Devil's Nest, Monday, 11/17

[bitten_notshy]

It was a rainy gray day, which always made Jack slightly homesick for England. It was perverse,that he missed the bad weather, but Jack had learned to accept it.

The feeling inspired him to research tea-based cocktails. Earl Grey, gin and lavender didn't sound half-bad ...

[OOC: Open club, no OCD!]

Comments

[justlurkinghere]

"Tea cocktails?" Derek was not down with that.

[bitten_notshy]

"It's an excellent way to annoy Americans," Jack answered, with a flicker of a smile. "Hi there. It's been a hundred years."

Or a few weeks. One of those.

[justlurkinghere]

Derek nodded in agreement, taking a seat at the bar. "It feels like I've been out of the country."

WHICH WAS JUST SILLY SINCE HE HADN'T LEFT TOWN.

[bitten_notshy]

"Which you haven't, have you?" Jack asked, looking interested. "Unless Stiles' school has seceded."

[justlurkinghere]

"If it has, that's news to me."

And it wouldn't stop their codependency.

[bitten_notshy]

Jack smiled, barely. "Probably we would have noticed if it had," he said. "No, but how are you? I have ...the usual Fandom stuff going on,I'm afraid."

[justlurkinghere]

"I sang to my dog." But he was himself then. So.

Awkward.

[bitten_notshy]

"I sang to Kaidan." Also as himself.

The singing skeleton thing was better forgotten, really.

[justlurkinghere]

That got him a little snort of amusement. "I'm just glad Stiles had to get back to campus before that hit. It would have ended with him having blackmail material."

[bitten_notshy]

"It hit off-island too," Jack shared. "Kaidan actually sang back to me over the phone. It was ... a very special moment."

[justlurkinghere]

"...that's terrifying."

[bitten_notshy]

"His singing isn't that bad."

Jack knew that wasn't what Derek meant.

[justlurkinghere]

Derek rolled his eyes, peering over the bar to grab a bottle of water. He was a terrible coworker/customer.

"At least no one needed a bra this past week."

[bitten_notshy]

"There is that," Jack said -- and then, mainly to see what Derek would say, asked, "Have you and Stiles ever messed around when bras were a factor?"

[justlurkinghere]

Derek frowned. "It hasn't come up."

OH GOD, HE WAS GOING TO THINK ABOUT IT NOW.

[bitten_notshy]

"The island never makes fun things easy, does it?" Jack sighed. "Never mind, I was just being nosy."

[justlurkinghere]

There was that. But it was better than dealing with his sister asking those things to piss him off.

"You okay?"

[bitten_notshy]

"Yeah, it's just been a confusing few weeks," Jack explained. "Emma was a boy and then a ferret, then I was in Kaidan's world watching a war start, then I was a singing skeleton. Also I'm supposed to be writing a goddamned thesis so I can finally graduate. Nothing horrible, but it's all a little ridiculous."

[justlurkinghere]

"So now is a bad time to bring up the secret werewolf rituals?" Derek asked dryly.

Because, let's be honest, he was a jerk and had a terrible sense of humor.

[bitten_notshy]

Jack blinked at him. "No," he said. "Please, please tell me there are secret rituals. I could use something ridiculous and supernatural."

The sad thing was he meant it.

[justlurkinghere]

"Just Thanksgiving and Christmas," Derek replied. "But I'm sure Cora and I could make up something that involves running around the woods naked."

[bitten_notshy]

"You could just ask nicely if you want to get me naked," Jack teased. "Oh, did you want to try to do Thanksgiving together this year?"

[justlurkinghere]

Derek rolled his eyes, but he was smiling faintly. "If you don't have other plans. Cora is worse than Laura ever was about cooking, though."

[bitten_notshy]

"I don't, and as long as she doesn't try to poison me, I'll manage," Jack said, smiling back. "Tell her I'll even bring a pie."

Which he would buy from a bakery, because he was not insane.

[justlurkinghere]

"Keep her out of the kitchen. Got it."

[bitten_notshy]

Jack tilted his head. "Is she really that bad? Maybe we could get take-out..."

[justlurkinghere]

"I can handle a turkey dinner," Derek replied dryly. Then remembered there would be multiple werewolves there. "We'll order a few pizzas. And some Chinese."

[bitten_notshy]

"Maybe roast a second turkey," Jack suggested helpfully. "Seriously, could I do anything to help besides buying a pie?"

[justlurkinghere]

"Being there is--it's good." And oh god, he was sincere about that.

[bitten_notshy]

"It's good for me too," Jack said,also sincere. "It's -- the first time I've felt like I was with family on a holiday in a very long time."

[justlurkinghere]

Oh, way to make Derek smile all genuine and happy at you, Jack.

"It'll be good. We can celebrate the wolf moon next month too."

[bitten_notshy]

"That's the one with the naked dancing in the moonlight, isn't it?" Jack teased. "Maybe smear our bodies with deer blood?"

[justlurkinghere]

"Usually more hot chocolate," Derek replied. "But deer blood is good too."

[bitten_notshy]

"I always find it a little runny," Jack said thoughtfully. "And some parts of the year it reeks of wild onions."

Joking. Really.

[justlurkinghere]

"You're a connoisseur."

[bitten_notshy]

"I've had plenty of time to think about it," Jack answered, still smiling. "Rabbit's better but they don't really have enough blood to smear properly."

[justlurkinghere]

Derek made a face at that. But not because of the blood. "Don't mention rabbits to Cora."

[bitten_notshy]

"Why not?" Jack wondered.

[justlurkinghere]

"She'll never shut up about them." Or Derek and his bunny teeth.

Derek looked sullen in a way that spoke strongly of loving sibling torment.

[bitten_notshy]

"Well," Jack reasoned. "They are fascinating creatures. All brown and white and fluffy and ... hoppy."

[justlurkinghere]

Derek rolled his eyes. "I killed a bunny once and my sisters wouldn't shut up about it being killing my own kind."

With those adorable front teeth of his.