Chapter Text
The sun shone through the large pane windows in Derek's bedroom as he completed his final set of morning push-ups. He'd spent weeks preparing for this upcoming shoot with twice-daily gym sessions. He pushed himself up, his body warmed by the exertion as he stood before the full-length mirror and noted every inch of his sculpted body. As a model, his body was half the work. Derek knew that many saw modeling as some unimportant and vapid profession, but there was an art to honing his body to develop specific lines and contours.
Derek couldn't help but desire a life with someone at his side. The success and fawning masses were meaningless to him without someone to share it with. He'd always been noticed by people ever since he was a child. The ever-changing color of his eyes caused many to stop and take a closer look. This allure had only gotten stronger as he grew taller, and his body sculpted by his time playing and working in the preserve grew. But that was nothing more than lust; he wanted something deeper; he wanted to be seen.
After the sudden death of his best friend Paige in Beacon Hills, Derek's mom sent him off to a mental health summer camp to clear his mind. There, he was spotted by scouts from a modeling agency, which led Derek and his family to move to New York City.
As Derek continued to climb the ladder of success in the modeling industry, he felt a hollow emptiness within his achievements. He wanted something more than just being a pretty face on a magazine cover. He tried to make a real impact on the world and use his platform for good causes.
Derek had heard rumors of the renowned writer assigned to his project, Stiles Stilinski. On a whim, he did some research on him. Derek was captivated by the wit and insight that infused Stiles' work yet skeptical of the talent behind it. He was curious whether it was true brilliance or just mere luck.
Neckz 'n Throats had made multiple offers to Derek in the past, and he had always declined. A silent model is a working model. But Stiles represented an opportunity. Despite the risks of becoming vulnerable again, Derek agreed to the interview and photoshoot, but only on the condition that Stiles be the assigned writer.
As the day of the shoot approached, Derek's growing preoccupation with Stiles became impossible to ignore. He refused to call it a crush; after all, how does one crush on someone they'd never met? Stiles' intelligence and wit shone through in each article Derek read. He became convinced that he and Stiles were already connected. This meeting would ignite what was already there.