[Sterek] Cupboard Love (boyxboy) (complete)

Chapter 6

On Thursday Stiles half-heartedly checks his email on the walk home from classes when an actual email from Derek arrives.

To: stilinski.is.our.king@gmail.com

From: leavederekalone@gmail.com

Bring more food Sunday. It's good.

Stiles' fingers actually shake a little when he replies, just so happy to have the promise of a steady stream of income that he almost misspells his own name.

To: leavederekalone@gmail.com

From: stilinski.is.our.king@gmail.com

Hi, Derek!

I'm glad you liked the borscht! Do you want sandwiches again for lunch or would you prefer something else? I know a casserole or pasta really feels good since it's getting cold outside!

The only problem is that I'd need my tupperware back first, so I have something to put it all in. Is there a good time when I can drop by and grab it? I'll be super quick, promise. :) Thanks!

Stiles

It takes Derek a few hours to reply, which Stiles only knows because he was checking his phone roughly every three minutes for the rest of the night, except for the brief window in which he was eating pizza. If Scott were here he'd make fun of him and eat the other half, but Scott's working full time for Dr. Deaton as a vet assistant and receptionist, so Stiles eats the entire thing by himself and only half regrets it when he rolls into bed at nine.

"Oh my god, I'm an old," Stiles moans, clutching his stomach with one hand and reaching for his phone again with the other. Finally there's a reply from Derek:

To: stilinski.is.our.king@gmail.com

From: leavederekalone@gmail.com

Any time after 10am.

Stiles taps out a quick reply, sets his alarm, and gives in to the food coma.

***

The extra money from Derek is a definite help, so Stiles has a hot coffee in the jeep when he heads northeast to Derek's ridiculous property and hangs half out the window again to use the intercom at the gate before making the trip up the insane driveway.

When he pulls up next to the fountain, Derek is just shouldering his way out the front door, loaded down with a stack of tupperware that's definitely bigger than what Stiles left in the fridge.

"Here," Derek says, holding it out almost defensively.

"Some of that isn't mine," Stiles replies, leaning the front passenger seat forward so he'll have access to the back. "That definitely looks new and unused."

Derek is obviously unimpressed. "I know, but I'm not using it so-" he hands the stack off and steps back, arms crossed. "Take it."

"I- okay. Though you know, if this is your way of asking for breakfasts, too, you really just have to ask and I'll add them to the order." Stiles grins at him and loads the tupperware into the back of the jeep. "Not sure where I'll put all of this, but I'm betting most of it will be back here during the week anyway. So!" He flips back the front seat and closes the door. "Any special requests?"

Stiles almost laughs at the conflicted expression on Derek's face, but it's only there for half a second before he manages to just look kind of frustrated again.

"Anything is fine. Whatever you want," he says, and looks a little too long at Stiles.

They have a brief staring contest, or that's what it feels like, anyway. Stiles loses because he gets distracted (very reasonably) by Derek's eyebrows and then the way his hair curls back from his temples. He probably could have kept going, but Derek reaches into his back pocket and pulls out his wallet to pay for the week.

"Okay, I'll uh, see what I can come up with and be back here on Sunday again, is that okay?" Derek nods seriously and Stiles really, really has to get out of there before he says or does something stupid. It's not his fault Derek Hale is really, really ridiculously good looking. Stiles has a long history of acting incredibly moronic in front of gorgeous people. He can't help it.