[ Derek's gut instinct is to tease Tate, ask if he's jealous, but. Between Violet, and between Derek joking about Tate having a crush on Stiles back at the fort, it seems like a pretty fucking stupid card to play. He just - listens, and the air feels different between them, suddenly. Less fun. Maybe he was too harsh.

He takes another swig of soda. Steals some of Tate's pretzels. Listens to the water, for a while. ]

He does.

[ Which - feels like a lot to say, but after bonding over Addie and Beau and Laura, it seems kind of small, comparatively. Tate already knows that Derek and Stiles are close, so he's not exactly divulging new information, but-- but maybe he should. He hasn't said this to Stiles, yet, scared that if he does it'll fuck things up, but - ]

I love him. Doesn't matter what he looks like.

[ - might as well say it to Tate. The words feel bristly and weird once they're out there, like they belong to somebody else instead of him, just because it's been so long since he's said shit like that. Derek scratches his eyebrow with his thumbnail, tries not to feel too clammy and anxious about putting the L word out there in the universe. Tries not to worry about Tate getting angry. ]

In my defense, everyone who's ever meant something to me is dead. Dead-adjacent, at least. Don't exactly have a huge list of friends and family to pick from.

[ Ssso. Eat shit, Stiles? ]