Preface
There's a cup with his name on itPosted originally on the Archive of Our Own at /works/2049750.
Rating:
Teen And Up Audiences
Archive Warning:
No Archive Warnings Apply
Category:
M/M
Fandom:
Teen Wolf (TV)
Relationship:
Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski
Character:
Derek Hale, Stiles Stilinski, Erica Reyes, Scott McCall, Sheriff Stilinski
Additional Tags:
Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, Getting Together, Love at First Sight, Flirting, Pining, Derek makes pastries, Fluff, Kissing, Alive Vernon Boyd & Erica Reyes
Stats:
Published: 2014-08-05 Words: 5288
There's a cup with his name on it
by hellodickspeight
Summary
The sight before him is breathtaking. Wide opened whiskey eyes searching above his head, pink lips slightly parted, tongue wetting them as he considers his choice, messy brown hair sticking in every direction, moles dotting a pale skin, Derek can't wait to ask for his name.
A soulmate AU where people have the first name of their soulmates written on their body.
Notes
You should probably know I never made turnover I'm sorry I wrote them like sort of little pies so there's that~
I hope you have fun reading, I had fun writing this
(also this is unbeta'd and written on my phone so sorry for probable mistakes)
There's a cup with his name on it
The sight before him is breathtaking. Wide opened whiskey eyes searching above his head, pink lips slightly parted, tongue wetting them as he considers his choice, messy brown hair sticking in every direction, moles dotting a pale skin, Derek can't wait to ask for his name.
"There's really a whole lot of choice," the guy before him says, eyes flicking to Derek's as they reflect gold. A smirk hangs easily on his lips now and Derek feels like he's suffocating.
"Yeah," he says stupidly after a minute or two, when he remembers to reply.
"Got any suggestions ?"
Derek may have suggestions. They may not be about coffee, though.
"I don't know what you like," he replies helpfully.
"I'm a pretty open guy," the guy smirks and Derek probably imagine the flirty tone the guy used.
It's wishful thinking, is what it is.
"I can make you my favorite," Derek tries to shrug easily.
The guy breaks into a grin as if it's the best suggestion Derek could ever make.
"I'd love to try that, yeah."
Derek nods, says "I hope you like it sweet" as he types in his favorite coffee in the register, feeling the guy's gaze on him as he does. Too concentrated on not looking at the other, he types in the wrong price, making it two dollars cheaper than what it usually is. Derek doesn't care. It's his shop, he decides he can deal with it.
When he's done, the guy pays him with a smile and Derek's heart starts pounding nervously in his chest when he asks "What's your name ?"
The guy's surprise is shown by his eyebrows rising to meet his hairline.
It's not like you can't ask someone's name, but people usually doesn't, not after a not even a five minutes talk between customer and an employee, anyway.
"It's so you'll get the good cup," Derek clarifies, feeling himself blush a little bit.
It's not only because of this. There's not even enough people to justify this. Derek just needs to know his name, needs to know if it fits the one he has written on his back. Derek feels like this guy could be his soulmate. He doesn't usually qualify strangers of breath taking, so there's that.
He sees it in slow motion when the guy opens his mouth to speak, but hears it loud and clear when he says "It's Stiles".
Derek feels something in him break, it's a weird sensation, as disappointment take over. He forces himself to smile, nods politely and starts writing it on the cup.
When Stiles goes to leave with Derek's favorite coffee, Derek calls for him, shouts "You should tell me what you thought of it, one day !"
"I will," Stiles smirks again.
That sounds like a promise. Derek shouldn't wish that hard that he keeps it.
Stiles comes back at the coffee shop the day after. Derek's back starts to hitch where the birthmark telling who is his soulmate is is. He takes it as a reminder that Stiles is not it.
He's scratching the name written lightly on his back absently when Stiles leans on the counter, resting on his elbows.
"That coffee," he starts directly, "was amazing, but I'm pretty sure my coworkers all wanted my death. Do you have something less sugary, for my coworkers's sake ?"
Derek is mesmerized by Stiles' eyes once more, but he shouldn't, he snaps himself out of it.
"Yeah, of course," he says. "What do you want ?"
"I like the spicy taste in the last one." Stiles' smirk is back full force. Derek wants to kiss it away. "Make me something with it, get creative."
He winks at Derek, long eyelashes captivating Derek's attention. Derek tries to think about his soulmate, somewhere. The person made for him, the one that completes him.
He knows you don't have to be with your soulmates. Lots of people are doing fine, living with someone they weren't destined. You can fall in love with other people. It's just, it's not the same.
Derek can't help but remember the love his parents had to each other, the complicity and trust, and he wants that to himself. There is nothing as right and as perfect than finding his true love, he knows it.
That is why he thinks about that person very hard, feels the mark hitch again on his back and barely looks at Stiles as he makes him a coffee with a hint of cinnamon, vanilla and maple syrup. He feels Stiles' eyes on him as he moves but it doesn't let it touch him and he makes up a price as he goes.
"I hope this will satisfy your coworkers, too," he says as he hands the cup with Stiles' name written on it.
"I'll let you know," Stiles promises again.
Not that Derek notices specially, but he remarks that Stiles doesn't come in the following days. Derek continues to serve his customers, smiles at them and gives free pastries to his favorites ("You're not supposed to have favorite customers, Derek !" Laura always used to tell him. It's not his fault Mrs.McCall was his mother's friend and totally loves his apple turnover. His mom would actually be offended if he made her payfor said turnover.)
They're calm and slow days and he uses them to create more sort of coffee, more pastries while Erica serves the customers. After many tries, he finds the perfect combination for the coffee he had made Stiles on the second day, and he adds it on the menu. Erica shouts him a knowing look, he told her what happened.
"Did you seriously create a coffee for him ? How are you going to name it ? 'Stiles' ?" She tells him with a wolfish smile, the one she almost always wear.
"Don't make me fire you," he replies back, knowing that she knows the threat is empty.
"Der-bear," she starts with sympathy, picking the nickname from Laura, "you saw this guy two times."
He knows.
"I know. I can't explain this."
'This' being the pinning. The checking at the door every time the bell rings above it, announcing new customers. The new coffee in the menu. The new pastry with cinnamon in it. He can't explain this, wishes he didn't feel like this.
Derek tries to not think of Stiles, tries to not think of his rosy cheeks and warm eyes, tries to think of his soulmate, but it's hard to think of someone when you never met them.
He sighs, thinks that he's screwed, rolls dough. The bell rings and he looks up as he usually does, these days. He's disappointed when he sees a guy with dark, fluffy hair, that looks nothing like Stiles. He continues to roll the dough, letting Erica do her job. He hears her greeting the guy, him telling his order.
"Also, I kinda owe my friend a coffee but--" the guy stops and Derek looks up again, "he told me that this guy worked there, that he made him a coffee a few days ago, said he wanted this one. I just don't know which one is it, and I guess you don't know ?"
The guy looks at Erica with a sorry smile. Derek's feels his heart beating fast as he connects the dotes.
"Well, actually, I might have an idea which one it is," he hears Erica says. "We have this new coffee, there. It has cinnamon, vanilla and maple syrup. My boss created it recently."
"Oh, yeah, cinnamon, that must be it. I'll take one, please."
Erica nods, makes it quickly and makes the guy pay, then he leaves with his coffee and Stiles'. Derek stares at the door for a minute, before Erica comes join him and throws flour at his face.
"Looks like he liked the coffee," she smirks.
The cinnamon pastry turns out to be a success, even Mrs.McCall accepts to try one. The coffee, not so much, but Derek doesn't care. He really made it for Stiles.
The door opens. Derek freezes when he looks over and sees Stiles walking in. He had been hoping, but Stiles hadn't come in over a week so he wasn't exactly expecting it.
Stiles is wearing an easy smile, one that makes Derek's stomach twist. Derek stares as Stiles looks over the menu, his eyes growing wide.
"You really added it to your menu," he says in surprise. Then, a familiar smirk appears on his lips. "I'm touched, really."
Derek kind of wants to roll his eyes at that. He kind of want to kiss that smirk away, too.
"I made a pastry to go with it," Derek finds himself saying. He didn't mean to say it, thought he could let Stiles discovers it by himself so it doesn't sound like 'I also created a pastry for you', but the words left his mouth and Stiles is looking surprised again.
"Really ? I might want to try it, then."
"One coffee and one pastry ?"
Stiles nods, the corner of his mouth turning up slightly.
Derek puts the pastryin a plate, asking Stiles silently if he's going to eat here. Stiles nods again and Derek then makes his coffee in a mug, making the foam even foamier and the putting a little bit more cinnamon on it. When Stiles pays and sees the price, he frowns when Derek gives him the pastries.
"It's on me." Derek always gives free dessert to his favorite customers.
"You're way too kind to me, buddy," Stiles replies.
He looks behind him and, when he sees there's no one there, stays at the counter. He looks at Derek for a while before taking a sip of his hot drink.
"Is it your café, then ?" Derek nods in response. "It's cool. I noticed it a while ago, but I could never come in. I was always late or like, trying to save a life or something."
"You saved lives ?"
"Yeah, well, sort of. My dad's mostly, by checking what goes in his stomach, and Scott's sometimes when he's having a crisis because of love. It happens a lot," Stiles adds with a fond smile. "Maybe I said that to impress you, so you'd think I'm a cop or something. But then you actually asked and I couldn't lie to you."
Derek's heart swells, feels warmth travelling in his whole body as he feels affection and fondness for Stiles, things he shouldn't feel, probably, but still does. Stiles wanted to impress him. Stiles couldn't lie to him. Give Stiles an hour, and Derek might stop believing in true love, especially when Stiles is there and gives him every reason not to.
"Being able to take care of the people we love is pretty impressive," Derek mentions.
Stiles does a double take, seems surprised again and Derek likes that he can surprise him that way. He looks pleased, then, his eyes growing warmer.
"I'm gonna taste that, now," he shows the dessert, brings it to his mouth. He bites in it and his eyes closes as he looks like he's tasting the single most delicious thing in the world and, fuck. This is indecent. "That's so cinnamon-y. Dude, you so get me."
"Sorry, did you order anything ?" A voice says behind Stiles and both he and Derek looks at the person it belongs. Derek didn't even hear the bell, too lost in Stiles, Stiles, Stiles.
"Oh my god, I'm so sorry," Stiles apologies, becoming red and taking his order quickly. He moves aside, winks at Derek. "I'll find myself a table."
Derek wants to tell him okay, my break is in a few, even though it's not entirely true, Erica isn't even there yet, but the new customer comes closer, leans on the counter exactly as Stiles does, but not exactly like he does. Derek almost asks him to stand straight.
He takes the order of the customer, makes the coffee more out of habit than anything as he looks over at Stiles, still eating the dessert like it's the best fucking thing in the world. The guy leaves, then the door opens again and Erica comes in. She smiles at him and goes in the back where he joins her.
"Hey, Derek."
"Erica, take my place, now."
"But I start in fifteen minutes," she frowns.
"I'm your boss, you start now," he tries to sound bossy. He knows he failed when she laughs lightly.
"Nice try, boss. I'll do it anyway, Der-bear." She pats his cheek. He replies with a roll of eyes.
Derek prepares himself his favorite coffee, searches Stiles, fearing he might have been gone when he doesn't see him at the table he was before. He finds him in another one, farther from the counter than the previous one. He takes a deep breath and joins him.
"Knew you'd come with me," Stiles seems pleased.
"You got lucky, my employee arrived before her shift started."
"Does that mean you ask her to work earlier to be with me ? Did you want to be with me that much ?" Stiles' eyes are intense at this light, liquid and golden and his nose his covered in light freckles. Derek can't believe someone can be that beautiful.
"Yeah," he admits finally with a knot in his throat.
"I'm really glad," Stiles replies. "So, what were we saying ? Oh, yeah, I save lives. It's my talent. My dad is a cop, actually, so it might comes from him. I'm really an accountant."
"You look young to be an accountant," Derķek escapes, then feels horrified. Stiles doesn't, though, he laughs it off.
"Yeah, I am a bit, I guess. But numbers get me," he shrugs. "Aren't you a little old to be barista ?" He jokes, a playful light in his eyes.
"I wasn't one before," Derek replies anyway. "I took over my sister's coffee. Now it's mine and I can't bring myself to let it go."
Stiles seems to understand that Laura is gone. He doesn't ask about it.
"What did you want to do, before ?"
"I was going to be a laywer," Derek smiles.
"That could have been awesome," Stiles comments. Derek feels pleased that Stiles agrees to his first choice of career.
"Quite the conversation you had with Stiles," Erica smirks at him, later. "You owe me two hours double."
"One hour double," Derek says back before he realizes it. It's too late, though. Erica looks smug, she knows she won. Derek wonders who's the boss and who's the employee between them. More often than not, it looks like she is the boss. It's not wonder she was Laura's best friend.
"So what did you talk about ? Spill everything," she orders him.
Derek shrugs. "Life."
"That is not spilling everything, Derek Hale," Erica scolds. "I saw you laugh a few times," she adds, voice softer than before, when he doesn't say anything.
"He's funny," he nods. "Caring, also."
"Does he match ? I know we're not supposed to ask but, Derek, I've known youforever."
He thinks his silence his eloquent. Erica seems to get it, when she puts a warm hand on his arm and apologies.
Stiles and his friend Scott, the one with floppy hair that came a week ago, are talking at a table, drinking coffees and eating one cinnamon pastry each. Derek came to love making this pastry because the shop comes to smell really good, even his grumpier customers seemed happier.
He's trying not to eavesdrop, but they are talking loudly and excitably. Stiles shouts him a look now and then, and he always smiles brightly, and Derek's heart stopped a dozen of time ready. He can't help listening in when he hears the word "soulmates".
"I'm pretty sure it's her," Scott says. "I knew it before knowing her name."
"I'm happy for you, Scotty," Stiles answers with a lazy smile.
"And you ?"
"You know I don't exactly care about my soulmate."
Derek's heart gets excited at these words, before he actually remembers that he does. He really does care about his soulmate. He stops listening, doesn't look at Stiles in the hour he and Scott stay there as guilt trips him.
He's cutting apples for fresh turnover when Stiles clears his throat at the counter.
"Yeah ?" He calls without looking up.
"Just wanted to say bye. Also, I hope we can have a second date, soon."
Derek does look up at that, surprised. "We had a first date ?"
"I like to count that time you joined me and had coffee with me as our first date," Stiles shrugs.
"You don't even know my name," Derek points out.
"I don't like to check with fate's agenda. I believe in free will. Anyway, see you. This looks delicious," he adds before joining Scott at the door.
Derek says 'thanks' in the air. He feels content as he thinks that he and Stiles had a first date. He smiles despite himself.
"You're so gone on him," Erica comments from the other side of the table where she's peeling apple. Derek takes an apple and throws it at her.
That probably makes them even after the flour she threw at him.
It's exactly 6 am when Stiles comes that morning and Derek barely has the time to unlock the door before he storms in, looking still half asleep and lets himself lean on the counter. Derek looks at him with raised eyebrows and makes Stiles his coffee before he actually orders it.
"So good to me," Stiles mumbles once he sees it. He takes a big gulp, drinking what seems like half the coffee all at once despite it being hot.
"Hard to wake up ? It's the first time you come that early," Derek remarks.
"Didn't want to be rushed, this time." Stiles' smile is small, intimate. Derek wonders if he would ever stop feeling for this man.
"Well take your time, people usually comes later, closer to 7."
"Why are you opening so early, then ?"
"I don't like to be rushed, either."
Derek puts his apron on, ties it and washes his hands. He then takes apples, starts peeling them. Stiles watches him with curiosity, head in hand, but doesn't talk. Derek likes it, being with Stiles without any of them talking. He also likes when Stiles talks so much he's not even sure what he's talking about, but Derek is more of a quiet guy and this is good.
Caffeine kicks in sooner than later in Stiles' system though, and he's awake enough to actually function. Without Derek realizing, Stiles comes on the other side of the counter, washes his hands, and takes a knife.
"My mom made really good turnover," he shares. "That's why I didn't taste yours. Don't want to forget hers, you know ? I don't need to, in the end. You made me that dessert with cinnamon."
"Yeah, I did," Derek admits. He doesn't see the point of lying.
"You're lucky I really love that spice," the other smirks.
"You're lucky I like you," Derek murmurs back. "Will I have to pay you for your help or are you volunteering ?" He asks, louder. "Because I'm pretty sure I'm already over paying Erica."
Stiles chuckles. "You can count this as our second date."
"How weird is it that all our dates are in my coffee shop ?"
"Hey, I get you how I can."
Derek doesn't know what to replies to that so he doesn't, but he can't hide his smile. Stiles smiles back at him. Derek only wants to give everything up and takes his face in his hands before kissing him stupid.
Which, yeah, would be really stupid.
Derek has trouble imagining someone more perfect for him. Can't imagine having more a pleasant time with somebody else. His heart clenches, he thinks about his soulmate. He wonders if he would be mad at him for choosing someone else. Fuck, he wants to choose Stiles so badly. His soulmate would probably understand. His mom and dad would have understood, too. Laura would have rolled her eyes and probably shoved him at Stiles, pushing him to kiss him already so he could stop pining.
He wants to tell Stiles about his family, wants to hear about Stiles' mother, and more than anything, that proves something. He wants to tell everything to this man he barely knows. He trusts him.
"This is pretty fun, too," Stiles says after a while. He cut all the apples, watches Derek covers them in lemon juice, a bit of brown sugar and, yeah, cinnamon. They're a good mix.
Derek prepares the dough quickly, starts rolling it.
"Can I try ?" Stiles asks almost shyly.
"Yeah, sure," Derek smiles. "Come here. Did you roll dough before ?"
"It's been a while," Stiles replies, coming closer to Derek. "Years, actually."
Derek nods, tells Stiles to take the rolling pin. "Put flour on it so it doesn't stick, then start from the middle and roll to the top. Come down."
He gives advises and Stiles listens to them, works the dough correctly. His tongue comes out of his mouth from the concentration and Derek shouldn't find this that appealing.
When it's done, they cut it in squares, fill them with apples and fold them in triangles. Stiles puts a little bit of sugar on them before Derek puts the plate in the oven.
"That was really nice," Stiles smiles. "How long before they're done ?"
"Twenty minutes."
Stiles looks at the clock and gasps.
"I'm going to be late, I'm so sorry," Stiles says. He goes back at the other side of the counter, takes a bag Derek hadn't notice before. "Oh my god, I'm full of flour," he laughs.
"Wait," Derek stops him from leaving. He prepares another coffee quickly and offers it to Stiles.
"Dude, I didn't even pay the first one."
"Come on, take it."
"Stop trying to buy my heart with free deliciousness." Stiles takes the coffee anyway.
"Is it working ?"
"Yeah, maybe," Stiles smirks, stares at Derek for one beat too long, then he's gone.
Derek tastes one of the turnover he made with Stiles. It's the best one he made in years. It actually reminds him of Laura's, so he reserves himself another one.
Stiles comes back the day after at 6 am exactly. He drinks a coffee, wakes up a bit, joins Derek in the kitchen and helps him. They work silently most of the time, opens up more in the last half an hour, shares about their lives. Stiles laughs when Derek tells him about Laura and Erica siding against him. Derek smiles when Stiles tells him about how Scott and him are best friend since forever. When Stiles leaves full of flour again, Derek thinks about lending him an apron.
There's something with sharing his morning with Stiles that makes Derek happy for the rest of the day. Erica doesn't hesitate to laugh at him the most she can, but he knows it's with fondness.
"Be careful," she warns him once. "If he's not the one..."
"I think I don't care anymore," he admits.
Erica looks surprised but she grins widely, encouraging him. Derek is surprised, too, by how relieved he feels to choose something, finally, and to admit it freely.
Derek can't wait to see Stiles and do something about his choice.
His heart is pounding hard the next time he sees Stiles. It's on a Sunday, and yet Stiles still comes at 6 am, even of Derek knows he doesn't work on weekends. They prepare a new batch of turnover, Stiles almost knowing the recipe by now when he says :
"I could show you my mom's recipe, one day."
Derek stops, looks over to him and feels warm all over.
"Yeah ? I'd love that," he replies. He knows how much this mean to Stiles, how this recipe is sacred to Stiles. Kind of like his is sacred to him.
"Cool," Stiles says with that little shy, intimate smile that Derek prefers over his smirks because he has the feeling this one is for him only.
"Why do you wake up so early, Stiles ?" He asks out of the blue, stops what he's doing.
"You know why," Stiles replies easily, continues cutting the dough into square. "I don't like to be rushed before work."
"You don't even work today. Didn't yesterday either."
"Maybe I'm doing overtime ?" Stiles laughs. "Why do you ask ?"
Derek takes a deep breath, knows this is his opportunity to say something about his decision. "Maybe because these mornings are the best moment of my day and I wish you feel the same about them."
Stiles stops what he's doing, finally, and looks at Derek. His mouth is opened in surprise and Derek is going to die if he doesn't say anything.
"Fuck, yeah, I do," he breathes. "I come in here every mornings because you make my day."
Derek lets go of his spoon, walks to Stiles who turns around so his front his toward him and Derek takes his face in his hands like he daydreamed about.
"I'm going to kiss you," he whispers. He feels Stiles' nod more than he sees it.
"Do it."
He does.
They ends up in the bathroom when Stiles tugs at Derek's t-shirt to take it off.Derek feels numb from all the kisses, the firework kisses, the butterflies in my belly kisses, the desperate kisses, the soft kisses and the nibbles at your lips kisses. Kissing Stiles feels like breathing and drowning at the same time. Derek is glad sundays means slow day because he could kiss him all day.
Stiles' body is against his, warm and alive, and Derek doesn't want him to leave his sides so soon. He noses at Stiles' jaw, breathes in scent as Stiles struggles to get out of his own t-shirt, when there's someone knocking on door of the bathroom.
They both stop out of breath and look at the door.
"What ?" Derek asks after clearing his throat.
"Stop doing whatever you're doing with Stiles and come work, there's people and I have no turnover to give them," Erica orders him. "I give you five minutes, you better look decent."
"Yeah, boss," he replies with a laugh. Stiles chuckles and Derek looks at him with a smile.
When Erica doesn't say anything, he assumes she's gone and he take his t-shirt on the floor. He hears Stiles gasps behind him as he's back to him.
"Oh my god, oh my god," Stiles escapes.
Derek looks at him with raised eyebrows. "Everything okay ?"
"I still don't know your name," Stiles says quickly. "And you don't know my real one."
Derek frowns at that. "Is Stiles not your real-"
"Are you named Derek ?" Stiles cuts him, looking almost hopeful and serious, big eyes open widely. Derek doesn't know what is happening.
"Yeah, how do you-" he cuts himself short when Stiles shows him the crook of his elbow for apparently no reason. Then, he sees it. It's faint, just under the crook, the name of Stiles' soulmate. Derek. "What is- what- I don't get it. If you're not named Stiles, then what is your real name ?"
"I think you know, Derek." Derek already likes the way Stiles says his name.
Then he realises. He has a name on his back, one that is unpronounceable. One that he reached to whenever he was feeling for Stiles, thinking he couldn't have this because Stiles is not his soulmate. Turns out, he can.
"You're my soulmate," he breathes. "Oh my god." He laughs, feels like he's about to burst open from happiness. Stiles is his soulmate.
Stiles laughs, too, then grabs him and kisses him hard. Derek can feel his smile against his lips.
"Derek !" Erica calls from outside. "I need turnovers !"
Derek brings Stiles home that day. He jokes, says they need at least one date that isn't at his coffee shop. They make out on the couch, the movie they were watching all but abandoned.
After an eternity, they cuddle and Stiles tells him why he had stopped looking out for his soulmate.
"When I was younger, I got obsessed with your name. I used to befriend all Dereks that crossed my path because it was on my skin, also I thought it sounded so cool. I didn't know about soulmates yet," he says. "My mom was always telling me she would explain everything to me when I'd be old enough, but when I got old enough she wasn't there anymore. I just- I let all of this go, you know ?" Stiles sighs. "I didn't see the point anymore. My mom always made it sound so magical. With her gone, it lost its magic."
"And now ?"
"Now, it's magic again."
"I agree," Derek whispers back.
"You'll have to tell me how to say your real name, one day," Derek says as they make turnover.
"Why ?" Stiles snorts. "I'd rather you call me Stiles."
"It's on my skin. I should know how to say it. Where does it even come from ?"
"It's Polish. And I'll tell you how to say it only when you'll need to know it."
"When will I ever need to know it ?" Derek wonders.
"On the day of our wedding, duh," Stiles smirks.
Stiles always could take his breath away.
Stiles' dad comes in the coffee shop one morning. In his Sheriff uniforms and with his badge, he looks tall and impressive and Derek is almost intimidated by him. He orders a coffee, tastes it, seems to like it, which is a good point for Derek. He eyes the turnovers, looks back at Derek.
"You're Derek ?"
"Yes." Derek keeps it simple. He doesn't want to screw it up.
"Come over on Saturday," the Sheriff says. "Stiles will take you."
Derek nods and the Sheriff finally smiles at him, his face looking softer than before. He seems kind and way less scary than before.
When he leaves, Erica laughs at him so loudly, customers start to look at her weirdly.
"Should I make turn over to your dad ?" Derek worries at Stiles.
"Yeah, that's a good idea," Stiles smiles. "I'm going to teach you my mom's recipe, he'd be pleased."
They work on Claudia's recipe of turnover for two days before Derek gets it exactly right, before it gets the Stilinski Stamp of Approval, as Stiles says.
When the Sheriff tastes them, he closes his eyes and smiles widely. He thanks Derek and Stiles jokes on the way back about how Derek got the Papa Stilinski Stamp of Approval.
Stiles gradually, non-officially moves in at Derek's. It starts by his clothes growing everywhere, then a second toothbrush joining Derek's by the sink.
When they are living together more often than not for a few months, Derek buys a custom mug, red with Stiles' name written on it in white, a clin d'oeil of how they met. He puts a key of his apartment in it and gives it to Stiles.
Stiles looks at the mug, smiles, seems to catch the meaning. When he moves it and it makes a sound, he frowns until he sees the key, takes it.
"Oh my god, Derek," he breathes, holding on the key in his fist until it looks like it hurts. He hurries to kiss Derek.
Derek takes it as a 'yes'.
(Erica actually cries when he tells her Stiles is moving in with him. She tells him about how Laura would be so happy, too. She hugs him tightly before joining Boyd, Derek's new employee that works on the weekends so Derek can pass his with Stiles, on the working side of the counter.Derek doesn't say anything when he takes Erica's hand and gives her a napkin so she can dry her eyes.)
Afterword
Works inspired by this one
Please drop by the archive and comment to let the author know if you enjoyed their work!