And back again!

[derek_bliss]

He's back. This time, he doesn't creep in, but rather, makes his way in through the portal, stands at the edge of the nexus for a moment, and then takes a step

Comments

[memory_blank]

"...Relax? Uhm, and as to that last question? I'd spend it with the people I love. You know, the, uhm, the usual?" Why hello again, Derek! Yoko's got a bag slung over one shoulder and her laptop under her arm.

"You're not... uhm, that is, you're not... dying, are you?" Her tone of voice is one that is hopeful that Derek's not going to wind up taking a dirt nap, but very afraid that he's not going to be around for long. "Uhm..."

"...Derek? You're kind of acting weird."

[derek_bliss]

"Dying," Derek rolls that word around in his mouth, as if testing it for taste.

"That's not quite right, Yoko. I'm acting fine."

[memory_blank]

"But you don't look okay. Your eyes are, uhm, well... kind of not normal." Glowy eyes are never omens of goodness and sunshine. She sets down her laptop and scratches her head.

"D-did you find Chris and thank him?" Hello, subject change! "B-Because he's been around here a lot more recently, and I hope you found him." Nnnnope, that stammering isn't a sign of fear. Not at all. Whatever gave you that idea?

"...You're not hurt, are you? Do you need help?"

[derek_bliss]

"oh, but I'm dhampire, Yoko. Didn't one of the guys tell you that? The eyes come and go."

He doesn't recall right now that the only STARs member that knows for sure what he is, is Jill.

"I found him. I thanked him. It was only polite."

"And no, Yoko. I'm not hurt."

[memory_blank]

"Uh..." Judging from the sudden surprised look on Yoko's face, the answer to that question would be a resounding "no". She shakes her head a few times. "N-no, I didn't know that. Uhm... you're not acting like yourself. I-I mean, the usual you."

"Then why are your clothes covered in blood? I-is somebody else hurt? Did you..." She shudders at the thought she had but continues anyway. "Did you... kill someone?"

[derek_bliss]

Another smile.

"Only a few vampires. Nothing to worry about."

[memory_blank]

"Derek?" There is a distinct tone of 'oh shit this won't end well' in Yoko's voice. "Uhm... you're not really yourself right now, are you? Your eyes are glowing. And you're acting kind of weird."

"Do you need medical help? Should I get one of your friends? Or Becky?"

[derek_bliss]

"I'm fine, Yoko," Derek repeats patiently, "And no. There's nothing to be helped."

[memory_blank]

"Funny, you don't look okay." Yoko mumbles that under her breath, very quietly. Yyyep, she's worried. Or scared of Derek. The two emotions usually go hand-in-hand.

"So you're... what's going to happen to you?" She doesn't know, although she's got a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. That may or may not be justified.

[derek_bliss]

"Oh, this?" he lifts one tattered corner of his clothing, "Bath'll take care of it," it's dropped again.

"I'll go on about my business as usual."

[memory_blank]

"Until what? You snap back to normal?" Yoko's confused here a little bit. Please to elaborate what happens next! "Until whatever's going on around here is reversed?"

"...This is all so crazy."

[derek_bliss]

"Yoko," that patience is getting a little thin, and his eyes seem to grow brighter for a second, "I am normal."

He stands, and there's that inhuman flow to his movement again.

"...Are you done?"

[memory_blank]

"...Uh-huh. I-I-I think you've proved your point." Yoko takes a reflexive step backwards, inhaling so sharply that it hisses through her teeth. "N-no worries, Derek. I-I understand."

Yep, she understands, all right. That there is Something Seriously Wrong With the Greater Nexus Area, Derek Included. And yes, the capital letters are necessary. "P-please don't hurt me."

Okay, that whimper was also a reflex. Years of things tying to eat you do that to you.

[derek_bliss]

A low, soft, cruel laugh.

"I'm not hungry enough, Yoko."

"Yet."

But I could be, if that's what you really wanted...

[memory_blank]

Yoko usually has pretty good radar for whem things are getting kind of creepy. This is threatening to blow up said radar. She takes another (larger) step backwards, away from Derek.

"Uhm..." Eek. She whimpers quietly. And she thought zombies were as bad as it got in the Nexus. Boy, was she wrong.

"I-I'm not on the menu, thank you very much!"

[derek_bliss]

"Then you might want to go say hello to Kevin, Yoko."

Such a gentle voice. Such underlying threat.