Baking My Way Into Your Heart – Right On Time Part I

It had been nearly two weeks of pure bliss since Derek and Stiles shared that fateful kiss in the rain and he couldn't have been happier. Being allowed to touch Stiles was perfection. He loved being able to take his hand, to wrap an arm around his waist, to hug and kiss him like no tomorrow. And better yet was when Stiles would initiate and reciprocate contact all his own. It made Derek feel like Stiles wanted him just as much as he wanted Stiles. Yes, touching Stiles and being touched by him was absolute heaven.

But…

If Derek were forced to find one flaw, one concern about their relationship - and really, it was no big deal, just a minor afterthought really - it would be the fact that for all their touchy-feely, borderline groping that they did, that's as far as it would go. Over the past few days, whenever things got heated between them and their short breaths escalated to heavy panting and feather-soft grazes turned to pure desire for more, they would just… stop.

For instance, the night of Stiles' surprise date, though fun in its own right, led to nothing more than an intense make-out session and some very heavy petting. They had made it all the way to Derek's bed, his hands finding their way under the hem of the boy's shirt. Things were progressing nicely, when right in the heat of it, right at the moment where the tiniest of nudges would have sent them spiraling on, they paused.

Derek never really figured out who paused first, not this time nor any time before or after, but when they did, they'd catch each other's eyes for a moment. And it was in these moments where it felt like something was decided out of Derek's own control - the choice to stop and slow it down. And so they would. They'd catch their breath, firm touches would return to soft caresses, and the kisses they shared would be gentle instead of the desperate ones of before. It often left Derek wondering if perhaps he had done something wrong.

'Maybe he's holding back,' Derek thought. 'For whatever reason, he doesn't want to rush into things. And… I'm okay with that. I'll wait until he's ready. I want my first time with Stiles to be something he wants just as much as I do.'

And yes, while all this sounded good in his head, Derek was faced with a little predicament one Tuesday afternoon. Well, it was less of a predicament and more of a moral dilemma.

Derek had run out to the local convenience store, wanting to pick up some laundry detergent and a few snacks that Stiles would probably chide him for later. But, on his way to the snack section, his eye caught something in an aisle he had merely meant to pass through. Once he spotted it, his brisk walk came to stop. He took a few seconds to think through a flood of thoughts that came to mind before he decided to backtrack a little until he was standing in front of the items on display.

Condoms.

Yes, Derek Hale was perusing the condom selection.

Derek bit his lip, shifting the handle of the laundry detergent in his hand. 'I mean, it's not like we're doing it. I don't need them if we're not doing it,' he rationalized. He turned to walk away, but only went a few paces before backing up once more. 'But… when we finally do… do it… it'd be good to have. I mean, I would hate to be in the moment and find that neither of us are prepared. It couldn't hurt just to have them ready.'

Convinced, Derek picked up a box, and carried on. Again, he only got a few paces before he hurried to put the box back on the hook with the others. 'No. I'm being presumptuous. If I get these, I'll know they're in the nightstand and I'll feel like I'm pressuring him even though I'm not actually pressuring him and- just- no.'

Satisfied, Derek gave a little nod before walking away. He walked down the snack aisle, picking up a bag, putting it back, picking it back up only to put it back down. And it wasn't as if there was anything wrong with the bag. His head was just elsewhere. Finally, he grabbed a bag of chips before briskly making his way back to the aisle with the condoms.

Unfortunately, there was a woman there, moseying along, glancing at the feminine products on the opposite shelf. Surprised, and feeling like the woman might think him a sexual deviant for storming over to the prophylactics, Derek whirled around to pretend to look at whatever it was on the shelf in front of him. He could feel heat flood his face and up his ears when he realized he was now pretending to be shopping for adult diapers. He could almost feel the woman's eyes on him before she walked along, minding her own business.

Derek wanted the ground to split open and bury him in his shame and embarrassment. He had half a mind to just leave his detergent and snacks and run out the door so he could hide in his apartment where he would never have to run into that woman ever again. But he realized he was being ridiculous and told himself to get away from the adult diapers and to – for God's sake – pick up the damn condoms and go home already. 'Seriously, Derek, you're making too much of a big deal about this. Just grab them and go,' he mentally quipped. Resolutely, but with his head down, Derek quickly grabbed the box he had put back earlier and stuck it under his arm in a feeble attempt to hide it from any curious eyes.

He made his way to the registers and got in line, picking up a few chocolate bars and bags of candy while there, thinking belatedly that he probably should've just picked up a basket on his way in.

"I told you. We can't get that kind. We need the capsule kind."

"What difference does it make?"

"Damn it, Jackson, just trust me, okay? You can't pour liquid dish soap into the dishwasher."

Derek closed his eyes, hoping beyond all hope that he was invisible in this moment.

"Oh, hey look. It's Derek."

He had no such luck.

'Maybe if I ignore them, they'll just go away,' he thought, wishfully.

"Hey Derek," Danny stepped around the older boy, catching his eye.

Again, luck was certainly not on Derek's side.

"Hey Danny," he merely nodded, hoping that would be the end of it.

It was not the end of it.

"Sup Derek," Jackson greeted from behind. "Is that a box of condoms under your arm?"

Derek shifted slightly, hoping belatedly to block the blonde boy's view.

He heard him snort. "Magnums."

"Ah," Danny smirked. "You and Stiles already emptied out your last box, eh?" He quirked his eyebrow suggestively, elbowing the older boy.

To Derek, what he and Stiles did – or in this case, didn't do - on their own time was none of their business. So he didn't exactly understand why he felt it necessary to respond, "Actually… no."

Immediately, he felt a hand on his shoulder, turning him. He glared at Jackson for the manhandling, but the blonde was unfazed.

"You mean you two have been together for the past five months and haven't even done anything?"

Derek frowned. "We haven't been together for five months…"

Danny rolled his eyes. "He's referring to the fact that you two have known and pretty much had the hots for each other since you met five months ago."

Derek opened his mouth to retort but Jackson cut him off.

"You mean in all this time, there hasn't even been a 'friends with benefits' thing going on? No mutual groping? No handy-j's?"

For the second time today, Derek shut his eyes, wishing the ground would open up and swallow him whole. This just wasn't a conversation he wanted to have with anyone, especially not in the middle of your friendly neighborhood convenience store. But when he opened his eyes again and looked into the face of the inquisitive blonde, he merely trained his expression into one of annoyance. "That's none of your business."

Again, Jackson just snorted.

"So this is gonna be for yours and Stiles' first time?" Danny continued.

And again, Derek wanted to tell him it was still none of his business, but again, Jackson cut him off, grabbing him by the arm and turning him around completely.

"Hey," Derek growled out. He would have shoved Jackson's arm off of him if his arms hadn't been full.

Jackson wasn't even paying attention to the death glare aimed in his direction. He was too busy scanning Derek's arms. "Dude," he frowned at Derek, face in all seriousness. "Forgetting something?"

Derek let out an exasperated sigh, wishing he had gone to the store four blocks away in the other direction instead of this particular one. He just stared at Jackson, face blank.

Jackson stared at him as if whatever it was he was getting at should be obvious. After a few seconds of nothing, Jackson finally blinked. "Lube?"

And for what felt like the hundredth time in an alarmingly short amount of time, Derek wished he could be invisible.

"Danny," Jackson said, jerking his head to the side. "Go grab a bottle."

With a smirk of amusement, the Hawaiian boy did as directed.

"Trust me," Jackson said smugly, placing his hand back on Derek's shoulder. "You'll thank me in the morning."

Derek just glared from the hand on his shoulder to the boy attached to it and back. Seemingly finally aware of the great annoyance on Derek's face, the smile slowly slipped away as he snatched his hand back as if he had been burned.

'Much better,' Derek inwardly relaxed.

"Next," the clerk behind the register called.

Derek turned around and realized the line had dwindled down. She had been calling to him. Dipping his head a bit, but refusing to be embarrassed by his purchases, Derek dumped everything on the counter, ready to get out of this godforsaken store.

"Did you find everything you needed?" She asked politely.

Derek just plastered on a fake smile and nodded.

"And would you like to purchase a bag for ten cents?"

Again, Derek nodded. "Yes, thank you."

"Wait, wait, wait! Don't forget the lube!"

'There is someone out to get me. I know it,' Derek thought lamely as Danny ran up and added the bottle to the pile.

Danny just patted Derek on the shoulder and smiled. "That's my favorite brand. It's a bit pricier but it works won…" He could see now how Danny and Jackson were best friends. Neither understood discretion. But at least Danny was clever enough to know when to quit. "…ders," Danny murmured, trailing off. He cleared his throat and took his place back at Jackson's side. Neither boy said anything more after that.

"Would you like to add this, too?" the clerk asked, still friendly as ever, even as she held up the bottle.

Derek paused, aware of the eyes on him, and finally nodded minutely. He silently thanked any powers that be that the woman didn't need to call for a price-check on the item. That would just about kill him.

But then he wondered what the big deal was. He was a grown man with a wonderful boyfriend. Of course he wanted to have sex with him. And the condoms and lube were nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, it showed that he was a responsible and mature adult. That he cared for the well being of his partner. And the two boys behind him, ultimately, were just trying to help. So, with a deep inhale, Derek smiled at the clerk and paused her from finishing ringing him up.

"You know what, can you add their stuff as well? They're… friends," he said, nodding his head in their direction. From the corner of his eye, he could see both boys loosen up and grin, as they shoved their purchases onto the counter in front of the woman with no hesitation whatsoever. He also saw how Jackson grabbed a bunch of candy bars off the rack and threw it in as well.

"Jackson," Danny hissed. "Put those back."

"What? He's paying."

"But-"

Derek shook his head. "It's fine."

"See?"

Danny just rolled his eyes. "You shouldn't encourage this kind of behavior."

Again, Jackson just snorted.

Finally, when everything was rung up and paid for, Derek grabbed the paper bag full of his purchases and was ready to flee to the sanctuary of his home. He was ready to put this whole shopping trip debacle behind him.

"Hey Derek!" Jackson yelled, once they were out on the street. "Enjoy the sex!"

"Jackson, shut up! You're such an asshole."

Derek didn't even look back.

Within fifteen minutes, Derek was back in the sacred confines of his apartment where he needn't worry about judgmental eyes and sly smirks. The only thing he needed to be concerned about was the mouth-watering scent of baked goods wafting through the air as he walked in the door.

"Ah! Good! You're home!"

Derek immediately smiled seeing Stiles leap over the couch and make his way over. With one hand on a controller, Stiles placed his free hand on Derek's chest and bent forward to give him a brief kiss on the lips.

"Mm," Derek hummed. "What're you doing here?"

"You and I are going to marathon this Lego Harry Potter Years 5-7 because every time I try it with Scott, he keeps skipping on into the next room while I'm still trying to collect all the coins so I can be a 'True Wizard.'"

Derek frowned. "None of that made any sense."

Stiles snorted. "Just sit down, my love muffin, and kick back. We're playing video games for the foreseeable future and I've got some cinnamon sugar cookies fresh from the oven cooling on the counter to bribe you into submission."

"Ah. Well someone certainly knows how to get what he wants."

The younger boy chuckled. "That I do, sweet cheeks," he winked smugly at Derek. "Here," he said, trading the controller in his hand for the bag in Derek's arm. "Finish setting up, get acquainted with the controls, and I will go check on those cookies."

Derek momentarily panicked. He didn't exactly want Stiles to see his few choice purchases, so he tried to take the bag back from his boyfriend. "Oh wait," Derek tried feebly. "Let me just put those away…"

"Pfffft, nonsense," Stiles said, rolling his eyes and swatting Derek's hand away. "I can do it. Knowing you, it's just more junk food right? A King sized box of Lemonheads for my yummy Lemony Snicket?"

Derek really should stop trying to make sense of most of the things that came out of Stiles' mouth. He just shook his head. "It's not just junk food, smart guy. I also bought detergent."

"So I'll put that away too," Stiles said nonchalantly, spinning around with the bag still in his arms as he headed for the kitchen.

"No, Stiles, just let me-" Derek started, getting a hand on the bag.

"It's really not a big deal, Derek. Your chocolate goes by your bowls, your laundry detergent under the sink. I know to put everything in the most illogical of places and-"

With Derek's hand still on it while Stiles continued to walk towards the kitchen, the paper bag gave way, ripping in the younger boy's arm, its contents spilling to the floor.

"Aw Derek, see what you made me do?"

Derek was too panicked to even register what Stiles had said, eyes scanning the floor for a certain box and bottle that had fallen. He spotted the box near his boyfriend and quickly stooped down to try to pick it up discreetly, whilst simultaneously picking up his fallen candy.

Stiles stooped down as well, helping Derek pick up the contents. He chuckled. "At least it wasn't flour this ti… oh." With a Snickers in one hand, Stiles' other hand hovered precariously over the box before he eventually picked it up to examine it.

"Those are- I can explain those," Derek said quickly.

Stiles just looked up, head cocked in question.

"Those aren't for you- I mean- they are. But not right now. I mean we don't have to use them right now. Just, whenever you're ready- no pressure- but when- if- if you want to use them- we have them. For me. Or for you- if you want- if that's what you want. Because I'm okay with that. I'm okay with it if that's what you want because I wanna be with you and that doesn't mean I have to be in yo- No! Wait! I didn't- that sounds so- just- just forget that…" Derek tore his eyes away and ran a hand through his hair. 'Oh my God, why are you still talking?!' Derek mentally screamed. 'Just shut up, you idiot!' He tore his eyes away from the stupid box he wish he'd never picked up and stared at the carpet. "I'll just go… return them…" he mumbled, finally, holding a hand out for the box, too embarrassed to meet the other boy's eyes.

"Derek, my love…" Stiles started. "I… I don't actually think you can return condoms."

With a sigh of defeat, Derek dropped his hand down to his side before sitting back and slowly lying himself down on the carpet, burying his face under his arms.

'Why is he with me?' Derek thought, self-deprecatingly. 'I'm an idiot who says idiotic things. He probably thinks that's all I want now. Thinks that now we have to have sex because I'm expecting us to. That I'm a sex-crazed idiot who wants-'

"Derek."

Derek's arms were moved forcefully from his face, but he was determined to keep his eyes shut. If he couldn't see Stiles, then maybe, just maybe, Stiles couldn't see him.

It really wasn't one of Derek's finest moments.

"C'mon," Stiles tried. "Talk to me."

"I think… I think I said enough," he said simply. He vowed never to speak again because apparently all that came out of his lips was a slew of word vomit that was destined to make him sound like a fool.

Stiles released his hold on Derek's arms and straddled his hips instead. "You bought condoms. So what? What's the big deal? You have a very sexy and very attractive boyfriend. Quite frankly, I don't think you bought enough."

Derek snorted, but cracked his eyes open, though still refused to look up at his very sexy and very attractive boyfriend.

"And hey," Stiles continued. "It makes me happy that you even needed to. Not only does it mean that you want to – with me of all people – but it also means you've been having sex like crazy behind my back and needed to restock."

Derek jerked his head up, scandalized. "I haven't!"

"Ah!" Stiles grinned, leaning down to lay a brief kiss on the tip of Derek's nose. "Got you to look up, didn't I?"

Derek let out a tired sigh. "I just… I don't want you to think that I got them because we have to have sex. I got them so that just in case we decide to… we'd already have them…"

"And I get that!" Stiles said enthusiastically, scooting backward into Derek's lap as he pulled the other boy up into a seated position.

Derek allowed himself to be moved, hands coming to rest on Stiles' hips as he buried his face in the crook of the boy's neck.

"You don't have to be embarrassed, Derek. I want to, you know? And it makes me happy that you want to, too. That you've actually thought about it."

"Of course I've thought about it, Stiles," Derek said, voice muffled against the younger boy's shirt. How often he'd thought about it was just another thing that Derek felt embarrassed about. "You're… you… and your arms… and stupid smile, and… moles." He was glad he could put his attraction to Stiles in such eloquent words.

He heard Stiles snicker. "You've thought about my moles?"

Derek nodded, turning his head slightly so that he was nosing the crook of the boy's neck. "I've thought about kissing… and licking… every. One." He demonstrated his desire by doing just that on one he found just below the boy's jaw. Stiles breathed deeply, as Derek could feel the heightened pulse under the skin against his lips.

"So… so what's been stopping you? And please don't say it's 'my virtue' because that's a ship that's long since sailed."

Derek paused. He didn't want to hear that. He wanted to hear nothing of the sort. The mere thought of Stiles having been with someone else made Derek feel insanely jealous. 'There's someone out there right now that's been with Stiles. That's touched him in ways I've only fantasized about." It was a thought most distressing.

Derek pulled back some to look at the flushed boy. 'But… he's mine now. And I'm going to make sure that no one else touches him like that again.' Of course, he would only do so when Stiles was willing and ready.

"I don't want to rush you into anything you aren't ready for," Derek finally admitted.

Stiles snickered in amusement. "I'm ready. I've been ready. In fact, I've been waiting for you to be ready."

"Wait, what?" Derek frowned in confusion.

"Yeah," Stiles affirmed. "Whenever we got into things, it just… there'd be a point where it kinda felt like you were holding back for whatever reason. And I'm crazy about you, Derek, so if you wanted to wait, I'd wait. Until you're ready."

Derek blinked, head shaking slightly. "No… no, those are my lines. You're the one who'd stop and slow things down."

Stiles also shook his head. "No, I'm pretty sure it was you."

"Are you saying that this whole time- this whole entire time- we could've…?"

As his words trailed off and realization hit the both of them, Derek let out a groan while the boy in his arms simply laughed. The whole time he was trying to be a good a noble boyfriend, he could have been a good and noble boyfriend in bed. The realization and the consideration of the time wasted left Derek feeling frustrated in more ways than one. Stiles, on the other hand, was simply amused as he continued to laugh at their collective expense. He was still laughing when the phone in Derek's pocket began to ring.

"Are you gonna answer that?" Stiles managed to ask between chuckles.

Derek slipped his hand in his pocket and pulled out his cell. He frowned at the number, not recognizing it.

"Hm? That's Danny's number," Stiles said, reading the phone upside-down.

Derek just quirked an eyebrow, but tapped to answer it, putting it on speaker. "Yeah?"

"Hey Derek, it's Danny. There was a mix-up at the store," he said, cutting to the chase. "I think you grabbed Jackson's body wash instead of the lube."

There was a moment of silence that passed through. It was probably dedicated to the loss of Derek's dignity.

"Derek?" came Danny's tinny voice over the mobile.

Once again, Stiles burst into laughter as Derek tossed his phone aside before lying back down on the carpet and covering his face under his arms. 'I'm dead,' he thought. 'I am dead and this is my own little purgatory. Doomed to forever make a fool of myself in front of the one I love.'

He felt Stiles move from where he was still seated on his lap, laughter dying down. "Danny?"

"Oh shit. Stiles?"

"Haha yeah," he chuckled once more. "Derek's not feeling too well right now," he said, as Derek felt Stiles pat his chest comfortingly. "I'll swing by later and switch them out."

"O-Okay. Good," Danny chuckled nervously. "You know how Jackson is. Umm… Derek's not gonna kill me, right?"

"I'm pretty sure he's too busy hiding from embarrassment to bother killing you," he reassured.

"Oh," Danny replied, not sounding reassured at all.

"Don't worry," Stiles said again. "You're fine, we're fine, everything's fine. Later, Danny."

'Everything is not fine,' Derek inwardly grumbled. He felt Stiles move again. He crawled off of Derek, only to lie down on the carpet next to him, wrapping an arm around his waist and draping a leg over the older boy's. He didn't say anything more this time around, although Derek could feel him chuckle from time to time.

Eventually, Derek decided to face the world once more, letting one arm slip around his boyfriend as the other moved to hold the one around his waist. He finally opened his eyes, training them on the ceiling as he set his jaw. "I… bought lube, too."

In his periphery he could see Stiles grin. "I heard." They were quiet for a beat, Derek partly at a loss for words, partly afraid of any words that might find their way out of him. He knew he had no real reason to be embarrassed. Stiles certainly didn't think any less of him for his purchases. And he certainly didn't think him a sex fiend for them either. So, with a sigh, Derek rolled onto his side, finally looking Stiles in the eye.

"Hi," Stiles smiled gently, eyes twinkling with mirth.

"Hi," Derek replied.

Stiles brought his hand up, pressing the tip of his finger lightly to the slight furrow of Derek's brow. "Whatever you're thinking, just know that I love you…" he said, running his finger down the bridge of Derek's nose to his lips before edging forward to give him a firm kiss. "…No matter what you buy," he added with a smirk. He didn't realize how important the affirmation was until he felt the flood of release overcome him with his words.

With a final sigh, Derek sat up slowly. Stiles followed, getting to his feet before helping Derek stand as well.

"Now," Stiles said, looking around, hands on his hips. "I will take this," he stooped down and picked up the bottle of body wash, "and return it. And Mr. Hale," he smirked, slipping one arm through Derek's jacket to pull him in for another brief kiss, "try not to eat all the cookies while I'm gone."

"I make no guarantees."

Stiles just snorted leaning in for another languorous kiss. "Love you."

Derek pressed his forehead against Stiles' and closed his eyes, just feeling him there as the simple words warmed him over. "I love you, too," he murmured softly.

"I'll be right back," Stiles said, pulling away and heading for the door, "so don't use that," he pointed to the game console on the floor, "or that," he winked as he pointed to the half-forgotten box of condoms, "without me." And with that, Derek's cheeky little boyfriend hurried out the door.

Once he got his blush under control, Derek set about picking up the fallen items and putting them away in places that made well enough sense to him. He munched on a cookie while finishing setting up the console, and munched on four more while waiting for Stiles' return. By the time Derek was reaching for the last one, Stiles finally came back, grinning to himself.

"Honey, I'm home!"

Derek just rolled his eyes, but was pleased nonetheless. He could certainly get used to that.

"Jackson was grumpy, as predicted, because how dare I suggest he use a regular bar of soap if he needed to shower so badly because apparently only peasants use bars of soap," he snorted. "Anyway… hey, where's your phone?"

Derek quirked an eyebrow at this. "In my pocket. Why?"

Stiles made his way over, slipping his free hand into Derek's jeans.

Again, Derek rolled his eyes. "You know, you could just ask."

"Yeah, but this way," Stiles smirked, "I get to cop a feel." He pulled out the phone and twirled it in his hand, simultaneously pulling a bottle out of the pocket of his jacket. "This, I believe, is yours."

Determined not to be embarrassed further by it, but unable to stop the faint blush, Derek quickly snatched the bottle of lube out of Stiles' hand. He watched curiously as Stiles typed away on his phone. "What are you doing?"

Stiles just flipped the phone around, showing Derek a new entry into his calendar: 'Sexytimes with Stiles ;D'.

"There," Stiles smiled. "Now it's in your calendar and there's no turning back."

Derek frowned at the date, wondering why put off tomorrow what you can do today. "But… Tomorrow?"

"Ah, anxious are we?" Stiles grinned slyly.

Derek wasn't going to admit it out loud, but now that he knew he was allowed to, he was eager to just take Stiles to his room and never let him out again, except for when he wanted some good coffee – but even then, he figured he could accept a cup made by Isaac if it meant keeping Stiles all to himself.

Stiles' expression softened. "Just… no pressure, okay? Tonight, let's relax. Let's just be us with no condoms or lube or sex hanging over our heads. Just… us."

Derek regarded Stiles carefully. "You just want to finish your video game, don't you?"

"I mean, I'm so close to 100%. It's literally killing me on the inside knowing I'm almost done with it."

A smile spread across Derek's face. His boyfriend was incredible. "All right," he agreed. "No pressure. Just… Legos."

Stiles grinned. "Us and Legos." He leaned forward, slipping Derek's phone back into his pocket, the older boy emitting a soft gasp as Stiles copped yet another feel before hopping over to the couch, smug smile on his lips.

Right. Wednesday couldn't come soon enough.

But then Derek glanced at the boy on the couch, heart warming just at the sight of him. He smiled to himself, knowing Stiles would definitely be worth the wait. And with that in mind, Derek grabbed the last cookie and took his place next to Stiles.

/\/\/\

Stiles had gone home that night as he had a roommate who believed a plate of pizza rolls was a satisfactory dinner. So, with a bit of reluctance, Derek watched him leave, but remained excited for what tomorrow promised.

But the thing about schedules, you see, despite their meticulous planning, they can always been changed.

Derek was just about to head out to the coffee shop when he got a call from The Awesome Cool Guy Stiles :D.

"Hey Stiles," Derek answered, slipping on his jacket as he cradled his phone on his shoulder.

"Hey Derek," Stiles said cheerfully. "Just a head's up. I know you're probably just on your way out, but Isaac's gonna be helping you out today."

Derek frowned. "Is everything all right?"

"Yeah, no. Everything's good. Just… I think I caught a 24-hour bug or something. Just a stomach flu. Probably something I ate considering I left Scott unattended last night while he was prepping some stuff for dinner."

That certainly put a damper on their plans. "Oh. Well, then I'll come by. Bring you some tea or something to help settle your stomach."

"Oh, no, no. That's pretty awesome of you, but I'm here puking out my guts. It's not attractive at all."

Derek rolled his eyes. "Stiles, I don't care about that. I want you to get better. I'll come by and bring you some soup-"

"No, really Derek. I'll be fine, I promise. Tomorrow- for sure- you and I are gonna spend allllll afternoon and night together until it's you who's sick of me."

Derek snorted. "No, babe. I could never get sick of you," he drawled. "Right? That's what I'm supposed to say?"

Stiles barked out a laugh over the line. "I've taught you well. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Mm-hmm. Feel better. I love you."

"Love you, too."

Derek paused, phone still up to his ear. He waited a good minute or so, just listening. Finally, "Are you gonna hang up?"

"I was waiting for you to hang up."

Derek pinched the bridge of his nose. "Stiles, we're not gonna be one of those couples. So hang up."

"No, you hang up."

He could sense the tease in his voice. "Fine, I'm hanging up." He didn't hang up. He waited some more, waiting to see what Stiles would do.

"…Derek?"

Derek just sighed. They had become one of those couples.

"You didn't hang up," Stiles noted, sounding overly amused.

"I should."

"So why don't yo-"

"Oh my God, you guys! It's too early for this shit! Hang up the damn phone!"

"Ow! Scott! You assho-"

Derek just stared at his phone as the line disconnected. Half of him was concerned that his boyfriend might've just been mauled by a monster with bedhead, but the other half didn't really care to face the beast himself. Instead, he made his way over to the door, slipped on his sneakers and headed on out.

When Derek stepped into the shop, Isaac was seated at the register, his head resting on his hand, eyes closed.

'Is he sleeping?' Derek wondered, approaching slowly. Once he was at the counter, Isaac not stirring even the slightest, Derek took a deep breath.

"ISAAC!" He yelled, slamming his hands on the counter as hard as he could.

The blonde boy leapt out of his seat, effectively tumbling to the floor, a string of curse words escaping his lips. Derek merely grinned smugly to himself. He bent over the counter, looking down at the barista. "Morning."

"You sure got a mean streak," Isaac frowned, glaring at the older boy.

Derek was kind enough to dial it down a bit, extending out a hand to help the boy up. "To be fair, you really shouldn't fall asleep at the counter."

"Well, then maybe your stupid boyfriend should come to work like he's supposed to and not call me at five in the morning," he snipped back, accepting Derek's help.

Derek sighed. He didn't exactly appreciate Isaac calling Stiles 'stupid' but he could sympathize with the boy.

Isaac slumped back into his seat. "At least I'm making tons of overtime working his shifts. What's wrong with him anyway? He was very vague when he called. I was also half-awake so I may have missed a few details…"

"Stiles said he has the stomach flu. Or food poisoning or something. Pretty much that his stomach was bothering him so I guess he just wanted a day to rest."

Isaac merely sighed before hopping off his seat and getting to work on Derek's order. "I bet that put a damper on your plans, huh?" He asked, back to Derek as he twisted various nozzles to get the milk to froth.

"Excuse me?"

The tall blonde glanced over his shoulder. "You know? The sex? You guys were gonna do it today, right?"

Derek scowled. "I don't see how that's any of your business."

Isaac was unfazed. He snorted and turned his attention back to the machine. "You can deny it, but Danny already told me that him and Jackson ran into you yesterday. Even told me that Stiles had to drop by and pick up the lube you left behind."

"I did not-" Derek just growled in frustration, shutting his eyes, and huffing in dismay. These kids were just too comfortable with one another. He'd have to talk to Stiles about privacy, although part of him didn't actually believe it would matter in the end. Once he felt calm enough not to threaten Isaac into secrecy, he looked him squarely in the eye. "Yes, fine. We had planned on it, but this is just postponing it a day."

Isaac reached over and dropped a stir stick into the mug, handing the finished drink over to Derek. He shrugged. "Well, I guess that gives you some time to get the place all fancy."

Derek quirked an eyebrow, brining his drink up to his lips and blowing on it lightly. "What do you mean?"

"This is gonna be your first time together. Any candlelight? Mood music? Maybe even some chocolate-dipped strawberries to get things going? They are a known aphrodisiac, you know."

'Huh.' Derek frowned in contemplation. He hadn't thought of that. "You think that kind of stuff matters?"

"I mean… it couldn't hurt."

Derek stored the idea away for further contemplation. It was certainly something to look into. But for now, as he took a sip from his mug, he was more concerned about Isaac's heavy-hand with the hazelnut.

/\/\/\

Derek decided that maybe the best sort of guidance he could get on this particular subject was from someone who had more than enough experience with it.

"It's good that you called, baby boy. I have this technique that'll leave your little baker boyfriend begging for more. You just need an inflatable-"

"Jesus Christ, Peter, no. Just- no. That's not what I'm calling about."

"You sure? I know, it sounds a little strange at first, but if you just try it-"

"No thank you," Derek huffed out. Whatever his crazy uncle's kinks were, Derek wasn't sure he wanted to venture there. At least not now in the beginning of his sexual exploits with Stiles. "I just… it's gonna be our first time and… I hadn't really thought about setting the right mood or anything like that… but then when I think about it like that, it sounds like some giant stage production and it's not supposed to be, but maybe it should be because this is supposed to be special and I just- I don't-"

"Okay, okay, take it easy, Derek," Peter soothed, audibly taking a deep breath over the line, urging Derek to do the same. "Wow… I don't think I've ever heard you get so worked up over something like that…"

"Well, this is important to me…" he said truthfully. "Stiles is important to me…"

"Okay, so then what exactly are you calling me for?"

"I don't know. I thought maybe you'd have some tips on the more… romantic stuff. I know you've had your fair share of partners. I figure you of all people would know how to make a night… special."

"Okay, let me cut you off right there. It's not the ambiance that makes it special, it's the fact that you two are coming together - no pun intended – in the most intimate way possible, that makes it special."

"Yeah of course," Derek frowned. He understood that completely.

"In fact, there was a time with this really lovely woman from Ontario in an office supply closet that was quite special in its own wa-"

"Peter," Derek sighed. "That's not what I meant. I know it's not all the little details that matter in the end, but I just… I'd like those details to be… romantic. That it's not just about us two bodies being together, but about the entire thing. Ugh," he groaned. "Maybe that doesn't make sense…"

"No, no," Peter assured. "I get it. And it makes me happy that you've found someone you care enough about to put in the effort."

The sentiment made Derek smile warmly to himself.

"Okay… I have a few ideas. Knowing you and what your place must be like, you'll probably have to pick up a few things… You know what?" Peter said, coming to a decision. "There isn't much I can do from over here. And there are also a few things I have to prepare before your sister flies in on Friday, so let me make a phone call. I'll send you some help with some stuff, mmkay?" He didn't even wait for an answer.

"Call me with all the dirty details! Bye!"

"Wait, what?" Derek started. "What do you mean 'you'll send help'?"

But Derek never got his answer as the line disconnected. He stared at his phone in an irrational hope that it would make his uncle's words make sense. When it offered nothing but a blank screen, Derek tossed the device to the side and tried to think of what to do next.

/\/\/\

"You really are hopeless, aren't you?"

Derek glared daggers into the back of the redhead's skull, but she was undeterred as she made her way through the aisles with the older boy following her wake. Apparently, Peter's idea of sending help was to call Lydia and explain to her how hopeless his nephew actually was. The next thing he knew, he was getting a call from The Bossy Redhead, telling him to pick her up so they could do some shopping. He glanced over to the other girl walking alongside her friend.

"Did he ask for your assistance, also?" He asked, looking at Allison as she smiled apologetically at him.

"No… but it's all very sweet how much you want to impress Stiles. I just wanted to help."

"Besides," Lydia cut in. "He and Scott are practically the same person. Allison could probably offer a bit of insight into their… unique brand of romance." She scrunched her nose at the word 'unique' as if it left a foul stench in the air.

Allison rolled her eyes. "Not everyone can afford a pair of diamond earrings just because like Jackson can," she retorted. "And anyway, Scott is romantic in his own way."

Derek didn't really want to listen to their boyfriends' interpretations of romance, although he didn't think a pair of diamond earrings would be half bad – that is, if Stiles ever wanted pierced ears. Maybe he could buy him another piece of jewelry instead? Maybe a new watch? A necklace? A ring, even?

"Ooh, here we go," Lydia said, making her way over to the linen section. She gave Derek a once over. "I'm guessing you're the type to have… some boring blue and white plaid, no?" She didn't even wait for a response, reaching out for a set of satin sheets in red. "Toss those things aside and line your bed with this. It's soft and sensual and red, like the color of passion."

"Or," Allison said, reaching over to grab a different set. "You could go with white. Pure. Like the purity of your love for one another," she said with a shy smile.

Lydia just rolled her eyes.

Somewhat belatedly, Derek realized he was supposed to choose between them. 'Red for passion… or white for purity…?' Setting his jaw, Derek reached a hand out and pulled a whole different set from off the shelf. Both girls gaped at his choice, as if rejecting their suggestions was personal. He simply tucked the sheets under his arm, decision final. "Black. Cause I like the color."

Both girls rolled their eyes before putting their selections back and walking off to the next thing.

Derek had no reason to tell them that picturing Stiles' pale skin in contrast to the dark sheets was another reason for his choice. He was imagining what it'd be like to take in the expanse of his naked flesh against the soft linens. The way the skin would flush at their exertion, or how the milky substance of their combined ejac-

"Derek!"

Somewhere along the line, the older boy had forgotten to follow, too lost in his mind's fantasies. He fought off a blush that dared to kiss his cheeks as he closed the distance between him and the girls. Lydia was tapping her foot, while Allison seemed to be fighting off an amused smirk.

"Scented candles? For mood lighting?" The strawberry blonde said with a wave of her hand, showing off the huge display of varying scents and colors.

Derek shook his head. "No candles."

"Then… how about this?" Allison said, lighting up as she picked up a box of Christmas lights. She didn't wait for Derek's opinion. She just tucked the box under his other arm in a very Lydia-esque fashion and smiled. It made him wonder if maybe Lydia had rubbed off on her or if Allison could be authoritative in her own way when she wanted to be. "It's soft lighting and it'll reflect the season. I bet Stiles would get a kick out of it," she explained. "Just hang them up over your bed and there you go. Instant, playful mood setter."

It sounded reasonable enough.

The girls led the way towards another area as Derek thought about the stuff in his arms. 'I've got the sheets, I've got lighting…' "Music?" he wondered aloud.

"No." Both girls shook their heads firmly.

"Mood music hardly ever sets the right mood," Lydia explained.

"Most of the time it's cheesy and repetitive."

"And when there's music playing in the background, you'll inevitably end up trying to stay in beat with the music which is just…" the girl simply shook her head. "And it's not like you're going to want to listen to the music anyway. I mean, I'm sure you'd much rather listen to Stiles' moaning as he screams out your name."

Derek had the decency to blush, although Lydia didn't seem to care that they were in the middle of a store where anyone could hear her. Allison also looked a bit embarrassed as she breathed out a light chuckle before tucking her hair behind her ear.

"Okay," Derek growled lowly. "No music. That's all you had to say."

Lydia just smirked at him before continuing on.

"Oh look! Rose petals!" Allison smiled, hurrying over to grab a box and hold it up.

Lydia groaned. "You can't be serious."

"What?" The brunette frowned, dropping her arms back down. "They're the silk kind."

"They're the cheesy kind," Lydia retorted.

"I think they're very romantic. What do you think, Derek?"

Derek looked between the girls and found himself having to choose between them once more. He bit his lip. "They are a little cheesy…"

Allison groaned, looking up at the ceiling as Lydia gave her a look that said 'I told you so' before taking Derek by the arm and leading him towards the registers.

Then she began a tangent of all the dos and don'ts. Do let him know that this is more than just sex. It's about being together in the most intimate of ways. Don't just jump right in. People like to be wooed. Do try a bit of man-scaping down there. No one wants to get lost in a jungle. Don't say something stupid like 'Boom goes the dynamite!' when you finally come. Just… no.

At this point, Derek thought maybe shopping with Lydia was worse than unintentionally shopping with Jackson and Danny. At least Allison wasn't so blunt with her opinions. Her own little blush let Derek know he wasn't alone in his awkwardness.

As he escorted the girls back to the car, holding the door open for them, they gave him a few more ideas for tomorrow.

"We all know how crazy you get over Stiles' baking," Lydia said. "Why not try making for something for him for a change?"

"Yeah, definitely," Allison agreed. "Even if it's something simple, I'll bet he'd really appreciate it."

"And oh my God, Derek. If I hear that you played that stupid 'I Just Had Sex' song after it's over, I will personally castrate you so you can never have sex again."

Derek eye the girl carefully, unsure of how to respond to that. One, he didn't even know what that song was. And two, she looked like she meant business.

Allison gasped. "He didn't."

The other girl scoffed. "I shut him out for two weeks after that stunt."

"So that's why…"

"Quite frankly, I think it was your little boyfriend who dared him to do it," Lydia said, eying Derek sideways. "I swear, those two… idiots." She rolled her eyes.

Derek drove the girls back to their place, and as he pulled up, he saw Jackson amble his way over to the car, opening the door for his girlfriend.

"You keep him well trained," Allison giggled, waiting to get out.

Jackson scowled. "It's called manners," he said as Derek got out to let Allison out on his side of the car.

"Thank you," she smiled as he helped her out. Derek just nodded. Jackson wasn't the only one with good manners.

"Ew, Jackson, what is that smell?" Lydia frowned.

The blonde boy immediately paled. "It's nothing."

It wasn't nothing. Now that she had mentioned it, Derek could smell a strangely pungent scent coming from the other boy. But before anything more could be said, Jackson was leading Lydia back towards the apartment, murmuring a hasty goodbye to Derek. Lydia, face still scrunched in distaste, also waved a goodbye as well as a 'good luck.'

Allison hung back a little bit, pausing to turn to Derek. "I know we said a lot of stuff about what to do and what not to do, but everyone's different. Just keep in mind that Stiles likes you. So whatever you choose to do is gonna be great because it's coming from you."

Derek smiled softly, taking in her words. "Thanks."

She smiled in return and nodded before walking towards the door. She spun around, but continued walking backwards. "But seriously though, don't play that song," she said, face serious as she jabbed the air with a finger.

Derek shrugged. "I don't even know it."

Allison tilted her head thoughtfully. "Then… in that case… don't be surprised if he plays the song." And with that, Allison hurried back into her apartment, waving at Derek before closing the door behind her.

/\/\/\

Derek returned home, bringing his purchases along with him. Along the way home, he had thought about something the girls had said, about him maybe making something for Stiles for once. And while he knew he wasn't going to try something as ambitious as baking, he figured he could try something quick and easy and something even he as an amateur couldn't mess up. Looking up a recipe on his phone, he stopped by the grocery store, picking up a few things before heading to his apartment to put everything away. He pulled out his new sheets, wanting to wash them once before spreading them over his bed to get that new, plastic-y smell off of them. Then he crashed onto his couch to watch some TV while waiting.

It wasn't long before Derek stopped paying attention to the show before finding himself lying on the couch, his legs draped over the armrest as he stared at the ceiling. His mind was elsewhere, wondering at what level of euphoria he'd be in had things run on time and Stiles had been feeling well. Derek frowned. He knew he needn't worry considering it was just an upset stomach, but Derek was concerned nonetheless. He didn't like the idea of Stiles being sick, even the slightest. So, with a newfound determination – and also mostly just because he missed the boy – Derek swung his legs back onto the floor, shut off the TV and headed out the door.

He stopped by a nearby restaurant, taking an order of hearty chicken soup to go. He hoped it was light enough to make Stiles feel better, rather than upset his stomach further. He was making his way to Stiles' apartment, soup in tow, when he heard someone call out to him.

"Hey! Mr. Hale! Derek!"

He glanced over to see Scott jogging up to him, a tote slung over his shoulder. He held the door open for the younger boy, nodding in greeting.

"Thanks," Scott grinned.

Derek eyed Scott carefully as he followed him towards the elevator. He didn't seem to be afflicted with any sort of virus. "How's Stiles?"

Scott snickered. "I guess you could say he's feeling a little blue. Plus, he's been in a foul mood towards me since this morning," he finished with a groan. Then, suddenly, he straightened up, looking Derek in the eye. "Hey, actually, what are you doing here? I thought he said not to come by?"

Derek dismissed the comment with a wave. "Stiles isn't feeling well and yeah, while he said not to, I still want to drop by and make sure he's okay. Brought him some soup," he said, holding up the bag to show it off.

"Aw," Scott whined. "Lucky." He leaned over and sniffed the bag, earning himself a strange look from the older boy who merely let his arm fall back to his side before pushing Scott's face away with his free hand. The boy was unfazed. "Smells good!"

As they approached the door to the apartment, Scott slowed down, his key in his hand.

"Something wrong?" Derek asked.

Scott merely cocked his head in thought. It reminded Derek of a puppy. All Scott needed was a pair of floppy ears.

"No… it's just…" he bit his lip before sliding the bag down his arm and holding it in his hands. He moved towards Derek, and before he knew what Scott was doing, Derek had the bag slung over his shoulder.

"What?"

"He's mad at me. Cause you know," he glanced around, lowering his voice and bringing his hand up to cup his mouth, "the whole 'sex with you' thing."

Derek just let out a deep breath, refusing to be perturbed by his business being everyone else's business.

Scott continued, finally moving to unlock the door. "So I think you should give him those," he said, nodding at the bag, "and make him feel better and less like he wants to kill me." He opened the door, letting Derek in. "Stiles! I got the stuff!" he yelled. "Bye, Derek," Scott quickly waved before shutting the door behind him.

Derek stared at the door in confusion, but his attention was grabbed by the sound of his boyfriend coming down the hall.

"Jesus Christ, Scott, finally. I thought-"

The only word Derek could thing of to describe the noise that came out of Stiles' throat after that would be a squawk. Stiles let out a horrendous squawk before darting back into his room, slamming the door behind him.

Derek could only stare wide-eyed at the spot his boyfriend once occupied. 'What… he… what?' Dropping the soup off as he passed the kitchen counter, he made his way over to the door where he could hear faint grumblings through the door, consisting of 'oh my God' and 'kill Scott.'

"Stiles."

At this, all grumblings stopped.

He had to know. Derek was perplexed and he needed answers. So, leaning against the doorframe, he asked. "Stiles. Why are you blue?"

There was a moment of silence, a deep pause, before Derek heard shuffling within. The door clicked open and standing in front of him was a downtrodden, defeated, blue Stiles. Derek had to blink a couple of times, trying to make sure what he was seeing was real. But there was no doubt about it. Stiles was covered in large splotches of pale blue.

"It's all Jackson's fault," Stiles mumbled, finally looking up to timidly meet Derek's confused gaze. "He came over yesterday while I was at your place and stupid Scott didn't think anything of it. He poured blue dye into my body wash so when I took a shower this morning…" he trailed off, gesturing with his arms, displaying the result of his sometimes-friend, sometimes-enemy's prank.

Derek pursed his lips together, fighting off the grin that dared to break through. It was a losing battle. A few chuckles escaped, making Stiles glare at the older boy.

"Derek, it's not funny!" Stiles growled, brushing past him and making his way into the living room. He slumped onto the couch, folding his arms over his chest. "What are you even doing here? I told you not to come."

Derek rolled his eyes before finally sliding the tote off his shoulder, laying it next to the couch before dropping to crouch in front of his boy. "Oh, you mean when you lied to me and said you had an upset stomach?" he replied, cheekily.

Stiles had the decency to look a little guilty. "I… didn't want you to see me like this…" He flopped his arms uselessly against the couch.

Derek draped an arm over Stiles' knees, resting his chin on it and looking up at the blue boy. "You said you weren't feeling well, so I brought you some soup. And yes, I know you said not to bother, but it was also just an excuse to see you. I… missed you," he finished, quietly. Honestly.

Stiles covered his face in his hands and groaned, throwing his head back. "You're making me feel even more guilty about lying by being so fucking noble. I hate you."

Derek snorted at his boyfriend's dramatics. "Stiles." When he didn't reply, Derek moved to sit next to him, wrapping an arm around his waist. "Stiles, come on."

Stiles turned, slipping his arms around Derek, burying his face in the older boy's neck. "Today was supposed to awesome and sexy and it's all ruined because I'm fucking blue. I'm gonna kill Jackson."

Then Derek remembered seeing the boy earlier, the strange smell wafting about him. Suddenly, a few things clicked into place. "Is it really Jackson's fault?"

Stiles paused at that.

"I saw him earlier today," Derek continued. "Or smelt him, I should say."

Stiles burst into laughter, frame shaking against Derek. "Oh my God, please tell me he couldn't get the smell out."

"He smelled like… fish sauce."

This time Stiles had to pull away from Derek, clutching his stomach in laughter as he tumbled back onto the couch.

He should have known Stiles had something to do with it. Thinking about it now, it was probably a really bad idea to leave his mischievous mate alone with a bottle of the blonde's body wash. It was probably why Stiles had been so damn smug when he returned.

Derek glanced at Stiles before moving to pin him against the couch, making the boy open his eyes, startled.

"So," Derek breathed, leaning in close. "It seems it's your own fault that you're like this, hm?"

Stiles could only lick his lips, anticipating Derek's next move.

Derek just rolled his eyes before flicking Stiles on the forehead. "Idiot."

"Hey! Ow!" He whined, rubbing the affected area.

Derek sat up, letting out a sigh of defeat. He reached over for the tote bag and pulled it into his lap. "So what'd you make Scott buy for you?"

"Hm?" Stiles glanced over, pulling the bag open. "Well, I needed more body wash, obviously. I think maybe one or two more scrubs, and I'll back at a somewhat human color. I had to wait, though, cause if I scrubbed any harder, I'd turn red."

"You mean purple."

Stiles glowered as Derek smiled at his own joke.

"Tust me, it was a lot worse this morning. It was just a mess. And I didn't even realize it right away. I was scrubbing and scrubbing wondering why the soap wasn't washing off and then I finally realized what it was but by then it was already too late. It got everywhere and stained practically as soon as it touched my skin."

"Hm," Derek hummed, anything but the picture of sympathetic. He was more concerned with the blue trails streaking his boyfriend's neck.

"Derek, are you even listening?" Stiles whined.

The older boy's eyes travelled down the expanse of skin before it disappeared underneath the collar of his shirt. Oddly enough, it made Derek feel a little disappointed. He finally glanced back up into half-annoyed, half-amused eyes before realizing he needed to respond. "Yeah, it looks… bad," he supplied, hoping it was enough. Judging by the look on Stiles' face, it wasn't. Derek pushed on though, wanting to distract the distraught boy from his lack of attentiveness. "So… it's like, all over?" He asked, waving his hand in a circular motion.

Stiles groaned. "Unfortunately." He lazily got up off the couch, grabbing the fresh - and hopefully, un-tampered - bottle of body wash from the bag. "I'm gonna try another wash. Maybe I'll get less of a sky blue and more of a baby blue," he snorted. "Heat up the soup for me, wouldja?" He asked sweetly, leaning back down for a kiss.

Derek brought a hand up to caress his cheek before sliding it across the short hairs on his head, deepening the kiss with a slight pull. They kissed languidly, but eventually, Stiles pulled away with a smile.

"I'll be right out," he said, heading towards the bathroom.

Derek watched him go, eyes catching on a streak of blue trailing along one of Stiles' arms before disappearing into the sleeve of his shirt. Intrigued, Derek hopped off the couch, ignoring the soup on the counter before following after Stiles.

"Hey wha-?" Stiles sputtered, in the middle of taking off his shirt when Derek barged right in.

Derek leaned back against the doorframe, arms crossing over his chest as he raked his eyes over the newly revealed skin. Stiles hadn't been exaggerating when he said it had gotten all over. There were long trails of blue running down the boy's back. "I was curious," he finally answered, explaining the lack of privacy he was affording his love. "Wanted to see just how… blue you are."

Stiles sighed in defeat, letting his shirt drop to the floor as he slowly turned around to show Derek the full extent of Jackson's revenge. "It even stained the tub," he pouted, pulling back the shower curtain to show Derek the mess. "Luckily, Scott insisted on putting this non-slip whale mat on the floor of the tub so it caught most of the mess. It went from being a killer whale to, well, a blue whale," he chuckled.

Derek would have rolled his eyes at the joke if his eyes hadn't already been trained elsewhere. The boy he was in love with was standing half-naked within arm's reach, covered in little blue trails that disappeared enticingly down the waistband of the boy's shorts. 'Is Stiles wearing underwear?' he found himself wondering, finding the answer to that as intriguing as those tiny blue streaks.

"Derek!"

The older boy snapped to attention, wondering if he had missed something important.

"You okay?" Stiles asked, concern in his voice. "You keep spacing out on me."

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just uh… I um- uh…" He was trying to focus, he really was, but it was hard to do when he glanced at his boyfriend's chest and saw the small patch of brown curls there. It's not like he hadn't seen it before, but that was before he was allowed to touch. Before it was his to touch. So now, all he could think about was running his fingertips over it. And furthermore, Derek hadn't thought the temperature of the apartment was chilly, but he supposed the fact that Stiles' shirt was just a heap of fabric on the bathroom floor was reason enough for his nipples to be so… pert. Subconsciously, Derek wet his lips, wondering longingly what it'd be like to tease one of them with his tongue.

"Oh my God, is this like a thing for you?" Stiles gaped, looking scandalized. "You actually like the blue?"

It really had nothing to do with the blue, but more to do with the abundance of skin the blue had touched. The way the color streaked down, kissing down every curve and valley of his boyfriend's skin, well… it was enough to make Derek unreasonably jealous that the dye dare go where he'd never been. And all of this was what Derek would have explained quite eloquently to the younger boy, had he not been preoccupied by kissing him possessively against the bathroom sink.

Derek grabbed at Stiles' hips, pulling the boy to him, fingers slinking at the edge of his shorts. He crushed his lips against his, making their teeth clink in a way that would have been funny if Derek were any less focused on touching Stiles - on claiming him.

Stiles broke the kiss, gasping for air as Derek merely moved down the boy's neck. "I nev- hnnnn- never should have… made you wa-tch Avatar… huh?" He panted.

Derek had to snort at that. He paused his pursuit in order to clarify. "Stiles, I don't care about the blue. I care about the fact that you're standing in front of me with your shirt off and - I'm pretty sure - without anything on under these shorts," he said, hand rubbing over the thin cloth. "The blue is not a thing. You are my thing."

Stiles blushed at the declaration, mouth opening and closing, as if he were struggling to find a response. Derek opted not to wait any longer and moved to place his lips back where they belonged. Unfortunately, Stiles had other plans as he broke their kiss yet again. "Okay, okay, I get it. You don't care about the blue."

"Now that that's settled," Derek harrumphed, leaning back in, only to be stopped once more.

"But I do," Stiles said, firmly. "Derek, I swear, any other time and I would find this hilarious, you know that. But I just… I can't be blue our first time."

Derek eased back slightly, taking in the boy in front of him, at the look of frustration in his eyes. He could tell Stiles wanted this just as much as Derek, but he could also tell that the dye was seriously bothering him. And it made him think about all the little things he bought and everything he planned to set up just to make their night perfect. He didn't want anything to ruin their night together, and he realized that to Stiles, the blue was enough to ruin it, despite how much Derek could argue it wouldn't. He sighed, defeated yet understanding. "All right. I'll behave," he finally conceded, releasing his hold on Stiles' hips and taking a few steps back.

"Good," Stiles smiled. He watched Derek, eyes expectant, but when the older boy made no other move, Stiles huffed. "Well?"

Derek simply cocked an eyebrow, raising it slowly as he fixed Stiles with a steady gaze. "Well?" he repeated, petulant.

Stiles scoffed. "Aren't you gonna go?"

Derek made a show of thinking about it, but eventually shook his head. "I can help you reach your back."

Stiles' mouth fell open. "I- I think I can manage to-"

Derek took a step forward, trapping Stiles against the sink once more. With feather-light touches, he traced one of the blue trails down the boy's back through the reflection on the mirror. "It's darker over here," Derek pointed out. "Clearly, you can't manage to."

"Wha-? I-" Stiles looked over his shoulder to try to catch his reflection.

Derek tried to conceal his smirk, seeing the younger boy's yielding expression. "I'll behave," he reaffirmed, though in a low voice as his breath brushed against the boy's ear. "I promise."

He felt Stiles shudder against him – could practically hear his resolution crumbling. Finally, "All right. Just… just my back."

"Just your back," he agreed, stepping away once more.

Stiles eyed Derek carefully, as if any sudden movement would make the older boy retract his statement and make him attack. In all honesty, Derek thought about doing just that, but ultimately remained put like the good boyfriend he wanted to prove himself to be.

Tentatively, Stiles moved to the tub, opening the water tap and flicking the switch for the shower. He glanced over his shoulder, as if to make sure Derek was still staying put. Then, the younger boy thumbed the waistband of his shorts, hesitating just a moment before shoving them down. Much to Derek's delight, he had been right - Stiles had been going commando. He smiled to himself, enjoying the view - at least for the brief amount of time that it lasted. Stiles didn't waste another second. He hurried into the tub and yanked the curtain closed. "Shit- that's cold!" Derek heard him hiss, making the older boy chuckle.

Derek slipped his jacket off, anticipating his task to come. He tossed it haphazardly on the toilet seat, waiting for Stiles' cue.

"Okay," Stiles said slowly, peeking from behind the curtain. His back was already to Derek before he tugged at the barrier between them. He had adjusted the showerhead to aim elsewhere, to keep the splashing to a minimum.

Derek took another second to fully appreciate his boyfriend's backside. His eyes followed the trails of blue over the curve of a tight butt down to where they streaked firm thighs. It was all Derek could do to stop from pawing at the skin, to finally touch what had eluded him thus far. Instead, he took a step forward, until the toes of his sneakers were pressed up against the side of the tub, as close as he was allowed in their current situation. Derek brought a hand up to lay it tenderly on Stiles' hip, drawing small circles with his thumb.

"Mmm… Derek…"

The sound gave Derek a heady feeling. Unable to resist, he leaned into Stiles, the front of his shirt growing damp from pressing against the wet skin. He nuzzled the back of Stiles' neck, following the firm muscle down to the boy's shoulder, leaving a trail of kisses in his wake. He heard another little moan escape Stiles' mouth as he titled his head in the opposite direction, exposing more skin to the hungry man. Derek accepted his gift gratefully, nibbling at it before licking it softly.

"My… my back… Derek…"

With a determined restraint he wasn't aware he had, Derek forced himself to pull back, but only just. With his free hand, he placed it on Stiles' shoulder, trailing down the boy's arm to the soapy loofa in his grasp, all the while planting gentle kisses down the boy's neck. He took the loofa from Stiles, sparing a second to entwine their fingers before releasing his hold and setting to work.

Delicately at first, Derek ran the sponge over the expanse of Stiles' back, before pressing more firmly in swooping circles, doing his best to remove the blue trails. They seemed to bleed off the pale skin, disappearing in sudsy swirls down the drain. Derek attacked the more stubborn stains, hoping his touch was firm but not too abrasive.

Stiles' breathing had gone heavy, and although Derek couldn't exactly see from where he was standing, he knew without a doubt in his mind what sort of state his boyfriend must be in. Just touching Stiles like this was already making Derek's jeans feel a bit too tight. Satisfied with his work, he placed both his hands back on Stiles' hips, leaning back against the boy, undisturbed by the soap marring his shirt.

"You know," Derek breathed into the boy's ear. "This might've been a lot easier if you just asked me to join you…" He made the fatalistic move of breathing in Stiles' fresh scent as the boy shuddered against him. This new body wash, he mused… "It's citrus."

Without another moment's hesitation, Derek's lips were back on Stiles' neck. He dropped the loofa onto the floor of the tub, freeing his hands to explore the expanse of Stiles' chest. He trailed him all over- one had sweeping across the boy's stomach, the other grazing up to play with the hairs that had taunted him minutes ago before moving to thumb over a hard nipple. He stroked over it a few times before pinching it lightly between his fingers, making Stiles gasp. Derek took the opportunity to turn the boy's head as best he could in a sloppy kiss. His hands moved down the water-slick skin, down the lean chest, over the flat stomach, teasing the happy trail further down as it led to Derek's ultimate goal. He could practically feel the heat emanating from what was sure to be Stiles' erection the closer he came to his goal. He wanted to touch it. Wanted to feel its weight in his hand. Wanted to stroke it in all manners –fast and rough, slow and gentle – until Stiles was groaning out his name in pure ecstasy. Derek wanted Stiles.

Just as Derek was going to make the final move to grasp what he felt was truly his, Stiles let out another gasp, pulling himself forward and out of Derek's hold. "You- you said you'd behave," Stiles growled out, though his voice was tinged with desperation. He quickly grabbed a towel on the rack and wrapped it around his waist before pushing Derek towards the door. "You're evil and now I'm fucking horny and it's all your fault and I'm not gonna do this while I'm blue, damn it, despite whatever fetish you have for smurfs! We're gonna do this tomorrow like we said and my God Derek, your hands should be illegal, and now I'm blue for a different reason and fuck! I'm gonna KILL Jackson! This isn't fair-"

Anything else Stiles said after his rant was cut off as the younger boy pushed Derek out the apartment door, shutting the door firmly behind him.

Derek grinned against the door, pressing his forehead against the hard wood, trying to catch his breath. "Stiles," he called, firmly, sure the boy was still standing on the other side.

It was quiet for a beat. Then, "yeah?"

Derek smiled. "I can't wait for tomorrow."

He could also see Stiles' smile in return. "Me neither."

"Finish your shower. Get every bit of it off," he commanded. He doubted he could wait another day to touch the boy he had fallen head over heels in love with, blue or no blue. "And Stiles," he paused.

"Yeah?"

"Don't touch it. It's mine now."

"Evil!"

Derek just grinned again and headed for the elevator. He was vaguely aware of any neighbors that might've eavesdropped just then, but he found he couldn't bring himself to care. His shirt was a mess and he'd left his jacket in the bathroom, but he didn't mind that either. He figured the chilled air of winter would help his own heated self calm down as he walked home, feeling smug and eager.

Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough.

Notes: I had no intention of splitting this in half, but then as I was approaching 20k words with still more that needed to be written out, I looked over what I had already and realized that this would actually be a good place to split. Unfortunately, had I only realized this sooner, you probably could've had this chapter a lot sooner as well. But I suppose that just means the actual last chapter will come sooner now that I have a good portion of it written out.

A lot of people seemed to believe that the story had already ended, and I guess that had a lot to do with me not updating for a while. So I apologize for that. But I'll let you know now that there is one chapter left until this story is done. But fret not, readers of fanfiction. There will be more of this 'verse to come. There will be a sequel, but before the sequel will be a collection of short side-stories, which will include stuff like Christmas with the Sheriff and Laura's wedding. Not to mention the extras with the others' POVs (yes, those too will be worked on despite the lack of updates).

Also, if you couldn't tell, the next chapter will be rather… explicit. So… yeah. Head's up.