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Stiles has never regretted not being able to hear.
Which makes sense, since he's never really known anything different.
Because yes, he was born completely deaf.
But, being hearing impaired hasn't impaired his ability to talk, and ramble, he just does it through quick-signed ASL and a myriad of facial expressions, much to Scott's chagrin.
Because, even though he's been best friends with Stiles practically his whole life, meeting him in Kindergarten at Beacon Hill's local school for the deaf, Scott still finds it exhausting sometimes to keep up with Stiles.
Like currently, with Stiles frantically signing the story of what happened to him at the library today, and how he earned a date with the guy he's been pining for all semester.
*Earlier that day*
Stiles is exhausted.
Physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted.
Which is to be expected pre-finals week.
That being said, he clutches his cup of lukewarm coffee like a lifeline, and braces himself for the daily battle to the death esque search for a free table in the library to dump his crap at and start one of his many essays he's been assigned.
Walking past the front desk, he returns the librarian's smile and searches for a table.
Looking around, he spots an empty seat at a table in the corner near the windows.
Only problem is, half of it is occupied, by none other than the guy he's been ass over tea kettle for all semester.
That guy being Derek Hale.
Derek Hale who's in a few of his classes, who's tied with Stiles for head of the class, who's super kind which is surprising to find out due to his perpetual resting bitch face, who has two sisters and a multitude of other siblings that he's super protective over, who spends a couple days a week volunteering at the animal shelter, who's hot like burning, who's who's who's...
Who smiles when he catches Stiles hovering near the table, moving some of his books over and gesturing for him to sit down.
Oh. God.
Focus Stiles, focus, you got this, sure you guys never have talked before, and all the information you know about him is through subtle investigation ("It's called stalking Stiles" "Shut up Lydia, it's different"), and you've jerked off to the thought of him hundreds of times, and become a clumsy mess, even more than usual when around him BUT, you've got this.
Yes.
He can do this, he's got this.
Sitting down, he takes his laptop out of his messenger bag, along with a couple books he needs for the essay, and gets ready to get down to business.
'So far, so good' Stiles thinks to himself, opening his laptop.
Stiles turns to get a pen out of his bag while the screen comes back on, and is promptly shaken by the shoulder by a flustered looking Derek while he frantically tries to exit out of something on Stiles's screen...what the hell?
Peering over Derek's shoulder, Stiles looks at the screen and promptly wants to die on the spot at the window that Derek finally managed to exit out of.
That window being porn.
More specifically, the porn Stiles was starting to get into (that featured a top that looked more than slightly similar to a certain guy with the initials D. H., and a bottom that may have had brown hair, pale skin, and moles) before he glanced at the clock and realized he needed to go to the library to start this essay or he'd never have it done before the due date tomorrow, and..slammed the lid shut instead of exiting out of the window dammit Stiles.
Stiles didn't even think about the repercussions, that obviously being the porn resuming once the laptop was opened again, because he was too busy rushing out of the dorm to the library.
Oh god.
Being deaf, and Scott being deaf, Stiles has never bothered with muting the audio, or putting headphones in, why would he even own headphones?
Which means...
Which means...oh god. Oh no.
Taking a cursory glance around the library, he finds various people either glaring or laughing at him.
The volume was on. That means Derek heard it! Oh god he saw it too.
Stiles chances a glance up at the man himself, and finds a pretty blush under his artfully styled stubble.
Stiles doesn't even know what to say, or how to say it, he can't sign, Derek definitely doesn't know sign language, Derek probably doesn't even know he's deaf.
Stiles never broadcasts that he's deaf, because he doesn't have any friends at college besides Scott, so he never finds the need to try and communicate with any classmates, and most people don't pay enough attention to him or notice his interpreter, Ryan, and since all his lectures and classes are so large his classmates can't really tell who Ryan is interpreting for anyways.
The only people that know he's deaf are his professors, who know that he doesn't really like drawing attention to himself as he wants to avoid any ridicule or ableism so they have one on one sessions with him after classes, Ryan in tow, so they can ask him questions and still give an adequate participation grade.
And Derek certainly isn't a professor, and he doubts he pays enough attention to him to have ever seen him with Scott or Ryan, so he probably doesn't even know Stiles's name.
So, with that in mind, Stiles opens a random notebook and frantically starts scribbling down a rambled explanation and apology, until a hand on his arm stops him.
Looking up at the owner of said hand, Stiles finds Derek looking down at him, holding up his pointer finger in a clear gesture of "hold on".
Stiles waits, and then the unexpected happens: Derek signs at him.
"Hi, I don't know if you know my name, but i'm Derek, we have a few classes together."
"Hi, I know-uh I mean I'm Stiles." Stiles signs with a blush across his face.
"I know" Derek signs, laughing.
Stiles's eyes widen, Derek knows who he is?!
"Sorry about the...you know...disturbance" Stiles sheepishly signs.
Laughing slightly, Derek signs back "It's no problem, it was a nice blip of excitement on this boring day of studying"
Stiles smiles slightly, and signs "You know ASL?"
A pretty blush starts spreading across Derek's face, which confuses Stiles slightly, but then Derek signs "Yeah, I knew some from when I was younger when my Uncle Peter was still around, before he moved to the East Coast, he was deaf, and then he moved and I started forgetting everything, and also..." Derek stops signing.
"Also?" Stiles prompts.
"Also...I may have started to re-teach myself when a certain honey-eyed, mole speckled, cute guy showed up in my classes on the first day of this semester, and I noticed he never spoke with anyone, and then through some observations noticed that the interpreter in our classes is the same man that always follows the guy around, and my hypothesis was confirmed later that day when I saw him at the diner with a tan guy with a crooked jaw, enthusiastically signing together..." Derek nervously signs.
His own blush deepening, Stiles smirks slightly and raises an eyebrow, signing back "Oh really?"
"Yes, really, i've been practicing every night since then, and was actually going to try talking to him soon since I've started getting the hang of it, and then today he embarrassed himself, and his blush is so cute, so I couldn't resist trying..."
"Well, I think you're doing pretty well so far." Stiles signed back with a grin.
"Well, do you really want to see how well I can sign by having dinner with me later?" Derek signed sheepishly.
"Definitely, I mean, we gotta see if you need any pointers or more practice, after all." Stiles signed with a smirk.
"Oh definitely, but, maybe we should exchange numbers, just in case I start forgetting things, which is bound to happen if you keep looking at me like that." Derek signed, handing his phone to Stiles.
Putting his number in and texting himself so he'd have Derek's also, Stiles gave him his phone back.
"Well, if this date goes well, maybe we can see how much I can make you forget...like your own name..." Stiles signed back, with another smirk, which grew when he watched Derek's eyes widen and cheeks turn bright red.
Not signing back, Derek sat back down at his side of the table , making Stiles think he went too far.
Taking out his phone, Stiles was just about to text an apology to Derek, when he got one from the man himself.
The text read:
"I may have forgotten all the ASL I learned with your last statement and couldn't form a proper comeback..."
Laughing, Stiles texted back:
"Ahaha oh man, this date's going to be fun." with a devil emoji at the end.
He got a reply back that read:
"Do your work so we can actually go on the date." With a bunch of emojis with their tongues out.
Laughing, Stiles decided Derek was right and decided to start his essay.
"Stiles! Stiles!" Scott signed after waving his hand in front of his friend's face to get his attention.
"I get that you're happy, and I'm happy for you too dude, but if you keep rambling two things are going to happen. One: i'm going to die, and two: you'll be late for your date."
Glancing at the clock, Stiles realized Scott was right, and rushed out the door with a sloppily signed "Thanks Scotty! Oh and you might want to stay at Allison's tonight, cos just cos you can't hear me and Derek doing the dirty, doesn't mean you want to see it! No bro should know what his bro's 'O' face looks like! Love ya!"
Scott shuddered, and simultaneously got his jacket while frantically texting Allison.