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Derek stifled a yawn as he walked through the entrance to the store. Kaz should be working right now... At least that is what he was told when he staggered out the door for school this morning. Classes were finally over and he really need a pick me up. Be it of the caffeine variety or the cute boyfriend kind. Either would work, though he had a preference.

He rolled his neck, trying to work out some of the kinks as he wandered the aisles, grabbing a snack here and there before heading towards the refrigerators to grab a drink or two.

"Sooongbird~" He called automatically. He really hoped that someone other than Kaz didn't answer cause boy that might be awkward to explain later down the road.

Derek spotted Kaz and his mood was instantly better. "I've already got something, but I'll grab something for you if you want it??" He said, flustered over the use of his own pet name. It caught him off guard every time. Derek wandered back towards the drinks, and grabbed something for Kaz.

He flinched at the girl giggling. Derek would have to make it up to Kazuo later. He'd used the name without thinking. The blonde pulled out his phone as he paid for his things and sent Kazuo a quick text of "Sorry >:" before waiting at the counter awkwardly.

"Works for me." It really was nice outside today. He'd been so over the cold, so the last couple of days were a nice change of pace.

"..Summer rolls??" He said curiously following the other out towards the table. If Kraven was eating then, he'd have to take the other mans word for it... Then again, Kraven ate just about anything. "Is this a food thing from home???"

Derek set his bag of snacks on the table. A quick check of their surroundings showed no one was there. They were, for all accounts, alone. Leaning over, he stole a quick peck on the cheek from the smaller man before sitting down and pulling out an energy drink. "What else did you make?" He asked, cracking the can open and taking a sip. "... Do you know any... light snacky things you can teach me?" Maybe It would help Kor. Help him. Days got busy, they got busy.. Maybe these could tide them over just a bit better.

"I'm uh, really sorry about back there... I kinda spaced, and forgot where I was for a moment." Derek said, rubbing at his neck as a flush roamed his cheeks. "One track mind... Was a little too focused on something else." Or should he say someone else.

"...I'm not gonna lie, you've lost me a bit. ...What's mirin??" He asked as he opened one of his snacks and began picking at it idly.

He shifted awkwardly under Kazuo's gaze and snatched up his can to take a drink. Important.. That was one way to put it. And in the same breathe, Derek felt like it didn't do him justice. Kor was.. life. Essentially. Practically. Derek had just been going through the motions, hadn't really been paying attention to anything, anyone. It had all been so gray. For the longest time. And then Kor dropped in on him, quite literally. And the next thing Derek knew, there was actual life around him once again. Sound, color, everything was back. Yeah they fought. They went at each other like cats and dogs at the worst of times but, for whatever reason, they often found themselves gravitating back towards each other.

"It... It doesn't help I'm not all there myself." Derek muttered, flicking at the tab of the can. There were times when it felt like it was all back to gray. Like he was going through the motions again. The color, sounds and life, was all still there but. Derek had his own demons he had to deal with. "I feel like I'm struggling Kaz. Like I'm failing him." That s**t hurt to admit. Hurt even more to say out loud.

"I know that..." He sighed. "Really, I do. Just being with him does more then nothing but.." Derek shrugged, his own thumb brushing against Kaz's hand. "I just, want his hurt to stop? I wish I could take it away." But he couldn't. Realistically, he knew that.

"It's.. hard. I guess. I don't know what to do for myself, and then I start second guessing other things." Then it just sorta spiraled out of control. Sometimes he could real it back in, other times he couldn't. "I could go to my moms for a couple of days." Just to clear his head so to speak.

Derek brought Kaz's hand to his mouth and kissed the back of it. "Your involvement nothing. I don't regret throwing the idea out there." And he never would. "I love you and want you here with us too."

Kaz was right of course, maybe he did need a day away. Just to decompress. Clear his mind, mull things over. "You're not talking in circles. You're helping."

"Can you put things in rice balls?" He sniffled, thankful for the topic change. Hmm.. If there were videos, maybe Kor could watch too. Make things he actually wanted to try instead of Derek making random recipes and hoping for the best. "Is... there a difference between the rice?" Derek asked awkwardly. "Sorry, I don't know much on it beyond liking basic Chinese food dishes." Lame. He knew.

He blinked as his phone made a noise. A smile spread across his face. "I know you do." If Kaz didn't want to say it out loud that was fine by him. He knew all the same.

"I want to apologize, Songbird." Derek said, offering the smaller man his own snacks, abandoning them in favor for his drink. "I proposed the group, but I should have asked you before hand." He hadn't really taken Kazuo's feelings into account. "I know it kinda seems like, or feels like we've stolen him from you. And for that I am deeply sorry." That had not been Derek's intent when he suggested it. "But I didn't expect to get out of it what I did. I can see why Kraven loves you so much, the way he does. I feel the same. And for that I don't regret what I did." Even if it did hurt Kaz. "We both want you here. I, want you here. With us. With me."

"I just, want you to know that I didn't want to hurt you by suggesting it. Neither did Kor. We both knew how much you meant to Kray. We really didn't set out to hurt you." Derek scooted closer, wrapping an arm around Kaz and kissing the top of his head. Spying eyes be damned.

"If it makes you feel any better... I felt the same way. To be honest, sometimes I still do. I knew going into this that there was... something. I knew they had a history. There was a part of Kor that only Kraven got to know. See. Experience." And he would be lying, if he said that didn't make him jealous at times. If he said it didn't make him feel like he was good enough. But it was just as Kaz had said. Kor's needs outweighed his own. He was okay with it, weither or not he wanted to be. "But... I'm realizing, albeit slowly, that it just means that Kraven can help in was I wouldn't be able to.. And that's what's important. It's what Kor needs."

Derek laughed, giving Kaz a gentle squeeze. "I've been told I'm quite infectious." He said with a smile. "That being said, I don't think I expected it either. To grow to love you. Both of you. I had set out to be a friend for you. I wanted you to... just have someone you could hang out with, I suppose. And not feel like a third wheel." He nudged Kaz lightly. "While I think I could have approached things differently... I don't think I would change a thing honestly? I am very lucky to have all of you in my life. Even if I am a walking disaster."