Like it or Not

A new experience

While painting hadn't been expected for the evening's date, what Stiles had planned next was somehow less expected.

Stiles parked in the mostly empty Citi field parking lot.

"What are we doing here?" Derek glanced around the empty stadium lot. There weren't any games going on.

"Well, I don't know much about you, but I do know that you like baseball so," Stiles gestured to the field. "I made a few calls and... we have an hour with the pitching machine."

Derek's brows shot up; mouth slightly agape.

"I thought it might be a good way to blow off some steam. When I was younger, I had some trouble after my mom died. My dad would take me to the local park and throw pitches until I couldn't lift my arms. It helped me deal with the anger and anxiety," Stiles shrugged as he turned off the jeep's engine.

Derek could only stare at Stiles in awe.

"I promise to take you to a proper normal dinner after this," Stiles rushed out when Derek didn't say anything.

A smile tugged at Derek's lips, "You're something else, you know that?"

"I've been called worse," Stiles gave a nod.

Derek huffed out a laugh.

"You any good with a bat?" Stiles asked as they climbed out of the jeep.

"I'm not bad."

Stiles struggled to gauge Derek's reaction. He didn't seem excited, but he wasn't sure Derek could get excited. He didn't seem to be as wide eyed and unsure as he had at Wine and Design.

"Why are you staring at me?" Derek asked, glancing at Stiles who hadn't taken his eyes off of Derek.

"You're a hard person to read, you know that?" Stiles answered.

"You could just ask."

"I don't know that I trust if you'll be honest with me."

"What do you want to know, Stiles," Derek pressed, his tone more patient than it normally was when Stiles was being difficult.

"If I totally botched this. I thought it would be fun, but painting was not the right move and I thought you'd enjoy this but...I'm not sure if you just hate the things we're doing or if you hate doing them with me."

Derek paused less than thirty feet from the entrance to the stadium.

Stiles stopped as well, his eyes on Derek and his teeth sunk into his bottom lip.

"I'm sorry if you think I'm not having a good time. Painting was...a new experience. And you're...a new experience. But I recognize that you've gone out of your way to make tonight fun, and I appreciate that."

Stiles gave double thumbs up "Code for 'you fucked up kid,'" he said in an announcer's voice.

Derek let out a huffed laugh, "Not at all. We don't know each other beyond work. It's weird dating you. Painting may not be my forte but this," he gestured to the looming stadium. "This is."

"Then why do you seem so put off?"

Derek dropped his head briefly before meeting Stiles' eyes once more.

"Because you've already put more consideration into our date than Elijah ever did."

Stiles' brows rose before falling into a frown.

Derek straightened his shoulders. Perhaps he'd been too honest with that answer. He and Stiles weren't actually dating. The look on Stiles' face was telling.

However, Stiles' expression smoothed out before he gave a cocky grin, "I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure it's rude to compare your ex to your current date. Even if he's an obvious upgrade."

Derek rolled his eyes as Stiles stepped by him, giving the large heavy metal door three loud knocks.

The door opened to a blue-eyed, chisel chinned, brunette with a wide smile.

"Stiles," he grinned widely.

"Hey, Kai, thanks again for letting me do this," Stiles returned the smile.

"You owe me," Kai gave Stiles a pointed look.

"I know, I know. I'll talk to Theo tomorrow. I promise to put in a good word," Stiles nodded.

"You better, I would have made you take me to dinner, but it looks like someone beat me to the punch," Kai glanced past Stiles to Derek who stood stiffly behind the pair.

Kai's eyes raked over him as a wide grin spread across his lips, "And I can see why."

"Easy," Stiles pushed Kai back a bit pulling his attention.

Kai held up his hands, "I'm just looking, don't worry. And I must say," his eyes fell back to Derek, "Well done."

Derek swallowed nervously under Kai's stare.

Stiles glanced over his shoulder to where Derek stood unmoving.

"Coming babe?" Stiles gestured for Derek to follow.

Kai stepped aside, allowing Stiles through the door.

Derek forced down the lump in his throat at the term of endearment as he followed Stiles, giving Kai a polite nod as he passed.

"You're gonna bat in a button down?" Kai asked as he fell in step beside Derek.

"I didn't realize we would be doing such rigorous activities," Derek snapped.

The three reached the gate to the field.

"I've got a shirt you can borrow if need be, might be a little snug as your frame is bigger than mine but you're welcome to it," Kai offered as he unlocked the gate.

Derek who had started to unbutton his shirt, shook his head, "I think I'll be fine," he shucked off the white button down, revealing a tight white t shirt underneath.

Kai and Stiles' brows rose as their eyes landed on Derek's barrel chest.

"Well done indeed," Kai nudged Stiles' side with his elbow before gesturing towards the pitching machine that was already set up. "You got an hour."

"Thanks man," Stiles pulled his eyes from Derek to give Kai a grateful look.

"Good luck, Versace," Kai snickered at Derek before heading back up the stairs.

"I would have told you to wear more casual clothes if I'd known you'd dress like this," Stiles gestured to the slacks and dress shoes.

"These are my casual clothes," Derek frowned down at his patent leather oxfords.

"How much did those shoes cost?" Stiles crossed his arms.

"Only one-twenty."

"Only, he says," Stiles rolled his eyes before grabbing a bat from where there were a handful lined up along the enclosure. "I'm not paying for them if they get ruined."

Derek rolled his eyes as he grabbed a bat for himself. Stiles was different than Elijah, but he was beginning to think that wasn't such a bad thing.

*AN*
So this date is taking awhile apparently.