[Sterek] Cupboard Love (boyxboy) (complete)

Chapter 44

"I'm calling this our first real date," Stiles tells Derek a few days later, "Since I didn't figure it out until it was almost over last time."

Derek rolls his eyes. "Okay, but I'm still going to call our actual first date our first date, because it was."

Waving him off, Stiles puts the Jeep into park and pulls the hand break. "I hope you're prepared for a super nerd fest," he says, shutting off the engine so they can climb out. The Berkeley Art Museum looks a lot like a prison on the outside but there's a long poster along the entranceway advertising the History and Art of Video Games.

Once they've paid and passed into the main hall, Derek reaches out to tangle their fingers together, keeping Stiles close. "It's going to be cool," Stiles says, pulling him into the first room. "I mean, check this out - 8-bit art from the original Zelda. This came out at practically the same time you bought your computer!"

"Ha, ha," Derek says flatly, but he's smiling and leans in for a quick kiss.

Stiles leads him all over the museum, reading the exhibit labels and adding his own commentary. There are some things he thinks should have been included that seem to be missing, but it was probably hard enough for them to get the licensing rights to put all of this together. By the time they've passed through to the little gift shop at the other end and Stiles has managed to not buy anything, they're both hungry and grab some food at the cafe and steal two seats by the window along the high wooden bar.

"Did you like it? I know it's not really your thing."

The look Derek gives him is so indulgent and private Stiles feels greedy and jealous that anyone else in the cafe can see it, too. "It was interesting," he says slowly, "but not as interesting as watching you." Stiles feels himself flush. It's still amazing to him that Derek is just as taken as he is, that he genuinely means the things he says. Stiles hooks his leg over so he can bump it against Derek's, a little awkward on their stools, but worth it for the pleased quirk to Derek's lips and the warmth Stiles feels whenever he sees it.

"Are you still free after this?" Derek asks, as if Stiles hadn't crammed all of his readings in the night before so he could spend the day with him. When Stiles nods Derek says, "Great, there's an errand I need to run and I was hoping you'd come with me."

"Of course." It's a little weird, considering this is their first real date (no matter what Derek or Lydia or anyone else would say) but he's just happy to spend the day with him.