[ he sits so she kneels down instead, swaying through the hologram of the flowers with her fingers, following the flow of her artificial breeze. it's not real, but it's close as she gets. suits her perfectly. ]
Reverse psychology. Someone says 'don't itch,' human nature creates likelihood of itching subconsciously simply by suggestion implant. The brain is a brat.
[ she grins because his frown fits his face like a glove. slender fingers reach up to touch it, if he'll let her. ]
[ river's fingers against his face is allowed for a moment before derek leans back, shakes her off. derek's tactile but only on his own terms, only when he's the one controlling the touch. everything else is an intrusion, and he's not at the point where he can just--
[ river understands issues and takes each allowance for the gift that it is ( proof, too; she knows she's right ) and holds out her arm for him instead. all that's left is a vaguely irritated red spot near her nanite tattoo. it was a bug bite. she bothered you over a bug bite. ]
[ river is a force of nature. derek doesn't know what else to do with her other than accept that this is just how she is and that she's part of his life now.
she speaks and derek doesn't answer. for a long moment he's just silent, feeling out the honesty in her words, trying to decide how to respond. ]
So you called me about a bug bite?
[ which is better than saying he doesn't know if he's back anymore, how he doesn't want to be back here at all. ]
[ she hears it anyway, always listening so closely to the silence. his voice is there, the growl between the trees not as a threat but because he feels threatened. silence is secure and river is always so loud. ]
I called about an itch.
[ the things that get under the skin and nag at the mind; she thinks about being alone in the woods sometimes. lost, the way they have been before. she wonders if fire is coming for them this time too. ]
[ derek blows out a breath. he doesn't know how to respond. river turns everything on its head, pulls the ground out from under his feet. he turns to look at her, watch her face. ]
Did you see it coming?
[ peter. everyone leaving. it's not a fair question and he shouldn't ask, but derek's selfish enough to do it anyway, has enough anger burning under his skin that he needs to see if she'll skitter away from him. [
[ the question doesn't make sense but neither does she. she falters when he asks, knowing what he wants and not knowing what he needs. blinks and furrows her brows, hides her hands inside the sleeves of merlin's coat. ]
Some. Not all. It's not - it doesn't come, when I open my eyes. It's just there sometimes, and -
[ and she didn't tell because she didn't know. river skitters away from her own mind but fingers poke out from her sleeve to look for his sleeve. not supposed to touch. ]
[ it wouldn't have changed anything. derek tells himself that, because what would it have mattered if she'd told him? it would have all had to have happened regardless. ]
[ she's not sure if he's upset or not, doesn't think he knows either, so she rolls onto her front and spreads her hands flat against the hologram. digging in falsehoods. ]
[ that's flattering, coming from derek. he's said much less kind things about stiles in the course of knowing him, but it costs him nothing to say something vaguely nice when no one but river is around to hear it. ]
[ that's probably river's favourite part about being around him. there's magic and there's mysteries but most of all, they've got nothing but time on their hands.
free to take and give as they want without losing anything. it makes it so much easier and terrifying. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
action.
Did. Very useful.
[ she looks up suddenly, very serious. ]
He made it itch.
action.
What did he do to it?
action.
[ she grins because his frown fits his face like a glove. slender fingers reach up to touch it, if he'll let her. ]
Don't be sour. Scott McCall is useful.
action.
derek's got issues, case and point. ]
Let me see.
action.
action.
River.
[ like seriously it's a bug bite. ]
action.
I missed you.
[ river tam, lady of give no fucks o'clock. ]
action.
she speaks and derek doesn't answer. for a long moment he's just silent, feeling out the honesty in her words, trying to decide how to respond. ]
So you called me about a bug bite?
[ which is better than saying he doesn't know if he's back anymore, how he doesn't want to be back here at all. ]
action.
I called about an itch.
[ the things that get under the skin and nag at the mind; she thinks about being alone in the woods sometimes. lost, the way they have been before. she wonders if fire is coming for them this time too. ]
action.
Did you see it coming?
[ peter. everyone leaving. it's not a fair question and he shouldn't ask, but derek's selfish enough to do it anyway, has enough anger burning under his skin that he needs to see if she'll skitter away from him. [
action.
Some. Not all. It's not - it doesn't come, when I open my eyes. It's just there sometimes, and -
[ and she didn't tell because she didn't know. river skitters away from her own mind but fingers poke out from her sleeve to look for his sleeve. not supposed to touch. ]
Don't be sour.
no subject
I'm not sour.
[ he huffs out a breath, almost a laugh. ]
Don't talk like Stiles.
no subject
What's a Stiles?
no subject
Scott's friend.
[ carefully chosen, because derek likes to be aware of stiles loyalties as they stand. ]
no subject
Is he useful too?
no subject
[ that's flattering, coming from derek. he's said much less kind things about stiles in the course of knowing him, but it costs him nothing to say something vaguely nice when no one but river is around to hear it. ]
no subject
free to take and give as they want without losing anything. it makes it so much easier and terrifying. ]
When you need him to be?
no subject
[ when derek's need for stiles to be useful didn't clash with his own personal motivations. but that was a tangled mess for another day, wasn't it. ]