closed; thomas

[triskehale]

Truthfully, Derek doesn't how good of an idea it is to spend so much time with Thomas. It seems like sort of a dangerous, painful road to go down, but then again, Derek isn't known for his fantastic decision making skills.

Thomas is so different that Stiles in so many ways, and Derek likes him for the person that he is dependent of what he looks like, but sometimes Derek looks at him and forgets that he can't reach out and touch him, pull him in. It's confusing, and painful, but Derek pushes past it. Thomas deserves better than to be brushed aside because he looks like the person that Derek was in love with, and he can handle it.

Derek gets up early on Friday morning and puts on running pants and a white tank, and then feeds his cat before pulling on his sneakers. He grabs two protein bars and two bottles of water, throwing them in a plastic bag before heading out the door. He makes it to the Bramford building in no time flat, not even working up a sweat. Once inside, he takes the stairs and then lets out a breath before stepping up to Thomas' door and knocking on it.

This will be fine. Totally, completely fine.

Probably.

Comments

[shuck_you]

Thomas didn't think he could run anymore even if he'd tried. The swimming, the time in the sun, had left him feeling boneless, like his legs were jelly holding up a body made of air.

He stared down at his feet, watching the new sneakers get scuffed up with dirt and bits of plant that had fallen into the trail. They weren't boots but they'd done pretty well today. He didn't know if they'd survive the Scorch but he wanted to take them back anyway. He could give them to someone else, a Flare infected refugee, in exchange for information or something.

"Yeah," Thomas answered, tearing his attention away from his shoes and focusing it back on Derek. "Yeah, I did. Even though you had to cheat to win."

That was a joke. Thomas had known before Derek had shown up at his door that he'd be on the losing end of a race. Before Thomas knew about Derek's abilities, he'd known that beating Derek in a race was an extreme long shot. "I'll forgive you for that. I'll win next time."

Maybe if Derek let him. Next time.

[triskehale]

"It's not cheating if I use my natural talents," Derek says airily, but he gives Thomas a sharp grin. "But I appreciate your forgiveness."

And then Thomas mentions a next time, and Derek feels pleased at that. This is something that he can see them doing, running around the woods together. Exploring. He's suddenly excited for Thomas to see snow, even though that's months away.

His mood diminishes just a little when he remembers just how much that Thomas doesn't want to be here, and that Derek is at best the balm on an open wound, but that's okay. Most of the people in this city don't want to be here. He was in a relationship with someone who never stopped looking for a way out, even when Derek was sitting right next to him. It's just the way that things are.

They walk quietly along the path that Derek has created in his two years here, just from all the running around that he does. The morning dew along with the coolness it brought has all burned away, and Derek is grateful for the shade of the trees. It's a warm day, and the air feels syrupy and thick, but not oppressively so.

[shuck_you]

Thomas did want to leave, he couldn't deny that. The reasons had so little to do with Darrow itself and so much to do with what he'd left behind, with the guilt that he couldn't seem to forget no matter how hard he tried. It was the Flare, running loose in his head, while the cure sat somewhere beyond the Scorch, waiting for him. For them.

Darrow was infinitely better than the barren world he'd left. He wanted to want to stay. He wanted to take a deep breath in the morning and know that it wouldn't be the last thing he ever did. He wanted so much.

"Next time, I'll tell you a secret," Thomas promised, making that choice right now. Someone needed to know and there wasn't anyone that came close to Derek in Thomas's mind. He'd tell him. He'd tell Derek and he'd prepare himself for any reaction that might happen. "Win or lose. I promise."

[triskehale]

"Okay," Derek tells him, and he doesn't ask if he's sure. It's something that Thomas obviously wants to get off of his chest, even if he's nervous about it, so Derek will be there when he's ready to tell. Thomas accepted him being a werewolf so readily, and touched him without fear or disgust, so Derek can't imagine that there is anything he'd react too badly to. "Whenever you want to race again, let me know. If I'm in a good mood, I might even let you win."

He bumps their shoulders together with a small smile as they walk, and Derek can't help but to remember what it was like to feel Thomas' fingers working through his fur. His wolf so rarely gets affection, no matter how desperately they both crave it, so it's hard not to want it again. "Maybe you'll run a little faster if there's an actual wolf nipping at your heels."

[shuck_you]

"Hey, I might," Thomas said, laughing quietly. "I ran pretty damn fast when we were being chased by Grievers and trust me, you've got nothing on them."

Derek was his own kind of predator. He was quick where Grievers were slow, controlled where Grievers would run over anything in their path. Grievers were nightmare material. Derek was not.

"And if you catch me, you're not gonna roll over me and pretty much swallow me up," Thomas said, shivering at the thought. He'd let a Griever stab him intentionally and that had been enough. Too much. He couldn't even imagine what it was like to see lightness change to dark as you were sucked into the blubbery flesh of a Griever. Thomas could imagine a lot of terrible deaths and that topped the list.

[triskehale]

Thomas' words, as innocently as he no doubt meant them, make Derek's mind go to an entirely different place. Rapid fire quick, he imagines doing just that-- chasing Thomas down and rolling him over, swallowing him whole. The wolf in him shivers pleasantly at the image and Derek's breath catches in his throat, making him cough a little as his cheeks go pink.

He's embarrassed by the thought, and a little ashamed, but he can't exactly help where his mind goes. Derek's libido has been recently re-awoken as of late, and his thoughts are definitely going dirtier a lot quicker.

Derek clears his throat and shakes it away, smiling as he reaches out to grip the back of Thomas' neck. "I'll do my best not to eat you up."

[shuck_you]

The cough caught his attention and that, combined with the sudden flush on Derek's face, made Thomas wonder what had caused it. Derek's opened up to him about a lot in a short amount of time but Thomas knew there was still a lot to him, undiscovered and kept behind a locked door. So, maybe the reaction had been something that Derek had been thinking about or maybe it was something Thomas had said.

He wanted to ask but then Derek's hand was on the back of his neck and asking turned into snickering and shaking his head at Derek's comment. "That'd be appreciated."

He started to say something about how he tasted and thought better of it. Even someone as dense as Thomas when it came to innuendo knew that would evoke some interesting images. Instead, he said, "I think I'd be more fun and a little more interesting if I wasn't kicking around in someone's stomach. I'd rather not be dinner. Or breakfast. Or lunch. Or a snack. Maybe next week I'll change my mind."

[triskehale]

"Nothing is going to eat you," Derek assures him, rolling his eyes in fond exasperation. His hand is still on the back of Thomas' neck, squeezing gently, and Derek's eyes fall to a bead of sweat rolling down the line of his throat. For a moment, he wonders what it might taste like against his tongue.

He blinks and steps away, letting his hand fall away from Thomas' neck. His scent is nearly overwhelming, amplified as it is by the heat, and Derek takes a breath through his mouth.

"But I am starving," Derek says after a moment, voice pitched low as he looks at Thomas. "So we should keep moving."

[shuck_you]

Something about that tone of voice made Thomas swallow thickly and forget his words momentarily. He didn't know, couldn't explain it if asked, but it'd happened and he didn't hide it. Thomas licked his lips and nodded.

"We should, yeah," he said, blowing out a breath and stretching languidly, like that was the reason for his speechlessness and exhale. "All that running made me hungry. Need to refuel."

[triskehale]

Derek's nostrils flare a little as Thomas' scent suddenly goes a little spicy. He's staring at Derek, swallowing hard and licking his lips, and the slightest hint of arousal creeps into his warm, already appealing scent.

In a way, it's comforting to know that he isn't alone in all of this. It's still awkward, obviously, but at least it's mutual. He smiles a little and doesn't point it out, not wanting to embarrass him. But then Thomas stretches, displaying all that long, lean muscle, and Derek wonders if it's on purpose.

He decides that no, it most likely isn't. Thomas doesn't seem the type to play games, and he doesn't think Thomas would do that to him. He seems good, like someone Derek can trust, and he likes that. He needs that.

"I know just the place," Derek assures him, smiling warmly and leading Thomas confidently through the forest. The park is a few hundred feet ahead, and Derek can hear children playing, their delighted shrieks carrying back to his sensitive ears. "Have you had a waffle yet? You'll love it."

[shuck_you]

The only game Thomas was good at was running through a maze like a mouse chasing its cheese except the cheese was constantly somewhere different and there were huge monsters hiding behind all corners.

It made it hard for the mouse to get the cheese. It also showed how absolutely stubborn the mouse could be since no matter how much the maze changed, the mouse kept hunting, not caring if it hit its head against wall after wall.

Games were definitely not Thomas's strong suit. The stretching was an aftereffect of the lazing on the rock and the benefits weren't intentionally given this time.

"If I have, I can't remember," Thomas told him, shaking his head at that familiar refrain. "So, even if I have, it'd be like a first time for me. I know what a waffle is but I don't know the taste. Can't remember it at all."

[triskehale]

"First times can be fun," Derek assures him, thinking deliberately about waffles and nothing else. They emerge into the park and Derek slides his hand down Thomas' back again, steering him in the right direction.

The streets are alive in a way that they weren't at the start of their run, full of morning people chattering away, and sleepy humans dragging themselves to work with big cups of coffee. Derek leads them to the diner and opens the door, gesturing Thomas inside and then lifting a hand as the hostess greets them and leads them to a booth near the window.

"You can get whatever you want," Derek tells him, immediately flipping over his coffee cup as he takes a seat and picks up the menu, "but I do highly recommend the waffle."

[shuck_you]

Diners were becoming more and more commonplace the longer Thomas was around Darrow. When he'd first come upon one alone, he'd sat and stared at a menu blankly, unsure of what half the items were. The staff had been patient and helpful, pointing out things they recommended and not seeming too surprised when he asked what certain things were.

Thomas couldn't be sure if the kindness was more due to personality or that they wanted to make sure they'd get paid. He was terribly used to people taking advantage of him, of who he was and that made it hard to trust anyone.

"I'll take your word on the waffle," Thomas said, sliding into the seat across from Derek and leaning back. "Last time I was in a place like this, I ordered...I think it was eggs and some sausage. It wasn't bad. But, waffle today. Let me try it, see if you're telling the truth here."

[triskehale]

"Have I ever steered you wrong before?" Derek asks with a smirk, watching him for a moment before the waitress comes over to fill their coffee mugs. He looks at her gratefully and pulls the mug over, reaching for the sugars as he stops her from leaving. "We know what we want. The deluxe breakfast with the Belgian waffle for both of us, with extra bacon on the side. Please."

"Hungry boys," the waitress says with an amused grin. "I don't know where you put it all."

She wanders off and Derek smiles at Thomas as he stirs three sugars into his coffee. "This will fill you up. It's got a little of everything."

A waffle, eggs, sausage, hashbrowns, fruit, and toast. Derek could probably eat two in one sitting without batting an eye, but one gets the job done well enough. And it should fill Thomas up pretty well. He's too skinny, and Derek always gets the urge to feed him and see him healthy.

[shuck_you]

It'd been long enough now that Thomas's stomach had mostly adjusted to eating more than meager scraps of food. The first few nights had been a study in how fast he could get to the bathroom and empty the contents of his stomach. Slowly but surely, things had improved and he'd gotten used to having full meals on a regular basis.

He still forgot to eat sometimes, still horded stuff away in case rationing was needed but it wasn't as frequent. The skinniness would probably never go away, though. He ran too much and worried too much to really fill out.

"I'm gonna end up sleeping for a day after this," Thomas said, leaning his cheek against his hand and smiling. "It's still hard to really get that there's so much food so readily available. It just wasn't like that where I came from. We had a good amount in the Glade but nothing like this. And then, after that..."

Then, there'd been nearly starving death followed by food followed more starving.

[triskehale]

"A nap doesn't sound like a terrible idea," Derek says with a nod. He doesn't have the truck until the evening, and he can see himself lounging in the grass in wolf form after this, dozing in the shade. His expression softens, going a little concerned, and he takes a sip of his coffee before looking at him again. "You won't go hungry here, Thomas."

Even if food weren't readily available, Derek would make sure that he had it. He knocks his shoe against Thomas' under the table, calling back the meal they shared at the movie, and settles back in the booth with his hands wrapped around his coffee.

It doesn't take long for their food to arrive, and Derek looks greedily at the plates as the waitress sets them down, and he picks up his fork as he looks at Thomas with a small smile. "Dig in."

[shuck_you]

"I think it'd be impossible to go hungry in a place like this," Thomas agreed, hiding a smile behind his hand when he bumped his shoe against Derek's in an answering gesture. He remembered when that had first happened too. It'd been a good night. The only things he could remember about the movie was the really strange looking squid and the sounds of so many different people screaming for their lives. But still, it'd been a good night.

"That's a lot of food," he remarked, looking down at his plate with wide eyes. He knew he shouldn't be surprised, all meals here seemed to come in huge portions. This was what it was like to live in a world that wasn't bombed out and left to rot. This was what it was to live in a world that was alive. Such a small thing to most but huge in Thomas's eyes.

[triskehale]

"Well, I do have the appetite of a wolf," Derek says with a smirk, pulling his waffle over and spreading butter across it before covering it in syrup. "Whatever you don't eat, I'll gladly finish."

He winks at Thomas and then cuts off a piece of waffle, popping it happily into his mouth and licking syrup from the corner of his lips. A pleased noise escapes him and he washes the bite down with coffee, feeling utterly content. "Come on, try a bite."

Derek takes great joy in showing Thomas new things, and he doesn't exactly question why. He's just grateful that he gets the opportunity.

[shuck_you]

Before he ate anything, Thomas found himself watching what Derek topped the waffle with so he could mimic his actions. It was something he'd found himself doing a lot, watching people to figure out what to do in certain situations. Some people had caught him staring and glared but most had been pretty tolerant of the whole thing. It made it easier than outright asking someone for help when it came to simple, mundane tasks.

"I'm gonna, I'm gonna," Thomas said, sounding amused at Derek's insistence that he eat. He picked up his fork and cut a fairly good chunk from the waffle before popping it in his mouth. And while he didn't make any sounds, his eyebrows jumped in surprise at the sweet taste and he'd barely swallowed the first piece before he was stuffing his mouth with a second.

"This is good," he said, forgetting his manners and saying that around a mouthful of sticky sweet waffles.

[triskehale]

Derek chuckles at Thomas' reaction, pointing his fork at him before cutting another bite of his own waffle. "See? I haven't steered you wrong."

He watches Thomas for a moment, smiling indulgently at him, and then looks back down to his plate. Spending time with Thomas is easy, and Derek finds himself smiling more than usual. It started off awkwardly, obviously, and it still has its moments of that, but mostly it's just nice. It's easier than Derek thought it would be, and he's glad for that.

"You might get some meat on those bones yet," Derek teases before digging into his eggs.

[shuck_you]

"That your plan?" Thomas asked, twirling his fork around between two fingers for no other reason than he could. Something as simple as that, silverware, was something that still amazed Thomas. They'd had rudimentary supplies in the Glade but most of their food had been the type that could be eaten with fingers.

"Hope you don't think I can look like you because I can't," he joked, shaking his head. Derek's muscles had muscles and yes, Thomas had noticed. He was pretty sure he'd have noticed if he'd been struck blind and been standing on the other side of the city. "I've looked worse than this so it's getting better."

Hopefully there'd never been another time like the days before the Scorch when he and the others had literally been starving to death.

[triskehale]

"You look good," Derek says before he thinks better of it, and then swallows hard before he takes another bite of his waffle. He thinks Thomas looks better than good, obviously, but it's not like any good would come of saying so. He frowns at the thought of Thomas looking any worse, because in this case worse means unhealthy, but he shakes it off. That was the past.

"Maybe a little skinny," Derek admits, toeing at Thomas' ankle before stabbing a sausage with his fork. "But it's nothing some waffles won't fix."

[shuck_you]

"You're not gonna make me sit here and eat waffles until I'm bigger, are you?" Thomas asked, muffling his laugh with another mouthful of food. The run had apparently sapped his energy more than he'd thought. Thomas made himself slow down though, still unsure if his stomach could handle that much food all at once. He didn't want to end up sick because of his own stupidity.

"If you are, mind letting me know so I can get comfortable," he quipped, tapping the toe of shoe against Derek's foot. "It might take awhile."

[triskehale]

"Nah, it's more of an ongoing process," Derek says with a laugh that softens into a smile when Thomas nudges at his foot. "One waffle at a time."

He takes another sip of his coffee and then holds the mug out to Thomas. "Have you tried coffee yet?"

[shuck_you]

Thomas tapped his foot against Derek's ankle a few more times before he put his fork down and sat back, giving the coffee a quizzical look. He'd tried it before but hadn't been a fan. He wasn't sure if it was that specific coffee or coffee in general that he didn't have a taste for.

"I did once before but I'm not sure I like it," he admitted, reaching for the mug anyway. He gave the coffee a sniff, letting the strong aroma waft up into his nose and all the way into his head. It woke him up even though he wasn't even tired. It gave him a little kick in the backside that he'd apparently needed. "It's kinda bitter. Is it supposed to taste that way?"