Chapter Text
Holding Stiles’ hand is simultaneously the simplest thing, and the most complex thing Derek has ever done.
If he had to compare it to anything, he’d say it’s a lot like trying to contain an electric storm within the confines of your palm without getting overwhelmed by it.
Stiles buzzes with energy on his best days, and nowadays – now that they’re away from anything dark and twisted and Beacon Hills – he has a lot of best days; the storm contained in Derek’s palm, trapped in between the spaces of his fingers feeling as warm as sunshine.
(On his worst days he still holds Derek’s hand, but it’s different- muted. More like the soft pitter patter of rain on a window, than that all-consuming, world moving force.)
Derek loves it when they’re going for a walk and Stiles holds his hand, and squeezes in time with the crescendo of his voice when he reaches the climax of his excitement of whatever topic he was pouring over.
He loves that Stiles doesn’t let go, that he outright goes out of his way to weave through crowds with Derek firmly by his side, never more than arm’s reach away.
He loves how Stiles goes off on tangents, how he’ll pull Derek from their original path to chase something that he’s caught out of the corner of his eye.
He loves that sometimes he has to grasp the tips his finger around Stiles’, locked at first knuckle, both of their arms outstretched, a breath away of letting go of each other, but they never do, and the littlest tug brings Stiles back to him.
It makes him feel powerful; it makes him feel hopeful; it makes him feel loved.
And every time Stiles comes back to him in the simplest little way possible, Derek slots their fingers together with new vigor, turns their hands and raises them so he can kiss across Stiles’ knuckles.
Every time he does, Stiles smiles. Lighting and sunlight sweet, and just for him.
Holding Stiles’ hand feels a lot like the giddy expectation in the pit of your stomach, just after you see lightning strike and are waiting for the thunderclap, watching all of it from the safety of home.