Stiles discovered, after a long time of lying in his bed thinking about anything and everything under the sun that he knew next to nothing about Derek Hale. Like he could count the things that he knew about him on one hand.
Like—Derek was an asshole. Although he kind of had a right to be all bitchy considering that he had the worst luck of all time ever. He knew that he was a Hale, which went hand in hand with general sassiness and lycanthropic tendencies. Also, he had the worst taste in women like ever.
And he was hot.
But anyone with eyes could tell that one.
Point was that he didn't know anything of substance about Derek's. He didn't know if the guy had feelings let alone how he felt about things. Was he a DC or a Marvel fan? Had he watched Star Wars? Did he hate it on principle because he was more of a Star Trek kind of guy? These were important things that he needed to know.
That was how he ended up shoving the key into Derek's door (really Derek under the welcome mat? No wonder the freaking Alpha Pack doesn't view you as a threat.) And wandering into his apartment. They weren't this close, honestly. Stiles shouldn't have been doing it, but when had he ever really given a shit about right and wrong when it came to getting what he wanted.
He didn't think he'd actually be able to sneak up on Derek's, but then again he didn't think he'd walk past his bedroom and see Derek sitting there with an old battered guitar, strumming the notes to what had been his mother's favorite song.
Stiles' mother, not Derek's.
Well, it could have been Derek's mother's favorite song as well, he didn't know. Point was, everything stopped.
And it really wasn't fair because who the hell can resist a guy with a guitar? They're like Kryptonite to anyone who likes dick, and some people who don't even like dick.
So combining Derek Hale, a guitar, and a song that always made his heart hurt—well it made Stiles wonder if the world possibly hated him.
And regardless of the warning signs that rang in his head, he stepped through the threshold and started singing along with the notes Derek was plucking.
Strummin my pain with his fingers
Singin my life with his words
Derek stopped playing to stare up at him, eyes blown wide. Okay so this wasn't exactly normal, Stiles would admit that. Normal people don't just break into people's houses, and then bedrooms just to sing along with the song they're playing. Especially when they aren't in that kind of relationship. Or any kind of relationship that didn't involve threats and pain and shit like that.
But then again when was Stiles ever normal? So he just continued singing.
Because he loved this song, and he loved his mother, and because he hadn't sang since she died and it felt good. Because it felt safe, and nice, and because Stiles might even love the little parts of Derek that he did know. Even if he was never going to admit that.
Killing me softly with his song
Telling my whole life with his words
Killing me softly with his song
Derek stared at him, but he didn't kick him out, and he didn't threaten to rip his throat out with his teeth, or his claws, or any other part of his body.
So Stiles flashed him a crooked smile, and kept on singing.
I heard he sang a good song,
I heard he had a style,
And so I came to see him and listen for a while
And there he was this young boy
Stranger to my eyes
Derek's fingers started moving again, picking up the notes where Stiles left off. Almost daring him to continue.
Strumming my pain with his fingers
Singin my life with his words
Killing me softly with his song
Telling my whole life with his words
Killing me softly with his song
Stiles didn't really know what to do with the look Derek was giving him. It wasn't one he had gotten before. Though honestly the looks he got from Derek usually were filled with glares and hatred, sometimes pity and annoyance but this one. This looked oddly like, fondness. Maybe—even awe? Like he had impressed him in some way. Which was ridiculous because it's like impossible to make Derek feel feelings, especially good ones. That was not something that Stiles would ever claim to be good at.
But he liked the feelings that the look was giving him. It made him warm all over, and so he just kept going.
I felt all flushed with fever
Embarrassed by the crowd,
I felt he found my letters and read each one out loud,
I pray that he would finish
But he just kept right on
Strumming my pain with his fingers (one time, one time)
Singin my life with his words (two times, two times)
Killing me softly with his song
Telling my whole life with his words
Killing me softly with his song
Stiles finished, smiling sheepishly at Derek's. "Uh so, that wasn't exactly normal. And uhm—sorry for like breaking into your house. I had a question, but I don't remember what it was anymore."
That was a lie.
He remembered what it was, except that all he had really wanted was to get to know Derek a little bit better and well… he had accomplished that.
He felt like he knew Dere know than he knew a lot of the people he considered to be some of his best friends, and Derek didn't even have to say a word.
"You can sing." Derek commented.
Stiles smiled, genuinely, which he didn't do that often anymore.
"Everyone can sing, some people just shouldn't do it in public." He said with a small chuckle, "Like my dad, he should never be allowed to sing outside the shower. Actually he shouldn't be allowed to sing in the shower even but I give him a free pass because he loves doing it, and who am I to take that away from him?"
"You should." Derek said, quietly.
"I should what?" Stiles asked, eyebrow quirked and hands awkwardly shoved in his pockets. "Take away my dad's right to sing in the shower? Cause that wouldn't be cool dude—I mean, yeah he sounds like a dying cat but I'd rather he do it in the shower than like—at bars where people can record it."
"Sing in public." Derek replied, setting his guitar on the bed next to him with a slight smile. Well Stiles would argue that it was a smile, and Derek would argue later that he is so wrong. (It was a smile.) "You should do it."
Stiles stopped a second to think, "I don't know man, it was something I did with my mom before she—I never really even thought about it before." His face got all screwed up in confusion, "this was the first time I let myself sing since she died. That was her favorite song." He said nodding to Derek's guitar.
Derek nodded, "think about it."
Stiles smiled, "alright sour-wolf I'll make you a deal." He said stepping forward with a smirk, "I'll sing in public, if you join me. In public playing your guitar, and next Friday for a movie."
Derek stared at him schepticly a minute before nodding, "deal." He said extending a hand for a handshake which Stiles laughed at before pulling him in close for a hug.
"Dude you don't shake someone's hand after they ask you on a date." Stiles laughed. "we have got to get you some social skills."
