Work Text:
Stiles searched the beach as soon as his feet hit the sand. He was a jumbled mess of nerves the entire drive here, but as soon as he spotted Derek down the beach, he released a breath and smiled. Calmness washed over him as he watched Derek toss a football with his friends along the water's edge.
God, he looked so good covered in a sheen of sweat, his sun-kissed skin glinting in the sunlight. His muscles rippled as he threw the football to Boyd, and Stiles could help but stare at Derek's chest. At his arms. At the trail of hair that dipped below his swim trunks that hung indecently low on his hips.
Stiles wanted to run over and climb Derek like a tree, and he was sure Derek wouldn't mind.
It had only been a week since the bonfire, but he and Derek had spent nearly all their time together. Stiles loved it. It didn't matter if they cuddling on the couch or walking through town. It didn't matter if they were having lunch at the diner or a picnic in the park. Stiles loved spending time with Derek. And why wouldn't he? Derek was so happy and carefree. His smile was contagious, brightening up a room like the morning sunrise.
He was also so attentive. Always asking questions to get to know Stiles more, learning how to make him laugh and what it meant when he was quiet. They could talk for hours or sit in comfortable silence. Which was a feat since Stiles hated silence. He always had a tendency to fill it with random questions or facts. But with Derek, he was content to just be with him.
"Stiles!" Erica spotted him, waving him over to where she sat under an umbrella. She wore a cherry-red bikini that matched her lips and nails.
Stiles walked over, shoving his hands in his pockets. He had a towel draped over his shoulder since he didn't bring a bag—or anything else. Sunburn was in his future, and he couldn't help but snort at the imagery that he'd match Erica's swimsuit before the day was over.
When he got to her, he laid his towel down and removed his shirt but didn't sit. "Hey. How's it going?"
"Can't complain. I mean…" She smirked at him before nodding behind him.
Stiles didn't have to look to know she was talking about Derek and Boyd. Well, maybe just Boyd since they were dating.
Before he could respond, his skin prickled, and the weight of a warm hand fell onto his bare back just above his swim trunks. He peeked over his shoulder, and despite knowing it was Derek, his breath hitched as they locked eyes.
They were a little more blue today, like midnight, when the moon was at its brightest in the sky, casting a shadow over the dark sea. His hair was darker than usual as if he had recently stepped out of the water. And maybe he had. It had that slightly styled, messy thing going on.
It looked soft. So soft that Stiles wanted to run his fingers through it.
Then there were his lips. They were perfectly shaped, and the way they moved when Derek spoke was like the perfect sync of a symphony.
Wait.
Those lips were moving. Derek was talking to him.
And now he was…grinning?
It was a really good grin, too. Kind of crooked and cute, making his dimples pop and his bunny teeth show.
Oh God, Derek was totally laughing at him.
Stiles met his gaze again, finding humor and inquisition in his eyes.
"I—" Stiles swallowed. "What?"
Heat spread along his chest, and he couldn't hide the flush taking over. Not that he wanted to hide from Derek in any way, shape, or form. Not with the way Derek's eyes darted down to appreciably examine Stiles's body for a few moments, long enough that Stiles could feel the heat radiating off him.
Derek let out a low chuckle that caused something to burn in the pit of Stiles's stomach. "I asked if you brought sunscreen. You're turning red."
Stiles shook his head, but Erica held up a bottle of Banana Boat.
The top of the cap popped open, and then Derek's hands moved across Stiles's shoulders and back. They were rough. Calloused. Stiles loved having them on his body.
"Have you ever been surfing?" Derek asked, turning Stiles around and rubbing the sunscreen onto Stiles's chest. Being extremely thorough across his pecs.
Stiles's nipples hardened, and he had to bite back a moan. Not that it mattered, considering they could scent his arousal, and Stiles's dick was making its presence known.
Thankfully Erica was behind him, so Stiles couldn't see the smirk she was probably wearing, and Derek was too much of a gentleman to say anything. Though his eyes flashed red as he inhaled deeply. His hands paused momentarily as his chest rose and fell rapidly as if he were trying to get himself under control.
Stiles shook his head. "No, I've never been surfing. I—er, I don't really know how."
Derek chuckled and finished rubbing in the sunscreen, then he stepped back and gave Stiles a once-over before tossing the bottle back to Erica. "You should try it. You'd look good on a board."
Stiles blushed, more than likely turning an even deeper shade of red, and nodded because how could he say no to that?
He was rewarded with a beautiful smile. Derek looked at Stiles like he was something special. Something new and exciting. He stepped into Stiles's space, tipping his chin up and kissing him sweetly.
When they broke apart, Stiles stumbled slightly since kissing Derek always left him weak in the knees, but Derek held him tight.
"You okay?" Derek asked, hiding his grin. Or rather, attempting to hide his grin and failing. Miserably.
Stiles narrowed his eyes though there was no heat in his glare. And he would answer, except that meant he'd have to think up a response, and forming words was difficult, considering his mind was blank.
But Derek seemed to understand, and a shiver of delight ran through Stiles as Derek took his hand, tugging him down the beach.
His heart beat fast at the touch. At the thought of spending the day with Derek. This would wear off at some point, right? This want and need to see and be near him. Stiles hoped not. While it felt too good to be true, he couldn't help but smile at the thought of what was yet to come.
The sand was warm under his feet as they walked, and he squeezed Derek's hand when they got to his surfboard. They stopped, and Derek brushed a strand of hair away from Stiles's face and kissed him again, making Stiles's heart flutter. He could feel the smile on Derek's lips that mirrored his own.
Stiles pulled back and stared into Derek's eyes, losing himself in them before Derek reached for his surfboard and tucked it under his arm.
When they got to the water's edge, a wave crashed into Stiles's shins, and he shivered. It was cold despite the sun beating down on them.
They pushed forward, and when the water was at their chests, Derek gestured to the surfboard and helped Stiles on. Seriously, he picked Stiles up and plopped him onto the surfboard as if Stiles weighed nothing.
That probably shouldn't have turned Stiles on, but it did.
Derek told him to scoot up, so he did, grasping onto the tip of the board with white knuckles as Derek pulled himself up. Stiles instinctively spread his legs, giving Derek room to lay behind him, ignoring that Derek's face was now above his ass.
As Derek paddled them further into the water, his face occasionally touched Stiles's ass. Probably wholly accidental, but Stiles pretended to ignore it because acknowledging it would only make it worse, even though his thoughts were quickly venturing into the not-safe-for-work territory.
When they were far enough away, Derek spun them around so they were facing shore and said, "Alright, sit up. Look around."
Stiles glanced back as Derek pushed his wet hair back, looking entirely too sexy to be real. He inhaled deeply, practically prying his fingers from the board's edge though he wasn't sure why.
Probably nerves. He didn't want to embarrass himself in front of Derek.
When Stiles didn't move, Derek unnecessarily ran his hands up the back of his thighs, gripping his hips, and pulled him up.
But he didn't stop there. Derek slid Stiles toward him, pulling Stiles's back to his front, keeping a steady grip on his waist. Stiles leaned back against him, glancing around. There were a few other surfers paddling toward a cresting wave closer to shore.
"This is beautiful," he said, grasping onto the board's edge, trying not to think about what lurked beneath. He didn't fear open water, but it was still freaky to know that all sorts of creatures were swimming around.
Derek kissed his shoulder. "You're beautiful."
Stiles ducked his head and smiled. No one had ever called him that before—at least not that he could recall. "Yeah?"
Derek nodded and ran his nose along the back of Stiles's neck.
"I think you're beautiful," Stiles whispered, turning his head. And they were so close. Derek's lips were right there, so Stiles kissed him. It was a simple, closed-mouth kiss that was so seductive in its sweetness that it left him breathless when Derek pulled back.
They were quiet for a moment. Derek's hands settled on his hips, his chin hooked over Stiles's shoulder as Stiles leaned back against him. And then Derek kissed just below his ear. "Wanna try riding in?"
Not really, because Stiles liked sitting there with Derek, but he nodded anyway.
Derek told him to lie back down as he pointed ahead of them. "I'll paddle us there and then we'll ride in."
Stiles did as he said, and then, once again, Derek's face hovered over his ass. Before his thoughts could devolve, a wave rose beneath them. He gasped as they were propelled forward, a totally and utterly dignified shriek leaving him.
"Holy shit!" Stiles squealed, and Derek chuckled, placing his hands farther up the board near Stiles's waist, almost as if to shield him from tumbling off.
They rode the wave all the way to shore. When the board stopped, Stiles didn't move. He just turned and glanced at Derek, who met his gaze.
Stiles's face hurt from how big he was smiling. "Oh my God, that was awesome. Please tell me we can do it again?"
"Absolutely." Derek grinned and nodded. "Now? Or later?"
"Now," he said firmly, sitting up and wiping the water from his face. "Let's go again."
Derek paddled them out again, and Stiles thought about how good it felt to be here. To have Derek so close and a wave beneath his feet. His heart slowed, and the corners of his lips curved up higher than they had in ages.
This was what happiness felt like, and it was more perfect than any moment Stiles had ever known.
When the moment ended, Derek said, "Ready to try it again?"
"Yeah," Stiles said as he looked around. This time Derek let him try it on his own, and although Stiles was a bit wobbly, he eventually caught a wave, and they rode it in.
Derek embraced him the moment his feet hit the sand. "You did it."
Stiles smiled, unable to find the words to express how amazing that felt. His heart was full, and he wanted nothing more than to stay here forever.
"I could stay here all day," Stiles whispered.
Derek kissed his forehead. "Me too. Just us, the ocean, and the sun."
He sighed in contentment, loving the sound of that. They walked hand-in-hand back to the beach blanket and settled in, talking until the sun set.