β derek hale | teen wolf

[epistemic]

	✔ Cʀᴏssᴏᴠᴇʀs/AU ✔ Aᴄᴛɪᴏɴsᴘᴀᴍ ✔ Pʀᴏsᴇ	✔ Pɪᴄᴛᴜʀᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴍᴘᴛs ✔ Oᴛʜᴇʀᴡᴏʀᴅʟʏ ✔ Sᴛᴀʀᴛᴇʀs	♥ F/M ⏰ Uᴘ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴀᴛᴇ

Comments

come on punk, let's dance

[175]

[epistemic]

[The first thing he notices about her is her perfume.

The first thing he notices about any woman is usually their perfume - it's usually overwhelming enough to make him want to gag and leave the area as soon as possible, but on this woman it's actually rather tasteful, even to his nose. She smells like she just walked walked off a tropical beach, which in Cambridge is something that's very hard to find. In one quick flash it reminds him of home and that reminder makes his chest clench all at the same time, but that clench is not as strong as it used to be.

They've been living in Cambridge for four years now - four years since the fire and Derek destroying everything - and it's been a slow process to getting him to the point where he feels comfortable enough being outside with other people again. Being in Cambridge helps - it's still a city without there being people everywhere, and there's plenty for him to do. He gets a job at a used bookstore so he basically spends most of his day reading when he doesn't have to deal with people and audits classes at the university to fill the rest of it. He's come a long way from the kid who was so broken and angry he just wanted to tear everything around him apart (and sometimes he did) but apparently they were right about time.

It heals most wounds - or at least gets them started. He's starting to find moments where he catches himself not thinking about what he lost and there's a part of him that feels guilty for that, but he knows that it's important. It's a sign of moving on, if nothing else, and while he knows he needs to, there's a part of him that still doesn't feel he's paid enough for his mistakes.

Still, he's working his shift at the bookstore and a woman walks in smelling like summer, and when she rounds a corner of musty books to come to the pick up counter she even looks like sunshine, blond and vibrant and so out of place in the muted fall colors of Harvard. She's like a breath of fresh air. She's different, and maybe that's the part that catches his interest more than anything else.]

Can I help you?

[175]

[ It's designer perfume, of course, but Elle Woods has never been too gaudy. Sure, she knows a thing or five about presentation and showmanship, but she's a Serious law student! She can't go around in tube tops and tiny shorts anymore.

It's the second year of law school and she couldn't be more excited. As per Emmett's recommendation, she opted to buy some used books because there might be - there usually are - helpful notes scribbled in the margins. It's not a bad idea at all and she does see the charm in these stores scattered all over historical towns. Malibu has nothing like this, she realizes. Everything is beautiful in its shiny, plastic goodness, but it's a different beauty compared to the old historical cities on the East Coast. ]

Hi! [ she greets the man behind the counter, adjusting her unusually hipster glasses with the black frames - an interesting contrast to the golden hair in a plait and the rose colored jacket she wears. She smiles brightly, sliding her ticket across to him. ]

I'm here to pick up these books under the name Woods-Comma-Elle.

[epistemic]

[He's heard things about Elle Woods - some more charitable than others. People don't whisper in the libraries as much as they think. He followed her case when it was making the rounds last year, but even with the things he's heard, having her standing in front of him is not what he expected.

Not that he had any expectations at all. But he'd think that winning a huge case your first year of law school would give you a bit of egotistical swagger, but he doesn't see that in her at all.]

No problem.

[He stakes the ticket from her before turning back to the shelves, letting his eyes scan the shelves for a moment until he finds the "W" section.]

[175]

[ Elle leans against the counter, kicking her heel up behind her. She scans the book along the shelves, occasionally making mental notes about certain volumes she wants to read in the future, when she has a little more spare time.

There's always room for improvement, she's learning, and she is. by no means, a perfect lawyer, but she is well on her way to being a great one. ]

Oh! And don't worry about bags! I brought my own. [ She unravels her eco-friendly tote bag, big enough to carry all those tomes. ]

[epistemic]

[He glances back and there's a soft huff of a laugh as he starts stacking books on the counter. A conscientious law student. He didn't think there was such a thing.]

You don't see a lot of those around here.

[175]

Really? You'd think that Boston, being one of the more liberal cities in America, would have more of that! [ On the to do list: start a movement for eco-friendly shopping bags. ]

I do think more of the bigger stores should encourage reusing these things! Oftentimes, your own bags are way cuter than whatever paper or plastic they offer.

[epistemic]

[He smiles a bit at that. He can't help himself, it's an involuntary reaction that severely cuts into this whole brooding bad boy vibe he has going on. How dare you, Ms. Woods. Only no, keep going, because he's desperately in need of it.]

I don't think that most people around here care quite so much about style.

[175]

[ Don’t fight it, brooding man. The power of blonde compels you. ]

Tell me about it! [ Elle gets the whole Harvard aesthetic. Cardigans and muted, fall colors and tweed and it’s all very stereotypical, but she understands branding more than most people in her program do. ]

Would it hurt anyone to insert some primary colors into their wardrobe? [ Barking up the wrong tree, Elle. ]

[epistemic]

[Hey he wears blue! Sometimes. Blue is totally a primary color.]

Maybe they want to match the trees?

[175]

[ Elle gasps, genuine in her astonishment. ] You know... that's totally a possibility.

[ Of course she giggles afterward, wrinkling her nose. ] The new Boston camo.

[epistemic]

[He smiles a bit before nodding.]

At least it's less blatantly drab.

[He finishes the stack of books on the counter, before pushing them towards her.]

Check and make sure that's all of it?

[175]

[ That gets a few nods and a titter of agreement from the blonde and she leans forward on the counter once more, sliding her well manicured nails along the spines of the books. Her eyes sparkle. She can't wait to for the semester to start. ]

Mhm. Mhm. That seems to be it! You've been most helpful. What's your name?

[epistemic]

[He glances up, because most people don't bother to ask. They just want to get their books and go. His hands falter for a moment as he starts to load her books into one of her bags.]

Derek. I'm Derek.

[175]

Derek! It's nice to meet you!

[ Elle likes meeting new people. That's how she's always been, even before law school and heartbreak turned her life around completely. ]

Have you been working here long?

[epistemic]

[He shrugs.]

A few years. My sister got me the job when we first moved here. She wanted me to have something to do.