ficlet: because it's you
Author: froggydarren
Title: because it's you
Rating: G
Pairing/s: pre-Derek/Stiles
Character/s: Derek Hale, Stiles Stilinski
Summary: It shouldn't be hard to explain. Still, Derek doesn't know if he can. But maybe he's not the only one.
Warnings: n/a
Content Notes: post-canon, canon divergence
Submission Type: ficlet
Word Count: 429
Prompt: #229 - difficult
Author's Notes: A follow up to last week's haven't we been here before?. Though technically maybe it can be read separately. *goes to hang head in shame at late posting again*
“So, what happened?”
Derek sighs as he stirs the spoon in his coffee mug. They’re in a cafe close to the police station that Stiles just picked him up from, and while Stiles is on his second cup of caffeine, Derek is still staring into the first, wondering if it’s gone completely cold by now.
“It’s complicated,” he says.
“Then uncomplicate it for me,” Stiles shoots back, face expressionless.
Derek stays quiet.
“Look, man,” Stiles says after a heavy sigh. “I’m not gonna judge. Hell, you know the shit I used to get into back in Beacon Hills. And I already know what the guy did the first time. We’ve been working on getting everything back, not just the box with the photos of you and Laura and… everyone.”
“I know,” Derek says. “It’s just…”
“You weren’t supposed to be near him,” Stiles tells him, disapproval ringing through his voice. “This isn’t going to make our case easier.”
“It’s not like I did it on purpose!”
“Then why the restraining order violation?”
Derek takes a few calming breaths, then looks up at Stiles.
“He came to Laura’s place again,” he says. “He had a bag with him, and I’m guessing it was all the stuff that he was supposed to return. Probably wanted to claim that he never had any of it.”
“What an asshole,” Stiles says. “He needs to be locked up.”
“Is that your professional legal opinion, Mr. Stilinski?” Derek asks with amusement.
There’s something warm that settles in his stomach when he realises that Stiles is willing to fight for him, for Laura’s memory, for everything that Derek holds dear. He knew this before, of course, but it was mostly theoretical.
“Oh shut up, you know I’m right,” Stiles mutters. “But I’m glad I amuse you.”
“It’s not that hard,” Derek says.
“It used to be,” Stiles replies. “I used to try to get you to smile back then. I’m not sure you knew.”
“I didn’t.” Derek narrows his eyes, and then asks, because he can’t figure it out. “Why?”
A blush spreads across Stiles’ cheeks, and maybe that’s all the answer that Derek needs to get. Maybe the answer is the same as the reason why he’s been trying to be funny around Stiles since the time that Stiles walked into the police station and declared that he was Derek’s lawyer.
“Because it’s you,” Stiles does answer eventually. “Because you should’ve smiled more. Because I thought… still do… that you deserve to be happy.”
And yes, there it is. Not difficult or complicated, after all.
Title: because it's you
Rating: G
Pairing/s: pre-Derek/Stiles
Character/s: Derek Hale, Stiles Stilinski
Summary: It shouldn't be hard to explain. Still, Derek doesn't know if he can. But maybe he's not the only one.
Warnings: n/a
Content Notes: post-canon, canon divergence
Submission Type: ficlet
Word Count: 429
Prompt: #229 - difficult
Author's Notes: A follow up to last week's haven't we been here before?. Though technically maybe it can be read separately. *goes to hang head in shame at late posting again*
“So, what happened?”
Derek sighs as he stirs the spoon in his coffee mug. They’re in a cafe close to the police station that Stiles just picked him up from, and while Stiles is on his second cup of caffeine, Derek is still staring into the first, wondering if it’s gone completely cold by now.
“It’s complicated,” he says.
“Then uncomplicate it for me,” Stiles shoots back, face expressionless.
Derek stays quiet.
“Look, man,” Stiles says after a heavy sigh. “I’m not gonna judge. Hell, you know the shit I used to get into back in Beacon Hills. And I already know what the guy did the first time. We’ve been working on getting everything back, not just the box with the photos of you and Laura and… everyone.”
“I know,” Derek says. “It’s just…”
“You weren’t supposed to be near him,” Stiles tells him, disapproval ringing through his voice. “This isn’t going to make our case easier.”
“It’s not like I did it on purpose!”
“Then why the restraining order violation?”
Derek takes a few calming breaths, then looks up at Stiles.
“He came to Laura’s place again,” he says. “He had a bag with him, and I’m guessing it was all the stuff that he was supposed to return. Probably wanted to claim that he never had any of it.”
“What an asshole,” Stiles says. “He needs to be locked up.”
“Is that your professional legal opinion, Mr. Stilinski?” Derek asks with amusement.
There’s something warm that settles in his stomach when he realises that Stiles is willing to fight for him, for Laura’s memory, for everything that Derek holds dear. He knew this before, of course, but it was mostly theoretical.
“Oh shut up, you know I’m right,” Stiles mutters. “But I’m glad I amuse you.”
“It’s not that hard,” Derek says.
“It used to be,” Stiles replies. “I used to try to get you to smile back then. I’m not sure you knew.”
“I didn’t.” Derek narrows his eyes, and then asks, because he can’t figure it out. “Why?”
A blush spreads across Stiles’ cheeks, and maybe that’s all the answer that Derek needs to get. Maybe the answer is the same as the reason why he’s been trying to be funny around Stiles since the time that Stiles walked into the police station and declared that he was Derek’s lawyer.
“Because it’s you,” Stiles does answer eventually. “Because you should’ve smiled more. Because I thought… still do… that you deserve to be happy.”
And yes, there it is. Not difficult or complicated, after all.