Faking It To Making It (Teen Wolf, Derek/Stiles)

They’re all freaked out right now, freaked out and panicked and upset, so much so that Stiles almost doesn’t register it when Scott says “It’s Derek. It’s Derek Hale.”

Stiles’s jaw drops open in shock, giving Jackson enough time to say “Derek killed the janitor?”

Allison starts to say something but Stiles barrels right over her. “No. No, no, no, no.” The vehemence in Stiles’s words makes Allison jerk back away from them.

Scott stares at him, giving him that look that says play along. “Derek’s here. His car’s outside.”

Stiles is not playing along. No way. He did not nearly chop off Derek’s arm for this. “No way, Scott. You are not throwing him under the bus.” Images of the murdered bus driver flash through his head and he winces. “Figuratively. Or literally. No bus-throwing.”

“Stiles…” Scott’s looking at him like he’s the crazy one.

“Well if Derek’s not the murderer, why’s he here?” Lydia asks. “Where is he?”

“Out there with that… thing. Probably dead too.” He looks Scott straight in the eyes as he says it, daring Scott to challenge him. Derek could be dead for all they know but Stiles is not letting him die a murder suspect. Not when the real one’s still on the loose. “Derek was here to meet me.”

“I knew he was a drug dealer!” Jackson looks far too delighted.

“What? No!” Stiles licks his lips, trying to think of an excuse, any excuse why he and Derek would be meeting at all, let alone at night in the high school. “He’s… he’s my boyfriend.” Four shocked expressions meet his pronouncement. He bounces slightly on his feet and keeps going with it, trying to make it more believable. Scott is giving him this look of profound disbelief so Stiles starts with him. “Scott doesn’t like him. He disapproves. Thinks Derek’s just toying with me. That’s why he said that about Derek. But Derek’s not a murderer, alright? It’s not him.”