15th [Audio]

[allthesame2me]

Derek, you around?

[Alex just found out Chloe isn't around. If his tone is anything to go by, he's unhappy at the very least, but also worried about his friend.]


[Private]

Anders? Where the hell are you...

[He hadn't heard from the Mage since he'd left the damned note on his door saying he, Hawke and co. were going off and he'd waited as long as he could. Searches had come up with nothing, but god help him he refused to accept he was gone and would keep trying to reach him.]

Comments

[sociopathicwolf]

[When Alex tries to reign himself in, Derek does as well. It's hard, because it's Chloe, but he knows that losing control isn't going to accomplish anything.]

Yeah. Same.

[allthesame2me]

[It's not what he wants to hear... it's exactly the opposite of what he wants to hear, really. And he can't help the sudden sag to his shoulders as Derek admits that he hasn't found a sign of her.]

Damn this place...

[Chloe was part of his pack and this loss was one of the keenest he'd suffered.]

[sociopathicwolf]

[Derek whines softly, before he can stop himself. Alex's shoulders sagging like that is pretty much a reflection of the defeat that Derek feels right now.

He was supposed to protect her. He'd promised, that he'd always be there for her, for as long as she wanted him, and he failed. The most important person in his life, and he'd been powerless to stop her disappearance. He doesn't know what to do. While he was still looking, there was something for him to do, for him to focus on, he could pretend, but now...

Almost before he realizes it, he's moved closer to Alex. Alex is part of his pack, one of the few he has left here, and he... he doesn't know what he's doing. Maybe he wants that reminder, the comfort of a packmate, that there's still someone left.]

[allthesame2me]

[Alex hates that they lost someone he was so close to, but he knows damn well that he's not the only one suffering the loss of Chloe's disappearance.

As much as Derek beats himself up for being responsible for Chloe, so does Alex. He'd been keeping an eye on her since before Derek showed up and readily counted her amongst his closest friends.

When Derek moves closer, Alex drops into a squat without even a beat, fingers digging into the wolf's pelt. Derek's scent is unmistakable and unique, a mixture of a wolf's muskiness and his distinct human self. There is no denying the comfort her takes from it and he closes his eyes briefly, leaning in to rest his forehead against Derek's.]

[sociopathicwolf]

[Perhaps it's because of that, of the fact that Alex is suffering as well, that Alex is blaming himself for not keeping an eye on Chloe as Derek is, that makes Derek willing to open himself up like this.

Or maybe it's that Alex was the first one to think Derek being a werewolf was cool, maybe it's everything that's happened at the Keep, maybe it's the fact that Alex is family, as much as his dad and Simon and Chloe and Liz are, that Alex has been part of his pack for longer than Derek's been consciously aware of.

But whatever the case, when Alex leans closer to him, rests his forehead against Derek's, Derek lets out a soft, slightly hopeless sigh.

And then his arms are wrapping around Alex without him really being aware of it, pulling him into a hug.]

[allthesame2me]

[Alex is silent as his forehead rests against Derek's, but his brows knit together at his friend's soft sigh.

When Derek hugs him, there isn't a beat of hesitation before his arms wrap around him and he hugs back.]

We'll find her, Derek... We'll find her.

[sociopathicwolf]

[Derek's eyes close as Alex hugs him back, taking comfort in having a familiar scent nearby, in Alex just being there.

He's not sure he really believes that right now. But he has to, because there really isn't another option.]

We will.

[allthesame2me]

[Alex won't pull away until Derek does, knowing how important scent and touch play directly hand in hand with comfort amongst most shifters.

He'll keep looking for Chloe until she shows up again. He will never ever consider that she might not come back.]