Work Text:
Derek hates going to the store, especially right before Christmas. It's the Christmas Eve, and as Derek drives around the Target parking lot searching for a parking place - any parking place, dear god - he dreads what the store will be like. It's an hour before the store closes, and it's packed.
Inside, it's worse than he imagined. The cacophony attacks his senses, and every time he tries to inhale to gain control, he's bombarded with unpleasant smells. It takes everything he has not to wolf out right here in the lobby of Target.
He curses his mother and his siblings as he makes his way through the people towards the toy section. Laura had thought of a last minute present for her son, and Cora had thought of a last minute thing she had to have for her kids, and his mother needed something because, her words, "I got everyone the same number of gifts except for Erin, and I can't be uneven with my grandkids." And since Derek has no kids, that apparently means his family thinks he has nothing better to do, so Derek somehow got charged with the task of "last minute shopping."
He really hates his family.
A young kid bumps into him, and Derek growls low in his chest. The kid must hear it, because he glances terrified at Derek and then runs away. Derek grins. That definitely lightens his mood.
That lasts all the way until he gets to the toy section. The aisles are like The Hunger Games, with people crammed together, reaching over one another, and searching frantically for presents.
Derek hates his family, and he hates how damn materialistic Christmas has become. It's Christmas Eve, for fuck's sake. Don't these people have better things to do? He knows he does, but he doesn't want to face the three angry werewolves if he came home empty handed.
Bracing himself, Derek enters the fray. He almost gets brained by a box a woman pulls down, and some guy hits him with a shopping cart. Derek presses against the shelves and closes his eyes. As he counts to ten to calm himself, a familiar scent hits his nose. Keeping his eyes closed, he inhales more deeply. He hasn't smelled the scent in ages, but he'd know it anywhere.
His eyes fly open and he glances down the aisle. Then his heart does something weird in his chest. Stiles.
Derek doesn't move from his spot against the shelves, even when someone curtly tells him to move. He just stares at the man standing only a few feet away from him.
Derek hasn't seen Stiles in a couple of years, and before that, it had only been briefly around town at holidays. They're Facebook friends, but Derek never gets on, so he doesn't even know what Stiles is up to.
Stiles looks good, better than he had when they dated. Not that Stiles was bad looking when they dated, but they were only sixteen to eighteen then, and now Stiles is an adult. He wears the years well. He's still lean, his hair longer and styled differently than the last time Derek saw him. It's flatter now, and somehow softer, and Derek hates the way he immediately wants to touch it. He's wearing close-fitting jeans, a navy wool coat, and a scarf loosened around his neck.
Something hits Derek in the head, and he turns to glare. An elderly lady gives his glare a run for its money, and she mutters "asshole" under her breath as she walks away. Derek turns back towards where Stiles is studying the shelves, mumbling to himself.
"She doesn't like that anymore, but I don't know if that is...well, she's too old for that, and too young for that, and what about...fuck, where is that list Allison gave me?" Stiles pats his pockets, and Derek finally gathers his courage and approaches him.
"This is the last place I thought I'd see you," Derek says as he stops beside Stiles.
Derek obviously startles Stiles and he jumps, then his features twist in exaggerated surprise before a huge grin spreads across his face. "Oh my god, Derek!" Stiles steps towards him and wraps him in a quick hug, and Derek tries not to press his face into Stiles' neck. "It's so good to see you!"
"You, too," Derek says as Stiles pulls away.
Derek and Stiles dated through high school. They went to two proms together and Stiles lost his virginity to Derek. Stiles was the first person that Derek was ever involved with that knew Derek was a werewolf (mostly due to Stiles figuring it out because he was just too clever and curious). Stiles ran with them on full moons and used to have long discussions (and arguments) about werewolf-human politics with his mother and Uncle Peter.
They'd still been together when they went to college, but Stiles had gone to Berkeley and Derek to UCLA, and it was just too hard to keep the relationship going with the distance. It was a mostly amicable breakup, and they've remained on speaking terms since.
Stiles was Derek's first love. And even now, nearly fifteen years later, Derek still cares about him a great deal. Every time he sees Stiles, there's a part of him that aches that they're no longer in each other's life.
"What are you doing here?" Stiles asks. "You didn't have a kid I somehow missed, did you?"
Derek chuckles. "No. Shopping for the kids. I was ordered to get important, must-have gifts for Mom, Laura, and Cora. Apparently, they think the kids don't have enough gifts."
"I'm shopping for Scott's daughter," Stiles explains. "I bought his son something because I can shop for boys, but I had no clue what to get Alyssa. So, I had to get Allison to give me ideas, which sucks. I'm the worst uncle ever. I mean, even my dad came up with gifts for her. But to my defense, he sees her often, and I don't."
Derek smiles as he listens to Stiles, and when Stiles stops talking, his cheeks pink and he scratches the back of his neck awkwardly. "Sorry, you didn't ask for a ramble."
Derek shakes his head with a smile. "Not a problem. I don't mind your ramblings."
"You never did," Stiles says with a soft smile. They stay locked like that for a few moments, and then Stiles turns awkwardly to the shelves. "Sooooo, I'm trying to figure something out."
"Does she even like comic book movies?" Derek asks as he steps beside Stiles to face the large display of action figures.
Stiles snorts. "She grew up with me as an important influence. Of course she does."
Stiles tells Derek about his life in San Francisco as he picks out a figure, and then Derek helps Stiles choose a game. Stiles asks Derek what he's been up to, but Derek doesn't have much to tell. He still lives in the house on the edge of the Preserve, he works with his dad at the auto shop, and he hangs out with his Pack.
"Sounds like you," Stiles smiles as they make their way through the masses. "Sounds good." Derek has picked up two of the gifts, and the closest thing to the other on the list that he could find. He doesn't care if Laura doesn't like it. That's what she gets for waiting until the last minute.
"Doesn't all this bother you?" Stiles asks as they make their way to the registers.
"Yes," Derek growls.
Stiles laughs. "Think I saw some blue flashing there. And..." Stiles leans closer to look at his chin. "Is that more hair?"
"Shut up," Derek says, no heat behind it. Stiles just laughs again.
They go through the self-serve lines, and Stiles talks the whole time. He still uses his hands to speak, nearly hitting Derek in the face a few times. Derek listens to every word, despite the tangents and sudden changes in conversation. He gets distracted by how animated Stiles' face is, and how comfortable Stiles is as he talks to Derek. There's no anxiety, no awkwardness. Stiles' scent is warm and curls down Derek's spine. Derek finds himself drifting closer and closer as they wait.
After they have both checked out, they walk outside together. The temperature is steadily dropping, and Derek pulls his leather jacket closer around him. He wishes he'd brought gloves. Stiles wraps his scarf around his neck more tightly and shivers.
"What are your plans for tomorrow?" Derek asks as he walks with Stiles towards his car even though it's on the opposite side of the parking lot. Even though it's late, he's not quite ready to leave Stiles just yet.
Stiles shrugs. "Tomorrow morning I'm going over to my dad's first thing, and we'll exchange presents, and then we'll go over to Scott's for breakfast with his family and the kids. Tonight, I probably need to bake something to take to Scott's tomorrow." Derek smiles, and Stiles asks, "What does your family have planned?"
Derek shrugs. "Similar. The family's at Mom and Dad's house now. I'm trying to decide if I want to stay there tonight or at my own house where it's quiet."
Stiles grins. "Your house is very loud."
"It's worse now with all the kids."
"I can imagine."
Once again, they stand there staring at one another, neither making a move to go. Derek doesn't know what it means that Stiles isn't leaving, doesn't want to analyze his own feelings too closely. The wind cuts through him, but he barely notices as he falls into Stiles' eyes.
Stiles breaks the silence first. "So, I guess I should - "
"Do you want to go get a drink?" Derek blurts. Stiles' eyes go wide in surprise, and Derek's heart pounds in his chest. He doesn't know why he asked, but he just doesn't want to say goodbye to Stiles. Not yet.
"Um, yeah, sure. Let me put this in the car, and we can go in yours?"
Derek nods, trying not to read too much into it. It's just a drink between two old friends. Derek waits with his hands stuffed inside the pockets of his jacket as Stiles stashes the bags in the back of his car.
"New car, I see," Derek says as they start walking across the parking lot. "It's nice."
"Yeah, I needed a bit of an upgrade. I mean, I still have the Jeep." Stiles places a hand over his chest. "I shall never part from my baby. No way." When they near Derek's car, Stiles bumps his shoulder. "I miss the Camaro."
Derek turns to Stiles and smiles. "I do, too."
"Sporty SUV totally fits you though. Camping, hiking, surfing, backpacking, kayaking. You do it all."
"How do you know that?" Derek asks as he clicks his fob and walks to the driver's side.
Inside, Stiles rubs his hands together. "Facebook. Laura and Cora post pictures of what you do even if you don't."
"I hate social media," Derek sighs as he backs out of the parking lot.
"Thanks to them, I can keep up with you."
Derek glances over at Stiles. "You could always ask."
Stiles shrugs and bites the side of his thumb awkwardly. "I guess it just seems weird to ask." He pauses, then adds, "But I like keeping up with you. I like knowing what you're doing."
Derek lets that information sink in, and he doesn't know what to say. He doesn't get on social media, so he doesn't keep up with anyone that way. He keeps up with Stiles through his family, through Scott and Allison, through the sheriff. They always tell Derek about Stiles when they cross paths in town, and Derek always hangs onto every word.
Derek knows he'll always love Stiles. Even though it's been over a decade, Derek still has feelings for Stiles. He knows he's ridiculous, and it's not like he's spent the years pining. He has had multiple relationships, almost got engaged once, but it always ended. Stiles has always been at the back of his mind, and he knows he'll never fully get over him. That much is plainly obvious the longer they share space and Stiles wraps himself around Derek's heart again.
"Was that weird?" Stiles asks, snapping Derek out of his thoughts. "That I said that? That I keep up with you? I didn't mean to make it weird."
"You didn't make it weird, Stiles," Derek assures him.
Stiles breathes a sigh of relief. "Good. I would hate that. I always feel comfortable with you. Isn't that weird? I mean, I know this is the most time we've spent together in like ten years, but you always feel so familiar and comfortable."
Derek's glad Stiles isn't a wolf so he can't hear the lurch in his chest.
The one bar in Beacon Hills is closed, and even the Applebee's is closed. "Well, shit," Stiles exclaims as Derek drives past the restaurant.
"It's Christmas Eve," Derek says in frustration. "I should have thought of that."
Stiles chews on his nail again, then says, "Go by the liquor store."
"What?" Derek turns to him, confused.
"Go by the liquor store, dude. We'll grab a 6-pack of beer and drink it in the car. We can still catch up and talk in your car, right?"
"Are you sure?" Derek asks as he makes a right to go towards the liquor store.
"Of course I'm sure. We're here, it's Christmas Eve. I wanna talk and drink beer."
The liquor store is open, so they go inside and argue about the brand. Derek finally relents and lets Stiles choose, and he triumphantly picks up a local brew's Christmas stout. Derek rolls his eyes when Stiles smugly tells him he made the right decision because he has better taste in beer.
"You don't know my taste in beer," Derek points out as they walk back to the car.
"I can imagine. Boring shit beer, like Budweiser, Coors, or Miller Lite."
"What? Opposed to your pretentious IPAs?"
"See? This right here proves my point," Stiles says as he closes the passenger side door.
Derek drives to the local park and parks the car near the large Christmas tree. The lamp posts have decorations attached made of garland and lights, and large light up scenes line the walking track nearby. The whole place feels festive.
Stiles reaches between his feet to grab two beers from the paper bag. He turns to Derek, and holds out the bottle with a smile. Derek's heart flutters.
Stiles gives him a bottle opener, and Derek pops the top off. Then, Stiles watches him as he takes a long sip from the bottle. Derek doesn't miss the way Stiles' eyes linger on his throat or the way he licks his lips absently. Derek feels his face heat up.
When Derek lowers the bottle, Stiles watches him eagerly. "So? What did you think?"
Derek shrugs. Nothing about the beer tastes special, even with the slight hint of spice he can detect. "Tastes like beer."
Stiles huffs, and shakes his head as he takes a drag from his own beer. "You're hopeless. Unsophisticated werewolf. You're supposed to have heightened senses. This is just sad."
"Shut up and drink your beer, Stiles."
"Are you still working with your dad?" Stiles asks.
Derek nods as he takes a pull, then swallows before responding, "Yep. Cora and I work with him full time."
"Did you ever build your vintage Camaro?"
"You remember that?" Derek asks, surprised. When he was sixteen, his parents had bought him a brand new Camaro. He and Stiles used to ride around in it for hours, listening to music and talking. Though Derek loved that car (and still misses it sometimes), his dream had been to rebuild a classic Camaro.
"Of course I remember. It was your big dream for like a year. It's all you talked about. You used to sit on my bed and read car magazines."
Derek shakes his head with a smile. "I didn't think you'd remember that."
"Why? Derek, we were together for two years. I didn't just forget everything as soon as we broke up." Derek studies Stiles closely, at the way Stiles is smiling fondly, the softness in his eyes, the way the Christmas lights from the tree reflect in his irises. "So," Stiles says after a moment. "Did you?"
"I did." Derek pulls his phone out of his pocket, opens up the gallery, and clicks on the correct folder. He then hands the phone to Stiles. "Here."
Stiles thumbs through the pictures, his face expressive with each new picture. "I can't believe you built this!"
"My dad and I found an old beat up one at a junk yard, so we bought it, rebuilt everything under the hood, redid the exterior, painted it, and completely gutted the interior. I tried to get as much authentic stuff as I could, but some of the parts are aftermarket."
Stiles glances up at him. "I have no clue what any of that means, so I'm just going to nod and say awesome." Derek's glad it's dark inside the car so Stiles can't see his blush. Stiles stops on a photo and stares at it for a moment. Then, he looks up at Derek and grins. "You look really hot in this photo."
"What?" Derek exclaims, and Stiles laughs delightedly.
"This one." Stiles hands the phone back to Derek. It's a photo of Derek leaning up against the car after it was finished. He's wearing a white tank top that's almost black with grease, and most of the rest of him is covered in grease, too. He's smiling widely.
"I was so happy," Derek recalls. "I had just finished it. I had literally just put the last thing together and Laura had to get a picture."
"Well, it's hot." Derek doesn't know how to respond, so he huffs in frustration. Stiles' laughter rings out in the car. "You're so cute when you're flustered."
"Shut up."
"I want to see it sometime."
Derek pockets his phone. "Anytime."
"Can you take me for a ride?"
"Of course."
"Can I drive it?"
"..."
"Derek!"
Derek sighs. "Fine. You can drive it if you want."
"I love how you can't say no to me." Derek rolls his eyes.
After they finish their last beers, Stiles opens the door. "What are you doing?" Derek asks like he's crazy.
Stiles turns around and leans back into the car. "I want to go around the walking track to look at the lights."
"It's freezing out there!"
"You're a wimp. You're a werewolf. You are so much warmer than me! Stop whining and get out here and look at Christmas lights with me." Stiles shuts the door, so Derek gets out of the car and follows him.
Stiles is waiting for him on the sidewalk that leads to the track. As Derek approaches, he can't help but feel like something is happening, but he's not quite sure what. It's Christmas Eve, and he's with Stiles, walking around the park looking at Christmas lights. It almost feels like a date.
They walk slowly side by side along the track. Every few feet, there's a flat silhouette of a Christmas scene in multi-colored lights. Stiles stops in front of each one and studies it while providing commentary about it before he starts walking again.
When they get in front of a scene of elves in a toy workshop, Stiles asks, "What do you think Santa pays the elves?"
"What?"
"You know, do they get minimum wage? What is the minimum wage at the North Pole? And what do they spend their money on? The North Pole is pretty empty, so are there like secret elf villages where they go and spend their money? And what kind of currency do they use anyway?"
Stiles turns to Derek, and Derek is just staring at him in disbelief. Stiles doesn't even flinch under Derek's gaze, and Derek finally laughs. "Only you, Stiles."
"What? These are legit questions, Derek."
They continue walking, and as they stare at a woodland scene, Derek says, "I like this one."
Stiles bumps his shoulder affectionately. "Of course you would, sourwolf." He grins when Derek glares at him, and then he hooks his arm with Derek's. Derek looks at him in surprise, but Stiles just smiles and keeps walking.
When they stop in front of a scene with snowmen and penguins, Stiles lays his head on Derek's shoulder. Derek's heart is pounding in his chest, but he rests his head on top of Stiles'. It's only because of his werewolf senses that he can hear Stiles' content sigh.
As soon as they start walking again, a few snowflakes start falling from the sky. Stiles stops walking, but refuses to let go of Derek's arm, so Derek turns towards him as Stiles holds his face up to the sky. His expression is positively gleeful.
"Derek! It's snowing!"
Snowflakes are swirling around them now, falling with more intensity as the clouds move in.
Stiles opens his mouth to try and catch a snowflake on his tongue, and then he looks at Derek. "It's Christmas Eve, and it's snowing!"
Stiles' eyes are bright with excitement, his nose and cheeks red from the cold, and he has snowflakes melting in his hair and face. Derek lifts his hand to brush snowflakes off his cheek.
Quietly, Stiles says, "It's Christmas Eve, it's snowing, and I'm with you."
Derek gives him a small smile, and slowly enough that Stiles could pull away if he wanted to, he leans forward. Stiles doesn't move, just closes his eyes as snowflakes gather in his lashes. Derek whispers, "You're so beautiful," before gently pressing his lips against Stiles'.
The kiss is slow and tentative, but at the same time familiar and everything Derek wants. This was not what he expected when he went out tonight, but as he wraps his arms around Stiles' body to pull him closer, he realizes he doesn't want to be anywhere else, or with anyone else.
The kiss is over too soon, and when Stiles pulls away, he opens his eyes. The snowflakes have melted in his lashes, causing them to stick together like starbursts around his eyes. He asks, "You still think I'm beautiful?"
Derek cups Stiles' cheek gently. "I think you're more beautiful now."
Stiles leans forward and presses a gentle kiss on Derek's lips.
"This isn't what I had in mind when I asked you for a drink," Derek says. "I just didn't want to say goodbye."
"I didn't either." Stiles grabs Derek's hands when they fall from his waist and intertwines their fingers. The snow is falling heavily around them now, but Derek barely notices. "I'm okay with how the night turned out." Stiles squeezes Derek's hands. "I'm glad I bumped into you tonight. I, um, I wouldn't mind bumping into you again sometime."
Derek arches an eyebrow. "Why Stiles, are you coming on to me?"
Stiles' mouth drops open as his face turns red. "Oh my god, no! That is not - shit." They both laugh. "I just meant I would like to see you again. In a romantic, date-like sense. Though, now that you mention it..." he says suggestively.
"How about," Derek says, voice low as he steps closer to Stiles. He runs a hand through Stiles' hair, which is damp from the snow, but it feels soft under his fingers, just like he expected. "We go back to my place. Make some hot chocolate, I'll put on a fire, and we can get wrapped in a blanket so I can warm you up."
"Derek, you are seriously the most romantic sap on the planet." Derek feels a flare of embarrassment before Stiles kisses him again. "I'd love to. Under one condition."
Derek furrows his brow. "What?"
"You take me out in your car soon."
Derek grins. "Deal."
"Good," Stiles says, "because I'd love nothing more than to cuddle with you on the couch and get to know one another again."
Derek smiles. "Sounds perfect."
"Do you have stuff at your house to make some kind of baked good?" Stiles suddenly asks. "Because Scott and my dad will kill me if I show up tomorrow morning without something. And I don't think 'Derek Hale distracted me all night' is a good excuse for screwing up Christmas morning."
Derek rolls his eyes. "I think we can figure something out. Don't want to get you in trouble."
Stiles laughs and kisses Derek, and then Derek takes Stiles' hand and they quickly make their way to the SUV. This was the last thing Derek thought would happen, but as he glances over at Stiles, laughing as he runs through the falling snow, he can't help but be glad they reconnected. He's looking forward to spending the night with Stiles, and maybe he'll even get enough courage before Stiles goes home to invite him to Christmas dinner with his family tomorrow.
Derek thinks that maybe this could be the start to something great. And if his instincts are correct, he thinks this time he could fall in love with Stiles forever.
-fin