Sterek Library (a03 Edition)

Chase Me

By: hexthejinx

Derek is hanging out at the back of his house, when he senses it. A distinctive smell, unrecognizable but particularly unpleasant. It's not very strong, still dominated by the usual forest aromas, but the traces are certainly there. For some reason it makes his skin tingle. He walks further into the woods, trying to trace it, to find the source. For a while he just circles aimlessly the nearby bushes but then he picks up a discernible trail. Several minutes later he reaches the outskirts of his premises and finds a guy standing there. Younger than Derek, leaner, though almost as tall as him. The bright red hoodie he is wearing makes him stand out against the greenish-yellowish colors of the trees and the undergrowth. And God, he reeks.

"You're trespassing," he says, hoping that stating this fact alone will fend the guy off, whoever he is.

The guy rises an eyebrow. "Reaaallly," he drawls the word out, mouth twisted in a mocking smirk.

As Derek steps closer, attempting to intimidate the guy by simply being his creepy self, he accidentally takes a whiff. The smell tickles his nose, pungent and strong, and suddenly he is able to recognize it.

He snarls, baring his teeth in an obvious display of hostility. Now that he knows he's dealing with another shapeshifter he can drop all the pretence of being a human. "A fox." The way he utters the word makes it sound like an insult. In fact, it probably is. It's not Derek himself who is prejudiced or spiteful, but his wolf. There's an ancient voice deep inside his head, like an instinct, telling him that everything smelling of a fox or a coyote is an enemy and needs to be hunted down.

The guy isn't moved in the slightest by Derek's behavior. He keeps his cool, standing with his hands buried inside the pockets of his hoodie. "Youkai-kitsune, if you want to be specific." That little smile is still on his face, and it drives Derek crazy.

"Screw taxonomy."

"Oh, we know some big words?" The guy is openly sneering now and Derek's self-control is wearing thin. He balls his fists and presses them against his legs.

"Get the fuck out," he grits through clenched teeth, knowing his eyes are flashing red as he speaks.

The guy holds up his hands in front of him, palms out. "Hey, easy now. You wolfs are so awfully territorial." He shakes his head, the gesture weirdly sad, but he turns around and walks away. Just before he disappears in the nearby cluster of trees, he looks at Derek over his shoulder and waves at him. "See you around, wolfie!"

Derek is too bewildered to do more than just stare after the guy, astounded.

_____________

That meeting is their first, but certainly not the last. Several days later Derek is doing groceries, his nose filled with smells of various food and too many people, so he doesn't pick up at the scent right away. But then somebody bumps against his cart and the smell hits his nostrils with doubled intensity.

Derek jerks his head around. "You."

The fox-shifter is right in front of him, leaning casually against his cart, arms folded on the handle. He's wearing that obnoxious hoodie again. "Me. Hi." His wide grin makes him look sincerely pleased to see Derek, but the alpha knows when he's being mocked. It's a public place, where he can't wolf out or even bare his teeth, so he makes sure to convey all of his annoyance and antipathy via his patented glare.

"Oh, come on," the guy rolls his eyes. "I'm not encroaching on your land right now, no need to be so hostile."

"I don't like you," Derek states simply.

"You don't even know me," the guys points out sensibly. Derek is so not in the mood to deal with logical remarks right now. "For all you know, I could be a pretty cool person."