let’s discuss derek’s face.
okay. look at him. then cover the lower part of his face with your finger so you can only see his eyes. see how they don’t change expression at all? they don’t widen, they don’t look anywhere but straight at the policewoman. he doesn’t even blink.
now cover the top part of his face and just look at his smile. again: no change. even though he’s talking, he keeps grinning quite broadly, without ever allowing his mouth to form naturally around the words. zero change.
that, my friends, is what we call a really forced expression.
now obviously derek isn’t actually trying to seduce this woman, he’s just flirting a bit so stiles can get past. but what i’m pointing out is how freaking adorable it is that he doesn’t know how to flirt.
like literally all he knows to do here is smile, because he’s not dumb or blind and is therefore very aware of his own hotness. and he knows (from personal experience, i assume…remember when kate asked him if people are always telling him “smile, derek”?) that smiling wins people over.
and that’s it. that’s like the extent of his flirtation skills. smile until your face hurts. tell her she’s beautiful. good on ya, bro.
of course, he’s unfairly gorgeous, so it totally works. but oh god my darling little socially awkward baby.