Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf or any of the characters.
Author's note: Sorry it too me so long to post this chapter, uni has been crazy! But I've handed in all my coursework now so I should be able to post more regularly now.
Stiles helped Derek cook bacon and eggs for themselves and Cora, all the while bickering quietly about what their next move should be, being careful not to let Cora overhear. They both thought it would be best to tell as few people as possible about their situation until they knew the full story.
"In what world would Scott be able to give us any "real answers"?" Derek mocked, as he pulled the grill tray out to check on the bacon. "We need to find Deaton."
"Hey, give Scott some credit! He's a true alpha now," Stiles defended. "And besides, we're apparently four years in the future – which terrifies the shit out of me, by the way – so maybe he's gained some wisdom."
"Doubtful," was Derek's dry response. "Look, we'll go to Deaton first and then if it makes you feel better we'll find Scott after that, okay?"
"Fine," Stiles agreed reluctantly. Then he smirked and elbowed Derek playfully in the ribs, ignoring the scowl he received in return, "Look at us compromising, who'd have thought it, huh?"
"Shut up, Stiles."
They changed the topic of conversation when they heard Cora coming back downstairs after her shower.
"That smells so good," she groaned in ecstasy as she sat down at the big, mahogany dining table. "There's nothing better than bacon after a run in the morning."
After grilling them both about what moisturiser they had been using "because seriously, both of you are looking weirdly youthful", Cora began chattering about what was going on in her life while she ate her breakfast. Stiles and Derek paid careful attention to everything she was saying, hoping to collect any useful tidbits of information about the life they were in currently.
"Oh, Derek, I forgot to say," Cora said, swallowing down some food. "Isaac called this morning and asked if you need him to get anything for the barbecue on Saturday?"
Derek looked up at Cora, his eyebrows knitted together in confusion, "What barbecue?"
Cora fixed her brother with an exasperated look, "The pack barbecue that you've hosted every year since we all renovated the house, Derek."
At Derek's blank expression she set down her knife and fork in favour of leaning over the table and pointing her finger at her brother, "Don't tell me you've forgotten! You told everyone a few weeks ago that you were planning it for this Saturday. You know, two days from now."
Derek turned to Stiles and it took all of Stiles' strength not to cackle at the sheer horror in Derek's eyes.
"I think someone's still asleep," Stiles joked, pointing his thumb in Derek's direction. "He hasn't forgotten, we've got this covered. Just tell Isaac all he has to bring is his sweet self."
Standing to take their plates through to the sink, Cora shot them both a suspicious glance. It was clear that she was completely unconvinced by Stiles' reassurance.
"That better be the truth," she warned. "Because everyone, including me, is really excited for this barbecue."
~/~/~/~
"I would never agree to host a barbecue," Derek grumbled as they made their way into town to go to Deaton's clinic.
"Well, the Derek from this world did, so you'll just have to go with it," Stiles told him, enjoying Derek's obvious irritation. "Anyway, I'm looking forward to it. From what Cora said, it sounded like the entire pack will be coming, so it'll be awesome to get everyone together. Plus, if we're four years in the future that would make me twenty one which means I can drink beer and my dad can't confiscate it!"
"Oh my God," Derek groaned. "If this is your personality when you're sober I don't even want to imagine how annoying you'll be with a drink in you."
The witty retort Stiles had lined up died in his throat as the smell of freshly ground coffee wafted from the little coffee shop at the corner of the street that they were on.
"Oh man," Stiles said, breathing the scent deep into his lungs. "Just let me go in here and grab a coffee real quick."
"Stiles, in case you haven't noticed, we're stuck in a world that isn't our own," Derek hissed, looking around shiftily to make sure that no passersby could hear him. "We don't have time 'to grab coffee,'" he mimicked.
"Oh come on," Stiles scoffed and tugged Derek into the shop by his sleeve. "I'll only be five minutes and I'll even buy you something."
Stiles ignored Derek's grumbling as they stood in line in favour of letting his eyes roam around the quaint little coffee shop. There were big, overstuffed armchairs and little ebony coffee tables and the hand written menu boards behind the counter were hung up on a brick wall. Stiles liked it a lot; he could picture himself here, maybe sitting at the table in the corner next to the floor to ceiling window, typing on his laptop or just watching the people outside go by. Yeah, he thought, nodding his head slightly, I could spend time here.
Stiles was shaken out of his thoughts by Derek's voice deep and close to his ear asking, "Is this place here... at home?"
"No," Stiles answered. "Right now it's that new guy that's just moved into town and has turned the place into some slick, unisex hair salon. I heard ladies in the grocery stop bitching about how they would never stop having Wanda on Dumbarton Street do their hair. So I guess that guy's salon didn't take off."
Derek snorted, "A unisex hair salon must have been too city for the good folks of Beacon Hills."
Genuine laughter bubbled up out of Stiles as he nodded in agreement, "Yeah, it's crazy how opposed everyone in this town is to most of the modern world."
"Stiles!" The woman behind the counter smiled brightly at him as she tucked a gold curl behind her ear. "Oh, and Derek," she continued, locking eyes with Derek who was standing slightly behind Stiles. "How are you, sweetie? It's been too long since the last time you came in with Stiles."
Derek felt taken aback at the familiarity in the woman's voice and for one terrifying moment he felt totally unequipped to deal with the situation. He didn't know this woman. But she was calling him 'sweetie' and not in the way that annoying people who call everyone by pet names do, he could tell she really knew him. It was in the warmth of her hazel gaze and the deliberate way she gifted the endearment to him. They were friends, he realised. In this world this woman was his friend. He glanced quickly at her name badge and moved forward.
"I'm good, Clare," he answered with a small smile, trying to sound as natural as he possibly could. "I've been trying to cut back on my caffeine intake."
Clare nodded, grinning. "I often think this one should do the same," she joked, turning her focus to Stiles. "You're in here so much I honestly wonder how you get any sleep."
"Giving up sleep is worth it for really great coffee," Stiles told her, and he meant it; there wasn't much that Stiles enjoyed more than a good cup of coffee.
"Well I'm glad you think so," Clare said. "Because it would be really terrible if my favourite customer stopped coming in."
It didn't take Stiles long to decide that he liked Clare, and not just because his future self already liked her enough to frequent her coffee shop all the time. She was one of those people who just made you feel welcome and at ease, hell; she even had Derek smiling a bit. Stiles pondered over what age she was. She looked older than him and maybe even a little bit older than Derek. He guessed she was in her mid 30s at the oldest.
A slim, dark haired man in jeans and a white t-shirt came out of the back room of the shop and waved at Derek and Stiles. A gold wedding band matching the one on Clare's hand glinted from his ring finger.
"Hey, guys. You having the usual today?"
Stiles glanced at Derek who nodded at the man, "That would be great, thanks."
They chatted about their plans for the day as Clare's husband, who they now knew from his name tag was called Kevin, poured their coffees and packed up two pastries for them.
After paying and tipping their new/old friends generously they turned to leave, pausing in the middle of the shop to taste their coffees.
"So what's your usual then?" Stiles asked, enjoying the look of surprised appreciation on Derek's face.
"I don't actually know. I don't drink coffee," he answered before taking another sip. "It's something with caramel, anyway."
"How did I not know that you have a sweet tooth?" Stiles wondered aloud, trying and failing to picture Derek digging into candy bars and caramel sundaes.
Derek shrugged and began to walk towards the shop exit, "There's a lot of things you don't know about me."
Stiles' first instinct was to disagree but he realised it was probably true; it wasn't like he'd spent much time with Derek when they weren't in life threatening danger. He didn't know anything about Derek's personal life or his likes and dislikes and it surprised Stiles just how bothered he was by that. The desire to know more about Derek was overwhelming and a thousand different questions began to race through Stiles' mind, but he didn't get a chance to ask any of them. He was stunned into silence by the sight of the witch sitting at the table nearest the door, sipping on a latte and watching them intently.
A/n: I hope you all enjoyed that! If you have tumblr my url is warriorhale so you should come talk to me!