undergrounds | do you fly in the day, darling

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do you fly in the day, darling

[A June catch-all! Pick an option and say hello, or start something more specific in the comments. Hit me up on plurk if you want a specific starter!]

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A Just another Saturday night out, Nancy's lips painted blood red and staining the side of her low-ball glass. Her legs are crossed at the ankles, black pumps and fishnets on full display under her short leather skirt. It's a night out, another night working. People around here knew who she was, what she offered. It was easier in supernatural bars, Nancy knew, to find vampires looking for a feeding, or even just a john wanting some company.

She props an elbow up on the bar, and looks down the the way, eyes peeled for any familiar, or unfamiliar, face. She'll just try not to think about how great it would be to be watching Netflix right now instead of work.

B Do you believe in fate, baby, ask me, ask me, the music played in her earbuds as Nancy jogged in place at a cross-walk. Trainers on her feet and hair pulled up in a pony-tail, she was doing her usual exercise routine. Always good to be fast on your feet, she'd learned as a child, and running was a great way to keep that up. Even if she had ways to get away, her feet were still just as important.

Besides, there was something relaxing about running, she'd found. She could shove the world away and concentrate on the music and running and the city. She'd found her way down to the Thames, and was running on the paths near it, past youths with skateboards and graffiti'd walls, business men grabbing a bite to eat right outside the Globe. It was astounding the way the culture and history blended together so seamlessly. She'd never get over that.

The light turned green, and on she ran.

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[ Derek cocks an eyebrow at her. the most surprising thing about her asking is, perhaps, the determined to be both of your friends, but for the moment his mind is stuck on how weird she makes it sound. he huffs, annoyed. ]

Nothing's gone on. He's an idiot who can't keep out of things that could get him killed. That's all.

Right.

[She purses her lips and frowns.] That's kind of why I invited him. To the ball. [it sounded stupid to be honest.]

I didn't want him to run in head first and get himself killed. So I thought maybe if he had someone to help him out, he'd be less-likely to get hurt. He's determined, and trying to stop him seems pointless to me.

But that's just my ten pence.

[ Derek's first reaction is a particularly withering look, but it doesn't last - he glances away swiftly, because Nancy's making a weird kind of sense even if he doesn't want to admit as much. Stiles is an idiot. he's probably not going to stop sticking his nose where it doesn't belong. therefore, he should at least know what he's dealing with.

Derek would rather he just stopped being an idiot, though. ]

You think that'll stop him getting himself killed? [ he digs his heels in, partially out of stubbornness, partially out of concern. ]

No, [Nancy says carefully, more to the rim of her glass than to Derek.] But I think it'll help keep him safe. That way, he's less-likely to do something stupid. Or at least knows what to expect and how to protect himself from the less-than-savory versions of us out there.

[Nancy. You're a Circle Midnight witch, and sex and blood worker. C'mon.]

[ Derek snorts sardonically, but it's largely done to mask his discomfort at considering it. she's right.

vexed, he sips his drink. ]

So you've been teaching him.

Not magic. Just some ins and outs. Watching out for him.

[She's trying to be a good influence for once in her life.]

[ he sighs, still vexed, because the memory of Stiles is a vexing one. ]

Good. He'll need it.

I know. And that's the sad thing, isn't it?

[She adored Stiles. They hadn't known each-other for long, but she'd already developed feelings towards him. Feelings of 'Oh, no, Stiles, honey.' for the record.

Sad is one word for it, [ he replies, drily. can you tell how absolutely unaffected by all this he is, Nancy? what's it to him? ]

[She can.]

But you don't want to talk about Stiles, so we won't.

[ with the uncomfortable suspicion that she's onto him, even if he's not sure what there is to be onto, Derek pushes ahead. or at least, that was his intent. instead, his face creases in consternation. ]

Do you?

[Nancy just shrugs it off.]

doesn't matter to me. I just want you to both know that I'm neutral in this. I'm going to be a friend to both of you, and I will not pick sides. So don't ask me to. [She would totally defend both of them to the other, too, if need-be.]

But that's really all I wanted to say about it.

[ friend. it's the second time she's said it, and it's still weird, weird enough that for a moment Derek gawks at her like she's grown a second head. the head might possibly look like Stiles. ]

...Alright. [ his voice is gentler now, largely out of confusion, but he's not arguing. ]

[Nancy waits a beat for Derek to add something on before she realizes that, no, he has nothing else to say on the subject.]

That really alright? 'cause I'm more than happy to start talking about something else, like what brings you to this bar.

[ Nancy, stop asking difficult questions. Derek huffs again, but nods. it's fine. ]

There was nothing for me here. [ but then he glances at her, as though rethinking. ] You always work out of here?

Right. [She doesn't fully trust him, but she'll manage. At least, he better manage.]

No- but it's one of my usual spots. Usually I'm down at Cripples', but I need to go easier tonight. [As in: no vampires. Girl had to get her blood level back up.] What's Kenzi told you about me? [She's not offended per-say. She just wants to know who actually knows what she does for a living.]

Uh, [ he begins, intelligently. ] Not much. You're a witch, the same way she is. [ Midnight, he means. ]

She also told me that you were - [ and he makes the air quotes, just for her. ] - "super pretty, and the sweetest, and every girl should have one."

[ he looks at her then, carefully. ] Why?

[Is he careful, or does he just not know? She almost forgets about the second part as he tells her what Kenzi said. Flattered, she ducks her head and takes a drink.]

Just curious how she explained me, is all.

[ her reaction has Derek rolling his eyes, but it’s a good-natured gesture accompanied by a little snort. perhaps that’s enough to say that no, he doesn’t know. there are things about Nancy that have him uncertain, wondering, but Derek feels that way about everything these days. ]

Well, that’s her testimonial.

Well I can verify it's all true.

[She smiles over the top of her glass again.]

So while I've still got time, tell me about yourself, Derek Hale from California.

[ he snorts, and it might be more than a little self-deprecating but Derek is guarded, careful. even with her. ]

Not sure there's much more than that. What else do you want to know?

What was so bad about California that made you come all the way over here to London? Start with that?

[ next question, he almost says. sipping his drink, there's an unmistakeable shift in his face. he stills, hardens. ]

California isn't everything it's cracked up to be.

That's what I've been hearing.

[She sighs, taking another sip of her drink through a straw.]

Yeah?

[ Stiles, he thinks. it has to be. Beacon Hills has been following him around, and so much of it right now is thanks to Stiles. how much has he told Nancy? what does Nancy know that he doesn't? ]

You sound disappointed.

do you fly in the day, darling

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