[ Honestly, Derek has no real idea what he's doing. But the moment Stiles is gone-- pushing on being just on time when he gets out the door and out of Derek's reach-- he gets to work, pulling out all of the ingredients that he'd prepared in advance when Stiles was distracted "grading" collages put together by his kids. Talia, ever the little helper, had been more than willing to make sure that he stayed out of the kitchen while he got everything together and into the back of the fridge. Her payment had been peanut butter gingersnaps, but it was a price he was willing to pay.
It's easy enough to get things started, once he has everything together, camera set up and recording. ]
Those of you who've watched my vlogs before will realize that this isn't a new recipe, but today's episode is a little different from the ones I've done in the past. Today we're revisiting the Pick Me Up Porker Sandwiches, but it's for a specific reason. [ He works while he talks, making idle commentary every now and then between instructing his viewers. It's easy to fall into sync with what he's doing, having made the recipe enough times that he can do it blindfolded by this point. ]
The first time I got this recipe, it was back when Laura decided to "broaden my horizons, with the help of the viewers--" [ Airquotes enunciated. ] --and a viewer, one certain kindergarten teacher that I'm sure most of my regulars know well by this point, decided to submit one of his mother's old recipes. That was in October of 2013, if you've lost track. [ His stream is interrupted briefly as he starts up the sauce, going the all-fresh route and making everything from scratch. This is an important rendition of Claudia's recipe. ]
Said kindergarten teacher has provided a decent chunk of the recipes I do-- and has even contributed to episodes, as you can see from... wherever I put the link to his playlist, probably up top-- [ He makes an idle gesture up to the corner, going back to work. ] And has infected my apartment with his project glitter. Not exactly what I expected when I replied to his message, but then again I didn't really expect the two of us to keep talking over e-mail, and eventually text. And then in person.
Guess I should say thanks, Laura. [ He rolls his eyes, before offering the camera a faint quirk at the corner of his mouth. ] Thanks, Laura.
[ Four hours and one cutaway later, he works on actually tearing the pork up and getting it all together. ] Now, by this point, I don't have much longer before I have to get this episode up, so we're gonna have to finish up for the day. But there's a reason why I'm redoing this recipe for everyone to see, like I said, and it's not just because I think I've mastered it-- I think I have, anyways, but I have to say it's probably one of my favorites by this point. I wish I could've thanked the woman that originally came up with it.
[ He gets the lost family thing. He really does. But he's fairly certain that his parents would've liked Stiles, and at least Stiles' dad likes him. (The bribery through healthy yet still-tastes-like-food recipes probably helped.) ]
Right now, Stiles is probably helping kids make paper and glitter garlands, judging by the craft box he took with him this morning. For the past couple of months, he's been living with me, after having spent most of his time coming and going from his old apartment and here. Some of you know this is a pretty big deal for me-- Stiles is a pretty big deal for me-- so I think at this point, it's time to take another step forward. [ He sets the lid back onto his crockpot and shifts, reaching into his pocket to withdraw a simple, velvet box. Derek is pretty sure waiting a couple more hours for Stiles to come home is going to kill him, but he pops open the box anyways. ] What do you think?
[ The episode ends on that, and shortly before Stiles is slated to head for the parking lot, Derek shoots him a text: ]
Housewife emergency of the birthday cake persuasion, don't know when I'll be back. I managed to get today's episode up in time, though. Let me know what you think when you get home.
[ It's been a pretty busy week down at Beacon Elementary, at least in their books. With teacher conferences earlier this week (and having Stiles pretty much sweating the entire weekend over crazy parents who were already looking at college prospects), and Christmas Break starting on Friday, the kids were ridiculously antsy as they eagerly awaited going home for an entire two weeks. Stiles himself was looking forward to a break of grading, redecorating his classroom, and most of all, sleeping and spending time with Derek. He's slated for two Christmas dinners and a New Years party with Derek's band of housewives, and the entire thought of a break is making him just as antsy as the kids. So when he badgers the gym teachers enough to take the kids to the gym and play red light, green light with the other kindergartners, he's become the hero of not only his department, but of the kids, who all look flushed and happy as he sends them home for the day.
(The parents surprise him with a gift, too, a gift certificate to a nice restaurant and a card signed by all of his kids. Stiles totally doesn't cry.)
It's when he's got the card tucked away in his pocket that he checks his phone and grins at the text, sliding into Roscoe's driver's seat and shutting the door behind him. Stiles props up his feet on the dash and texts him first-- ]
I don't get a preview this time, huh. :P i'll be home in a few, considering i apparently have a date with youtube. looking forward to dinner tonight!
[ And that's when he starts the video. The whole set up is so familiar it makes something twist warmly in his heart, at Derek's face in the camera, the kitchen Stiles had been using to make himself toast in the mornings, the dent in the wall from when he'd been wrestling with Talia on the ground and cracked his head on it. And then he starts talking, and there's something so different about this that he stops and shifts up a little in his seat, dropping back into a proper sitting position as Derek tells a story--tells their story, he realizes, when his mom's recipe is reappearing on the screen.
By the time the ring box comes out, he's covering his mouth with his free hand, and the "oh my god" that comes out isn't exactly in his head. He has to rewind it to make sure he saw it right, and the burst of affection in his chest is so strong it nearly knocks the wind out of him, because he just asked if Stiles would marry him, on a video, and the next thing he knows, he's driving over, strangely calm, quiet, the only sound his heartbeat thundering in his ears and the phrase "what do you think" echoing over and over in his head.
He makes it to the apartment and doesn't even bother with the stuff in the car, just shuts the door, scrolls the comment pages. He's climbing the stairwells and reading the responses--"please tell me he said yes!" "i love you, derek, if he says no, i'll fix your broken heart ;)" and more and more, well wishes and "congratulations to the happy couple"s, no assumption that he'd say anything but yes, but. Stiles wouldn't say anything but anyway.
He shoulders through the door to a quiet apartment and doesn't even bother opening the door, just turns the lights on and beelines for the kitchen. The camera comes on, recording, and Stiles knows he probably looks like an idiot, still flushed from the cold or the moment or both, but he grins from ear to ear anyway, and doesn't even bother stepping back from the camera, still holding the on button like it's for a selfie and proclaiming, trying to keep his voice steady and cool. ]
I think yes.
[ Breaking into an even huger grin just in time to click the video off, he uploads it to Derek's account, and opens his phone to text Derek at his "housewife emergency". ]
[ Not bothering to reply to Stiles-- because he knows better, he'd wind up spilling if he did-- Derek instead sits with Laura and John in their apartment. Cora's on Talia pickup detail, which she'd gladly volunteered for the moment that her brother had said anything about proposal and not wanting to be around for it, congratulations in advance either way. She'd just said that she would take the first grader out to eat and go ice skating, a peaceful night for her parents and a not-so-peaceful night for her brother and his fiance.
Because, seriously. She was in agreement with his youtube fans.
Keeping himself occupied while he waits for Stiles to get back to the complex is like torture, though, as he lays around on Laura's couch with his phone. He honestly spends most of his time watching Stiles' videos on mute, which doesn't help matters any. But he knows the moment when Stiles answers his question, because Laura practically shrieks like a banshee from where she's sitting with her laptop. It sends John falling off his stool at the kitchen bar and results in Derek launching himself up into a seated position as his phone buzzes.
Only to be met with the computer practically shoved in his face, youtube's bright red and white color scheme only two inches away from his nose and Stiles' flushed face right there. He has to take it from her as she goes look, look!! at him, restarting the video to watch it again. If Stiles didn't figure out that he lied about the housewife emergency, Laura sure as hell gives him away as she collects her boytoy off the floor to celebrate noisily. ]
I think yes.
[ His face slowly cracks into a crooked grin, and he regards his phone for a minute before setting the laptop aside and just leaving both of them there on the couch. He doesn't care, consider him officially cut off from the rest of the world for the night. Because Stiles is downstairs in his-- their-- apartment, he said yes, and he needs to be down the fire escape five minutes ago.
Because it's Stiles. They have dinner plans spread across December and January, vague ideas for February, and even less vague ideas for April (which Stiles won't know about until April comes around). And he said yes.
Reaching the floor below via the connected fire escape, he lifts the window open and leans against the sill casually, almost as if it's just another Friday. ] Best episode, huh.
[ He spends the time waiting for Derek to see it jittering around the kitchen, touching everything and messing with things and trying not to freak out too much. His heart's practically banging around in his throat, and it's not until he hears the loud whoop from Laura's room upstairs that the smile on his face breaks out again, and he turns towards the fire escape as quick as anything, nearly skidding across the floor to get to the room with the window attached.
When he sees Derek there, he almost forgets how to breathe, and it all kind of hits him in a rush. He's, of course, playing it cool because he's Derek freakin Hale, who is actually a huge dork, who snores and loves kids and has every waking to desire to marry Stiles, which is kind of a lot to take in at once. He can barely take his eyes off of him, grinning like an absolute moron, and he takes a couple of steps forward, folding his arms across his chest, and rocks back on his heels. ] Well, I mean, I don't know, it's pretty hard to top the anniversary sex cake one.
[ His attempts at being sarcastic are pretty damn limited by the fact that he's grinning like an absolute moron, and he jitters forward the last couple steps, so he can lean on the fire escape too. It's at just the right angle for Derek's eyes to catch in the moonlight, and if he's getting proposed to, maybe he's allowed the romantic notion of the way the greenhazelgold just reflects in the light in a way that's pretty damn impossible to describe in words. ]
It does seem to be a fan favorite, actually. [ Mostly because of the fact that neither of them really gave much of a shit about their appearances, because Derek remembers what basically amounted to wolf whistling and congratulations when the episode went up for that one. Also Stiles' mortification about it later, after he actually watched it himself. Derek, on the other hand, couldn't have cared less because he was happy. Seeing Stiles like that whenever he wanted, having Stiles like that.
He could have a lifetime of it, now.
Eyebrows raising as he watches Stiles jitter closer, staying as stationary as possible despite the fact that he just wants to haul himself through the window to touch Stiles. Once he's there, like this is some cliche Romeo and Juliet scene at Juliet's window, he lets himself move towards him more, head bowed forward and smile splitting his expression in two. ] I have a personal favorite, though.
[ If his smile could break off of his face, it probably would. The Sex Cake incident had been one of Stiles' actual favorites--actually, probably one of his favorite days in the history of his days, and the embarrassment that came with his student's moms buying him a bottle of coverup makeup shit was worth it, even if he was crimson up until the minute he got back home. It'd been two years since Stiles worked up the courage to answer that callout, a year since they'd started actually dating--a couple months after that and here they were now, with the December wind blowing through the window and looking like a couple of embarrassed teenagers trying to decide if they were going to kiss on their first date.
Instead, he fills the scant space between them by leaning forward, and resting his forehead against his, just slightly, and raising his eyebrows in return. ] Was it this one, because it's pretty high on my list too.
[ Reading the comments featured on the uploads had been... well, hilarious in hindsight. Laura didn't let them live it down for weeks, and neither did the people that followed his channel it seemed like. Every now and then he would get a comment on it still, something usually along the lines of "somebody got lucky!!" or "omg jealous :(" though it was split between who they were jealous of. If Stiles ever claimed that he didn't have fans, he need only show him the youtube comments, to be honest.
But seeing Stiles come back to the loft, red as a cherry and knowing exactly why had made everything worth it. All the teasing, the embarrassment that was definitely shared for a while. All of it.
Stiles just made everything worth the trouble he went through at this point, which was something of note considering the last two relationships that could be commented on definitely didn't hold a candle to this one. So after everything that he went through, he finally found something that he knew wasn't going to burn him just for wanting something good in his life.
Noses brushing together as he angles his head a little, Derek brings a hand up to set at the side of Stiles' neck, thumb smoothing along the line of his jaw absently as he looks back at him. Daylight does something to the amber in those big bambi eyes of his, but at the same time there's no denying the way they're lit up now. ] It was actually less than a minute long and featured absolutely no cooking. An anomaly for the channel.
[ Stiles laughs a little--a chuckle of a thing, more of a proud noise than anything else. His response'd been pretty damned composed, if you asked him, considering that his best friend had pretty much turned into an overly excited puppy (moreso than usual) when he proposed to his high school sweetheart. So he'd definitely watched it--Stiles' phone was going off incessantly with comment notifications in his back pocket, and he literally couldn't be assed to care.
It'd been enough of a journey to get to this point. Failed relationships and fallen crushes dotted his dating history, and it'd been right around the time that he'd declared he was in an open relationship with his star wars DVD collection that this happenstance had waltzed into his life. Now his students asked him when Mr. Hale was coming to visit again on a daily basis and Talia treated him like a member of the family instead of just a teacher (although he wasn't her teacher anymore--had been in the beginning, had been there now to watch her grow up.)
Now he was right here, still making stupid youtube videos and remembering pining after the cooking guy for being so ridiculously hot from the day he still watched them. It was kind of awesome. Kind of a good story to tell. No wonder they had fans.
He leans into the hand just a little, tilting his head and letting the all teeth smile fall into a soft, warm, crooked one instead. ] I am kind of an anomaly.
[ It's hard to describe Stiles with a better word. ]
[ To be entirely honest, Stiles had handled it rather impressively compared to what he heard about Scott's proposal. The fact he was grinning like a lunatic was totally excusable, because if he hadn't had a good four and a half hours to prepare for it throughout the video? Derek would probably be a loon, too. But as it is, he's had time to compose himself, leaving him wound up but staying steady. Story of his life.
But it's slowly gotten better. After Paige, his relationships had tanked rather hard. Kate had come in and out of his life like a wildfire, burning it all down and leaving him in the ashes. A handful of years later, and then there was Jennifer. The levels with which, looking back at it in hindsight, he should've just said no were damn near astounding. He'd vowed off dating after that disaster, after the collection of disasters. And then there was Stiles.
Laura liked him. John and Talia loved him. Cora enjoyed making fun of him. He figures Stiles has the Hale family approval, especially if Talia still claims that he's her favorite teacher.
The fact they had so many fans didn't surprise him in the least, considering from the moment they made contact it was just a slow progression that reflected in his videos. Using Stiles' recipes, talking about the things they discussed over e-mail, text. Slowly talking about Stiles himself. Including Stiles in his videos. Making Stiles do his own recordings. Now, tonight's upload.
Smile still intact, he leans the rest of the way in, just a brush of lips as he murmurs: ] You're my anomaly.
[ That's pretty much the breaking point, and Stiles isn't going to send them both ass over head out through the window, but when Derek just barely kisses him whatever energy he's been holding back suddenly pushes out, and he throws his arms around his neck and pulls him back in for another kiss, holding on like he's just going to disappear if he barely lets go, his fingertips practically tingling at everything that was happening, so much it was almost overwhelming.
If Stiles was a part of the Hale family, then Derek was as much with the Stilinskis. His dad saw him as a son--the rest of the family, his polish grandmother, who declared that she'd always known her grandson was as gay as a pop star and that he better enjoy "his irish springs" for her (bar none the most embarrassing thanksgiving Stiles can remember experiencing, and that's including the one where they refused to refer to him as anything but Mienczyslaw the entire dinner in front of Scott and his mom) all adored Derek. Stiles'd told his dad about the whole thing in a flurry over Christmas the year before, and his dad'd just invited (demanded) he came over for dinner, and everything had gone smoothly from there. And honestly, in Stiles' book, if his dad liked you, and Scott liked you, then things were meant to be.
It's hard to keep the smile from his cheeks, but he keeps his fingers curled in the fabric of his henley and uses it as an anchoring point, not pulling away until he's damned well satisfied, and even then, chasing it with another kiss, short and sweet. His tone's teasing, and he looks up to the ceiling like he's pondering it. ] That's probably the first time I've heard it as a compliment, though.
[ The moment Stiles' arms hook around him and he feels his fingers curled in his shirt, Derek slips his arms around his middle and braces a hand between his shoulders. It's easy after that to just anchor himself there, holding onto Stiles' many layers and kissing him back. The fact he can have this is rather overwhelming, to be perfectly honest-- have this and not question whether it's real or not, or worry that it's just going to magically disappear.
With the fact that both families seem to approve of them helps by leaps and bounds, even if Stiles' grandmother and Derek's sister are forces to be reckoned with and be embarrassed by. Their Thanksgivings had been mortifying, to say the least, but he knows that Christmas isn't going to be much better. (Especially if Laura or John decide to gift them with anything for the bedroom, because he's pretty sure that's what they've been hinting at.) But the fact that Laura doesn't give Stiles the stinkeye, Cora doesn't threaten to kill him any time she sees him, and Talia fawns over him like he's the best thing since sliced bread says a whole damn lot. He's still damn sure that his parents would love him, too.
His squad of housewives sure as hell do, although he's pretty sure a couple are still planning his demise due to Derek being ""theirs."" He's not going to focus on that too much, just make sure Stiles doesn't eat anything they make.
Laughing a little, even at the soft and quick press of lips, he tips his head to brush his lips against a corner of his smile, following it almost absently and nosing his cheek. ] You're also a pain in the ass and probably going to make me fall through the window, if that balances it out.
Then I'd literally be a pain in the ass. [ His grin goes a little manic, because seriously, Stiles is still pretty sure he's dreaming, and he tilts his head inwards just a little to accept the way he noses at his cheek. A hand comes up to thread in his hair for just a second, and he can't help the way his grin goes a little bashful at the edges; Stiles looks up at the ceiling again and murmurs ] Sooo, you gonna put a ring on it?
[ It's joking and kind of stupid and Stiles is pretty sure he's forgotten how to speak normal words, let alone how to be clever, so if he just chases him with another kiss, well, no one has to be the wiser.
He's earned those, anyway. It's been two years now, a year of dating, shared recipes, shared kisses, awkward family dinners, arguments, romance, lots of sex, and the kind of in your bones feeling of "yeah, this is it, I think I found it"--the kind of thing he thought he'd had with Lydia Martin until it flew out of his fingers. And honestly? Stiles felt like he needed to thank her for it. ]
Yes, yes you would be. [ Something rather like a rumble leaves him as Stiles threads his fingers through his hair, and Derek lets his eyes fall half shut in a sort of idle contentment that's at odds with the way his face hurts from smiling so much. Once upon a time, Derek Hale had been a smiler. In recent years? It was restricted to snarkily baring his teeth, lopsided quirks, or the honest smile or two for his niece a day. The moment Stiles had entered his life? It all escalated quickly in numbers. He's still adjusting for it. Even when he's transfixed by the shift in Stiles' grin, and what he says.
He slides his hands up and around with the next kiss, leaning into it as he frames Stiles' face with long fingers, fanning them out across his cheeks and holding him gently as he returns the kiss.
Which is actually something he's never going to get tired of. Stiles has a damn addicting mouth, truth be told. Every awkward dinner or argument just sort of faded away when he got to have these moments. It made that burnt out hole that made up his center hurt less, slowly mend from all the shit he'd dealt with. Maybe he lost someone he cared about when he was younger-- all his fault, regardless of what anyone would say-- and then lost much of his family. Maybe two women came in and out of his life and left it an even greater mess. But then there was Stiles.
He pulls back enough to talk, though doesn't really break contact. ] Considering I proposed for millions of people across the world to see? Yes. I'm gonna put a ring on it.
[ Now that he's grinning like a loon, Stiles takes a step back, just for a second, and presents his hand dramatically, unable to stop looking at Derek for even half a second to be a comedian. It's kind of hard to believe this is happening, and maybe the physical proof'll make it a little easier.
His dad and Scott probably already know. He can't imagine they didn't just watch that--and his ears burn a little with the fact that that just happened for a whole hell of a lot of people to see. Holy jesus. He's not a super out there person, but there's something about Derek's video blogs that just seemed so ridiculously appropriate, he can't have really imagined this going any other way. Stiles would have probably done the exact same thing. ] Millions of people might be pushing it. You're underestimating the number of losers who sit and watch your videos over and over because you're ridiculously attractive or something.
[ Which comes out flippantly like, oh, who would ever do that. Not Stiles. His mouth twitches up a little more and something mischievous sparkles in his eyes. ] Maybe they'll even end up trying to find the courage to send you a recipe from all those views.
[ Rolling his eyes at the dramatics, Derek takes his hand slowly-- drawing his fingertips along the underside of his palm, following his pulse in his wrist-- just to tease. But he withdraws the small box with his other hand, so that he can, in fact, put a ring on it.
Normally a personally private person, obvious in the way that he rarely inserted family stories or factoids about his life outside of the videos in his vlog, the idea of proposing for the internet at large to see hadn't actually unsettled him. It had just seemed natural, something else that he could share with Stiles. The fact that he replied in the same way? Sort of sealed this, in his opinion. ] So that's what you were doing before you sent in that recipe.
[ Amusement evident, he curls his fingers around his hand and actually comes through the damn window so that he doesn't have to worry about tumbling back onto the fire escape or straight into his living room floor. ] Well, they'll all be a little too late now.
[ His smile softens just a little as his hand brushes against Derek's, and his brown eyes track his movements, only flickering away from his face and their hands when the box itself comes out. Stiles snorts at the comment and makes a face, tilting his head from left to right, because oops. ] If I said no would you believe it?
[ He pretty much mouths "no" at the same time Derek answers it, and his eyes crinkle in a smile as Derek comes through--he takes a step backwards to make room for him, but otherwise doesn't change their proximity at all. ] But if I end up dead you know you can blame it on your housewife army.
[ Opening his mouth to answer-- and obviously "no"-- he rolls his eyes again as Stiles answers with him, and he quietly questions what he's gotten himself into. But Derek wouldn't take this back for anything, and just comes to actually stand in front of Stiles, nothing between them. ] They're not going to kill you.
[ He pulls at his hand, drawing him even closer and bowing his head forward to bump foreheads, staying like that. Because there's nowhere else he'd rather be right now, content and home there with him. His own eyes crinkle at the corners, and he brushes their noses together. ] I love you, so they have no choice but to love you, too.
[ He allows himself to be pulled forwards easily, closing the space between them and glancing to the side for just a second, eyeing the band and grinning like a freakin' moron, because that seriously just happened. He needs to text Scott a picture as soon as possible, but right now, he doesn't care. Maybe tomorrow.
Right now Derek's in front of him, looking happy and that's the kind of sight Stiles treasures, wants to take pictures of so he never has to forget what it looks like. He turns his hand easily in Derek's palm so their fingers are laced together, getting used to the weight on his fingers and giving a little squeeze. He lets out a laugh that's not quiet, having to tilt his head back for a minute and let it go, then beams as he returns the nose bump afterwards. ] What was it you said, just don't eat anything Mrs. Westmore feeds you?
[ And then, he lets go of Derek's hand, only to fist his in the front of his shirt and pull him in for a kiss, and murmur against his mouth: ] I love you too.
[ At some point, they're going to have to head upstairs to join Laura and John in their celebration for the occasion. That "some point" likely won't come until tomorrow, because right now Derek is perfectly content to ignore the rest of the world in favor of starting the 'til death do us part early. Because Stiles is vibrant and warm and his, and he's Stiles'. And it's really hitting him now that the band is there, on Stiles' hand and pressed to his own now.
Letting out a softer laugh in response to Stiles' bright one, he watches him even as he tilts his head back, his other hand slipping up the shape of his waist to curl against skin under all those layers. It's just absent, seeking out soft warmth, but it just eases away more of his always lingering tension. ] Never eat Mrs. Westmore's food.
[ When his hand is freed, he moves it to join the other, leaning into the kiss with absolutely no resistance. Instead of responding with words, he just lets his mouth quirk even more at the corners. ]
[ Midkiss, Stiles seems to realize something. Go figure it's when things are starting to get good--he's just opened up a little into the kiss, trying to resist every urge to completely melt against his mouth, but it's important.
Pulling away from the kiss, he fidgets around in the pockets of his pants, jiggling from left to right before finagling out his phone. There's a couple of seconds of tapping before he pauses and brings up a familiar page--his instagram. Stiles grins at him and holds the phone way out, selfie style, leaning into Derek's side and holding up their intertwined hands so the ring is showing.
It takes a little bit of maneuvering, but eventually, he gets Derek to press the button for him, and the minute he does, he leans forward and steals a kiss from him. ]
[ A small, disgruntled noise leaves him as Stiles pulls back from the kiss, but Derek lets him rather than fight it. Raising an eyebrow as he watches him, he can't help but roll his eyes when he spots what he's doing. Of course he's pulling up instagram, why is he not surprised.
But he just leans in close to him as he pulls it up, arranging them into a workable position with their strange placement. They're holding hands but they need to click the selfie button, and while they could take a timer shot that would still take five seconds too long. So he adjusts, accommodates, and does in fact reach up to take the picture.
Of course that's when Stiles kisses him again, and he leans into it the moment that he takes the picture, smile curling across his face easily as he squeezes his hand. ]
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this is my post and i am marking it as such
It's like I have a flag stuck to me with your name on it.
It's easy enough to get things started, once he has everything together, camera set up and recording. ]
Those of you who've watched my vlogs before will realize that this isn't a new recipe, but today's episode is a little different from the ones I've done in the past. Today we're revisiting the Pick Me Up Porker Sandwiches, but it's for a specific reason. [ He works while he talks, making idle commentary every now and then between instructing his viewers. It's easy to fall into sync with what he's doing, having made the recipe enough times that he can do it blindfolded by this point. ]
The first time I got this recipe, it was back when Laura decided to "broaden my horizons, with the help of the viewers--" [ Airquotes enunciated. ] --and a viewer, one certain kindergarten teacher that I'm sure most of my regulars know well by this point, decided to submit one of his mother's old recipes. That was in October of 2013, if you've lost track. [ His stream is interrupted briefly as he starts up the sauce, going the all-fresh route and making everything from scratch. This is an important rendition of Claudia's recipe. ]
Said kindergarten teacher has provided a decent chunk of the recipes I do-- and has even contributed to episodes, as you can see from... wherever I put the link to his playlist, probably up top-- [ He makes an idle gesture up to the corner, going back to work. ] And has infected my apartment with his project glitter. Not exactly what I expected when I replied to his message, but then again I didn't really expect the two of us to keep talking over e-mail, and eventually text. And then in person.
Guess I should say thanks, Laura. [ He rolls his eyes, before offering the camera a faint quirk at the corner of his mouth. ] Thanks, Laura.
[ Four hours and one cutaway later, he works on actually tearing the pork up and getting it all together. ] Now, by this point, I don't have much longer before I have to get this episode up, so we're gonna have to finish up for the day. But there's a reason why I'm redoing this recipe for everyone to see, like I said, and it's not just because I think I've mastered it-- I think I have, anyways, but I have to say it's probably one of my favorites by this point. I wish I could've thanked the woman that originally came up with it.
[ He gets the lost family thing. He really does. But he's fairly certain that his parents would've liked Stiles, and at least Stiles' dad likes him. (The bribery through healthy yet still-tastes-like-food recipes probably helped.) ]
Right now, Stiles is probably helping kids make paper and glitter garlands, judging by the craft box he took with him this morning. For the past couple of months, he's been living with me, after having spent most of his time coming and going from his old apartment and here. Some of you know this is a pretty big deal for me-- Stiles is a pretty big deal for me-- so I think at this point, it's time to take another step forward. [ He sets the lid back onto his crockpot and shifts, reaching into his pocket to withdraw a simple, velvet box. Derek is pretty sure waiting a couple more hours for Stiles to come home is going to kill him, but he pops open the box anyways. ] What do you think?
[ The episode ends on that, and shortly before Stiles is slated to head for the parking lot, Derek shoots him a text: ]
Housewife emergency of the birthday cake persuasion, don't know when I'll be back. I managed to get today's episode up in time, though. Let me know what you think when you get home.
8D it's okay i have a matching one
(The parents surprise him with a gift, too, a gift certificate to a nice restaurant and a card signed by all of his kids. Stiles totally doesn't cry.)
It's when he's got the card tucked away in his pocket that he checks his phone and grins at the text, sliding into Roscoe's driver's seat and shutting the door behind him. Stiles props up his feet on the dash and texts him first-- ]
[ And that's when he starts the video. The whole set up is so familiar it makes something twist warmly in his heart, at Derek's face in the camera, the kitchen Stiles had been using to make himself toast in the mornings, the dent in the wall from when he'd been wrestling with Talia on the ground and cracked his head on it. And then he starts talking, and there's something so different about this that he stops and shifts up a little in his seat, dropping back into a proper sitting position as Derek tells a story--tells their story, he realizes, when his mom's recipe is reappearing on the screen.
By the time the ring box comes out, he's covering his mouth with his free hand, and the "oh my god" that comes out isn't exactly in his head. He has to rewind it to make sure he saw it right, and the burst of affection in his chest is so strong it nearly knocks the wind out of him, because he just asked if Stiles would marry him, on a video, and the next thing he knows, he's driving over, strangely calm, quiet, the only sound his heartbeat thundering in his ears and the phrase "what do you think" echoing over and over in his head.
He makes it to the apartment and doesn't even bother with the stuff in the car, just shuts the door, scrolls the comment pages. He's climbing the stairwells and reading the responses--"please tell me he said yes!" "i love you, derek, if he says no, i'll fix your broken heart ;)" and more and more, well wishes and "congratulations to the happy couple"s, no assumption that he'd say anything but yes, but. Stiles wouldn't say anything but anyway.
He shoulders through the door to a quiet apartment and doesn't even bother opening the door, just turns the lights on and beelines for the kitchen. The camera comes on, recording, and Stiles knows he probably looks like an idiot, still flushed from the cold or the moment or both, but he grins from ear to ear anyway, and doesn't even bother stepping back from the camera, still holding the on button like it's for a selfie and proclaiming, trying to keep his voice steady and cool. ]
I think yes.
[ Breaking into an even huger grin just in time to click the video off, he uploads it to Derek's account, and opens his phone to text Derek at his "housewife emergency". ]
WEEPS
Because, seriously. She was in agreement with his youtube fans.
Keeping himself occupied while he waits for Stiles to get back to the complex is like torture, though, as he lays around on Laura's couch with his phone. He honestly spends most of his time watching Stiles' videos on mute, which doesn't help matters any. But he knows the moment when Stiles answers his question, because Laura practically shrieks like a banshee from where she's sitting with her laptop. It sends John falling off his stool at the kitchen bar and results in Derek launching himself up into a seated position as his phone buzzes.
Only to be met with the computer practically shoved in his face, youtube's bright red and white color scheme only two inches away from his nose and Stiles' flushed face right there. He has to take it from her as she goes look, look!! at him, restarting the video to watch it again. If Stiles didn't figure out that he lied about the housewife emergency, Laura sure as hell gives him away as she collects her boytoy off the floor to celebrate noisily. ]
I think yes.
[ His face slowly cracks into a crooked grin, and he regards his phone for a minute before setting the laptop aside and just leaving both of them there on the couch. He doesn't care, consider him officially cut off from the rest of the world for the night. Because Stiles is downstairs in his-- their-- apartment, he said yes, and he needs to be down the fire escape five minutes ago.
Because it's Stiles. They have dinner plans spread across December and January, vague ideas for February, and even less vague ideas for April (which Stiles won't know about until April comes around). And he said yes.
Reaching the floor below via the connected fire escape, he lifts the window open and leans against the sill casually, almost as if it's just another Friday. ] Best episode, huh.
ugh babies
When he sees Derek there, he almost forgets how to breathe, and it all kind of hits him in a rush. He's, of course, playing it cool because he's Derek freakin Hale, who is actually a huge dork, who snores and loves kids and has every waking to desire to marry Stiles, which is kind of a lot to take in at once. He can barely take his eyes off of him, grinning like an absolute moron, and he takes a couple of steps forward, folding his arms across his chest, and rocks back on his heels. ] Well, I mean, I don't know, it's pretty hard to top the anniversary sex cake one.
[ His attempts at being sarcastic are pretty damn limited by the fact that he's grinning like an absolute moron, and he jitters forward the last couple steps, so he can lean on the fire escape too. It's at just the right angle for Derek's eyes to catch in the moonlight, and if he's getting proposed to, maybe he's allowed the romantic notion of the way the greenhazelgold just reflects in the light in a way that's pretty damn impossible to describe in words. ]
Dumbs.
He could have a lifetime of it, now.
Eyebrows raising as he watches Stiles jitter closer, staying as stationary as possible despite the fact that he just wants to haul himself through the window to touch Stiles. Once he's there, like this is some cliche Romeo and Juliet scene at Juliet's window, he lets himself move towards him more, head bowed forward and smile splitting his expression in two. ] I have a personal favorite, though.
clutches at face
Instead, he fills the scant space between them by leaning forward, and resting his forehead against his, just slightly, and raising his eyebrows in return. ] Was it this one, because it's pretty high on my list too.
makes it better
But seeing Stiles come back to the loft, red as a cherry and knowing exactly why had made everything worth it. All the teasing, the embarrassment that was definitely shared for a while. All of it.
Stiles just made everything worth the trouble he went through at this point, which was something of note considering the last two relationships that could be commented on definitely didn't hold a candle to this one. So after everything that he went through, he finally found something that he knew wasn't going to burn him just for wanting something good in his life.
Noses brushing together as he angles his head a little, Derek brings a hand up to set at the side of Stiles' neck, thumb smoothing along the line of his jaw absently as he looks back at him. Daylight does something to the amber in those big bambi eyes of his, but at the same time there's no denying the way they're lit up now. ] It was actually less than a minute long and featured absolutely no cooking. An anomaly for the channel.
;__;
It'd been enough of a journey to get to this point. Failed relationships and fallen crushes dotted his dating history, and it'd been right around the time that he'd declared he was in an open relationship with his star wars DVD collection that this happenstance had waltzed into his life. Now his students asked him when Mr. Hale was coming to visit again on a daily basis and Talia treated him like a member of the family instead of just a teacher (although he wasn't her teacher anymore--had been in the beginning, had been there now to watch her grow up.)
Now he was right here, still making stupid youtube videos and remembering pining after the cooking guy for being so ridiculously hot from the day he still watched them. It was kind of awesome. Kind of a good story to tell. No wonder they had fans.
He leans into the hand just a little, tilting his head and letting the all teeth smile fall into a soft, warm, crooked one instead. ] I am kind of an anomaly.
[ It's hard to describe Stiles with a better word. ]
Aaaaand this.
But it's slowly gotten better. After Paige, his relationships had tanked rather hard. Kate had come in and out of his life like a wildfire, burning it all down and leaving him in the ashes. A handful of years later, and then there was Jennifer. The levels with which, looking back at it in hindsight, he should've just said no were damn near astounding. He'd vowed off dating after that disaster, after the collection of disasters. And then there was Stiles.
Laura liked him. John and Talia loved him. Cora enjoyed making fun of him. He figures Stiles has the Hale family approval, especially if Talia still claims that he's her favorite teacher.
The fact they had so many fans didn't surprise him in the least, considering from the moment they made contact it was just a slow progression that reflected in his videos. Using Stiles' recipes, talking about the things they discussed over e-mail, text. Slowly talking about Stiles himself. Including Stiles in his videos. Making Stiles do his own recordings. Now, tonight's upload.
Smile still intact, he leans the rest of the way in, just a brush of lips as he murmurs: ] You're my anomaly.
dreamy sigh
If Stiles was a part of the Hale family, then Derek was as much with the Stilinskis. His dad saw him as a son--the rest of the family, his polish grandmother, who declared that she'd always known her grandson was as gay as a pop star and that he better enjoy "his irish springs" for her (bar none the most embarrassing thanksgiving Stiles can remember experiencing, and that's including the one where they refused to refer to him as anything but Mienczyslaw the entire dinner in front of Scott and his mom) all adored Derek. Stiles'd told his dad about the whole thing in a flurry over Christmas the year before, and his dad'd just invited (demanded) he came over for dinner, and everything had gone smoothly from there. And honestly, in Stiles' book, if his dad liked you, and Scott liked you, then things were meant to be.
It's hard to keep the smile from his cheeks, but he keeps his fingers curled in the fabric of his henley and uses it as an anchoring point, not pulling away until he's damned well satisfied, and even then, chasing it with another kiss, short and sweet. His tone's teasing, and he looks up to the ceiling like he's pondering it. ] That's probably the first time I've heard it as a compliment, though.
torn between sighs and laughter
With the fact that both families seem to approve of them helps by leaps and bounds, even if Stiles' grandmother and Derek's sister are forces to be reckoned with and be embarrassed by. Their Thanksgivings had been mortifying, to say the least, but he knows that Christmas isn't going to be much better. (Especially if Laura or John decide to gift them with anything for the bedroom, because he's pretty sure that's what they've been hinting at.) But the fact that Laura doesn't give Stiles the stinkeye, Cora doesn't threaten to kill him any time she sees him, and Talia fawns over him like he's the best thing since sliced bread says a whole damn lot. He's still damn sure that his parents would love him, too.
His squad of housewives sure as hell do, although he's pretty sure a couple are still planning his demise due to Derek being ""theirs."" He's not going to focus on that too much, just make sure Stiles doesn't eat anything they make.
Laughing a little, even at the soft and quick press of lips, he tips his head to brush his lips against a corner of his smile, following it almost absently and nosing his cheek. ] You're also a pain in the ass and probably going to make me fall through the window, if that balances it out.
as it should be
[ It's joking and kind of stupid and Stiles is pretty sure he's forgotten how to speak normal words, let alone how to be clever, so if he just chases him with another kiss, well, no one has to be the wiser.
He's earned those, anyway. It's been two years now, a year of dating, shared recipes, shared kisses, awkward family dinners, arguments, romance, lots of sex, and the kind of in your bones feeling of "yeah, this is it, I think I found it"--the kind of thing he thought he'd had with Lydia Martin until it flew out of his fingers. And honestly? Stiles felt like he needed to thank her for it. ]
Perpetual feeling with them.
He slides his hands up and around with the next kiss, leaning into it as he frames Stiles' face with long fingers, fanning them out across his cheeks and holding him gently as he returns the kiss.
Which is actually something he's never going to get tired of. Stiles has a damn addicting mouth, truth be told. Every awkward dinner or argument just sort of faded away when he got to have these moments. It made that burnt out hole that made up his center hurt less, slowly mend from all the shit he'd dealt with. Maybe he lost someone he cared about when he was younger-- all his fault, regardless of what anyone would say-- and then lost much of his family. Maybe two women came in and out of his life and left it an even greater mess. But then there was Stiles.
He pulls back enough to talk, though doesn't really break contact. ] Considering I proposed for millions of people across the world to see? Yes. I'm gonna put a ring on it.
dumb babies tbh
His dad and Scott probably already know. He can't imagine they didn't just watch that--and his ears burn a little with the fact that that just happened for a whole hell of a lot of people to see. Holy jesus. He's not a super out there person, but there's something about Derek's video blogs that just seemed so ridiculously appropriate, he can't have really imagined this going any other way. Stiles would have probably done the exact same thing. ] Millions of people might be pushing it. You're underestimating the number of losers who sit and watch your videos over and over because you're ridiculously attractive or something.
[ Which comes out flippantly like, oh, who would ever do that. Not Stiles. His mouth twitches up a little more and something mischievous sparkles in his eyes. ] Maybe they'll even end up trying to find the courage to send you a recipe from all those views.
Yep.
Normally a personally private person, obvious in the way that he rarely inserted family stories or factoids about his life outside of the videos in his vlog, the idea of proposing for the internet at large to see hadn't actually unsettled him. It had just seemed natural, something else that he could share with Stiles. The fact that he replied in the same way? Sort of sealed this, in his opinion. ] So that's what you were doing before you sent in that recipe.
[ Amusement evident, he curls his fingers around his hand and actually comes through the damn window so that he doesn't have to worry about tumbling back onto the fire escape or straight into his living room floor. ] Well, they'll all be a little too late now.
no subject
[ He pretty much mouths "no" at the same time Derek answers it, and his eyes crinkle in a smile as Derek comes through--he takes a step backwards to make room for him, but otherwise doesn't change their proximity at all. ] But if I end up dead you know you can blame it on your housewife army.
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[ He pulls at his hand, drawing him even closer and bowing his head forward to bump foreheads, staying like that. Because there's nowhere else he'd rather be right now, content and home there with him. His own eyes crinkle at the corners, and he brushes their noses together. ] I love you, so they have no choice but to love you, too.
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Right now Derek's in front of him, looking happy and that's the kind of sight Stiles treasures, wants to take pictures of so he never has to forget what it looks like. He turns his hand easily in Derek's palm so their fingers are laced together, getting used to the weight on his fingers and giving a little squeeze. He lets out a laugh that's not quiet, having to tilt his head back for a minute and let it go, then beams as he returns the nose bump afterwards. ] What was it you said, just don't eat anything Mrs. Westmore feeds you?
[ And then, he lets go of Derek's hand, only to fist his in the front of his shirt and pull him in for a kiss, and murmur against his mouth: ] I love you too.
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Letting out a softer laugh in response to Stiles' bright one, he watches him even as he tilts his head back, his other hand slipping up the shape of his waist to curl against skin under all those layers. It's just absent, seeking out soft warmth, but it just eases away more of his always lingering tension. ] Never eat Mrs. Westmore's food.
[ When his hand is freed, he moves it to join the other, leaning into the kiss with absolutely no resistance. Instead of responding with words, he just lets his mouth quirk even more at the corners. ]
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[ Midkiss, Stiles seems to realize something. Go figure it's when things are starting to get good--he's just opened up a little into the kiss, trying to resist every urge to completely melt against his mouth, but it's important.
Pulling away from the kiss, he fidgets around in the pockets of his pants, jiggling from left to right before finagling out his phone. There's a couple of seconds of tapping before he pauses and brings up a familiar page--his instagram. Stiles grins at him and holds the phone way out, selfie style, leaning into Derek's side and holding up their intertwined hands so the ring is showing.
It takes a little bit of maneuvering, but eventually, he gets Derek to press the button for him, and the minute he does, he leans forward and steals a kiss from him. ]
no subject
But he just leans in close to him as he pulls it up, arranging them into a workable position with their strange placement. They're holding hands but they need to click the selfie button, and while they could take a timer shot that would still take five seconds too long. So he adjusts, accommodates, and does in fact reach up to take the picture.
Of course that's when Stiles kisses him again, and he leans into it the moment that he takes the picture, smile curling across his face easily as he squeezes his hand. ]