Like it or Not

Remember

Stiles dropped into the rigid plastic chair across from Derek. Elijah sat to his left. The small table in front of them was scattered with headshots of their most used models.

He pushed a coffee towards Derek and Elijah as he spun one of the photos to get a better look, "What I miss?" he asked not looking up.

"Coffee, how generous," Elijah took a long sip, "How did you know what I like?" he asked as the familiar taste of his preferred coffee hit his tongue.

"It was written on the side of your cup the other morning and I can read," Stiles answered sarcastically before looking to Derek to answer his previous question.

"You picked up the fabric samples and-"

"Already dropped them off with Caroline," Stiles interrupted with a snappy tone before clenching his jaw. He had to have more patience with Derek. He wanted to answer the next question before Derek could, already knowing what it would be, but he decided to keep his mouth shut.

"And you left my dry cleaning with Thomas?" Derek asked just like Stiles knew he would.

"Like usual," Stiles answered, trying to keep the irritation out of his tone. Derek always questioned if Stiles had done all the errands he sent him to do, despite the fact that he had never once forgotten in the year he'd worked for Derek.

"You don't trust that he dropped off your laundry?" Elijah raised a brow at Derek.

This made Stiles pause. He glanced up at where Derek's expression had darkened.

"It's not about trusting him; it's about having a peace of mind. You know that," Derek growled.

Elijah rolled his eyes, "I remember. I remember you asking me eight hundred times if I made reservations or booked our flights."

Stiles frowned as he noted the discomfort in Derek's posture.

"I remember you double checking that the stove was off after dinner, and checking that I plugged in your laptop before bed and-"

"Okay, we get it, you remember," Derek cut in harshly, trying to keep memories at bay.

"OCD," Stiles said aloud. He'd intended the think it to himself.

Derek and Elijah's eyes both landed on him.

"You have OCD," Stiles finally understood the constant questioning. Derek didn't distrust him to do the things he needed to do. He just needed the confirmation that it had been done.

Memories of his mother double checking the locks before bed at night and double checking his lunch box before school in the morning flooded Stiles' mind.

Derek only nodded.

Elijah glanced between the two as an unspoken understanding settled between them.

He cleared his throat, "Shall we?" he gestured to the photographs on the table.

"What progress have you made so far?" Stiles asked, dragging his eyes away from Derek and towards Elijah. He pushed down the feeling of regret at all the times he'd been irritated with Derek's questioning. He hadn't been doing it to be an ass, he was just struggling with his OCD.

"Well," Elijah lifted one picture of a brunette with bright blue eyes and a spattering of moles, "I like her because of the moles, I think they make her stand out. And I wonder how far down they go." He looked up at Stiles with a smirk on his face.

Stiles squinted at Elijah. Maybe Derek had been right, maybe Elijah was playing some sort of game. Well two could play.

"If I had to guess...all the way down. Wouldn't you agree Derek?"