lot."

Stiles wondered if Derek heard the way his heart thudded in his chest at the contact.

"Let's keep practicing. Try some other things?" Derek held a hand out to Stiles who helped him to his feet.

"I don't want to hurt you again," Stiles frowned.

Derek's chest tightened at the concern. Stiles, despite the fact that Derek was a werewolf, was worried about hurting him. Derek was sure the fluttering in his stomach wasn't normal. He'd only ever felt that once and that was when he was in high school.

"Let's let Isaac try then," Derek took a step back from Stiles. He couldn't let himself get that close. Being pack members was one thing but letting the feelings go deeper than that, was something else entirely.