Creepy Old Abandoned Mansion on Phoenix Way, Saturday Morning

[justlurkinghere]

Derek had actually had three puppies stick around in his house after Thursday. Not that he'd wanted them or anything, but they hadn't gone away.

Or left him alone.

And they kept eating his food.

But today? Today there was only one puppy left. In the middle of the night, two of the puppies had left to go find a better place. Possibly some sort of Alpha herd of teal deer. And that got Derek's abandonment issues all up in a tizzy.

Which was possibly why he was allowing that last dog to stay. Even though it looked like a genetic experiment between a dog and a ball of cotton. It was just so fluffy.

He stared down at the dog, trying to will it into being something more intimidating so that allowing it to stay wasn't such a chore. The dog attempted to gnaw on his jacket in response. Look, it was a puppy. Puppies are about as smart as a very hungry rock.

[[Open if you know the place!]]

Comments

[justlurkinghere]

Yes, but Derek was not about to talk about that. Laura had laughed and laughed at his misfortune to have ladybits.

"She understands now," he said in that uncomfortable way all little siblings got when remembering the torment.

[bitten_notshy]

Jack arched his eyebrows at that but had mercy, and did not ask any more questions about it.

"Ah," he said instead. "In that case, I'll be out of your way as soon as your friend lets go of my hand." A pause. "Have you named him yet?"

[justlurkinghere]

"Joe," he said with a sigh. "There is someone in town you'll need to be careful around."

Ah, rip that non-awkward at all transition band aid right off.

[bitten_notshy]

Jack stiffened and didn't look up. "Who and why?"

He hoped it wouldn't be another high schooler.

[justlurkinghere]

"Barton. He's at the gym in town," Derek replied, arms crossed over his chest and gaze down on Jack. "He's not a hunter, but he's close enough. An archer at least."

[bitten_notshy]

Jack glanced up at that, sought out Derek's face. "Did he try to hurt you?"

[justlurkinghere]

"No. But I know when someone is trying to run me out of town."

[bitten_notshy]

Jack's eyes flashed with irritation as he processed that. "No," he decided. "He can't do that."

[justlurkinghere]

"I'm not leaving," Derek replied unnecessarily. "Not until you're more in control."

And not because this place wasn't bad to live. Annoying teenagers excluded.

[bitten_notshy]

"We might both get old and die on the island if we wait for that," Jack the pessimist said. "But thank you, anyhow."

[justlurkinghere]

Derek shrugged at that. Ain't no thang, wolf-bro. Just don't ignore all his sage wisdom in favour of a hot chick.

Just don't do it.

"Just stay away from him, okay?"

[bitten_notshy]

"You didn't tell him about me, did you?"

Note that Jack wasn't promising anything.

[justlurkinghere]

Derek shot him a look for that. "He's interested in me. It's better that he doesn't get any ideas about anyone else."

[bitten_notshy]

"I agree. I won't give him any reason to worry."

Which meant Jack would completely innocently find his way to the gym that week, yes.

[justlurkinghere]

Damn it, Jack!

Derek nodded, trusting Jack to not do something ridiculous like act like an emotionally stable adult. Who did that?