undergrounds | I'm fairly local; I've been around (OPEN)

A. DAY:

[ creature of the night he may be, Derek's life is far from nocturnal. admittedly, this is partially because he sleeps less than he probably ought to, especially these days. however, it's also because even in London, there are places that aren't 24/7. yet. a bank. a decent mechanic. somewhere that sells smores flavoured pop tarts. combined with his own restlessness, and a sense that he still doesn't quite belong, Derek is unable to hang around at the den all day.

when he's out, he's watchful. even on the streets of the city centre, Derek has come to learn that he can't afford to overlook anything. perhaps it's an inhuman kind of scent that has his gaze catching, lingering, or perhaps a face he recognizes from the Redbright ball has him staring in heavy, curious scrutiny. maybe he simply has to squeeze past the same PETA collector on the street, muttering something about no goddamn escape. ]

B. NIGHT:

[ after the sun sets, Derek retreats to his own territory. generally speaking, he's not looking for a fight, and lurking around other areas of London at night is sometimes as much a provocation as is necessary. he keeps to the east end, hemming along every county line like a sentry, watching - waiting, maybe - for any suggestion that things are not as they should be on his turf. his. he'd never considered it in those terms when he'd been following Laura's lead, when there had been another alpha running things. aside from an inherent wolfish sense of territory, he'd felt little investment. now, his position has changed, but the disconnect here lingers. in the wake of his own hasty decision making, he still feels like he's standing in. that only makes him all the more tense.

and all the more eager to work. he covers a surprising amount of distance on foot, keeps his ear to the ground to keep track of what's going on. maybe it's quiet. maybe it's not. but he stays out late.

if, on his unofficial patrol, he comes across something or someone that seems like they shouldn't be here - well, Derek follows. ]

C. CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE!

( catch all! feel free to tag in with your own starter - just give me a heads up if you're looking for anything in particular - or let me know if you'd like a specific heading! 8] )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Yeah?

[ for all he's almost been knocked over by a motorcycle, Derek seems relatively calm, unflinching. the vampire's manner does little to appease him, however - if it could - and he slides his foot forwards. his answer, as well, is not reassuring. ]

I'm a little concerned, about what you could possibly be going to see around here.

[He's a cool customer, Cooper will admit that. He wonders if that composure would remain if he brought out his fangs and tried to take a bite out of his jugular vein. His answer is clipped with impatience.]

If it's business of yours, which it's not, I'm looking for someone. Happy now?

[He shifts around on top of the motorcycle. Get out of the way already.]

[ Derek snorts a humourless laugh. though irritated by the vampire’s apparent need to be obtuse, he’s now snagged by the information. A growing realization that maybe he doesn’t know he’s wandered too far is cut short. ]

No. [ well, at least he's honest, right? ] Who has one of you looking for them out here?

[Cooper looks like he wants nothing more than to reach out and shake Derek until his teeth rattle around in his head. Like hell is he telling a wolf that a fledgling vampire is running amok. He's already got enough trouble with hunters. He doesn't need to add werewolves to the mix. All he'll find if he does that is a carcass with wolf bites all over it.]

I'm done answering questions. Now move it or lose it, pup.

[ pup?, he thinks, sardonic, but he has to remind himself that he's dealing with a vampire. however young he might look, it's possible that he's centuries old. which would also make him more powerful. it's a sobering thought. Derek doesn't want to start a fight, but he's also unwilling to back down. ]

No, you're not. Not if you want to keep searching here. What're you doing?

[Cooper curses a blue streak in both Gaelic and English under his breath. The parts Derek will be able to understand include mentions of stupid mutts with their heads stuck up their asses. When he finally answers Derek, his words come slowly.]

I already told you. I'm looking for someone. Someone stupid enough not t'care about territory lines 'n end up where they shouldn't be. Seen anyone who fits the description?

[ with thinning patience, he waits out the deluge, at least partially because the Gaelic sounds so odd to him. when the explanation comes, his face darkens. the idea of vampires kicking around here is not one he likes, at all. but if needs must, it's better to deal with them as swiftly as possible.

he shakes his head. ]

No. Is he going to be a threat?

[Derek gets a flat look. Did he really just ask that stupid of a question?]

He's a vampire. Of course he's going t'be a threat. Hence why I was trying to find him before he sets off some sort of West Side Story turf war.

[And he was doing a marvelously terrible job of it. As far as being a babysitter for a fledgling vampire went, it seemed that Cooper had been one step behind him this whole time.]

[ he replies to that with a massive roll of his eyes, bristling. his temper is a tightly wound thing, and right now it's getting more and more tempting to give him the fight that Derek is convinced he's trying to pick. hands balled into fists at his side, he snarls: ]

Then if you want to find him alive, maybe you should tell me more.

Are you always this charming or did I just catch you at that special time of the month?

[It was a childish insult to toss into the arena, but Cooper was done with attempting any sort of civil behavior. He snaps back at him.]

I don't know you 'n I don't trust you. I tell you something, you tell your pack of mangy friends, and the next thing I know I find what's left of the body. I'm protectin' my own.

[ Derek grins for all of a second - it is not a pleasant expression, the humour fierce and vicious. he's struggling not to do something he could potentially regret, struggling to think past territory and enemy and fight, but Derek is attempting to think in the long term. hell, he knows the mess that can come from the young, inexperienced, newly turned - whatever species they might be. it's sobering enough for him to maintain his tenuous hold on his patience, but that well is quickly drying up. ]

I'm giving you an option. Either we both find him and get him out of here, or I tell my pack. And most of us? Aren't going to be so patient.

[ he points to the vampire, and then to himself, for helpful emphasis. ]

You are in my territory. You wanna find more than a body? You work with me.

[He looks upwards at the night sky, saying a silent prayer while seeking out patience. God give him the strength not to rip out the wolf's throat and drink his blood. There's a sigh that comes out more like a groan, his only acknowledgement that Derek might have a point.

He pulls his motorcycle over to the curb, killing the engine, and hopping off. He's too proud to actually say Derek's right, so he just jumps on ahead in the conversation.]

You'll be better at finding him than I will with that nose of yours. He, uh, hasn't been bathing the past couple days 'n smells like it.

[ that's better. he doesn't say as much - he's bold and prideful, but not a complete idiot - though it might show briefly in his expression as the vampire finally stops the bike. ]

Got it. [ he says, somewhat drily. it's a starting point, even if Derek considers it to be a fairly lackluster one. ] What else can you tell me?

His name is Erik Treacle. He's about so high-- [Cooper raises his hand up to about the six foot mark.] with dark hair 'n eyes. He accidentally got vampire blood in his system and then had the rotten luck t'get hit by a bus.

[There's anger in his voice, though it's no longer directed at Derek. That doctor is going to pay dearly for injecting his patients with his little "miracle drug." Cooper hopes he's there when it's time for comeuppance.]

So don't go in guns blazing. Kid's already confused enough as it is without having a wolf tearing inta him.

[ Derek has no qualms about killing some newborn vampire if it comes to it. if he's a threat, he needs to be dealt with. but he would prefer that it didn't come to that. the knowledge that the kid has had a rough start doesn't endear him to his plight, but it does evoke a restlessness in him.

he hopes it doesn't come to that, but if it does - ]

That depends on him, [ he says, but there's a measure of understanding in his expression, less aggressive and more flat, resolved. ]

I doubt he's going t'get aggressive, but if he does, I can handle a newborn on my own. Those newly turned tend t'be kind of stupid.

[He tries to think like one. If Cooper was newly turned, and had ended up in territory where he shouldn't have gone, where would he go? The answer would be wherever there was the most people to feed off of.]

Don't suppose you know where the local spot is 'round here? He's going to head for where there's lots of folks. Better chance t'pick one out of the crowd that way.

I'm fairly local; I've been around (OPEN)

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