we could drown this love drought.

It was a late start for Derek. Running throughout the night with the moon had him sleeping in and getting a few extra hours of sleep was something he would never complain about when he barely slept as it was. Knowing the nemeton was out of spark was something he would never really get use to as he was always on alert, ready to go into battle to protect the town he loved.

The sun was high in the sky, shielded by the canopy of the preserve and Derek looked at the house before him, still in shambles and hanging on by nails. Every time he came here, he could feel the energy from the house, the trees, and the ground beneath. A weather note from the town still tacked to the door and he didn’t know what the Sheriff exactly did for him to keep the house from demolition but Derek was grateful, he couldn’t imagine not being able to come here and be somewhat with his family.

He shut the engine to the truck off and tucked the keys into his packed as he climbed out, grabbing the battered sketchpad and charcoal pencil as he circled the house. Derek had decided that this was the Summer he would rebuild the house, reclaim his childhood home and the only thing he could salvage from his lineage.

Stiles waved to his dad from where he was walking to his sherrif's car, preparing to go on to shift. He had dinner with his dad, Scott and Melissa last night and the rest of the pack knew that he was moving back in for the summer with his dad. Stiles had one more year until he was finished with his degree in Criminology & Law with a minor in English and was deciding to spend the summer at home unlike the last two summers that he'd been pursuing "internships" outside of tiny little Beacon Hills. In fact, he was even coming back from an independent study abroad he had designed to Poland , so he was coming back with three runes stylized into tattoos on still pale skin and a notebook full of new supernatural notes, despite how quiet it had been since he'd left and since the Nemeton had stopped wreaking havoc. He had been keeping up with the pack group chat and updates but hadn't given every an exact date of arrival - intendedly to surprise Scott and and his dad. Scott was taking nursing class and still working at Deaton's for the summer, but he wasn't sure about everyone else. He figured he would invite them all over tonight (his father was on a day to night shift) for dinner and catch up with everyone, if they were all free. He hadn't been able to communicate and pester everyone as often as he usually did, having been in Poland studying for six months but he had missed everyone a lot and was looking forward to seeing the pack, all in one place, all such different people than they used to be.

Even after all this time,, being home was hard. There were too many ghosts that lingered in the streets and so many demons that came to haunt him when he closed his eyes. That being said, being away for what felt like so long, still tethered to this place but a person who had grown, Stiles felt comfortable that he could do this.

Stiles fucked around a little, ate some breakfast, cleaned, showered and got dressed - not really knowing what he felt like doing until he stepped outside onto his porch and just breathed for a second. For some reason, Derek was what came to mind and Stiles didn't really know what to do with that. The other thought that came in conjunction was the preserve, and how much he had missed walking around there. Sighing, he scratched the back of his head, and got into his baby, his still running (but not without a LOT of effort) blue Jeep given to him by his mother. He played NPR on the way to the preserve, mulling over the poem of the day - something​ about paths walked and old friends gardening through collective seeds of pain. Poetic shit. Earphones in once he stepped out of his parked car, he started walking a trail that he and Scott more or so made themselves, wearing down the path that had often been their escape from who knows what that time - parents, responsibilities, supernatural monster out for blood...

This time though, Stiles was just walking. An hour or so later, he came upon a familiar part and maybe three years ago he would have taken much longer to spot Derek, but now he noticed him before even seeing him. There were some things about being a spark that he learned recently that had proven useful. He knew Derek must have been able to hear his heart thumping in his chest and maybe even smelled some of the emotions he was no doubt emitting. He had learned how to close himself off and become almost noiseless, and invisible but Stiles had no interest in doing that. He wasnt in danger right now. It was just Derek, who admittedly, Stiles had a hunch would be roaming some part of the preserve if not the Hale house. Seeing him with what looked like a sketchbook, Stiles pulled his earphones out, paused his phone and languidly walked over until he was only a foot away, calling out with a soft smile: "You in the mood for any kind of company?"

Derek roughly had a skeleton of plans drawn out. The outside of the house he wanted to keep the architectural structure that was the Hale house but the inside, he could modern sleek it into something really nice and homey. Measurements lining the margins and a minimal supply list going on, he would have to probably go into the city to get and order a lot of the materials.Standing in the ruins of his family's home was always a surreal thing, that he could have turned to ash along with his entire family but here he was, standing with ghosts and crumbled drywall. Even after all these years, the death of his family weighed heavily on him knowing he was an indirect cause of it. Derek couldn't wait until he could give back the life the house deserved.

The preserve was alive with footsteps and a heartbeat and it made the hair on the back of his neck stand up and he would be on high alert any other time but this time, he would assume it was a deer that was until a familiar smell, a smell he hadn’t sensed in years but familiar nonetheless, became stronger and mixed with all the other smells that emotions put off, there were no denying that Stiles was heading toward him and then he heard Stiles’ footsteps stop and heard his voice for the first time in years and it was honey smooth as always.

Derek didn’t answer him right away but instead took in sight of the boy that was lean and gangly the last time he had seen him and even though, that didn’t change, Derek felt like he was seeing Stiles for the first time and he was no longer just the boy that got underneath his skin and never seemed to just stop talking. They were anything but friends and overtime, Derek had come to accept that Stiles was pack and that was never going to change and he hated to admit it but Stiles had saved his life a time or two.

Derek shrugged as he closed the pad and sat on the rickety steps of the house facing Stiles.”If you wanna stick around I wouldn't say no."

@ slumflower

Standing in front of Derek, watching his green, an almost kaleidoscope collection of shades, eyes roll over his body, he couldn't decipher the look on his face. He knew that he himself hadn't changed much, filled out in some places, maybe turned lean instead of bony, but not else much physically. He did keep his hair longer nowadays, but that was out of a lack of concern, and because it had been cold in Poland. When he was younger, frequently shaving his hair off was part of a kind of mania and more importantly, a way to connect with the memory of his mother.

Stiles rolled his eyes hearing the almost careless response the man in front of him, who also hadn't changed much in the last three years.

"So glad to be finding your warm welcome on this sunny day," he said sarcastically, plopping himself down and shoving Derek's shoulder on the way but gently enough that it didn't budge him or his writing much (and to be honest it was more of a hold on his shoulder than a nudge).

"You know, I never thought I'd miss your old, mean mug, but it's been a while," Stiles continued, not bothering to stop his rambling, although his speech was less frantic than in earlier days and his sentences might give the illusion of being more controlled now a days.

After that, Stiles sat with his knees folded, leaning back so that half his body was shaded and half wasn't, drinking in the sun and noticing that he seemed to be doing some kind of work -- he hoped it was an effort to rebuild the house, or anything but what it currently was. A place of ruin and tragedy where years ago, he noticed Derek staying there as a form of entrapment and self harm... but how could anyone part with the last remnants of his lineage? It was tough and messy and Stiles wasn't going to pretend like he had any right to an opinion, least of all voicing that he hoped Derek was finding a way to heal by maybe doing something with the property he had left.

Derek rolled his eyes as he leaned forward on his elbows, the sketchpad forgotten on his lap."Yeah, it's been a few years. That's what happens when you decide to skip off across the globe. Speaking of which, what are you doing in Beacon Hills? No where to go this summer? Finland, perhaps?" Scott would pass along information about Stiles through passing, nothing too specific or directly but Derek knew Stiles was out finding himself and with the havoc that the nemeton had done on Stiles, most of all, Derek didn't blame him. Wanting to get far away from Beacon Hills for as long as possible would be his goal too but the Hale house was what kept him around mostly and the fact that he really never had anywhere else to go and he wasn't one to be a lone omega. Pack kept him grounded and seeded in Beacon Hills.

"Scott never mentioned you were coming home." Derek wasn't sure why he said this after a beat of silence, he's not sure what he would have done differently if he had known Stiles was coming home, probably nothing."Maybe he'll stop being so mopey now." Scott had those puppy dog eyes that whenever Derek saw him made him feel guilty over something he didn't even do, Scott just had that effect on people with those eyes. And Derek could understand the giant Stiles size gap missing in his life.

@ slumflower

@ dead upon arrival

Stiles couldn't help the quick chuckle that escaped his mouth in response to what came out of Derek's mouth. Was it the fact that it was summer break or were he and Derek being ... personable? Friendly? Maybe it was the time? But after all it had only been a total of maybe 5 words that Derek had uttered in his direction so far. Who knows, Stiles usually was one to look a gift horse in the mouth (because who knew what would lurk there), but this one he wouldn't. He looked over to Derek, who had leaned towards him and Stiles scratched at the inside of his left wrist, where a small tattoo lay tucked beneath before he responded.

"Plenty of places to go to, actually. I, surprisingly -
given my big ass mouth, made some friends in far places, but I wanted to come home," Stiles shrugged nonchalantly, as if the decision to come home hadn't kept him up for many nights and as if there hadn't been demons that had followed him as soon as he'd left too. Beacon Hills wasn't the only place with dark energy, but Stiles had managed to get by for the most part without anything worse than what he had encountered here... the Nogitsune had left him with enough wounds for a lifetime. That being said, he had met new people that had taught him amazing lessons.

Stiles raised an eyebrow at the next thing Derek said, wondering if Derek felt any kind of way about him being back. The answer was probably not really.

"I didn't tell anyone an exact date that I'd be getting in. I wanted to surprise Pops, Scott, and Melissa so I actually just got in last evening. Scott's sure to be in a good mood now," Stiles explained, smiling fondly. The smile widened, pulling at the corners of his lips thinking about how much he had missed his best friend, his dopey smile, crooked jaw, even through all the Facetime calls, frequent texts and etc. Stiles added on, "I was going to see if the pack was free for dinner tonight at my place since my dad has an extra shift to cover tonight but if you've got a wild rager planned for tonight and wouldn't want to come by, I'll be here for the whole summer."

Derek just hummed in acknowledgement because apart of him couldn't fathom the reason Stiles would want to come back to this place especially after seemingly avoiding coming home every summer since he started college but maybe Derek was just reading into it too much and Stiles really missed home and that, Derek could understand. Derek's eyes shifted down to the ink etched in Stiles' wrist but he chose to not say anything about it.

Derek cleared his throat, running his hand over his jaw, and nodded."Yeah, you'll have to enjoy dinner without me. That wild rager's calling my name, I think." He stood up as he pointed to the house behind him."It's not gonna build itself." He began to walk the few feet to his truck. He opened the driver's door with a creak as he climbed in and turned the ignition, letting the old truck come to life."It's good that you're back. Your dad and Scott missed you." He gave him a final goodbye with a flick of his hand in some sort of lazy wave before he was heading out of the preserve.

@ slumflower

Stiles leaned his head back against the tree he was sitting by, listening as Derek cleared his throat. He smiled a little bit, hearing that he was planning on building the house. That made his heart hurt, but in a good way -- thinking about how the only times he had been in the house himself was ... well, y'know.

"If you change your mind later on, the window and the front door will be open," Stiles called out, watching him head over to his truck, thinking about the Camaro and how weird it had always looked against the background of the preserve, despite it also somehow looking natural since Derek was always nearby. "I hope they weren't the only ones, Sourwolf. See ya," he called out and waved back in response, not having moved from the spot yet in the clearing by the spot. He wanted to sit for a while more before walking back the trail and so he did, watching Derek drive away and shaking his head a bit. Stiles lounged for a bit, looking at the house and thinking about so many things before, walking around the perimeter and wondering what Derek envisioned and wishing that the house had never been put in ruins in the first place, and with so many lives lost. Stiles scratched the back of his neck and got up after a couple more minutes, walked back the trail and got in the Jeep. After doing so, he stopped by one of the doughnut shops that had been in town for as long as his father had been a child and took out his phone, figuring he should text the pack before he ran into other people. In a small town, word would get around quick that he was back, even if he thought that his being back wouldn't be that big of a deal to other people, it kinda was.

to pack
message: i'm back, hello hi!! dinner tonight at my place anyone?? missed y'all & would like to make a feast

Derek wanted to be annoyed at the stupid nickname and any other time, he probably would be but he hadn't heard it in so long that he would give Stiles a pass on it and maybe, Derek didn't hate it so much as he put on but no one would ever have to know that.

He wasn't necessarily lying when he said he was going to be busy with the house but he also wasn't being a hundred percent truthful. Derek wasn't big on pack meetings and weekly dinners and group chats or whatever else the others deemed the pack should do to keep up with each other especially now that they weren't all living on top of each other and until recently, wasn't around the entire world.

Derek drove into the city, nearly bought out the hardware store as the associate at the store claimed Derek would definitely need this or that for a renovation and Derek had the money so who cares if he never ended up using half of the supplies and if nothing, else he could always renovate the renovation.

It was still pretty early when Derek got back into town and he had every intention of not going to Stiles' but he found himself pulling onto the Stilinksi's street and he saw several cars out front, he could hear the commotion going on inside, hear each of their voices and how excited they all were that Stiles was home even if just for the summer.

He thought about pulling away from the curb and going home but a weird tingle of something like guilt tickled at his gut so with a heft sigh, he shut off the engine of his truck and climbed out as he made his way to the front door, giving it a few raps even when he knew they all knew it was standing outside.

@ slumflower

@ dead upon arrival
Since Stiles had sent that text, he had gotten an immediate call from Lydia, who was surprisingly still around, and of course confirmations from everyone except for Derek, but he wasn’t going to hold that against him - Derek had work to do on the house and had said he hadn’t intended on coming. Lydia came over as Stiles had finished grocery shopping and went back to his house to cook - he was making polish sausages with a hearty stew over rice, a fancy salad that Lydia would definitely like (with walnuts, cranberries, mandarins), and then wasn’t sure what to do for dessert, but that gotten taken care of when Scott and Kira came over with Stiles’ favorite lemon tart pies. Scott and Kira were over soon after Lydia - who had pounced on him as soon as he opened the door, expletives running out of her mouth about texting her last week about The Flash while he was tipsy but not saying anything about his arrival yesterday. Their friendship had really strengthened once he got over his years long crush and then all that life-saving between them didn't hurt either. After Lydia, Scott, and Kira came through, Parrish arrived with others in tow not too long after. He welcomed them all in, pulling out some pomegranate flavored cold beers that he had brought earlier, even though they wouldn’t really have an effect on most of them (he’d be working on the wolfsbane infused drinks soon this summer).

Stiles wasn’t sure why he had been so worried and anxious about this dinner, thinking that maybe just Scott and Kira would come, but he almost felt like there were just as happy to see him as he was to see them, which should be expected of friends, but again, anxiety has no bounds when it came to Stiles’ brain. They all caught sight of his tattoos, or rather the one on the inside of his wrist that was an oak tree inside of a crescent moon, the branches spiraling outwards to cover the circle’s outer layer - infused with a protection and balance spell he had written himself and had gotten a mage in Poland to tattoo for him. Again, after the nogitsune, blood no longer made him queasy although it still wasn’t his favorite sight considering how often he had his hands in it. Just as he was about to anxiously dodge some other questions about his time away, Scott picked his head up and smirked, quickly saying “Derek’s here!” just as there was some quick knocks on the door.

Stiles’ mouth fell open a little before he snapped it shut and went to go get the door, feeling pleasantly surprised. He could’ve just yelled that the door was open, but eh. He was glad Derek was choosing to spend some time with them, and since being around the pack also made him recognize all the people they were missing. There were so many people that should be alive and here right now, and Stiles couldn’t help but feel that way as well, in addition to the guilt he felt for leaving Beacon Hills and the anxieties about what his place would be in coming back, no matter how long it would be for. Still when he yanked the door open and saw Derek, his soft eyes and scowling features, he felt a little warmer but he was not going to think about it too hard. Instead, he gave Derek a small but real smile and stepped over for him to come in, “Just in time, sour wolf, food’s pretty much ready.”

He walked back towards the table, just as everyone was sitting down and the table was finished being set by Lydia and Parrish. Stiles grabbed a beer, put it in Derek’s hand and went to help Kira grab the rest of the food to put at the center of the table before sitting down himself, rubbing his hands and smiling widely. He didn’t even have to say anything before everyone dug in, and he pulled on the only other empty chair for Derek to sit down, one that happened to be to his left as Scott was to his right, Lydia across from him, and so forth.

[wasn't sure who you wanted to be still around? I was thinking of Malia, Cora, Isaac, etc still being around but wasn't sure who to put into the dinner scene. I don't really know any of the "new" people from S5 like Scott's new beta but lmk and we can work them in, yea?]

Derek rolled his eyes at the name as he stepped over the threshold."Keep calling me Sourwolf and I'm gonna rip your throat out." He gave the empty threat, one that he gave to Stiles on more than one occasion.

The scent of Stiles' home was both overwhelming and comforting as it had been a long time everyone had been under one roof together and standing here now, Derek knew he had made the right choice in coming.

The mention of food though made him realize he hadn't ate since the power bar in his truck on the way to the preserve and his stomach grumbled with hunger. A beer was firmly thrusted into his hand and he could never say no to alcohol. He milled about as Lydia and Parrish finished setting the table and Kira and Stiles looked like worker bees bring dish of food after dish from the kitchen.

Derek eyed the only empty chair, next to Stiles. He slowly lowered himself into the seat and he glanced to Scott who sat in front of him and back to Stiles who looked more happy than anyone should and yeah, he would have definitely regretted not coming if he knew this was what he was missing out on. The pack was finally together as a whole more than they had been in years and Derek hated to admit but he had missed this.

@ slumflower

Stiles smiled, piling his plate high as always before digging into the food, smirking when he heard the positive responses from the people around the table. He continued eating and sipping from his beer, kicking Scott in response under the dinner table because apparently they were still five year olds who didn't have anything better to do than to instigate. Stiles wasn't complaining though, he hadn't felt this warm in this house probably since his mother had been alive, especially since he had left so soon after the nemeton wreaked all that havoc. It was surprising that he had been able to survive high school and still get into Columbia (where he now went in New York) and a bunch of other prestigious schools.

"Hey, this isn't complete shit, Stilinski," Cora snickered, shoving a forkful of stew and rice into her mouth as soon as she had finished giving that back-handed compliment.

Stiles rolled his eyes and took another swig from his beer, the third one he'd had today if he was counting correctly. Stiles waved his hand with a flourish, mock-curtsying in front of his food while saying half-sarcastically, "Why, thank you, Cora."

Isaac scoffed and pushed his scarf back from where it had fallen across his chest, even though it was warm as fuck, but Stiles saw a hint of a satisfied smile on the curly-haired, cherub looking guy so he didn't say anything but smirk and throw a raisin at him in response, looking innocently back at him when he got caught.

"I'm sparing you because you cooked," Isaac muttered, popping the raising that had hit him on his cheek into his mouth and continuing to chew on one of the sausages.

Conversation flowed freely for a while, mostly people using sarcasm and making jokes at each other, but Stiles could see how much everyone wanted to be there and seemed genuinely content if not like happy, or whatever. Stiles leaned back, feeling gluttonous but not wanting to over do it until desert was ready. As Scott was talking about the summer nursing classes he was going to take, he looked over at Derek's plate and stole a bite for no other reason than he wanted to and he could.

Derek pointed his fork at Stiles in a threatening manner with an appointed look as he stole food from his plate without even a second thought. He had grown up with two sisters and an entire house full of cousins and other relatives, Derek didn’t share food lightly.

Derek kept quiet mostly through dinner, just enjoying the noise and chatter of everyone around him and by the time Lydia and Parrish were removing the leftovers into the kitchen, Derek’s belly was full and he was weirdly coated with warmth from being around everyone.

Cora reached around Derek and picked up his empty plate and headed toward the kitchen and he could hear the faucet running and all the chattering going on in there and Cora was surprisingly doing Stiles’ dishes.

He leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table as his gaze shifted down to Stiles’ wrist, he cleared his throat.”Is it just the one or you’ve got more?” He asked curiously as he had never pegged Stiles for one to willingly get a needle jabbed into his skin. Derek would get more but they were a process that he didn’t care to go through unless the tattoo really meant something for him so the sole triskelion on his back was it.

@ slumflower

Stiles smirked at Derek's fork pointed in his face, raising an eyebrow but not touching Derek's plate again, knowing that if Derek hadn't killed them when he was a stupid 16-year old, he woudn't now at 21 - soon 22 this coming August. He felt warm and full, relaxing in his seat as Parrish and Lydia started clearing the table, not complaining when Cora started washing dishes with what looked like Isaac's help. Scott and Kira had brought the dessert to the living room where they were narrowing movies down to top three for the pack to eventually narrow it down. Stiles didn't know the last time, or if ever, they had a night like this, just being in each other's company, strategically avoiding all the chaos still surrounding them, and relaxing for once. He thanked his mom for always watching over him because that's the only way that he could have made it this far.

He picked his head up when he heard Derek clear his throat, his eyes darting to Derek's throat before quickly looking back up to his eyes. "There are more," he smiled, shaking his head as he pulled up his foot, pulled down his sock and showed the ouroborus snake eating itself wrapped around his left ankle. "This is the second one, it's kind of self-explanatory, I don't know, but they all hurt like a bitch so I got the three done at the same time by this mage tattoo artist in Poland who I measled my way into getting a semblance of a friendship with and was willing to help me out."

Stiles then pulled up his loose t-shirt, pointing at the CMS initials tattooed onto the side of his right rib, just a couple inches under his armpit. "And then my mom's initials last," he murmured quietly, fingering the dark black ink there before pulling his shirt back down. "They help remind me that my body is my own, even though I don't think I'm getting anymore - the sight of needles still scare the fuck out of me - not without being a little bit drunk and being handled by someone who could be okay with me fainting, y'know," he explained.

"The tattoo on my wrist was probably the one that I look at most often, it's the most visible and accessible, after all. It helps that the tattoo artist - a funny looking Santa look alike named Yvgeni if you could believe it - helped me design a balance and protection rune hidden in the oak tree tucked into the crescent moon. I drew the snake and oak tree with him," he rambled, not really knowing how to include that the tattoo on his wrist was specifically meant to ward against spirits and nogistune like-creatures that could take root and inhabit his body, mind, spirit and the like.

Derek listened to Stiles talk and it reminded him of how much he might have missed Stiles’ voice and his rambling on so much about nothing because it annoyed Derek to no end but right now, hearing him talk about the tattoos and the connection he had with them, made him feel weird in a good way.

It was so like Stiles to just plant himself into people’s lives, maybe he was speaking from experience, he didn’t know but the tattoos fit him and they were well done, not some shoddy tattoo job. Derek also couldn’t deny he let his eyes rake over the snippet of Stiles’ body, he had definitely became toner since the last time Derek had seen him.

“They’re good. Nice.” Derek finally says as he pulls his eyes away from Stiles once everyone began to slowly pile out of the kitchen and toward the living room for desert and movie time but Derek slowly stood up and jutted his thumb toward the front door.”I’m probably just gonna head out. Thanks for dinner, it was delicious."

@ slumflower

@ dead upon arrival

Stiles snorted hearing Derek's three word response but felt warm anyways. At least it was better than the monosyllables he used to give. Improvement of any sort was a step in the right direction, right? Stiles had finished his beer and went to toss it into the recycling bin, when he walked back, seeing Derek stand up and pointing his thumb at the door.

"Running away so soon?" Stiles asked, pouting a little bit,giving him his best as-trained-by-Scott's-miraculous-puppy eyes and nodding towards the pack putting on the Disney movie Sing. "At least stay halfway through the movie, it's a cute one or if not, you'd better go give out your goodbyes," Stiles said, touching Derek's shoulder - they were now about the same height now, on his way to walking towards the living room and grabbing two of the mini tart lemon pies and offering Derek one whether he was gonna stay or head out.

Derek rolled his eyes because he was not running away but those eyes were not helping his case of needing to leave."I gotta get an early start on the house." He reasoned as he internally groaned at the thought of having to say goodbye to the entire pack because he knew they would probably try and change his mind to stick around and hang out but he didn't do well with that kind of attention.

"I was just gonna, ya know, go." He took the offered tart but then Cora called out to the two that the movie was starting and if they didn't get in there now, they were doomed to the floor with no popcorn and that's when Derek knew he wasn't going anywhere.

He sighed and looked to Stiles as he stuffed the tarted into his mouth."I'm leaving half-way through and not a second later." He reasoned as he lightly poked Stiles in the chest as he entered the living room with the rest of the pack as he grabbed a throw pillow from Isaac's lap as he sunk to the floor.

@ slumflower

@ dead upon arrival

Stiles nodded, understanding that since the house needed a LOT of work and that it might take Derek a while to cope with what it meant to be rebuilding on the same property. He could see Derek's grimace and some of his internal cogs turning even though the only thing that showed on his face were slight twitches of his lips. Stiles frowned a little, hearing that Derek had just intended to slip out but he covered it up by eating another bite of the delicious tart. He turned away from Derek, hearing Cora's voice yell from the living room and snickered, popping the last bite in his mouth and feeling Derek poke Stiles in the chest. Stiles rolled his eyes and plopped down beneath Scott's legs, leaning against him and next to the spot Derek had sat. Stiles distractedly licked the crumbs left on his palm and everyone quieted down as the movie started. It was cute and animated and one of the main characters was a gorilla who wore a leather jacket but really wanted to become a singer, and Stiles snickered at how many of the pack members, especially Derek, still wore leather jackets. It was cute - even though he'd be sticking to his hoodies and flannels from now probably until the end of time, despite how many threats from Lydia he'd gotten since high school.

The credits came on and slowly everyone began to move and stretch out. Derek ended up staying through the entire movie and he would never admit that it was an enjoyable and fun movie. Snacks and commentary were abundance and Derek hadn't seen an opening to leave and maybe having Stiles sitting right next to him also made it hard to leave because he would use those dangerous puppy eyes on him and no one was immune.

Derek stood up and looked to Stiles."I'm leaving now." He said before he was clearing his throat to get the attention of the rest of the group."Okay, all you animals, I'm heading home. This is the only goodbye you're getting from me. Ever. Dinner was great and the company wasn't so bad either. Bye." He gave the small speech but then Cora was standing on front of him, wrapping her arms around his waist and he glanced over to Stiles with a look of this is why I don't say goodbyes.

@ slumflower