cuddlecity | colors spilling from night to day (ota)

Entry tags:

colors spilling from night to day (ota)

CHARACTERS: Claire Temple & Derek Hale; Claire Temple & you
LOCATIONS: Dinah's, the hospital, wherever you'd like
WARNINGS: None, as far as I know so far, will edit if required
SUMMARY: Claire goes on a breakfast date, and is here for any and all scratches. Come see her!!

i. closed to derek's; dinah's

[ The night was barely letting up, even as 6 am rolled out. Still in her scrubs, a comfortable hoodie thrown over them, Claire leaves the hospital under the night sky, despite her shift being over. Winter days always makes her feel like she should be staying longer, like her shift isn't finished until the sun is coming up.

It's also that shifts, in Cadelle, feel too long and too short all at the same time, because she finds herself with very little to do too often. It stretches the hours but also makes her feel like she's not doing enough. A weird dichotomy.

But this morning, she's ready for her work day to be done. She's starving, which makes her drive faster than she should to Dinah's for breakfast - not the fact that she's supposed to meet Derek there, no. The diner is empty when she makes it there anyway, the bell sounding loud in the quiet of the place as she walks in, gets herself situated in a small booth. She can wait for him anyway - at least that way she gets some coffee, to fight how cold her fingers feel.

When he does come in, she'll greet him with a little wave and a big smile, before going back to the menu in front of her. ]

ii. open; hospital

[ The more common accidents that happen in Cadelle are not the ones that Claire is the most used to dealing with. Here, there are no bullet wounds, no gang fights, no violence between men. Here, she helps with domestic accidents more than anything else - not that they can't be very bad themselves, but it is refreshing, in a way, for her to deal with accidents that have nothing to do with men hating other men.

And, more often than not, the hospital is quiet. So tonight, when you come in with your emergency, Claire is most probably rearranging the supplies locker for the umpteenth time, or maybe racing herself around the empty corridors, or dancing to the radio while cleaning up a bed (or the Christmas decorations she put up a few weeks ago). Whichever it is, she'll stop everything to help you out, of course. ]

iii. open; wildcard

[ Hmu with anything! Find me at

ellievolia if you'd like to plot something in particular! ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ As usual, Derek's up by the break of dawn, even if it doesn't look like the sun is near rising yet. His body clock is pretty set in its ways and he's usually up with the sun for his morning run, because typically it's the most quiet and empty that time of day. He doesn't have to worry about running into anyone he doesn't want to run into when he's in wolf form out in the woods or being stopped on his way to or from said woods in human form, either. Derek likes his mornings silent and lonely because he uses them to reflect on the day previous. Recently, also on how to make the current day better than the last.

This morning, his run is shorter so that he can get back home and showered before he has to meet Claire. Talking to her on the OkCuddle is one thing, but he's interested in getting to know people in person. He'll use that thing now and again, but he's never really going to prefer it over meeting someone face to face.

He makes his way to Dinah's and lets himself in, a little surprised to see that she's beaten him there. He's usually the person who shows up somewhere first, if he can help it.

Derek returns her smile and nods to acknowledge the wave before making his way over and settling into the booth across from her. ]

Good morning. How was work?

Hmmm.

[ The sound is half a yawn, half a measure to express work was its typical self. She leans back into her seat, curling her hands into the sleeves of her hoodie by her sides as she takes a good look at Derek. For being so early in the morning, he looks perfectly awake and bright. Claire envies him, a little. ]

Pretty quiet. Which is good, but I also sit there for hours with nothing much to do besides finding new ways to reorganize everything. I'm going to run out soon, although I've thought about converting the Dewey system to hospital supplies, which would keep me busy a while, I guess.

[ She realizes she's suddenly rambling, and closes her mouth with another little noise, biting the inside of her lip. ]

Sorry. How was your night? You're hungry? It's -

[ She pauses again, this time smiling as she looks at Derek again. While she has no set idea on what this is exactly, she can't deny that looking at him is far from being a hardship. ]

It's nice to meet you in person.

[ Derek gives her a sympathetic look as he picks up his menu and starts to peruse the selection. He can't really imagine working the shift she works all the time. Granted, back home, when he was protecting Beacon Hills, it was usually under the night sky, but he could have given up if he'd gotten too tired; handed it off to another werewolf for a few hours to catch a nap. It wasn't like a real job. That sounds like a horrible shift, in his opinion, but if she likes it enough not to fight for another one, then he really can't fault her for it. ]

That makes the day drag, ouch.

[ He hates when it's slow at the bar. It can turn a seven or eight hour shift into something that feels like a lifetime. At least on the weekends, he can depend on it being pretty busy.

With a smile, he sets the menu down again to give her his full attention. ]

It's nice to meet you in person, too. And it was uneventful; I read for a while, went to bed. Woke up a few hours ago and took a run...

[ He smirks a little and shrugs. ]

I'm always hungry.

[ It's hard not to be when one's metabolism burns through all the calories ingested in such a short amount of time, but that's maybe another story for another day when she hasn't just come straight from work. ]

Got any recommendations?

It does, but - someone's got to be around, though. You never know when an accident will happen.

[ She shrugs, picking at the corner of her menu. ] It's not so bad - I've been catching up on reading, at least. Got years worth of books to go through.

[ There's a part of her that's amazed that he's been awake for hours already without having to be at work - her days off she tends to spend lazing around, making the most of not having to be anywhere or put on any kind of front. And here he is, looking fresh as a daisy, back from a run. Damn. ]

You do that every day? I've been wanting to get into the habit of jogging, but I guess I do enough running around at the hospital.

[ She grins, a little crookedly, and then leans over the table, pointing down at the pancakes section of the menu. ]

You never go wrong for a fresh stack of pancakes. Never.

[ Nodding, Derek reaches up to scratch idly at his jaw. ]

Yeah, I get that, but that doesn't take away from it being a little exhausting, so I feel for you.

[ Granted, a slow night at the bar is probably nothing compared to a slow night at the hospital, and the same is sure to be true of busy nights, so he imagines that the gap between slow and busy is far more significant to her than he can understand.

To her question, Derek smiles a little and nods. ]

Every day for the past twenty two years, yeah. I started back when I was five, with my mom, my uncle, and my big sister every morning. My uncle and I aren't close like we used to be and my sister and my mom aren't here anymore, but I just keep doing it. Habit, mostly.

[ Habit and it's nice to be able to run free in wolf form now that he has the ability to shift into it.

He laughs a little and nods appreciatively when she offers her suggestion. ]

Pancakes sound amazing right about now, now that you mention it. Is that what you're going to have?

[ She shrugs, a soft smile on her lips. ]

It's the job. It makes me feel like I have a purpose, so I don't mind, really. It's what I'm good at doing, and what I love doing - helping people, whenever and however I can.

[ There's something when he talks about his family, something in his tone, but she doesn't push, just noting the inflection and letting them move on. She just nods, grinning. ]

My family's idea of good times together is a lot of food, not going jogging together. Seems like a healthy habit.

[ Looking back down at her menu, she nods again, looking over the different toppings. ]

Hmm, yeah, think so. I'm starving. What do you think, classic with maple syrup and bacon, or strawberries and cream? Oh, you're not vegetarian or vegan, are you? Don't think you'll find much food for you here if you are.

That's admirable.

[ Mostly because he knows a nurse; he knows how big a chunk of their life they tend to give up for the cause. Derek thinks he's probably a little too selfish to do it himself. ]

Oh, we absolutely did the food thing, too. At least, we did on holidays when the extended family came into town.

[ Holidays, the wolf moon, and lunar eclipses, but who's counting? His family is sometimes a sensitive subject, but it depends on the context. Right now, they're talking about things that conjure happy memories for Derek, so as much as it saddens him that he can't create new memories in those veins, he doesn't mind talking about it; the sting has been numbed over the years, so there's a smile on his face and it reflects in his eyes when he looks back at her.

Derek shakes his head at the question. ]

Nah, I don't think I could stand going vegetarian and I'd almost definitely screw up being vegan. I'm good. That's a tough call, though, between bacon and syrup or strawberries and cream. I'll do one and you do the other; we can both split it and then we both get both?

Oh, did you do the whole extended family thing? Drunk uncles and kids climbing all over you?

[ Imagining Derek with children is - well, it's kinda nice. Because he's that kind of guy that's all tall and dark and handsome and mysterious looking, the kind that has a multitude of secrets in his eyes (aka, Claire's type, she needs help), but knowing he seems to be family oriented softens his sharp angles. ]

We didn't get to the extended family thing very often. Most of my mom's family still lives in Puerto Rico, and we didn't go much.

[ She doesn't sound sad - because she isn't. It's just the way it was. She loved her family life as it was, anyway.

Giving Derek a look, she grins as she raises a hand for the waitress. ]

Clever man. Sounds like a plan.

[ Derek laughs at that, shaking his head with amusement. ]

Well, you're half right, anyway. The kids climbing all over us older ones. Drunk uncles not so much. Which was lucky for me.

[ Not that he would put it past Peter to have been the drunk uncle if any of them could get drunk off the alcohol available back in Beacon Hills. ]

I can see how that would make the extended get togethers harder, yeah.

[ He grins a little at the comment and gives the waitress his attention when she comes over, waiting his turn to order the pancake meal that Claire doesn't. Then, as the waitress departs again, his attention goes back to Claire. ]

So tell me about yourself, Claire. Where are you from? What made you decide to go into one of the most important and simultaneously under-appreciated careers of all time?

[ One of. There are also teachers. ]

[ They order their food, coffee gets served, and Derek leans in, asking Claire about all these things that people tend to ask on first dates. She grins, looking out the window for a moment before focusing on him. ]

I was born and bred in New York. Mom and Dad owned this diner in Harlem, and I grew up with my sister running around in it.

[ She stirs sugar into her coffee as she looks at him, propping her chin up in her hand. ]

Honestly, when I think back on it, I wouldn't be able to say why I went into nursing. Part of it was a bit of teenage rebellion - dad wanted us to go to law school, or become doctors, something like that. Nursing seemed too bottom of the barrel, for him. But then I discovered just how much I could help, how much closer I could be to people compared to a doctor, and that - that's what I wanted to do. I didn't want distance between me and patients, I wanted to be right in the middle of it.

[ Pressing her lips together, she huffs out a small laugh, shrugging. ]

What about you? What do you do, back home?

[ Derek's eyebrows lift with vague recognition. He's from California, but he knows Harlem a little. Very little, since he lived briefly in Brooklyn and they're what most people would consider close, but he used to meander around Manhattan when Laura would go out of town. There was more interesting things to see and do in Manhattan, if you asked his teenaged opinion. ]

Yeah? Which one? Can't say I hung out in Harlem much, but I've been a time or two. A while back, I lived briefly in Brooklyn, but sometimes my sister would go out of town and I'd head to Manhattan because there was more to do. At least, I thought so.

[ The likelihood of him knowing the place is low, but you never know. ]

I think that's really cool, actually. I always kind of find myself wondering if all nurses got into nursing for that base reason, that they want to be closer to the patients than a doctor can be.

[ He shrugs at her question, a little, because she sounds like the hard working type and Derek never had a job until he came here. ]

I...guess you could say I protected my town. I never really had a job back home. It was easier to be available to fight the good fight if I was living off my inheritance and the insurance payout from the fire.

Full disclosure, though, since this subject could lead into another pretty easily: I'm not technically human...does that...bother you?

[ He might as well get it out of the way. ]

Oh, it's just called Soledad's. Very typical, really, but my dad thought it was romantic to use my mom's name.

[ She smiles, listening intently until he talks about not being human, which... Well, comes as a surprise. But she also lives in a world where she's seen aliens, and Gods, and superheroes run around in spandex and star-spangled costumes.

So, while she takes a little time to respond, she doesn't feel like it changes all that much. Well, depending on what he says next, of course. She can't help the few thoughts that cross her mind about it, too - whether if he's asking if it bothers her because he's interested in her, or if he's just worried she'd turn away from friendship just because of what he just confessed.

Without thinking, she reaches out, putting a hand on top of his. ]

It doesn't bother me. But I've got to ask... if you're not technically human, what are you?

That is kind of romantic, in his defense.

[ Derek smiles at that, although the smile fades a little with her question. It isn't that he's worried about how she'll react, but...

Well, he's kind of worried about how she'll react. Anytime he tells someone new what he really is, it worries him a little. He's been conditioned for the better part of his life to believe that the werewolf needs to be a secret that only other werewolves and supernaturals should know. He's been conditioned to believe that it makes him a target and could cost him his life, and while he knows that's not true here and he's gotten better at sharing, he still hasn't kicked that uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach that comes with doing so, just yet.

Her hand on his is a little reassuring, though, so there is that? ]

I'm a werewolf.

[ He pauses then, meaning to give her a chance to absorb that information and process it, because for some people, that would be a lot to take in and he knows it. ]

[ Claire waits patiently as Derek obviously thinks things through, before the words leave his lips. Which surprise her, and she doesn't try to hide the way her eyes widen. Sure, she's seen aliens and ninjas and she's friends with a blind man that can hear heartbeats miles away, but there are some things, she guesses, she expected to stay myths.

Which doesn't entirely makes sense, come to think of it. She's been talking with people coming from all sorts of time eras, since arriving to Cadelle. She's seen a God naked. She's flirted outrageously with a gunslinger from the Wild West and gave advice to a kid that lives on the Moon.

Why not a werewolf? It's not weirder than anything else, after all. So she squeezes Derek's hand, looking straight into his eyes as she smiles. ]

Now I get why you said you couldn't have doctors see you, back home. [ She bites her lip, her scientific curiosity making her want to know so much more. ] I have so many questions, but I don't think it's super appropriate, so I should probably refrain.

[ When she's quiet for a moment, it makes Derek more antsy than he'd like to admit, but it isn't long enough to make him very uncomfortable. At least she's processed the information quickly and doesn't appear or sound too terribly traumatized by the realization that werewolves are real.

He smiles a little and gives a knowing look coupled with a little nod. That's exactly why he can't see doctors at home, but he supposes he doesn't have to confirm that. She knows.

That lip bite makes him smirk a little, because before she even continues, he has a feeling he knows what's next. If she isn't afraid, she's likely to be curious and Claire certainly doesn't disappoint. ]

You can ask me whatever you want, I just can't promise to answer. At least not in public like this where just anybody can overhear.

[ She takes him in some more, before smiling, letting out a slightly embarrassed chuckle as she knows - she knows she's going to go off on all of her scientific curiosity, right now. ]

Okay, fine. I'm just - what does it entail? Is it a 'got to turn into a wolf on the full moon', or is it something you control? Does it mean you can only be hurt by silver weapons? Do you like, go hunt at night and stuff? Do you have rapid healing powers?

[ All of it comes out in a rush, and a deep blush adorns her cheeks when she stops, feeling a little stupid about it. ]

Sorry - sorry. I guess I'm just curious about reality versus fiction.

[ A smile tugs up the corners of his mouth when she starts spouting off questions one after the other. He probably should've anticipated that, but it still comes as a surprise. An amusing one, but a surprise all the same. ]

No, I learned to control it when I was in my teens...my sisters learned a lot faster, so it varies from werewolf to werewolf. A friend of mine learned in less than a month or something like that, which is embarrassing for me because it took me sixteen years and I was born this way; took him exponentially less and he was bitten, so go figure. I can be hurt by everything, just like a human, it's just that I heal a lot faster than a human does from most things. There are a few things that can injure me in ways that I can't heal from properly. Silver is one of them.

[ He pauses, trying to replay her questions in his head to see if he missed one. He's pretty sure he did, but he can't recall what it was. ]

It's okay, don't worry. I'd rather you ask than make assumptions, since I know that fictional werewolves where I come from don't really put us real ones in a very good light. There's a reason people hunt us. I'd prefer to clear up inconsistencies than foster fear by not educating people when they want to be educated, you know? I don't mind.

[ The amazing thing is that as he answers her questions, he answers even more that she didn't even think of asking yet.

That's when their food arrive, and Claire is quick to push her plate to the middle of the table to share with him, grabbing a fork. The smell of pancakes is suddenly awakening how hungry she is. She chews as she takes in the amount of information he just gave her, eyes taking him in in a whole different light now.

God, but he's gorgeous. She can't deny that - nor would she want to. ]

Ah, so you can be born a werewolf. It's not like vampires. Wait, I'm sorry. Is that offensive?

[ She stops, her fork in mid-air. She doesn't want to put her foot in her mouth. ]

You've got enhanced senses?

[ Derek looks up when the food arrives, following Claire's example and moving his own plate to the middle, since they'd agreed to share so they could both have a taste of either type.

He waits until he's sure that the waiter isn't going to come back with anything he forgot before Derek looks back at Claire and gives her his attention again. ]

You can, yeah. I honestly don't know anything about vampires, except myth. Since they're undead, it makes sense that they can't reproduce. We're perfectly mortal. We live longer and we age a little differently, but we're definitely mortal, and living, so yeah. You can be born a werewolf.

[ He grins a little, lifting his forkful for his own first bite. ]

So no. Not offensive.

[ He pauses before taking it to answer. ]

Yeah, I can hear, see, and smell a lot better than humans. I can tell how someone might be feeling based on their chemosignals; little changes in their natural scent given off by their emotions and hormones, or whatever. I can tell if people are lying, too, which is nice.

[ Well now, that last part definitely gets him a raised eyebrow, an interested look on her face. It makes sense, but it's still quite fascinating.

She licks maple syrup off of the corner of her mouth, looking at Derek with what can definitely be considered a flirting look. If he's not completely oblivious to it, at least. Claire doesn't really think she's very subtle most of the time, because she is a grown woman and she has no time for it; she wants, and if it's not reciprocated, she'd rather move on quickly.

She cuts another piece of pancake with her fork, talking before she puts it in her mouth. ]

Oh yeah? What am I feeling, then?

[ Derek's eyebrows lift with both amusement and the challenge she's set forth. He doesn't miss that look, either. It might have been a while and he might be a little rusty, but he's not so rusty that he doesn't recognize a flirtatious look when he sees one, especially when coupled with that question.

Derek lowers his voice a little, leaning in over the table just slightly so that she'll be able to hear him. ]

Besides curious? I can tell that from the questions; I don't need my nose for that. I know that you're aroused. I can sense a tension that would suggest anticipation.

[ He smirks a little and pauses. ]

All that in addition to being tired as hell from a long day, you've got quite a lot going on with you right now, Nurse Temple.

[ She lets out a chuckle, looking down at the plates on the table. It is what she expected, and also isn't - she doesn't know him well enough yet to be able to say if he's the forward kind of guy, but now, it appears he is.

And she can appreciate that.

Switching to the sweet toppings, she fixes him with a look as they both lean over the table, tongue touching her top lip before she eats another forkful of pancakes. ]

There is a lot going on with me, indeed. I'm still looking forward to that bath, when I get home. That is, if there's nothing you want to do about that tension...

[ It's very forward of her, and she knows it. But there's also teasing in her voice, nothing serious about it. She's in a mood, but she isn't about to be mad if it's not reciprocated. ]

[ Derek's eyebrows lift at her forward remark. He's hardly offended by it, but it does come as a bit of a surprise and it's not typically his thing on a first date. It used to be, but then he learned that not getting to know someone worse has a tendency to leave dead bodies in the wake of his sexual escapades; now he's a little more careful. Even here. ]

As tempting as that is — and believe me, it is — maybe sometime when you haven't just worked a full on shift. You should relax after this and I'm not very good at helping people relax. My specialty is a little closer to getting people wound up.

[ He smirks a little. It's his way of letting her know that he's absolutely interested, just not today. Just in case she was being serious under that teasing tone. He doesn't want her to think he's rejecting the idea, because he isn't at all; only the timing.

He when she switches to the strawberries and cream, Derek switches to the bacon and maple and he has to consider how he feels about the taste for a second. Derek hasn't ever tried a savory with waffles. He laughs a little when he's chewed and swallowed his mouthful.]

I can't decide how I feel about this... It's good but it's...definitely different.

[ She laughs, dismissing his rejection as quickly as it comes. She takes shots, and sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. She's hardly embarrassed by it.

Tempting, but not tempting enough. She gives him a half-smile, her fork in her mouth as she licks whipped cream off of it. ]

All right.

[ No need to dwell on it. She'll go home, get in that bath, take care of herself. Nothing she's not done before.

His next words make her laugh, raise an eyebrow. ]

You've never had pancakes with maple syrup and bacon? Have you lived? Damn, Derek. What about chicken and waffles?

[ It's a bit of a relief that she seems to brush off the temporary rejection, because he's actually been kind of starting to wonder if his disinterest in hooking up casually on a first or second meeting, regardless of whether he has or has not connected with a woman is hurting his ability to have follow up meetings. Things had seemed okay with Glinda, but then she'd left without a word. Before her, Felicity had done the same. A part of him wants to ask, but that's setting himself up for embarrassment and he'd really rather not.

Instead, he'll just continue hoping that he'll meet someone who will understand his hesitance and come back anyway. Maybe Claire will be that person. ]

With maple syrup, yeah, and with whipped cream or strawberries, bananas, or blueberries, but never with bacon.

[ He laughs a little shaking his head and having the grace to look playfully ashamed for it. ]

I've never mixed savory with sweet in breakfast foods, until now. It's always been one or the other, the sole exception being eating a piece of fruit when I'm also eating, say, eggs and bacon. Clearly, I have not lived. Thank God I met you so we can fix it, because this is really good.

colors spilling from night to day (ota)

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