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They're sitting on the floor of Allison and Scott's apartment, playing with baby Anya, when Stiles looks up at Derek with startling clarity. Derek is currently laying on his back, looking at baby Anya upside down and making silly faces to make her laugh. She reaches out and grabs for his beard, and Derek laughs and flashes his little cute teeth, flipping over and grabbing her tiny hand to pretend to eat it. She squeals in delight, and Derek scoops her up and cuddles her into his arms.
Anya is slowly drifting off to sleep, and as she snores Derek looks lovingly at her; their godchild. Stiles watches until Derek looks up at him, and the green in his eyes almost shines. Stiles is brought back to the day they were first introduced.
"This is Dr. Hale, the surgeon at I work with that I was telling you about. Derek, this is Stiles, my fiancée's best friend."
Derek held out his hand. "Nice to meet you, Stiles."
"Likewise, Dr. H!"
"Please, call me Derek."
Allison looked between the two. "You two enjoy yourselves! I'll be upstairs with Scott." Allison had left them in the bar as she sauntered up to her and Scott's temporary apartment.
"I'm glad I'm not the only one whose friends meddle in their love lives," Stiles laughed nervously.
"Meddle? More like live vicariously through me." Derek said dryly, and Stiles burst out into genuine laughter.
"What are you getting to drink? These first ones are on me."
"A man who can pay, eh?" Derek asked him. "Raspberry gin with Malibu, on the rocks."
"Make it two," Stiles held up two fingers. He turned back to the doctor. "As a starving artist, I completely believe in the principle that if you pay, others will return the favor." He said this right as their drinks arrived.
"Well, next round is entirely on me," Derek smiled as he took a gulp of his alcohol.
"I'd like that," Stiles had smiled gently back, marveling at how green his eyes were.
To this day, two years later, Stiles is still grinning like an idiot, still giggling like a girl, and still gazing into Derek's eyes and pondering their marvelous color.
And now, as he's watching him cradle Scott and Allison's little girl in his arms, he can't help but want. Despite the fact that they had been dating two years, Derek still has intense commitment problems. He only had a few relationships before their own, and Derek doesn't like the word "love." The only time Stiles remembers him saying it is during sex, and even then it had never felt real.
Stiles quietly creeps closer to Derek from his spot on the floor until he's only a few feet from him. "Derek," he says quietly, eyes on Anya.
"Stiles, stop," Derek says warningly, because he knows Stiles so well.
"Derek, you can't keep your guard up forever. Love...love shouldn't feel heavy. Do you love me?" Derek is silent. "I love you."
Derek seems to struggle with his words. "Stiles, I—"
"What is it that you're afraid of? Are you afraid of being hurt? Or being let down? Destroyed? All of that can happen, especially since you're a big macho man who refuses to feel, but you're a fighter. Fight your own insecurities. I know you can, because you do. When we go to protests for science and vaccines, you're so devoted to the cause." Stiles places his hand on Derek's thigh, and Derek stares down at it. "So tell me why you're so afraid of the cause. The cause that's worth it. The cause of you and me."
"But..." Derek's eyes are unsure, and he looks slightly scared.
Stiles sidles up against Derek, speaking softly as to not wake Anya. "You can't know how good it gets until you go for it or it's gone." Stiles smirks and nudges Derek. "You can't hide in the dugout while that final game is going on. Cmon, I'll be the best worst mistake you ever made, man."
"Sports metaphors? Really?" Derek asks, rolling his eyes.
"Really," Stiles smiles back.
Derek sighs. "It's not that I don't love you...I don't not love you. I..." Derek cut off and growled in frustration. "I'd be lying if I said that I'm never sometimes always thinking of you. It's just...it's like the words have lost their meaning in the old cliche of saying it." He took a breath. "Do you want me to say that you're sweet and beautiful, that you're the one? To please be mine? That love is neat and nice and true..."
Stiles gently sets Anya on the couch behind them as he shakes his head. "Love is scary and terrifying, and you're always panicked in a sweat and it's the nightmare of all nightmares...but it's the best. Love's a bitch and a joy. It's a man who loves you." He takes Derek's hand. "It's me. I love you."
Derek repeats it gently, "I love you."
"For all time," Stiles smiles, seeing he has Derek mesmerized.
"For all time," he repeats. Then he blinks hard. "You tricked me into saying that."
"Too late! You said it, and I said it. And I know you meant it, too." Stiles gripped his hand harder. "We've been lost and lonely and afraid, but we can do it."
"You think so?" Derek asks, and he has a strange glint in his eye. Stiles nods slowly. "Then marry me. Let's have a family, let's have kids, let's get a beautiful house."
Stiles looks at him, tears already running down his face. "You mean it?"
Derek nods. "I mean it."
"You really do love me!"
And before Stiles launches himself at Derek to kiss him senselessly, Derek smiles mischievously and says "I'll be the best worst mistake you ever made, baby."