InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "JUSTIN IS SUNSHINE LOVE."

Derek Hale is the worst alpha (theworstalpha) wrote in paradisolog,
@ 2016-04-15 18:03:00

Entry tags:

~derek hale (theworstalpha), ~maria hill (by_the_book)

WHO: Derek Hale & ~~OTA~~ Maria Hill
WHERE: The beach
WHEN: Friday evening
WHAT: Thinking
WARNINGS: Nothing really.
STATUS: Complete

It's time to begin isn't it? I get a little bit bigger but then I'll admit, I'm just the same as I was.

It seemed like it was going to be impossible to stay out of the fucking drama from home, Derek realized, unless he shut it out. If he didn't talk to any of them anymore, maybe it would go away. Then again, if he ignored them, maybe it would get worse. Whatever Scott's malfunction had been, he'd been the one to initiate the conversation and Derek had tried to keep it neutral and civil, but Scott was apparently not having it, which was fine, he supposed. Derek had moved on from that pat of his life; he didn't need or want the approval of a bunch of teenagers who had only ever wanted him around when they needed information or someone to conveniently throw under the bus to further their causes. If they didn't want to hear about what werewolf culture had been like before everything went to shit, then they didn't have to listen. Several others, including different werewolves, had shown interest and that was enough for him to still feel inclined to share it at the bonfire.

For now, he wanted to be away from the main camp and the past he'd tried to leave behind.

So Derek trekked through the jungle until he reached the clearing that opened to the beach. The sun was hot and bright, but Derek didn't make a beeline for the water so much as just continue propelling himself forward with slow steps until he reached the section of the beach just above where the tide was washing up onto the sand. Derek took off his shoes and socks, setting them down and then bent to roll his jeans up a little ways before walking a few steps into the surf. It was weird how everything seemed so calm and perfect on this island, even though it seemed like everyone's demons had secretly followed them here.

The tang of salt cut the sweet scent of florals that typically hung in the air and Derek stood staring out into the ocean. Was this the right decision? Should he be trying to chase away his feelings for Larissa by throwing himself into a project that he wasn't sure he was built for, after all? Everything about this place was so inviting, right down to the women filtering to ask for his sperm less than a day after his arrival. Jemma was nice, he liked her. She wasn't his style, but she was fun to fuck and as long as that was all she was looking for, then Derek could deliver. The real question, though, was should he? Should he stay? He and Cora had mended their relationship, but they weren't close like they had been when they'd been children. He supposed they never would be again; too much had changed.

Stay? Or go home, wait grimly for Larissa's mother to either get better or pass away, and then try to pick up where they left off? The purpose of this project was to build a civilization and they would need to have children for that to sustain once they'd established it, but Derek wasn't interested in giving children away, even to a goddess. That meant that he couldn't contribute to that particular cause until he could find someone he wanted to actually be with, first. That task seemed daunting on a whole new level, now. He doubted any of these women were out to kill him and the people he cared about the most were either home or already dead, so it wasn't like they'd have anything to hold over his head. Derek wasn't afraid anymore, just...daunted.

So he lost himself, for a moment, trying to focus on the surroundings instead of all the things weighing on his mind. Instead of worrying about Scott or Cora or wondering what Larissa was doing and whether she might ever end up here, too, Derek closed his eyes and listened to the ocean waves washing up on the sand and listened to the birds singing in the jungle. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Letting anything get in the way of it was foolish. He could do this. He could.

(Post a new comment)

by_the_book
2016-04-15 10:29 pm UTC (link)

Maria wasn't ignorant of the drama happening on the island. She just stayed out of it and did her own thing. It didn't surprise, disappoint or annoy her. Any group of people was bound to develop abrasiveness at some point. It was just to be expected. It happened all the time in SHIELD. The best way to handle it was to let it run its course. If it went on too long then the superiors stepped in to reassign those involved. This wasn't SHIELD, however so she stayed out of it. Only read enough to be aware of it and moved along.

Moving along to her meant adding to her shelter and attempting to make some kind of bed or hammock. She observed what others had done, and decided to give it a shot herself first before asking for help. She did at least ask to borrow tools to get the wood for the frame. While that hadn't exactly been a mistake, it hadn't exactly gone as planned either. She had made a decent stock of poles when the last one she'd been trimming to size decided to splinter on her. She'd folded up her pants legs which meant a shard of wood targeted the only vulnerable flesh on her that was exposed, leaving a shallow gash across her shin. Wish a sigh of exasperation she made for the beach, trying not to drip blood everywhere.

Maria wasn't as quiet as she usually was, not that it would have made a difference to the likes of the man standing in the water. Not that she was aware of the abilities of the werewolves, but she felt it was safe to assume heightened senses came par for the course. By the time she realized someone else was here it was too late to go find another beach. She hadn't meant to invade someone's quiet contemplation, but here it was. So after a moment's hesitation she just continued on into the water herself a few yards from him.

"It's Derek, right?" she asked. Her voice was tight as the sting of salt water hit the cut.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

theworstalpha
2016-04-15 10:42 pm UTC (link)

He caught the new scent grabbing for attention in the air amongst the salt and flowers before he heard her approaching, and he heard that even before she opened her mouth, but Derek tuned it out to settle his mind. There were a lot of things on it and he could've done with some alone time to grapple with it. That, like peace in and of itself, was apparently too much to ask in this place. It would figure that the island was huge, but his stupid ass headed to the beach thinking that would be a private place. What he should've done if he'd been smarter was head deeper into the jungle and off the beaten path a little ways. Derek wasn't always a smart man.

"Mmm," he agreed, finally opening his eyes and looking over at the source of the voice. ...oh. That woman who'd gotten upset with him for not wanting someone to tag pointlessly along through the jungle behind or beside him while he tried to sniff out the bear's den. Right. "Yeah, that's me. Maria, if I remember right?" he asked.

Derek turned his head again to look back out over the ocean. He could smell the blood but she seemed all right. Little strange to choose the ocean instead of the freshwater lake, he thought, to wash out a cut, but to each their own. It wouldn't kill her, he just couldn't help wondering why she'd want to literally pour salt on an open wound. Maybe she'd just been a lot closer to the beach than to the camp and hadn't wanted to walk the extra length to find the stream or the lake. Derek supposed he couldn't fault her for that. It sounded like something he could've done if he was in enough of a hurry to not want to waste the walk but wasn't so much in the zone that he'd opt to just let it bleed until it healed itself. Then again, he got the impression she was human, so he doubted it would heal by itself without a few days under its belt.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

by_the_book
2016-04-15 10:57 pm UTC (link)

She had entirely forgotten the bear thing by now. Maria wasn't one to hold a grudge for something like that. Shoot a friend of hers and you might want to keep one eye open when you sleep, but something like that? Whatever.

"Yes," she answered as she half crouched and half bent to attend to her shin. "Maria Hill." She straightened then lifted the leg to see if the bleeding was stopping. It was only a scrape but across the thin area over the shin you might as well have cut your scalp. She grimaced to see it still oozing then put her leg down.

"Didn't mean to intrude," she said. "You looked pretty lost in thought. Soon as I get this taken care of I'll leave you alone."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

theworstalpha
2016-04-15 11:09 pm UTC (link)

He nodded, looking back at her again. "Nice to meet you in person," he said. He looked down at her leg. "You should just tie it," he said. "Just wrap something around it, I mean. That's one of those spots that'll bleed forever if you let it." That was an exaggeration of course, but he imagined she knew what he meant. There were a few places on the body that, when nicked, seemed never to want to stop bleeding, even if the cut was shallow. Shins were one of those spots, he knew.

With a shrug, he looked back out to the ocean again. He seemed to lose himself in thought a lot these days; the past month or two. "Yeah...I wasn't thinking about anything important, so..." he replied, letting his voice trail off. It was neither a confirmation that he wanted her to leave nor an invitation for her to stay. Derek was happier, now, but that didn't necessarily mean he was better or more comfortable with social situations. That was something that was still a work in progress. Indifference, he supposed, to most of the people around him probably didn't help, but he told himself that once he got to know some of them, maybe that would change. If it didn't, he was one request away from home, anyway, he thought. He was pretty sure that Arva knew that was the impression she'd given him, anyway.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

by_the_book
2016-04-15 11:35 pm UTC (link)

"You too," she replied with a slight, lopsided smile. His advice was sound, and something she'd already thought of. There was just one problem. "Kind of out of anything to wrap it with. Fabric is at a premium, and it's minor." A wave pushed over her legs resulting in a hissed breath from her. "Salt water helps with the healing, but it stings like a bitch!"

Her brows lifted a little for Derek's dismissal of her intrusion, then it came back to her. He'd been involved in that drama. No doubt that was what he'd been thinking about, but she wasn't going to ask. Not her business. "Fair enough," she said. "So were you on the receiving end of the spontaneous gifts of comfort?"

She hadn't been, but that didn't bother her. While not exactly a field agent anymore Maria was used to far less comfortable quarters. That wasn't to say she wouldn't try to improve her circumstances, but she wasn't looking for an easy way out.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

theworstalpha
2016-04-16 11:15 pm UTC (link)

Derek winced on her behalf, nodding. That made sense. He supposed he hadn't considered the fact that the only fabric anyone probably had laying around was the clothes off their backs. "Fair enough, hadn't thought of that," he admitted.

At her question, Derek shook his head. "Nah, but then again, I just got here so that doesn't really surprise me. I don't really need anything special, or anything, I can make do with what people are willing to share, like Ruby's soap or whatever; everything else, I don't mind starting from scratch anyway," he said with a shrug. It was kind of fun trying to push his limits and see what it was that he could make himself do when it came to a survival situation like this one, as opposed to the life or death sorts of situations he was used to.

Derek might have been used to having a fairly cushy lifestyle in Brazil because he was rich, but it was sort of liberating to leave all of that behind in favor of helping to build something from the ground up.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

by_the_book
2016-04-17 12:19 am UTC (link)

"Ruby's soap is nothing short of genius," Maria said as she backed out of the water to check her leg. "I'll take not having my nose offended over a comfortable bed. Besides. I'm convinced a comfortable bed can be made. It just takes ingenuity and a flat out stubborn refusal to be beaten by inanimate objects."

The scrape still oozed, but there was a benefit to wearing a tight uniform. She carefully unfolded her pant leg down over the wound. The fabric would put enough pressure on it to stop the bleeding the rest of the way, and it wouldn't be the first time she got blood on her uniform.

"Kind of a do over?" she asked as she looked back to Derek. Her expression said she was honestly interested. Everyone had a reason for being here. Some didn't want to talk about it. She could understand that. "A cosmic reset button on life choices?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

theworstalpha
2016-04-17 02:56 am UTC (link)

Derek huffed his amusement, eyebrows cocking along with it. "Yeah, my sensitive nose thanks Ruby until eternity for that soap, I get it," he laughed, shaking his head. He didn't even want to think about the level of holy shit ripe this place would be to him if there was no soap. He wondered if that was why Ruby made the soap, since she was a werewolf, too.

His expression sobered a little and he squinted against the sun. "Something like that, yeah," he replied. Not entirely accurate because Brazil had really been the do over, but this place was sort of an extension of that, so he nodded.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

by_the_book
2016-04-17 12:23 pm UTC (link)

Maria lowered the other pant leg and looked at Derek. She recognized a touchy subject when she heard it. There was loss there. Add that to the drama going on, and no wonder he was grouchy. She wouldn't push. Either he'd share or he wouldn't.

"I'd say there's nothing wrong with that," she said as she straightened, "but you don't seem like the type of person who wants or needs validation. Do you jog?" Random question was random on purpose.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

theworstalpha
2016-04-17 03:43 pm UTC (link)

Rather than answering her, Derek just looked back out at the ocean again. On the contrary, he craved validation just like anyone else. The difference was that Derek wore the mask more naturally than some others. People never suspected that Derek had feelings or that he actually gave a shit about things every now and again. He supposed, for the most part, that still suited him just fine, so he nodded and didn't correct her.

"I run. Usually as the wolf. It's faster and it feels freer," he replied. He could tell she was changing the subject on purpose and he certainly wasn't going to fight that. He still would prefer to just be alone with his thoughts, but if he had to share the space for the moment, he'd rather do it without talking about the way Larissa was still weighing on his mind, even on Sex Island.

[ooc: lol wow autocorrect, wrong person entirely!]

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

by_the_book
2016-04-17 04:41 pm UTC (link)

Derek didn't know her. Maria knew she wouldn't open up to anyone she didn't know, and even then you had to pry. Banner has been the only one to see inside of her even a little, but it still wasn't anywhere near the real her. She understood masks, and assumed Derek would want to keep his.

"I could use a running partner that knows how to take care of themselves and is capable of watching someone else's back." She crossed her arms, but her body language made it clear she wasn't going to approach him in any manner. All balls were in his court. "I've been sticking to the beach, but other terrain is a good idea." She smirked a little. "You know where that bear is."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

theworstalpha
2016-04-18 05:57 am UTC (link)

He looked over at her again. The last time he'd had a running partner, it had been Laura. After her murder, he just...ran alone. He didn't even really run with Cora. That had always been his and Laura's thing and he never really broke out of it.

"I'm probably not that guy, honestly," he admitted, sounding apologetic. "I mean, I can do all those things, I just prefer to run alone. It's kind of my me time." He paused. "But for the record, she's on the far east side of the island so if you're in this vicinity or near the camp, you're good."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

by_the_book
2016-04-18 12:28 pm UTC (link)

Maria's brows lifted just slightly. She couldn't tell if he was really thick or was actually the asshole she had him pegged for initially. Apologetic or not, the message was loud and clear. Who knew you could still get rejected on Sex Island?

Note to self: she thought. Avoid all weres and Beacon Hills people in general. They're all self-absorbed pricks.

"Right," she said out loud in a bland tone. Years of hiding her true thoughts from her father, and then SHIELD espionage training put a pleasant smile on her face. "Well, see ya." She turned to walk away.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

theworstalpha
2016-04-18 02:28 pm UTC (link)

She could put a smile on her face, but it didn't change the shift in her scent. If Maria had been suggesting anything other than a literal running partner, it had been lost on Derek at the time.

Given that sex was about the furthest thing from his mind at the moment and the poor first impression that they'd on one another, it hadn't really occurred to him that she would be offering. He wouldn't have been interested, specifically because of the poor first impression they'd given each other, but all of that was moot because he was too wrapped up in Larissa and second-guessing his decision to come here at all that the idea that someone — anyone, really — was hitting him up for sex at the moment was completely over his head. Derek was not always a smart man.

But he caught the shift in the scent and heard the flatness in her tone and Derek's brows lifted. "...see ya," he replied, confused by the fact that she was apparently upset with him, again inexplicably as far as he could tell. She walked off and Derek looked back out over the ocean, shaking his head. He would never understand women; best not to bother trying.

[ooc: seems like a wrap! :) ]

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	by_the_book 2016-04-18 02:30 pm UTC (link)
	[ooc: lmao "he would never understand women" Yep! :) ] (Reply to this) (Parent)