[ Derek, who's wanted to be in a Color Run since he's known what one is, is more focused on the running than the people. He's toward the front of the pack and while he's covered in colored chalk, all of it clinging to sweaty skin because, halfway into the run, Derek gave up on the white t-shirt because it was soaked through with sweat, anyway.
At first, when he hears the scream behind him, a shudder runs through him because he'd seen Lydia at some point, lining the trail and cheering people on, in passing and he reflexively thinks it's her...and Lydia's screams are always bad news for someone else. It takes a second for him to register the fact that it's not Lydia's scream, because he knows the sound of that; it brings a chill to his bones makes it feel like the blood runs cold in his veins for its duration; because it isn't a scream. It's a banshee cry.
This was a scream.
Derek stumbles a little when he turns to look back, because it rings out again. And Derek is pushing his way back through the crowd, half of whom can't decide whether to stop, turn around, or keep going, as he runs back in the direction he came to find the source. Another scream has Derek's heart racing because that's several, now, and it isn't stopping. Whoever she is, she's in agony.
But then he hears the words and he pushes himself harder. Caroline wears a ring so that she can walk in the sun. She's the first person he thinks of and he's unpleasantly not surprised when he sees her on the ground, practically writhing in pain.
Derek doesn't look for the ring; there are already a handful of frantic people trying to do that because she's screaming for it. Instead, Derek scoops her off the ground and darts off the path into the shade of the woods. It happens fast, the movement, setting her back down again, crouching in front of her and closing a hand hard around her arm, his veins going black and his face registering her pain in himself with a grunt and a grimace. It passes almost as quickly as it comes, but he holds on because his veins are still black and that means she's still hurting. ]
Hang on, you're okay. You're all right, I got you. Somebody will find your ring, I'll get back, okay? You okay?
the aftermath bc i'm a sucker for hc, fight me.
At first, when he hears the scream behind him, a shudder runs through him because he'd seen Lydia at some point, lining the trail and cheering people on, in passing and he reflexively thinks it's her...and Lydia's screams are always bad news for someone else. It takes a second for him to register the fact that it's not Lydia's scream, because he knows the sound of that; it brings a chill to his bones makes it feel like the blood runs cold in his veins for its duration; because it isn't a scream. It's a banshee cry.
This was a scream.
Derek stumbles a little when he turns to look back, because it rings out again. And Derek is pushing his way back through the crowd, half of whom can't decide whether to stop, turn around, or keep going, as he runs back in the direction he came to find the source. Another scream has Derek's heart racing because that's several, now, and it isn't stopping. Whoever she is, she's in agony.
But then he hears the words and he pushes himself harder. Caroline wears a ring so that she can walk in the sun. She's the first person he thinks of and he's unpleasantly not surprised when he sees her on the ground, practically writhing in pain.
Derek doesn't look for the ring; there are already a handful of frantic people trying to do that because she's screaming for it. Instead, Derek scoops her off the ground and darts off the path into the shade of the woods. It happens fast, the movement, setting her back down again, crouching in front of her and closing a hand hard around her arm, his veins going black and his face registering her pain in himself with a grunt and a grimace. It passes almost as quickly as it comes, but he holds on because his veins are still black and that means she's still hurting. ]
Hang on, you're okay. You're all right, I got you. Somebody will find your ring, I'll get back, okay? You okay?