Just Strangers {Sterek Fan-Fiction}

"All-Night Diner?"

CHAPTER NINE

Stiles walked silently next to Derek. When he got to the ground outside, he thought Derek wasn't coming and nearly had a heart attack. When he saw Derek he was relieved to see him.

"Wanna go into this all-night Diner?" Derek's low voice broke the silence. Stiles smiled at him and nodded.

"Sure, I don't have any money though." Stiles said. Derek chuckled and shook his head, opening the Café door.

"You aren't paying silly." Derek smiled. Stiles gave him a confused look as he took a seat in the booth. Derek sat in front of him and looked out the window as a car drove by.

"What do you mean?" Stiles asked. Derek looked at him and smiled again.

"I'll pay." Derek said. For a brief moment Stiles looked shocked, the look soon faded to a smile as he nodded.

"Okay." Stiles said. Derek sat back some, in a more relaxed position. Stiles examined Derek's repositioning and then looked around the diner.

There were only two other people in the diner. An elderly man in a booth by himself staring off into nothing. The other a little African boy about maybe seven. He was sitting in another booth but it was closer to the kitchen door. He was playing with a little green monster truck and eating a grilled cheese sandwich.

The waitress was also African around maybe mid twenties early thirties. Stiles supposed she was his mother. He smiled remembering how beautiful his mother was, but it soon twisted into a sad memory of her getting cancer and soon dying after.

Derek noticed the frown on Stiles' face and raised an eyebrow.

"Hey, what wrong?" Derek asked. Stiles flinched a little at the sudden loss of silence. He looked to Derek and smiled cocking his head to the side confused. He didn't remember that he had frowned when he thought of his mom.

"What? Nothing I'm fine." Stiles said looking out the window. Derek furrowed his eyebrows and nodded slowly.

"What may I get you gentlemen this evening?" The waitress asked pulling out her little notebook and pencil. Derek looked up at her smiled then looked over to Stiles. Who seemed to be stating at nothing, dully out the window. Derek cleared his throat.

"Hungry?" Derek asked. Stiles flinched again looking to Derek with fear before smiling and shaking his head. Derek nodded in understanding. "Um I'll take an ice water and two medium curly fries please." Derek smiled. The waitress nodded with a smile in return.

"I'll have those right out for you." She said, tapping the end of the pencil on the table twice before walking to the boy at the booth, taking his plate and disappearing into the kitchen.

Derek looked at Stiles as he stared in a daze out the window again. Derek just watched him carefully. Stiles' dull look quickly turned to fear and he flinched away from the window putting his arm across his head, defensively. Stiles held his eyes closed tight for a second before looking to Derek with fear and bolting to the door.

The waitress placed the water and food down and looked to Stiles as he ran out then to Derek as he sat there shocked.

"You're not gonna eat this are you?' She asked disappointed. Derek looked to her and smiled.

"Actually could you pit the fries in a to-go bag please I'll be right back." Derek said getting up and running out of the diner. Stiles was just sitting on the curb holding tight to his legs. Derek walked around and sat next to him. He lightly placed his hand on Stiles' back and slowly stared to rub up and down.

"I'm sorry." Stiles sobbed looking up at Derek. He just smiled and shook his head.

"It's okay. I'm just gonna get our fries and we can go, okay?" Derek asked with a small questioning smile. Stiles smiled and nodded.

"Okay." Stiles agreed. Derek stood, took Stiles' hand, pulled him to his feet and walked back into the diner. The waitress was just finishing packing up and the fries when Derek and Stiles approached her.

"Hey. Sorry about that. Thank you so much for this." Derek smiled handing her the money and a ten dollar tip. He winked at her before he and Stiles left.