Yeah. He -- blacked out. But, he's inside getting real sleep. And, if he gets up, we're here.
( If he doesn't sound confident, at least he should sound hopeful. )
This is his house. I live in the David Cliff apartments. ( But, Derek had found him sleeping in his Jeep. Not a place acceptable for sleeping. Not for Stiles, anyway. For Derek, that's a bit of a hypocritical story. )
He says it's been happening more. He doesn't... know why. He was a part of this - ritual. It should've darkened his heart, whatever that means, but it might've...
( He doesn't know how to put it. Caused the sleep walking? )
[ Could be a medical thing. Could also have a more unnatural connotation. ]
You look out for him then. You're a good friend. [ He frowns a little as Derek continues. A tick of his jaw as it clenches. ]
What kind of ritual? [ There's a lot of ways dark rituals can go and he doesn't have all the information he needs to sort it out. Not yet. ] You're worried it's changed something in him.
( Friend is a stretch, Derek wants to say. Derek is in his twenties and Stiles is 16? 17? But, he does look out for him, if only for Scott's benefit. And because, yes, Derek cares. Contrary to what some believe. Contrary to what Stiles used to believe. )
He's different. Talking a mile a minute, still, but always exhausted. Distracted. Sometimes, it seems like he can't get messages through. Like, he forgets how letters work. ( Is that a silly way to describe it. ) Stiles said that he, Scott, and Allison - his friends - they each went into an ice bath. They were held under, all in an effort to find their missing parents. I don't know what kind of ritual. Druidic, if anything. ( He considers his drink, taking a sip. ) It opened them up to - something else. What they experienced after, Stiles described it as bardo. You've heard of it?
[ Even so, acquaintances don't typically go out of their way the way Derek is for Stiles. Could just be a good Samaritan thing but it seems like there's more at play. He contemplates the liquid in his glass as the other man explains.
It isn't until he mentions that name that his head shoots up, eyes narrowing and giving a wary chuckle. ]
Bardo? You're sure he said that? [ His thumb taps the side of the glass in his hands idly. ] It's Tibetan. For those that don't know the name you do they call it piercing the veil. A connection to the subject and a dash of cardiac arrest---
It'd help you find someone, sure.
[ It could also draw other things if they didn't, say, have the same wards that John does gaurding him. ]
( How John describes it. Cardiac arrest. His heart skips one beat, with worry, but Stiles clearly survived cardiac arrest. As did Allison and Scott? Stiles mentioned them after, too, so they're still around. )
It worked. They found where their parents were being held. In a root cellar by a preserve outside of town.
[ But he has wards and protections guarding his soul and body. These things are doorstops of a kind. They keep not so savory things from following him back if they were so inclined. ]
It was after that the strange things started happening? The change in him?
[ John sets his glass down and picks up the bottle to add a little more to it. He offers the same for Derek's. ]
It could be. I have spiritual wards that protect me when I do the things that I do. I wasn't lying when I told you it's about how a person uses magic but I toe the line. [ Setting the bottle back down and retrieving his own glass to cradle. He thumbs at the rim of the cup idly. ] It's possible something could have attached itself to him.
Without those protections, it's like leaving your door unlocked in the worst part of town. Only a matter of time before someone works it out.
( John offers, so Derek holds his glass out. He's barely made a dent, but, sure. Pour him up to the brim. )
Something or someone.
( Or, is it both? Derek furrows his brow, thinking about the horrible possibility, like someone being a passenger with Stiles. Maybe hindering his sleep. He is blacking out. )
[ If they are trying to forget what just went down in town and the like? May as well. There's also the bonus of their new topic of conversation. ]
Do you think your friend would be willing to let me talk to him?
[ The unspoken question of: does Derek trust him enough after what happened in town to let him? He isn't trying to push too hard too fast. His resistance to the idea of a dark magic user is completely understandable. ]
( He tips the glass back, drinking about half of what was poured, swallowing it. And, maybe Derek doesn't outright trust him. But, Derek knows he could be helpful for Stiles. So, that's now on his radar. )
Course, figured it was the least I could do after all that.
[ He nods and caps the bottle, finishing off his glass and leaving it on the stair as he sighs, getting to his feet. It's a little cooler out. He might walk a little rather than back to his own place, who knows.
Well, I'm just glad another one didn't manage to get a nibble as well. Don't worry about giving over anything.
[ Should he have had a drink after getting bit? Probably not. Will he continue to make questionable decisions in the future. For certain. The smile he offers isn't snarky or hiding anything. If anything, it's a little fond. ]
It was. [ Not a bad feeling. Not one that John gets to indulge in too often either. He looks around the porch area a moment in thought. ] Even if your friend doesn't want to talk, I could come back another time. Try a boundary spell.
Might put the both of you a little more at ease at least.
( Surprise, Constantine. Derek's all healed up. He can't do anything about you, save for your pain if you wanted that, if he was honest about what he was. )
I will ask, because it's not my place to decide. ( He's not Stiles' alpha. Just his - sort of friend. ) You're welcome to come back. Just - text or call first. I don't like drop-ins.
p[ He's noticed he doesn't seem to be any worse for wear, considering. He's not going to press for information on the matter though. Besides, figuring it out is the best bit. ]
You let me know, big man. [ A grin as he takes a step away then stops. ] I'll make sure I do. Night, Derek.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2020-03-23 04:50 am (UTC)( If he doesn't sound confident, at least he should sound hopeful. )
This is his house. I live in the David Cliff apartments. ( But, Derek had found him sleeping in his Jeep. Not a place acceptable for sleeping. Not for Stiles, anyway. For Derek, that's a bit of a hypocritical story. )
He says it's been happening more. He doesn't... know why. He was a part of this - ritual. It should've darkened his heart, whatever that means, but it might've...
( He doesn't know how to put it. Caused the sleep walking? )
no subject
Date: 2020-03-25 06:10 am (UTC)[ Could be a medical thing. Could also have a more unnatural connotation. ]
You look out for him then. You're a good friend. [ He frowns a little as Derek continues. A tick of his jaw as it clenches. ]
What kind of ritual? [ There's a lot of ways dark rituals can go and he doesn't have all the information he needs to sort it out. Not yet. ] You're worried it's changed something in him.
no subject
Date: 2020-03-25 06:19 am (UTC)He's different. Talking a mile a minute, still, but always exhausted. Distracted. Sometimes, it seems like he can't get messages through. Like, he forgets how letters work. ( Is that a silly way to describe it. ) Stiles said that he, Scott, and Allison - his friends - they each went into an ice bath. They were held under, all in an effort to find their missing parents. I don't know what kind of ritual. Druidic, if anything. ( He considers his drink, taking a sip. ) It opened them up to - something else. What they experienced after, Stiles described it as bardo. You've heard of it?
no subject
Date: 2020-03-26 10:34 pm (UTC)It isn't until he mentions that name that his head shoots up, eyes narrowing and giving a wary chuckle. ]
Bardo? You're sure he said that? [ His thumb taps the side of the glass in his hands idly. ] It's Tibetan. For those that don't know the name you do they call it piercing the veil. A connection to the subject and a dash of cardiac arrest---
It'd help you find someone, sure.
[ It could also draw other things if they didn't, say, have the same wards that John does gaurding him. ]
no subject
Date: 2020-03-26 11:16 pm (UTC)( How John describes it. Cardiac arrest. His heart skips one beat, with worry, but Stiles clearly survived cardiac arrest. As did Allison and Scott? Stiles mentioned them after, too, so they're still around. )
It worked. They found where their parents were being held. In a root cellar by a preserve outside of town.
no subject
Date: 2020-03-28 12:08 am (UTC)[ But he has wards and protections guarding his soul and body. These things are doorstops of a kind. They keep not so savory things from following him back if they were so inclined. ]
It was after that the strange things started happening? The change in him?
no subject
Date: 2020-03-28 11:53 pm (UTC)That's what he described. You think that's what's happening to him. He's sleep walking because he pierced the veil.
no subject
Date: 2020-03-29 08:53 pm (UTC)It could be. I have spiritual wards that protect me when I do the things that I do. I wasn't lying when I told you it's about how a person uses magic but I toe the line. [ Setting the bottle back down and retrieving his own glass to cradle. He thumbs at the rim of the cup idly. ] It's possible something could have attached itself to him.
Without those protections, it's like leaving your door unlocked in the worst part of town. Only a matter of time before someone works it out.
no subject
Date: 2020-03-29 09:02 pm (UTC)Something or someone.
( Or, is it both? Derek furrows his brow, thinking about the horrible possibility, like someone being a passenger with Stiles. Maybe hindering his sleep. He is blacking out. )
no subject
Date: 2020-03-29 10:21 pm (UTC)Do you think your friend would be willing to let me talk to him?
[ The unspoken question of: does Derek trust him enough after what happened in town to let him? He isn't trying to push too hard too fast. His resistance to the idea of a dark magic user is completely understandable. ]
no subject
Date: 2020-03-29 11:36 pm (UTC)( He tips the glass back, drinking about half of what was poured, swallowing it. And, maybe Derek doesn't outright trust him. But, Derek knows he could be helpful for Stiles. So, that's now on his radar. )
Thank you. For the night cap.
no subject
Date: 2020-03-30 01:33 am (UTC)[ He nods and caps the bottle, finishing off his glass and leaving it on the stair as he sighs, getting to his feet. It's a little cooler out. He might walk a little rather than back to his own place, who knows.
Speaking of, though: ] 8347 Starling Lane.
If you need anything.
no subject
Date: 2020-03-30 01:38 am (UTC)( Not that -- he'd offered anything. Derek finishes the contents of his glass and sets it down on the step, using the railing to pull him up. )
This was - nice. ( Turning his brain off, and maybe getting closer to what's going on with Stiles. To speaking to a life-size adult. Even the drink. )
no subject
Date: 2020-03-30 02:25 am (UTC)[ Should he have had a drink after getting bit? Probably not. Will he continue to make questionable decisions in the future. For certain. The smile he offers isn't snarky or hiding anything. If anything, it's a little fond. ]
It was. [ Not a bad feeling. Not one that John gets to indulge in too often either. He looks around the porch area a moment in thought. ] Even if your friend doesn't want to talk, I could come back another time. Try a boundary spell.
Might put the both of you a little more at ease at least.
no subject
Date: 2020-03-30 03:23 am (UTC)I will ask, because it's not my place to decide. ( He's not Stiles' alpha. Just his - sort of friend. ) You're welcome to come back. Just - text or call first. I don't like drop-ins.
no subject
Date: 2020-03-30 06:23 am (UTC)You let me know, big man. [ A grin as he takes a step away then stops. ] I'll make sure I do. Night, Derek.