we're painted red to fit right in

They take a lot of back alleys to get Derek back to Dimera, managing to avoid being seen by too many people. They're covered in blood, Derek so much so that he looks like something out of a horror movie, but he has his arm slung over Dean's shoulder with Dean's fingers gripping his wrist while they stumble along, so that's good.

"Thank you," he gets out, because it needs to be said. There's been a definite shift in their relationship, from acquaintances to something like allies. "I think the bleeding's stopped."

He's still kind of weak but it's getting easier to walk straight. He feels vulnerable but Dean is there, and if he needed to, Derek could still fight.

He does his best not to get blood anywhere as they make their way into the building, because that's a memo from management that he just does not want to deal with. Once they're in the elevator, Derek reaches out to jab the button for his floor and dreams of his shower.

He's not leaning on Dean quite so heavily once he fishes his keys out of his pocket, but his arm is still around Dean's shoulders when he unlocks it and tumbles through, dragging Dean with him. Stiles is sitting on Derek's couch eating Dorito's and really, Derek should have expected this.

"Hey," he says, astonishingly casual.