Stiles needed an excuse to talk to Derek. He wanted to tell him everything, tell him how he truly felt about him. But every time he had an encounter with Derek, he was at a loss for words, too petrified to say anything to him. It was so frustrating to him; usually he had a problem NOT talking so not being able to even comprehend and form words was almost scary to him. He would just end up with his mouth hanging open, blinking and stammering, with Derek giving him a look of amusement. Almost as if he knew what Stiles was going to say, but wanted to hear him say it. Stiles needed to find out, needed to see if Derek truly knew how he felt.
So when his dad tossed his handcuffs and other police gear onto the kitchen table when he got home, Stiles started to formulate a plan. He would have to first build up enough courage to talk to Derek about those kinds of things though, and then manage to "accidentally" handcuff them together. His heart started to pound, thinking about Derek angry and yelling at him scared him, but also slightly turned him on. All the more reason to go through with it.
So, he asked his dad if he could borrow the cuffs. Sheriff Stilinski was fairly used to hearing such strange requests,but still raised an eyebrow in curiosity. Stiles smiled awkwardly. "It's for a, um... You know I really got nothing. I'm gonna handcuff myself to Derek so I can talk to him." His dad frowned and shook his head. "Give me those back! Stiles, you've had some stupid ideas and ridiculous plans in the past, but this is completely out of the question!" Stiles stepped back. "Look Dad, I know you still don't trust him after everything that happened, but he really has changed! You have to trust me here." His dad sighed. "Why do you have to do it like this? Why can't you just talk to him? Are the handcuffs really necessary?" Stiles shrugged. "I just... I want to make sure he listens to what I have to say!" His dad raised an eyebrow. "And that is...?" Stiles sighed. "Look dad, we can talk about all of this later, ok? I really have to go now, I should be back in an hour or so!" His dad muttered a 'be careful' but Stiles was already out the door.
He could already feel his heart rate increasing; Derek would definitely be able to tell something was up. He could feel the handcuffs in his pocket jingling, and he forgot that Derek would definitely be able to hear them. He grimaced, already feeling his genius plan falling apart. Of course, said "genius" plan wasn't the best plan from the start, but he had to have SOMETHING! He pulled into the parking lot of Derek's apartment complex where he had a not so luxurious loft. He placed a hand in the pocket with the cuffs, trying to prevent them from jingling too much. He took the elevator up to the top floor and knocked on the giant metal door to Derek's apartment.
It slid open, Derek looking bored and tired. "What do you want Stiles?" Stiles froze for a second, forgetting why he was even there for a second. He blinked vacantly and managed to stammer, "Just uh, you know, to talk and stuff." Derek smirked stepping aside slightly to let Stiles in. While he was closing the door, Stiles quickly whipped the metal out of his pocket and attached one side to Derek's left hand, then one to his own right. Derek looked down at them, shocked and furious. "Stiles, what the hell are you doing?!"
Stiles suddenly felt confident, his plan starting off brilliantly. "We're gonna talk. Just you and me. And you're not getting away, no matter what we talk about." Derek scoffed. "I could just rip these off." Stiles shook his head. He had already thought of that. "Go ahead and try." Derek tried to grasp his cuff but withdrew, growling. "Stiles... Did you cover the cuffs in mountain ash?!" Stiles chuckled. "Alright, let's go sit on the couch please, my legs are shaking." Derek was still angry and bewildered, but the two of them crossed the room over to the couch. "Stiles, what could be SO freaking important and scary that you had to handcuff me so that I wouldn't get away?" Stiles ignored him, a thoughtful look on his face. "Stiles," Derek said warningly, "Tell me what's going on, or I'm going to shove my fist through your chest." Stiles looked at him, and eyebrow raised.
And suddenly, everything was so easy so casual. He felt calm, collected, as if he could say anything, as if nothing could ever hurt him. Derek's threat was more comforting than threatening, and Stiles casually stated, "I think I'm in love with you." Derek glared at him and opened his mouth to say something, but he closed it and his facial expression changed into one of shock. "You-...WHAT?" Stiles smiled and replied, "You heard what I said. In fact, I don't THINK I'm in love with you, I KNOW I'm in love with you! And I don't even care how you feel Derek, because you're probably super straight and totally weirded out right now, but I needed to get that off of my chest, and I-" But he was interrupted by Derek's face attaching to his at the lips, their tongues and teeth clashing against each other, blowing hot air in each other's faces, grabbing at each other with their free hands and holding each other with the cuffed ones.
Stiles pulled away; it was his turn to be confused. "What...the hell just happened?" Derek was panting, his eyes flickering red then melting back into their human color. "I'm not sure... but... Stiles I'm pretty sure I love you too. Ever since you saved me when I got shot and almost cut my arm off. I couldn't figure it out though, I was always so frustrated and angry at you, because you made me feel things I haven't in so long. But... I know now Stiles. I love you too." Stiles' face practically exploded with the biggest smile Derek had ever seen. "Ok, now can you get the cuffs off?" Stiles reached into his pocket for the key, but it wasn't there. Derek could immediately see it on his face. "Stiles," he growled, "please tell me you have the key." Stiles groaned and sunk down into the couch. "C'mon, I need to drive you to my house. My dad has the key." Derek gave him a glare that was somehow endearing as they walked out of his apartment, cuffed hand in cuffed hand.