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1.
Stiles is sitting in the far corner booth of the mom and pop diner, looking at his upside down reflection in his spoon, when he hears the bell tingle above the entry door. He looks up and is immediately disappointed that it’s not the person he is waiting for. He puffs out a sigh, hovering over his hair with a shaky hand for the hundredth time this evening.
“Stiles,” a voice speaks his name from his side, just out of his current vision. Stiles jumps in place, his heart rate spiking with adrenaline. He turns his head and there is Derek. Of course when the man is finally here, Stiles didn’t spot him. He even purposefully parked himself so he had the perfect line of sight to the front door. Derek gracefully scoots into the booth across from him. Now that is the perfect line of sight.
“Derek, uh, hey,” Stiles manages to get out, gulping on air. He takes a few quick swigs of his water and then sets his perspiring glass off to the side again. When he finally focuses in, he realizes that Derek looks good. Really good.
He’s wearing a long-sleeved, forest green button down sans his usual leather jacket. He styled his hair and he’s also clearly trimmed his beard. His lips even look moisturized. Don’t stare at his lips! Derek smirks then and Stiles jerks his head and eyeballs up and away from the were’s knowing gaze. They sit like that, him staring up, Derek staring who-knows-where, in complete silence for at least three minutes. I should be looking at the menu! Who am I kidding, I’ll just get a burger and fries.
“Hello boys.” They both startle at their waitress, greeting them with a red-stained smile and a pen behind her ear. She holds a notebook in her hand and her name tag reads ‘Sue Ellen’. Stiles relaxes a bit, slouching forward, and calming his breathing so he doesn’t end up stuttering. “What can I get for you?”
“Can we get a plate of cheesy fries?” Derek asks first. Sue Ellen nods her head, writing the request on her notepad. “And then I’ll have a burger with the works.”
The waitress turns to Stiles. “Same,” he chirps, flattening his lips in a purse that is attempting to make a smile. Sue Ellen walks away with their orders and unused menus under her arm. Stiles chugs half of his water down.
“So.”
“Um.” They both start at the same time. Stiles chuckles nervously. “Go ahead,” Derek says, gesturing with his hand that had been sitting in his lap until now.
“Sooo…” Don’t start ranting, you’ve got this! “I knew first dates could be awkward but this is really tense, huh? Like, sitting in silence isn’t very progressive. I know you’re supposed to get to know each other on first dates but we already know each other. Though, I don’t know your favorite color, or what your favorite place is, I mean I could guess-”
“Black,” Derek interrupts.
“Uh, what?” Stiles tilts his head to the side slightly.
“My favorite color. It’s black.” Derek is staring down at his napkin, which he uncurled from his silverware, and is now rubbing it between his forefinger and thumb.
“Okay,” Stiles replies, a grin that he can’t help growing on his face. “Mine’s red.”
“I know… those go together pretty well,” Derek mumbles. He looks off to the side, his hazel eyes piercing the wall, then suddenly staring at him. They lock eyes for a long moment. Stiles can feel his cheeks heating up so he clears his throat and stares up at the ceiling once again.
“They- they do,” he replies. What am I doing?!
Sue Ellen then comes back to the table with their nacho-cheese-esque fries. Stiles can’t help but get wide-eyed at the offering now in front of him. He digs in with no preamble. There’s silence at the table again when their waitress leaves and they are left to chew their cheesy goodness.
“The beach,” Derek says then. Stiles tilts his head to the other side and hums in question. “My favorite place is actually the beach. I love the preserve but I’m so used to it. I like the beach.”
With cheese on his face and fries chipmunked in his cheek, Stiles lets out an ‘oh’. He swallows the bite and wipes the blot of cheese he can feel on his mouth with his napkin.
“That’s pretty cool. My favorite place is this meadow that grows wildflowers that my mom used to take us to when I was little. I- I don’t remember where it is now but I’d love to go back some day.”
Derek gives him a genuine smile then but it turns to a frown when his phone starts ringing with the SOS ringtone.
“Hello,” he greets whoever is calling gruffly.
“Yes,” he replies next.
“Fine.” Derek hangs up the phone and does not look happy when he meets Stiles’ gaze again. He hears the tingling of the bell above the door again and sees Boyd, followed by Erica walk into the diner. Stiles is frowning now, too. Man, why do they gotta be here?
Erica plops down in the booth next to Stiles but Boyd remains standing on Derek’s side and looks down at them.
“Oooh.” Erica helps herself to the cheesy fries.
“What are you guys doing here?” Stiles asks after a moment of silence.
“There’s a chupacabra,” Erica replies, smacking her cheesy lips. Boyd nods his head in agreement.
“The Hales need our help- well, mine and Derek’s- Erica isn’t clear with her injured shoulder from the other day,” Boyd explains. He looks at Derek for a moment and raises an eyebrow. Stiles doesn’t miss the minute head shake he gets in return from the werewolf.
“Okay, Stiles I’ll text you,” Derek says as he moves out of the booth to stand. Him and Boyd leave the diner without another word.
“Mm, I love cheesy fries,” Erica hums as she devours the last of the fries on the plate. She moves to the other side of the booth and wipes her hands and mouth on Derek’s abandoned napkin. Where Derek just was, humph.
“So, were you two on a date or something?” Erica pries lightly. Luckily, Stiles is saved from his shocked reaction when Sue Ellen puts down two burgers in front of them. Erica brightens up at the burger in front of her and only takes a moment to start chowing down on it. She chews and swallows and dabs at her mouth with the napkin.
“Stiiiilesss,” she stretches his name out and her smile grows and grows. Her eyes glint mischievously and she stares at him, into his very soul.
“You can’t tell anyone,” Stiles answers through gritted teeth. “That was just our first date. We’re- we want to wait to tell the others until we’ve been dating for awhile.”
“Ah,” she says with raised brows. She rubs a finger down her nose twice, then taps the tip of it twice. “I’ll keep your secret.”
“Thank you-”
“But you owe me,” she adds quickly, before biting into Derek’s stolen burger once again. Stiles sighs and cowers into himself in resignation. Of course.
2.
Stiles is staring up at the Hale house. It always amazes him that such a grand house exists in his town and why isn’t it just called a mansion?
He goes to knock on the front door but is greeted with Derek swinging it open instead.
“I heard you come up the driveway-”
“-the driveway, yeah. You and your supernatural hearing,” Stiles murmurs but smiles. Derek softly smiles in return. He steps aside so that he can enter the house. They veer off into the kitchen and Derek goes to the stove and stirs something in a pot.
“I’m making homemade chicken alfredo,” Derek says with a bit of nervousness in his voice.
“Well, it certainly smells good,” Stiles reassures him. “How did the chupacabra go?” Stiles goes around the kitchen island so he’s across from Derek and leans on it.
“They didn’t really need me. The thing was just lost. Mom gave it directions south,” Derek sighs as he begins to dump farfalle pasta into his alfredo sauce.
“It’s good you were there to back them up, though,” Stiles tries to defend. “What if the chupacabra wasn’t so accommodating? What if it hurt someone? I’d- I’d rather you be there.”
“I guess,” Derek allows. He’s mixing everything together, having just cut the baked chicken into cubes. He plates the meal along with broccolini and his father’s recipe of ‘quick rolls’. Derek sets their plates at the island and they pull up stools to sit on, side by side.
Omg, this is delicious, holy- “So this is good,” Stiles says aloud instead. He easily stuffs his face with the creamy noodles and buttery broccolini and oh so heavenly soft rolls.
“Thank you,” Derek replies, staring down at his plate. His cheeks are adorned with a bit of pink and it makes Stiles want to melt. He eats his dinner instead, this time in more companionable silence. When they finish, Stiles is stuffed and can’t possibly have seconds but yes, he will take some leftovers home. He washes up their plates and puts them in the dishwasher, and then offers to wash the pots and pans. Derek lets him, saying he’ll dry.
“What is your favorite animal?” Stiles asks randomly, as he scrubs the sauce pan.
“You’re kidding, right?” Derek chuckles.
“Wha-” Stiles stops scrubbing for a moment and stares into Derek’s eyes which are now glowing blue. “Oh, well. Excuse me for thinking it wouldn’t be obvious.”
Derek laughs again, all boisterous and light and airy and wonderful . Stiles could get used to that sound. Derek’s so reserved around the group and most of his family and Stiles knows he’s still haunted by Paige and his past. He’s just grateful the Hales figured out Kate Argent’s arson plan before anything terrible could happen. Stiles can’t even imagine.
“What’s yours?” Derek asks instead.
“Well, sharks are pretty cool,” he responds with a shrug. They finish up the dishes and go back to the island to sit on their stools. They sit closer together than they did during dinner.
“What other random questions do you have, Stilinski?” Derek is faced towards him, his whole body is in fact, but he’s leaning an elbow on the island. Stiles scrunches up his face. Derek hasn’t called him that since he was in high school and he graduated two years ago. That makes him think.
“How long have you liked me?”, he asks with a side eye, leaning into Derek’s space. Derek doesn’t move away, allows him the intrusion, and smiles very slightly.
“A while.” Derek’s grin grows then.
“Come on, Der, how long?” Stiles presses.
“How long have you liked me ?” Derek turns the question on him. There’s a spark in his once again hazel eyes, and it’s like he’s smiling even though his lips are barely upturned.
“Too long for me to want to admit,” he answers honestly, his heart beating in his throat. “Since before I understood what a crush was.” Derek must hear how nervous he is now and know he’s telling the truth. Derek and he had been friends since Derek was ten, when Claudia and Talia first became friends. Stiles has liked him almost as long.
“When I realized I was finally allowed to,” Derek whispers the admission. So for two years? Wow, we sure took our time. He leans in on his arm, closer to Stiles’ face. Stiles’ eyes glance down to Derek’s lips. Now, kisth!
Then Derek is suddenly bolting up straight spined. He stands from his stool and is moving away from him and Stiles is entirely confused.
“Der, what-” Stiles begins but gets his answer when he hears the front door open and Derek’s mom yelling out a greeting.
She’s in the kitchen a few moments later. “Heya, kids, how are you?”
“I told you mom, I’m not a kid,” Derek bemoans.
“And where is everyone, I thought you said you were having a pack night?”
“And I thought you were going to be at the mayor’s house all evening?” Derek smarts in return.
“Don’t you take that tone with your mother,” Talia teases, then kisses her son on the side of his head. “Your nephew wasn’t feeling well so I was just bringing Laura and him back-”
“Laura’s here?” Derek interrupts, a bit of panic in his tone.
“Yes. I brought them back and now I’m going back to Mayor Marconi’s house with the others,” she finishes. She smiles all sweet and big at her son, then at Stiles with a wink thrown in, and promptly leaves the kitchen again.
“You should leave before Laura-” Derek starts to whisper but is cut off.
“Before Laura what?”, the woman of the hour appears at the doorway to the kitchen, her four-year-old son resting on her hip. Stiles remembers his name is Tommy and that he likes to share his candy with Stiles.
“Mom said you were having pack night, and not to harass you, but I don’t think that’s true. Is it Derek?” Laura accuses with a lilted grin. Her son buries his face in her shoulder and closes his eyes.
Derek stands still, not saying anything, just exchanging a harsh glare with his sister. Suddenly, Laura’s dangerous glint is focused on Stiles. Derek moves to stand in front of him, as if protecting him from his sister.
Laura cackles in delight. “You’re dating!”
“No,” Derek instantly responds.
“Yes, you are! You two finally got your heads out of your aa- butts and got together!” Laura has a cheshire smile and two bright eyes on them both. “I can’t wait til everyone-”
“Laura, you can’t-” Derek begins.
“Please, don’t,” Stiles says at the same time.
The eldest Hale squints her eyes and stares them down. Why do I feel like I’m going to piss myself? “Why?”
“We’re not ready for everyone to know,” Derek pleads with his older sister honestly. She must find some compassion in her dark little heart because she rolls her eyes and says ‘fine’ like she’s holding a grudge.
“You owe me a night of babysitting for my secrecy though!”, she yells over her shoulder as she exits the kitchen. Both men collapse their shoulders, letting the relief wash over them.
“Speaking of-” Stiles says, “Erica may also know.”
“Haha, yes!” Laura shouts from the other room. Stiles closes his eyes and internally curses himself for forgetting about werewolf hearing. Stupid, dumb, shit, oh my god-
“It’s fine,” Derek rubs his arm and the contact sends a zing of electricity up into Stiles’ neck where he feels tingling at the base of his skull.
Stiles nods his head, holding his mouth open dumbly for a moment. He then shakes his head to get back to reality. “I should go.”
Derek doesn’t look pleased but he nods along anyway. He leads him to the front door, opening it for him and Stiles steps out onto the porch. In a moment of sheer panic and bravery, Stiles steps up close to Derek, presses a peck to his cheek, and back away just as quick. Derek looks a little shocked, and the blush is back tinting his cheeks, but he smiles bright as ever.
“Good night, Stiles,” he whispers.
“Night, Der,” Stiles whispers back and turns and leaves for the night.
3.
Stiles decides that if they want some peace, Derek is going to have to come over to his house. His dad’ll be at work and no one but Scotty would just pop over to his place. He can warn off Scott.
Stiles also decides to repay Derek for his amazeballs dinner the other night by making them homemade pizzas. He made an all meat-lovers and a super duper cheese one with five different cheeses for them to share. Derek arrives while Stiles is pulling them out of the oven.
“Hey Der, come in!” Stiles calls out from the kitchen when he hears a knock at the front door.
“Dare? It’s Scott, I’m here,” Scott’s voice carries in from the front room. Stiles freezes in place and huffs out a sigh. He closes his eyes and counts to five under his breath. He literally texted Scott not to come over, I’ve got plans Scotty, please go away.
“Oh hell yeah dude, pizza? You’re the best!” Scott reaches for one of the slices of cheese pizza but Stiles catches him by his forearm and grunts out a ‘don’t’.
“What? Is it too hot, or?” Scott tilts his head that way he does and his eyes go wide in actual, genuine concern.
Stiles sighs again. “What are you doing here Scott?”
“You said, ‘I’ve got plans for tonight, see you later’,” Scott relays the text message after pulling his cell phone from his pocket.
Another sigh. “Yes Scott. I’ve got plans with someone else .”
“Well I didn’t know! It sounded like you were inviting me over,” Scott defends, crossing his arms across a puffed up chest.
“Fine, whatever. Just leave!” Stiles gestures to the doorway, face stern and not in the mood for much more of this.
Before Scott could reply, with most likely a pitiful plea for some pizza for the road, the doorbell rings. “Shit!”
Stiles stomps past Scott, weaving through the house to get to the front door. He opens it with a jerk and there, as he should be, is Derek. “Did you just say ‘shit’ because I’m here?” Damn werewolf hearing.
“No, no, God, it’s just- Scott’s here,” he huffs, gesturing to his friend now behind him.
“Oh, Der as in Derek, not dare ,” Scott murmurs, scrubbing at his face with a hand.
“Did I get the wrong night? I can-”
“No!” Stiles bursts out loudly. He clears his throat. “I mean, Scott was just leaving.”
“Wait, you two are hanging out alone? That’s weird.” Scott has his thinking face on and Stiles is ready for the inevitable discovery of their secret. Again.
“I wanna hang out, too,” he pouts instead after a long pause, “and I want pizza.”
Stiles rubs at his brow, beyond frustrated with his best friend right now. “If I give you pizza, will you leave?”
Scott perks up. “Totally!”
Stiles resigns himself to return to the kitchen and serve up a couple of slices for Scott on a paper plate. He takes the offer but plants himself in front of Stiles, biting into one of the slices and moaning as he chews. “This is great, Stiles! Come dig in Derek! It’s delicious!”
Derek catches Stiles’ eye, silently asking for his permission. He nods minutely and serves him up a piece of each pizza. Derek takes his first bite into the meat lover’s pizza slice as Scott finishes devouring his first piece. Stiles rolls his eyes and grabs his own slice and chows down. He did an incredible job. The crust is crisp, the sauce is perfectly seasoned, and the cheese is mixed together and all melty and gooey. It makes his stomach happy.
They destroy both pizzas in a matter of minutes, with some talk of ‘how have you been’s’ and ‘what’s new’s’ exchanged between the three. It’s slightly awkward.
“Hey, I heard from Allison about the chupacabra the other week,” Scott brings up after burping and wiping off his face with a paper towel.
“Scott-” Stiles urgently whispers. Derek gives him a look and answers Scott.
“Yeah, it was just a bit confused. We set the thing straight though.”
“How would it be if you had to fight it? Would you wolf out and claw it to death? Bite it? Wait, can another creature turn into a werewolf like that?” Scott looks like he’s contemplating his own questions, a hand scratching his head in his curiosity.
Derek looks at Stiles while he answers. He looks distraught. “Mostly use the claws. Other creatures can’t be turned into a werewolf; only humans can.”
“Scott!” Stiles says, insistence in his tone. Derek shrugs his shoulders uncomfortably.
“What? Anyway, I’m glad I’m not a werewolf. It sounds like a lot of hassle,” Scott replies, stretching his arms above his head. “It’d also be crazy awkward for me and Allison to be together. Imagine? A hunter and a werewolf?”
Stiles fake laughs and scowls at his best friend. “Yeah, imagine that Scott. Now leave, please!”
“Right. Pizza, then leave.” Scott sends finger guns to his best friend and smirks like he’s just told the greatest joke of all time. “I’ll get outta here.”
Stiles slaps a hand over his eyes, trying to calm down by taking deep breaths. Derek puts a heavy hand on his shoulder and rubs the area there.
“Oh, hey Sheriff,” Scott says from the other room, and of course , dammit! He hears the front door close and waits.
Stiles straightens up and watches his dad come into the kitchen. “Heya dad. I thought you had to work late?”
John looks between Stiles and Derek, clearly noticing Derek’s hand on his shoulder, which he promptly drops.
“Parrish caught me snoozing and sent me home. I didn’t get any sleep last night,” he explains, rubbing his eyes and looking as tired as he described.
“Oh, okay. Well, you should get some rest then,” Stiles empathized with his father, giving him a small smile.
“You two can go on with your date,” the sheriff adds then, “just no funny business under my roof.”
“Dad!” Stiles shrieks inwardly, the embarrassment heating up his face quickly. John chuckles softly and then turns and goes up to his room.
“Good night, boys,” he calls from the landing, his voice strong but tired-sounding.
“Night!” the pair yells back in response.
“How did he know?” Stiles whispers to Derek, feeling like his face is still bright red. Derek silently shrugs his shoulder and reaches out a hand to Stiles.
Stiles takes the other’s hand in his own and yeah, that’s a nice feeling. Derek intertwines his fingers with Stiles’ and tugs him gently toward him. He wraps his other arm around Stiles, pulling him into a tight embrace, the hand that was holding his now wrapping around his waist. The hug is soft and warm and all Stiles needs to calm back down. Am I in heaven, right now?
“Should I go?” Derek speaks softly into Stiles’ ear. Stiles doesn’t want him to leave. He doesn’t want him to stop hugging him. He could stay cuddled up like this all night.
Stiles jolts when Derek’s phone starts ringing. He retrieves the device from his pocket without leaving Stiles’ arms. “It’s mom. Hello?”
Stiles is able to hear Talia on the other line. “Where are you?”
“Stiles’ house.”
“Oh? Are you on a date?” What? How does she know, too?
Derek clears his throat before answering, “Yeah?”
“I’m sorry, honey but I need you to come home. Another pack is going to be passing through Beacon Hills in less than an hour. I want you to be by my side when we greet them.”
“Okay, be there soon,” Derek says, then hangs up his phone, repocketing it.
Stiles goes to pull away but Derek holds him firm. “Just another moment,” he mumbles.
Stiles melts into the werewolf’s arms, leaving no space between them.
And then Stiles is being kissed. Full on Derek’s lips to Stiles’ lips. It’s soft and chaste and lasts too short for Stiles to realize he should be kissing back. Then Derek pulls away, unwraps his limbs from Stiles’ body and the cold that comes after reverberates harshly and sends a chill down Stiles’ back. He represses the shudder that wants to go down his whole body.
He wants to tell Derek to wait, to please kiss him again, to hug him again. Instead, he looks at Derek with a bereft heart and sad eyes. Derek nods at him and he doesn’t look happy either. They part fully and Stiles walks Derek to the front door. He lets him out and Derek leaves to go fulfill his familial duty. Stiles goes to bed.
4.
They’re holding hands! Hands! Holding them! Calm yourself, Stiles.
It was Derek’s idea to go for a walk along the bordering path of the preserve. It’s three p.m. and in his other hand Stiles has a cone with a scoop of strawberry ice-cream in it. He takes a lick of the sweet confection and then looks over at his side. Derek is donkey lipping at his vanilla cone and Stiles has stars in his eyes. He’s so handsome, fuck!
“So, tell me a secret,” Stiles says, then swirls his tongue around his ice-cream. It’s saccharin, the flavors bursting on his tongue.
“Hmm.” Derek stops walking and looks into Stiles’ eyes. He picks up their tangled hands and presses his lips to the back of Stiles’ hand. His lips are cold. “I really like someone.”
“Oh?” Stiles’ voice pitches and he suddenly finds it very hard to swallow. He distracts himself by taking another lick of his cone. Then, “who, uh, who do you like?”
“Well, he’s pretty amazing. He’s brave and reckless, fierce but careful. He loves his friends with his whole heart. He takes care of everyone. He’s also kickass and powerful.” Derek clears his throat and smiles a small shy thing. Derek bites into his cone and then swallows the rest of it in one huge bite. It seems like Stiles isn’t the only one who needs to distract himself.
“You really think that?” Stiles asks in awe. He can imagine his cheeks are bright red. He tugs on Derek’s hand, pulling him that much closer to him.
“Yeah, he- you-” Derek replies but trails off. Stiles gives him time. “You really amaze me, Stiles.”
Stiles’ heart swoops into his stomach. He feels a heat go up his spine and into his neckline. Oh, I’m gonna kiss the hell outta you!
Stiles leans in and Derek mirrors him. He-
A shrill ringing starts trilling from his jean’s pocket. Stiles sighs and pulls away from Derek. He knows he can’t ignore whoever is calling him.
It’s Deaton. “Yeah?”
“You are late for our 3 o’ clock,” he chides. “You promised you’d be here.”
“Ah, shit.” Stiles chucks his ice-cream to the dirt and puts that hand to his head. “You’re right, I-”
“Stiles, if you don’t take these lessons seriously, I’m not going to give them.”
“I know, I’m sorry. I just forgot.” Forgot for the much preferred option of a date with Derek. “I can be there in 15. Is that okay?”
“Yes, we just won’t have as much time. I have to book my time, you know.”
“Alright- uh, bye.” Stiles hangs up the phone and puffs up his cheeks. He lets the air flow out of them through pursed lips, making a high squeaking noise. “So, Deaton-”
Derek is staring at him with honest to God kicked puppy dog eyes. He didn’t even know Derek could pull that look off! Either way, he looks disappointed.
“I’m sorry,” Stiles huffs out. He puts his left hand on Derek’s shoulder. Then he leans up and pecks him on the lips.
“I understand,” Derek murmurs. He leans towards Stiles this time and presses his lips to his forehead.
“Look, you, me, picnic date, this weekend. We’ll celebrate the full moon, just you and I.” Stiles starts out confident but loses steam as he continues on. “I’ll bring everything. Okay?”
Derek smiles a crooked smirk. “Okay.”
Then Stiles is rushing off to meet with Deaton, butterflies afloat in his stomach.
5.
Stiles breathes in the fresh, preserve air and stares up at the full moon. It’s almost fully risen in the night sky and it is breathtaking. Stiles is always in awe about what a powerful force it is. How it affects his friends, the Hales, Derek, himself. Stiles takes the blanket that he had wrapped around his arm and lays it out down on the ground littered with fall leaves. He sets down the basket he bought from the thrift store, specifically for this, from his other arm on the ground.
Stiles takes out some of the snacks he packed, including a pack of crackers, some cheese he sliced into squares and pepperoni slices. He makes himself a tiny sandwich with the ingredients and stuffs it into his mouth. He hums to himself, waiting for Derek to make his appearance.
Stiles hears a shuffling nearby and peers out into the darkness. The moon provides some light but his eyes haven’t fully adjusted to the night. “Hello?”
Cora jumps into the little clearing that Stiles is set up in, a big grin on her face. “I win!”
Stiles stares in confusion as the youngest Hale sibling celebrates with a happy dance. “What?”
“I won! I found you first!”, she gloats.
“Are people- trying to find me?” Stiles asks, uncertain.
“Yeah! Laura said you were somewhere out here and the first person to find you gets bragging rights and a prize ,” she gleefully explains.
Stiles sighs. Derek is going to be angry. Laura must have decided to prank him by telling the Hales to go on a manhunt for Stiles. How did she know they had a date tonight?
“Anyway, I’ll leave you to your weird picnic. I’m going to go find Laura now,” she says with exhilaration and then hops around and bounces off and away.
“Stiles!” A voice whisper yells from right behind him.
Stiles jumps ten feet out of his skin. He jerks forward and turns on his back to look behind him. There in the shadow of a tree is Derek. He clutches his chest and wills his heart to stop racing.
“Derek, what the hell?”
“Sorry. I didn’t want her to see me.” Derek comes out of the shadows and kneels down next to Stiles. He runs his fingers through Stiles’ hair in a comforting motion. Stiles leans into it.
Derek pulls back and smiles softly at Stiles. He smiles back. “What happened?”
“I pissed off Laura. Now the whole family is searching for you. We’re not going to be able to be alone tonight like we want,” Derek explains, a sour look on his face.
“How did-” Stiles starts but is interrupted by two pairs of feet thundering toward them.
Derek’s cousins, the twins, Dylan and Brian, halt in front of them, somehow puffing out of breath.
“I found you first!” Dylan claims.
“No, I did!” Brian rebuts, shoving at his brother’s shoulder. They start shoving at each other and bickering.
“Actually, Cora already found me!” Stiles yells over them. They stop fighting and have literal matching pissed off faces. They turn and stomp off without another word. They didn’t even acknowledge Derek. He gives him this look like ‘what are you gonna do?’.
One by one the rest of the Hales sniff Stiles out and are displeased that they aren’t the one to find him first. Even Derek’s uncle and aunt participate in the hunt and laugh good naturedly at Stiles’ picnic with Derek. No one seems to realize they’re on a date. With the moon at its peak in the sky, almost all of the Hales have paid them a visit.
“We probably won’t see my parents,” Derek guesses. They usually ‘man the fort’ and make sure all the kids are fed on full moon nights. His dad especially worries over his relatives having enough fuel to make it through the night. Him and Derek’s aunt are the only two humans in the whole Hale Family. Everyone else is a born werewolf, except Laura’s husband whom she turned.
Speaking of being turned, Isaac is running towards them now, a determined look on his face. He skids to a halt in front of them, stirring up dirt and leaves and getting them on the blanket.
“Isaac?” Stiles starts through grit teeth, “Surely by now, everyone knows that Cora was the first one to find me.”
“Yeah, the first Hale , Laura said there was a prize too for the first one to find you from Derek’s pack. Which is obviously me,” Isaac gloats, smirking at them both. His smile slowly drops into one of confusion. “Why are you out here with Stiles, Derek? I thought you’d be running.”
Stiles looks across to the werewolf and he’s scowling. His jaw is clenched and he doesn’t seem like he’s going to say anything. Suddenly, he stands up, takes off his shirt ( drool ), throws it at Isaac and jogs away. Stiles scoffs. And pouts. Stupid Isaac.
“What’d I say?” Isaac questions but Stiles just stares at him, boring into his soul.
Eventually, Isaac gets the hint and leaves Stiles alone. Really alone because Derek doesn’t come back. Damnit, he was looking forward to some kissing tonight.
“Where’s your lover?” And that’s the second time he’s been scared out of his skin tonight. It’s Erica, luckily without anyone else in tow.
Stiles scoffs again. “Isaac already found me. No prize for you.”
“Wow, someone’s bitter tonight,” she replies, gracefully sitting down next to him on the blanket where Derek had been.
“‘M not,” he mumbles, stabbing the straw into his third Capri Sun of the night.
“I saw Derek. He was all,” she gestures with her hands, “beta-fied. He also looked pissed so I didn’t try to talk to him.”
“He’s supposed to be having this picnic with me. He didn’t even eat anything. We kept getting interrupted by the manhunt and people not having a fucking clue that they were interrupting us.” Stiles relays to her. He chugs his whole drink and then pulls his turkey sandwich from the picnic basket. He unwraps it and takes a bite. He offers the other half to Erica. She rejects the offering with a soft smile.
“If everyone knew you were on a date, maybe you’d have been left alone,” she suggests.
“Yeah, yeah. We’ll just have to officially tell everyone tomorrow.” Stiles puts down his sandwich, no longer hungry for sourdough and deli goodness. He just wants to be with Derek.
+1.
Stiles is blindfolded. He’s riding in the passenger seat of his own jeep with Derek driving. He had been ordered to wear swim trunks so he’s got on a pair of blue mesh ones that are a bit tight so they hug his thighs. That’ll make the perfect eye candy for Derek. At first he thought they were going to the beach–it made sense, that’s Derek’s favorite place. But with the rough road they’ve been on for the past ten-ish minutes and the lack of salt tainted air on the breeze, he doubts that now.
Finally after another five or so minutes pass, Derek’s stopping the car. He gets out and is opening Stiles’ door in a matter of seconds.
He sounds excited when he asks, “Do you trust me?”
“Of course,” Stiles responds with no hesitation.
“Okay,” Derek says then, “You’re gonna keep the blindfold on and I’m going to give you a piggyback ride.”
“Hmm,” Stiles pauses in faux contemplation. “Okay!”
Derek guides Stiles into jumping on his back with their bag of supplies on Stiles’ back. Stiles can feel plants brush past his bare legs as Derek walks them to their destination. He can also make out the faint sound of water flowing by. He focuses his hearing, trying to listen for more. There are birds singing and tweeting at each other and squirrels chittering freely. The wind is calm as it whispers through the leaves, surely making them dance. He can hear each footstep Derek takes, though they are all light and only crunch rocks at the lightest decibel.
When Derek sets him back on his feet, he struggles to stand correctly because Stiles’ legs are sore from holding onto Derek’s hips. Now though, his aural factories are being overtaken by the sound of rushing and splashing water.
“Alright,” Derek says, close to his ear. He’s working on the fastener on Stiles’ blindfold. “Let’s take this off.”
At first everything is too bright. He’s had the blindfold on for at least half an hour so that makes sense. Then, he’s able to take in what he’s heard. He’s facing a forest, with tall trees that have birds flying from branch to branch. A squirrel passes twenty feet in front of them, its tail bouncing with its movements. He closes his eyes briefly to take in a breath of the wind. Then finally, he turns around.
There, in one hundred and some feet tall of flowing glory, is a waterfall. It’s all white from the rapid movements brought on the water by gravity. Stiles’ eyes go up as far as they can and follow the falls down to a modest lake flow. He’s noticing then that he’s being splashed by the offshoots of droplets.
His smile grows from one of awe to one of pure joy because there, across the pool in front of them, is a small wildflower meadow. It’s blooming with sunflowers and other small wildflowers alike of white, pink, and purple. The sight is gorgeous and honestly he wants to cry just a little bit.
“I know it’s not your favorite spot,” Derek speaks loudly enough for Stiles to hear him over the waterfall. “But it’s got wildflowers. And it’s got somewhere to swim, like my favorite spot. This spot can be ours.” Derek’s eyes are bright and his smile is broad and damnit, he’s so handsome!
Stiles jumps on Derek, wrapping his arms around his neck and giving him a tight squeeze. Derek brings his arms around Stiles’ back and hugs him, too. Stiles pulls back slightly so that their noses line up to one another. Then he kisses Derek.
Derek’s lips are chapped but soft and oh, so plump. He kisses Stiles back with fervor, squeezing him tighter in his embrace. Their lips move together smoothly, first fast, then slowing down to a sedate pace. Then they’re separating but by only an inch. All Stiles can see are Derek’s eyelashes, the tan of his nose, the blush on his cheeks. Derek kisses him again and all he can see are stars behind his closed eyelids.
Eventually, they get to what they came for. A day under the waterfall, swimming around with each other. And more kisses are shared. So many, many kisses.
And they weren’t disturbed the whole time (well, maybe because they didn't have cell reception).