but oh what a year

[patrols]

Comments

[notwitty]

Xavier Dolls is an Underground guy.

[That's about all Isaac knows - he's been in Europe, but contacts are contacts.]

You might want to ask Jackson's boyfriend.

[phonetically]

( Tyler gestures. There. )

Daylight ring guy.

( He scans the crowded room for him.

"Better known as Alexander," Tyler corrects. Isaac, is Stiles always like this? )

[notwitty]

He did you a pretty big solid, Stiles, you might want to learn his name.

[Isaac's tone says that no, this is pretty normal for Stiles.

Alexander, on the other hand, is on the other side of the room, having what looks like an intense conversation with Serena. They are debating what's the best adaptation of The Christmas Carol. Serena is trying to make an argument for the musical, but Alexander is advocating for the Muppets version.

Jackson is likely nearby wondering when he started dating such a nerd.]

[phonetically]

I had a lot going on, Isaac, on account of transitioning and all. And stopping some weird civil war between Dean Winchester and all of my friends, but I'll be sure to thank him in person by name.

( And he leaves Tyler to deal with a cranky Isaac - who is always cranky and wears too many scars!

He approaches the group across the room. )

Muppet Christmas Carol. Hands down.

[swillpot]

[Isaac doesn't think he's always cranky. Maybe it's you that makes him cranky, Stiles.

That being said, Alexander brightens with someone agreeing with him.]

Thank you.

[Serena makes a face. "Well, if you want to give a basic answer."

Alexander shakes his head.]

Classics are classics for a reason, Serena.

[phonetically]

And nothing is scarier than Jim Carrey's version.

( See also: Polar Express. Nightmare fuel. )

I've been reminded I never properly thanked you for the daylight ring.

[swillpot]

Oh, no thanks needed.

[He won't say that he was properly thanked, it was just by someone else.]

I was happy to help. How've things been going with that? Adjusting okay?

[phonetically]

Other than one or two identity crises, I seem to have my head on straight. ( There is no easy way to segue conventionally, so he just does it. ) I was, uh, talking to Isaac, and he said that the both of you are familiar with an organization that goes by the name of Black Badge?

[seirenes]

[Alexander points over to Serena. "You work with Dolls the most."]

Right, so Black Badge, while a lot better than it used to be, is a government organization that's dedicated to monitoring the supernatural. In the past they have been responsible for disappearing a lot of supernatural creatures. They also have run some pretty horrific experiments on their agents infusing them with different supernatural abilities or DNA.

But they came under new management about fifteen years ago? Give or take? And they've been a bit more ... progressive, let's call it. Still a little shady sometimes but generally working toward the public good. Or at least the agents I've dealt with have been.

[phonetically]

Waverly Earp?

( Those are pretty even odds, so he drops her name to get the best answer. )

[seirenes]

[At the mention of Waverly's name, Serena completely relaxes.]

Oh, love Waves! We got stuck together during the wild magic thing in New York.

[So yes, someone who knows her personally.]

She is essentially a cupcake in human form and probably the nicest person I've ever met. She's also been driving a lot of the more ethical changes that they've been making.

[geminated]

[Tyler also doesn't have to deal with Isaac for long. His girlfriend wanders over, tucking her arm around his waist and pulling him off to the side. Isaac excuses himself to find his own girlfriend and Liv takes his spot behind the bar.]

Having fun?

[recrudesce]

( Tyler and his mom trade places hovering close to the front door if people need invitations. )

Me? Doing my best. Not waiting for whatever other shoe might drop. Feeling - jolly. You?

[geminated]

I'm doing okay. Making some new friends.

[As much as Liv ever makes friends.]

How's your mom doing?

[recrudesce]

Hosting. Enjoying herself. I think it helps that Elena's parent's, Caroline's mom, even Bonnie's grandmother, they're all back, too. It gives her touchpoints. And she's not alone.

( She wouldn't be, he's there, too. He knows that. )

[geminated]

[Liv nods, because that's good. It's good to see Carol happy, and it's good to see Tyler happy.]

So, there's something I want to ask you and before I do, I was thinking about asking you this before I found out your mom came back. She's not doing the mother-in-law thing and getting in my head.

[recrudesce]

Not something she's going to do.

( Though, in high school she did. Mother-in-law catches on his ear. They aren't married. Does she want to be married? )

But, go ahead. Ask.

[geminated]

I kind of shut down us having kids due to my own personal issues, but ... I guess a lot of those issues have kind of resolved themselves, so I guess I'm putting it back on the table.

[She pauses.]

I'm still not sure I'm on board with the idea of pregnancy because twins still do run in my family and all of that but ... I think there are a lot of werewolf kids that could probably use a good home. If that was something you wanted to do. Or kids in general but ... especially those.

[notwitty]

[Isaac wanders off in search of his own girlfriend, and catches her on her own in one of the quieter rooms. On the way he grabs some more snacks out of the kitchen and settles next to her.]

How's everything going?

[moralitypolice]

( She finishes leaving Danny a message before stretching out and really letting herself de-tense. )

Hey. C'mere. ( She cuddles him, leaning forward to grab a snack. ) I am doing good. There are a lot of people, but, it doesn't feel crowded. Or dangerous. For a change.

( And she hasn't said the K word. )

Everything good with you?

[notwitty]

[He nods as he passes the plate to her so that she can take her pick.]

I was catching up with Tyler. Erica ran off with a full bottle of vodka so she's probably getting Elena's kids drunk and I'm pretty Stiles is investigating shady government organizations and may put a murder board on a wall before the night is out but otherwise, everything's fine.

[None of those are actual problems, in the grand scheme of things.]

[moralitypolice]

I'm guessing Stiles puts together murder boards often?

( Because that doesn't sound surprising to Isaac. )

Everything else sounds good, though. Elena's kids, taking after us. Better watch out, or they'll round a group up and go to the Falls.

[notwitty]

Stiles is never happier than when he has a problem to solve. He joined the FBI for a reason.

[He knows he also left for a reason but he has a long life ahead of him now. There's a chance he could go back one day.]

It might be good for Erica to get into some old fashioned teenage trouble. She didn't really get a lot of it when we were kids.

[moralitypolice]

All the stringing together.

( She can imagine the string he probably goes through. You don't know the half of it, Bonnie! )

Now she can. How are you doing with her being here? Have you two talked?

[notwitty]

[He nods a bit.]

She's been asking a lot of questions and I've been trying to answer them. I think she's still trying to figure out where she lands, though she said she's definitely going back to New Orleans with Derek.