#chlerek

this passage in the short stories collection had me in stitches. even when they're adults, derek is still the same big, scary werewolf guy from the first book of the trilogy whom no one wants to deal with except chloe. i'm so glad kelley still keeps writing about these two even after all these years. also idc if i'm the only one left standing in this fandom. i will inhale literally any crumb about chloe and derek and will cherish them until i die.

Maybe it's the rose tinted glasses of an obsessive shipper... But I swear I found so many tiny tiny things-

But in a way, it ended up being even more perfect. The first book was truly just about Derek and Chloe becoming friends and learning to trust each other, while the hints of romance didn't start happening until the second book. I like that they had a solid friendship before they started crushing on each other.

“Simon makes me laugh. You make me laugh. I guess...I just tend to be more serious when we are on the run from people who want to kill me.” He smiled softly at his girlfriend and reached across the table to hold her hand. “I’m sorry. As soon as we get to whatever safe house we are going to then maybe I’ll have to work on the laughing again. And the math. God, I miss math.” His grin was only a bit wolfish as he brought her hand up to his mouth to kiss it. “I’m the only one who can see, hear, and smell things that others can’t and I’m afraid to do anything that will hamper that.”

Derek Souza (The Awakening)