Deafening Silence

Ch. 31

"I think this is the fanciest place I've ever been too" Stiles looked around at the twinkling lights in awe. The restaurant was Derek's idea, away from the hotel and a chance to get out.

"Really? You'd think a chef would get his food from top notch restaurants all the time"

"Okay mister, don't think you get to take shots just because I felt you up in the elevator. It's just cause of the suit" Derek brushed him off with a chuckle as he pulled out the seat for his boyfriend. Derek was kind like that. Stiles loved how he always seemed to do it without regard, like being a gentlemen to Stiles was just second nature.

"So, you've never been to Cape Cod?" Stiles asked, picking up his menu as Derek settled into his own seat. He thought about how it had been the first place he and Scott took a road trip to when they moved to New York, how that fateful trip brought Isaac into their lives.

"No, I've wanted to for a while. Kate said this place was for old people. After her I just never got around to it"

"Well, two wealthy beautiful people like you. I'm sure you had better places to vacation"

Stiles didn't miss the way Derek rolled his eyes, huffing as he tried to brush it off  "Actually we never went anywhere together. We could never agree on the destination and other things for that matter"

"Wow. What did you guys have in common?" Stiles and only asked the question as a joke.

"Sex" Derek snorted. A pit dropped in Stiles' stomach and then he was very quiet, his menu suddenly the most interesting thing. Their date, just like the beginning of their vacation, had taken another turn for the worst. The last thing he needed was to question himself and there he was trying to decided whether he wanted chicken chowder, the pasta, or to jump off of a cliff. The disaster with their room and now Kate. All he could do was keep his head down and hope the moment would pass, his insecurities was the last thing their time away needed.

Seemingly aware of the awkwardness Derek cleared his throat and changed the topic "So I uh--I arranged a bike ride for tomorrow morning. I figured we could kill sometime before we go whale watching"

"That sounds fun" and he left it at that.

For the rest of their dinner Stiles managed to communicate in a few more words. Enough to carry small talk until their food arrived. Stiles could feel Derek's uneasiness in the way he tapped the table and continued to take small sips of his wine. All Stiles could do was delicately reach across the table and place his hands over Derek's ridiculously bigger ones. He was feeling on edge, yeah, but he didn't want Derek to stress about that.

"Want a taste?" Derek asked soon after the server left their table. Hot steam was still rising from his soup. He decided it'd be nice to fill his belly while he waited for his own meal to cool down. Waiting, he watched Derek slice a corner of his sirloin swiveling it in a glaze before sliding the fork Stiles' way. The boy groaned in delight as soon as it touched his tongue "Did you learn how to make this in school?" Derek was suddenly asking.

"Yeah, my own version of it at least. It was custom to put your own twist on things"

"So? How'd they do?"

"Do you honestly think I critique food everywhere I go?" Stiles scoffed at the knowing look Derek threw his way. He swallowed down a bite of his still steaming chowder before continuing "Okay, but not all the time, and not now we're on a date. No work" Stiles laughed, slowly letting it turn into a cough.

"You feeling ok?"

"Yeah, just a tickle. The chowder will help though" Slowly he scooped out another bite letting it cool before gulping it down. Stiles was really enjoying it, the taste was something he couldn't put his finger on "This is really good. I wonder how they made this chicken"