Chapter Text
If there was an advantage to Boyd being a loner, it was that he was an excellent observer. If there was a disadvantage to that, it was that he kept to himself and he kept silent. With that, Boyd was willing to bet that he was the first to ever notice his Alpha falling in love, but that was Derek’s own business and it wasn’t Boyd’s place to pry. That being said, he would’ve pegged Jackson to say something ridiculous about it first, because he could also sense when people starting becoming aware of the matter too, but instead he was surprised when Scott spoke up.
“Does anyone else get a confused boner when Stiles and Derek are in the room with us?” Scott looked around with a stupid smirk on his face. It made Jackson’s eyes roll, Isaac fidget, Erica giggle, which Boyd decided he liked hearing very much, and it actually in fact, completely involuntarily, made Boyd himself huff a deep laugh. Scott looked at Boyd startled and smiled even wider and Boyd regretted doing anything that drew attention to himself. “So, I’m not the only one?”
“Speak for yourself; I don’t have to worry about those issues.” Erica said, passing Scott and slapping her hands in a V formation near her, -hm, Boyd coughed loudly, trying to expel the image from his mind, because he didn’t want to get a boner, here, in front of everyone and make Scott think he was right about Derek and Stiles. Scott turned to look at him.
“Got something to say Boyd? You thinking what I’m thinking?”
“Man, I’ve probably been thinking it way before you. I’ve been noticing for months.” Boyd figured if this conversation was going to happen, he might as well actually participate for once. Scott’s face fell like he had just been slapped.
“Months?!” Scott started pacing and picking at his thumbnail.
“Dude, would you chill? Why is this such a big deal?” Jackson stood up and made a hand gesture for Scott to sit.
“Cause man! Stiles has been acting funny lately, distant, different. Shit and I think its Derek. He spends less and less time with me and I think it’s because I’m spending more and more time here and with you all.”
“Well tell him to grow some fucking balls and do something about it.” Jackson sat back down and picked up the remote and started flicking through the TV channels; all 4000 of them, courtesy of Jackson himself and convincing Derek that if he wanted Jackson part of his pack, he was going to have to start living by Jackson’s standards. In fact, most of Derek’s new loft was furnished much in part to Jackson and Lydia’s tastes. The nice brown leather recliner Boyd was sitting on and the entire living room was imported from Spain, he was pretty sure, he remembered Lydia up late one night yelling in another language on the phone. He thought he heard the word Spain or maybe Turkey. No, the rug underneath them all was definitely from Turkey, that’s what it was. Everything in the place was imported from somewhere, somewhere expensive, classy and luxurious. None of which were words Boyd would use to describe Derek Hale but he digressed.
“Not everyone has confidence like you Jackson, Jesus.” Scott shot back at him and Jackson just rolled his eyes again and settled on a channel playing none other than Lacrosse. Shocker.
“Whatever dude, what does Stiles have to be worried about really? It’s not like Derek’s standards are high, I mean look at his track record. That Kate was a mean bitch, yeah? So, Stiles is one up from that.” Jackson stopped talking after that and everyone kind of sat in stunned silence because they were all pretty sure Jackson just paid someone a compliment, and it was Stiles of all people. Boyd and Stiles weren’t the best of buds, but even Boyd could be disappointed Stiles wasn’t here to overhear this.
“So, what are we gonna do about this then?” Scott said continually pacing. Boyd could feel Jacksons heart elevate and his deep, heavy breathes escalated, conveying annoyance.
“If we say we’ll figure something out, but later, will you sit the fuck down?” said Jackson.
“Fuck man, we gotta figure something out now. Stiles is pining, and Derek isn’t much better, aren’t you much more annoyed with it than me pacing in front of the TV?”
Boyd had to hand it to him, that was a valid argument, because for the past week Boyd could hear the same heart rate and deep, heavy breaths, which Boyd had learned for Jackson meant irritation that he was getting fed up with the confused boners Stiles and Derek gave everyone, not that that happened, Boyd would deny that ever happened.
“Their looks are sickening, their blushing?! Derek blushes, gross. The way Derek’s heart actually fucking skips when he hears Stiles Jeep pull up, when he takes in deep breaths of Stiles before he even enters the room. This shit is confusion boner central and it needs to be dealt with. They both need to get laid and as much as it’s weird to talk about Stiles in this way, I’ll do it, I’ll sacrifice whatever to make this shit stop.”
Jackson leaned forward and flicked the TV off staring up at Scott, then at Erica, Isaac and then finally at Boyd. Boyd’s eyebrows perked up because Jackson’s heart rate was different, something he hadn’t heard before and he had everyone’s heart rates in the pack categorized as something so he could figure out what kind of person he was dealing with.
“All right then, I think I have a plan.” Jackson said, and then actually cracked a smile. Boyd suddenly recognized the feeling Jackson was having, it was excitement. Jesus, what was wrong with them all? Erica moved from the wall she had been leaning against, listening in to the whole conversation and came over and plopped herself down onto Boyd’s lap to get more involved. He felt her sigh and lean into him and his body betrayed him by wrapping his arms around her waist. Then again all the common sense he had built from being a loner, the protective walls he put up, never actually worked around Erica. Isaacs’s ears perked up and a small smile flitted across his face. Boyd was pretty sure that even though Isaac hadn’t said anything, it was because he was just like Boyd, the silent, observer type but he could also tell the idea of making his Alpha happy excited Isaac. Because out of everyone, Boyd had noticed it was Isaac who obeyed Derek’s every order, followed him around like a lost puppy, squeaked when he got mad and smiled when Derek was happy. Boyd was pretty sure it was because of the deep sense of gratitude and loyalty Isaac felt for Derek, from saving him from Isaacs’s life. He was also pretty sure Isaac would die for him even if only to try and prove to Derek he was worthy of what Derek had given him. “The” gift.
“All right then, don’t leave us hanging jackass. What is it?” Erica’s voice rang out and Jackson startled out of his daze.
“Well it’s obvious isn’t it, when I was dying what did I finally have the guts to do?” Jackson said and Boyd’s mind instantly clicked.
“You finally conveyed to Lydia how you felt.” Isaac beat him to it.
“Exactly and vice versa, so it’s simple.” Jackson paused for what Boyd was sure was dramatic effect. “We have to put Stiles in danger.”