8|

[burninhale]

I feel like maybe we've gotten off on the wrong foot, here. Did I kill a family member in a ruthless single-minded bid for revenge? Hard to deny that, so I won't. Did I deserve a horrible death for concocting an elaborate plan based on the cooperation of the stupidest teenager possible? Maybe. But I don't deserve puns.

No one deserves puns.

Comments

[stregare]

You're very talkative for a guy in a coma.

[burninhale]

It's either a talent or a character flaw, depending on who you ask.

[stregare]

As flaws go it is probably eclipsed by 'penchant for murdering one's own kinfolk'!

[burninhale]

I don't know if it's a penchant, really. I'm actually very fond of Derek. He's got pep.

[stregare]

Lucky Derek, whoever he is.

I imagine it does tend to stain your record, though. I think that's Biblical.

[burninhale]

Luckier than he knows.

It's interesting, the concept that somewhere, there's a record of mortal behavior. That it exists, that some entity is responsible for and cares deeply about it. It must be a very long record. It must be a very exceptional entity. Yet I find it difficult to make decisions according to this hypothetical record and entity. Another flaw, I'm sure.

[stregare]

You and me both, as a matter of fact--but I have it on good authority that said authority is history, now, anyway. Nothing lasts forever, not even divinity.

I tend to think of the record more as a law of nature, nothing that is, strictly speaking, consciously enforced. It's gravity. 'What goes around, comes around'.

Sometimes with puns.

[burninhale]

I do appreciate laws of nature. But puns, those just aren't natural.

[stregare]

And yet, entire tumblrs are dedicated to their existence.

Sorry, I'm still kind of stuck on killing a relative as part of a revenge quest. In the way, or responsible?

[burninhale]

"Tumblr"? That doesn't sound natural either.

It was an unpleasant but necessary step, that's all.

[stregare]

Can't argue that.

No regrets?

[burninhale]

Deep regrets. But it's done.

[stregare]

And now you're stuck here.

[burninhale]

As much as anybody is stuck here. Maybe less so.

[stregare]

How do you figure?

[burninhale]

Just a feeling.

[stregare]

And here I thought intuition was witches' province.

[burninhale]

I hope they wouldn't begrudge me this. It's probably more instinct than intuition.

[stregare]

Oh, I think we can share. We're liberal like that.

Although if you don't mind my saying, your instincts? A little worrying.

[burninhale]

Thank you. I appreciate it.

And I was wondering if there was a tactful way to bring up how you don't quite smell like other humans, but my instincts tell me there isn't.

[stregare]

Um. [ PAUSE. ] No, I suppose I wouldn't (does magic have a scent, I don't even know...); I'm new to it, but still.

Our specific group is called 'the sisterhood of the Oleander', toxic flowers are a little bit of a thing there.

[burninhale]

Interesting.

[Blandly creepy. It's just what happens when words come out of his mouth.]

[stregare]

I guess so. [ general ambivalence toward supernatural :| ... also yeah why so creepy dude ]

[smilederek]

Your death wasn't so horrible. I made it quick.

[The... burning of your flesh that immediately pre-dated your death, on the other hand...]

[burninhale]

And believe me, I will remember that.

I realize how that sounds, but I'm genuinely very proud of you, Derek.

[smilederek]

[He seriously has no idea how to respond to this, because... yeah you realise how it sounds.]

You murdered my sister, my alpha, and your own niece. I don't want your approval.

[burninhale]

That's as it should be. But I'm proud nonetheless. You still have a lot to learn as an alpha, but... you're alive. You even have something of a pack. For a loose definition of pack.

[smilederek]

We're a better pack than anything you even tried to make.

[Also his baby werewolves are like 78% less obsessed with Lacrosse and Alison than the one you made.]

Anyway, I needed one. Since thanks to you the Argents decided they had to call in reinforcements.

[burninhale]

It's always a work in progress, unless progress is suddenly halted by being set on fire.

So I shouldn't have killed your psycho ex-girlfriend? Is that really what you're saying? I don't think so. The only mistake I made was Laura. And I feel bad, Derek, I do. If there'd been another way, if there'd been another alpha around or I'd been thinking clearer, I would've done it differently. I'm not responsible for what the Argents do.

You aren't either, by the way.

[smilederek]

Maybe you shouldn't have tried to kill her neice. Scott's girlfriend.

[...But only maybe. He is Mr. Mixed Feelings about that whole collossally bad idea.]

Seemed to me like you were thinking clearly enough. Clearly enough to have a plan to lure us both out here, and to blame her death on the hunters.

[And not responding to that last bit because nope.avi]

[burninhale]

I did get a bit carried away. I'm sure she's a very nice girl. Beautiful skin.

[He probably didn't mean to say that last part. OR MAYBE HE DID who knows anymore. NOT PETER]

It came together like that, yes. Laura was... inexperienced. I wish there could've been another way. But it's done and there's no going back. I'm not saying you should forget, Derek. I'm just saying, maybe you should find a new house.

[smilederek]

That's a weird thing to notice about a teenage girl.

[Family Members: For revealing the hard truths everyone else is too polite to tell you.]

There were a million other ways! We were your family, you could have just told us that you weren't brain dead and we could have gone after her together!

[burninhale]

["Too polite" or perhaps "too busy getting the fuck away to leave a suggestion card reading 'don't say things like that... to anyone'."]

I did try, Derek. But I wasn't lying about not always thinking clearly. The problem was, I needed that power. I needed to heal faster. And Laura, she was just like you are now. I think I remember making the plan. Obviously I had to have at some point. It's just hard to think when you're in hell.

[95% lying, but the thing about crazy people is that they don't get real upset about it.]

I know you're still there too. You can keep ignoring this line of conversation, but I know, Derek. And your little pack of sad orphan ragamuffins... well, they're better than nothing. I hope they grow up quick. So you can have a family again.

[smilederek]

[Hey, Scott's mom was trying to get a second date with you, solely so she could tell you not to creep on her skin, mister!]

Takes a lot of strength to kill an Alpha, even one with a pack as small as ours was. [And he wants to use that reasoning to call bullshit on your 'I just needed to heal' schtick, but... he hadn't been in the house when the fire started, nor was he comatose for six years. He's not sure that he actually has it in him to try and correct uncle Pete about that...] What do you mean, she was like I am now?

And there's nothing wrong with my pack. They all wanted the bite, they all like being werewolves. Humanity wasn't good enough for them.

And they are my family now.

[burninhale]

[Yeah that was mildly concerning, Scott's mom. Even from Peter's perspective.]

You know yourself what the difference is like.

Derek, please. There's "nothing wrong" with them? Really? Seriously? Don't get me wrong, I think you're right about their potential, but Scott is the most promising one.

[His expression indicates he's repeating the last part of that statement to himself in his head. Hearing it echo hideously.]

[smilederek]

I don't know if you noticed, but while you were busy murdering people and pretending to be in a coma, I had to run around after Scott trying to keep him from doing about a million incredibly stupid things and getting himself or someone else killed in the process.

And he still doesn't want to be one of us. Issac, Erica and Boyd, they might not be as far along as he is, but they listen. They aren't going to try and be humans again, and they aren't going to make nice with any hunters.

[Also they are his babies, so shut up Peter.]

[burninhale]

They're obedient. But they're not as tough, and not as determined. I know you're doing your best. You took away what they thought of as their weaknesses and gave them a new life. The fact is, those weaknesses are still there, waiting to come back out when someone [ME cough no who said that] applies the right pressure.

Because what are you to them, Derek? The alpha, but you're not much older. They're scared of you and they owe you but they're not your family. Yet.

[smilederek]

They're not determined to date a hunter and play Lacrosse. That doesn't mean they don't have it in them.

They are not going to be weak anymore, not for anyone, and while I don't think you can understand this? Just because they know I'll bark at them if they don't do as they're told, that doesn't make them afraid of me.

This isn't a debt to be repaid, it's a gift, and it's a gift that binds us.