Work Text:
The place looks different with all the Christmas lights and garland hung from every available surface, but Derek’s pretty sure that was what Erica was going for in the first place, so he makes a mental note to compliment her when she surfaces from wherever it is she disappeared to with her fiance.
For now, though, he just scans the room as he takes in the rest of the workers at Hale, Inc. talking amongst themselves and laughing at the cheesy Christmas music blaring over the intercom.
It had been a good year and the people he worked with deserved to celebrate their successes, so Derek turned to go back to his office to make sure that no one was uncomfortable with the boss hanging over their shoulders.
"Aw, you’re not backing out early, are you? Come on, I have yet to see you even hit the dance floor!"
Fighting to keep the smirk off his face, Derek quips, “Trust me, you don’t want to see me try to dance.”
"Okay, now I’m even more intrigued.” Stiles grins at him, a cup of something in his hand as he waves it in Derek’s direction. “I’m seriously in doubt that there hasn’t been at least some dancing in your backstory.”
"There has, which is how I know that going out there would be a very bad idea.” Derek’s not-so-stellar dance history aside, he’s a little curious as to why Stiles pulled himself from the heart of the party to come talk to him. “Why don’t you dance with Heather from Human Resources? I saw her eyeing you earlier, maybe she’d even consider giving you private lessons later.”
"This must be a day for miracles; Derek Hale, co-CEO of Hale, Inc, just made an innuendo! Almost all of my Christmas wishes have come true!”
"Speaking of Christmas wishes, did Dinah finally tell you what she wanted this year?" Derek asks, trying to steer the conversation into safer waters, forgetting-at least, until Stiles had reminded him-that he was talking to one of his co-workers and not someone he had met at a bar.
It’s just a little difficult to do, what with the way that Stiles’ attitude toward him has been getting friendlier each time they’ve run into each other and the sweet way that Dinah says hello to him whenever Stiles brings her in when he forgets a bit of work, or remembers when he has a project due the next day that he hasn’t finished.
"Yeah," Stiles’ face has twisted, no doubt confused at Derek’s sudden subject change, before he sighs that exasperated-but-fond sigh that parents everywhere seem to use at some point or another in their child’s life.
(Derek has heard that sigh a grand total of ten times in his life so far, only three having to do with him personally.)
"It’s this really expensive doll that was also pretty popular, so I didn’t manage to finagle one before they were sold out." Stiles blows out an exasperated breath while looking absolutely dejected when he shoots Derek a smile that only deserves the name because it caused his lips to twitch upward. “I hope she isn’t too disappointed come Christmas Day and there’s just a generic doll under the tree instead.”
There’s a reason Derek had asked, a reason he checks to see if Stiles had managed to buy the doll, because he had gone and seen how much it had cost as well as seen if he could cover it with Stiles’ Christmas bonus.
It’s a little different than what he had planned, but maybe he can still make Stiles’ Christmas a little more joyful this year…
"You know, Dinah had mentioned to me about this doll as well," Derek remarks, catching Stiles’ eye and grinning, "She was going on and on about one day while you were finishing off your shift."
"Sounds like her." Stiles smiles fondly, not doubt remembering all the times that particular trait came into play.
"I figured it must have been one hell of a toy with the way she was going on, so I figured that I get one for my niece, cementing my place as the ‘coolest uncle’ this Christmas."
Beside him, Stiles goes very still.
"As it turns out, my sister has better foresight than I do"-more like Alexandra changed what she liked that year, again-“so now I have a doll with no one to give to.” Derek uses a shrug of his shoulders to check Stiles’ expression, which is nothing to short of bugged eyed shock. “So, it turns out that you won’t have to worry after all.”
There’s a few seconds of silence before Stiles is choking out, “Derek, those dolls cost-“
"Consider it a gift for Dinah, then, in thanks for letting us steal you tonight. You can even say it’s from Santa, if you don’t feel comfortable saying it’s from yourself."
"I- I can’t-"
"Stiles, please," Derek turns to face Stiles full on, swallowing at the look on his face and tries not to screw this up or make it seem like there’s a catch at the end. "I’ve seen how hard you work to take care of Dinah, how much overtime you put in so you could take her to that amusement park for her birthday last year, and how you’ve always made it to work every day, even when you looked like you were so sick a good gust of wind could blow you over. The least I could do is help you get a doll for your daughter.”
There is nothing but the background noise of the party for a heartbeat or two, then Stiles is lunging forward, wrapping his hands in the lapels of Derek’s suit and pulling them together for a kiss.
It’s a sharp, sweet thing that is over far too quickly as Stiles rests his head on Derek’s shoulder as he shakily whispers, “Thank you. I don’t know how I- Thank you, I know it might seem like such a stupid thing but-“
"It’s your daughter," Derek says, as if that explains everything and maybe it does, because Stiles is pulling away slightly to smile at him before he blushes.
"I didn’t mean to lay one on you, I was just so-"
"It’s alright, Stiles. I’m not complaining, am I?"
"Right," Stiles drags his tongue over his lips and his gaze drops when Derek mimics the action. "So, if I wanted to do that again…?"
"That’s not why I’m giving you the doll." Derek wants to make that point abundantly clear.
Stiles gaze softens and he murmurs, “I know.” before pulling them together again.