I lost the original ask when I tried to post the other day but thankfully I had this saved! Thank you to the anon who sent this!! It was a great challenge and obviously it took me a long while (so I hope you’re still around!) but I’m actually quite happy with it :D I might finally be gaining some confidence with writing hehe lots of thanks to @kcfriedchicken for always putting up with me and cheering me on, and also to @livinginfictions for the thorough beta!! <3
Derek blinked lazily at the clock on Stiles’ desk, wishing he could close his eyes and keep dozing, pretend he hadn’t seen how late it was getting because that meant putting an end to this. But…an alpha missing out or being late to his own pack meeting would not do. Especially if he popped up around the same time as Stiles, both of them smelling distinctly of each other.
No. This…whatever it was—well, relationship, yes, in a way—it was just theirs for now. Stiles’ and his. They hadn’t put a name to it, mostly because Derek feared to bestow a cursed title upon Stiles. Connections like this generally ended badly. But this was something that was just theirs, safe and secure behind four walls, or car doors. For now.
Another minute ticked by, striking Derek’s ears, drawing attention to the impatient little black hands, swinging further on and on, tempting Derek to dig his claws into the plastic and tear it apart, as if that would eradicate the concept of time so that he could continue to lie here with Stiles on his shoulder. If that was all his life consisted of from this day forward, Derek wouldn’t mind. He’d always seen himself bleeding to death at the hands of an enemy, enduring inexplicable pain but now…
He could spend eternity here in Stiles’ room, on his tiny bed, and not be bothered at all, or alternatively, and more realistically, die happy on the spot in a good way.
He was half tempted to go public with their…relationship but it also made the fear of vulnerability stir inside his chest. It was one thing to have Stiles see his cracks and edges: to let him soothe them like balm in privacy, but revealing this thing with Stiles would mean letting the rest of the world know about his weakness. He knew the pack didn’t mean him any harm, and yet…
Derek was working on giving the softness inside him space. It was a work in progress.
He sighed, another tick and tock of a minute having gone by, the planned event creeping closer. Stiles snuffled against Derek’s shoulder at the sound, rubbing his scent into the worn grey shirt. His arm re-adjusted around Derek’s torso.
“If you keep up with that all my shirts are gonna be shoulder free - but only on the right side,” Derek said, amused and hell, proud even, at how quickly so many wolf-like behaviors had grown on Stiles; faster than anyone else in the pack, when he wasn’t even a wolf. It spoke volumes of Stiles’ understanding. Sure, he had been tactile from the start, searching for contact, and Derek had seen the hugs and shoulder pats he shared with his dad but this…it just felt right.
Derek was glad the human’s eyes were closed because the smirk he was wearing may have been closer to a smile, and he didn’t dare encourage Stiles’ ideas further. If he gave his cheesy thoughts too much room he would ruin their balanced give and take. They both found a necessary challenge in the other. Derek couldn’t just surrender.
“You can buy new ones,” Stiles mumbled, not caring to lift his head even the slightest bit. “Shit, it’s not like you’re poor. Don’t be stingy. Let a guy enjoy himself.”
Derek let out a light snort. “You’ve enjoyed yourself plenty. It’s time we get ready.”
Stiles just whined, slightly high pitched and grating, but a wordless communication Derek appreciated, if only for the fact that Stiles didn’t necessarily need his words around him anymore. When he didn’t want to, which…wasn’t very often.
“Come on, let’s go,” Derek said, giving Stiles’ a vigorous little back rub to try and get his system going, after which he managed to pull him up into a sitting position with him.
“This sucks. I’m going to excommunicate from the pack. Both you and me so we never have to deal with any responsibilities ever again,” Stiles said, blinking unhappily into the room.
Derek swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood, stretching his back. “And then I’ll whisk you away and we’ll live in a cave like real wolf-men for the rest of our lives,” he quipped.
“Exactly!” Stiles exclaimed, a grin splitting his face. “This is why I’m dating you.”
“Yeah, yeah. I get it. You only want me because I’m a werewolf.” Derek let out a put upon sigh after slipping on his shoes and grabbing his jacket. Stiles joined him then, taking hold of Derek by wrapping his fist in the hem of his shirt.
“Come here, hot wolf-man,” Stiles mock-growled, pulling him in. Derek went along easily, lips finding Stiles’ blindly and letting himself sink into the warmth. Stiles’ hand stroked over his cheek with the tenderness of a sunlit daisy.
Derek gently nudged Stiles back, righting his head. Stiles followed his movement with a subtle lick across his lips, pupils all wide and open, as if he had a whole world in there for Derek alone to make his home in. But he couldn’t let himself get distracted by Stiles again.
“I’ll race you,” he blurted out to shake himself out of this delirious high. A challenge: one of the strongest motivators for Stiles. On cue, Derek watched the spark ignite in his eyes.
“I’m listening.” Stiles smiled at him defiantly.
“I bet I can make it home, shower and be ready before you are.”
“On foot? No way! I’m so going to win this.”
“You’re a goner, Hale.“ Stiles was right about that on one count.
Derek met his gaze with equal glee. He held the moment just for a second longer, fingertips brushing against Stiles’ nape. Stiles’ pulse jumped beneath his thumb and Derek couldn’t put the feelings in his chest into words, nor actions. The most he was capable of was resting his forehead against Stiles’, just breathing him in.
Resisting the tangible temptation to give in to Stiles once more, Derek merely parted his lips to whisper, “Go!”
He ripped himself from the human and fled, holding fast to his next objective.
“Hey!” Stiles objected after a heartbeat, but Derek was already out the window.
