AN: Special thanks to my beta!
"Come on, Derek, you have to be doing something for Christmas!"
Derek glared up at Stiles from the book he was reading on the couch.
"I don't have to do anything. Especially not when you tell me to."
He went back to reading, with Stiles still staring at him.
He couldn't believe Derek just ignored Christmas! Well, if anybody would, it would be him, but dammit, nobody should ignore Christmas. Or, well, the general holiday season around this time of the year and so forth.
To Stiles, it meant being with his dad, enjoying time together (although he had the suspicion that to his dad, it mostly meant being allowed to eat as much sweet and greasy stuff as possible) and giving presents to his friends. Snowball fights, if they were lucky and it actually did snow, and the smell of cookies and candles.
And, of course, a Christmas tree. Stiles and his dad bought one together every year, usually picking a tree that was much too big for their house, really, but it didn't matter.
His dad would set the tree up in the living room, where it'd take up most of the space, and leave Stiles to decorate it. Stiles loved decorating the tree - big surprise there – and he couldn't imagine Christmas without one. He looked over at Derek and smiled silently.
A few days later, he turned up on Derek's doorstep, carrying an axe and a big saw.
Derek's usual frown deepened when he saw him, and he shot Stiles a dark look.
"What do you want?" he asked brusquely.
Stiles was used to his moods and had decided not to mind ages ago, so he just grinned.
"Come on," he said cheerfully. "We're going to get you a Christmas tree."
"I don't think so."
Derek tried closing the door, but Stiles wedged his foot in.
"Aww, come on," Stiles pouted. "It'll be fun, I promise. Plus it's, like, uh...a super manly activity. You get to cut down the tree and carry it and all. You can even look gruff and pretend you don't like it, if it'll make you feel any better, but you really should come with me."
"Or else?"
"Well, I'll go alone. But you know me, I'm probably going to hit my leg instead of the tree and bleed out alone in the woods. When they find me, Scott will ask whether you knew what I was going to do and you know you're a horrible liar. The pack will leave you and my dad will hate you forever and maybe even ban you from Beacon Hills or something. And why? Because you refused to get a stupid tree with me."
Derek's frown deepened, but Stiles saw the corners of his mouth twitch.
"If it's getting a tree or you dying, I think I'll opt for the tree."
"Awesome, dude! You might wanna put on something warmer than your leather jacket, it's fucking freez," Stiles broke off with an eye roll, Derek stepping past him and outside, grabbing the axe from Stiles's hand. "Of course not."
"Where did you think we'd get a tree, then?" Derek asked. Stiles shrugged.
"I thought we could just pick one out together? You know, somewhere round here, in the woods."
"You can't just go around, cutting down trees. They belong to the county."
"C'mon, man, don't give me that."
Derek's mouth opened slightly, and for a moment, he looked like he wanted to say something else, but then he just jerked his head in something resembling a nod and walked off.
Stiles scrambled to follow him, the saw bouncing against his leg. He jogged on next to Derek, who strode purposefully through the trees.
After a while, he looked at Stiles again.
"Do you even have any idea where fir trees grow in these woods?"
Stiles grinned.
"Nah, but I bet you do, right?"
Derek grumbled something that sounded vaguely like a yes.
They walked for quite some time, Stiles talking about school and everything that came to his mind in general from time to time, with Derek silent next to him. After about half an hour, Stiles started to suspect That Derek had chosen a longer way than necessary.
Maybe so Stiles would get cold or something, and call the whole thing off. Which was not going to happen. Finally, Derek came to a halt in front of an, admittedly, very healthy and green looking cluster of firs.
He glanced at Stiles over his shoulder.
"You want to pick one?"
"I thought we'd pick it together. It's gonna stand in your house, after all."
Derek rolled his eyes, but followed when Stiles went to go and have a closer look at the trees.
They spent several minutes with Stiles pointing at trees and Derek silently shaking his head.
Finally, Stiles groaned.
"Dude, just pick one yourself, then!"
He sat down on a tree stump and crossed his arms.
"I didn't want to do this in the first place!" Derek said but turned around after Stiles just growled at him. He'd gotten pretty damn good at that.
Derek marched along the row of trees, then pointed at a fir at the far end. Stiles walked over.
"Are you sure? It's huge...yes, fine, ok, Of course you're sure. Do you want to cut it down or...?"
Derek arched an eye brow.
"I think you should do that."
Stiles gulped.
"Really?"
Derek just kept looking at him, so Stiles licked his lips and picked up the saw. He stood like that for a moment, then crouched down awkwardly, trying to find the right angle. He started sawing, not being able to help the saw slipping a few times. It seemed to have a hard time cutting through the wood. Come to think of it, Stiles wasn't even sure it was a wood saw. He'd just grabbed the first one from the basement.
He could feel Derek's gaze on him, but when he looked up to glare back, Derek was smiling.
Stiles was so surprised he let the saw slip again, which promptly hit his hand.
"Ouch!"
Derek actually chuckled.
"You do it, then!" Stiles demanded throwing the saw to the ground.
Derek shrugged out of his leather jacket, and of course the bastard would be wearing one of his tight fitting shirts that showed off his arm and chest muscles.
Derek kicked the saw away and lifted the axe, then brought it down, one, two, three times.
The fir fell with the sound of bursting wood. Stiles couldn't help but be a bit in awe, which probably showed on his face, but whatever.
"Wow. Well, at least I can help you carry it back!" he offered. Derek looked doubtful.
Ten minutes later, Stiles knew why. "I wish we had gone to one of those places where they push the trees in nets, son you can carry them comfortably," he grumbled.
"So you're admitting that this was a bad idea?"
"Never!" Stiles scoffed.
"I thought so."
Derek sounded less usual, though, and Stiles felt quite triumphant when they reached the house. Even though his hands were probably bleeding, or badly scratched at the very least.
"You want me to help put it up in the living room or wherever?"
Derek shook his head.
Stiles could feel his face fall.
"Oh. OK. I'll just...go then, yeah? Bye"
He turned around, but hadn't taken more than two steps when Derek grabbed his arm.
"No, I just don't own a Christmas tree stand."
Stiles turned around, grinning broadly.
"I can bring one tomorrow, if you like."
Derek smiled tentatively.
"Yes. That'd be...good."