iamnotbrooding | For totallynotrobin

Normally, Derek liked his solitude but tonight he was feeling restless, as if something was tickling the back of his neck and he couldn't scratch it. He felt the link he had to Scott and his pack, still considering himself as part of the Pack with Scott as the Alpha. It was never a job he wanted anyway, so he was happy to let Scott lead even if Derek had evolved to a full Alpha form. Scott was still a natural Alpha and that meant something and Derek had no intention of trying to change the pack hierarchy.

Sighing, he rolled off his bed and to his feet, slipping on his shoes and pulling a t-shirt over his head he left the loft. Maybe a run would settle him down so he could sleep.

A half hour later he found himself standing outside the Stilinski house, staring up at Stiles' window. The Sheriff's car wasn't there, so Derek guessed he was working that night. The light was on in Stiles' room, and Derek was still restless so he jumped to the roof and tapped on the window before opening it and sliding into the room. He could see Stiles' face reflected in the light of his computer.

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Stiles had a point, Scott never truly joined his pack. He'd had Isaac, Erica and Boyd, but Scott was never his as much as he'd tried.

"That's just it, I don't even know what's wrong to know how to fix it! I just know it feels...different."

After a moment, he nodded. "Yeah, I'll stay as long as Scott needs, but he's doing pretty damn well on his own."

"Maybe if we do some pack bonding or something. What did you used to do?"

"I think you and I both know he needs guidance sometimes. He's strong and he's smart and he's brave, but he puts his faith in the wrong person and we're all screwed."

"You really think Scott would listen to me if I thought someone was sketchy? He's not big on my opinion you know," he laughed.

"Scott would have to do the Pack bonding things, not me. He's the Alpha, it all stems from him. I'm a beta, I follow the Alpha's lead."

"But deep down he trusts you. That's his fatal flaw, right? Benefit of the doubt and second chances."

"The Alpha can lead, but he can also take advice." Stiles quirks an eyebrow. "That's kind of what Scott's pack is all about."

"Yeah, I suppose," Derek conceded.

"Why don't you consider yourself pack, Stiles? You're Scott's right hand in everything he does, that means something."

"I don't know, dude. No one's ever treated me like - Pack." Stiles shrugs, and yeah, they're probably only sharing this because it's 3 AM. "Your pack relished in beating the shit out of me, actually."

Okay, he exaggerates. But Erica did like knocking him unconscious. "And Scott - he's family, but I don't think his idea of pack extends to me the same way it does to everybody else."

"Don't exaggerate, Erica was a bitch to you, I can admit that," Derek replied. "But don't you get it - family is pack. It's not just a group of people getting together for a common goal. It's more than that, or least it should be."

Derek had forgotten how he'd even ended up here, in Stiles' room, having a discussion on pack dynamics.

"Part of why we need you, Derek. We're a group of teenagers - I don't think we really know how to be a family." Especially when...most of them came from homes without much "family" to speak of.

Derek considered Stiles' words, frowning. "You and your dad seem to have a good relationship don't you? And Scott with his mom?"

Derek didn't know if they could considered themselves teenagers at this point, all of them had been through too much.

"Age and maturity are two different things, Stiles. Do you really consider yourself a normal teenager anymore?"

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