[ When Derek's eyebrows raise, Reggie raises one of his own and offers a thin-lipped smirk in return, cocking his head slightly to one side in consideration or challenge. Both, perhaps; Reggie's bravado tends to be somewhat layered.
His eyes follow Derek's hand, then raise back up, his face once again returning to a cool, neutral state. It's obvious there's several emotions competing there right under the surface, mostly anger and indignation and smugness with very mild undertones of shame and arousal (the two unrelated). Reggie doesn't care for losing face, absolutely hates being made to feel small, but there are times when he can kind of respect it, too. This is one of those times, rare in that there is no in-built baggage or inherent competition for him to get too hung up on to let, er, sleeping dogs rest. He's not over it yet now, but he can see himself getting there.
Derek kneels, and Moose sniffs him warily, still growling and taking the opportunity to move himself protectively in front of Reggie's legs. He doesn't lick Derek, but doesn't bite him either. ]
That's a good boy. [ Reggie says, petting his still-growling dog. ] And I think you know as well as I do that all that shit does matter. You're an idiot if you think it doesn't. But what's that even got to do with any of this? I mean it's not my fault that your boy there isn't more like me.
[ Then, frowning and brushing his bangs out of his face, he adds after a pause in a distinctly more irritated tone: ]
I'm also obviously not the one who's been running my mouth.
[ He takes it as both. He doesn't back down, but it's hard for him to act tough when he's genuinely pretty fucking amused by this kid. He runs his tongue beneath his bottom lip like he's trying to stop himself from smiling, but it doesn't really work when there's a new layer of affection in his voice even as he starts talking shit again. ]
Just telling you what I think of you. You just... there's no real power in being the golden boy in highschool.
[ He's kind of projecting here, honestly, but he's been projecting since before he even came over. Derek fucked up when he was younger, started something with someone he shouldn't have because he was real god damn hard and real god damn lonely and that someone knew all the right things to say to get in his pants. Coming here to give Reggie a shovel talk is as based in his own self-loathing for the mistakes he worried Tate might have been reliving as it is in the insults he's spouting now. Derek fucking loves being good at sports, loved owning an expensive car back home, loved ruling highschool. He sees himself in Reggie, thus: projects.
Moose is growling and Derek just lets his hand hang there, watching the little guy stick his teeth out and figuring it's probably time to head out. Giving a dog cardiac arrest wasn't really part of his plan, and while the primal, shittier side of him kind of wants to make some last final show of establishing dominance before he leaves, he doesn't have the focus after Reggie's started to interest him as more than just "that dick on the network" or "that dumb horny kid". He likes him. That's no good. He stands back up, giving Reggie another once over. He really does enjoy this, the way Reggie's staying calm, pushing back. It makes Derek see him in a light he doesn't often see people in. ]
For all the lines in the sand I'm drawing here, you would have made a good wolf. It's too bad you aren't interested in the bite - I could have liked having you.
[ But it is what it is. ] I'll be in touch, Reggie. Don't do anything stupid while my back is turned, yeah? I don't want to regret not dislocating your shoulders when I had the chance.
[ It's briefly tempting for Reggie to retort that he's not the golden boy at his high school, that's without a doubt got to be Archie Andrews, and the only thing that stops him is that he's not really in the mood to talk about Archie for whatever follow-up questions that might inspire. Before Archie it would have been Jason Blossom, who Reggie would like talking about even less.
All he does instead is sneer in a sort of smug, mocking way -- tHeRE's nO rEaL pOwEr iN bEiNg tHE goLdEn bOY iN hIgH scHoOL -- and pets Moose a little harder, in a more calming way than he was before since he doesn't particularly enjoy watching his dog be stressed out, funny as it is when it's bothering Derek.
You would have made a good wolf. It's too bad you aren't interested in the bite, I could have liked having you.
Reggie doesn't know what to say to that. He wets his lips idly in either thought or uncertainty (once again, it's both), not really wanting to humor the offer or the idea too seriously. The benefits are kind of tempting, but-- no, that's stupid. Why should he want to be a werewolf? ]
Well yeah, of course I would make a great wolf. You haven't even seen half of what I can do. On the field, on a court, out in the street-- [ Sports foster a bit of a pack mentality in of themselves. ] Between the sheets... wherever, whenever.
[ Quite a renaissance man, isn't he. Reggie tries not to seem too relieved that Derek's leaving, but he definitely is. Even if he kind of respects the guy despite himself, being put in his place like this is never an experience Reggie enjoys-- the only thing stopping this from becoming an out-and-out brawl is the fact Reggie already knows he'd lose, and he doesn't have quite that strong a death wish. ]
Whatever. Just go already. I need to take Moose out. [ Muttered, a bit. Still no death wishes here. ] And you've already made your stupid point.
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His eyes follow Derek's hand, then raise back up, his face once again returning to a cool, neutral state. It's obvious there's several emotions competing there right under the surface, mostly anger and indignation and smugness with very mild undertones of shame and arousal (the two unrelated). Reggie doesn't care for losing face, absolutely hates being made to feel small, but there are times when he can kind of respect it, too. This is one of those times, rare in that there is no in-built baggage or inherent competition for him to get too hung up on to let, er, sleeping dogs rest. He's not over it yet now, but he can see himself getting there.
Derek kneels, and Moose sniffs him warily, still growling and taking the opportunity to move himself protectively in front of Reggie's legs. He doesn't lick Derek, but doesn't bite him either. ]
That's a good boy. [ Reggie says, petting his still-growling dog. ] And I think you know as well as I do that all that shit does matter. You're an idiot if you think it doesn't. But what's that even got to do with any of this? I mean it's not my fault that your boy there isn't more like me.
[ Then, frowning and brushing his bangs out of his face, he adds after a pause in a distinctly more irritated tone: ]
I'm also obviously not the one who's been running my mouth.
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Just telling you what I think of you. You just... there's no real power in being the golden boy in highschool.
[ He's kind of projecting here, honestly, but he's been projecting since before he even came over. Derek fucked up when he was younger, started something with someone he shouldn't have because he was real god damn hard and real god damn lonely and that someone knew all the right things to say to get in his pants. Coming here to give Reggie a shovel talk is as based in his own self-loathing for the mistakes he worried Tate might have been reliving as it is in the insults he's spouting now. Derek fucking loves being good at sports, loved owning an expensive car back home, loved ruling highschool. He sees himself in Reggie, thus: projects.
Moose is growling and Derek just lets his hand hang there, watching the little guy stick his teeth out and figuring it's probably time to head out. Giving a dog cardiac arrest wasn't really part of his plan, and while the primal, shittier side of him kind of wants to make some last final show of establishing dominance before he leaves, he doesn't have the focus after Reggie's started to interest him as more than just "that dick on the network" or "that dumb horny kid". He likes him. That's no good. He stands back up, giving Reggie another once over. He really does enjoy this, the way Reggie's staying calm, pushing back. It makes Derek see him in a light he doesn't often see people in. ]
For all the lines in the sand I'm drawing here, you would have made a good wolf. It's too bad you aren't interested in the bite - I could have liked having you.
[ But it is what it is. ] I'll be in touch, Reggie. Don't do anything stupid while my back is turned, yeah? I don't want to regret not dislocating your shoulders when I had the chance.
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All he does instead is sneer in a sort of smug, mocking way -- tHeRE's nO rEaL pOwEr iN bEiNg tHE goLdEn bOY iN hIgH scHoOL -- and pets Moose a little harder, in a more calming way than he was before since he doesn't particularly enjoy watching his dog be stressed out, funny as it is when it's bothering Derek.
You would have made a good wolf. It's too bad you aren't interested in the bite, I could have liked having you.
Reggie doesn't know what to say to that. He wets his lips idly in either thought or uncertainty (once again, it's both), not really wanting to humor the offer or the idea too seriously. The benefits are kind of tempting, but-- no, that's stupid. Why should he want to be a werewolf? ]
Well yeah, of course I would make a great wolf. You haven't even seen half of what I can do. On the field, on a court, out in the street-- [ Sports foster a bit of a pack mentality in of themselves. ] Between the sheets... wherever, whenever.
[ Quite a renaissance man, isn't he. Reggie tries not to seem too relieved that Derek's leaving, but he definitely is. Even if he kind of respects the guy despite himself, being put in his place like this is never an experience Reggie enjoys-- the only thing stopping this from becoming an out-and-out brawl is the fact Reggie already knows he'd lose, and he doesn't have quite that strong a death wish. ]
Whatever. Just go already. I need to take Moose out. [ Muttered, a bit. Still no death wishes here. ] And you've already made your stupid point.