Like it or Not

Expected

Derek tugged at his collar to distract from the anticipation of the surprise. Despite not wearing a tie, he felt as if the cloth around his neck was choking him. Stiles flipped through the channels of the radio before landing on a Taylor Swift song and glancing to Derek.

"So do you...want to talk about what happened with Elijah, orrrr," Stiles fidgeted in his seat as he waited for Derek's response.

Derek tugged at his shirt once more, before answering, "You're gonna be upset."

Stiles raised a brow at Derek before shifting his eyes back to the road, "Why would I be upset?"

Derek's throat was suddenly dry. He attempted to clear it, "He cornered me in the hall and...I thought he was going to..." he paused running a hand along the back of his neck.

Stiles, tossing Derek a sympathetic look, chimed in, "You thought he was going to kiss you?" he guessed.

Derek nodded before whispering, "I was gonna let him."

Silence hung in the air as Stiles processed what he was feeling. He just felt bad for Derek. He sighed, "I appreciate you being honest with me but we're not actually dating."

"It still felt...wrong. I was upset that he didn't and then I was mad that I was upset and...I just...I hate him."

Stiles pulled into a small strip mall on the edge of town. "You don't hate him. You hate how things ended between you two."

Derek frowned but didn't argue. He knew Stiles was right and he hated it.

"In fact, you love him," Stiles stated as he parked in front of a small brick shop.

Derek spluttered, "Excuse me?" he looked to Stiles with an offended expression.

"You were with him for like five years; that doesn't just go away. I'm a firm believer in being able to love more than one person. My mom always told me that if your heart isn't big enough for more than one person then it isn't big enough," Stiles shrugged as he turned off the engine of his jeep.

Derek stared at Stiles with adoring eyes. Of course Stiles would be understanding.

"What?" Stiles leaned away from Derek with accusing eyes, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I expected you to be upset," Derek answered.

"Yeah well, I'm sure you also expected a fancy restaurant too but-" he jabbed a thumb over his finger towards the little brick building.

Derek couldn't help the smile that pulled at his lips, "Honestly I didn't know what to expect." He climbed out and circled the jeep to where Stiles was rummaging through the backseat.

"Hey," Derek caught Stiles' arm, pulling him back slightly.

Stiles turned to look at Derek with raised brows.

"I'm still sorry."

"I'll accept your apology as long as you promise to participate," Stiles grinned widely, shoving a bottle of wine into Derek's hand.

"In drinking?" Derek looked down at the other bottle in Stiles' hands.

"Partially," Stiles gestured to the gaggle of older women that were filing into the front of the shop. Only now did Derek read and process the sign.

"Wine and Design" Derek looked at Stiles as if waiting for the punchline.

"I called in a favor and managed to get us last minute seats. Hope you know how to use a paintbrush," Stiles quipped before dragging Derek in behind the older women.

Derek shuffled in and followed Stiles to a small table for two in the back corner.

"What's the wine for?" he whispered as he took his seat at a table covered in paints, brushes, and a small easel with a stark white canvas.

"To drink," Stiles gestured to the empty wine glasses, Derek hadn't noticed, tucked behind the paint brushes.

"We drink while we paint?" Derek glanced to the table of four women with four bottles of wine, one already open and being poured.

"Yeah," Stiles grinned grabbing a corkscrew. "Put on that apron, don't think you want your fancy clothes to get ruined," he gestured to a grey folded apron behind the easel.

"Fancy clothes? These are my dress down clothes," Derek glanced down at himself with a frown.

Stiles only let out a snort as he poured two glasses.

"So how does this work?" Derek asked as he fought with sorting out which direction his apron went.

"So, we drink and attempt to follow along with the instructor as she paints the picture of the night, which is a howling wolf in the forest," Stiles held up his phone where a mock picture of their design for the night was.

"So, you took me to an art class for our first date?" Derek rose an amused brow.

"No, I brought you somewhere to distract from work with a little alcohol. Consider this the wine part of the wine and dine," Stiles held up his glass.

Derek couldn't help but smile as he clinked his glass against Stiles'.

"Did you know that cheersing glasses actually originated in the medieval days when wine was often spiked with poison? The settlement from the wine hid the poison. So, when people wanted to prove that they hadn't poisoned the wine, they would clink their glasses so that the liquid would splash into each other's glasses proving them to be free of poison," Stiles rattled as he slid on his own apron.

"I did not know that."

"Like how hard did they have to clink their glasses to splash the wine? And how full were those glasses?" Stiles waved a paintbrush through the air as he spoke.

Derek could only stare. He'd seen Stiles outside of work only a handful of times and yet he still carried an air of professionalism. However right now he was...carefree and relaxed. Derek enjoyed seeing this side of him. He wondered if he was always like this or if he was in rare form tonight.

"Have you been drinking already?" Derek asked, unable to erase his smile.

"Nope. But I am now," Stiles raised the glass of rosé to his lips.

Derek forced his eyes to the front of the room where a young blonde was announcing herself. This night could only get more interesting. 

*AN*
Sorry updates are slow, for those who don't know, I've had a relapse in my health. Hope you enjoy!