let’s talk about why i love this moment so much.
okay, first off, this is like the most childish thing for derek to do ever. like what the actual fuck. you are a 20-something year old werewolf, you’re built like a greek god, you do not need to establish that you still have the upper hand using a move i have seen on the elementary school playground.
except the thing is…to derek, he does. because at this point in time, stiles is the first person ever to look derek right in the goddamn eye and say “you’re not allowed to push me around.” “my house, my rules, buddy.” derek literally had stiles forced up against the wall, completely physically overpowered, and stiles still refused to take his shit even for a second. who does that? especially someone younger than derek, someone weaker, someone human.
i read something once, i think it was a story on fictionpress.net (shut up), that talked about the character needing to find his challenge. like, he wasn’t satisfied romantically until he found someone that wasn’t afraid to stand up to him. someone who wouldn’t just hover off to the side, wringing their hands nervously, but would straighten up, square their shoulders, and say “we are equals.”
looks like derek’s found his challenge.
This GIF and this meta make me happy in my pants. And my heart. My heart-pants. My pants’ heart.
Another thing I love about this moment is that it’s one of the few moments we see Derek genuinely having fun. And exhibiting his own sense of humor - his schoolyard sense of humor, heh. But still.
All the other times he’s apparently having ‘fun’ in canon are basically just Alpha-esque posturing. That broad, toothy, fake Alpha grin of his is just - it’s not who he is. It’s who he pretends to be.
His real sense of humor? Comes into play when he isn’t even smiling. It’s deadpan, prank-y, stupid shit like this.
This? Is Derek Hale enjoying himself.
And he only enjoys himself…
…with Stiles.