Although Derek didn't always like being by himself, he didn't always want to talk to people either. Eating breakfast in the main room was something he had started doing ever since he had become the Head Alpha. Derek's idea of social activities included sitting in a room that has other people in it, listening to other conversations until they got boring, and staring at people as he ate. Unsurprisingly, most people that join him at the table ignore him.
This morning began like any other morning--Derek was sitting at the head of the impressively long table, littered with simplistic flower arrangements and jugs of water and orange juice. The food is set up on a sideboard along the wall, rather like a buffet--so everyone can help themselves before sitting down to eat. Reading the newspaper as his mostly untouched food slowly becomes room temperature, Derek didn't look up as he heard Scott enter. It was early in the morning and most people weren't awake yet--but Scott was always on time for breakfast, and he helped himself before sitting down to Derek's right. Flipping the page and merely grunting in response to the cheery greeting, Scott began shoveling food into his mouth with gusto.
Derek didn't really do the whole conversations thing unless he had to, and that went double for mornings. Scott knew this, but he still liked to maintain an unsteady flow of small talk, directing it at Derek until someone else joined them. Although he seemed to be completely ignoring Scott, Derek always listened--he just didn't always respond, and gave absolutely no encouragement to Scott to keep going. Still, he didn't hate it--for him, this counted as valuable interaction, and it just felt comfortable that way.
