Birthday drabbles

Drabble #21 - "I'm gonna lie down and die for like half hour, okay?"

"Long day?" he asks interestedly.

"Ricky is such a dick!" Derek doesn't even get to say anything before Stiles continues. "Like, who the hell was supposedly sick – and yes," he glares at Derek, "I still don't believe he was actually sick – and comes back to work full force, still very much a jackass as if he hadn't been weak and beat up just the day before-"

Derek interrupts Stiles, trying to reason with him. He knows how he can get carried away sometimes. "Isn't that what a medical leave is for though, to ensure that one gets better?"

The thing is, where Ricky is concerned, Stiles and his co-worker have pretty much been archenemies ever since the other man started working at the coffee shop about three months ago, where Stiles had been the employee of the month for almost two years straight.

The problem? Ricky is over-flirtatious if that's even a thing, and girls upon girls and guys stop by to swoon over him whereas Stiles makes polite, sometimes funny conversation with the customers. The regulars prefer Stiles always because, as they say, he has his own charm, but what gives publicity to the place right now are Ricky's arms and Ricky's abs and his stupid hair or whatever.

Needless to say, Stiles hates him.

(And is just slightly jealous of his impressive physique, but in truth it's really about how Stiles was so close to getting a promotion and now things aren't so certain anymore and he hates it.)

Stiles really hates him.

Loathes the guy, really.

Stiles can tell that Derek regrets asking because usually it would rile Stiles up, but he's just worn-out from work today and upset, and in need of a little comfort. Picking a quarrel with is boyfriend is not gonna help at all even if, as it happens more often than not, their arguments are mostly amicable and amusing.

Mostly.

"I'm sorry," Stiles lets out with a tired sigh, rubbing his eyes distractedly with the hand that's not holding Derek's. "I'm sorry."

Derek gives him a small smile and kisses Stiles' knuckles, his thumb rubbing them gently right after. "It's okay, I get it."

"It's just... It's not fair, you know? He's not even good at his job," he mutters, gesticulating in a very-Stiles manner with his free hand. "He sucks actually, and I work my ass off to do my best and still..."

Stiles groans in frustration and Derek squeezes his hand in understanding. He knows Ricky is actually just an entitled, rich brat who's trying to let his parents know that he can do something in life instead of devoting his time to being a socialite, and Derek's pretty sure that even Cora, with her dazzling personality and natural charm (Stiles is not the only one who can do sarcasm!), would do a much better job than that guy.

He's seen firsthand just how bad he is at the job in comparison to pretty much every single person on the planet, but the thing is that having Ricky around is good publicity, and since Mr. Novak – the owner, and an old friend of the Sheriff – renovated the coffee shop a few months ago, free publicity is key. As the man sees it, it can't hurt having Ricky flaunt himself around the place for a while so long as the other employees do their job.

It's not exactly the most ethic approach for a successful, healthy running business, but it works. More people come to the coffee shop now than they did before the renovation, and no one really complains because they get to stare at Ricky while his co-workers are amazing at their job and provide for quality service.

Stiles doesn't like it any more for that, understandably.

"Look, Mr. Novak knows how hard you work every day, okay? Hadn't it been for you, I doubt he'd have the success he actually has now and he knows that, Stiles. He knows you." The corners of Stiles' lips tilt up despite himself as Derek continues, his hand raking through Stiles' hair absently. "He knows how hard you work, how good you are with the customers and don't forget that the renovation was pretty much your idea. I'm sure he's just taking advantage of the resources he has available at the moment."