Senses

::Hearing::

Now probably isn't the best time to be pissing her off, he thinks as he watches her pace the hospital floor frantically. After all, her mom's in labor, and she's probably worried as hell right now.

Then again. He's Derek. (And that alone means he has to annoy her. It's like a given.)

"You know," he says casually, "Any more pacing like that, and the hospital's probably going to charge you for wearing out their floor."

Of course, it works like a charm. She rounds on him, expression a cross between murderous and crazy. (He vaguely wonders where the Psych ward of the hospital is. You know. Just in case.) "De-rek," she snaps (and there must really be something wrong with him, because a weird shiver goes down his spine when he hears her say his name like that), "I don't need this right now, okay? This really isn't the time."

The rest of the family isn't paying attention to them, so he takes the opportunity to get another quip out. Soon enough, they're arguing like always, and how come no one seems to notice them? It's an exchange of insults, and Casey looks like she'd very much like to throw something particularly heavy at him (It's a look she's perfected after all these years.)

"Derek, can't you be sensitive for once?" she exclaims, her face flushed (and damn it, why is she still beautiful when she's mad?) "In case you haven't noticed, this is our sibling my mom is about to give birth to, so I'd appreciate it if you showed a little concern."

Our sibling. Just like that, the arguing stops and they look at each other, like they've just realized that by the end of all this, they're going to share a sibling. A family connection. His stomach twists unpleasantly, and for some reason, ithurtslikehell. They don't say a single word.

No. This is all wrong. He can't have quiet. They can't have quiet. Since when have Casey and Derek ever been quiet? No, this….silence...isn't supposed to be here.(It roars in his ears. Because it's so damn loud.)

(And he's suddenly reminded of: "You are the most annoying brother---" "Step-brother" "Same difference." …... "Yeah." Same long, ugly, unbearable silence. He now remembers one of the reasons why he hates that night.)

His mind suddenly scrambles for an insult, a comment, anything that'll get rid of this silence and get them to start fighting again. He can't explain it, but all of a sudden he needs to argue with her, because arguing is normal between them, and damn it, he needs whatever scrap of normal he can get before his entire life is turned upside-down by this kid everyone's waiting for.

(Derek wonders if it's possible to go to hell for hating someone who doesn't even exist yet. Then again, he's probably going to end up in hell anyway, so what does it matter?)

So he insults her. He also tips the coffee she's holding so it spills on her shoes, and god, it takes so little to rile her up. (Why do you think he enjoys pissing her off so much?)

"De-rek!"

The quiet shatters completely, and they're back. Ah. Now, that's better.

He doesn't annoy her because he wants to hear her say his name like that (He suddenly wonders how it'll sound while they're in bed, and he's on top of her. Yeah, definitely going to hell, alright.). He doesn't do it because he wants to feel that shiver go through him. Honest.

(Then again, he isn't the Lord of the Lies for nothing.)