4.02

[burninhale]

Well, this is it. This is the end. I've been stabbed, shot, electrocuted, set on fire, come back from the dead, and this is what did it. I'm ready to lie down in a grave now. It's all gone, it's over, farewell.








Except coffins and grave plots actually cost money. Which we no longer have. Add to that —

...

No, let's focus on the money. I don't think we need to discuss anything else.

Comments

[burninhale]

Yes. Among other things.

Or die trying, that's always an option. I'd prefer if other people died as a result of my trying, though.

[coldsteelblue]

Great. I want in. I wanna help. Enough of us have died already.

[burninhale]

... that's not up to me. But it'd be nice to have you around.

[ Because he's not really better than Kate when it comes to manipulating Derek. But he can pretend it's sentiment. ]

[coldsteelblue]

Twenty claws are better than ten. Plus, you missed the part where I took on two of those Berserker things. It was awesome.

[Poor little, naive Derek. Surrounded by sociopaths.]

[burninhale]

[ This time, as opposed to the one million times before when Peter gave Derek terrible advice or bullied him, he'll be a good uncle! Truly. This time. ]

You're right. Scott does well under the circumstances, but he wasn't born to this like you. You'd be a lot of help.

[coldsteelblue]

[That'll be the day alright. But in his defense, Peter's been shooting pretty straight lately, not completely, but it's a start. Maybe.]

Speaking of which, you weren't the best alpha. There's still a lot Scott doesn't know. Good job.

[burninhale]

Yeah, that thought had occurred to me, some time after they set me on fire and before someone clawed my throat out. But thank you, one more reminder definitely won't make me snap and hang you upside down over a toilet. Which is so much more possible with you at this size, by the way.

[ Misdirecting the conversation away from serious matters? Never! ]

[coldsteelblue]

[Derek's not going call Peter's bluff so he'll do it silently...with a doubtful face calling his bullshit.]

Only because you were running around town as the homicidal psychopath. Sooo yeah, you lose yet another point.

[There is no misdirecting. This Derek is a lot more talkative than his older counterpart, have fun with that.]

[burninhale]

[ Peter makes an exasperated little sound at Derek's refusal to be misdirected. It's all coming back to him now. Maybe this Derek would be more easily manipulated, but there is still a price. A price called "no peace ever again god why." ]

Everyone's a critic. I didn't choose homicidal psychopathy, it chose me. And what I said still stands. Scott is doing well under the circumstances, you'd be very useful to him, and so on. Can we talk about something else?

[coldsteelblue]

[Derek smirks smugly. For some reason, pestering Peter's older self is a lot more satisfying if only because there's no real repercussions for it. Older Pete gets a point back, he's a much cooler uncle.]

Okay, let's talk about how we're severely outgunned because all we have is your mostly untrained beta and his motley group of friends - who don't like you at all - and Kate has three Beserker things. Oh yeah. We're broke, too, apparently.

I miss anything?

[burninhale]

[ Twice already he's held back things he would've said to the adult Derek. Peter suspects this instinct will wear off with enough exposure, and also suspects he might even feel a bit guilty when it does. Which is irritating in its own right — only Cora might get the same reaction — but he's squashing that for now.

"Your mostly untrained beta" helps. ]

"Outgunned" is more or less the status quo. There are some other people you may meet. The Nemeton is active again. You know, just Beacon Hills stuff.

[coldsteelblue]

That's sad. Yeah, real good job holding everything together. No wonder this town has gown crazy.

[This, none of it, would have happened if Talia was still alive, but that can probably be traced back to Derek.. Really, though, it's Kate's fault. He supposes he'll have to make due with Peter, which is kinda hard to do when, you know, it's Peter.]

[burninhale]

What is it about homicidal psychopathy that makes you think "holding everything together" would be my forte, exactly? And why are we still talking about this?

[ He's trying to be good! And it is so difficult and unrewarding! It'd be so easy to say something awful about Derek's turn as alpha. Naturally, he'd make it sound a lot worse than it was. That would be beyond petty, though. ]

[coldsteelblue]

Fine, I'm dropping it for real this time. It's just that everything is different.

[The effort to be nice doesn't go unappreciated. It really shows how much Peter has grown, but the fact he's biting his tongue because it's this Derek and not the brooding one says a lot.]

[burninhale]

Yes. It is.

[ Though the words are clipped, Peter doesn't seem to be irritated like he was a second ago. Maybe in someone else, it'd be tired or sad, but in him it doesn't reach that emotional depth.

The next moment, however, is indistinguishable from his earlier manner. ]

You'll get used to it. Don't let Stiles boss you around. He was practically demon possessed like, two whole minutes ago, he doesn't get to talk.

[coldsteelblue]

[The sudden change in tone had Derek watching carefully, brows quirking. It's never been an easy task reading Peter if he wasn't outwardly expressing himself, thus, Derek ends up somewhat agitated himself. At least some things didn't change.]

I hadn't noticed. He seemed normal to me aside from being really overactive.

[And not to worry, uncle. Just because he's smaller doesn't mean he's easier to boss around, Stiles can attest to that.]

[burninhale]

[ Two Stiles now have been mercilessly sassing him, so while he's not at all worried about Derek getting bullied, he's hoping Derek will basically keep up their standard relationship, i.e. casual violence for backtalk. Because Scott would probably disembowel Peter for bouncing Stiles' head off a steering wheel. Living vicariously through Derek! It's another old habit. ]

That's normal for him. By the way, if you're really sticking around, don't hit on Malia.

[coldsteelblue]

[Derek's face is screwing up now.][Please don't tell him you're into girls way younger than yourself. He'll judge just like the older Derek.]

[burninhale]

[ It takes him way longer to realize what Derek's implying by that face than it should, considering. ]

It's not that, you little —

[ Nice, he's being nice, he's not calling Derek names, come on he can do this. ]

— she's related to you, that's all. God.

so sorry, I couldn't resist.

[smilederek]

[There is the distant clearing of a throat.

Your throat, technically. Only a way more stubble covered version.

Outgunned? With THESE GUNS?]

You missed something.

no worries, glad you couldn't!

[coldsteelblue]

Oh yeah, and what am I miss-? Whoa.

[He does a double take to make sure it's really who he think it is.

Is that-? Are you me?

[smilederek]

Yes.

[One day, you will lose the ability to use multisyllabic words. This is your future.]

And you're way too trusting.

[sage advice from the future.]

[coldsteelblue]

Too trusting?

[He doesn't like this future. Take it back!

Don't mind him, just circling about and, brows furrowed and all that.]

What's wrong with us?

[You.. He means you, older Derek. Tense, brooding, silent, ever present scowl... The future is looking like a very dark place.]

[smilederek]

Not us. Only you.

[Derek's just assuming that you're asking about what's wrong with being stupidly overly trusting.]

I outgrew it.

[Outgrew it by doing all the stupid things that you are yet to do. Your future is going to be so, so awful, babby self.]

[coldsteelblue]

Yeah, it looks like you've outgrown a lot of things.

[He's friggin huge.]

And I meant what happened to you, the future me. You look... I dunno, something's off.

[Like he's gone through some things, terrible things. He doesn't want this future!.]