Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"If you had to date one of the jocks, who would you choose?"

Derek sighs, and keeps reading the book he's been trying to focus on for twenty minutes now. He should know by now that trying to read during lunch time -when his very loud friends Erica (especially Erica), Boyd, and Isaac, are sitting with him- is completely pointless. But he still tries, because Derek actually prefers book to people. Books are quiet, for example. Unless certain persons.

“Come on, Derek! Who would you choose? Jackson?” Derek makes a face. Never. “McCall?” Another face (seriously, the guy is not that attractive, and he’s a potato). “Or Stilinski?”

Erica is smirking like she knows something. And that’s never good.

“Why would I ever want to date one of the jocks Erica?” Derek sighs, closing his book, and turning his head towards his friends.

“Maybe because it’s a cliché. And maybe because you think Stilinski is hot?”

Derek looks straight at Boyd. “You promised you wouldn’t tell her!” He almost-yells, face red with embarrassment, while Erica cackles beside him.

Boyd just shrugs. “Dude you’re allowed to have wet dreams about who the hell you want! And you knew Erica would find out sooner or later, don’t try to be surprised.”

And as much as Derek hates to admit it, Boyd has a point. He knew Erica would find out eventually. He just hoped it would be… in ten years. Or twenty. Or the day he’ll marry Stiles and Boyd will make a toast and talk about that time when Derek was sleeping over, and he woke up to find his best friend staring at his crotch with an expression of pure distress on his face, like he couldn’t believe his dick had betrayed him. Stiles would laugh, and Erica would fall off her chair, and that would be embarrassing for Derek, but that’s what best men are supposed to do.

But no, Erica finding out is not a surprise. Even though he’s not so pleased about it.

“Arr arr, funny.”

“Eh, don’t be so embarrassed! I think Stilinski is hot!” calls Erica, a tiny bit too loud.

“Well why don’t you date him then?” Derek grunts.

“Because I don’t have a dick. Also I’m a nobody.”

“We all are nobodys” Derek answers.

“You’re a Hale”, Isaac says

“I’m not my sister.”

Because everybody knows Laura Hale. Even though she left for college three and a half years ago now, everyone knew, and everyone knows Laura. She was at the very, very, very sharp top of the social ladder. Derek is a the bottom-ish (because that’s true, he’s a Hale after all) because he doesn’t care about things like popularity and doesn’t really like sports (sure, he played baseball when he was a kid, like everyone).

“Whatever. It’s not like Derek would have the cojones to date Stilinski anyway” Erica adds while stealing a frie from Boyd’s plate.

“What?” Is she implying that Derek is a chicken??

“I said you wouldn’t have the balls to date Stilinski. What happened to your Spanish Der, I thought you were good at this?” the blonde smirks.

“I perfectly understood it, gracias. And you’re wrong. I could totally date him. I just don’t want to, because he’s the most annoying person ever, and I probably would kill myself after an hour spend with him. Or he would talk me to death, and I wouldn’t even need to kill myself.”

And Derek is lying through his teeth because Stiles is annoying, okay sure, like when he starts talking into class about something, and ends up explaining to the teacher some obscure mathematical hypothesis even though they were talking about Hamlet in the first place. But Derek thinks Stiles’ mind is fascinating.

Not that he’ll ever admit that to his friends. Them knowing Derek finds Stiles attractive is one thing. Them knowing Derek is crushing hard on the jock is completely different and fifty shades of NOT OKAY.

“Chicken!”

“Am not!”

“Chiiiiicken!”

“AM NOT.”

“Yes you are. But that’s okay, we all know you couldn’t last more than two weeks dating him anyway. You don’t have what it takes.”

“Oh yeah, and what is that?”

“Courage!”

“Wanna bet?”

“Twenty bucks!”

“That’s so on!”

And as Boyd and Isaac look at each other, spelling “what is wrong with our friends” with their eyebrows, Derek just realises that he just bet that he could date Stiles Stilinski for more than two weeks.

What the hell is wrong with him?

-----

Derek kind of hates Erica right now. He’s sitting in the bleachers, watching - or trying to ignore, really - the lacrosse team practice. It’s been five days since he accepted Erica’s bet, and she reminded him at lunch today that he still hadn’t done anything about the S.S.S. (Stiles Stilinski Situation). Which is not completely true, because Derek put notes in Stiles’ locker - like ‘Roses are red, Yoda is green, my light saber needs two hands if you know what I mean’, and ‘If you were a Dementor, I’d become a criminal just to get your kiss’ -. Because he couldn’t just walk up to Stiles and bluntly ask him to date him. That’s not how things were done. Or so he thinks. He never really asked anyone on a date before, so Derek’s not so sure.

But, here he is, in the bleachers, suffering through the lacrosse practice, because Stiles is running around, sweating, getting tackled to the ground (and god, he wants to do that too!) and high-fiving Scott, and slapping Danny’s butt. Yeah, very homoerotic game, you’d have to admit.

Stiles is beautiful when he’s playing. There’s a couple of girls sitting in the bleachers, not far away from Derek, and he sees them giggling at the lacrosse co-captain - that’s Stiles -. Of course Stiles would have fans coming to swoon over him. And Derek can’t even roll his eyes because… well because he’s kind of in the same situation right now.

So he just picks up his book, and keeps reading, waiting for the practice to be over. Then, he’s gonna walk up to Stiles, and ask him on a date, because he has no more ideas of how to woo him, the notes in the locker were all he could extract from Laura before she became suspicious - and a suspicious Laura was the last thing he wanted -.

When Coach finally blows his whistle, and calls the team old ladies, Derek closes his book, and goes down the stairs, trying to find the number 24 on the field. Stiles is still talking with Scott (the other co-captain of the team), and he laughs with his whole body at something his best friend says. Derek feels like the air has been punched out of his lungs for a second, because Stiles is beautiful like that.

Scott finally caughts sign of him, and elbows Stiles pretty hard, showing him Derek with a not-so-discreet movement of his chin. Stiles’ eyes widens, and he pushed Scott in the direction of the locker room.

Derek takes that as a sign that he should approach the lacrosse player, and stop looking at him like a creeper.

He walks to the teenager, and suddenly, he’s in front of him, and doesn’t know what to say.

Fuck. He should have rehearsed or something… oh, fuck, fuck, that’s so embarrassing, what’s he gonna do now…

“Hi Derek!”

Derek’s eyes widens, and he looks at Stiles, with an air of surprise on his face.

“You know who I am?” he asks, incredulous.

“Well, yes ! You’ve been in my history class for two years now!” Stiles laughs, and Derek could have sworn that the laugh was a bit nervous.

“Oh… yeah… sure… hum…So...”

“Can I help you with anything dude?”

Derek scowls “Well don’t call me dude, for starters.” Stiles laughs again. Fuck, he’s so pretty like that.

“Okay, du...rek. So. Can I help you with anything, Derek?” And, fuck, why does his name sound so dirty in Stiles’ mouth? Though, Derek is pretty sure that anything in Stiles’ mouth would...nope, nope, not going there, not right now.

“Yes. Hum. Go out with me.”

The look on Stiles’ face is priceless, and for a second, Derek regrets not having a camera with him, before feeling his cheek heating up, and feeling so, so embarrassed. Because Stiles looks like someone just slapped him across the face, and told him that Sasha was in a coma all along, and Pokemons were just a product of his imagination.

“Wh… wh… Oh my god! You’re the one who left the notes in my locker!!” And Derek just wants to get out of here, and then maybe change school, or city, or country, or continent, maybe go to a different planet even because, hello, humiliation!

“I’m sorry that’s stupid I should just go and…”

But Stiles grabs his wrist as he makes a movement, and stops his rambling. “No, dude! I mean, Derek! That’s not stupid at all, oh my god, I just can’t believe that you’re the one who put the notes in my locker I mean I thought Scott or Jackson were messing with me, you know how they are…”

Of course Derek knows, Scott and Jackson are assholes, Jackson is even the one that took this stupid video of Erica when he was having an episode, and peed herself in the middle of the hall.

“But yes! Yes, definitely!”

Stiles’ voice brings Derek back to earth, and he looks at Stiles like he doesn’t understand what he just said.

“Yes what?”

“Yes, I’ll go out with you, Derek!” And Stiles just beams at him like it’s the best thing that happened to him all day, or week maybe, and Derek has this weird twist in his stomach like a this is wrong feeling.

“Okay…Cool.”

“Don’t sound so happy Derek, someone could think you actually want to go on a date with me!” Stiles laughs, and he tugs Derek’s wrist closer to him, and rolls the sleeve a little bit.

“Here, my number…” He grabs a Sharpie from his uniform (why does he have a Sharpie in his lacrosse uniform?) and writes his number on Derek’s skin. “Text me? I have practice every day till five thirty, but I’m free during the weekends so… yeah… just… text me?” He almost looks a little shy, and Derek feels happy, somehow. “Okay...Well...i’m gonna shower now…” He starts walking away, and the turns back to Derek. “I look forward to our date, Derek!” And he waves a little, then runs toward the locker room and the showers, tripping over his feet.

Derek snorts, and his eyes fall on the number written on his skin.

Well...That went well.

Chapter Text

“No Derek, I’m not going to help you choose your outfit for your date with Stilinski. Remember, I want you to lose?”

Derek sighs, and looks at his computer screen, where Erica’s face is plastered, on a Skype discussion.

“But I don’t know what to wear Erica!”

“Why don’t you ask Laura or Cora?”

Derek snorts. “Because I would have to tell them that I’m going on a date with Stiles?”

“And you don’t want to because…”

“Because we’re only going to be dating for two weeks and like a day, and then I’ll win the bet, and so there’s no need for me to be introducing me to my family or, you know, even just mention it!”

Erica is oddly quiet for a minute, and then sighs. “Okay fine! Put on your dark jeans, the ones that Laura bought your for Christmas, and your olive Henley, that should be good.”

“It’s not olive it’s green Erica, seriously…”

“Potato, po-tah-to”

Derek rolls his eyes at his best friend. Well, at least she’s helping, even if he has to suffer through this.

“I gotta go, Boyd’s waiting for me! But go get ‘em tiger!”

Erica smirks at him, and then the Skype discussion disappears, and Derek groans.

He’s supposed to be meeting Stiles for their date in less than an hour, and he’s not ready. Emotionally ready, that is, because now at least he knows what he’s wearing.

Texting Stiles had been easier than he thought. He just send a “hi”, and then two minutes later, added “this is derek” because he was stupid like that, forgetting to give his name. Half an hour later, Stiles had send him a list of visibly happy smileys (who’s still using smileys seriously?) and then, they had just started talking. About school, about Harris being a dick, and then about the date.

The date that was in less than an hour.

Fuck. Derek’s hands are already sweating. He’s gonna go on a date with Stiles Stilinski for fuck’s sake! The lacrosse star of the school. The pretty jock girls were swooning over. And guys, also, since Stiles was openly bisexual - that had been a pretty embarrassing coming out for him actually but whatever -.

So yeah, Derek is pretty nervous. But focusing on the ‘it’s a fake date anyway’ part of it helps him stay in control of his emotions (and the sweating). He could do this. Stiles Stilinski was not that impressive anyway!

-----

Okay that was a lie, Stiles Stilinski is terrifying. When Derek gets to the diner - because Stiles had insisted that they had the best curly fries I swear Derek you have to try them - Stiles is already there, leaning against his blue Jeep. Derek has to take a sharp intake of breath to calm his nerves. He gets off his bike (because yes, he had a bike, because his parents were terrible parents like that and Laura got a Camaro for her graduation present and Derek inherited her old bike) and walks up to Stiles, feeling more nervous than he ever has in his entire life.

But Stiles only smiles (scratch that.. beams!) at him when he sees him, and walks towards him.

“Hi Derek!”

Derek mumbles something that vaguely looks like a “hi Stiles”. Very vaguely though.

“You look good!”

Derek feels himself blushing as Stiles lets his eyes slides up and down the teenager.

“Thanks… you hum… you look good too…”

And god yes, he does. Stiles looks freaking edible in his white shirt and his jeans. They hug his ass perfectly, and Derek has trouble tearing his eyes away from the perfect butt of the lacrosse player when he watches him walking toward the diner.

Stiles is gonna be the death of him. Especially now that he’s looking at Derek with a knowing little smirks (that bastard!), holding the door open.

They settle in the diner, and the waitress, a lady probably in her late fifties, brings them water immediately, and asks them what they want to eat. Stiles smiles at her with all his teeth (he has pretty teeth, Derek notes) and orders curly fries, a cheeseburger, and a milkshake. That’s probably one of the least healthy combination possible, and Derek raises an eyebrow at him. Stiles just shrugs.

“Coach lets us have a cheat day once a week… I usually stuff myself full of curly fries until I pass out!”

Derek lets out a snort, and Stiles frowns at him. “Don’t mock me… When you’ll try the curly fries, you’ll understand!”

And so Derek orders curly fries, a burger, and a soda. Because eh, why not? He’s on a date with Stiles, ordering greasy food is not going to be the weirdest part of his evening.

“So!” Stiles starts as soon as the waitress disappears, probably to bring their order to the kitchen. “Derek. What do you do during your free time, when you’re not leaving me Star Wars and Harry Potter pick-up lines in my locker?”

Derek blushes furiously at the reminder. “Well hum… I like going to the library.” Oh my god is it possible to sound more lame than he does? “I like hum… I like reading.”

“Oh, yeah? Who’s your favorite author?”

“Well right now I really like …”

And if Derek thought that the dinner part would be uncomfortable (because Derek was like the least social person ever, at least according to his sister), well he was proven wrong. They spend almost three hours talking and stuffing themselves with curly fries (Derek has to admit that they are in fact pretty damn good), talking about books they read, and movies they’ve seen, and TV shows they like (Derek learns that Stiles is crazy about Doctor Who and Firefly, and shamelessly watches cop shows because he likes guessing who’s the killer before the team).

Things are going pretty smoothly, until Derek starts being a dorky nerd (as Cora likes to call him) and talks about chameleons.

“... I don’t know I just think it’s fascinating the way they can just change color, adapting to the environment and stuff. But people often forget that they’re not the only ones that can change colors, there’s fish, frogs, insects, crustaceans, cephalopods and other lizards that can also change color and…”

And Derek stops suddenly, because he realizes that Stiles probably doesn’t give a shit about animals and lizards and stuff that can change colors.

“Hum. Sorry. That’s not an interesting subject and I mean you wouldn’t know anything about that.” Derek lets out a little laugh.

But there’s a sudden look on Stiles face, something that looks like hurt, and Derek frowns, because he doesn’t understand why Stiles would be hurt.

“Why wouldn’t I know anything about that?”

Oh. Oh, fuck, yeah, that’s not good. Derek wasn’t implying that Stiles was stupid or something! The teenager opens his mouth once, and closes it, and opens it again, but there’s no sounds coming out of it, and Stiles pushed his milkshake away, and crosses his arms, and he doesn’t even look angry, he just looks sad.

“So, what, because I’m on the lacrosse team, does that mean I’m stupid? Is that really what you think? Do you think I’m an ignorant jock Derek?”

And Derek shakes his head, so hard it makes him dizzy for a second.

“No, no, that’s not what I meant! I don’t think you’re stupid, it’s just… it’s lame. Like, whoa, who cares about animals that can change colors! It’s not… I didn’t mean to imply you were stupid! I just… it’s just...I know it’s lame, my sister tell me all the time that I just have the lamest conversation ever and just...”

And Derek must really look pathetic, struggling with words, sweating a little bit, because Stiles’ face is suddenly more open, gentler, and he awkwardly pats Derek’s hand.

“Hey, no, yeah, it’s okay...It’s not lame! I don’t think you’re lame.”

“Sorry” Derek mumbles, and Stiles laughs.

“Don’t worry about this big guy!” and he fucking winks at Derek! “It’s not the first time someone assumes I’m stupid.” Derek opens his mouth to say that he did not assume that Stiles was stupid but Stiles just smiles at him, and shakes his head. “And I know that’s not what you meant! It’s okay Derek. Promise!”

And Derek feels like he can breath a little better.

“So, wanna tell me about those chameleons?”

And Derek laughs, and starts ranting about a study made by the University of Geneva that discovered that the chameleons had cells called iridophores, and that suspended within those were tiny guanine nanocrystals which are formed into a lattice, and that when the chameleons is relaxed, the iridophores lattices are contracted and reflect blue light, and when the chameleons is excited it expands, and three dimensional lattices expand along, reflecting different wavelengths of light, and that below that layer, there’s a layer of skin with even larger nanocrystals, which reflect near-infrared light.

And Stiles just smiles at Derek, and doesn’t look at him like he’s crazy for being interested in why does the chameleon changes color.

So maybe he didn’t make a fool of himself.

When they part, Stiles goes to his Jeep, and Derek to his bike.

“So, I had a lot of fun.”

“Me too” Derek answers, out of breath.

“Do you hum...Do you want to go on another date? Next Saturday?”

Derek nods so fast he’s afraid his head is going to fall off his shoulders. His eagerness

extracts a laugh out of Stiles, who’s smiling softly at Derek.

“I can’t wait…”

Stiles leans in, and briefly kiss Derek. Not quite on the lips, not quite on the cheek, but more at the corner of the lips. When he pulls away, Derek could swear that Stiles was blushing.

“See you Monday!” the lacrosse captain calls as he turns away, and gets into his Jeep. Derek stays in the middle of the street, gobsmacked, grinning like an idiot.

Yeah. He definitely didn’t make a fool of himself. Or maybe that’s what Stiles is into.

Chapter Text

Monday comes and goes, and Derek doesn’t see Stiles at all. Or, Stiles doesn’t see him, because of course Derek always notices Stiles. They don’t have class together, because Derek is in most of the AP classes, and Stiles is not. The only classes they share is history, because Derek just hates history.

So, no, Stiles doesn’t see Derek on Monday, and the teenager tries not to be sad or feel hurt about it. Because Stiles and him were in the dining hall at the same time, only three tables away, but Stiles didn’t even look like he was trying to look for Derek.

He snaps at Laura later that evening when she tells him to stop sulking, because he’s not okay, he’s not sulking because of Stiles. He just had a bad day, Harris was a dick -as per usual, true- and he… he just wanted to see Stiles, okay.

Tuesday comes, and they have history together, and Derek tries not to get his hopes too high, because if Stiles ignores him well...Well he’ll know at least.

But when he gets to class, Stiles is already there, sitting with McCall at the back of the class, and when his eyes fall on Derek, his cheek suddenly become as read as the hoodie he likes to wear, and he waves awkwardly at Derek, before ducking behind his textbook.

Derek’s not sure what happened there, but then McCall gives him an amused look, and pats Stiles on the back, and Derek feels his own cheek heating up. Oh. Oh! So Stiles told his best friend about the date?

Derek sits as usual by the window, second row, and feels weirdly pleased with himself. That is, until Erica sits next to him, and gives him the eyebrow dance.

“I’m not talking about it Erica”, Derek grunts.

“Eh, I didn’t say anything…” For a second, it looks like she’s going to let it go… But that’s Erica. Erica is a bitch. She never lets anything go. “But your faces speak for themselves. Atta boy!”

Derek groans, and let his head falls on his crossed arms on the desk.

“I hate you.”

“No you don’t!” she sing-songs.

“Well at least it means I’m gonna win the bet so there!”

Erica shuts up after that, patting Derek awkwardly on the back.

Yeah… At least, there’s that. Right?

-----

Thursday night. Derek is lying on his bed when he hears the vibration coming from his phone. Frowning, he picks it up, wondering who’s texting him at… 11.45 at night. His eyebrows almost reach his hair when he sees that it’s Stiles. He unlocks the phone, and opens the message… thing.

hey big guy! so that date last week was fun wanna do it again?

Derek feels… butterflies in his stomach. He tries to play it cool, waits for two and a half whole minutes before answering -he doesn’t want Stiles thinking that he doesn’t have a life, obviously!-.

Hey Stiles! Yeah, it was fun. When do you want to go out again?

He considers adding ‘what about tomorrow?’ but he doesn’t want to sound -or read- too desperate. Play it cool Hale, play it cool.

Stiles’ answer makes the phone vibrate less than thirty seconds later, and Derek feels warm in his stomach.

what about tomorrow night? theyre playing psycho at the drive in at six thirthy and i remembered you told me you really liked hitchcock so..wanna go? we could go for a pizza or something after. my treat ;)

A winky face. A freaking winky face!

Derek feels himself blushing, and on the verge of giggling. Damn it. Man up, Hale!

Sure Stiles, that sound like fun. Where do you want to meet?

well i was thinking i could pick you up? but if youd rather meet in town thats fine by me.

Derek’s pretty sure he can hear the disappointment in Stiles text… But on the other hand… He doesn’t really want his parents to know about Stiles.

Could we meet in front of the library at six? I have some research I wanted to do before.

Well, that’s a good enough lie, isn’t it?

sure! i’ll see you tomorrow! sweet dreams derek ;) ;)

And yes. Definitely giggling going on in that room. Seriously, winky faces? Is Stiles like twelve or something?

-----

The next day, Derek feels so nervous he could throw up. It’s 4.45, and he’s waiting in front of the library. But when Stiles finally shows up, and gets out of the Jeep, Derek feels himself smiling like an idiot. Before Stiles is wearing a red hoodie and dark jeans and he looks so cute with his bedhead. Derek wants to run his fingers through Stiles’ hair. It just looks so damn soft… Like a freaking puppy.

“Hi Derek!”

Derek smiles at Stiles, and mumbles a “hi”.

“Ready to go?”

Derek nods, maybe too fast, and feels lightheaded as Stiles opens the door for him, and he slides into the Jeep. He kind of feels like a girl, but that’s okay, because it’s Stiles. Like his ego could ever taint a date with Stiles.

They ride in silence to the drive-in, but Derek finds it comforting. It’s not awkward, it’s...it’s an okay silence. The kind of silence you can have with someone you feel good with, like your best friend or… or your boyfriend.

Sure, he kind of misses Stiles’ babbling, but that’s okay. They’ll have all the time in the world for that, later. (wait what?)

Stiles gets them popcorn -with so much butter that Derek’s pretty sure that what they’re eating is butter with popcorn and not the other way around- and sodas. Derek finds out that Stiles is a very active movie-watcher, and it’s kind of endearing. He watches Stiles more than he watches the movie (and Psycho is like one of his favorite movie okay?) and he can’t even be complaining. Stiles caughts his glances once or twice, and blushes furiously. But Derek just smiles, and shakes his head, because Stiles is just so adorable. And yeah sure adorable is not very manly but...but Stiles is like an over excited puppy when he’s watching a movie. There’s popcorn flying and… and oh god, the straw sucking is the worst/best thing Derek has ever seen. How can Stiles make a straw look so sexual is a mystery Derek wouldn’t mind solving. In private. In his bedroom.

He’s not sure if he’s relieved or devastated when Stiles empties his drink, and has to set it aside. The good part is that Derek can now focus on the boner he’s been trying to hide, willing it down.

“So…” The movie’s over. “I’m sorry! You should have told me to shut up, you know, I always speak too much during movies and I mean my dad is used to it, and Scott and Jax also, but Lydia always tells me to shut up and you didn’t and I’m sorry if I ruined the movie for you!’

Derek blinks, because that was not what he was expecting. So, he smiles, gently, and awkwardly pats Stiles’ hand.

“No, don’t worry that … I mean… It didn’t bother me. It’s..it’s cute.”

And Stiles becomes as red as his hoodie, and Derek feels proud because he is the one who got to do that, making Stiles Stilinski flush. For a second, he wonders if what’s under the hoodie and the shirt also turns this lovely shade of red...before snapping out of it. He just managed to get rid of the boner, now is not the time to get another one.

“Hum I hum...am glad to...know that…” There’s a beat, an awkward silence. “So! Wanna go for pizza?”

And Derek nods, because he’s not really hungry but doesn’t want this evening to end. He’s having fun, way more than he thought he would.

They end up eating the pizza in the Jeep, because Stiles is not as anal about his car as Laura is (but I mean, a Jeep versus a Camaro…). Stiles is talking with his mouth full, and that should not be attractive, but it really is.

“And then Allison and Lydia forced me to watch Veronica Mars with them, and when I say watch I mean the three seasons.”

Derek tunes in the conversation, because he had been staring at Stiles’ mouth, and not listening to what the lacrosse player was saying.

“I watched half the first season with Cora…”

“Dude, that show is awesome! You have to keep watching it!”

Okay that… was not what Derek was expecting.

“Really?”

“I mean, yeah! Hello, Veronica and Logan? It’s like the greatest relationship ever! I mean if you don’t count Mulder and Scully and like April and Andy… But yeah, no, totally! I love watching Veronica Mars! Tell you what… sometimes when I’m feeling sad and stuff, I just watch a couple of episode, like their first kiss or something, and then I feel better. I mean, he’s an asshole, she’s an asshole… It’s like the perfect relationship! Assholes in love!” And then Stiles laughs, and Derek thinks that Stiles is a bit of an asshole, and that he is himself a bit of one, at least according to his sisters, and that maybe they could be assholes in love too. (wait what?)

It’s almost eleven when Derek realizes that he probably should go home. When he tells Stiles that, he swears he sees a flash of disappointment in Stiles’ eyes.

“Oh, yeah sure, no problem! Do you want me to hum...drop you off at…”

“The library, yeah, that would be perfect, thanks! I left my bike there!”

“Oh yeah sure! I’m sorry I didn’t even think about it, you should have told me and I would have put it in the trunk and drive you home!”

Eh...no. Still not ready for that. But Derek just smiles, and Stiles seems to get it, and he just drives to the library, where Derek’s bike is still waiting.

“So… That was great.” Derek starts.

“Yeah...it really was.” Stiles’ face is open, and the look in his eyes is almost vulnerable. And Derek thinks he is the most beautiful man he’s ever seen.

He leans in, and brushes his lips against Stiles, not quite kissing, like he wants Stiles to back up if he wants to -because he’s a gentleman, and doesn’t steal kisses from people, that’s not cool, that’s what Laura always says-.

And Stiles makes this beautiful broken sound (that goes straight to Derek’s to tap to later file in his head) and closes the distance between them, pressing his lips against Derek with so much heat and intent that it makes the teenager dizzy.

There’s nothing clumsy about the kiss though, and Derek feels jealous, just for a beat, because it means that Stiles practiced his skill, and that means he kissed other people. People who are not Derek. So, Derek presses into the kiss, grabbing Stiles' neck to pull him closer, opening his mouth, licking at Stiles’ bottom lip. He makes Stiles whine, and that’s enough to make him proud.

When they broke the kiss, they’re both out of breath, and Stiles is beaming at him like Derek hung the freaking moon in the sky.

“Text me?” the lacrosse players asks, smiling like a little shit.

Derek just nods, not trusting his voice not to sound broken and high-pitched (he just kissed Stiles freaking Stilinski okay?), and gets out of the car. He gets on his bike, and waves at Stiles, before fleeing the scene of the crime, his heart beating so fast in his chest he’s sure it’s gonna break free.

Fuck.

He just kissed Stiles Stilinski! How awesome is that?

Chapter Text

Stiles is grinning like a mad man when he finally gets home, parking his Jeep in the driveway. He runs to his room (the house is empty at that hour, his dad out on a night-shift), throws his hoodie on the bed, and grabs his phone to call Scott.

Because Stiles is a total girl -okay that’s sexist, Lydia would probably skin him alive if she heard him think that- and he needs to tell his best friend that his date with Derek Hale was fantastic!

“Dude, do you even know what time it is?” says Scott when he picks up, after the phone rang twice.

“I know I know I’m sorry bro but… but I just got home and…” Stiles groans, and falls on the bed, looking up at the ceiling. “That was the best date of my life dude you have no idea!”

He hears Scott laughing ; of course this asshole would mock him.

“Don’t laugh Scotty-boy! It was fantastic! We went to the drive-in, and then we ate pizza in the Jeep, and I thought I made a total fool of myself because you know how I am when I’m watching a movie…” Scott hums, because yes he does. “...But he didn’t tell me to shut up, he even said it was cute which okay, that’s not very manly but FUCK Derek Hale thinks my babbling is cute!!”

“I’m happy for you bro!”

Stiles sighs, daydreaming about Derek.

“And you don’t even know the best part…”

“What, did you lose your V-card in the back of the Jeep?”

The next sound out of Stiles’ mouth is also not very manly. “WHAT? NO!! DUDE!”

And Scott is only laughing at him, the asshole. “What? It’s not like you never fantasized about it dude. I’m your best friend, I’m unfortunately the one you go to to talk about… that.”

“Ar ar you are so funny Scotty. Do you want me to remind you of all the times you described Allison’s…”

“Shhh! Stiles, you promised you would never talk about that, ever again!”

Stiles is the one laughing this time. “I know, I know, sorry bro.”

“So… Still a virgin?”

Stiles groans. “Yeah, yeah, still a virgin, BUT.”

“Oh, butts…”

“That’s not funny Scott, seriously how can we even be friends you make the worst puns ever.”

“Ar ar.”

“No, but seriously...BUT! We kissed. Like, a real kiss, full on kiss, like i-kissed-him-and-i-liked-it so damn much.”

“Dude you sound like you never kissed anyone before you know…”

Stiles rolls his eyes, even though Scott can’t see it. “No but...That’s different. Because it’s Derek Hale, and you know what that means bro.”

There’s a silence after that, and Stiles can almost imagine Scott’s soft smile. Because Scott is Stiles’ best friend, so obviously he knows what it means, that Stiles kissed Derek.

“Yeah… I’m really happy for you bro.”

And the best thing is that Scott means it. Because he was here the day Stiles saw Derek Hale for the first time, and was the one who had to pick up the lacrosse player’s jaw off the ground. Stiles wasn’t openly bisexual at the time, and he had panicked, thinking Scott wouldn’t be his friend at the time, but Scott had just punched him and told him that he didn’t care if Stiles also liked dicks as long as he didn’t talk about it in details with him. And that’s why Scott was the best friend anyone could ever hope for, because he didn’t say something stupid like ‘you’re not in love with me are you?’ or look at him funny, or acted different in the locker room. Stiles was still Stiles. Just...with a crush the size of the USSR on Derek Hale.

Because Derek was sarcastic, he was broody, and he was smart. Not as smart as Stiles -but that was not something Stiles was broadcasting so there it is- but pretty darn smart. And witty. And sarcastic. Did I already say sarcastic? Well. And Derek Hale was an asshole who gave him a look of pure disdain when Stiles smiled at him one day, and that was him. Stiles was hooked. Because he always had something for beautiful, unattainable people, who could eat him up, and didn’t give him the time of day (he still kept a soft spot in his heart for Lydia-Goddess-Martin

“I just… i’m happy y’know.” Stiles’ voice is softer than usual.

“Yeah… I’m happy for you too bro. But it’s almost midnight and I’m gonna wake up Allison if I don’t hang up! Talk to you tomorrow bro!”

“Yeah, go back to your sleeping girlfriend!” He laughs, Scott grunts and probably flips him off, and they hang up.

But it’s pretty much impossible for Stiles to go to sleep, because he keeps replaying the kiss in his head. Hopping that Derek is doing the same thing.

(Derek is.)

Chapter Text

“So.” Erica says one day, sitting next to Derek in the cafeteria. Derek raises an eyebrow at his friend, closing the book he’s been reading.

“So what?”

“So… Stiles and you.”

“What Stiles and me?”

“It’s been a month.”

For a minute, Derek is not sure he can breath correctly. Fuck. Oh fuck.

“I…”

“You didn’t even realize, did you.” It’s not even a question, it’s an affirmation. And Derek is left gaping at his friend like an idiot, or a fish out of the water. A month? Has it really been a month?

“I… guess not.”

Derek swallows his grape juice (shut up he likes grape juice so what?) and Erica is smirking at him.

“Guess I owe you twenty bucks.” There’s this pull inside Derek’s chest, just for a moment, but then he catches Stiles’ eyes across the room, and the lacrosse player smiles at him, and the pull disappears, replaced by something warm, something soft…

“Ugh, you are disgusting when you’re in love!”

Before Derek has time to say anything about that (something along the line of “WHAT NO! I’m not in love with Stiles what are you talking about you crazy person!”), she pats him on the back, put an Andrew Jackson in his hand, and leaves him there.

The bill burns a little in his hand, and Derek realizes that he is, in fact, in love with Stiles Stilinski.

When did that happen?

-----

Derek is waiting for Stiles in the bleachers, reading his book while the lacrosse team is practicing (or “is being beaten to death by Coach Finstock and his ball-throwing technique for whenever he feels like someone is slacking” should be more accurate). It’s an habit he picked during their second week of ‘officially dating’ (Stiles had been very clear about that, asking Derek, looking him square in the eyes, if he wanted to be his boyfriend, after they went on their third date), waiting for Stiles to finish practice. Sometimes they go for a milkshake (Stiles is paying, because he’s the one with a job), sometimes they go for a ride and a make out session in the Preserve (far away from the Hale house thank you very much), and sometimes they just sit and talk for hours, until it’s time for Derek to go home.

Stiles never says anything when Derek goes for his bike: he stopped asking if Derek wanted a ride home after the fourth day. He just kisses his boyfriend goodbye, and gets in his Jeep, driving away while Derek stops for a moment, trying to get his breathing under control (yeah, kissing Stiles still makes him feel butterflies in his stomach).

“Hey honeybunch!” Derek groans, because he told Stiles he hates the pet names (okay, he doesn’t hate them… not all of them… just the ridiculous ones…).

“Honeybunch, really? Couldn’t find something more teeth rotting?” Stiles just laughs, and drops a kiss on Derek’s forehead.

“I’m gonna take a quick shower and then I’ll be back!”

And just like that, Derek’s eyes are glued to his boyfriend’s ass. Hate to see you go, but love to watch you leave. Meh. Can you blame him? His boyfriend is hot. And so much more than that.

Because Stiles is so different from the ideal Derek had build in his head. Stiles is so much more, so much better. Yes, Stiles is this sarcastic little witty shit. Stiles is also smart. Like… incredibly smart. Derek’s not exactly sure why Stiles isn’t in the AP classes. And kind. And caring. And so loyal to the person he love. Even Jackson, the ultimate douchebag. Stiles speaks and smiles to everyone, and it’s no surprise that half the school is in love with him. And when Derek points that out, Stiles just blushed, like he can’t believe people are actually interested in him. Not false-modesty or anything, no, he seriously cannot believe so many people are interested in him.

And he’s so pretty when he blushes, ugh...Derek would like to keep him like this forever.

But maybe now’s not the time for a boner, right? So Derek tries to refocus on his book while waiting for his boyfriend to get out of the shower. Mmm… The image of Stiles’ body, water running down his spine, down to his…

“Hey buttercup, missed me?”

Grandma, grandma, Coach Finstock in a pink thong, Coach Finstock in a pink thong kissing Harris..

“Yes Stiles, I missed you so much in the ten minutes you were gone” Derek answers, and the lacrosse player rolls his eyes.

“Ar ar, be still my beating heart.”

“Isn’t it supposed to be ‘be still my heart’?”

“If you’re talking about The Postal Service, sure. I was referring to Mountfort.”

See? Smart. Derek can’t help himself, he smiles, and kisses Stiles. On the mouth. With a little bit of tongue. Because he can, because Stiles is his boyfriend. Ah! Take that, jealous blond girl in their history class.

“Do you want to get out of here?” Stiles’ voice is low, seductive, and Derek shivers, even though it’s not cold out yet. He quickly nods, not trusting his words, and grabs Stiles’ hand as they make their way to the parking lot. Or...or not the parking lot. Are they going back inside the school?

Derek raises his eyebrow at Stiles, but the lacrosse player just smiles, as if saying ‘trust me big guy’ (yes Derek can hear the big guy in Stiles’ smiles, it’s how smitten he is with the pretty jock).

They climb the stairs up to the second floor, and Stiles never leaves Derek’s hand, guiding him toward one of the music classes. An empty one.

“Hum...Stiles? What... hum… what are we doing here?” But Stiles only smiles, and forces Derek to sit down on one of the chair.

“Just… just don’t move. Stay here! Alright? I’ll be right just.. yeah. Don’t go anywhere!”

And Derek is left here, wondering what the hell is happening. Meh, it’s not like he has anywhere else to go anyway.

Stiles comes back less than a minute later, a guitar in his hand. His cheeks are red, and he doesn’t quite meet Derek’s eyes, and Derek starts to feel...weird. His hands are sweating.

“So hum… Okay. Just...stay here and don’t say anything, okay?”

Derek can only nods (he just agreed not to say anything anyway!), breath short.

And then, Stiles sits down, and runs his hand in his still-wet-hair, and clears his throat. Is… Is he gonna sing to Derek? Oh my god! I feel like such a girl! is all Derek can think right now (Erica would probably have his balls though if he said that out loud).

The first notes of the guitar fill the air, and Derek feels his heart beating so, so fast in his chest.

“My heart is beating, my pulse is rushing, it’s been in my head, i’m losing focus, there’s just been something on my mind…” Oh god, Stilinski can sing!

“ The chance arrives, but my mind clouds up, the words escape me, I’m all chocked up, I just never thought I’d be enough..” Oh but you are, you are enough, so so enough!

“So as you can see, I can be a little bit awkward, a little bit shy” Stiles’ smile is a shy one, and Derek looks at him with adoration in his eyes.

“I just get so nervous every time, One thing, one question, that I’ve been meaning to ask you, so please, could you give it a try?” By now, Derek is gaping. No… He’s not...Is he ?

“So what do you say, you and I, let’s put our lives, our work, our feelings aside, and dance, just dance the night away… yeah, just one night, i’ll try, my best to make it worth your while” But you already do! Derek wants to scream to Stiles.

“And so, on the count of three...one, two, will you go to prom with me?” Derek feels joy bubbling in his chest, and he just laughs, the happiest smile ever on his face. It makes Stiles smile. And blush.

“If you say no things will be alright, in the end it was worth a try… I wish you could see, I’d rather have you standing next to me, I couldn’t ask for anything better, so what’s it gonna be? ...” The look Stiles gives him is so vulnerable, Derek just wants to kiss him to smooth it away.

“So what do you say you and I let’s put our lives, our work,our feelings aside, and dance, just dance the night away… yeah just one night, i’ll try, my best to make it worth your while… And so, on the count of three… will you go to prom with me?”

The last notes echo in the classroom, and Derek can’t stop smiling.

“Yes! Yes, yes, oh my god Stiles that was so…”

“Cheesy?” Stiles is blushing, rubbing at his neck, but with a pleased smile on his face.

“No! I mean, yes, totally but… but… no one’s ever done something like this for me.” It’s Derek’s turn to blush a little.

“You deserve all the cheesy things babycheeks.” And Derek groans, because, seriously, pet names, but then Stiles is kissing him, and he doesn’t care. Stiles could call him bunny teeth for the rest of his life, he wouldn’t care either. Just as long as he keep kissing him like that and…

“What do you think you’re doing?!”

Stiles and Derek part immediately, looking at the door with big, doe/puppy eyes.

“Aw man...We’re screwed.” Stiles whispers, and Derek has to agree. Because the man standing by the door right now? It’s Adrian Harris. And apparently, Harris doesn’t like big beautiful romantic gestures to ask someone to prom, because he’s a spoilsport like that.

“Both of you, out of here! Detention for the rest of the week!”

Derek’s eyes are comically widening. What? Detention?

But he doesn’t have time to register that, because Stiles is already dragging him out of the room, hurrying to the parking lot.

When they reach the Jeep, they are out of breath.

“Oh, man...I am so sorry! I can...I can try talking to Harris, tell him it was my idea and...well yes it was my idea, but like, maybe I can convince him to give me two weeks, and let you out of it? Or maybe…”

But Derek shuts Stiles up by kissing him. “No, stop...it’s okay. I don’t care about the detention.”

“But...you’ve never had one!”

“I know! Let’s say that it’s a...senior year rebellion thing! Like...the list of things I want to do before I die! See, here! Have a detention! Checked!”

And it’s ridiculous, but Stiles laughs anyway, and Derek keeps smiling.

“I’m...I’m glad you said yes” Stiles ends up saying after they catch their breath. “You know...prom’s the night my mom knew she was in love with my dad. She always told me that they were dancing on ‘The Way You Look Tonight’, and my dad was mouthing the words while looking at her and… and she just knew that there wasn’t anyone else she would rather dance with, ever again. She proposed to him right after graduation.”

Derek links his fingers with Stiles’, dropping a kiss on top of the lacrosse player’s head. He knows how hard talking about his mom is for Stiles.

“I’m glad you asked me...I never would have had the nerves to ask you!” Derek answers, making Stiles laugh some more.

“Eh, you’re the one who asked me out… I had to do something, right?”

They kiss, and Derek doesn’t even think about the fact that he’s going to have his first detention. And that his parents are going to hear about it. And Stiles at the same time. And that it’s probably not the best way to introduce his boyfriend to his family.

He doesn’t think about any of that, because Stiles wants to go to prom with him, a prom that means a lot to him, and Derek feels like he’s flying. He’s just so freaking happy.

Chapter Text

The next day, when Derek gets home from his first detention ever, his whole family is waiting for him in the living room. His mother, Talia, is standing with her arms crossed, Cora is in the armchair, Uncle Peter and his wife Amanda next to her. His dad is on the couch, with a computer on his lap, Laura on the screen. Shawn, Derek’s older brother, is by the fireplace.

“So, Derek… When are we meeting this Stiles Stilinski?”

Derek winces at his mother’s tone. Well… That was going to be one hell of a diner, wasn’t it?

-----

When Stiles arrives at the Hale House, Derek is the one opening the door for him. He smiles at his boyfriend, taking in the dark jeans and the white shirt he’s sporting. He has flowers in his left hand.

“You look good” Derek whispers as he quickly kisses his boyfriend on the lips, before dragging him inside, and grabbing his hand. It’s a little sweaty, but Derek is probably as nervous as Stiles is, so there’s that.

“I’m absolutely terrified” Stiles whispers in his ears as they make their way to the living room, where Derek knows his family is waiting for the ‘introduction’. He tries to sooth his boyfriend by rubbing his thumb against his skin, and when Stiles smiles at him and tightens his grip on Derek’s hand, Derek thinks that maybe it’s going to be okay.

So of course, it’s not.

Uncle Peter is the first one to welcome Stiles when the teenagers get into the living room, clapping the lacrosse player on the back.

“So, Stiles! Turning our little Derek into a thug I see!”

Derek turns bright red, while Stiles becomes paler than he usually is.

“Peter! No! That’s….not… No?” But Uncle Peter is already laughing and returning to his wife, who just raises an eyebrow at his husband. So much for diffusing the tension…

Talia is the next one to great Stiles, and the lacrosse player extends the hand holding the flowers first.

“Hum, thank you for having me for dinner Mrs Hale. You have a lovely home..” It sounds like Stiles rehearsed it in front of his mirror for two hours straight, and Derek thinks he’s cute, but his mother is barely smiling.

“Well, discovering that Derek had a boyfriend was quite a shock, especially considering the...circumstances. We had to see what this was all about, didn’t we?”

Stiles almost doesn’t flinch at the words, and Derek is seriously impressed. Even though it doesn’t stop him from whining: “Mom!”, but Talia raises his eyebrow at him, and Derek stops right here.

Seriously. The Hale and their eyebrows.

“Well hum...These are...for you.” Stiles is still holding the flowers. Finally, Talia takes them, giving him a polite smile, without any emotions behind, and leaves the room without another word to put them in the water.

Stiles runs a hand across his face, before turning to face Derek. “Woah. Your mom hates me!”

Derek winces at the words: he would like to say that it’s not the case but… yes, his mom does look like she hate Stiles.

“She’ll warm up to you, don’t worry!” Derek says before pecking his boyfriend quickly on the lips.

“DEREK! Could you please come set the table?” His mom yells from the kitchen, and the two boys get the hell out of the living room, to go help Talia with the setting up.

Dinner starts after everybody is introduced to Stiles. The table is full, and conversations seem to be going pretty well...ish. Stiles answers a couple of questions here and there, mostly from Derek’s father, James, and from Aunt Amanda. Uncle Peter keeps making creepy jokes only Shawn laughs at. Soon, Stiles is caught up in a discussion about lacrosse, and visibly relaxes a little. Derek grabs his boyfriend hand under the table, and squeezes, earning himself a smile from the lacrosse player.

“Derek, could you help your uncle grab new drinks in the kitchen please?” Derek hesitates for a second, not wanting to leave Stiles alone… But the conversation seems to be going pretty well, so he figures that he can leave Stiles there for a minute or two… it should be okay… right?

So he follows his uncle in the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of soda and a bottle of juice, when the older man turns to him.

“You really like him don’t you?”

Derek is taken aback, and just nods.

“How long have you two been dating?”

“A little over a month…”

“So I guess it means that you won your bet with Erica?”

Derek’s eyes widen so much that he’s pretty sure they’re gonna pop right out of his head for a second. What?

“You should really close your door when your friend is coming over. Or, at least, make sure no one else is in the house when you talk about this kind of thing.”

For a second, his uncle’s face seems… disappointed, and hard, and it makes Derek sweat.

“I… How… I’m… ”

But Peter is already out of the kitchen by the time Derek can form coherent thoughts in his head. So he just grabs the soda and the juice, and returns to the living room, where Stiles beams at him when he sees him.

“So. Stiles.” Talia starts, and Derek doesn’t like where this is going. “How are classes going? Do you still manage to pass with sports taking so much of your time?”

Stiles smiles sweetly, clearing his throat after a bite of chicken. “Hum, yes Mrs Hale.” Talia had not offer him to call her ‘Talia’ the way every other adult had. Because that doesn’t make things awkward. “I’m not failing any classes. And the balance is not very hard, I’ve had a job at the Comic Book Store in town for almost two years now, so multitasking is not something I’m afraid of!”

Talia only hums, clearly thinking that a job a the Comic Book Store is not a real job and that Stiles spends his time reading the comics instead of selling them… Derek wants to disappear in a hole and take Stiles with him.

“Do you already know where you’re going to college? If you are, of course… But I’m sure there’s a lot of community colleges offering sports scholarship in California!” Derek’s eyes bulge. What?

“Hum… No, I’m not sure yet where I want to study…I got three offers I’m really interested in but...I haven’t made my decision yet.”

“Derek is applying to UCLA, NYU, Berkeley and Tulane.”

Stiles turns to Derek, smile on his face.

“Really? I didn’t know you were applying for UCLA! That’s awesome dude!” Derek blushes a little, trying to play it cool.

“Yes, we’re all very proud of him.”

“Dude, if you get accepted, we could be only twenty five minutes away from each other!”

“Why, is there a community college near UCLA that made you an offer?” Talia’s voice is cold, despite the (false) smile on her face. Derek glares at her and, surprisingly, Uncle Peter doesn’t seem too pleased by the way his sister talks to their guest, if the soft “Talia.” he lets out is anything to go by.

“Actually no hum… I got accepted into CalTech… It’s hum.. it’s a school I’ve always wanted to go too, but my mom went to Princeton, and I got an early admission there too so… I wasn’t really sure where I wanted to go. But if Derek goes to UCLA… I guess that’s just another reason to choose CalTech!”

Stiles is smiling shyly at Derek, and Derek thinks that his boyfriend has never been more beautiful.

“Your dad must be proud Stiles” Uncle Peter says with a smirk, like he knows something the other don’t. Stiles rolls his eyes at him.

“Yeah, he was pretty happy, especially when he found out about the scholarship…”

“Do they have lacrosse scholarship at CalTech?”

“No, they don’t, but I got a SMART scholarship.” Stiles’ tone is a bit harsher now, and Derek can see him getting more tense by the minute. He pats his boyfriend’s leg, trying to sooth him.

“Oh, what’s a smart scholarship?” Aunt Amanda asks, brightly, and Derek could kiss her.

“It stands for The Science, Mathematics, And Research for Transformation Scholarship… It’s a full scholarship for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics students.”

“Oh, and what do you want to get your degree in?” she continues, speaking over Talia.

Stiles smiles at her and Derek gets the impression that he could kiss her too. “I’m probably going to go for a double major in Chemical Engineering and Nuclear Engineering, with maybe a mathematics minor? I’m not exactly sure yet…”

“That’s impressive for a student who doesn’t take any AP classes” Talia cuts in. Derek resists growling at her, because he’s not a wolf.

“I...guess.”

“So, apart playing sports, and reading comic books, what else do you like to do? When you’re not getting Derek into trouble, of course!” Talia laughs a little bit at that, but only Shawn seems to find it funny. Shawn is an asshole, that’s probably why.

“Hum...Well, I like music?”

“Oh, do you play any instrument?” Cora asks, eyes bright: she just started learning the piano, and she’s terrible at that, but loving it.

“Well, I kinda play the guitar…” Stiles grins at Derek, who becomes bright red at the memory of the prom proposal.

“Pfft” Shawn scoffs. “Knowing how to play two keys on the guitar is hardly considered playing an instrument. Every loser trying to impress some girl knows how to do that.”

It’s Stiles turn to become bright red, and Derek glares at his brother.

He’s never been ashamed of his family, until tonight.

“I ...I also play the violin. My mom taught me, when I was a kid. I haven’t played in a couple of years but… i was pretty good.”

“Oh, yes, I remember, you won two or three contest when you were in middle school” Peter says, smiling fondly at Stiles, who nods.

There’s a pregnant beat, Talia probably trying to think of something else to say to make Stiles sound like an idiot -Derek is going to kill his mother, he is- when Shawn is the one breaking the silence.

“So, why exactly are you dating my brother?”

Derek feels like he can’t breath for a second.

“I… Well, technically, Derek is the one who asked me on a date” Stiles says while laughing nervously.

“Yeah, and why did you say yes? I mean, you’re like the school’s jock, I’m sure people ask you on dates everyday. Why did you say yes to my brother? Was it a bet or something with your jock friends?”

Derek is pretty sure he’s hyperventilating by now. When he looks up, Uncle Peter is smirking at him, Talia’s face is closed off, and Stiles is just… gaping at Shawn.

“Wh….What? You think I’m...you think I’m dating your brother because of a bet? … Who the hell do you think I am? Do you think we’re in a movie or something? … What the hell is wrong with you!”

Derek has never seen Stiles so offended before in his life.

“What, it’s a legitimate question” Shawn mumbles under his breath.

“No it’s not! I can’t believe that… I can’t believe you would ask me that! Who the hell do you think I am! I have a fucking heart, I’d never treat someone like that! I’ve never treated anyone like that! It’s not because I’m good at sports that it means I’m a fucking dick!” Stiles seems to realize what he just said, and claps a hand against his mouth. Peter is just laughing in his wine, and Cora is smiling behind her hand, probably trying not to laugh too much herself.

“What’s wrong Derek, you’re all red suddenly” Peter says as he finished his glass. Stiles turns toward him in a heartbeat, eyes wide open, vulnerable.

“Please tell me you don’t believe that it’s true Derek! I would never do that to anyone, especially not to you!”

Derek’s heartbeat is erratic. He had tears in his eyes, and his throat is so dry he can’t even swallow properly. He tries to open his mouth to say something, but his lips are glued together.

“Oh, no, don’t worry Stiles… We know you’re not the jerk here.” Peter continues, and Derek is on the verge of crying, he knows he is, and he wants to scream at Peter to shut up. His heart is hurting him, beating so hard in his chest. His hands are sweating. Stiles’ face is killing him, and he has to close his eyes because he can’t do this, not like that, not with Stiles’ amber eyes looking at him like this.

“What...what does that mean?”

Derek breath, and the air in his lungs is like thousands of pieces of broken glass.

“Derek? … What does he mean by that?...”

And Derek knows he had to tell Stiles the truth, but he doesn’t want to, because then Stiles will be gone, and will never speak to him again, and GOD how could he be so stupid!!

“I…the…” Derek runs a hand across his face, pressing against his eyelids. “I… Erica and I had a bet.”

When Derek opens his eyes, he wishes he hadn’t. Because Stiles’ face is the most hurtful thing to look at.

“It’s not… It’s not like that! I mean…”

“Oh, yes? Yes, Derek, please tell me how it is then.” Stiles’ voice break at the end of the sentence, and there’s a pregnant beat, where no one says anything. The other Hale all look somewhere else. Except Peter, because Peter is an asshole. Even Shawn is looking at his hands.

“I… It’s not…”

“Tell me, Derek. I’m listening! What was it?!”

“I…”

“TELL ME!”

“two weeks…” Derek answers, closing his eyes again. “I… She betted that I couldn’t date you for more than two weeks. But, Stiles, you have to believe me, that’s not the reason I asked you out!”

But Stiles was already up. Pushing his chair back with too much strength, tearing himself away from the table.

“Stiles, please!” There’s tears running down Derek’s cheeks. He’s not even trying to pretend he’s not crying. He’s devastated. And then Stiles stops, and he thinks that maybe there’s hope…

“You know… my mom always talked about how the Hale were amazing people.” Stiles’ voice is so detached it even makes Talia wince. “She always told me that the Hale kids were her favorite student. That she couldn’t wait to have Cora in her class, because Laura and Derek and Shawn were so great… About how Talia and James were amazing parents… about how they were an amazing family, so generous, and kind…” Stiles is crying by now too, and Derek heart breaks over and over again.

“I miss my mother every single day of my life, and I’d do anything to have her back. But right now… Right now I’m glad she’s dead, because it would kill her to see what this family is really like.”

Stiles makes a move toward the door, but turns to Talia right before exiting the dining room. “Oh and by the way Mrs Hale. I have an IQ of 173. I don’t take AP classes because it’s the only way the co-captain of the lacrosse team, my best friend since I’ve been five, will focus in class. I have the highest GPA of the school, I’ve received my early admissions answers from Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Yale, and Penn State. And I got a 2400 on my SAT. Thanks for dinner. The chicken was lovely.”

As Stiles walks out of the dining room, Derek can’t help but feel that he just walked out of his life.

Chapter Text

“The son of an elementary school teacher and our local Sheriff… Did you really think he would be anything but amazing?” Peter had asked before leaving the table, followed shortly by his wife. Cora had been the next one to excuse herself, letting the silverware fall heavily on the plate. Shawn had put more chicken in his plate before taking it back to his old room.

Derek had been unable to move, fixed in the chair, tears running down his cheek, looking at the door where Stiles had disappear.

Stiles was gone.

And Stiles had been gone for two whole days. No matter how many times Derek had texted, or tried to call his boyfriend (ex-boyfriend the nasty little voice in his head kept repeating), Stiles never answered. Which Derek was understanding, obviously. But… But the ache in his chest was not any less painful.

There’s a knock on Derek’s door, and the teenager just grunts, his head hidden behind a pillow. He doesn’t really want to see anyone. He hasn’t talked to his mother in two days, ignoring her whenever she tries to get her attention. Cora keeps looking at him with disgust, and Shawn is just… being the kid he always is.

“Your mother wants to know if you’re coming down for dinner.” It’s Peter’s voice, and Derek feels a burst of rage take over his heartbeat.

“No. Get the fuck out of my room.”

It’s so easy to blame Peter. If Peter hadn’t said anything. If Peter hadn’t heard him and Erica talking. If Peter had just kept his mouth shut, Stiles would still be his boyfriend. He never would have found out about this. They would have been happy together. So fucking happy.

“You know, you’re the one who got into this situation in the first place Derek.” Peter says, and Derek doesn’t want to hear this, okay. He knows it. He just doesn’t want to acknowledge it. “And I know you truly care about Stiles. But what you did Derek… It was unacceptable. And you deserve his anger.”

Derek tries not to cry at that. Because Peter is right, he’s so right, but that hurts to hear it.

“He loves you too. He’ll forgive you. Eventually.”

The sound of the door closing echoes in the room, and Derek feels his pillow getting wet again. He wants to believe Peter, oh god he really does. But he’s not so sure Stiles will ever be able to forgive something like that. Because the look on his face… The look on Stiles’ face was the most terrifying thing Derek had ever seen in his entire life.

-----

“Hey kiddo… I made this weird cauliflower casserole you told me about last week. Do you want some?”

The Sheriff’s fills Stiles’ room, but the lacrosse player doesn’t hear it. Not really. It’s just sounds his father is making, sounds he should know, but doesn’t recognize.

It’s been two days, and it still hurts. He’s been lying on his bed all weekend, his phone dead somewhere in the room. He doesn’t know where, doesn’t want to know. Scott probably called a million time. Lydia probably asked if the outfit she chose for him worked. Danny probably texted Stiles to talk about their chemistry project.

Stiles wants to feel bad for not answering to any of those ‘probably’ text and calls, but he can’t find himself caring. His mind just keeps coming back to Friday night, to the dinner with the Hale. Well. If you call that a dinner. He had been so worried, asking Lydia for fashion advice because he wanted Derek’s family to like him. He knew he would have to work for it: after all, he was the reason for Derek’s first detention ever (could you believe this nerd?), so obviously they were already not too fond of him.

He just hadn’t expected Mrs Hale to be such a bitch. To treat him like he was just a stupid lacrosse player with no plan for the future, and no future at all. Someone who was not worthy of her time, of her breath, and of her son. But that he could handle. All he was able to think about during the dinner was “I will show her! I will show her that I’m worthy of her son. That I’m perfect for him”.

But eh. There apparently was nothing to be worthy of in the first place.

Stiles realises he’s crying again when he feels the bed sinking a little behind him, and the hand of his father runs up and down his back, in an attempt to sooth him. So similar to the way Derek had stroke his tight during dinner. It only makes Stiles sob harder.

“Stiles…”

His father doesn’t know what to say. Stiles is not even sure his father knows what happen. His memory is a little bit fuzzy. He just knows that his dad stopped two panic attacks, and hugged him so tight Stiles will probably have a bruise tomorrow. But his dad doesn’t know what to say, and Stiles knows it kills him, so he tries instead.

“It’s...it’s okay dad… I just… I just need to get… get it out of… of my system… It’s okay… it’s gonna be okay…”

Stiles doesn’t even register his own voice. Doesn’t believe the words he says, just say them because it’s what people say during these kind of situation right? They just say that everything will be okay. gam zeh yaavor. This too shall pass.

Then suddenly, his dad is gone, and Stiles thinks he remember hearing the doorbell. He hopes it’s not Scott. He hopes it’s not Derek (but why would Derek come, it was just a bet after all, the voice in his head says).

“How is he doing, John?” Peter asks, as he sits in one of the chair in the kitchen. The Sheriff pours Peter a finger of whisky, then a double in another glass for himself.

“He’s still crying. He’s been crying, and sleeping for two days now. I… I just don’t know what to do.” The Sheriff’s voice breaks at the end of the sentence, and he drinks the whisky, the alcohol burning his throat.

“Yeah. Derek is no better.”

At the mention of Derek’s name, the Sheriff’s face hardens.

“I don’t give a rat’s ass about this little shit. I could shoot him in the knee right now. Or throw him in jail and let him rot there for a week. Or just strangle him and dump his body in the Preserves for the wolves to find.”

Peter chuckles a bit at that, sipping his whisky. “Well well… I never thought I’d live to see John Stilinski threaten to strangle someone and leave them for the wolves to devour.”

The Sheriff glares at Peter, who sighs, and shrugs. “For what it’s worth, I’m extremely disappointed at Derek at the moment. Mad at him, actually. I thought this kid was the brightest of the litter, but he probably is the dumbest. Though, Shawn is a close second.”

John Stilinski grunts his approval. Yeah. Shawn Hale, not the smartest crayon in the box. A little bit of an asshole, a little bit of a jerk, a lot of a possibly-bright-kid who just fucked up and doesn’t care. Derek Hale though, it’s another story.

“He hurt my baby boy. I don’t care if he wins a Nobel Prize tomorrow or lose at a spelling bee misspelling apple. I don’t want him anywhere near my boy. Ever again.”

Peter nods. “I’m gonna go check on Stiles. You may want to go easy on the whisky John. You wouldn’t want Stiles to yell at you tomorrow for drinking too much, would you…”

He laughs when the Sheriff flips him off, and just climbs the stairs towards Stiles’ room.

“Hey smartass.”

“Peter? What are you doing here.” Stiles finally stopped crying, and he currently sitting on his bed, mouth dry, and he’s pretty sure he has a migraine.

“I just wanted to check on you.” Peter sits on the bed next to Stiles, and awkwardly pats his shoulder. It tears a laugh out of Stiles.

“Woah, watch out, too much PDA, I could start thinking you actually care Peter!”

Peter just smiles fondly at the teenager, ruffling his hair. “You know I do” he answers, voice soft. It makes Stiles’ throat close, and he swallows with difficulty, avoiding the other man’s eyes.

“I’m so sorry for what happened Friday Stiles… What Talia did was unacceptable…”

“It was understandable though” Stiles cuts in, but Peter just shakes his head.

“No it was not. Derek getting detention was no reason for her to treat you like that. You are an incredible young man, you hear me Stiles? You do not deserve to be treated like that. By anyone. Understood?” Peter waits until Stiles nods: he’s sure the teenager doesn’t believe a single word Peter is saying, but it’s important that he does.

“And what Derek did was a shitty thing to do. And I am so terribly sorry for that.” He knows he’s the one responsible for the way Stiles found out. But he also knows it was necessary. “He loves you though. He’s the biggest asshole on the planet, oh yeah. But he does love you.” Peter kisses Stiles’ forehead, before getting up. “You should eat something Stiles. And maybe take something for your head. Crying always gave you headaches.”

And with that, Peter is walking out of Stiles’ room, returning to the kitchen where the Sheriff is finishing his whisky.

“He’ll be okay John. Stiles is a strong kid. You should enjoy the silence and eat fries and burgers while you can, because as soon as he’s better, he’s going to force you to eat this… terrifying thing that you call a casserole.” It makes the Sheriff laugh, and Peter pats his friend on the shoulder once before letting himself out of the Stilinski house.

It’s been years since he’s been friends with the Sheriff. He was one of the doctors taking care of the late Mrs Stilinski, and when she died, he just couldn’t let go of these two broken men (well, a man and a rugrat!). Been friend ever since.

So, yes. He’s pissed at his nephew for being such an idiot. He would be more mad though, if he didn’t know that Derek had been crazy about Stiles long before the idea of the bet even travelled through that stupid Erica’s head.

Kids these days. Too much television.

-----

On Monday, Derek looks for Stiles throughout the school first thing in the morning. He even gets up early, to be among the first people to get to the school. Stiles’ Jeep is nowhere to be seen, so Derek parks his bike and waits for the lacrosse player on the steps of the school. But the bell rings before he can find him, and has to go to class, head low, heart sinking. Second period is worst than the first, but not as terrible as third and fourth period.

When he gets out of the mathematics class, he rushed to the cafeteria, hoping to find Stiles there, and get a chance to talk to him. To explain what the bet was really about. To explain that without the bet he would never have worked the nerve to ask him out, but that he was crazy about him before that. That he is crazy about him. That he is in love with him.

Maybe Stiles will listen. Maybe Stiles will understand. He has to try.

But when Derek gets to the cafeteria, and spots Stiles, and tries to go to him, he gets slammed into the wall. Hard.

“Don’t. Even. Think. About. It.”

And, woah, he’s never been this close to Jackson’s face before. And also, his throat is kind of hurting. But Derek still manages to open his mouth, and get words out of it. Even if it’s a bit croaked.

“Please. I… I need to talk to him. I never… I never meant to hurt him… I just… I just need to explain…”

“There’s nothing to explain. You’re just a pathetic piece of trash. You don’t even deserve to be breathing the same air he is.” The pressure is becoming too much, and Derek thinks he sees dark spots dancing before his eyes.

“Please… Jackson… I just… I need to…”

“Don’t even think about that. In fact, don’t even think about Stiles. If you ever try to approach him, I will find you, and I will make you regret it. If you ever talk to him, I will cut your tongue and make you swallow it. If you touch him, I will break every single one of your fingers, and punch you so hard in the nose you’ll look like fucking Voldemort. Is that clear, Hale?”

“Jackson…” And there’s McCall, putting a hand on Whittemore’s shoulder. “Let him go.”

“No! Not after what he did to Stiles. He needs to understand that he has to stay the fuck away from him!”

“I think he does Jackson. But he’s gonna pass out if you don’t let him go. And then you’re gonna get into trouble. Come on man. He’s not worth it.”

There’s a second when Derek thinks Jackson is not going to release him, and he’s going to pass out from the lack of oxygen. But then, he’s slammed into the wall one last time, and Jackson tears himself away from Derek. The teenager massage his throat, blinking, the dark spots disappearing.

“Thanks” he croaks toward McCall.

“Don’t fucking talk to me.” McCall’s voice is ice cold, and Derek winces. He’s never heard McCall sounding like this, ever. McCall is a puppy. But then again… Stiles is his best friend. His brother from another mother as Stiles called them. “The only reason I didn’t let Jackson finish is because I don’t want him to get into trouble because of you. Don’t go near Stiles. Leave him alone. You have no idea how much you hurt him.”

And then McCall leaves, and there’s Boyd, and Isaac, and Erica, but Derek just runs past them, getting the hell out of the cafeteria, trying to hold back his tears.

He knows he deserves it, every single thing that comes out of it. But god does he miss Stiles.

He skips the afternoon, biking home, and slams the door when he gets there. No one’s in the house, so it doesn’t actually feel good to do so.

He falls on his bed, head first, and stays there for a couple of minutes, screaming in his pillow. He fucked up he fucked up he fucked up so badly. How is he ever going to make it up to Stiles? How is he even going to get Stiles to talk to him? Or even just to listen to him?

He doesn’t know. He just doesn’t know what to do anymore.

So he just grabs his computer, and hits play. The frozen episode of Veronica Mars comes to life, and Derek just watches the show until he passes out. He falls asleep crying.

-----

Stiles falls asleep crying too.

Chapter Text

“So! How about them Yankees, eh?” Erica says as she sits at their usual table in the cafeteria. Derek barely acknowledge her, keeping his eyes on the book he’s pretending to read. Boyd and Isaac soon join them and Derek is relieved that he won’t have to try to speak to Erica. He hasn’t really talk to her in the past few days. He’s not really out of the ‘blaming-someone-else’ phase yet, and Erica and his Uncle Peter are the perfect culprits. So he avoids talking to them as much as possible. He’s pretty good at it. Or so he thinks.

“Dude how long are you going to ignore me like that?” Erica sounds angry at him. Like he cares.

“She’s right Derek… Erica is not the only one at fault he…. okay, okay, I didn’t say anything!” Isaac finishes as Derek glares at him. Still doesn’t want to hear it.

“I’m sorry, okay? That was a stupid thing to bet on...And yeah you obviously like him...What do you want me to say Derek? I’m sorry? Because I am, and I told you like fifty times already.”

She does sound sorry, more angry than sorry though. But Derek just… just doesn’t care. He doesn’t even listen in class, just keeps thinking of ways to get Stiles to talk to him, or listen to him, or just plainly forgive him. He just needs to… to come up with a plan. A good, solid plan, that will show Stiles how sorry he is, and how much he misses him.

“He doesn’t even listen to me…” Erica sighs as she steals fries in Boyd’s plate. Boyd pats her on the arm, and she puts her head on his shoulder. It makes Derek’s stomach turn. Because Stiles used to put his head on Derek’s shoulder like this, and Derek would not-so-subtly smell Stiles’ hair, and drop a kiss on his head.

The teenager blinks a couple of time to stop his eyes from watering.

“It’s not like your relationship would have last anyway. You’re going to different colleges in a couple of month, and maybe Stilinski is not as terrible as we thought he was, but he’s still friends with Jackson and that’s like the worst sign ever. Like who can bear to be friend with a jackass like him? Did you forget about the video he took during my episode, how he spread it through the entire school? Who’s friend with people like that?”

“Shut up.”

Erica looks up so fast it must have hurt. It’s the first words Derek spoke to her in two days.

“What?”

“I said shut up. You don’t know the first thing about Stiles so just shut up. He’s the most loyal person I’ve ever met, and he’s the fucking best person in this whole school. He’s better than you, better than me, better than all of us combined, so just shut the fuck up Erica.”

The blond girl ducks her head, putting more fries in her mouth, when a tray appears at Derek’s left side, and Danny Mahealani is suddenly leaning over the table.

“Jackson never took the video of you Erica. It was Matt Daehler. Stiles was the one who found out about it, and Jackson and him took it down. I mean, I did all the erasing part, because Jackson only knows how to use his computer for porn, but they’re the one who went to Daehler. Beat him up pretty good actually.”

Erica shrivels up on her seat. Derek… Derek just looks at Danny. Because Danny is talking about Stiles, and he’d give anything to hear about the lacrosse player at the moment.

“And yes, Stiles is a freaking loyal person. Do you know that Jackson used to push him into lockers and trip him on the lacrosse field? All the time. Because Stiles was crushing hard on Lydia, and Jackson didn’t like that.” Derek’s heart breaks a little at the memory of the infamous Stiles Stilinski Crush On Lydia Martin. Everyone knew about that.

“And yes sure, Stiles was an asshole to Jackson too, and he still is. But he’s the nicest asshole I’ve ever seen. Pun not intended.” Ethan, Danny’s boyfriend, standing next to the goalie, chuckles. Danny raises a playful eyebrow at him, and Derek just thinks about what Stiles would have said in a situation like that. Something ridiculous, probably.

“Do you remember Stiles’ coming out?” Isaac and Boyd nod. “And do you remember my coming out?” Isaac shakes his head, and Boyd just raises an eyebrow, as if to say ‘and why exactly is that relevant?’

“No, you don’t. Because I never actually officially came out. No big declaration, no ‘I love dicks’ shirt. Because I was afraid what the rest of my teammates would say at the time, and Stiles found out, and he bought flowers, and he wore this stupid pink shirt with a dick on it and the ‘i love dicks’ in black sequin. And he got up on a table, and asked me on a date in the middle of the cafeteria, where everyone could see him and hear him. I turned him down and said I already had a boyfriend, but no one even batted an eyelash at me, because Stiles was coming out with glitters and rainbows. By the time people actually got the part where I said I had a boyfriend, Ethan and I were already pretty public about our relationship. Stiles was the one who endured the ‘don’t look at me naked’ jokes in the locker room for maybe two months, before people let it go. And Jackson. Jackson was so mad at Stiles, because after Lydia, he was asking me out, and Jackson felt… threatened, or whatever stupid thing he thought would justify him beating Stiles’ ass on the field. And Stiles didn’t say anything, just took it and shut his mouth, and when I found out, I talked to Jackson, and he was just so full of respect for Stiles that he actually stopped calling him Stilinski. And he’s had his back ever since, even if Stilesi is still a jerk to him, and Jackson still acts like a douche. But he just completely forgave him for all the bruises he got him. Because Stiles is like that. He just forgives people who hurt him, because he has a big, stupid, fluffy heart.”

Danny takes his tray back, Ethan already leaving for their own table.

“So next time you want to talk trash about Stiles and Jackson, make sure you have the right informations.”

And with that, he leaves the table. Derek’s practically vibrating in his seat, because Stiles  is amazing, and he’s so fucking damn proud of him… before remembering that he is not his boyfriend anymore.

Erica just looks… Dejected. She gets up, and practically runs out of the cafeteria. Boyd goes after her, because he’s the boyfriend and he has to. Isaac just pats Derek’s hand.

“It’s going to be okay. He’ll forgive you.”

Derek is still not quite sure about that one.

-----

Derek finally gets an idea when the cheerleader who has the locker next to his opens receives balloons and notes for her birthday. She screams way too much (no one can actually be that excited about a couple of pink balloons. no one) but when Derek sees the notes… he just wonders why he didn’t think about it sooner.

So Derek starts leaving notes in Stiles’ locker. The first one is short, because he doesn’t really know what to write, so he just puts “I’m sorry I hurt you”.

On the fourth one, he talks about how much he misses Stiles. How whenever Harris says something stupid he forgets he can’t take his phone to text Stiles.

By the time he put more than ten notes in Stiles’ locker, Derek starts to wonder if Stiles even read them. Maybe he just sees them, and throw them away.

The very idea almost sends Derek into a panic attack of his own, and the next day, as he put his fourteenth note in Stiles locker (some private joke about pancakes, and how much he misses Stiles’ smell), he stays in the hallway, hiding behind the water fountains, trying to look casual when he actually is sweating like he’s been running a marathon in the middle of August. He almost misses second period, when he sees Stiles running toward his locker, visibly late himself.

Derek holds his breath. He watches as Stiles’ finger play with the lock, the way he bites his lips when he focuses on something. The way he taps his foot on the ground because he’s late, so everything he does is in a rush.

Derek is grabbing the water fountain with too much strength, and his fingers start to hurt, but he can’t tear his eyes from Stiles. Watching as the lacrosse player opens his locker, and the way his face falls when he sees the note.

Derek feels his heart sinking in his chest. He almost turns around to go to class when Stiles actually picks up the note, and reads it. There’s a small, foreign smile on the lacrosse co-captain lips, something soft and sad in his eyes as he traces the words on the piece of paper. It breaks Derek’s heart in a whole different way to see Stiles putting the note in his pocket. To see that he reads them. To see that he keeps them.

Somehow, it gives him hope. Hope that maybe things will actually be okay.

Chapter Text

In front of his mirror, Derek is rearranging his bow tie. It’s a bit crooked, but it’s the best he can do. There’s flowers on his desk, that he’s supposed to pin to his vest or something, he’s not exactly sure what the protocol is for the guys wearing the flowers. His shoes are shining. He looks stupid. Ridiculous. Like an idiot. But he’s going to prom, and that’s what people are supposed to look like when they go to prom. Like idiots.

Cora knocks on his door, and he turns his head to see her. She has a small smile on her lips. She’s wearing sweatpants and a tank top and he’s jealous of her, because he would be way more comfortable in sweatpants than in slacks.

But he has a prom to go to. He has a Stiles to woo. He has shit to do.

“You look good” Cora tells him, as she steps into his room and help him with his bow tie.

“I look like a complete idiot” Derek mumbles, the top of his ears going pink.

“Stiles will like it” Cora says, and Derek is not so sure about that. Maybe Stiles has a date to the prom. Maybe he’s taking one of the cheerleaders. She’ll wear too much perfume, and they’ll dance and have a good time, and then he’ll take her to the hotel room he reserved. Or maybe Stiles will show up with this blond dude from the swimming team who always looks at Stiles like he’s an oasis in the middle of the desert. They’ll dance, and there will be groping on the dancefloor, and Derek will have to suffer through that.

Maybe Stiles won’t even look at him. Or worst. Will see him, and dismiss him completely.

“Stop thinking so hard Der-bear. It’s gonna be fine”.

And Derek is not so sure about this, but he puts on his big boy pants and smiles at his sister. He’ll see, anyway. He’ll see how it goes.

He picks up Boyd first, who looks good in the suit he’s wearing. He has flowers for Erica, and he looks… happy. Isaac doesn’t have a date, but he doesn’t care, because he just wants free food and the opportunity to mock people. He wants to see if people are going to spike the punch. He’s wearing a suit that’s probably his brother’s, a little too big for him around the shoulders.

Erica looks really good in her green dress. It’s not as provocative as he thought it would be, and she looks… nice. She looks soft. Which is a weird look on her, but Boyd looks at heart with hearts in his eyes, and she’s blushing a little when she smiles at him, so Derek figures it’s okay.

They’re late when they finally pull out in the parking lot, and there’s not a lot of spots left. Erica is complaining that she has to walk in her high heels to get to the gymnasium, and Isaac offers that Boyd gives her a piggy-back ride. Derek is not really listening. Because there’s Stiles Jeep in the parking lot, which means that Stiles is in there. And probably not with a cheerleader because she would have wanted a limo. Probably not the swimming-guy either, because he has a nice shiny black car and would have insisted to take Stiles for a ride in it.

Does this means there’s hope?

When they finally walk in the gymnasium...Derek has to stop for a second. Because this... this looks ridiculous. There’s too many lights, the music is too loud, there’s too many people wearing perfume and Derek feels like he’s about to sneeze. It’s too much, too obnoxious, but Derek feels...warm, inside. It’s so cliché, so American-teen-movie that he wants to laugh in the face of the ones organizing the prom (and what’s the theme even? Some sort of… James Bond/Casino/Hollywood? Talk about originality). But he can’t help but think of how he would have been happy to walk in at Stiles’ arm, and take stupid prom picture next to the sign by the entry.

He doesn’t get his picture taken. Boyd and Erica do, and then he loses them in the crowd because apparently she wants to dance. Isaac goes for the buffet, and Derek is left alone, awkwardly standing by a wall, scanning the crowd looking for Stiles.

There’s Scott and Allison dancing, and Ethan and Danny. But there’s no sign of Stiles. Not next to the buffet, not by the punch - that Harris is guarding like a very mean looking pitbull -, nor in the bathroom.

The music is so loud Derek can’t even hear himself thinking. He’s walking through the crowd, trying not to step on anyone’s toe, avoiding the bodies colliding against him. People are drunk on the music and a pseudo-sentiment of euphory. They look stupidly happy. Derek is kind of jealous of them. He wants to be stupidly happy too, dancing with Stiles on bad music.

He tries to imagine if Stiles is wearing a suit, or a tuxedo. What color it is. If it fits him perfectly. If he put gel in his hair. What kind of flower he’s wearing, or if he’s even wearing one at all. If he looks happy or sad. If he’s drinking the punch or complaining that it taste bad. If he’s dancing with someone. If someone else than Derek is pressing their body against Stiles’. If someone will get his lips against their skin tonight.

He wouldn’t have the right to be jealous, anyway. Because it’s his fault he’s not the one with Stiles right now. It doesn’t mean it hurts any less.

“Derek?” Derek turns around so fast he’s afraid he pulled a muscle.

“Hey Stiles…”

“What… what are you doing here?”

And oh, does Stiles looks good. He’s wearing a blue shirt, and a freaking red suit. The jacket is hanging loose on his arm and… and he’s wearing a vest coat that clings to his body in the most delicious way. He looks so damn good Derek could cry, right now.

“I’m… I wanted to give you this.”

And Derek is handing him the flower he picked, and he still doesn’t know if he’s supposed to put it on Stiles’ wrist, pin it on his vest or put it in his hair or whatever.

“Derek…”

“No, Stiles, please just...I’m sorry. I know I’ve said it times and times again already, but… but I really am. And I’d do anything for you to believe me. And...I know you probably hate me, and I’d hate myself too if I were you, but… but I know how much prom means to you, and I didn’t know if you had another date, or not, and I… I just wanted to give you this.”

Stiles is looking at him with an unreadable expression on his face, and Derek drops his gaze. His hand is twitching, and he considers letting it drop too, when Stiles takes the flower, and smiles shyly at Derek. The teenager heart beats fast in his chest, and he looks up, smiling at the lacrosse player.

“I…” But before Stiles can say anything, the music stops, and Coach Finstock climbs on stage. “I have to go… they’re announcing the King and Queen and... and the nominees have to be on stage…”

He almost looks sad to be leaving, but he disappears before Derek can even open his mouth, so...maybe he’s not.

Derek sits down on a chair, and Isaac appears next to him. He’s drinking punch, and he doesn’t look drunk so apparently Harris is a decent guard.

“Did you find him?” Isaac asks, and Derek nods, shortly. “Did you give him the flower?” Another nod. “And? What did he say?” Derek just shrugs.

“He said he had to be on stage.”

Isaac pats him awkwardly on the back, and Derek feels stupid, once again. Maybe coming here was not a good idea, after all. Maybe he should have stayed home. Watch terrible action movie with Cora, and eat popcorn with butter on top of it.

He’s tugging on his bow tie when he finally starts paying attention to what Coach is saying.

“... someone specifically asked that I didn’t quote Independence Day, which is a shame let me tell you because this movie is amazing and we could all use some good patriotism and...oh, right, right. So, yeah, whatever! The King of the prom is… Stiles Stilinski, seriously? Didn’t know you had it in you kid! Good job!”

There’s applaud, people cheering, and Derek’s ears are ringing. He watches as Stiles is getting crowned, and the only thing he can see is the flower on his vest coat. Derek’s flower. That he’s wearing.

“And because a King is nothing without a Queen, yadiyada… Without any surprise, our new Queen is Miss Lydia Martin!”

Indeed, not a surprise. Lydia looks barely pleased when she gets crowned, more of a “I’m better than all of you and you know it” face than the fake cries people usually shed in this kind of situation. Could you imagine Lydia Martin fake crying? Yeah, me neither.

“And now, the traditional dance of the King and the Queen, to ‘open’ the ball or something…” And Derek doesn’t want to look, because it’s Stiles and Lydia, and even if Stiles hasn’t been in love with Lydia for a while… It’s still Stiles and Lydia, the moment the lacrosse player probably dreamt of for years. The girl, the dance, the kiss. The hotel room after that. The wedding. The kids. The house with the white fence. The dogs in the backyard. The happily ever after. The ten-year-plan.

The music is slow, and Stiles extends his hand for Lydia to take it, but the strawberry blond queen just huffs at him, and then grabs Jackson’s hand and gets to the dancefloor to slow dance with him.

Stiles doesn’t even look that sad. He just looks a little lost with the crown on his head. The crown is crooked, just like Derek’s bow tie, and Derek finds it fitting. In fact, he finds it so fitting that he’s up on his feet before he even knows what he’s doing, and he’s walking toward Stiles and, oh my god, what is he doing?

He only stops when he’s in front of the stage, in front of Stiles, and then he extends his hand toward the King, and his heart is beating so fast in his chest it could just fly out of his ribcage.

But Stiles just looks at him, and then shakes his head. And Derek feels like an idiot, and he wants the ground to swallow him, but it’s Stiles and he’s not letting this go. Even if he ridicules himself in front of the whole school.

So Derek keeps his hand where Stiles can grab it, and looks at him with pleading eyes. And Stiles just shakes his hand, getting off stage, walking away from a Derek who can’t take it anymore. A Derek who’s tired of watching Stiles walking away from his life, because he needs Stiles in his life, more than he ever thought he could.

So Derek does the only thing he can think of. He jumps on stage, and grabs the microphone. Because he was raised with Laura and Cora, who both love stupid chick flick even though they would deny it until the day they die.

“Stiles…” And there’s a silence. The music stopped, because of course it would, and Lydia is looking pissed, because Derek interrupted her big dance. Stiles is still not facing him, but he stopped. He’s not walking away anymore.

“I am so, so terribly sorry for what I did.” There’s a murmur in the crowd, people probably trying to figure what it is that Derek did.

“I’m sorry, and I love you.” There’s a gasp in the audience. Probably a cheerleader. Or Isaac. “I love you, and I want to dance with you. Because it’s prom, and because I put on a ridiculous tuxedo...And because you look absolutely fantastic in this red suit. I just… I love you. And I’m sorry. Please?”

Derek can feel the crowd’s eyes on him, and on Stiles. He’s sweating in his costume, and the more Stiles keeps silent, the more it looks like a finality. Like he lost Stiles. For good. Because isn’t it the moment in the movies where personage A forgives personage B? Where they turn around, and smile, and then everything is okay? Isn’t that what is supposed to be happening there?

And then, he figures, Oh to hell with the half-done shit.

“I… I don’t wanna hurt you…” There’s a twitch in Stiles’ arm. “I don’t wanna make you sway…” Derek’s voice sounds hesitant, but there’s a smile blossoming on Stiles’ lips. “Like I know I’ve done before…” Derek is not singing, not exactly, but it doesn’t stop Stiles from hearing the notes in his voice. The lacrosse player closes his eyes. “I will not do it anymore”. And it sounds so sincere, so freaking sincere, that Stiles feels himself forgiving Derek. Or maybe he already had. “I’ve always been a dreamer...I’ve had my head among the clouds…” Stiles turns slowly on himself, his eyes searching for Derek’s face. “But now that I’m coming down…” What a dork. “Won’t you be my solid ground?”

And Derek’s voice breaks a little, because there’s Stiles, and Stiles is smiling at him, this shy and private smile that’s so different from the grins he throws at people at school. It’s intimate. It’s breathtaking. Derek feels like all the air has been sucked up from the room.

And when Stiles extends his hand, Derek drops the microphone without a second thought, and runs to Stiles, throwing himself at the lacrosse player.

Stiles’ arms around him are the best thing he’s ever felt.

Chapter Text

Lydia is not looking very happy, having to wait for Stiles to finish his speech. She doesn’t even really pretend to hide it. She didn’t really think that Stiles Stilinski would beat her, Lydia-Goddamn-Martin, but apparently, the school board decided that he was more deserving of the valedictorian status than she was.

Humpf.

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Sheriff Stilinski is sitting in the audience, looking at his son with tears in his eyes. His heart aches because Claudia isn’t here to watch her baby boy finally showing the world how smart and incredible he is.

He has tears in his eyes, and the biggest, proudest smile on his face. Because Stiles is amazing, always has been, and now everyone knows it. And then when Stiles will go to college, and change the world, more and more people will know what he knew all along.

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Scott McCall is kissing Allison’s head as he watches his best friend giving the best speech he ever heard in his life (and no, he doesn’t say that because he never really listened to other speeches, or because Stiles is quoting Captain America, Fight Club, and Great Expectations in it). He smirks at Harris, the dick, who looks like he ate a dozen lemons. Oh yeah, take that dickhead! Scott wants to scream at him, to prove that he was oh-so-wrong and that Stiles is the best.

He’s proud of his bro. Because Scott always knew that Stiles was smart, and that he could get into the AP classes but insisted on staying with Scott to help him with homework and be his partner in school projects. Because Scott is a potato -but that’s okay, Scott knows he’s smart in other way. Textbook smart is not the only option here-.

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Jackson knows that Lydia is pissed and that he’s going to have to be very nice to her tonight if he wants to have sex.

But when he sees Stilinski on stage, he can’t help but think that his friend deserves it so much more than Lydia ever did.

Not that he’ll ever say that, to either one of them. He likes his balls where they are. Thank you very much.

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Coach Finstock laughs when Stiles quotes Independence Day. He knew the kid had good taste.

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Erica is holding Boyd’s hand, and she’s looking at Derek. She knows Stiles is the one who pushed him to go see her the other week, and apologize for his behavior. The same Stiles who patted her on the arm when she apologized to him for the first time.

She feels like she doesn’t deserve the friendship he’s offering her (any friend of Derek is a friend of mine, he said) but she knows she’ll work to earn the right to keep it.

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Isaac thinks about food. Also the speech is good.

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Talia Hale is sitting in the back, with her husband and her family. Well, most of it. Peter, Cora and Laura are sitting by the Sheriff and Melissa McCall. She knows she’s still in the doghouse when it comes to the Stilinski-s (she apologized. Twice. Which is a lot for her, everyone admitted that much.) But the Sheriff still refuses to shake her hand, and Stiles is weirdly polite when he comes by the house, always calling her Mrs Hale, and avoiding talking to her as much as possible. She doesn’t blame him. She would hate herself too if she was him. She was only doing what she thought best for Derek, and she bet on the wrong horse. That happens. That doesn’t make it okay, her husband told her. She knows that. She’s working on that.

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Cora is bored out of her mind. She doesn’t have any more lives on Candy Crush and the stupid pigs of Angry Bird refuse to die. Also, she’s almost out of power. She should have brought her iPod.

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Derek is looking at Stiles with adoration in his eyes. His boyfriend (boyfriend! He still can’t quite believe that Stiles is his boyfriend. Again. Forever -who cares if he’s only 18?-). Beautiful in the graduation gown. Beautiful as he stands in front of the audience, and speaks about honor, knowledge, power, Captain America, dead writers, love, courage, future.

His speech is breathtaking, but then again, when isn’t Stiles? Everything he does, everything he touches. Derek still can’t quite believe that he gets to have this.

Have Stiles for a whole summer, and then for four years. In an apartment right in between UCLA and CalTech. Twenty minutes away from campus, both of them. One bedroom, one living room, a kitchen and a bathroom. The Sheriff wasn’t too happy about that, but Stiles somehow managed to convince him. Derek is pretty sure he heard the words ‘love of my life’ and ‘responsible adult’ in the conversation.

There’s a ring in his sock drawer. Derek isn’t going to propose, he’s not that stupid, he knows that even if Stiles says they’re fine, he’ll have to work for this relationship to work. Also, they’re 18. It’s too young for that. Not too young to know, though. Because Derek doesn’t plan on giving this ring to anyone that’s not Stiles. Ever.

Because Derek gets to have Stiles for a whole summer, for four years. And hopefully for the rest of his life.

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Stiles is looking around him at his friends. At his family. At Derek. People are applauding, there’s whistles coming from the lacrosse team, and even Lydia looks like her eyes are shining a bit. Not that she’ll ever admit it. But Stiles doesn’t care.

Because he did it.

Beat high school. Got out of it alive. Made friends. Great friends. The kind he knows he’ll have for ever, not the kind that he’ll lose because he goes to college. Because Scott, Allison, Danny, Jackson, Lydia, they’re in it for life. Erica, Boyd, and Isaac also, probably. And Derek.

Stiles looks at Derek and can’t feel anything but love. Love filling him, love holding him. Love burning him, in the best way, lighting fires in his stomach, under his skin. He looks at Derek, and thinks he wants to see him smile for the rest of his life.

He thinks about his mom. How proud she’d be. How proud she is, watching him from her cloud-chair. How she would have liked Derek, convinced his dad to stop cleaning his guns every time Derek comes by the house (only once a week, she would have negotiated).

He looks at his dad, and smiles at him, because his dad is the best person in the world.

He looks at Mrs McCall and thinks that his dad will be fine when he goes to college, because she’ll be there -and hopefully they’ll pull their head out of their asses and then Scott and Stiles will be brothers for real-.

Stiles looks at the most important people in his life, and he breathes.

He just breathes.

Because everything is going to be. Just. Fine.

He found his solid ground.