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“Derek Hale,” the interview said softly, drawing his attention back to herself. She was beautiful in an objective way. She wasn’t what he was interested in any more. Not since- “Tell us all about your boy, Stiles Stilinkski? He’s an actor, right?” As if she needed to ask and the way she said Stiles name made him clench his jaw.
Derek didn’t hide his deep sigh, didn’t force the annoyance away from his tone. Derek couldn’t escape Stiles anymore. It was like once he ended their relationship the universe said fuck you and it was never ending Stiles. Stiles on the TV promoting his new movie. Stiles on the radio doing stupid talk interviews. Stiles movie posters plastered everywhere. Even in the airport! Derek could not escape his devastatingly beautiful face taunting him everywhere he went.
“Let me start by saying Stiles in not ‘my boy’ he is just Stiles. He is his own person and I have told you I don’t want to discuss this. Lets move on to my new album.”
“Of course, after all, that's what we are here today for. To discuss your new release.” Derek could tell she was trying hard to get a reaction and he wouldn’t let it get to him. It had only been a month since things ended with Stiles. With everything else going on, he doesn’t need this shit right now. “When is the album releasing?”
Derek was happy to talk about his new music, the new album was, well, it was something. This album was full of love and losing that love. Mostly it was full of his regrets. A lot of the songs towards the end of the album were written in the months leading up to breaking things off with Stiles, Derek kept trying to hold on a little longer, knowing it would hurt more in the end, but not wanting to fully give Stiles up. He poured everything, every part of his soul into this new album. He had hoped the new music would help him escape, but once the whole thing was put together, he realized Stiles was intertwined with his music in a way no one ever had before.
‧˚꒰🐾୭ ˚. ᵎᵎ
“Erica for the love of-” Derek is trying not to growl at her through the phone. “Yes! i know your coffee order. Do we have to go over this everyti-” he’s cut off my Erica’s smart ass reply. He can feel the headache forming behind his eyes already and pinches the bridge of his nose. He knows the order. In all the years of knowing Erica, it had not once changed. This phone call was just unnecessary. “I’m hanging up now. I’ll be back soon. Don’t let Issac eat my pancakes!” he ends the call quickly before she can get another word in.
Derek is busy tucking his phone away when he feels a body crash into his, “Shit.” the guy is staring down at the cups, the coffee slowly seeping into the concrete below their feet. He’s cute, brown hair messy on top of his head and when he looks up Derek can get lost in the warm honey brown eyes that gaze at him.
The look the boy gives him is unwavering, has he even blinked? His eyes were wide, big like a doe’s and looking just as innocent as well. Was he a fan? Why couldn’t they greet him like he was a normal person? They’d definitely get a better reaction. “Are you just going to keep staring?” he can hear the words come out of his mouth, rough and sharp.
“Uh,” was the eloquent response. Derek rolls his eyes, he didn’t have time for fans to be starstruck or frightened around him. Erica needed coffee and Derek needed to make it back to the apartment before Issac ate all of his pancakes. He’s been wanting them all week and Issac the jerk would never feel bad about taking food from Derek.
He could feel the mans eyes burning holes into the back of his head as he lined up behind Derek. Derek refused to look back, he couldn’t get the sight of pale skin dotted with freckles and those pouty pink lips that had parted beautifully when he opened his mouth in an attempt to speak, out of his mind. It didn’t matter Derek couldn’t start a relationship with a fan. It would be too complicated. But maybe-
“Excuse me, sir?” Derek turned around, assuming the girl making the coffee’s was trying to get his attention. No she was still helping the guy who ran into him. There was a small smile on her lips and a hopefully look in her eyes. Glancing down he noticed the notebook she held slightly out. “Can I get your autograph? I have this thing where I-” Is this dude famous for something? His head moves to look at him, Derek can see a flash of guilt across the mans face before he shools it into an easy smile, already reaching for the book.
“No problem, Emily, no problem at all.” Derek can see him write a short note, his long and skinny fingers twirl the pen around and Derek can’t look away, he can imagine them wrapped- No, no. His signature at the bottom finishes it off. What kind of name is that?
“You famous for something?” Derek didn’t mean to say that, but he does and it makes the guy turn to him, those big eyes swallow him whole. He’s staring again, not saying anything. Was this guy really famous? Derek lifts an eyebrow in a way that he hopes conveys ‘I’m waiting for a response.’
“I’m an actor?” Was that a question for Derek? Was he supposed to know this guy? He doesn’t really keep up with all the new trendy movies coming out, that more Erica and Issac’s style. Plus they’d just been overseas on tour, there wasn’t a lot of time to watch anything new. He hums and before he can say anything else the girl is calling out his name and handing over the cup.
It wasn’t until he was a block away from his apartment that he remembered. He didn’t order Erica’s coffee. He only had one cup in his hand. He stopped and contemplated going back just to save himself the headache Erica was going to give him. Or go back home before Issac ate all his food. Derek looked up, hoping the sky above would provide some answers.
Derek could laugh, he really could. Maybe he would have never noticed unless the man crashed right into him like he did today, but there was no mistaking the guy now. Derek was staring at a giant advertisement on a nearby building. It was the man from the coffee shop. Arms crossed over his crossed over his chest, one grabbing his neck, the other holding on to his bicep. He was shirtless, pants slung low on his hips, showing off the lean muscle he had. The universe was mocking him now, he was sure of it. Stiles Stilinski. The name repeated in his head the rest of the way home. Stiles. Stiles.
Erica pounced on Derek as soon as he flung the door open. Her red painted lips already curled into a smile. It turned sour once she realized Derek was only holding one cup of coffee. “That better be my coffee and the reason you only have one is because you drank yours on the way here!”
He doesn’t want to tell her the truth, so he thrusts the cup at her and hopes she won’t notice the difference. She does. “Do you know who Stiles Stilinski is?”
He can hear the squeal in Issac’s voice as he rushes from the kitchen towards them. “Oh my god! Tell me you didn’t meet him and that’s why you don’t have his autograph! Tell me you didn’t meet him!” Issac is nearly nose to nose with him. Fan-girling over the guy who nearly split coffee all over him.
Derek pushes Issac away, “That is what I’m telling you. Now who is he?” his eyes narrow on Erica who has already finished drinking his coffee. She didn’t even like coffee that bitter.
“He’s like the hottest actor right now, or one of them.” With a shrug he’s already pulling out his phone. “He punched some guy in the face recently. Wanna see?” the phone is shaking in Issac's hand. Does he want to see? Well, yeah. But it doesn’t want them to know he wants to see.
“No the guy almost drowned me in coffee.” That should be convincing enough for his friends.
“Aw my poor Derbear, is that why I don’t have my coffee?” Erica was giving her best pout and puppy dog eye combo, he was hoping she wasn’t going to mention the coffee. He should blame the guy, he doesn’t even know him.
“No, I- he, I was just distracted.” Erica rolls her eyes, a smirk has replaced the pout on her lips and it makes him feel uneasy. “I’m going to eat my pancakes now. In peace.” He pushes past his bandmates and turns into the kitchen. His, mostly full, stack of pancakes is where he left them and Derek wastes no more time drowning them in syrup and wills Stiles Stilinski to vacate his mind.
When Derek is alone in his room after a long day of lazing about, he looks Stiles up. The video Issac was probably going to show him earlier pops up. MOMMY ISSUES, REAL TEARS, AND REAL KNUCKLES: Why Hollywood’s Hottest Star Just Flattened a Reporter! Derek scoffs at the title, these crazy headlines the tabloids love to use. Derek pushes the link, waiting for the video to load up.
He can see the moment the flip is switched in Stiles, he goes from polite, but firm, then irritated. Derek can see the way he is clenching and unclenching his jaw, his hands are balled to fists in his lap and then the interviewer says the wrong thing. “It’s been years, you can’t still be hung up on it.” Stiles gives him a mean right hook and doesn’t stop until the camera pans away and Derek can hear the struggle to get Stiles off the guy. The video ends shortly after that.
‧˚꒰🐾୭ ˚. ᵎᵎ
“Derek, how does it feel to be single again?” Ugh, he groaned. Was every interview going to go like this? He knows. Knows he told his management to have them steer clear of all relationship talk.
“You people are worse than the tabloids.” He runs his hands through his hair, messing it up and spiking it in the worst way. Stiles, Stiles, Stiles. He couldn’t escape him. The harder he tried, the universe doubled down and shoved Stiles further down his throat. “I’m going to say this once, just one time. Hear it and process it and never ask me about him again.” He can feel Erica giving him worrying looks and tries to school his face into something resembling a nice human being. “Stiles Stilinksi is a great actor and overall a great guy. We were dating and now, we aren’t It was fun and now it’s more like an annoying thorn in my ass. I’m single. End of discussion.”
“Well, well, thank you for that lovely insight.” the woman across from them smirks, obviously pleased she was about to get that much out of him. “Let’s talk about the album you all just released. Talk us through it.”
Derek let Issac, Boyd, and Erica take the lead on answering the rest of the interview questions. Talking about the album was still just talking about Stiles from his point of view. The album was Stiles. The first half of the album was light, happy, some might say his songs were filled with love. By the end of the album something twists and it becomes heartbreaking. He tried not to release it at the last moment, it felt too raw. He might as well have ripped his heart out and soaked the pages in blood for how gut wrenching it was to Derek. His label didn’t care. They’ve been working for over a year on this album. There was no way it wasn’t going to be pushed through, Derek’s feelings be dammed.
He just wanted Stiles back.
‧˚꒰🐾୭ ˚. ᵎᵎ
“Derek! We are going to that movie premiere!” Derek tried to down out her words, he was so close to finishing the hook of their new song. Erica is standing in front of him, already reaching for the headphones that are sitting on his head. “Boyd just took Issac and I shopping, so we have new, sexy clothes to go partying in.” she’s spinning his headphones around and he hopes she doesn’t drop them. “You need to get your head out of your ass, stop stalking some actor you met once, and have some fun with us!”
Derek was not stalking anyone! So what if he occasionally, everyday, checked to see if Stiles was up to anything new, anything near him, maybe? It wasn’t weird, it was fine. Derek was fine. He didn’t need a relationship anyways. “You don’t even like the movie.” it was a weak excuse and he knows it, it wasn’t abut the movie anyways, but Derek didn’t want to go. He had an album to write.
“I don’t care about the movie. I want to go to the premier and take photos and talk to other celebrities and then i want to go to the after party they will have! There’s always an after party.” She is giving him her puppy dog eyes again. “Don’t you think Laura would be upset if we don’t at least make an appearance? One of our songs in on the track list for the movie!”
He’s already moving to get up, snatching his headphones out of Erica’s hands, she always knows just the right words to make Derek into one of her little puppets, following whatever she wants to do. “Yeah, yeah. But I’m not going to have fun.”
Erica says nothing about his lack of effort to dress up. He wasn’t known for his flashy style anyways, preferring to let Erica and Issac take center stage while he and Boyd faded into the background. Well, Derek tried to, much to everyone else's dismay.
The after party was roaring already by the time Derek and crew arrived, there was people everywhere, packed in like sardines. Derek couldn’t escape them. As if the premier wasn’t enough, why did they have to come to the after party as well? “We didn’t even get to talk to anyone Derek,” is Erica’s slightly whining response to him.
He tried to mingle, or whatever it is you do at these things. Derek’s never been much of a party person, the rock star persona never fit him 100%. He watched the three members of his band dance together,sandwiching Erica in between them as they moved. Derek had tried drinking, but after one gross drink Erica handed to him, he was done.
Derek left the trio on the dancefloor, telling himself he just needed some fresh air and he’d be back to watch over them soon. He spotted French glass doors and headed towards them, making out the city lights the closer he got. He opened the door softly and was surprised to see a somewhat familiar brown head of hair. Most pictures Derek sees are not from the back of his head. No way he randomly stumbled upon Stiles at an after party of all places. Figures. “You know parties are only fun, if you’re actually partying.”
“I hate parties.” Stiles response is quick, his voice is smooth. Those brown eyes find his when he turns around to look at Derek. “Lydia says it’s good for my publicity.” Stiles shrugs as if it doesn’t bother him, but clearly it does if he’s hanging out here. Alone.
“People still care that you punched that guy?” He moved closer to Stiles, standing next to him at the railing. He can see Stiles shocked face from his peripheral view. Derek feels the need to explain so he doesn’t seem like a total creep. “I kind of looked you up after I left the cafe, that was the first link that popped up.” A strangled moan came from the guy standing next to him and he tried not to think about how hot it sounded.
“It wasn’t what it looked like?” Derek gives him a withering look. It was exactly what it looked like, but the guy had it coming. He should have read the room or at least Stiles body language and realized he was crossing a line. “Okay I mean, obviously I punched him, but well deserved if I say so myself. He kept asking about my mother, its a sore subject, and he knew not to ask. Now everyone just thinks im mental or something.”
Don’t bring up his dead mother. Got it. “Do you have some sort of mental issue?” Derek tries hard not to laugh at that, he stares off into the distance.
“Probably.” a heavy sigh falls from his lips. “Lydia forces me to go to these social events now so she can, I don’t know, prove I'm normal? Whatever that means.” Stiles down the rest of the drink, Derek didn't realize he was holding, and frowns at the empty glass as if its personally offended him. “I don’t even know why I'm telling you any of this.”
Derek can’t stop the small laugh he lets out. “Maybe you just feel comfortable around me?”
Stiles hums softly, “Doubtful, I'm not even comfortable with myself. Lydia thinks I-”
Derek cuts him off, who is this Lydia person anyways? “Do most of you sentences begin with ‘Lydia thinks’?”
Stiles makes a show of thinking before saying, “Yeah, she’s my manager and only friend on this side of the country. She’s only looking out for me.”
Derek doesn’t reply quickly, just lets out a soft sound, thinking over the information. Stiles only has Lydia? Does he have a family other friends? Derek thinks the acting world must be cutthroat, probably the same as the music industry. Derek is lucky to have his sisters by his side now that his parents have passed. Erica, Issac, and Boyd are practically family at this point. His built himself a small tight knit pack, he doesn’t know what he’d do without them. He wonders how Stiles feels only having Lydia by his side.
“Why are you here? Lydia dragged me out to be here, but what’s your reason? You love to party?” Derek shakes his head. Derek was dragged here, he was not here because he wanted to be.
“Nah, I hate parties too.” he shrugs easily, smoothly, “Erica, Issac, and Boyd love going to the premieres and therefore the after parties. Our music is in the movie.” Stiles repeats their names softly. “Yeah.” Derek looks to Stiles and he looks good, so good. It looks like he was wearing a suit at one point, the suit jacket long gone, with his white dress shirt had the sleeves rolled up his forearms and a few buttons on top undone. Erica was right he was a total creep with a huge crush on this guy. “Since we both don’t like parties, wanna get out of here?” Stiles face lights up and nods eagerly, standing up and moving towards the glass doors.
“Just don’t let Lydia see me leave, she’ll have your balls.” Derek is concerned now, how scary was she? “She has strawberry blond hair and scary green eyes. Don’t look at them directly.” Stiles is laughing as they shove their way past people making a beeline for the front door. Stiles looks more relaxed once they are outside, Lydia thankfully, did not spot them making their leave.
Derek doesn’t want to seem like a creep and take Stiles back to his place or go back to Stiles. They barely know each other and Derek doesn’t want to ruin, what could be a good thing, if he can. Derek takes Stiles to this amazing Hot Dog stand not far from where they are. Derek buys them and they walk to Central Park chatting and making small talk. Its nice and fun. Way better than some after party, in Derek’s opinion. He decides to call it a night when he can see Stiles head dropping and wildly flinging back up to stop himself from falling asleep. Derek walks Stiles back to place and before he can talk himself out of it, plants a small kiss on Stiles lips, just a peck really. Derek promises they will see each other soon and he’s watching Stiles walk in the building. He is sure he has a huge smile all the way back to his, even Erica complaining that he ditched them can’t remove it.
‧˚꒰🐾୭ ˚. ᵎᵎ
“Let’s talk about you now Derek. We heard congratulations are in order. You and Kate Argent are dating now, how exciting! As two of the biggest stars in the music industry I bet the fans are going wild.” Talking about Kate was worse than talking about Stiles. At least he felt something for Stiles.
Derek knows this is somehow Kate’s fault. He knows they weren’t supposed to even know about their supposed relationship. Contract agreement, is what Derek has taken to calling it. “Yes, well,” how much could he deny it? Gerard and Kate and possibly his own record label would be pissed if he outright denied it. Every time he thought of Kate, he thought of how wrong it was, how it wasn’t him. It wasn’t Stiles. “We are taking things slow, see where it all goes.”
Derek regrets ever signing that deal with the devil. Laura told him it was too good, too good, to not have some loophole that was going to bite him in the ass. But Derek was young and there was so much money involved, more money than he ever thought he’d see in his life. Derek would deal with it when he needed to. He underestimated Kate and how badly she wanted him at her side.
“That’s a very different approach to your past relationship!” Derek rolls his eyes, of course they would try and pit Stiles and Kate against each other. “How do you think he feels about it? The breakup was less than a year ago.”
Derek can probably guess how Stiles feels about it. He doesn’t know. He hasn’t reached out to Stiles since he ended things and Stiles certainly hasn’t reached out to him. For what reason? Derek gave him no answers to the questions he had about why? Why was he leaving? Why wasn’t he saying anything? Why wouldn’t he fight for them? Derek couldn’t say anything. He was a coward and couldn’t tell Stiles this was his price to pay for fame. Stiles wouldn’t get it. He earned his way in Hollywood, he fought tooth and nail for every audition he got and then he worked harder to ensure he got the lead role he was trying out for.
Derek. Derek signed a contract an guaranteed him success. Of course he was talented, he doesn’t think Gerard’s music label would have let him make the contract in the first place if they didn’t think Derek would make them money. He has, made them a lot of money, just not enough to buy back his freedom, it seems.
Derek doesn’t answer her question about Stiles. He rips off the microphone attached to his shirt and walks off the set, his bandmates call after him, but what can he say? Stiles is on his mind now. He doesn’t want to talk about Kate.
‧˚꒰🐾୭ ˚. ᵎᵎ
Derek lets his mind wander back to the first time he and Stiles had a date, a real one. Not just eating a hot dog in Central Park together. Derek takes Stiles to see a new play on Broadway. He’s nervous and feels like he’s sweating through his nice clothes. Stiles meets him there, his lanky build and never ending movements calm Derek in a way he has never had with anyone else. The play is great and they end the night at dinner, not separating until the early morning. Sometimes Derek wishes they never had that date. Or that they had the date but it was horrible. These thoughts have been keeping him away, ruining the time he has left with the man.
Derek looks down at Stiles now, curled up against his chest in Stiles bed. He looks peaceful with his hair sticking out wildly, mouth parted open and snoring softly, he never stops moving even in his sleep and Stiles fingers move down his chest and his legs rub against Derek’s own. Derek can feel his heart breaking in this moment. He needs to do this today. He needs to end this today, before he hurts himself and Stiles further.
Derek untangles himself from Stiles, softly lulling him back to sleep when he begins to stir. He kisses the top of Stiles head and moves to get himself ready. He can do this. He can break his own heart. He doesn’t have a choice. He shows, dresses and grabs the duffle bag he had brought over, the first time he stayed at Stiles place and it just never left, and stuffs it full of all the things he has brought over. They spent the majority of their time together, whenever they could, and Derek preferred Stiles place over his. Less prying eyes. Not that he was hiding Stiles. Stiles loves the band and him and Erica were always bickering like an old married couple. They all loved him.
Stiles stumbles into the living room later, tripping over the long sweatpants that hang low on his hips, those are his, Derek thinks. Stiles looks good like this, still waking up, rubbing his eyes as he makes his way to Derek. He stops short finally noticing Derek is dressed and ready to go and he never got Stiles up. Derek has spent the past few hours solidifying his decision in his mind.
“Der, what’s going on? Why aren’t you in bed? I thought we-,” he stops talking, teeth biting into his lower lip. “Derek?” his voice is high and uncertain. Derek can see the gears moving in his sleep addled brain, coaxing it to put all the pieces together.
He doesn’t look him in the face as he begins his speech. Monotone and robotic. He doesn’t see all the emotions that cross Stiles face, he can’t stand to see the hurt reflected in those big eyes of his. Derek couldn’t say what he told Stiles. He doesn’t even remember half of it. Just bullshit words. Stiles is crying, pounding on his chest, Derek wants to comfort him, but settles for loosely circling his arms around the sobbing man. He tried to look impassive, but listening to Stiles cry and ask why, why why, it was slowly breaking him. Derek grabs Stiles hands in his own and forces them to his sides, he can feel them shaking and lets go. “Sorry Stiles.” he kisses his cheek, grabs the duffle and closes the door softly behind him. He left Stiles spare key hanging by the door, Stiles will see it and Derek won’t be tempted to come back without it.
He lets the tears fall as he makes his way back to his shared apartment. He doesn’t bother undressing before throwing himself on his bed, wrapping the comforter around himself till it feels suffocating. Issac and Boyd find him like that, dried tears and snot ruining his blanket. They don’t ask questions, just sit with him as the memory of Stiles heartbreak plays on repeat in his mind.
It has been a few months since their breakup and Kate doesn’t care that he’s less than enthused to be around her, she touches him anyways and forces her way in between Derek and anyone else that stands next to him. Holding his arm in a vice grip, so he doesn’t slip away. She puts on a big enough show for the both of them. Derek for his part tries to keep a neutral face, pretends to play the part he gave himself years ago.
Derek feels sick around her, his mind always running back to Stiles. He misses him. Misses the surprise visits after one of Derek’s performances. He misses the late night dinners they’d have after Stiles got done on set. Derek especially misses waking up next to the beautiful man, he always looks peaceful and calm when he’s resting. He misses the Central Park walks, reminiscing on the first time they hung out together. Mostly he just misses Stiles presence, the way he would light up the room when Derek finally locked eyes with him across the sea of people, gravitating towards each other like magnets.
‧˚꒰🐾୭ ˚. ᵎᵎ
“Derek, have you been keeping up with your ex, Stiles Stilinski?” Derek feels resigned, its been months, he’s rumored to be in a new relationship and they still keep asking about Stiles? As if he wanted to keep up with his ex’s personal life.
“No.” Derek lies. He does check up on Stiles, can’t help it actually. When he’s alone in his room he’s looking Stiles up, seeing what's going on in his life. He knows Stiles just signed on to do a TV series in California, good for him. Stiles was always nervous about tying himself down to a TV series, but well. Things change.
“We have a short clip from his latest interview, would you like to see it? You were mentioned in it.” Stiles mentioned Derek? There’s shuffling around him and he can see his bandmates moving around in their chairs. The interviewer was smiling wickedly at them at it made his stomach sink. What could Stiles have possible said?
Did Derek want to know? No. Yes. Of course Derek wanted to know, the anticipation was already eating at him. Why hadn’t Derek seen this one when he last checked on Stiles News? He shrugged, trying his best to look nonchalant about the whole thing. He turns in his seat to stare at the wall where a video is loading up.
Stiles looks tired, is the first thing Derek thinks. He’s got dark bags under his eyes, that even makeup couldn’t cover, he’s not looking directly at the woman who’s asking him a question. Stiles doesn’t seem to hear the question she’s asking, the question is about Derek.
“Stiles?” the woman prompts. She seems on edge, but Stiles doesn’t seem to care. His eyes finally meet hers.
“I’m sorry, what was the question?” Derek missed the sound of his voice. Stiles lets out a long sigh, damn, he sounds so tired. Derek hopes Stiles wasn’t hurting as much as he was.
The interviewer gives him a smile, “We have all been wondering how you are dealing with your latest breakup with Derek Hale? It’s been a while now, hasn’t it?” Derek knew Stiles dealt with the same questions he did about their past relationship, but Stiles dodged them when he could. He rarely spoke about Derek and when he did it was to say how great Derek was. He shakes his head, focusing back on the screen ahead.
“It has been difficult. It’s been a few months since we ended things and I wont lie, there have been some rocky moments for me, for sure,” Stiles shrugs and Derek can physically feel the ache in his chest, “there’s really nothing I can do, but move forward, like Derek has.”
She is nodding sympathetically, Derek can see through it as he watches on, she is loving this. It’ll be headline news for sure. He wonders even more how he didn’t see it. “Yes, it must be hard to see him and his new relationship when its on the front pages of magazines.” a soft yeah is Stiles reply, Derek can see the way he blinks rapidly trying not to cry. “What caused the breakup?”
Another shrug from Stiles. “It was a mutual decision.” he was still trying to protect Derek and not make him look like the biggest asshole to exist. “We were happy, but sometimes things just don’t work out how you plan.” Did Stiles think he was unhappy? Of course he did, Derek didn’t give him any reason, he probably over thought every single interaction they had. Trying to decipher the exact moment everything fell apart.
“Do you miss him?” Derek can hear his intake of breath, loudly, the rest of the room is deathly still, waiting for Stiles to answer the question, but he doesn’t, not right away. His eyes go distant and Derek can tell he has been swept away by his memories, probably thinking of the day Derek ended things. Stiles should hate Derek. Of course he doesn’t miss him. It’s been six months and he hasn’t heard one word from the man.
Stiles moves his gaze to the camera, not looking at the person asking questions, now he is staring straight into Derek’s eyes, probably into his soul.
“I love Derek.” the breath he didn’t realize he was still holding in rushes out and he hears a crashing noise as the screen fades to black. He couldn’t look away from the dark screen, willing it to show Stiles face one more time.
“Derek?” he snaps his head towards the woman, she flinches back at the look. “We need to finish the questions. Please sit down.” when had he stood up? “What are your thoughts on the video? How do you think Kate feels about this?” Kate? Fuck what Kate thought about it. When did this interview even take place? How long ago? Had Stiles left for California yet? How did he not see it before now?
Derek started to walk off the little stage they had set up for their interview, he ignores the calls for him to come back. He stalks past everyone till he is outside the building. He has to make this right. He has to find Stiles. What does Derek care if this ruins his career? Stiles loves him.