the wolves all cry

Derek can tell when it's about to snow. It's a trick he learned in New York, since snow wasn't something he encountered much in Beacon Hills. He's walking home from the bar late one night, and the air is almost eerily still and calm. It smells like frost, and Derek can feel it down in his bones. His instincts are telling him to find shelter, to get somewhere warm.

Snow is on the way.

He remembers his conversation with Thomas, and his own unexplained desire to be there when he sees it for the first time. Maybe it's because of how Thomas looked when Derek showed him the ocean, and the awed look on his face. He likes the way that Thomas looks when he's seeing something new, something he can barely believe, and snow brings out an almost childlike wonder in nearly everyone anyway.

Derek doesn't sleep much that night, and when he gets up dawn is just on the horizon and, as he expected, everything is covered in a fresh blanket of pure white snow. He smiles to himself and gets dressed, adding a scarf to his usual ensemble of leather jacket, boots, and jeans. Snowflakes are still falling lazily from the sky, and Derek gives into the urge to catch one on his tongue as he walks.

He gets two cups of hot chocolate and some scones on the way to Thomas' and knocks on the door with a smile on his face. Likely, he'll be waking Thomas up, but he thinks it will be worth it. All he hopes is that Thomas' blinds are drawn, and he doesn't look out the window on his way to the door.

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.