Work Text:
Stiles always gets cold really fast, so he sticks to wearing lots of layers. So unless it’s super hot in the summer he wears at least a shirt and a plaid shirt. So when it’s winter he wears of course at least three layers and his work apron right now. Because that’s where he is right now. At work.
Stiles is dressed up as much as possible without wearing gloves, a scarf or jacket. But even though he gets cold really fast, he still likes the winter a lot. Or to be more specific, the winter time. Baking cookies, making Christmas dinner for his dad, his friend Scott and Scott’s mum, Melissa. Their families are so small, that they have been celebrating together for years. He likes how so many people are more friendly around Christmas, though they are also more stressed and tend to snap really fast.
But people coming into the coffee shop at this time of the year, are usually quite content if not happy. Because getting out of the cold for a while, getting something hot to drink and maybe something to eat? Yeah, that makes them all much happier.
He’s only working part-time, because he somehow has to earn money for university when he’s not studying, it shouldn’t all be on his dad after all.
Stiles is really popular with a lot of their customers. The old ladies that stop by in the late morning hours to chat and drink tea; the other students dropping in all day long; people in a hurry on their way to work and so on. His shifts change, so he meets them all.
That being said Stiles likes regulars the most. He grows on them - and they on him - and they ask about his day if he’s working the late shift or ask about how studying is going. His friend Scott, Scott’s mother Melissa and Stiles’ dad used to be the only people able to get along with Stiles’ “awesomeness”. So sort-of-strangers asking about him is something he can’t get used to but also really nice.
Nice is what the workers have to do. But sometimes there are customers that are rude. Maybe they are in a hurry or are just like that by nature. These customers are the hardest to deal with. And it probably doesn’t even matter where you work, it’s always the same. Stiles gets complimented on by different people, how he even takes these “bad” customers in stride.
Smiling and thinking “fuck you” really works. He’s overly fake nice or using sarcasm on them, because ‘the others are customers too, duh’.
To be honest Stiles is kinda surprised that no one threatened him with violence yet. Yet.
It might not be too long away though. This morning he woke up too late with a bad feeling in his stomach. Maybe it’s the day when his sarcasm will come back to bite him in the ass. But it’s only two hours until he’s done for the day, so there’s hope.
Stiles looks around at the usual group of old ladies drinking tea, three high school girls probably having a free period and some single people claiming whole tables with lots of books and studying.
It’s quiet and nice and that’s exactly why the bell above the door chimes to announce someone entering.
Stiles turns his head to greet them only to stop short before he does.
Because the guy standing there is looking really scary.
‘So that’s it then.’
He’s big and muscular; even visible under the winter jacket he’s wearing. He’s got eyebrows that are sort of impressive and seem to be more expressive than the guy himself, judging by the way they climb up his forehead while he looks around the coffee shop. His eyes are very mesmerizing, though Stiles can’t really pinpoint one or two colors. He doesn’t seem to be much older than Stiles even though his stubble makes him look older than he probably is, so it’s hard to tell.
That’s as far as Stiles gets before the guy walks up to him to the counter.
His eyebrows furrow and Stiles really worries that he did something to this guy and doesn’t remember. But he’s sure he would remember someone likethat.
So when the guy speaks, it’s probably the last thing he expects.
“Please pretend to be my boyfriend.”
Before Stiles has any chance to react, the bell chimes again and they both turn to look who enters.
The guy’s expression doesn’t change much from furrowed eyebrows, but the hands on his sides are clenched to fists. Stiles can see it clear enough from the corner of his eye.
The person that enters is a woman close to her thirties - so a few years older than Stiles and probably the guy too - with blonde hair bordering on dishwater blonde. She has a look in her eyes that makes Stiles want to call the cops. Her eyes are fixed on the guy as she walks up to him.
Stiles followed her with his eyes and when she was next to the guy he turns his body to face them. It’s hard to miss how tense the guy’s whole pose has become since the woman entered.
“Honey, why did you run away? You could have told me you wanted a coffee.” The woman says in a saccharine voice while linking her arm with the guy’s tense left one.
The guy doesn’t say anything and Stiles doesn’t really know what to do. But then again the guy (kinda) asked him to do something. And that woman really seems creepy. Stiles is happy that the other customers don’t really seem to be paying attention so far. So he leans over the counter to tug on the guy’s right arm and he pops free from the light grip the woman has on him easily.
“I can’t leave you alone for a few hours before you have someone else hitting on you,” Stiles says with a played annoyed voice while squeezing the guy’s arm a bit.
The woman glares at him. “And who might you be?”
Stiles looks at the woman and raises an eyebrow. “Oh, I’m sorry. I’m Stiles and this is my boyfriend you are hitting on. So I’d appreciate it if you’d piss off.”
The woman looks startled for a second before letting out a laugh. “Yeah, right. As if you’d ever get something like Derek here.”
Stiles is used to not getting much attention or being lucky with love, but he’s a great guy, thank you very much. Not that the woman has to know, because right now this guy - Derek - need helps to get rid of her and Stiles would be happy to never see her again too.
“Unlike you I don’t have to stalk and harass people I’m interested in, so I think that makes me already ten times more lovable than you are. So why don’t you take the hint that he’s not interested and leave us alone?”
Stiles squeezes Derek’s arm again and this time it gets him to look at the woman and say, “Leave me alone or I’ll call the cops.”
The woman’s mouth looks like she bit into something sour but she still doesn’t go away.
So Stiles gets out his phone from his pocket and waves it at her. “Did you not hear what Der said? Or are you as dumb as you act and are going to throw a fit in front of all these people?”
The woman and also Derek turn to look at the customers and they all stopped chatting or studying and are watching them. A few of them ready to get up and help out. And Stiles is really thankful for his regulars, even if he hasn’t exchanged more than few words with some of them.
The woman turns back to the two of them and looks furious. But she also seems to finally get that she won’t win this. Whatever this is. “Have fun with this twink, Derek. You’ll be missing out on so much awesomeness,” she says and turns around to leave.
Stiles rolls his eyes and can’t help but say, “I think you meant to say he’ll be missing out on the craziness. Have a nice day, you madwoman!”
The woman tries to slam the door shut, but too bad it’s automatic.
As soon as she’s out of sight the customers relax and turn back to their business as if nothing happened. Stiles looks at Derek and lets go of the arm he is still holding. “Sorry for the touching, dude. That woman was really crazy.”
Derek turns to him and nods. “She’s been following me around for a few weeks and wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
“Well hopefully she does now. If not you can come back anytime. Also my father is the Sheriff, so we could call him if nothing else helps,” Stiles offers with a smile.
Derek just nods again and looks a bit lost. He obviously doesn’t want to go yet in case the woman is still lingering around, but he also seems uncomfortable standing around.
“You want something to drink? It’s on the house.”
Derek looks up and after a second he smiles. “A black coffee, please.”
Stiles turns around to make it but is stopped short with a pull on his sleeve. He turns around to look at Derek, who after a moment adds a quiet “Thank you”.
Stiles smiles brightly, “You’re welcome.”
He finishes the coffee and gives it to Derek who stays at the counter to drink. When he’s about to finish it he looks up at Stiles with a tentative look in his eyes. “Your name is really Stiles?”
Stiles laughs. Because he’s heard this question way too often, to be annoyed by it anymore. “Yes. My real name is polish and unpronounceable for normal people, so when I was a kid I wanted to be called Stiles and it just sticked. It comes from my last name.”
“I’m studying a few languages, so you might have to show me. I’m sure I can pronounce it,” he answers with a smirk.
Stiles doesn’t manage more than a choked off “oh my god”, because Derek speaks again.
“When will you be off?”
Stiles startles a little at that question, but after checking the clock he answers, “in one hour and a half.”
Derek nods and seems to think about something. He seems to think a lot before saying anything. So the complete opposite to Stiles. Not that Stiles really minds. It would be a good balance.
“Maybe we can have some coffee together after that? I mean if you aren’t …”
It takes a few seconds for Stiles to catch on and he’s quick to reassure. “Nope, single as one can be. The woman wasn’t quite wrong in assuming I’m not popular. Not that she needed to know. Or you. I can probably count on one hand the relationships I had and that’s just sad. But I’m an acquired taste and it’s hard to find people that will stick around long enough to get used to it. … Great, now I’m rambling again.” Stiles looks down at his hands on the counter. Way to fuck up before it even started. A chuckle makes him look up to see Derek with a smile on his face and an amused twinkle in his eyes.
“Good to know. Less competition for me then. I’ll just stick around until you are done then,” Derek says before turning away from the counter and sitting down at an empty table, pulling out his phone to do who knows what.
Stiles isn’t quite sure yet that he’s not dreaming. But he still has the phantom feeling of touching Derek’s tense arm. He smiles to himself and goes back to work. Snatching a few looks at Derek once in a while to make sure he’s still there and real.
He’s glad that this possible worst day might turn into the best. But for now he has some more work to do before he can spend all his time on Derek.
~~~~~
It takes only three dates (counting the first meeting) until they are officially dating. And even after years Stiles won’t stop to tell the story of how they met and he saved big, muscular, angry looking Derek from a madwoman, while Derek just rolls his eyes with exaggerated fondness.