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Stiles sinks into the elevator, exhausted and dripping with sweat.
He’s just finished helping Scott move all the rest of his crap into Kira’s place, and Scott had thanked him with tamales from their favorite Mexican restaurant, which Stiles promptly spilled down his shirt. He picks at the stained white fabric forlornly.
He’s going to go home and take the longest, most epic shower in the history of showers, and then he’s going to lay naked on his couch and play video games until he passes out or finally beats Skyrim, whichever comes first…
“Hold the door!” someone yells, and oh God, Stiles knows that voice.
He knows what’s going to happen, and he’s powerless to stop it.
Sure enough, The Most Handsome Man in the World jogs into the elevator before the doors close.
He straightens his tie and nods at Stiles. “Thanks for holding it.”
Stiles nods back, unable to say anything, because of course. Of course this would happen…
The first time he met The Most Handsome Man in the World, Stiles had just gotten back from a field trip with his friend Malia’s kindergarten class, during which he had gotten strawberry and chocolate ice cream smashed into his shirt and had been painted to look like a rainbow cat.
The second time, Stiles had just biked five miles while wearing his friend Lydia’s maxi dress. (Don’t ask.)
The third time, he’d managed one cool Joey Tribbiani how-ya-doin’ nod before his grocery bags broke and a jug of milk exploded all over his feet.
And of course, now, he hasn’t had a shower all day, he’s sweaty, and he’s wearing a tamale-stained shirt and shorts with holes in them.
Stiles cannot catch a break with this guy.
Seriously.
Every time he sees The Most Handsome Man in the World, The Most Handsome Man in the World is looking like he just stepped out of the pages of GQ and Stiles is looking like he shares a trash can with Oscar the Grouch. Which is really terrible, because Stiles is pretty sure he wants to marry this man.
Or at least ask him out for coffee.
Someday.
The Most Handsome Man in the World clears his throat. “So, uh, have you been working out?”
It’s the first time they’ve ever spoken to each other beyond a polite “hi” or the aforementioned “thanks for holding the door.”
Stiles, very articulately, responds, “Huh?”
The Most Handsome Man in The World gestures to him. “It looks like you’ve been out running.”
“Oh!” Stiles looks down at himself.
Yes.
He can see why The Most Handsome Man in The World would think that.
“No. I mean, I do work out, but I wasn’t working out today. My buddy Scott needed help moving. After like six years of dating he’s finally moving in with his girlfriend. At this rate he might finally pop the question in two years. Or, you know, in the next two weeks. Could go either way.”
Oh God, why can’t he stop talking?
The Most Handsome Man in The World looks a little shell-shocked, like most people do when Stiles starts blathering on. “That’s…very nice of you. To help him move.”
Stiles shrugs. “Well, you know, it’s Scott. My buddy. My pal. My brother from another mother. Although he is actually my brother now, since my dad and his mom got married a year ago, which fulfilled a childhood dream we’ve been working toward since we were thirteen.”
The Most Handsome Man in The World smiles and huffs a little laugh. He holds out his hand. “I’m Derek, by the way.”
He wants to shake Stiles’s hand.
He sees Stiles standing there looking gross and sweaty and he still wants to touch him.
This is a dream come true.
Stiles takes his (very nice, large, warm) hand and shakes. “Stiles.”
The elevator dings, and dammit, they’re on Stiles’s floor and he only just now learned The Most Handsome Man’s name. “I, uh, this is me,” Stiles says, waving at the opening doors. “I’m in 10B.”
The Most Handsome Man–Derek–points up. “12F.”
“Oh, very nice. I hear floor twelve is where all the awesome parties are,” Stiles says, and kind of wants to slap himself for it.
Derek grins. “Nice to meet you, Stiles,” he says, and the doors close.
“Nice to meet you!” Stiles yells back, but he has no idea if Derek heard.
Well.
At least his video game plan can continue unabated. Although he would gladly have changed his evening plans if makeouts were on the board…
[…]
The next morning, Stiles finds a note stuck to his front door. He thinks it’s from the building superintendent until he sees that it’s handwritten.
Stiles (Styles?)
Want to get coffee sometime?
I’m free after 4 today.
Derek,12F.
The Most Handsome Man in the World wrote him a note. The Most Handsome Man in the World wants to get coffee with him.
There are three other people in the hallway and all of them stare at him like he’s lost his mind, but Stiles does a shimmy-dance of victory anyway.
❤️