Hero (Sterek)

Chapter 2

The week was passing by painfully slow. Stiles grew agitated by the second day and started talking to himself by Tuesday. Aside from the Internet and online games, he was pretty much left with zero contact with the outside world. Whenever his father was home, Stiles breathed a sigh of relief and let out his stream of consciousness like there was no tomorrow. He didn't even know half of the words that were coming out of his mouth. It was Wednesday when his father suggested, with a tired look in his eyes, that he do something constructive.

So that was probably where Stiles decided the literal approach to his father's words was best and spent Thursday making plans for a massive project and Friday running around the hardware store for wood and paint. When he got home, all the wood strapped to the top of his jeep, he was met with a certain surly sourwolf.

Stiles moved around his jeep and pulled at the harnesses. "What do you want?"

Derek strode around the car and leaned on the back window. "What's with all the wood?"

"I'm building something. Are we playing twenty questions now?"

Derek puffed out a breath. "I have more information. You said you'd help." His clear hazel eyes never wavered from Stiles' face trying to catch his attention.

Stiles moved to the other side and pulled the harness off and then a plank of wood. He trudged up the driveway and dumped it in the garage. When he turned around, Derek had carried the rest behind him. "I didn't need your help."

"You could still thank me."

"Thanks, I guess." Stiles shrugged and opened his trunk. "I did say I would help. But I have my own project now."

"Stiles."

"Look," Stiles said, looking up from his trunk and giving Derek a hard expression, "Nowadays I try not to involve myself in supernatural activities where I'm clearly disadvantaged. I can't help you."

Derek shoved his hands into his pockets and raised his chin. "You don't even want to know what I have to tell you?"

Stiles narrowed his eyes. He knew Derek was saying it like that on purpose. Like there was some sort of seriously crazy shit that he knew would be like hyperactive teenage boy catnip. And it just pissed him off because it did interest him. Right deep in his gut he was dying to know what was going on, but he couldn't. Knowledge was power and sometimes that power didn't always lead to good places.

Derek shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not asking you to get involved, Stiles. I know that would put you in a dangerous position. All I'm asking is for a little brainpower. You don't have to leave your room."

"Ha ha, very funny. Make fun of the recluse geek. Very clever. Fine, I'll help. But only if you grab all those paint cans."

Stiles waited the few moments while is Macbook booted up. Looking behind him, Derek sat in the other chair, flipping through his Sherlock Holmes anthology. His brow creased down in concentration. Stiles shook his head, sarcastic smile pinned to his face. He swiveled back to his computer and opened Google.

"So tell me about this latest development. Be detailed. Don't forget to mention anything. Although, you can probably skip the whole 'I frolic through the forest' part—I already know you're a wild animal."

Derek rolled his eyes and scooted behind Stiles. "A couple of days ago there was a body found by the river. It had floated down overnight."

"My father is the sheriff, remember?"

"Right. Well, I had Isaac get a scent from the crime scene to try to track where the body came from."

Stiles narrowed his eyes. "Why?"