[ muffled johnny cash in the distance ]

[scyldig]

Who: derek hale + you!
When: all through this month
Where: he's been everywhere man, crossed the deserts bare man...
What: class, daily happenings, magic study group, shenanigans, etc
Warnings: none atm, will update if needed

i. your mind must flower, it's great to learn... ( plant class )

[ being in school is weird for derek. he hasn't actually done this since before his family died. after that whole tragedy and then essentially running away across the country with laura, finishing high school didn't seem like that big of a deal. he got his GED when he was seventeen and that was the last school-like thing he'd done. but despite the six-odd years between then and now, derek finds that it's easy enough to get himself back into school habits.

it's a little different, now that he's not a teenager posturing and trying to be the cool guy. he doesn't make smart remarks in class. instead, he sits towards the back and takes diligent notes like he used to when he was in high school. (he's kind of a nerd underneath all the stubble and frowns.) every once in a while he'll ask a question, but for the most part he's a quiet and studious type. also kind of a loner.

shit, he's turned into the emo kid, hasn't he?

well, in any case, the plant class is doubly interesting and derek can fairly often be found hanging out for a little while after class. mostly because he's attempting to sketch (poorly) whatever specific plants they're studying or at least get some really good descriptions of them down so he has his own reference in his notebooks. which, really, is just begging for someone to interrupt him. ]

ii. take chances, make mistakes, get messy! ( magic study group + mishaps )

[ derek has finally found himself a place to live. a cute little cottage, technically more space than he needs by his onesies, but it's got easy access to the outdoors for his dog, louis, (pronounced the french way) and cat, steve. (yes, those are really his familiar's names. and if anyone asks why, derek will just give them a blank look and tell them to figure it out for themselves.) and, y'know. he fully expects stiles and possibly others to randomly show up and stay over wherever he's living. that, combined with the fact that he has somehow ended up the... leader? instigator? of a magic study group (how) means he went for a decent amount of space.

which is good, because there are a lot more people in the study group that he originally anticipated there being. but it's cool. he can deal with it. and, he'll never admit it out loud, but it's kind of nice to be able to fumble along in this magic thing with other people who have no idea what they're doing. comparing notes and asking for help is easier when he's not the first to do it.

of course, this also means people are around when distraction causes him to mess up a spell and steve the cat suddenly finds himself with vary large ears and bright pink fur. the cat's back arches as it looks around, clearly startled. ]

Oh, shit-- [ derek reaches out, but is too late. steve turns tail and runs as fast as he can under a very large piece of furniture. there may or may not be disgruntled growling filling the air as derek drops his head into his hands. ]

iii. makin' my way down town, walking fast, walking faster... ( out and about / wildcard option )

[ derek falls into something of a routine pretty easily once he gets his cottage. he wakes up early, takes louis out for a run, gets some breakfast. he spends a fair amount of time at classes, determined to get this magic thing as under control as he can. afternoons and evenings are generally spent wandering aefenglom with louis and steve, the latter enjoying perching on the giant dog's back. he drops in a few stores. does some window shopping, keeps an eye out for anyone who is hiring. he's not... social, exactly, but he's around.

he avoids most of the eostre happenings, but he does flit around the edges on the last night. tries some of that liquor with the flowers and finds himself just a little fuzzy around the edges. metaphorically. he's not actually any fuzzier, though how could you tell with how hairy he already is? (it's possible suddenly lacking his werewolf metabolism has made him vulnerable to getting tipsy, but he'd never admit to anything like that. even if his cheeks are a little pink.) in any case, he calls it a night fairly soon after that, walking home with his hands in his pockets.

feel free to encounter him any number of places around town, if you like. he's probably poking around everywhere he can, all quiet and occasionally creepy lurker-like. ]

[ note: if you wanna plot anything specific (or if i am a dope and my flare-up made me forget something specific i was gonna put in this (it feels like i did) feel free to hit me up via pm or plurk (birbs) and lemme know! i will write up a thing and toss it in the comments. ]

Comments

[scyldig]

[ mrrrp! ]

If you're around in an hour you get to watch me eat dinner. [ he says like he isn't going to cook enough for the both of them. ] If you want to spend the night you'll have to fight with Ludwig for the dog bed.

[ his money is on the st. bernard, honestly. and after a beat he says as much. ]

[mensrea]

I don’t really sleep at night anymore.

[ The crossword puzzle is thrown down in disgust. “Evocation” is the word they wanted, though Stiles has lost interest in pursuing the hint. ]

Can we talk about the furballs, for a minute? Or the one furball and the…naked…thing.

[ No offense, Steve. ]

[scyldig]

Goblin, I think.

[ he's a former canine, he can be an asshole about his equally assholish at times cat. ]

Familiars are supposed to help witches stave off the need for a Bond. [ which is an explanation for why he has them. because derek with animals clearly needs justification. hence him doing it preemptively before stiles can ask "why do you have them??" ]

[mensrea]

[ The explanation is waved off dismissively; having attended several classes at the Coven out of curiosity, he has a vague grasp of the basics. ]

No, I mean… Why these familiars? I’m kinda surprised you didn’t go with…uh, the more cliché option, I guess.

[ Where are the wolves, Derek. ]

[scyldig]

[ he shrugs. ]

It's hard to have a normal pet as a werewolf.

[ by which derek means when he was younger, he was the kid who always begged his parents for a cat or a dog but never got one. first because he had to figure out how to not be threatening to animals and later because cora had to learn. and then--well. then there was the fire. ]

Besides, it's cheaper to feed them than it would be wolves.

[mensrea]

[ A perspective he hadn’t considered, honestly. Curiosity sufficiently sated, he nods in understanding to Derek. There’s something sweet about a born werewolf wanting a slice of normalcy in his life. It makes Stiles less inclined to tease the other man about his choice of familiars (at least, for now). ]

And the names? [ he asks, eyebrow cocked wryly. ]

[scyldig]

[ while derek appreciates the lack of teasing, he's also bracing himself for some once he tells stiles why he named his familiars what he did. ]

Louis is short for Ludwig. [ as in von beethoven. like the movies. ] And Steve... [ derek reaches over and, after giving the cat a scritch under the chin, holds him up for stiles to look at his face. ] Look at him and tell me he doesn't look like Steven Tyler.

[ or vice versa, honestly. ]

[mensrea]

[ Sadly, the Beethoven reference is totally lost on Stiles. It’s too many jumps for a movie that was before his time. When he thinks of the name Ludwig, naturally only one man comes to mind. So, the name gets his implicit approval despite the inherent dorkiness. As for Steve… ]

He looks like Deucalion, [ he deadpans. ] Put a pair of sunglasses on him and you’ll see.

[ Open your eyes to the truth, Derek. ]