Creepy Old Mansion on Phoenix Way, Saturday Morning

[justlurkinghere]

At this rate, Derek was beginning to give serious thought to not sticking around on island for the weekends. First he woke up as a woman, and now there was a wolf in his sleeping bag with him. Along with the goddamn puppy.

How was this his life?

"It's too early for you to have a fit," a voice that reminded him very strongly of his sister informed him. The wolf was awake and staring up at him, it would seem

The talking wolf.

Right.

Derek did the wise thing and mostly just glared back in confusion. Then, he grabbed his phone to give Jack a call about this terrible, terrible situation. Of terribleness.

Comments

[justlurkinghere]

"Sounds like a punishment to me," Talaiel said, sitting down on her haunches.

Derek's response was grunt of agreement.

[bitten_notshy]

"It must be," Jack agreed.

"Punishment for what?" Mara asked. "None of us choose what we become."

"Stop being cryptic," Jack sighed.

[justlurkinghere]

"I settled perfectly," Talaiel insisted. Like there was anything else she could have turned into.

Derek sighed in annoyance. "They're not very helpful."

[bitten_notshy]

"Are they meant to be?" Jack wondered.

"We can be," Mara said. "If you ask the right questions."

[justlurkinghere]

Oh, all the eyerolling at that. All of it. "I'd rather be a woman instead of this."

[bitten_notshy]

"I like being in my own body." That ... came out a bit strongly, perhaps. Mara nuzzled against his ankle in response, and Jack took some comfort in that.

"I mean," Jack said, in a more measured tone, "I don't find her that annoying."

[justlurkinghere]

Well, suuuure. You're not the one constantly yelling at teenage boys because you can't yell at yourself at that age!

Seriously, Derek. Get some goddamn therapy.

"They know too much about us," he said, watching the wolf with a wariness that was echoed in it.

[bitten_notshy]

"Because we're reflections of you," Maradachya said in a soothing sort of voice. "Why are you so afraid of that?"

Jack eyed Mara. "Yeah, that's not my favorite thing either."

"It's not my fault you hide so much of who you are," Mara said serenely.

[justlurkinghere]

Derek raised an eyebrow at that, but stayed mercifully silent on the matter. You're welcome, Jack.

"Everyone has their reasons for doing that," the wolf said, slinking around to Derek's other side.

[bitten_notshy]

"Quiet," Jack warned Maradachya, before she could get any bright ideas in her head about sharing what those reasons might be in his particular case. She arched an eyebrow at him but stayed silent.

"They don't seem inclined to spill our secrets, at least," he said. "That's something."

[justlurkinghere]

Derek stared at Talaiel, willing her to keep quiet about, well... everything. Ever.

"I'd hope not."

[bitten_notshy]

Jack scuffed a hand back through his hair, trying to regain his equilibrium.

"It's a weekend," he said. "It's Fandom being -- Fandom. May as well be kind to them while they're here and expect them to vanish by Monday."

"You sound like you'll be so sad to see us go," Mara observed.

[justlurkinghere]

Derek nodded at that, looking away. "And next week will be the full moon."

[bitten_notshy]

"And the parents' weekend at the school must be soon," Jack added. "It's usually around now. I hope they had the sense not to make it the weekend of the moon."

[justlurkinghere]

"...that would be bad," Derek said needlessly.

[bitten_notshy]

"Do you think so?" Mara asked, twining around Jack's legs.

Jack shrugged helplessly. "I'll check," he said. "If it is next weekend -- maybe I should go off-island, I don't know."

[justlurkinghere]

"This place is far enough away from the school to keep you from anyone."

SUUUUUURE.

[bitten_notshy]

"It probably is," Jack nodded.

"You didn't even sound like you believed that," Mara said. "But you're probably safer here then anyplace you don't know."