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Stiles probably derived way too much joy from being able to introduce David as his hipster cousin, but ever since the guy switched out his silver wire frames for thick black plastic ones a few years back and decided to make beanies and skinny jeans essential parts of his wardrobe, teasing him had been impossible to resist. At least people no longer had a hard time telling them apart. David may have been two years older, but the people on that side of the family all had something that the younger generations considered a curse and the older generations called a gift; they all looked years younger than they really were, and they all looked eerily alike. People who weren’t from the area used to think Stiles’s mom was actually his older sister, stuck watching him while their parents were out and about.
Right now, Stiles was planning to exploit the hell out of his mom’s genetics.
“So, basically, you want me to pretend to be you, pretending to be me, so that I don’t get arrested for dating a minor?”
“Uh, sort of. I mean - I guess? I mean, Danny will know who you are, but if anyone else asks, you’re me.”
David shook his head, leaning back in his computer chair. “Why would I even agree to this?”
“Because it’s Danny? Everyone likes Danny, dude, and I know you two will get along.” Once Danny got past David’s nerdiness, and David got past Danny’s status as a jock, anyway. “He’s gorgeous, he’s smart, he’s mellow - but he doesn’t take anyone’s crap - and he’s just really cool, okay?”
Eying him carefully, David asked, “If he’s so awesome, why not date him yourself?”
Gaping, Stiles actually had to wait a few seconds for his brain to reboot. Finally, he spluttered, “You’re joking, right? Why would he ever go for someone like me?”
“That never stopped you from following that red-headed chick around and writing Stiles Martin on all your notebooks.”
Stiles grimaced. He'd been twelve. It was way past time to let that incident go. “Look, could you at least think about it? He’s a great guy, and he deserves to go out with someone who’ll treat him right for once.”
A week later, Stiles made the introductions between Danny and his cousin, for once leaving out the part about David being a hipster. He looked between the two of them when they shook hands and realized with an odd feeling in his chest that they looked good - like they went together. And Stiles... honestly didn’t know how to react. Normally, at this point, he would be crowing about a job well done.
So why did this feel like the worst idea ever?
He brooded over the question while he worked on uploading and cross-referencing the translated copy of the Argent bestiary and the handful of USBs that Peter had handed over after Derek expressly ordered it. It was a good thing the resident alpha could see the wisdom in not relying on the older generation for information. Deaton was too cryptic, and Peter was too secretive. Derek may not trust Stiles and Lydia, but he knew that they, at the very least, wanted to ensure that all of the people in the know had as much information as possible in order to protect themselves and the unsuspecting townsfolk.
Eventually, he managed to lose himself in the overwhelming amount of data, to the point that he was actually surprised when his phone buzzed with a text from David, asking Stiles to come open the front door.
After replying that he'd be right down, Stiles saved and closed out of everything as quickly as possible and then hurried downstairs. Flinging the front door open, he took in the calm, completely unrumpled sight of his cousin and blinked. He had not been sure what to expect when David came home from his date, but he was pretty sure this wasn't it.
Raising his eyebrows, David prompted him. "Usually this is the part where you move out of the way, buddy. Unless I'm not crashing here tonight after all?"
Stiles shook his head and allowed his cousin to enter the house. After closing and locking the door, he turned to ask casually, clasping his hands together for lack of anything better to do with them, "So. How did it go?"
"Give me a minute, okay? My eyes are starting to itch." As David started to head upstairs to take out his contacts, he called out, "Don't ever start going blind. You won't like it."
Brow furrowing, Stiles followed after him, trying not to cringe as he watched David touch his eyes. After all the things he had seen in the last year, he really should have been able to move past his squeamishness where something so harmless was concerned, but who really cared, right? It wasn't like Stiles was going to go around announcing it to the world.
"Seriously, though. How did it go?"
David washed his hands and then sighed, pulling on his glasses so that he could actually see Stiles when he looked at him. "It went fine. You were right - Danny's a good guy, and we both had a good time."
"Why do I sense a 'but' in there?"
"I'm just not comfortable with the age difference - not because Danny is immature or anything - I just don't like having to lie about it, you know?"
Why did his cousin have to be the last gentleman? Then again, that was the entire reason Stiles had wanted to set him up with Danny in the first place.
Clapping Stiles on the shoulder, David said, "Besides, I don't think I'm the guy he's looking for."
"Well, then who is he looking for?" Stiles watched David walk by, already unbuttoning his shirt. "David? Who is he -" The door of the guest bedroom closed. "You didn't answer my question."