open | birds flying high, you know how I feel

[ex_bloodcakedarmor707]

No more snow means the city of Itinere has come to life. It's kind of a relief after the perpetual snow that never went away, that never changed or melted or looked anything but perfect. After awhile, perfection became a worrisome thing. He was glad it was Springtime, or that it seemed to be Springtime. It just added more life to everyone and everything. Itinere had needed this.

Derek, in one of the better moods that he's been in in awhile, has gathered a bunch of roses to take to all the employees of the rec center he owns and runs. He walks around the building passing them out to each and every employee with a little added flirtation and a charming smile that he's all too adept in giving. His friends used to say how unfair his smile was in that it was almost too charming. He would counter with the fact that he got it from his mom, nothing to be done about that.

He even keeps one of the roses for himself before he gets to his work for the day. He takes it to his office area and lays it on his desk before checking the schedule of classes for the day on his laptop. Quickly, he changes into some sweatpants and a tank top and then goes out into the main area to see if anyone needs any help with their work outs or classes or in setting anything up.

Yep. This is bound to be a good day.


ooc: Derek, having touched so many roses, is going to be affected. He may or may not feel the affects of them with others. Just let me know if you're open to it. There's a description of the rec center HERE. And if you want to plot something heavy, I have a comment HERE.

Comments

[eveningprimrose]

Prim doesn't exactly go here and she's not a fighter, but she's been looking for people she knows ever since Katniss showed up. One way or another, she finds herself in the rec center, wanting to see if maybe he's working today. When she spots him, a bright smile crosses her face and she heads over.

"Hi! I hoped I'd see you again."

She looks a whole lot better than she has in previous months. Having her sister here has done wonders for her.

[ex_bloodcakedarmor707]

Derek is cleaning off the equipment in the main room with some disinfectant and a towel when he spots Prim enter the facility. First he waits to let her look around for a bit, unsure of whether Prim is here to work out or is looking for someone specific. He felt a very strong 'big brother' vibe toward her, knowing that she was here alone and that the world she came from wasn't that great.

So when she spots him and starts over to him, he lets her have a full grin and even reaches out to give her a one-armed hug. "Hey sweet girl. The better weather looks good on you." Eluding to how much better she looks than the last time he saw her.

[eveningprimrose]

Prim takes the hug gladly, happy to see him. When they'd spoken at the fair, she'd really liked him. He had been kind to her when she'd been new and alone, kind when he didn't have to be. That had stuck with her and that's why she's here. She takes the hug with a smile and returns it, turning to smile brightly at him when they part again.

"My sister's here," she answers easily. That one sentence is clearly the answer to everything she had been worrying about. The only things missing now are Peeta, Buttercup, Gale, his family, her mother... Okay pretty much everyone, but at least having Katniss is a start. "Her name is Katniss. I hope you get a chance to meet her soon."

[ex_bloodcakedarmor707]

He pulls back and his smile only grows. Derek is a good-natured person to begin with. But when good things happen to good people, he can't help but be glad of that. Prim wasn't alone anymore. And not just that, she had family here. There was nothing not to like about that.

"Hey, that's good news." He says. "When did she get here? You two gonna stay together at the apartments?"

[eveningprimrose]

"Maybe a week ago," Prim answers, trying to remember. Everything had been such a blur and then it settled into just being happy they both were here. Prim would always be grateful for her sister's safety.

"I think so. We might need to find a bigger one, though," she laughs gently. "I'm just glad she's here now. Has anyone you know come here yet?"

[ex_bloodcakedarmor707]

"You might check it. Your place might already be bigger than it was. They have a way of anticipating things like that... whatever people need." Yes, he knows it sounds crazy. But he'd been here long enough to know the apartment was a sentient thing. If the inhabitants needed or wanted something, it just magically was there within a day or so. Sometimes even immediately. He'd recently discovered this first hand during the Winter when he'd wished for a workout room and then... there it was.

"I'm really happy for you, kid." Again, that nickname that was more affectionate than anything. "And maybe I'll get to meet your sister sometime, right?"

After a moment, he rests the towel he was holding over one shoulder and shakes his head. "Nah, it's just me. But family is what you make it, right? Maybe I'll get that here anyway. Eventually."

[eveningprimrose]

"They do?" That's kind of creepy, actually. Convenient, but definitely creepy. It gives Prim the feeling of being watched, like she's back in Panem, and that is not a good feeling at all. What if this is all just some trick of President Snow?

Not something she wants to consider.

"I hope you can," she says fervently. "She's hard to get to know but very loyal and nice when you do. Just tell her you're my friend. That'll help." Prim knows that Katniss will like anyone who is a friend to her and she plans on using that with Derek.

"Family and friends are what you make of them," she agrees with a nod. "You're one of mine now, since you were so nice to me when I first got here." Whether she means family or just friend is up in the air at the moment. She does like him a whole lot since he was very nice to her. He fed her, showing her something she had never eaten before, and that's always a good way to her heart.

[ex_bloodcakedarmor707]

"Yeah, weird, I know." Derek would agree that it was creepy. But he'd been here long enough to get used to it. This whole place seemed to have ESP or psychic abilities or whatever you wanted to call it. Either way, it always gave him what he wanted, and knew what he wanted even before he could put it into words.

Derek nods as Prim talks abotu her sister. "I know a few people like that. I promise I'll try." He'd like to try without invoking Prim's name, try to earn her sister's friendship on his own merits. But he knew that with some people that could be easier said than done.

He has to smile at her last statement. "Yeah, they are. I have family at home, but the people I work with... just as close to them. I know you know how that is." He says, a hand on her shoulder and a gentle squeeze before he pulls the hand away again.

"So tell me how you're settling in. You got things to do to keep you busy?"

[eveningprimrose]

Prim didn't think she would ever really get used to it. Then again, being watching in Panem was never a good thing and it meant she would have to be careful about she did and said. Being here was supposed to be a reprieve from that, not more of the same.

She nods in response. She does know how that is. Plenty of people in the Seam work together to survive. Born, raised, and often died together. Sometimes you didn't need to be family to be family.

"I'm okay now," she says honestly. "I still want to learn to be a doctor, but I haven't figured out who to ask yet. With the snow around, I didn't see any good medicinal plants, either. Maybe now that it's clear again, I can get back to looking."

Or maybe she'll just find a place to literally set up an apothecary sometime.

[ex_bloodcakedarmor707]

"Yeah. You could start up a clinic. Study up. There's a bookstore that's supposed to have every book you could possibly think of." Derek, of course, thinks it's admirable that Prim wants to be a doctor. It takes a special kind of heart to do that kind of work.

There were a lot of bare bones businesses around Itinere. It was a complete city, after all. The rec center hadn't been here. Derek had sort of dreamed it up for something to do one night. And the next morning directions had been laid out for him to this place by the apartment complex. He'd found this place and taken up running it.

It could be pretty weird how the city seemed to anticipate the needs of its citizens. Not so much being watched, as both sentient and empathic. Derek had never said aloud that he wanted to work at a rec center. He had thought it. Then he had taken the initiative to get the place going. He figured all Prim would need to do was the same.

"What makes you wanna be a doctor? I mean, usually people are inspired by something or someone to do that kind of work."

[stillplaying]

There's still a lot of the city that she's has yet to explore and, once the shock of seeing all the roses dies down, she's resumed that exploration. She goes through the city a little at the time to do her best to memorize the layout just in case something happens. She has Prim to protect. Nothing is going to get in the way of that.

Today, she finds herself at the rec center for the first time. She's cautious as she peers in, not too certain as what to expect. Though as soon as she sees the bouquet of roses, she scowls. Reminders of those things are everywhere.

She's quickly getting tired of seeing them.

[ex_bloodcakedarmor707]

Derek is just passing through the front room when he sees the girl standing just inside the door. It isn't something he means to do, but years as a Profiler in the FBI kick in. He reads her like an open book. She's obviously new, unsure of things, even unsure of something so simple as a rec center. For as long as he's been here in Itinere, he's learned that there are some places where nothing is simple.

Keeping several yards of distance between them, Derek offers her one of his most charming grins. "Nothin' in here's gonna bite you, pretty girl. Promise. It's safe to come in."

[stillplaying]

Her eyebrows go up as soon as the words 'pretty girl' leave his mouth. It's not the sort of distraction she had asked for but it's the distraction that she needs. Katniss isn't pretty. At least, she doesn't think she ever has been. And with the scars that cover her body (albeit, mostly hidden boy the clothing that she wears) and the raggedness of her dark braid, she considers herself far from pretty now.

Even though she recognizes it as harmless teasing, much like Finnick once offering her a sugar cube, it's not met with any sort of amiable response. Eyes narrow and she scowls at him. "Don't call me that."

[ex_bloodcakedarmor707]

Derek meant no harm by it. He has nicknames for everyone he encounters whether he knows them well or not. It's seamless with him, good-natured, and just a part of who he is. But he can also recognize that some people might not take well to it. And this girl certainly didn't by the look on her face and the response she gave.

"Hey." He puts his hands up, giving her a weapons down I'm harmless sort of look with a raise of his eyebrows. The grin is gone because she seems so seriously and absolutely angry about what he said as if he had hurt her in the worst possible way. "Didn't mean anything bad by it. No offense." He says.

[stillplaying]

It's been a hard day so far. The hardest she's had since arriving here. Katniss hadn't expected to see the roses and if she had known they were out there, she would have stayed in her apartment and not left until every single rose had wilted away.

She isn't good at being nice and polite on a good day. Today, it's impossible. She never should have come here.

Katniss shakes her head. It's the closest she can bring herself to saying that it's okay. On some level, she knows that she's really the one at fault here. But she doesn't want to acknowledge that either.

[ex_bloodcakedarmor707]

Okay, so handle with care. Derek gets the message loud and clear. His occupation in his world had little use here so far. But sometimes those profiling techniques kicked in without his even trying. He could read Katniss's posture, her eyes, the way she held herself and the way she moved. Her defenses were so high up that he would need a mountain of ladders to scale them.

Derek, on the other hand, was more open than usual in thanks to the red roses he had collected on the way here. He'd collected them with the best intentions, as Derek did everything, and yet... here he was. Open as a book. Granted, part of Derek's outward persona was charming, easy-going guy. While underneath simmered a whole mess of issues. But today those issuses were non existent.

He still thought Katniss was pretty. Even if she didn't seem to think much of him.

"I'm Derek Morgan. I answer to either of those names." He says. "This is the rec center. There's lots you can do here. Work out. Sports. Swimming."

>.>

[venusvandam]

Venus had been walking by, stopped in the window. Yes, she stopped to admire the good looking man. She would say that if she was asked about it. When he looks up, she smiles a little, giving a little waggly-finger wave. Hello, handsome.

Of course, he could be the type who would much more gladly punch Venus as talk to her, but who knows? She can always kick off her heels and run like hell if she needs to.

[ex_bloodcakedarmor707]

Busy cleaning the work out equipment in the main lobby room of the rec center, with the entire front wall lined with windows to the outside, it was easy to look in and notice the inside. It was also easy to look out and notice the outside. Normally Derek liked the walls of windows because they let the natural light in. But today he notices when someone is walking by... and stops.

Derek looks up and sees the smile and finger wave and damn if she isn't pretty. He gives her one of his most charming grins and moves to the door, pushing it open and stepping out onto the sidewalk. "Hey, pretty girl." He calls out. "How you gonna walk by lookin' like you look without stoppin' in and sayin' hello?"

[venusvandam]

Oh, really? Venus arches a brow, making sure to give him the best angle of her ass as she slowly turns. "Hello," she says in her soft drawl, and her heels click-clack on the pavement as she extends her hand. "And who are you, handsome?"

[ex_bloodcakedarmor707]

"Derek Morgan." He offers, grin still in tact. "I answer to both names, whichever you like best, beautiful." Usually his family called him Derek and his friends called him Morgan. But the lines between that had become more and more blurred lately. Family and friend were often one and the same anymore.

Derek reaches for her hand and gives it a small squeeze. "I already know your name. I'd have to fall asleep to remember it though since you're my dream girl." He is a master at flirtation, Venus. Watch out. "So how about a reminder?"

[venusvandam]

It's ... why it's nearly overwhelming, really. And veering precious close to the bullshit line, but Venus won't call it just yet. She is no one's dream girl, after all (well, except Tig and it's best not to think too hard on him just in this moment). "Are you always so forward, darlin'? Or is it just me."

[ex_bloodcakedarmor707]

It is precariously close to the bullshit line. But Derek is like that, sweet as Sunday morning if just by nature of being Derek. Part of it is a mask. Part of it is just Derek. He likes making people feel good about themselves. Right now though, he's very cursed. That makes all those normally more muted qualities in his character exaggerated tenfold.

"If by forward you mean charming, yeah." He tells her, still holding her hand. Normally he might have let go by now. But there's not a whole lot that's normal about right now. "I'm good with everything bein' about you right now though. How do you feel about that? A world revolving around you."

[venusvandam]

With a gentle, though amused, smile, Venus pats his hand as she extricates hers. "I that is far too fantastical for me to ponder, darlin'. I am not the type who has the world revolve around her, and that's all right," she is quick to add. "It sure is nice what you're sayin', though. Why ... any girl would be thrilled to hear it."

And Venus, after all, isn't just any girl.

[ex_bloodcakedarmor707]

"Oh, but every pretty girl deserves to have the world revolve around them every once in awhile." Derek's gaze has drifted down to their hands where his had been holding onto hers. He really doesn't like that her hand isn't there anymore, in his. His smile wanes a bit at the realization.

"You haven't told me your name, dream girl." He says.

[venusvandam]

If Venus is Derek's dream girl, this conversation is about to get a whole lot more interesting.

"I'm Venus, darlin'," she tells him. "Venus Van Dam. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."