One morning, you'll awaken to find that an envelope addressed to you, adorned with the Official Seal of the City of Cadelle, has been slipped underneath your door. Inside, there's a note, which reads:
AN OFFICIAL NOTICE FROM CITY HALL:
Dear Derek Hale,
A little birdy told us that you're less keen on working nine-to-five... or is the other way around? We're not quite sure how your schedule works, to be honest, but we're here to help! Granted, we can't exactly borrow Earth money, but hopefully these will do the trick!
Check your mailbox posthaste, because when you do, you'll find a MAGIC BAG. Inside, there's a collection of colored squares, each labeled JUST ADD WATER. Heed the instructions, and each square will grow — and we do mean grow, because when one's all done, you'll have a ready-to-redeem GIANT CHECK, accepted at many of your favorite Cadellian hot spots:
▸ RIGHT STREET RENTAL HOMES — Pay your rent! ▸ SAVE-A-LOT GROCERS & CO — Buy your food! ▸ TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER BUY — Wear proper fitting clothes! ▸ ... AND MORE!
Try not to spend it all in one place, and we look forward to seeing all the great energy you'll contribute in the coming months!
[he's been back in the city for a little under an hour now. his first reaction to returning to cadelle had been to seek out malia. to make up for just how he'd left things between them in the days before he'd left. but it'd still been a difficult decision to make, knowing that contacting her first meant having to wait a little longer before going to see derek. though given their relation to one another, he'd like to believe that derek would at least understand why she'd taken the first spot there.
but he's done for now. has had one reunion and is ready for another. so after leaving malia behind, derek's apartment had been next on his list. ...which, apparently, had been a wasted effort, given the lack of any kind of a response when he'd knocked. thankfully, his trip home had come with more than a few new perks. and right now, knowing just how to use his nose is definitely something he's grateful for.
yet despite that, it still takes him a few too many wrong paths before he finally works out where the other man has headed. something that should have been a lot easier, given the sheer number of times that he knows derek must have walked the same path before. he does work in the bar, afterall. so when he finally steps through the doors and in to criminales, there's a somewhat put upon expression on his face. he's not too impressed with himself for taking as many wrong turns as he did. (okay, so perhaps there was also a part of him that's still vaguely surprised by the fact that derek's carved out a life for himself here too. one that doesn't revolve around solitude.)
... alright. those aren't the thoughts he's meant to be having right now. not after all the two of them have been through together.
a quick look around, and scott makes his way over to the bar, two bottles of beer ordered for the wait. it may not do a thing for either of them, but he has a feeling he wouldn't be allowed to stick around long if he kept to the soft drinks.
[ It takes Derek exactly one second to recognize Scott's scent in the bar when he walks back out of the restroom and his eyebrows lift. He knows Scott left, but he hadn't realized the other werewolf was planning on coming back. It's not really something he wants to deal with in the bar while he's working, if he's honest. Scott's distrust is frustrating, because when Derek comes from, they're on much, much better terms.
He sees the younger werewolf sitting at the bar and his eyebrows lift a little more at the haircut. Derek walks over to the bar and leans against it, looking back at him. ]
You're not really wasting your money on beer that won't intoxicate you, right? You do realize that's how this works now? You'll metabolize it too fast. This doesn't really feel like your scene, you need something?
[while he knows that he deserves that reaction, deserves much worse really, it still leaves him cringing in response. knowing how their relationship had evolved over the years, the cold reminder of how it'd all started is something he isn't entirely sure what to do with. derek had been so patient with him here. had gone out of his way to try and help. and all scott had ever done in response was yell at him. was direct his own anger at the situation back at the one target he had here. derek had every right to turn his back on him and leave scott to it. and yet, he hadn't.]
Yeah, I know. But maybe I thought it was about time I tried to apologize to an old friend.
[the words are mumbled slightly, remorseful as he turns his gaze up towards derek. there's a flicker of red, his eyes shifting solely to make it clear just how much has changed since he returned home. as if the words aren't enough already to prove he isn't the child he was before.]
Guess I probably put you off of parenthood for life. [the second bottle gets slid over to derek and he adds-] I'm not going to get you in trouble for this, am I?
[ That response is not what Derek had been expecting to hear and it shows on his expression. But what really does it is the flicker of red in Scott's eyes and relief floods into Derek's. He'd been more than willing to help Scott as a new werewolf, even if it meant having to feel like he was heavily imposing on a life better off without him for a while, because he could rebuild their friendship over time if he could convince Scott to give him a chance to prove that they'd get there back home, too. But this? This is better.
Derek huffs a surprised laugh and shakes his head, moving toward Scott to give the other werewolf a hug. A hearty slap to Scott's back ends it and Derek steps back again. ]
No, you didn't. I forgot what a little shit you were, though; that was a rude awakening. You're fine, don't worry. It's good to see you again. This you. The red looks a lot better on you than the gold and hatred.
[ He smirks a little to let Scott know he's mostly joking; it hadn't been easy, but it wasn't the worst thing to ever happen to him or anything, not by a long shot. It's just good to have his friend back.
Then Derek's expression drops. ]
You should really talk to Malia, if you haven't already...
( she doesn't mean to get in the water. she doesn't really believe in the whole concept of a magical pool of water that grants wishes. she's still struggling to wrap her mind around the concept of a magical city that grants wishes in exchange for a few sessions of netflix and chill, so expanding that requirement on her suspension of disbelief that much more is a tall order right now.
no, caroline forbes mostly goes out into the woods at night to think, or to take advantage of the clear sky to stargaze for the first time since her childhood. while she's out there, she happens to stumble across the so-called wishing pool, and though the water itself holds no immediate appeal, there's the cool surface of the stone benches calling her name as a great — and more importantly, flat — place to lay down for a bit, a better angle for peering up at the night sky without getting a crick in her neck.
she doesn't mean to fall asleep out there, but the gentle music of crickets and winds in the trees is a much better soother than the white noise app on her cuddlephone, so it's not until a particularly thick clump of leaves falls on her mouth that caroline finally wakes up, spluttering and confused and feeling particularly gross. it's through the fog of sleep that she sets eyes on the water nearby, and it's her tired mind that decides said water will be useful for splashing on her face to clean off whatever forest detritus might still be clinging.
it's definitely not the aimless wandering of her thoughts that drags her to the water's edge. no, the thoughts of the people she's met here might run through her mind, but the subconscious desire to know where she stands in their minds remains entirely subconscious... but it still remains all the same, a wish that counts if only by technicality. i wish i knew what he was thinking, thought out as the water touched her skin, a young girl's desire to read the minds of her current crush. nothing more, nothing less, but the pool takes her seriously either way.
she doesn't realize anything's off until the next day, when her own wandering thoughts are interrupted by a voice that's decidedly not her own. a voice that's only in her own head, she realizes pretty quickly, and one she knows. derek's voice, thinking about things as inconsequential as water temperature and as ridiculous as vin diesel's physique. while it's odd, she has to wonder if maybe she's just sleep-deprived. maybe she's just... imagining him, thinking about these things. maybe her crush is stronger than she thinks it is.
until she hears him thinking about a baby. a baby that he, supposedly, has in his possession now, one whose existence seems tied in with someone else's. someone here, that she's met. and the name of a bar, one she's never been into, but it's somewhere to start. somewhere to figure out what's going on.
so it's with her trademark caroline forbes intensity that she storms across town, making her way through the double doors at criminales, looking very intensely for — ) Derek Hale! ( yep, that's the one. )
Why didn't you tell me you had a kid?!
( speaking of... where is said kid? never mind, that doesn't matter. )
[ Kara's taken the little boy for the night and admittedly, Derek kind of misses the little guy. He's long since accepted that children aren't in the cards for him, however much he might want them. Upon showing up in Cadelle, he started to wonder if maybe he can after all, just not any time soon. The process of having children would take years, if only because it would take Derek years to trust someone enough for that.
So maybe he's zoned out a little on his stool, watching the door and thinking about how he might make a decent dad if given the chance. The last thing he's expecting to interrupt him is an angry vampire, but she storms into the place and it jolts him out of his own head mid-thought, eyebrows lifted with surprise as he practically jumps to his feet. ]
I...what? I don't have a kid...what are you even talking about?
[ If he looks confused, it's because he is. Very confused. ]
You've been talking about a kid all day! ( which, admittedly, is only half-true. he'd been talking about the baby for a good few hours, but most of the day had been the sort of weird, inane thoughts that didn't connect very well. things like shirt colors and werewolf twins and what the color blue tasted like to people who were color blind. she hadn't been following along. ) Which, okay, isn't admittedly a total deal-breaker or anything, but I would have thought you'd tell somebody that, you know?
( he's looking at her like he doesn't know, though, which really isn't helping. )
I've been hearing you talk all day about him, and now he's not even here?
[ Derek's eyebrows lift higher still. He hasn't been talking about a kid, or Baby specifically, all day; especially not to Caroline, since this is the first time he's seen her all day. The confusion is more than clear on his face. ]
I what, now? Kara's got the kid...how did you...?
[ His voice trails off because how does he even begin to address that? ]
( in the dictionary, there's a picture of caroline forbes under the word impulsive. she has a bad habit of talking before her brain can catch up with her mouth, and the last few weeks have been no exception. honestly? she's blaming the city. a place that calls itself cuddle city, even in jest, cannot be taken seriously. or trusted, in this case.
but blaming the city doesn't mean she doesn't feel a little — okay, a lot — guilty for basically accusing derek of lying to her. and when caroline feels guilty, she does her best to squash that feeling by doing something, anything to make things right.
so, naturally, pan to the next possible evening, and a blonde girl standing in front of derek's door, an oversized gift basket in hand. knock, knock. )
[ He's not really expecting any visitors today, if only because he's got to go to work in about an hour, but then again, he's made his address pretty clear by never bothering to take it off his okCuddle profile, so there's always the chance of someone stopping by. Not to mention Scott, Stiles, or Malia.
So, he doesn't think much of it as he tugs a t-shirt on, still a little sweaty from the workout he's been doing, using doorways for pull-ups, and crosses the room to answer the door.
He does not, however, expect to see Caroline on the other side of the door, especially after the blow up over the baby who had turned out not even to be a baby at all, just a guy called Baby stuck in a toddler's body. ]
...hey.
[ His eyes shift to the gift basket before they move back up to her face and he smiles a little, stepping back and gesturing for her to come on in, if she feels so inclined. ]
( it's a good look. the t-shirt clings in just the right way, and caroline has to really focus to not outright stare. it helps, though, that he's letting her in. it gives her something else to look at, her feet somewhere to walk as she makes her way inside, gift basket settled on the nearest surface. unfortunately, that leaves her hands free, which means they're left only to wring themselves together. )
I never thought you were a shitbag... ( fingertips brush a lock of hair out of her face, and she offers a weak smile in return. ) If anyone's a jerk, it's me.
( hence the gift basket. )
I was hoping you'd accept my apology, because I'd be really bummed if you went out of your way not to ghost on me and then I screwed it up because a magical puddle made me hear voices...
[ His eyebrows lift a little at her response as she moves into his apartment. Derek can't help noticing the way she's fidgeting. Something tells him that Caroline isn't a big fan of admitting she was wrong or having to dole out apologies, deserved or otherwise. That, he can identify with. ]
No? Just a liar.
[ He smiles a little, though, shaking his head. ]
Apology accepted. This place...just consider yourself lucky you were just hearing voices instead of word vomiting too much information at anyone in your general proximity who happens to be listening. That was fun, the truth rain. Were you here for that?
Hey, so there's this energy festival thingie and they need a person to man the kissing booth. So what do you say, big guy? Want to get your lip smack on?
[ On a Friday afternoon, Derek gets a text from Claire - one she will not reply anything to if he tries to respond, just because. The text just reads:
10pm at the cove, don't bring a bathing suit
And if Derek decides to come along, the cove is where he'll find Claire, sitting in the sand in a dress, a towel under her, and a blanket thrown over her legs. It's not cold, but it's also not hot, and she knows the water is going to be quite cold, so she's planned ahead and brought some layers and blankets to warm them up afterwards.
She would have gone ahead by herself, but there's something to be said about running to the water with someone. So let's just hope he shows up. ]
[ When the text comes through, Derek can't help grinning. He wasn't entirely sure that Claire would take him up on the insinuation that he'd be interested in going skinny dipping. Derek isn't sure anything beyond that is going to happen, but he's never understood human preoccupation with being clothed all the time. There are times when clothing just becomes a hindrance, more than just a necessary evil to avoid becoming a pariah in modern society. Swimming is one of those times.
Derek doesn't respond to the text beyond an acknowledgement, OK, but he does head there with a towel over his shoulder. The air is still a little chilly after the sun goes down, but Derek's body temperature has always run hot, so it doesn't bother him much.
Claire is sitting on the sand and he can see that she's not only brought a towel, but a blanket; she's anticipating needing something to keep warm after. Derek needed it after the polar dive — thank God for Malia — but he doesn't think he'll need it after this, so at least she'll have it to herself if she wants.
He grins a little to himself as he moves forward, waiting until he's sure he's within earshot before speaking up. ]
[ She turns her head over her shoulder when Derek speaks up, a smile growing over her face as he walks closer. She stands, barefoot in the sand, her dress hitting mid-thigh, hair blowing around whenever the breeze picks up. ]
Just this dude. Don't really like him very much, but he's kinda insistent, so, you know.
[ She teases, keeping herself from reaching out, curling a hand in his shirt, pulling him closer. They're not there yet, and she's willing to be patient, as she's promised. She's letting him set the pace, and make the first steps, if he wants to make them. ]
I feel like I should have brought something to drink, to keep my body temperature up. [ Or, you know, some Dutch courage to get herself undressed in front of Derek under these particular circumstances.
She's sort of nervous, and there's only thing to do for it. ]
Last one to the water is a chicken!
[ She turns back towards the ocean, already slipping her dress of her as she walks towards the water, very intently not looking back to see if he's following, or looking at her, or anything. Her dress hits the sand, and then she's taking her bra off, sliding her panties down her legs just before hitting the wet sand. ]
[ Derek laughs a little, ducking his head for a second before pursing his lips together to play along. ]
Wow, what a dick, he sounds really obtuse. I'd ditch him, but I might be biased.
[ His eyebrows lift with the corners of his mouth in amusement at her comment about body temperature. ]
Ah, you'll be all right.
[ He's already folding his towel so that the least possible amount of surface area touching the sand is minimal before he sets it down. Derek doesn't have the issue with nerves that Claire might, she just happens to beat him to the punch anyway. By the time he's processed what she'd said, she's already got the dress off and bought herself a minimal head start, but that doesn't stop him from taking up the challenge, already peeled off his shirt, discarding it, and is working his zipper as he moves. He has one less undergarment to fight with and he can run a lot faster than most humans if he really wants to, but Derek contemplates letting her win, anyway, just maybe not by much.
He's in almost at the exact same time, pants and boxers off in one swift movement, the shirt a few feet further back having gone off before them. Derek maybe makes it waist deep before diving further in because if he doesn't dive in, it'll take him forever to get all the way in the water — it's not polar dive cold, but it's still freaking cold.
Derek comes up a few seconds later, shaking his head roughly to rid the excess water from his hair and then he's turning, looking around for Claire. ]
I think we might've tied, but I'll concede since that's the polite thing to do.
( there are good ways and there are bad ways to approach a guy you're kinda sorta maybe into. she'd like to play it cool, but in reality, caroline hasn't had much luck thus far — showing up unannounced at his place of employment or his home is a little bit too familiar, and waiting (im)patiently along his regular running route is downright creepy. neither option gives the calm, cool, totally collected vibe she wants to give off here.
which means, obviously, that she's just going to massively overthink the entire process, because that's what caroline forbes does. she rents a ridiculously large stack of movies, purchases every variety of popcorn in the store, and digs out a swath of blankets that would make even a cocooned butterfly jealous... and then, all necessary preparations obtained, sends a text. a super chill, feathers-unruffled kind of text, of course. )
hey :)
( a fantastic start. she should give lessons in How To Talk To Boys. )
i've been having a hard time sleeping lately
( maybe a little bit of an overshare, but they're close now. they can totally talk about that. besides, it's just a lead-up to the main pitch. )
do you want to come over and keep me company?
( wait, hang on. she doesn't want him to get the wrong idea. she's not that kind of girl. or, rather, she could be but she's not right now. )
[ Derek has been...a little elusive the past couple of weeks. When he's not at work, he's at home with Luna. He still doesn't actually know what she is, but the staff he'd...liberated...her from was sure she's female, so he's hopefully not misgendering her. What matters is that she makes him happy and he loves the hell out of her.
He might...have been neglecting his friends. A little.
When he receives the text from Caroline, it's actually kind of a relief to know that he hasn't pissed her off with his disappearing act. Admittedly, he's let people know, at least, so it's not like she's completely out of the loop on it.
At first, he's not really sure what she's actually asking, but the follow up helps and he grins. ]
Yeah sure. Do you want to come over here, though? It might be easier for me if you did.
[ Mostly because Luna destroys everything when he's not around. ]
( after everything that had happened, it would take a lot more than the casual silent treatment to count derek out of her good book. she doesn't mind the quiet, and in all honesty, hasn't really had time to notice it in between trying to tape up thicker curtains over her windows and google searching fixes for magical jewelry damage.
to say she's glad to get a reply, though... well, that would be a bit of an understatement. she's never quite sure how happy he is to hear from her, so the encouragement is nice. )
you don't want to see my apartment right now anyway can i come by later tonight?
( after the sun sets and she's less likely to break out into hives trying to walk across town, that is. )
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
▸ SPECIAL DELIVERY!
One morning, you'll awaken to find that an envelope addressed to you, adorned with the Official Seal of the City of Cadelle, has been slipped underneath your door. Inside, there's a note, which reads:
Dear Derek Hale,
Try not to spend it all in one place, and we look forward to seeing all the great energy you'll contribute in the coming months!A little birdy told us that you're less keen on working nine-to-five... or is the other way around? We're not quite sure how your schedule works, to be honest, but we're here to help! Granted, we can't exactly borrow Earth money, but hopefully these will do the trick!
Check your mailbox posthaste, because when you do, you'll find a MAGIC BAG. Inside, there's a collection of colored squares, each labeled JUST ADD WATER. Heed the instructions, and each square will grow — and we do mean grow, because when one's all done, you'll have a ready-to-redeem GIANT CHECK, accepted at many of your favorite Cadellian hot spots:
Flora & Cornelius
ho ho ho - merry giftmas!
i know you don't really use this post but here goes anyway
but he's done for now. has had one reunion and is ready for another. so after leaving malia behind, derek's apartment had been next on his list. ...which, apparently, had been a wasted effort, given the lack of any kind of a response when he'd knocked. thankfully, his trip home had come with more than a few new perks. and right now, knowing just how to use his nose is definitely something he's grateful for.
yet despite that, it still takes him a few too many wrong paths before he finally works out where the other man has headed. something that should have been a lot easier, given the sheer number of times that he knows derek must have walked the same path before. he does work in the bar, afterall. so when he finally steps through the doors and in to criminales, there's a somewhat put upon expression on his face. he's not too impressed with himself for taking as many wrong turns as he did. (okay, so perhaps there was also a part of him that's still vaguely surprised by the fact that derek's carved out a life for himself here too. one that doesn't revolve around solitude.)
... alright. those aren't the thoughts he's meant to be having right now. not after all the two of them have been through together.
a quick look around, and scott makes his way over to the bar, two bottles of beer ordered for the wait. it may not do a thing for either of them, but he has a feeling he wouldn't be allowed to stick around long if he kept to the soft drinks.
now. derek, time to make your appearance.]
no worries
He sees the younger werewolf sitting at the bar and his eyebrows lift a little more at the haircut. Derek walks over to the bar and leans against it, looking back at him. ]
You're not really wasting your money on beer that won't intoxicate you, right? You do realize that's how this works now? You'll metabolize it too fast. This doesn't really feel like your scene, you need something?
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Yeah, I know. But maybe I thought it was about time I tried to apologize to an old friend.
[the words are mumbled slightly, remorseful as he turns his gaze up towards derek. there's a flicker of red, his eyes shifting solely to make it clear just how much has changed since he returned home. as if the words aren't enough already to prove he isn't the child he was before.]
Guess I probably put you off of parenthood for life. [the second bottle gets slid over to derek and he adds-] I'm not going to get you in trouble for this, am I?
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Derek huffs a surprised laugh and shakes his head, moving toward Scott to give the other werewolf a hug. A hearty slap to Scott's back ends it and Derek steps back again. ]
No, you didn't. I forgot what a little shit you were, though; that was a rude awakening. You're fine, don't worry. It's good to see you again. This you. The red looks a lot better on you than the gold and hatred.
[ He smirks a little to let Scott know he's mostly joking; it hadn't been easy, but it wasn't the worst thing to ever happen to him or anything, not by a long shot. It's just good to have his friend back.
Then Derek's expression drops. ]
You should really talk to Malia, if you haven't already...
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who needs a top level.
no, caroline forbes mostly goes out into the woods at night to think, or to take advantage of the clear sky to stargaze for the first time since her childhood. while she's out there, she happens to stumble across the so-called wishing pool, and though the water itself holds no immediate appeal, there's the cool surface of the stone benches calling her name as a great — and more importantly, flat — place to lay down for a bit, a better angle for peering up at the night sky without getting a crick in her neck.
she doesn't mean to fall asleep out there, but the gentle music of crickets and winds in the trees is a much better soother than the white noise app on her cuddlephone, so it's not until a particularly thick clump of leaves falls on her mouth that caroline finally wakes up, spluttering and confused and feeling particularly gross. it's through the fog of sleep that she sets eyes on the water nearby, and it's her tired mind that decides said water will be useful for splashing on her face to clean off whatever forest detritus might still be clinging.
it's definitely not the aimless wandering of her thoughts that drags her to the water's edge. no, the thoughts of the people she's met here might run through her mind, but the subconscious desire to know where she stands in their minds remains entirely subconscious... but it still remains all the same, a wish that counts if only by technicality. i wish i knew what he was thinking, thought out as the water touched her skin, a young girl's desire to read the minds of her current crush. nothing more, nothing less, but the pool takes her seriously either way.
she doesn't realize anything's off until the next day, when her own wandering thoughts are interrupted by a voice that's decidedly not her own. a voice that's only in her own head, she realizes pretty quickly, and one she knows. derek's voice, thinking about things as inconsequential as water temperature and as ridiculous as vin diesel's physique. while it's odd, she has to wonder if maybe she's just sleep-deprived. maybe she's just... imagining him, thinking about these things. maybe her crush is stronger than she thinks it is.
until she hears him thinking about a baby. a baby that he, supposedly, has in his possession now, one whose existence seems tied in with someone else's. someone here, that she's met. and the name of a bar, one she's never been into, but it's somewhere to start. somewhere to figure out what's going on.
so it's with her trademark caroline forbes intensity that she storms across town, making her way through the double doors at criminales, looking very intensely for — ) Derek Hale! ( yep, that's the one. )
Why didn't you tell me you had a kid?!
( speaking of... where is said kid? never mind, that doesn't matter. )
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So maybe he's zoned out a little on his stool, watching the door and thinking about how he might make a decent dad if given the chance. The last thing he's expecting to interrupt him is an angry vampire, but she storms into the place and it jolts him out of his own head mid-thought, eyebrows lifted with surprise as he practically jumps to his feet. ]
I...what? I don't have a kid...what are you even talking about?
[ If he looks confused, it's because he is. Very confused. ]
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( he's looking at her like he doesn't know, though, which really isn't helping. )
I've been hearing you talk all day about him, and now he's not even here?
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I what, now? Kara's got the kid...how did you...?
[ His voice trails off because how does he even begin to address that? ]
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but blaming the city doesn't mean she doesn't feel a little — okay, a lot — guilty for basically accusing derek of lying to her. and when caroline feels guilty, she does her best to squash that feeling by doing something, anything to make things right.
so, naturally, pan to the next possible evening, and a blonde girl standing in front of derek's door, an oversized gift basket in hand. knock, knock. )
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So, he doesn't think much of it as he tugs a t-shirt on, still a little sweaty from the workout he's been doing, using doorways for pull-ups, and crosses the room to answer the door.
He does not, however, expect to see Caroline on the other side of the door, especially after the blow up over the baby who had turned out not even to be a baby at all, just a guy called Baby stuck in a toddler's body. ]
...hey.
[ His eyes shift to the gift basket before they move back up to her face and he smiles a little, stepping back and gesturing for her to come on in, if she feels so inclined. ]
Did you decide I'm not such a shitbag after all?
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I never thought you were a shitbag... ( fingertips brush a lock of hair out of her face, and she offers a weak smile in return. ) If anyone's a jerk, it's me.
( hence the gift basket. )
I was hoping you'd accept my apology, because I'd be really bummed if you went out of your way not to ghost on me and then I screwed it up because a magical puddle made me hear voices...
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No? Just a liar.
[ He smiles a little, though, shaking his head. ]
Apology accepted. This place...just consider yourself lucky you were just hearing voices instead of word vomiting too much information at anyone in your general proximity who happens to be listening. That was fun, the truth rain. Were you here for that?
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How long do I have to be there?
[ He'd kind of been hoping to see Claire there. That'll be harder if he's stuck behind a booth. ]
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>> late at night
10pm at the cove, don't bring a bathing suit
And if Derek decides to come along, the cove is where he'll find Claire, sitting in the sand in a dress, a towel under her, and a blanket thrown over her legs. It's not cold, but it's also not hot, and she knows the water is going to be quite cold, so she's planned ahead and brought some layers and blankets to warm them up afterwards.
She would have gone ahead by herself, but there's something to be said about running to the water with someone. So let's just hope he shows up. ]
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Derek doesn't respond to the text beyond an acknowledgement, OK, but he does head there with a towel over his shoulder. The air is still a little chilly after the sun goes down, but Derek's body temperature has always run hot, so it doesn't bother him much.
Claire is sitting on the sand and he can see that she's not only brought a towel, but a blanket; she's anticipating needing something to keep warm after. Derek needed it after the polar dive — thank God for Malia — but he doesn't think he'll need it after this, so at least she'll have it to herself if she wants.
He grins a little to himself as he moves forward, waiting until he's sure he's within earshot before speaking up. ]
You waiting for somebody?
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Just this dude. Don't really like him very much, but he's kinda insistent, so, you know.
[ She teases, keeping herself from reaching out, curling a hand in his shirt, pulling him closer. They're not there yet, and she's willing to be patient, as she's promised. She's letting him set the pace, and make the first steps, if he wants to make them. ]
I feel like I should have brought something to drink, to keep my body temperature up. [ Or, you know, some Dutch courage to get herself undressed in front of Derek under these particular circumstances.
She's sort of nervous, and there's only thing to do for it. ]
Last one to the water is a chicken!
[ She turns back towards the ocean, already slipping her dress of her as she walks towards the water, very intently not looking back to see if he's following, or looking at her, or anything. Her dress hits the sand, and then she's taking her bra off, sliding her panties down her legs just before hitting the wet sand. ]
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Wow, what a dick, he sounds really obtuse. I'd ditch him, but I might be biased.
[ His eyebrows lift with the corners of his mouth in amusement at her comment about body temperature. ]
Ah, you'll be all right.
[ He's already folding his towel so that the least possible amount of surface area touching the sand is minimal before he sets it down. Derek doesn't have the issue with nerves that Claire might, she just happens to beat him to the punch anyway. By the time he's processed what she'd said, she's already got the dress off and bought herself a minimal head start, but that doesn't stop him from taking up the challenge, already peeled off his shirt, discarding it, and is working his zipper as he moves. He has one less undergarment to fight with and he can run a lot faster than most humans if he really wants to, but Derek contemplates letting her win, anyway, just maybe not by much.
He's in almost at the exact same time, pants and boxers off in one swift movement, the shirt a few feet further back having gone off before them. Derek maybe makes it waist deep before diving further in because if he doesn't dive in, it'll take him forever to get all the way in the water — it's not polar dive cold, but it's still freaking cold.
Derek comes up a few seconds later, shaking his head roughly to rid the excess water from his hair and then he's turning, looking around for Claire. ]
I think we might've tied, but I'll concede since that's the polite thing to do.
[ He gives her a cheeky grin at that. ]
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so not the drama.
which means, obviously, that she's just going to massively overthink the entire process, because that's what caroline forbes does. she rents a ridiculously large stack of movies, purchases every variety of popcorn in the store, and digs out a swath of blankets that would make even a cocooned butterfly jealous... and then, all necessary preparations obtained, sends a text. a super chill, feathers-unruffled kind of text, of course. )
hey :)
( a fantastic start. she should give lessons in How To Talk To Boys. )
i've been having a hard time sleeping lately
( maybe a little bit of an overshare, but they're close now. they can totally talk about that. besides, it's just a lead-up to the main pitch. )
do you want to come over and keep me company?
( wait, hang on. she doesn't want him to get the wrong idea. she's not that kind of girl. or, rather, she could be but she's not right now. )
we could watch a movie
( #nailedit )
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He might...have been neglecting his friends. A little.
When he receives the text from Caroline, it's actually kind of a relief to know that he hasn't pissed her off with his disappearing act. Admittedly, he's let people know, at least, so it's not like she's completely out of the loop on it.
At first, he's not really sure what she's actually asking, but the follow up helps and he grins. ]
Yeah sure. Do you want to come over here, though? It might be easier for me if you did.
[ Mostly because Luna destroys everything when he's not around. ]
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to say she's glad to get a reply, though... well, that would be a bit of an understatement. she's never quite sure how happy he is to hear from her, so the encouragement is nice. )
you don't want to see my apartment right now anyway
can i come by later tonight?
( after the sun sets and she's less likely to break out into hives trying to walk across town, that is. )
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