Sterek(oneshots)

Soaked

Stiles shivered as the cool air washed over his soaked body. He was tired and cold and wet and he just wanted to go home and climb into a hot shower and then go to bed, but instead he was standing in the middle of the school parking lot freezing half to death.

"I should check and see if he left anything behind that might tell us who it is," Scott glanced back at the school's gym door.

"Scott, come on, it's late and I'm soaked," Stiles groaned at his best friend.

"Erica will stay and help you," Derek piped in then making Stiles huff in irritation.

Great, werewolf barbie wasn't scary at all. Stiles thought.

"I'll take Stiles home," Derek continued causing Stiles to snap his head towards the alpha.

"What?"

"You're soaking wet, and it's thirty degrees out here," Derek said as if that explained it.

"Okay, I'll text you later, Stiles," Scott agreed all too easily.

Stiles flailed his arms in disbelief.

"We need to know who it is so we can catch them and Derek's right, you need to get home and dried off."

Derek waited patently for Stiles to give in.

"Fine," he huffed throwing his hands up. "But call me if you find anything."

Scott nodded before he and Erica headed back towards the gym.

Stiles hesitated at the passenger's side door of Derek's car. Why was Derek being so nice all of a sudden? Not that he was being nice exactly but offering to drive him home was the nicest thing Derek had ever done, so yeah, he was being nice.

"Stiles get in the car," Derek ordered as he slid into the dirver's side.

Stiles did as he was told, silently.

Derek put the heat on which Stiles was thankful for.

"Look, about back there..." Derek trailed off as if trying to find the nerves to finish his sentence.

"I know, shouldn't have gone for my phone, I'm sorry," Stiles huffed before Derek could continue.

"Actually, I was going to say thank you," Derek grit out.

"For what?" Stiles blinked at the werewolf.

"For keeping be above water, what else?" Derek snapped back.

"I thought you said I was only doing it cause were my best chance of getting out of there," Stiles sneered sarcastically.

"We both would have drowned before the paralytic wore off and yet you still kept me up. You were willing to go down with me," Derek's tone was softer now, but his posture was no less tense.

"What was I supposed to do, let you drown?" Stiles frowned over at Derek.

The alpha didn't respond. He would have expected it.

"You really think I would do that?" Stiles asked, genuinely concerned when Derek didn't respond.

"I was under the impression you didn't much like me," Derek answered simply, his eyes staring straight ahead.

"Well you're a controlling ass sometimes, but that doesn't mean I want you dead," Stiles turned away from Derek then, his eyes steady on the passing trees.

Derek glanced at Stiles with a quizzical look.

A silence fell over the pair for a moment when Derek spoke again.

"Still...thank you."

Stiles opened his mouth to make a smart quip about needing him after all but instead the words that came out were. "You're welcome."

Another moment of silence passed.

"Is taking me home your way of saying thanks?" Stiles asked then, curiously.

"It's a start."

"A start?" Stiles frowned at the alpha.

Derek's eyes met Stiles' briefly. Despite the fact that his hair was damp and stuck up in all directions, he was still stunning. His green eyes shone brightly under the street lights.

"You saved my life, I think I owe you more than a ride home."

"You don't owe me anything, Derek," Stiles shook his head.

Derek's brows dipped into a frown.

"Jesus, what kind of people have you been around to think that you would owe me for something like that?" Stiles said the words before he could even think about what he was saying.

Derek's hands tightened around the wheel.

"I'm sorry, that was..." Stiles wanted to kick himself. He knew what Derek had been through. How guarded he was. "You don't owe me anything, but I appreciate the ride."

Derek offered stiles a look that wasn't quite a smile, but it wasn't a scowl either. It was almost a look of appreciation.

Silence filled the car again and Stiles shivered but not from the cold. He glanced back over to see Derek was more relaxed than he had been. Maybe Derek was starting to trust him.

The idea made Stiles' lips quirk into a tiny smile. Derek needed someone he could trust and maybe, just maybe he could be that someone.

*AN*
So I wrote this for the prompt 'Canon highlights' but I'm not sure how I feel about it. So I may or may not use it. But I'm posting it here anyway.