triskehale (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
triskehale) wrote2013-09-29 05:56 pm
triskehale) wrote2013-09-29 05:56 pm
Entry tags:
with the beast inside there's nowhere we can hide
Derek unexpectedly has the night off from work, thanks to a schedule mix up and them being overstaffed for a Sunday night, so he rouses Stiles from his homework and takes him out for dinner. He's been craving Italian food something fierce, so he lets Stiles pick a place that fits the bill. Stiles checks Darrow's version of Yelp on the older computer, and Derek smiks fondly when he gets frustrated and starts slapping the side of the bulky monitor. He finds a place and they set off, walking at an easy pace. The temperature gets cooler the closer they get to the ocean, and the fall breeze blows crisply around them. Stiles shivers and Derek resists the urge to do something as ridiculously sentimental as give him his leather jacket, but he does move in a bit closer so as to share his body heat.
They have a good time at dinner, and Derek makes good use of his first paycheck to order them more food than strictly necessary, even more than a werewolf and a growing teenage boy could hope to eat. Stiles tries to puppy eye his way into some wine, but Derek just laughs him off. They talk about Stiles' school and Derek listens indulgently as he goes on about working at the comic book store with Seth, who he still hasn't met, but hopes to soon. Derek returns the favor by sharing stories from his short time at Prohibition, including the body building douchebag who thought he could take Derek on in a fight and ended up getting literally tossed out on his ass.
Even though they're both stuffed full, Derek orders cheesecake and a large glass of port to share. He takes a large drink and then passes it over to Stiles, smirking at the pleased look on his face.
They leave the restaurant full and happy, and they grab a DVD to watch on the way home. It all feels domestic in a way that Derek is weirdly okay with. It's simple and easy, spending time with Stiles, and Derek thinks that maybe he'll be okay if this is all he ever gets. Stiles is here, at his side, and he cares about Derek. That's undeniable. He cares in a way that Derek thought no one else would ever care about him again. He's pack, and he's a pain in the ass, but they matter to each other. It still amazes Derek sometimes.
The air is even cooler now and when Stiles moves in closer to him, using Derek's body for warmth and to shield him from the wind as they walk, Derek just laughs and puts his hand on Stiles' back, rubbing up and down a bit.
They're a few blocks from home when there's a break in the wind and in that few moments of stillness, Derek catches a scent on the air. It's wolf, strong almost like an alpha, and Derek stills and lets out a low growl, instinctively pulling Stiles close.
"Wolf," Derek says in response to the confused noise Stiles lets out, and he lets his eyes glow as he looks around. He catches the scent again, stronger and getting closer, and blinks as Derek realizes what it is.
It's even worse than a strange wolf, because this is someone that Derek can't fight off. This is a wolf that could take Stiles from him with nothing more than his presence alone, and Derek lets out a sharp whine and pulls Stiles even closer, wrapping an arm around his waist and leaning in to scent his cheek, like that will help at all.
Derek's wolf is whining and growling, telling him to fight, but he knows that he won't. Fighting would just guarantee him losing Stiles completely. He knows Stiles won't forget about him, and he'll still be in Derek's life, as long as he plays nice and doesn't give him a reason to have to choose. Derek can do that.
Stiles looks up at him, confused, and Derek gives him a long, sad look, leaning in to butt their foreheads together for what he hopes isn't the last time. He lets the contact linger, keeping his arm around Stiles' waist, and then turns to face forward as Scott approaches.
They have a good time at dinner, and Derek makes good use of his first paycheck to order them more food than strictly necessary, even more than a werewolf and a growing teenage boy could hope to eat. Stiles tries to puppy eye his way into some wine, but Derek just laughs him off. They talk about Stiles' school and Derek listens indulgently as he goes on about working at the comic book store with Seth, who he still hasn't met, but hopes to soon. Derek returns the favor by sharing stories from his short time at Prohibition, including the body building douchebag who thought he could take Derek on in a fight and ended up getting literally tossed out on his ass.
Even though they're both stuffed full, Derek orders cheesecake and a large glass of port to share. He takes a large drink and then passes it over to Stiles, smirking at the pleased look on his face.
They leave the restaurant full and happy, and they grab a DVD to watch on the way home. It all feels domestic in a way that Derek is weirdly okay with. It's simple and easy, spending time with Stiles, and Derek thinks that maybe he'll be okay if this is all he ever gets. Stiles is here, at his side, and he cares about Derek. That's undeniable. He cares in a way that Derek thought no one else would ever care about him again. He's pack, and he's a pain in the ass, but they matter to each other. It still amazes Derek sometimes.
The air is even cooler now and when Stiles moves in closer to him, using Derek's body for warmth and to shield him from the wind as they walk, Derek just laughs and puts his hand on Stiles' back, rubbing up and down a bit.
They're a few blocks from home when there's a break in the wind and in that few moments of stillness, Derek catches a scent on the air. It's wolf, strong almost like an alpha, and Derek stills and lets out a low growl, instinctively pulling Stiles close.
"Wolf," Derek says in response to the confused noise Stiles lets out, and he lets his eyes glow as he looks around. He catches the scent again, stronger and getting closer, and blinks as Derek realizes what it is.
It's even worse than a strange wolf, because this is someone that Derek can't fight off. This is a wolf that could take Stiles from him with nothing more than his presence alone, and Derek lets out a sharp whine and pulls Stiles even closer, wrapping an arm around his waist and leaning in to scent his cheek, like that will help at all.
Derek's wolf is whining and growling, telling him to fight, but he knows that he won't. Fighting would just guarantee him losing Stiles completely. He knows Stiles won't forget about him, and he'll still be in Derek's life, as long as he plays nice and doesn't give him a reason to have to choose. Derek can do that.
Stiles looks up at him, confused, and Derek gives him a long, sad look, leaning in to butt their foreheads together for what he hopes isn't the last time. He lets the contact linger, keeping his arm around Stiles' waist, and then turns to face forward as Scott approaches.
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"Sorry doesn't mean much when it isn't sincere," Derek grits out, swallowing hard and doing his best not to outright glare at Scott. The best he can do is to look sullen. Really, he should get over it. There's no shortage of people that have used him, but that along with the fear that he'll take Stiles away, leaves him feeling very cool towards him.
He stays quiet after that, looking down at his boots as Stiles excitedly fires off his questions. He really should walk away, but that feels like it would be admitting defeat, giving up Stiles without a fight.
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He turned to Stiles, giving up on further conversation with Derek since he was clearly high on his list of least favorite people. "Eight months? Wow, that's a long time. I've only been here a few weeks, myself. I'm in High Gate Terrace, and no, no one else came with me. I've been flying solo, for the most part." He grinned, mentally running through Stiles' rapid-fire questions to make sure he got them all. "Did I miss any?"
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His pack and his friend. As fond as he is of both of them... yeah. Awkward.
"IIIIIIII think we've all made a mistake or two. Some of them, uh, way bigger than others, I'll grant you, but hey - I'm working through my shit, and I'm just a skinnyass regular kid, right? You guys are werewolves, you like. Endure all sorts of shit. ...including making up your differences. ...right?"
He immediately decides that maybe this isn't the time to try and get the two of them to reconcile, the hopeful, ridiculously huge grin coming off his face immediately. Probably time to change the subject.
His hand still resting on the back of Derek's neck, he listens to Scott with his usual intensity, nodding through his answers like he's trying to grade Scott on his accuracy. Of course, without missing a beat: "Gold star, A+, bud. The hell've you been doing? I haven't seen you! Dude, I'm in school."
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He watches Stiles as he speaks, eyes going soft and fond without him even realizing. Stiles wants so badly for this to work out, and Derek can give him that. Maybe.
"I'm not looking for trouble, Scott. You did what you thought you had to do, and it's done. But do not use me as your tool, or your weapon, ever again. If you want something from me, you ask me." He's only ever wanted to be on the same team as Scott, and his betrayal stung Derek deeply. He's not sure why, since betrayal is something that he's intimately familiar with. He's not exactly ready to trust Scott, but he can move past this, both for Stiles' feelings and his own sanity. "I see no reason for us to be at odds here."
Actually, he does, and it's standing right between them, but he'll cross that bridge if they ever come to it.
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He took a breath and turned back to Stiles, shrugging. "What have I been doing? Not much. Settling in, figuring things out. I should probably look into the school thing too, huh?" Derek was making him edgy for some reason. Despite the other wolf's words, there was a current of tension still that was making him tense. "Hey, do you want to go get a cup of coffee or something? Catch up?" He wasn't exactly excluding Derek from the offer, but his attention was focused on Stiles as he asked. He kind of wanted some time to talk to his friend without Derek all...weirdly hovering.