Disclaimer: Alas, I don't own Teen Wolf.
A/N: I accidentally fic. It's really short, but I like it.

"Stiles doesn't like to sleep." Scott whispered to Derek as Stiles sat across the room, jerking himself awake before he would actually fall asleep.

"Why?" Derek asked, eyeing Stiles.

"He gets nightmares." Scott said and when Derek gave him a look, he continued, "I don't just mean since, well, werewolves. He has always had them. Even when we were kids."

"What kind of nightmares?" Derek asked, worried.

Scott shrugged, "He doesn't like to talk about them. Though I do know that they have gotten worse lately."

Stiles opened another red bull and took a long drink from it.

|(O)|(O)|(O)|

Derek grabbed the drink from Stiles' hand, "You need to sleep."

Stiles dropped his head onto his arms, "No. No thank you. I want to put that off as long as I can. See? I'm doing important work here."

Derek rolled his eyes, "Scott told me about the nightmares." He frowned, "I've seen you sleep, you don't seem to get them."

"Too used to them." Stiles said, "I hardly ever react anymore."

Derek stared, feeling like he had been kicked, as Stiles reached out and grabbed the drink back.

"Sometimes," Stiles started quietly, "I wish that I had nightmares, for me."

Derek didn't know how to reply.

|(O)|(O)|(O)|

Derek realized a few days later, he hasn't had a nightmare in a while.

No nightmares about the fire, Peter, Laura, Kate, being tortured, or even worrying about his pack.

He just doesn't get them anymore.

He doesn't think it's because he is emotionally better.

|(O)|(O)|(O)|

Derek waited for Stiles to come into his room, "Was it my nightmare last night?"

Stiles sighed and ran his hand over his brow, "My dad's. His dreams don't try to hide things in meaning. Just put it out there."

He really didn't want to know what type of things the Sheriff would have nightmares about.

Stiles slumped in his computer chair. "So, you seemed to have figured it out. Which is more to say than Scott has. And he's had years to figure it out."

"Why not just tell him?" Derek asked.

Stiles shrugged, "Wouldn't fix anything. I would still get Scott's nightmares for him. He'd just feel guilty." Scratching his nose, he said, "It didn't used to be this bad."

"You used to only care for your dad and Scott." Derek said, "Now you care for more people, and they have more reasons for nightmares."

Stiles laughed bitterly, "Oh, there was a long time where mom and dad had nightmares all the time."

"I'm sorry." Derek said.

"Not your fault." Stiles gave a small smile, "Actually makes me feel useful. You know? At least you aren't burdened with your dreams anymore."

"You shouldn't have to deal with my dreams." Derek argued.

Stiles stood back up and put a hand on Derek's shoulder, "I don't mind dealing with them." With that he left the room.

|(O)|(O)|(O)|

Derek watched Stiles sleep, when he thought that it seemed as if he was getting someone's nightmare, he crawled through the window and wrapped himself around Stiles. He wanted to provide some comfort.

|(O)|(O)|(O)|

Stiles woke with a smile. He let out an amused snort and dug his face into Derek's chest. "Thank you."

"Did it help?" Derek asked.

"That's what the 'thank you' was supposed to imply, you idiot." Stiles said. Derek could feel his grin.

|(O)|(O)|(O)|

It wasn't until after the Sheriff caught Derek in bed with Stiles that they started dating. But they were glad for the push.