colors spilling from night to day (ota)

[nursetemple]

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! ]

Comments

[nursetemple]

[ Leaning in, she curls her free hand around his forearm, rubbing gently in hopes of a reassuring gesture. She doesn't want him to think there's no hope at all, in Cadelle. It feels like it'd be a waste. ]

I think you should take it day by day. Heartache is tough, I know, but... it heals. We move on. We get better. We fall in love again. It could happen, here or somewhere else. Don't close the door on the possibility, even if it's a slim one.

[quinientos]

[ He doesn't think that he's the type who can fall in love so easy and besides, he's not sure that he'd gotten to that point. He'd deeply cared, of course, but it had been short and sweet, something that he enjoyed, but wasn't sure how it worked for him. ]

Does this mean that next time if our positions are changed, I give you this same speech?

[nursetemple]

[ Claire barks out a laugh, flushing deep as she looks away from him. She's not exactly what one would call an expert in the matters of the heart, but she's had her heart broken. ]

Feel free to, if you think I need to hear it. But it wouldn't be my first time.

[ She looks back up at Vasquez, biting the inside of her lip. ]

Which is why I'm taking things day by day, now. Why I'm not looking to settle down, really. If it happens, I'll take it, but... it's not what I'm looking for, exactly.

[ And the look she gives him leaves very little to the imagination as to what she's looking for. ]

[quinientos]

[ He feels awful for wanting to indulge in something physical and without attachment, but he also knows better. If he does that now with Claire, he'll regret it. That's why it's more important to smoke his cigarette and drink. Later, when he feels like himself again, he knows that he's going to call her. ]

When you go, I promise, I'll have the very biggest of shots waiting for me to lose such a lovely woman.

[nursetemple]

[ She gives him a soft smile, fingers brushing his. ]

And I'll do the same on the other side. [ She doesn't like to think about it. Going back home. Not yet. ]

But that's neither here nor there. However, I should go. I've got a bathtub with my name on it waiting at home.

[ It's not an invitation, but he's welcome to think about it if he'd like. She leans in as she stands, brushing her lips to his cheek. ]

I truly am sorry.

[quinientos]

You shouldn't be tempting a hurt man so with images of you in a bathtub.

[ Still, it's not going to be tonight. Even if he wanted to, the amount of liquor in his system is going to make it impossible and he thinks that she knows this. Giving her a press-lipped nod and a thankful look, he knows that it could be worse.

He's still got friends. ]

Next time, maybe when we get a drink, I won't be such a pathetic sad man. That would be good, no?

[nursetemple]

[ She gives him a smile in answer, all coy. ]

Just something to keep you going.

[ Squeezing a hand around his shoulder when she straightens up, Claire nods, shrugging on her coat. ]

While I don't think you're pathetic, yeah, it'd be good. I'd like that. You've got my number.

[quinientos]

I do. Take care, Claire. I'll try not to get too drunk so that they wind up calling that number and pester you.

[ He gives her a grateful nod, but even as he does, he's quickly burying himself in his alcohol again. ]