Deafening Silence

Ch. 10

Three days later and Stiles was furiously at work in his kitchen when the knock first came. He put it to the back of his mind promising to get it and moved the fourth pan into the oven closing it with a slam as he ran to the other side of his counter. Then it came again and Stiles was running to the door with a cooking utensil in his hand. He yanked the door open with a flushed expression, unashamed by his appearance.

Derek was standing on his porch looking worried. His leather jacket hugged his body tightly as his arm was frozen in the air to knock again. Stiles, unsurprisingly, felt his anxiety die down at the sight of his tranquil green eyes. Derek's eyebrows were drawn together in concern as his eyes swept over the distraught man's appearance "Hey. What are you doing here?" Stiles asked casually, as if he didn't look like he was falling apart.

"Isaac texted. He said he was worried about you"

"Worried?" Stiles repeated, as he turned back into his home. He marched to the kitchen, leaving the offer for Derek to follow him to hang in the air.

Derek closed the door behind himself looking throughout Stiles' messy house "Yeah. Something about deadlines, and you were stressed"

An aggravated loud groan was suddenly coming from the kitchen "Oh that. Yeah Matt-you remember him, he ruined your sisters cake- he fucked up the order dates! I can't believe it took me this long to fire him! I've got seven orders that need to be finished in two days. I can't ask Isaac to do overtime he's planning his wedding and everyone else doesn't know shit about baking" he came around the corner, batter painting his jeans and frosting dripping down his neck. The man had been so overwhelmed he hadn't enough room in his brain to be reserved and nervous around Derek. He was wielding a whisk like a weapon and pointing it accusingly into the air "I mean look at me. I'm one man, with two ovens. I might have to go back in to the shop tonight. I haven't felt this in over my head sine the week I opened the bakery. If I lose credibility because of that dickless harebrained idiot I swear-"

"Hey, first let's drop the whisk yeah?" Derek asked cautiously as he pried it from Stiles' tightening grip. It took a lot to get him mad and the ex employee had obviously pushed the right buttons. Stiles took a second to step back and finally realize how slightly embarrassed he was that Derek had watched him loose his cool "Second, you're not going to lose your shop okay. I'm here to help"

He sighed, letting his long arms go limp at his side "That's so nice Derek but I think I might need a professional this time--no offense"

"None taken, but I'm sure unexperienced help is better than nothing at all" he slipped off his jacket, throwing it over the back of a kitchen chair as he surveyed the kitchen. At the sight of his bulging biceps Stiles was overcome with the feeling of falling limp into his arms. But he stayed strong, not giving himself the satisfaction. Then Derek was pointing to the raw cakes on the counters "I can switch these cakes out with the one in the ovens and give those a chance to cool. Meanwhile you go shower and take a breather" His hands were on either shoulder, rubbing them up and down carefully.

His eyes rolled to the back of his head, getting lost in the feeling as he spoke "There's a pie that I need to-"

"I'll do it" Derek said, his hands still on his body.

Stiles went lax at the feeling, but still tried to put up a fight "Derek I really need to-"

"Shower. You really need to go shower, you'll feel better with a clear mind" he cut him off and directed him towards the hall. He looked back one last time but Derek had already disappeared.

In the shower Stiles let warm water droplets coat his body as he tried to relax. Derek was here now, and everything seemed okay. It scared him all over again, the thought that he couldn't just make things better himself. He'd gone from being his own everything to feeling light when Derek was around. He almost slipped at the thought. Derek was here and Stiles had felt okay. In a matter of seconds he went from working himself in to a panic attack, to feeling like a thousand pound back pack bound to his shoulders was gracefully removed.