potential 2.10 spoilers in comments.

[burninhale]

It'll be interesting. "Met my match"? I don't know about that. I wonder what happens when he doesn't have those pills.

Don't pat yourself on the back so much, it was hardly a difficult prediction. I could see it coming together and I was technically dead. And it's true, Argent must have seen it, too. But you know, there's someone else who probably saw it, and he's the one advising Derek not to listen to me.

The thing about Derek, though, is that he's practical. I think he'll come around. I hope he does. He's a good kid. Maybe now he understands a little better about hard choices. It's kind of a shame that he has to — that they all have to. But c'est la vie, right? We've got a lot of people to kill.

Also, doesn't Lydia deserve a fruit basket? What a trooper.

Comments

[stregare]

Why do they say that? "Met your match". The point of matches is someone loses, and the winner moves onto better things.

Also you sound very busy. [ And still creepy, but she didn't expect that to change since the last beyond-the-fourth-wall conversation. ]

[burninhale]

I believe she's hoping for some sort of horrendous mutual destruction. But that wouldn't make for a good story.

Things are a little hectic, yes. I'm sorry to say I probably won't have time for the fruit basket. I hate to be so ungrateful. It just can't be helped, though.

[stregare]

I'm pretty sure there are actually a lot of stories with that premise, but I did drop out of college.

Yes, I hear murder tends to fill up one's schedule.

[burninhale]

"Good" is, admittedly, a subjective matter in literature.

You only hear?

[stregare]

No! Well, a little. But some things are set in stone.

Seen, too, I suppose. But I don't presently collect murderers; I wouldn't dare be presumptuous around an apparent expert.

[burninhale]

Such as?

I'm an enthusiastic amateur at best, really. It's funny, you get out into the field and suddenly, you can't leave until everyone else is dead. You do your best with what you have, you plan as much as you can and you improvise when necessary, you try to recruit the right players... I understand why sports take the place of warfare, I really do. And if only this could be solved with lacrosse, I'm sure at least one person would be happier.

[stregare]

Dickens is a hack. Doris Lessing is a genius. Sacred cows are meant to be slaughtered. And Joyce's love letters should be required reading material for every adolescent who has only recently stepped his suburban pretension game up from Palahniuk.

Sports metaphor. Interesting choice. Anyway, certainly more of an expert than I am. Answer me something, though, if you don't mind: is it all about survival, or satisfaction? Maybe both?

[smilederek]

I'm not going to listen to you.

But I am starting to think that we'll need to work together to take down Argent.

[burninhale]

One's going to be hard without the other, Derek, but I appreciate your willingness to consider it at all. We can do this. I'm behind you 100%.

[Totally where you want Peter Hale to be, right.]

[smilederek]

If I don't consider it you'll be an Omega, and while I don't care if you live or die right now? I will care if they take the life of another of my family.

If you can follow me, then we can do this together.

[burninhale]

If you don't consider it, we're all going to die. But of course I'll follow you.

[Or maybe he'll be the worst backseat alpha in the history of werewolves. BUY THE TICKET, TAKE THE RIDE.]

If you think you've got the experience to handle this, then I have faith in you.

[Also just gonna stand back here chipping away at your self-esteem too, hope you enjoy that.]

[smilederek]

I think that I'm out best possible option right now.

[Less rubbish at being a werewolf than Scott, less mentally disturbed than Peter, Derek is the delicious middle ground upon which werewolf dreams are made.

But for serious, Laura could probably have done better :c]

lmfaohd

[burninhale]

I think so too.

[Because Boyd, Erica, and Isaac aren't going to listen to him. Yet.]

And I think I'm the best weapon you have.

Omg "what a trooper" XDDD

[townwhackjob]

That fruit basket is going to double as severance and a goodbye gift, right?

Because I'm done.

[No more kissing, no more creepy hallucinations or dreaming of your burning house, and no more digging up graves and dragging werewolves three times her weight around.]

8D

[burninhale]

Well... I can't make any promises, Lydia. I just can't. I'm sorry. Because as things are now, we all stand a pretty good chance of dying. And by "we" I mean Jackson as well.

I love your Peter. The thread above with smileDerek is fantastic.

[townwhackjob]

[You make her grit her teeth, Peter.]

I know, but no one tells me anything. Nothing except exactly what they need to get what they want. Then I'm forgotten until they need me to translate something, or dig up their rotting corpse.

[No she's not complaining, she's glad to be rid of you, but some useful information in exchange for all the trauma would have been nice.]

awww ty. you're the first Lydia I've ever tagged with also SO YOU ARE DEFAULT THE BEST

[burninhale]

They were trying, in their misguided way, to protect you. But they didn't know it was too late. Don't hold it against them. You were immune, that was key, but you're also like a castle. You don't let anybody in. They should've been trying a whole lot harder, don't get me wrong, but, well, distractions abounded. I was sort of counting on that.

EXCELLENT. THANK YOU.

[townwhackjob]

Whatever. It happened, and obviously I can't do much about it now, so we move on to the more pressing problems.

You owe me. So, you're going to help me save Jackson.

8)

[burninhale]

I do owe you. You just can't force me to pay up. That said, saving Jackson was always part of the plan, and I've already told Derek what we need to do.

[... because it's too hard to kill him. But why say that.]

[notmuchofaheart]

Who the hell are you? How do you know Lydia?

[burninhale]

Jackson. Man of the hour. Good to see you.

I have to admit I'm a little confused. Why are you still interested in someone who was holding you back?

[notmuchofaheart]

She wasn't- That's none of your business.

Whatever's going on, she doesn't need to be a part of it.

[burninhale]

Oh, are you calling the shots now, Jackson? Are you in control of what's going on?

[notmuchofaheart]

...What do you want?

[burninhale]

What I want, you can't give me. But don't worry. I'm going to help you. I'll help you stop killing. I'll help your life get back to normal.