[Sterek] Cupboard Love (boyxboy) (complete)

Chapter 27

The cookies are a hit, and Derek packs away three of the peanut butter chocolate chip ones before brushing the crumbs off his fingers when Alex complains that Derek gets Stiles' cooking all the time and should leave some for the rest of them. When their coffee cups are empty and everyone looks awake and over the post-lunch sleepiness, his dad reminds Laura that unfortunately they do need to get back to work.

"Sure thing, boss," she says, "Stiles are you still doing your rounds? I can drive the Sheriff and I back to the station, save you some time."

"That'd be great, thanks," Stiles nods, and then turns to Mr. Hale and holds out his hand. "Thank you for lunch, sir, it was really delicious!"

Mr. Hale laughs. "I don't think I rate a sir, especially not from you, Stiles. You can call me David and we'll call it even in exchange for those cookies."

Stiles grins. "Deal." They shake on it, and Derek pulls out their jackets and boots for them to slip back into.

Stiles hugs his dad goodbye before Laura peels out of the driveway, giving Stiles and the rest of the Hales a quick wave out the driver's side window. The ground is covered in a light frost over the last leaves of autumn, and Stiles' boots make a satisfying crunching noise as he crosses to the Jeep with Derek beside him.

"Thanks," Derek says quietly, "for the cookies. And suffering through a meal with them. Laura can really steamroll people sometimes."

"Are you kidding? That was great! Dad and I both loved it, and I'm glad I got to meet the rest of your family. You're lucky, you know? The closest I have to a brother is Scott, but we don't talk as much now that we live in different cities and everything. I'm kind of jealous." He means it, too. Even with all their in-jokes and teasing, Stiles hadn't felt left out or awkward at all, just welcomed in like he was part of the family.

Derek's smile is brilliant, his eyes crinkling at the sides and his mouth tugged up in one corner. "I'm glad. They really liked you, too." They stand there like that for a minute, maybe a little too close together beside the Jeep, just smiling at each other before Stiles realizes Derek's probably getting cold standing around waiting for him to leave. He steps back and opens the driver's side door.

"I'll see you around," Stiles says and he hops up into the seat. "Thanks again!"

Derek steps back a few paces to give Stiles room to turn around, but when he turns the key in the starter all that comes out of the engine is a kind of half-hearted groan followed by a clunk. He tries it again, frowning, but the result is the same.

"Come on, baby, don't die on me now," Stiles cajoles, embarrassed and anxious, and tries again. It's clearly a failed effort. He climbs back down out of the Jeep and sighs. Derek props open the hood, places his hands on the sides and takes a look.

"Are you good with cars?" Stiles asks. He pulls his phone out of his pocket and tumbles it back and forth in his hands, debating calling for a tow.

"He's not," Elliot cuts in. He must have heard the engine fail to start and come back out of the house. "But luckily you've got me."

Derek glares at Elliot but steps aside to let his brother take a look, and rubs a hand through his hair. "El took over the garage in town last year. He's a good mechanic," he explains. Hopefully he's right. Stiles remembers the previous guy, who had been hot but definitely jacked up his prices whenever he thought he could get away with it, which was most of the time since he was the only shop in town.

Elliot hums at the engine, fiddles with a few things and then closes the hood. "I've got good news and bad news," he says, wiping his hands on his jeans. "The bad news is it's going to take a few days to fix, and I'll have to order a part."

Stiles bites his lip and winces. There goes all the money he saved up cooking for Derek. "And the good news?"

Elliot shrugs. "I'll do it for cheap, and if you and Derek help me hook it up to the truck I can tow it over to the garage right now. I'm not sure how long it'll take for the part to get here, though," he cautions, "this close to Christmas. Some of the shops I order from close down over the holiday."

"You're a lifesaver," Stiles says, genuinely grateful. He slips his phone back into his pocket. "Just point me where you need me."