Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf or the characters.

"So," Cora began as soon as the pack was out the door of Derek's loft. "When were you gonna tell me that you're in love with Stiles?"

Derek choked a little on the chips that he had just shoved into his mouth and his head snapped up to look at his sister. His throat worked frantically to swallow the food in his, suddenly dry, mouth as he tried to think of something, anything to say in response to Cora's question. Where had that come from? What had he done to make her think that?

"Um, never," he replied, his eyebrows pulled together in false confusion. "Because I'm not. I barely tolerate Stiles," he lied.

"Oh, come on, Derek," Cora said as she flopped down on the couch next to Derek. She rested her legs over his thighs and fixed him with an intense look, "I know it's been a while but you're still my best brother; I still know you inside out."

Something in Derek's chest clenched painfully at Cora's words and the sadness that he could now smell on her. He hoped that she was right so much that he thought he might explode from want; they had been so close before everything, before the fire. He wanted that closeness back more than anything.

Derek cleared his throat before speaking again, deliberately not meeting her gaze.

"Well, I don't know what to tell you, except that you're wrong."

She sighed deeply and rolled her eyes.

"Fine I'm wrong," she stated and Derek knew that she didn't really believe that. "But if I wasn't I would tell you that you should tell him how you feel. I would tell you that the way you look at Stiles when you think no one, especially not him, is watching is like seeing you pine for something you think you're not allowed to want. I would tell you that you are allowed to want, that you deserve to love and be loved. Most importantly though, I would tell you that Stiles looks at you the exact same way when he thinks no one is looking at him."

Derek swallowed hard, letting her words wash over him and trying to bite back urgent, needy questions like 'can you show me how he looks at me?' and 'does he look at me a lot?'

Cora stood up before he could say anything at all and kissed him on the temple before saying nonchalantly, "But I'm wrong, you're not in love with Stiles. So, not to worry."

He waited until she was in the bathroom with the door closed behind her before grabbing his jacket and heading out to the Stilinski household.

Sometimes all you need is the truth from someone who really knows you to give you a little clarity.

A/n: If anyone wants to follow me on tumblr my url is jinglebellblaine for Christmas and warriorhale usually.