perpetual anticipation is good for the soul but it's bad for the heart

[maxxx]

Comments

[phonetically]

I watched a lot of that old series, Scandal, does that count?

( Probably not, right? )

Did you do a lot of sightseeing? In South America or -- everywhere else you've been, or is everything just... werewolfdom?

[impetere]

I like to see what's around when I'm living somewhere new.

[And she's lived a lot of new places. She's never really had a place to call home as a result, but maybe that's not so terrible a thing. She can't really say for sure.]

But I don't always have a job to take up my time.

[phonetically]

Helping Scott, that's kind of a job, right?

( Or, the packs, or accompanying her brother places. )

How is Derek?

( He was with him when they got the drop on the both of them and set events in motion. His vampirism. Derek's kidnapping. )

[impetere]

It is, but it doesn't really require me to go to the same place every day.

[So it's less restrictive on her time than an actual job.]

Derek's good. He and Hayley seem pretty happy.

[phonetically]

Derek's in a relationship?

( He's been missing in action, remember? Also, ignore his tone. It's just -- Derek and Relationships, do they belong in the same sentence? Romantic, questioning your brother like this, right? It's Stilinski's smooth moves. )

[impetere]

Yeah. Did you get to meet Hayley in Mystic Falls? The hybrid?

[She doesn't know how with it Stiles was before he ... you know ... died.]

She's Hope's mom.

[phonetically]

I uh - think we missed each other. Mystic Falls was a lot of faces and coincidences and - the dying.

( A lot passed him by. )

Good for Derek.

[impetere]

Yeah. He seems pretty happy, and on the scale of Derek's usual taste, she's twice as dangerous but about fifty percent less evil.

[Which, you know, is a good change of pace for Derek.]

[phonetically]

( He pulls into his apartment's garage, locating his spot he leases. )

50%'s a good number. Hayley's more mama bear, than bear for bear's sake?

( He turns the ignition off. Conversation is at least easier like this. )

[impetere]

She's the alpha of the pack there and leads the werewolf faction, but she's also a hybrid and her daughter is a Mikaelson and she's basically an honorary Mikaelson and those things are never not going to be dangerous.

[It's more pragmatic than emotional.]

But I don't think Derek likes non-dangerous women so as far as options go, she's not a bad one.

[phonetically]

They sound complicated.

( But also dangerous.

Cora, do you mind if Stiles takes your bags in hand? )

He definitely likes... traumatizing women. I mean, women that traumatize. Not -- going after -- women.

[impetere]

[She will blink a bit but she won't stop him. That's a nice thing for him to do, right? Right. She'll let him take her bags. This is fine.]

Hayley seems more on the Braedan side of things than Jennifer.

[And they are not going to mention Kate.]

[phonetically]

( He pushes the button to the elevator. )

And you? What've -- what've you been up to the past few months?

[impetere]

Hanging out in the bayou with the rest of the pack. Hanging out with Malia until Parrish came out to visit.

[Though she did actually see Parrish, in the flesh, out in public because the group probably had at least one night at a bar not Rosseau's, as that's still in the process of being rebuilt.]

Nothing too crazy.

[phonetically]

Parrish visited Malia?

( He's out of the loop, you see. )

Malia and Parrish?

[impetere]

Oh yeah. That's been going on a while. She's dangerously close to calling him her boyfriend.

[Which for Malia post-high school is certainly something.]

And when she does, it will make him very happy.

[phonetically]

( Stiles' phone vibrates in his pocket as they step off the elevator. )

Huh, I uh, didn't know they were a thing. Good for her.

( And him. And them.

He unlocks his door, rolls her luggage in and holds the door open for her. With his other hand, he pulls his phone out. )

Lydia messaged me.

( Well, he's just going to call her and tap the speakerphone button. When the call goes through, he doesn't wait. )

Hey, Lydia, Cora's here with me in DC!

[beanchaointe]

Oh good. You have a werewolf with you.

["That doesn't sound good." Cora makes her way closer so that she can be better heard by Lydia. "What's wrong?"]

Oh, so many things. Have you noticed anything off lately?

[phonetically]

( Stiles closes his front door, then, locking it.

"It is Stiles," Harvey says behind Lydia. )

What's Stiles?

( Lydia asked him a question before. )

I - I haven't noticed anything off. Cora?

[beanchaointe]

[Harvey gets a small look at that, because not helping.]

Nothing.

[Cora shrugs. "I just got here, but there wasn't anything that stood out to me as bad? Why?"]

I'm being scouted to help some of our Colony allies with a particular problem of theirs. I was talking to Harvey about it and we realized that they might have some leverage waiting in the wings.

["Who's Harvey?" Other than the dude that Lydia is currently with on the other end of the phone.]

[phonetically]

Harvey is a Colony ally. And there with you?

( Did he approach you? )

What's your leverage?

[beanchaointe]

Harvey and I were having dinner when they approached me. No, he was not involved.

["So Harvey is also Lydia's new boyfriend?"]

We're still getting to know each other.

[But there have been benefits that she is greatly enjoying.]

We're getting off track. My leverage is to be determined. They need me and Parrish to play bait for the target they're trying to take out. But we're thinking that you might be the leverage on their end as you've been rather isolated lately. They haven't actually put you on the table yet, but we're willing to bet that if I resist enough, it's coming.

["Do they know about Parrish?"]

They know he exists and that we're connected but I'm willing to bet they have no idea about Malia. Mostly because they're here pressuring me instead of getting their throats torn out by a werecoyote.

[phonetically]

Apparently.

( Old habits really do die hard. It's Aiden all over again. But, he's not jealous, only concerned. )

Right, Malia and Parrish, so I am the last person to know about this.

( Malia's reluctance. But, he's still playing catch up. )

You think I'm in danger?

[beanchaointe]

I haven't outright said no yet. So not yet, but ... potentially. They probably have someone watching you.

[So they can move when needed.]

[phonetically]

We weren't followed from the airport.

( But that doesn't mean he's not being watched. )

So, now, we're going into hiding?

( Not how he wanted to spend his vacation. )