allthesame2me | 4th [Audio/Commentlog]

[There's a snort.]

Always people ready to attribute stuff like that to what you say, no matter your intentions.

[His tone is vaguely amused, and he sounds as though he's speaking from experience. And that's the second person who started to use something besides months to describe time. Derek's curious now, but there's more important things at hand.]

Three months and no bad weather? Probably cuts down the chances of this being a regular storm.

Yeah, I'm new.

[Alex grins to himself, finding himself liking this guy. He'll talk to you freely about the moon thing if you ever inquire, believe me, wolf boy. :3]

Sounds like you've been there, done that.

[His own tone is dry, but amused, but then the conversation shifts again and his voice evens out.]

Not so much as a bit of rain since .. bit weird in itself, but when orange clouds start appearing from who knows where I tend to be a bit paranoid.

[When Derek says that he is new, Alex nods to himself, glad that he got that bit right.]

I'm Alex .. what's your name?

[He's fully prepared to be told to pound sand, but maybe not.]

[His lips twitch a bit in an almost smile.]

A bit. I've been accused of trying to be cryptic and mysterious before.

[He's more amused than anything, but a trace of annoyance creeps briefly into his voice, though it's gone by his next comment.]

It's not paranoia if you've got a good reason to be concerned.

Derek.

[Alex snorts, the sound clearly amused. He catches that hint of annoyance, though]

Seems were of like mind in several regards, Derek .. You already looked around the Keep or you need the grand tour?

I've done my share of exploring. Not going to say no to a tour by someone who knows the place better, though.

[Alex purses his lips slightly in thought.]

I'll happily point out the 'do not enter' areas before you do so and get yourself eaten by a crocodile.

[Word travels quickly around the Keep and yes, his tone was entirely serious.]

Where should I meet you? Might be easier for me to come there ..?

There's crocodiles here?

[Great. Apparently he might have more than just the stables to avoid.]

Yeah, probably. I'm in the library. First floor.

Yeah .. fun times, right? [Sarcasm at it's finest, lemme tell you. What the hell is in the stables that he'd want to avoid??]

Gotcha, on the way.

[And he's off, making his way down from the wall walk and toward the library. Once there he pauses just inside the large room, the scent of elderly books drifting across his senses. He exhales slowly, finding that smell rather calming, and a slight smile touches his lips. He's about to proceed further into the room when a new smell reaches him and he pauses mid-step with eyes widening a bit.

It was the scent of wolf, and it was one he hadn't smelled in some time.]

Hello? Derek?

[He's cautious to a point now, uncertain where the scent is originating and concerned for the young man he's just introduced himself to.]

I bet. [The sarcasm's returned, full-fold. And he doesn't know, actually. He's avoiding it on the general principle that there's animals in there, and animals tend not to like him.]

I'll be here.

[The book he'd been looking at was long since forgotten, but he puts it away as he waits. When he hears footsteps enter the room, he starts towards the entrance, but pauses when he's hit with a smell he was absolutely not expecting.

The hell? He was warned about crocodiles, but this is - cat. Big cat. He frowns even further when someone calls his name.]

Alex?

[The voice sounds right, and he carefully starts forward again.]

[Alex's brows rise as the voice sounds off from the direction the scent, his brows furrowing slightly.]

Yeah, right here.

[He comes to a halt as the scent only becomes stronger, but there's not a single wolf in sight. As a matter of fact, the only thing that appears to be in the library is a dark haired young man he takes to be Derek. There is no questioning where the wolf smell is coming from, and there is no keeping his brows down right now, either.

After a beat, his lips quirk into a smile and he points one finger at the young man opposite him.]

Werewolf?

[There is no condemnation in his tone .. just an amused sort of curiosity.]

[The young blond man Derek assumes is Alex would probably be a surprise even if wasn't the source of the smell of cat. As it is, Derek probably stares a little bit longer than is polite. Not that he really cares about what's polite. It's a little disconcerting, he's never met any kind of shape-shifter but werewolves.

And then he freezes when Alex announces what he is, glancing around to see if anyone else overheard. Or maybe pretending to look for this werewolf, because it obviously can't be him. Maybe both. But he doesn't keep up the pretense, since it's pretty obvious Alex can smell it on him just as he can smell it on Alex. He tilts his head slightly in agreement, not wanting to confirm it out-loud.

He's radiating tension now, though he's not sure if he's waiting for Alex to attack or just be contemptuous. Leave in some kind of horrified disgust, that's always a possibility.]

[Alex would have to be brain dead to not pick up on the tension radiating from the young man before him. He looks to be about his age, maybe a few years younger, and is Alex's opposite pretty much all around. Dark complexion to Alex's fair, down to his hair and eyes .. wolf to Alex's cat. It would be humorous if not for how tense Derek was.

Alex tilts his head slightly and then goes with the most honest thing he can manage; the most honest thing he's feeling, really.]

You have no idea how thrilled I am .. There was another shifter here for a while, but he's not here anymore. I'm a lycanthrope .. were-leopard, to be specific..

[This is Alex not judging or being contemptuous in the slightest. This is Alex being THRILLED to meet another were here and everything from his posture to his tone radiates that.]

There was a pack that took me in after I was infected and taught me everything. I don't want to wax poetic or anything, but Jesus .. It's fucking great to meet you, Derek!

[And this is Derek being shocked as hell. He shifts his weight, confused, and ends up saying the only thing he can think of.]

I knew you were a cat. Couldn't tell which one.

[There's still tension in his voice, but it's a different kind, now. There's nothing about Alex that says he's lying or hiding his true reaction, but Derek's having trouble believing it. No one's even okay with meeting a werewolf, let alone thrilled about it.

He has a hundred things he wants to say, to ask, but he holds back, uncertain. This has to be too good to be true.]

This isn't you playing 'get the psycho to drop his defenses and strike later,' is it?

[The tension in Derek's form shifts almost immediately in response to Alex and it takes him a beat to realize that he is surprised. He smiles a bit wryly as Derek tells him that he recognized him as a cat of some kind, nodding.]

We've a bit of a distinct scent, but it's pretty hard to distinguish species unless you know us each really well. Only a bit of a difference between each of us, really ..

[He shifts a bit, hands moving to rest in his pockets, but he decides against it at the last moment before doing so. Hiding his hands might make Derek all the more uneasy and that was the last thing Alex was aiming for during this meeting. However, the werewolf's words catch the leopard off guard and he blinks several times, simply staring.]

Wha- .. [He holds his hands up as if to show himself to be not a threat in the slightest.] God, no! Derek, I'm an open book here .. seriously, ask me anything you want, I've got nothing to hide.

[It wasn't like Derek expected Alex to admit to it if that's what he was doing, but Alex's reaction to the question was what he was really looking for, and it goes a long way towards making Derek relax a bit. He's seen a number of people pretend they were just fine with him being a werewolf, and he'd always known something was wrong. This guy's either the best liar Derek's seen yet, or he's telling the truth.

Most of the tension drains away, though he can't keep himself from remaining a bit on the defense, just in case.]

It's not the response I'm used to.

[His tone is gruff, because he doesn't want to talk about it. He quickly follows up with a question, this time hesitantly curious.]

You said a pack took you in?

[Alex can't know for sure if Derek will take him at his word or not, and there is a tense moment before the boy visibly relaxes before him. He exhales slowly and his own postures eases and he shifts his weight to his other hip. When Derek explains his reaction in limited words, Alex smiles ruefully, but nods.]

It's alright .. People tend to react .. poorly.. to any supernaturals where I'm from. Weres as a whole, though .. we don't really have a problem with the others, whether amdifferent species of lycanthrope or a different supe altogether. Few enough of us as it is for there to be infighting, you know?

[Even if Derek didn't know the specifics, he'd hope he understood at least where he was coming from. When Derek asks him about the pack, he takes it as a good sign and nods, an actual smile touching his lips.]

I was infected while on a modeling gig. Some psycho didn't like the idea of a guy cross dressing on stage, let alone being openly bisexual in his lifestyle. He jumped me as I was leaving a show in Milan and before the cops could get him off we'd both gotten bloody and he made a point of getting as much of his on me. The stab wound was the worst of what hd managed to give me, but I didn't know until after I'd started to heal up.

[His gaze is a bit distant as the memories flood back.]

I'd gone back to California to take some personal time to recover. Not everyday a bigot not only slanders you, but takes it to that next level, you know? He'd yelled at me as the cops were dragging him off .. Something about how things would never be the same and I'd know soon enough what he meant. I shrugged it off as some crazy talk ..

Didn't know anything about my infection until the next full moon. I'd never hurt that bad in my life .. It's nothing like that first pain anymore, but God I thought I was dying. If I hadn't been living out in the desert, there's no saying how many people I could have hurt or killed. We blank out completely on the full moon .. Dont remember anyone, friend or foe, and don't retain any memories of what happens the night of the change. I was lucky, but the people around me were luckier. I ended up out inthe middle of the desert and when I woke up, Ed and his pack had found me. They told me what had happened and what it meant .. Ed showed me how to shift without the moon and how to handle the moon when it came. God, they taught me everything they knew.

[He smiles a bit sadly.]

He's one of my closest friends. I wouldn't have made it out there without him and the gang. Three years of running together and just being there for each other .. and then I wound up here.

[He gestures seems to indicate the Keep at large as his gaze refocuses in Derek once more.]

[Derek shakes his head, but not out of any anger. Or at least, not out of anger towards Alex. He doesn't know, but it wishes he did. That's how it should be, how people like Derek's dad had hoped it could be.

He stays quiet while Alex talks, except for a small growl he can't hold back at finding out how Alex was infected. It's psychos who do shit like that who're part of the reason people fear and hate wolves in Derek's world, and it pisses him off.

When Alex stops talking, Derek keeps silent for a moment, trying to decide what to ask first. But bombarding him with questions without offering anything in return probably isn't the best strategy. Simon and Chloe would say it was rude.]

I wasn't infected, I was born like this. But when my first Change started - yeah. I know what you mean about the pain.

What was your pack like?

[Must be different from the one back in Derek's world. Or at least, different from what Derek's heard about them.]

[Alex hears the soft growl as he speaks, but it didn't deter him at all from telling his story. Yeah, the psychos were the ones that made the whole thing all the more difficult, but they didn't come only in the form of raging lycans. No, where Alex if from, they come in the form of politicians as well; particularly those pushing to have a form of supernatural registration put in place. :\

He tilts his head slightly as Derek explains that he was born with his own and grimaces, nodding.]

All the things about shifting, and that'd be right up there as one of the things I'd love to change. The other would be control on the full moon ..

[Then his expression eases as a smile touches his lips.]

They're a pretty incredible group of guys and girls. I've never known anyone like Ed .. he's about my dad's age, and he's taken in this group of kids my age, older .. younger. He teaches everyone everything he knows about being a were, from shifting to safety. He's working with others, a few witches and some fae, I think, to try to find some way to control ourselves during the moon.

The government is trying to push for a proposal through that would require all supernaturals to register and declare themselves to the masses. He fights the hardest for all of us; and I mean all of us.

[A beat as he stops and looks at Derek.]

He's family; family a lot of us lost and family a lot of us never had.

You can Change anytime you want, but you only lose control on the full moon?

My, uh. We're not connected to the moon. The Changes come whenever they feel like. Or I guess, for older wolves, just when they haven't done it in awhile.

[And by 'older,' he really means, 'more experienced,' but he doesn't really want to admit he's actually only had his first Change a few months ago.

He listens as Alex talks about the pack, and can't help but feel a sense of longing. Not for a pack like that, specifically - all right, not really for that - but mostly because that reminds him of his dad, his family.]

Sounds like my dad. Took me in even knowing what I was, and taught me everything he could.

[Despite not being a werewolf. Then he frowns as something else Alex says registers.]

People know about supernaturals in your world? No one does, in mine. Or at least, not the general public.

[Alex's brows rise slightly when Derek explains the difference between his shifting and Alex's own.]

Yeah, we can change anytime we want, but on the full moon we change whether we'd like to or not. Hell if I could explain the mechanics of it at all, but it's happened here the same as it ever did back home.

Ed and the wolves would run out in the mountains and I'd usually head out in the opposite direction until the next day. We can't control our animals on the full moon, so even if we know each other we're at risk. No memory of the shift or anything, so we'd keep our distance until we shifted back the next day. Any other time we'd shift and run together .. [He grins a bit at the memory and then he smiles at Derek.]

Sounds like your dad is a pretty cool guy, then.

[Then he tilts his head slightly at the last before nodding.]

They know, yeah .. but it's a pretty recent deal; supernaturals announced themselves worldwide this past February. [His expression is rather wry as he smirks.] You can imagine how well that went over, right? Lots of folks have taken it in stride, but there's always bigotry in one shape or another, so not everyone is cool with it. It's .. a work in progress.

[One that could take a terrible turn if the registration act was approved.]

[He considers that, curious.]

Did the wolves still run together on the full moon?

[There's a moment's hesitation, then when he speaks next, his tone is carefully neutral.]

What was it like? I've - only met two other werewolves, and neither of them were interested in running together.

[The mention of his dad gets a smile, perhaps the first real one since Derek's been here.]

Yeah. He's - there's not a lot of people like him.

[Which is a shame. The world'd be a lot better place if there was. He grimaces slightly at Alex's comment about how well that went over, snorting in agreement.]

That's another reason why the supernaturals in my world keep themselves secret. Hell, we can't even get along amongst ourselves.

Edited 2011-07-10 01:13 (UTC)

[A quick nod and half smile, hands resting lightly in the pockets of his loose pants.]

The wolves do, yeah .. They'd treat me like any predator encountering another predator, though .. and with a pack of eight to twelve I know my chances would be kind of grim. No, I tend to make my way out into the mountains near home, away from everyone, and see where I wake up in the morning. [A slight grin at this.]

It's .. pretty awesome. I'm sorry you haven't had the experience of sharing a pack run. I'd .. Well, I know I'm not a wolf, but I'd be more than happy to run the forest with you. I'm open to it pretty much anytime that's not the full moon. [He gives a half shrug, but his posture and tone indicate nothing more than genuine interest in doing so.] I hav- [Did you catch that slip, Derek?] .. had a buddy here that changed into a panther .. We hung out quite a bit and I was showing him the ropes. I don't know where he went, but he's not here anymore ..

[Ouch .. hurt to admit that one out loud. Alex's smile has slipped and his thoughts look like they've pulled inward before he makes himself focus on Derek's words again. He actually snorts softly in bemusement.]

Supes get along fairly well back home .. I mean there's a few here and there making things harder on everyone, but for the most part it's recognized that we're the minority and we should try not to make things harder on ourselves than need be, you know?

[Except the vamps .. the vamps were big old attention whores. :\]

[He snorts a bit.]

Yeah, going up against a pack of werewolves isn't top on my list, either. There's only one pack in my world, and they're not too friendly to wolves that don't belong to it.

But if you're serious, then. Yeah. Sure.

[Have an almost hesitant smile, that fades as Alex goes on. Oh, yeah, he's caught that slip. The one that says Alex hasn't adjusted to thinking in past tense yet. Derek shifts his weight awkwardly, suddenly wishing Simon or Chloe were here. They'd know how to be comforting, or whatever.]

I'm, uh. Sorry about your friend.

[That's about the best Derek's got when it comes to being comforting. Okay, that and resisting the urge to ask a few likely insensitive questions about the exact circumstances of the disappearance and if that happens often. But Simon'd say that not being insensitive didn't count as comforting.

Alex's snort actually makes him grin a bit.]

Sounds like your world's supernaturals need to shake some sense into mine. A lot of 'em are trying to be like that, but there's things like the feud between sorcerers and witches that keep getting in the way.

[Vamps are total attention whores. Not that Derek's met any of the ones in his world, but he's heard stories.]

[Alex's smile is easy as he nods and it brightens as Derek seems accepting of 'hanging out' with him.]

Totally serious. See this .. this is my serious face. [He poijnts to his face, maintaining a degree of seriousness for all of two seconds before his smile steals in across his lips once again. As Derek apologizes for Nick's disappearance, Alex's smile fades but does not disappear completely and he sighs a bit.]

It's alright .. people come and go around here, but thankfully not too often. When they leave, I guess they go back to their own worlds, but there's the chance they might come back again .. [He trails off and even he can't force the smile at what he says next.] They don't remember being here when they come back, though .. it's all new to them again. Nick might come back though .. I just gotta keep that hope, you know? Keep that hope and keep helping others that show up in the mean time.

[His gaze settles on Derek again, and he looks less strained as he says the last.] I'd rather help than sit around twiddling my thumbs .. especially when folks come here all turned around.

[Then he grins wryly and shakes his head.]

You'd think that it'd be a case of 'band together in the face of adversity', but no .. they just find new things to argue about. Coven and pack boundaries .. feeding rights on the mortals .. It's the kind of shit you'd never think would happen in real life until you're facing it first hand.

[Alex's 'serious face' gets a surprised chuckle and a brief, wide grin before Derek's expression returns to its normal not quite scowl.]

Yeah. I can see that. Gonna get far with that one.

[And then Derek's back to being a bit awkward. He considers saying something like, 'hey, if they're back home, better for them, right?' but that seems too much like that, 'oh, they're in a better place' crap that Derek's always hated.

But of course, that means he ends up saying nothing, which might be worse. He shifts his weight again, unconsciously shifting a bit closer to Alex as if to rest a hand on his shoulder or something, before he catches himself and stays put.

Alex's starting to remind Derek a bit of Chloe, and a bit of Simon. Which might not be a good thing, but there it is.]

Yeah. I'm not one for sitting around doing nothing, either. And, uh. Thanks. Considering I'm one of those coming here like that.

[He snorts again, and responds to Alex's head shake with one of his own.]

Petty arguments and prejudices by petty people who're too set in their ways to want to change. Guess they're just not happy unless they've got something to fight about.

[Alex catches that grin, mister, however fleeting and quick you might think it is. It earns Derek another in return and he gives a half shrug, rolling with the sarcasm readily.]

I know, right? I'm amazed that people even speak to me with how foreboding and unpleasant my very aura is.

[The awkward silence and shifting is noted, but Alex is grateful when Derek moves easily onto another topic. Nick had been a fast and true friend and losing him to whatever fate his world had suffered .. yeah, it wasn't something Alex particularly wanted to muse too long about.

Then a soft laugh and he waves away the thanks with one hand.]

People were pretty welcoming to me when I arrived .. only right to do what I can. I'm not helping anyone, including myself, if I'm a passive aggressive dick. [Not that there were any of those here. Nooooooooooo, not a single one.

And then Derek earns a first class eye roll and Alex shakes his head again.]

Life's too damn short for all that petty bullshit .. seriously. I've lived with it my whole damn life .. being here .. [He gestures around as if to include the place as a whole.] Seems to at least have earned some fashion of a reprieve from all of it.

[What grin. There was no grin. There's certainly not another one at Alex's comment about his aura.]

Compared to you, I'm downright friendly.

[Derek is the master of being awkward about things and then jumping on a subject change. So far the tactic has been - marginally successful, considering the only people he really cares enough about to actually stick around for the awkward things are Chloe and Simon.

He smirks a bit when Alex brings up passive aggressive dicks.]

Right, don't be a passive aggressive dick. I'll work on that.

[Derek knows exactly how that feels. He snorts, giving a smile that's not quite bitter and not quite rueful.]

Yeah, so've I. Wish more people thought like you.

[He considers Alex's last words for a moment before nodding.]

Guess that's one way of looking at it. Least no one I've met has tried to kill me yet. That's a plus.

[Nope. No grin at all. Nope. Totes didn't see it flash across again. EXCEPT HE DID! HAH! Alex gestures one hand to his companion and smirks.]

See? What'd I say? Serious face for a serious man. [He jerks a thumb at himself.] That'd be me.

[Alex won't mind said awkwardness, as it's a fairly normal chracter trait to not want to deal with things that make one uncomfortable. It works pretty well as a tactic, unless you have someone with a stubborn streak. However, Alex is pretty easy going and he gets it, so he's not going to harp like a mother or wife.

Then he barks a short laugh, grinning widely.]

Yeah, you might wanna reign that in.

[His next smile is rueful and he nods in agreement.]

Yeah, and not even to float my own boat .. everything'd go one hell of a lot smoother if they did. [He sighs and shakes his head, giving a half shrug.] Things would just work easier, you know? But .. can't have that, now can we?

[A dry laugh, but there's a bit of genuine amusement in there, however macabre it might be in essence.]

Color yourself lucky .. It's not fun, no matter the circumstances behind it.

[He snorts at Alex's comment.]

Just don't get too serious, man. They're a drag to hang out with.

[The (non-existent) grin's back when he makes Alex laugh, and this time he looks vaguely pleased.]

It'll give me something to do while I'm stuck here. Better myself as a person.

[He smirks. The comment sounds just as bullshit-y as it actually is. Though in truth, Derek does know when to be as polite as he can. He's been on his best behavior here.

Might be a little sad that his interactions so far are actually his best behavior, but, still.]

Who wants things easy? Easy's just boring.

No, it's not. This is practically a vacation in comparison, really.

[Except that Chloe and Simon and his dad aren't here. But he's doing okay with that, since he has himself convinced that just meant they were back home, with each other and safe.]

[Alex chuckles softly and nods in response.]

I shall try to restrain myself from being too serious; I wouldn't want to be a drag.

[So says the cross-dressing bi-sexual wereleopard. AHAHAH! XD

He doesn't miss the grin's reappearance and it's rather pleasing to see spreading across his companion's face. From what he's learned of Derek so far, he's fairly certain the youth is fairly serious himself. So, it's a bit of a relief that he can get a smile out of him so soon after meeting.]

Well, it's better for social interactions, that's for sure. Not saying that there's not something wonderful about a well timed smart-assed retort or a general attitude of 'fuck 'em all', but it's good to keep your options open.

[Bullshitting or not, Alex was still glad Derek was listening to him at the very least. Beneath every level of bs, there was a degree of truth, so it was likely advice well given.

Then another bark of laughter and a wry grin curls Alex's lips.]

Yeah, god forbid anything go the easy route for a change; wouldn't want that at any point.

[And then a slight shifting in attitude as death becomes a topic centerpiece.]

On that note .. just .. be careful around here. They like to punish in a rather medieval manner here and they won't really give you an idea of the offense until it's too late. Try to avoid hurting anyone or damaging the Keep, at any rate .. I know those ones end poorly.

[....oh, yes. Derek likes you, Alex.

He grunts slightly, tilting his head in agreement with Alex's comment about keeping his options open. Definitely wouldn't do Derek any good to piss everyone here off, at least, not as long as he could help it. He usually manages to end up doing that anyway, no matter how hard he tries, but he's going to suck it up and try anyway.]

I'll keep it to a minimal. Maybe just a 'fuck most of 'em' attitude.

[He snorts a bit.]

Oh, no. Why would anyone want a break from difficult and complicated? Then they'd have to look at their own lives instead of poking into everyone else's.

[He nods, shifting his weight slightly. Medieval punishments don't exactly sit well with him.]

Yeah. I've been warned about that. Definitely not planning on getting in any fights any time soon.

[Another reason he's been on his best behavior, actually. Though he has much better control over his strength than a year or so ago, he's not willing to chance it in this place.]

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/creeps in as life allows a brief respite

/loves on

/d'awwwwwws <3 You guys make rp so much fun!! <333

<3<3<3 Oh god Alex is ADORABLE

FFFFFFFFfffff .. Bros .. that's all there is to it. :Db

/brofist Aw Yeah

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