the wolves all cry

Derek knows that Bitty and Jack have been a thing for awhile now, maybe about a month. But then Bitty lost his friend, and Derek isn't such an asshole that he'll mess with Bitty right away. But then Bitty comes into work humming and grinning and smelling so much like sex that Derek can't help it. He just can't.

There's the fact that Derek himself is also in a good mood, and also reeking of morning sex. But Bitty can't smell that.

He waits for Bitty to join him in the back, whistling and swishing his hips all the while, and Derek raises an eyebrow once he gets close enough. "Looks like someone woke up on the right side of the boyfriend this morning."

It's about time that Bitty finds out that Derek is a werewolf.

Derek doesn't really know why he's waited so long. Maybe it's because he enjoys Bitty's company and from what he can tell, there is nothing about the supernatural world that is real where Bitty's from. He just doesn't want to scare Bitty off, but it's starting to reach the point where it feels dishonest, and Derek would much rather be able to be himself.

So that's why he's asked Bitty to meet him in the park, and why he's asked Neil to come along. He knows that Neil and Bitty are acquainted, and Neil has always been so accepting of what Derek is. He likes it, even. He hopes that having Neil there might soften the blow, and if Bitty does freak out and take off, Derek won't be alone.

"There he is," Derek says, nudging Neil's arm before pointing at Bitty. He's sitting at a picnic table a few dozen feet away and Derek lifts his hand in greeting. He takes a few steps away from Neil and suddenly stops. There's a noise like feedback in his ear and he blinks as the ground seems to fall out from underneath him.

One second, Derek is there. The next, he's completely vanished.


Derek opens his eyes in a bit of a panic, letting his gaze dart around. He's still in the park, still in Darrow, but everything is different. The sky is gloomy and dark and everything smells like ash. The scent burns his nostrils, distressingly familiar as it is, and his heart leaps into his throat.

"Neil?" He calls out, turning in a circle even though he's obviously alone. "Bitty? Fuck."