I6DT - I'm nothing if not predictable

[Derek Scott]

Derek was in the gym, going through his usual routine. He'd just finished jogging, and was just moving on into the weight room, drying his face as he pushed the door open.

[Chloe Grant]

"Hello." Chloe said cheerfully from where she was using an arm machine.

[Derek Scott]

"Hi," Derek said, smiling as he started adding weight to a bench nearby. "Now there's a happy surprise, haven't seen you in here much lately, I was thinking you were avoiding me," he teased.

[Chloe Grant]

"No, I've just been busy." Chloe said "How have you been keeping?"

[Derek Scott]

"Busy, I guess?" Derek said, shrugging a little. "But good. Nothing going to hell for a week, that's a record or something here, I think." The weights in place, he sat back on the bench and started lifting.

[Chloe Grant]

"Sometimes boring is good." Chloe agreed "Not that I'd know about that, Lucy and I have been busy looking for a flat."

[Derek Scott]

"Looking for somewhere quieter?" Derek asked with a knowing smile.

[Chloe Grant]

"Not exactly." Chloe said "Simon and I are moving in together, and Lucy is going to be our roommate."

[Derek Scott]

"Congratulations," Derek said, grunting a little as he pushed the bar up. "I'm stuck living in the dorms... my boarding fund with my scholarship won't transfer."

[Chloe Grant]

"Thats the advantage of being on the teams." Chloe said "The housing stipend covers the off-campus flats as well. Well, half of an off-campus flat. And since its Simon and I, its fine." she smiled "I'm glad I managed to work him around about moving in."

[Derek Scott]

"Yeah, well, my housing stipend doesn't, they said they want me to stay close to the infirmary so I don't 'need' to move off campus," he griped. "Wait, you mean he didn't want to?"

[Chloe Grant]

"He just wasn't sure, he said he was afraid that it'd cause trouble between us, once we had to deal with smelly socks on the floor and drafts from the windows being left open and so on."

[Derek Scott]

Derek made a 'huh' face. "That doesn't even make any sense," he said, shaking his head.

[Chloe Grant]

"He's worried that if we move too fast, it'll mess things up." Chloe replied "Its sweet, really."

[Derek Scott]

"Yeah, but... I mean, if things'll work, they'll just work, y'know?" Derek said, shrugging.

[Chloe Grant]

"Maybe." Chloe replied "But perhaps its better to take things slowly and be certain its right." she didn't sound totally certain. "I always have to fight the urge to commit too quickly and getting all weird and creepy."

[Derek Scott]

"Yeah, but how much can you learn about being with someone if things just stay the same?" Derek said reasonably. "I mean, it's been what, eight months?"

[Chloe Grant]

"If you count the time where I was a werewolf, yes." Chloe said "And we are moving in together. We're just not rushing into other things. I think that is what Simon is really worried about."

[Derek Scott]

"Eh, the werewolf thing counts as 'extenuating circumstances.' So just think of it as 'you were on vacation," he said, before pausing with the conversation to add some more weight to the bar. Because he didn't have enough on. Not because he wanted to show off. "Wouldn't worry," he grunted as he started lifting again. "I don't think you can be 'rushing' anything after that long."

[Chloe Grant]

"We are, a bit." Chloe said, as if reciting "Most humans start cohabitating between twelve and eighteen months, and start discussing long term plans at about the same time."

[Derek Scott]

"And most humans aren't us," he said, grunting as he pushed up another repetition. "You can't live by what the rest of the world would do when you have more to deal with that they couldn't even dream of."

[Chloe Grant]

"Yes, but I have to use something as a guide." Chloe replied "Since my instincts are all wrong."

[Derek Scott]

"Why are your instincts wrong?" he asked curiously, setting the bar back up and getting up to add more weight.

[Chloe Grant]

"Its my mutation." Chloe explained "Most people, underneath all the things they've been taught, have primate instincts. Well, I've got cockatoo instincts."

[Derek Scott]

Derek got back on the bench and began, slowly, to lift the increased amount of weight. "Point. Well, how does your sister deal with it? Between the two- oh, that's right, there's three of you now, isn't there? Between the three of you you ought to have a good idea how to cope, right?"

[Chloe Grant]

"Its different for them. Jess, I'm not sure how it works in her head, to be honest. And Lucy just started shifting, so it didn't affect her growing up."

[Derek Scott]

"Well yeah, but if it's part of your power, it should be affecting them, too, right? Think it's something worth asking?" he asked, slowly making another repetition.

[Chloe Grant]

"I suppose." Chloe replied "It just.its awkward to bring up. Even with them. And it isn't a problem, really. I just need to be careful, especially with my personal relationships."