Post by Mason Garcia on Aug 15, 2020 15:45:12 GMT -5
DEREK:
The roar of an old beat up 1986 chevy came rumbling into the abandoned parking lot of the Full Moon Diner late that Friday night, pulling a 1974 wilderness camper. An old Harley was up in the bed of the truck as well. It pulled in, parking out in the tullies. A tall man then climbed out of the truck, giving the door a firm shut. Jiggling the handle to make sure it was locked, the tall man clearly not from Xander's Cross, made his way to the entrance of the Diner. The Moon peeking out from some stray clouds of the Oregon sky. The sound of his boots on the pavement could be heard as he neared the door. The man was dressed like a laborer. Work boots, well-worn work pants, he had a dark green army jacket on that had seen better days. A black t-shirt could be seen underneath it, and a metal bird hung from a silver chain around his neck that rested against his sternum. The odd thing about the man was he was wearing aviator sunglasses as he stepped into the seemingly empty diner. A toothpick hanging out the corner of his mouth was being twirled around by his tongue before he took the sunglasses off and headed for the counter. Dark eyes surveyed the area, ensuring that he was indeed alone, at least for the moment. Pulling an old beat-up flip-phone out of his back pocket, the man began to dial a number as he sat down at the counter. It rang several times before going to voicemail, and the man scowled. "Pick up the phone Hank, You wanted me here, well guess who just rode into town?" The man's deep voice rumbled out. He snapped the phone shut without another word, and tossed it on the counter with his sunglasses, and then reached up to tighten the messy man bun on top of his head. The toothpick twirled around more in his agitation that Hank hadn't answered. He was the one that insisted Derek finally come visit him, the least he could do was answer his damn phone. Hank needed help on a case: a rarity for the retired hunter, who refused to ask for anthers help unless it was absolutely necessary. Derek had tensed up after hearing Hank's first message. Thinking it was serious. By the fiftieth, Derek had thought Hank was going senile. "I thought you were retired?" Derek had asked him over the ham radio he had in his truck. "I am! But this is a special case!" The old man had said. "You said that about that case in Wisconsin." Derek's dry response came. "Just get here kid! I wouldn't be asking if I thought I could handle it!" Hank had growled at him. That there was enough to get Derek's attention. After some mental going back and forth, he'd groaned and thrown the truck in gear to drive the two days to Oregon from Central California. He looked around the diner again, taking it in, as he rested his arms on the counter and leaned forward. Looking to and fro for a waitress or somebody. A moment later his stomach growled in anger. "Oh shut up." He growled, looking down. He patted his belly before he spotted a local newspaper not far down the counter from him. He leaned over, extending his long arm and pulled it closer to him. He began to flip through it, seeing what sort of information he could gather about why the hell Hank had wanted him in Xander's Cross so badly. MASON: Mason was just returning from her break when she heard the rumble of an engine and the thud of a car door out in the parking lot. She hadn't expected a customer at 3:57 in the morning in the sticky August heat, but that was what she got for taking anything for granted in Xander's Cross--you could never predict the eating habits of werewolves. She quickly poured out her cup of coffee in the sink and rinsed out the cup, then hurried towards the front, tying on her apron as she walked. She stopped neatly in front of the customer and gave him her brightest smile while her sleek pony tail swished behind her with the movement. "Hello, and welcome to the Full Moon Diner! Sorry about the wait, I was just on my break." She smiled at the newcomer and took out her pad and pen from the pocket of her apron, looking at him expectantly as she waited for him to lower his newspaper. "My name is Mason, and I'll be your waitress tonight. Can I get you started with a cup of coffee?" Even as she said it, she got the feeling this customer wasn't really a coffee person, and he wasn't going to order breakfast food, either. Nope, he was going to want a bacon cheeseburger, rare, with either a Coca Cola or a milkshake. He just looked like that type of person. Maybe it was the clothes that told her that, or maybe it was just the way had settled in as if he belonged at the counter, but he seemed like a bacon cheeseburger type of person. Plus, he didn't even look tired, despite it being about 4 am. Not many people were as nocturnal as her, even in a town like this, and the people who were didn't bother with things like eating a healthy breakfast at 4 am. Time was relative, anyway, so you could eat breakfast foods whenever you wanted in the Full Moon. She did her best not to look too curious, though with her wide eyes it would probably be easy to spot. Despite all their oddities and cliques, Xander's Cross was still a small town. She recognized most everyone around here, and if they ate at the diner, then she knew their names, too. This guy, whoever he was, definitely wasn't local--even if his aesthetic definitely suited the brand of woods-dwelling, hard-working folk who lived in Xander's Cross. Maybe once she could see his face properly, she'd be able to tell what local family he was related to? He could be in town for the mayor's family or something... He definitely wasn't with the federal agents, though, those guys had on suits all the time, even in the snow. Belatedly, she realized she ought to give him a menu. She quickly snagged one out from under the counter and slipped it onto the counter in front of him. "Here's a menu for ya too. Sorry about that, I'm so used to the regulars I forget that some people don't have the menu memorized!" DEREK: So the place isn't completely abandoned, Derek thought as he heard the waitress finally show up. He could sense her on the other side of the counter, probably looking expectantly at him for his drink. "Apple juice." His gruff voice said as he read the latest article on the mayor. There wasn't much to really go on. "If you have it." He added a few minutes later. Strangely enough, not every diner had his favorite juice. His eyes scanned the rest of the paper, when the landed on the menu sliding on the counter under it, and in front of him. He sighed, and his stomach growled again. He folded up the paper, and then tossed it on counter space beside him, and pushed the menu back to her. "Chocolate milkshake, extra whip, and an extra cherry on top. Bacon cheeseburger, hold the veggies. If you don't have a bacon cheeseburger then put bacon on it, and an extra side of fries." Derek said looking at the waitress. She was a young thing. That's what he first noted about her, with wide eyes that reminded him of a dear. He suddenly wondered how old she was, and why the owner had her working on a night shift. Despite the fact she was probably born and raised here, according to Hank, Xander's Cross was a hub-bub of supernatural activity and you never knew what was coming into town. Like Derek for instance. He crossed his arms on the counter and leaned forward a bit, getting in a comfortable position. He looked at her name tag and then back at her. "Mason huh? Tell me, Mason, what's all the excitement here in Xander's Cross about?" He asked, his lips pulling into a small smile. Wondering if she'd be willing to give him some info. He nodded towards the paper. Derek would seem harmless enough. Like just a passerby that was curious about something interesting, he'd seen in the paper. In all reality, Derek was taking in another sort of information. Beginning to go through his checklist of the supernatural sort. On the lookout for any tells or signs to any of the species Hank said lived in Xander's Cross. MASON: Oh boy. Beneath the beard and the scent of wood smoke and something else, this guy was very handsome. How unhelpful. Mason's heart skipped a beat, but she purposefully ignored it and scribbled down his order instead. It made it hard to think if pretty people smiled at her, but she was a professional. She could totally handle it. She'd guessed his order right, which made her grin as she nodded along, although the apple juice had surprised her. Still, they did have it...technically. "Bacon cheeseburger, no lettuce, tomato, onion, or pickle. Chocolate shake, extra whip, extra cherry, double side of fries. I can getcha the juice too, but it only comes in boxes. That okay? It's Juicy Juice, though, 100% juice." Mason echoed his order back rapid-fire as she stuck her pencil back in her ponytail to get it out of the way and slipped the menu back in its spot under the counter. She barely avoided a giggle at the mental image of this massive guy slurping on a kid-sized juice box, but she made it through by biting her lip instead. She didn't realize it, but she automatically stepped back when the stranger leaned forward, crossing her arms over her chest in a weak form of self-protection. Out-of-towners didn't frighten her on principle, but the thought of the murder sure did. This was her home, her whole family lived here in Xander's Cross, and if the mayor himself could get murdered...what did that mean for the rest of them? Her smile vanished and she looked away from him, staring at one of the salt shakers with a nervous intensity that could have made a grown man cry as she pulled herself together. She shook it off quickly though and gave the customer a weak smile. "I wouldn't call it excitement, sir. It's really more of a tragedy. The mayor was found dead a few days ago, and the whole place is in a tizzy. Even worse, we don't have any details, so the gossip is just people arguing with each other about it. Frankly, I wish the police would set the record straight, but you read the article, so you know as much as me." She shrugged and headed for the kitchen, unwilling to speak further on the subject. The more distance she could put between her and that death, the happier she'd be. "I'll be right back with that juice for you," she called over her shoulder, hoping to appease him with that instead of news. If he didn't stop her, she'd be gone for a few minutes, her absence filled by the sound of clattering dishes and spattering oil as the night cook got to work on the order. When she returned, she would bring back three small juice boxes and set them in front of the man. DEREK: Derek nodded at her that the juice was fine. "Juice is juice, I ain't complaining." He said. So what if he'd be a nearly thirty-year-old man drinking out of a juice box. He watched her as she told him about the mayor. It was the same thing Hank's messages told him, however, Hank had implied there was more than foul play afoot. That supernatural had to do with it. His foster father had told him he'd fill him in on all the details he had once he got into town, but Derek wanted at least a bit of information so he wasn't going in to see Hank completely out of the loop. Derek gave a solemn nod. "My condolences." He said. He watched her then leave to go to the kitchen, and in the next moment, Derek was reaching for the salt. He stood up, looking to where Mason had disappeared to make sure she wasn't coming back right away, and then extended his arm out, he unscrewed the top of the salt shaker off and then poured a salt line in front of the counter in front of him. He quickly sat back down, and put the shaker on its side, making it look like it had rolled and spilled the salt over the edge. He added a good swear loud enough to make it more believable. He stood up when Mason returned. "Ah, I accidentally knocked the salt over, I'm such a klutz." He chuckled, giving her an apologetic smile. His eyes watched her hands as she put the boxes in front of him. Essentially crossing his salt barrier. Okay, not a demon... Good. He didn't want to have to destroy the diner before breakfast. He thought when she didn't recoil in pain. He picked up the salt shaker, righting it. "Didn't mean to make more work for ya." He said, judging her reaction. MASON: Mason frowned down at the salt as it crunched under her shoes, but smiled up at the customer. "Oh, that's fine. It must have been loose already, or the cap never would have come off like that..." She looked thoughtful for a moment, as she wondered how that had happened. She refilled those at the beginning of her shift, and she'd been the one to close them up. Still, there had been plenty of customers since then who could have messed with things... Oh, that was probably it. She laughed at the memory of the boys who had been in here joking around and trying to fluster her earlier. "I'll bet it was one of the high school boys that were in here around midnight. They were probably hoping to prank a friend who didn't end up using it. Anyway, I'll get a broom." She hustled off to get the broom and dustpan, coming back a few seconds later. As she swept, she looked up at the man, wondering again why he was in town. He hadn't known about the mayor, so he must not be related. What on earth would he come to Xander's Cross for, then? It would probably be rude to come right out and ask, but she could at least start with his name, right? She glanced up at him between strokes as she deftly cleaned up the spill. "I'm sorry, I don't think I got your name," she admitted as a way of prompting him. "I know most of the locals, too, so you must be from out of town, right?" There, that would be okay. She didn't want to make him uncomfortable, but then, sitting here in silence wasn't going to be too comfortable for the two of them either. If he made it clear he wasn't looking to chat, she'd keep herself busy washing down tables and mopping the floor instead, but she liked getting to know the customers better. Once she'd swept all the salt into the dustpan, she grabbed a pinch of it up off the counter and threw it over her left shoulder, then tapped next to the rest of that pile to indicate it to him. "You'd better throw some over your shoulder too, you know. Spilled salt is bad luck." He might write her off as superstitious, but in a town like this, you learned to take that kind of thing seriously. Better safe than sorry, after all... DEREK: Nodding at her reasoning, as if it was the perfect explanation for why the salt spilled, Derek reached for one of his juice boxes. He pulled the little straw off and began pulling it out of the wrapper. Watching her go off to get a broom while he stuck the straw in the box. He brought it to his lips and gave a pull of it. A smirk coming to his lips at how easily people could be tricked. He swallowed and pulled the straw away from his lips when she came back. He watched her sweep. Relaxing a bit, but he was still a bit guarded. "Ah right. Name's Derek." He told her. Taking another pull from the juice box. It was good apple juice. He picked up one of the other boxes to look at the brand. He used his real name rather than giving her a fake one since Hank lived here. It was a bit... different. Pretending not to be someone else. It was nice as well. He set the box down, not realizing he'd downed almost the entire box already until a slurping sound sounded. He set it off to the side and pulled the straw out. Reusing it for the next box. He glanced up when he caught her tossing salt over her shoulder, and then gave him some. He arched an eyebrow at her. "It also stings like a son of a bitch." He said unfiltered. Almost not realizing what he had said. He reached for some of the salt on the counter as well. He took a pinch of it and looked up at her. "Had to gargle salt water once." He said. He gave her a small smile. "You superstitious Mason?" He asked. Tossing the salt over his shoulder and lifted the straw up to his lips while he looked at her. MASON: "Welcome to Xander's Cross, then, Derek." She couldn't help giggling as he slurped loudly on the tiny juice box, and then was outright laughing after he swore about the salt. Once he explained it made pretty good sense, so she managed to get herself under control. Gargling salt was excellent for disinfecting canker sores and other mouth injuries. There was a reason it was used as a purifier since ancient times, after all. His reaction to the salt 'superstition,' however, didn't surprise her at all. Mason smiled with closed lips, turning over the secret of her life on her tongue. She could easily tell him. Most of the townsfolk knew about her and her sister. Honestly, with the type of shop Lauren ran, it wasn't much of a leap to figure out what their family's quirk was. And yet Mason swallowed the truth and shrugged instead. Better not to risk the danger of bringing a witch hunt down on their little haven. While 'witchcraft' was practiced more openly these days among those who wished they were true witches, she knew enough of her family history to recognize the danger of trusting outsiders. All it took was one persuasive man and a frightened hoard to bring down an entire culture. "You could say that," she answered coyly, "I guess it runs in the family." She scooted back to lean her hips against the counter behind her and scootched her feet out to prop herself up, looking for a more comfortable way to stay and chat since he seemed open to it. She was becoming more curious by the minute--he'd smoothly avoided telling her why he was in town, where every other tourist on their way someplace else seemed ready to drown her in trip details if she so much as glanced in their direction. What was this guy up to, then? "What'd you gargle it for? Canker sores? Or were your parents trying to clean out that sailor's mouth of yours?" The now-open smile on her face belied the weak insult, making it perfectly clear that she was teasing. She couldn't even fake being mean--she ruined it immediately every time she tried. DEREK: Derek slowly brought the straw to his lips and opened his mouth. Watching Mason's reaction. She seemed a bit tight-lipped from how she'd been previously. It runs in the family. So you're a witch huh? He thought. He couldn't be positive but her comment was a giant hint. Hank could probably confirm his hunch. Derek relaxed further, feeling a bit full of himself at figuring out what mason was so quick. He sipped from the juice and watched her get comfortable, as she settled in to probably ask him some questions of her own. "You could say a bit of both, though I got my sailor's mouth from my dad. He didn't have much of a filter either." He shot her a sly grin around the straw. Hank had forced him to gargle the stuff after Derek had messed with something he hadn't to purify himself. Hank had been swearing up a storm at him, and Derek had sworn back at him. Hank had added more salt than necessary just for his quip. "Mostly it was for whenever I got strep throat." Which wasn't a lie either. Warm salt water tasted fucking nasty, but it did help the throat. Hank apparently had an ole witch friend that had taught him all sorts of ole wives tales remedies. Drinking a glass of water with a spoon full of baking soda in it for heartburn, gargling saltwater for strep throat, hank even had a salve that stunk to high heaven for cuts that healed better than Neosporin. He emptied that juice box quickly and went on to his third. "What's small-town living like?" He asked glancing up. Derek had never been settled, always on the move, and was curious about how she felt about the small town. Hank loved it here for whatever reason. Derek thought it was because he surrounded himself with what he had spent years hunting, but Hank insisted that it was something else. "Xander's Cross is special, boy. The folks here are good people, and not like the baddies you and I took care of." Hank always preached. Derek was of the mindset all supernatural were baddies. Some could be useful, and timid enough not to stay in line with the laws, behaving. But then, others took advantage of what they were and hurt people. In Derek's mind, any supernatural was capable of harm, it was just a matter of time for when they did. Because of that, he didn't trust them. Not a one. MASON: Mason laughed again as he confided that he'd inherited the swears from his father. It didn't bother her, really. She didn't curse much herself, but she'd found that it was really the intent behind the words that mattered more than the cursing itself. She didn't feel any of the hostile energy from Derek that some of the local troublemakers gave off, so she wasn't worried. What was small-town living like? Good question. "Well, I can't say we're the typical small town, but as for Xander's Cross, it's more interesting than you'd think. With all of us in this little petri dish, there's a lot of connections you might not realize. Everyone has their own lives, hopes, dreams, secrets... I like to watch it all build off each other and crystalize. I don't get involved much, but some people need a place to vent. Normally that's a bartender if you trust the movies, but I think I do a pretty good job too." She shrugged. "People are people, no matter where you go. We've got our own quirks, for sure, but everyone's just trying to make a good life for themselves and their families. It's reassuring, I think." She leaned down to snag her sports bottle of water from under the counter and took a moment to drink some of it. The pause gave her a moment to think over what she'd answered off the cuff. "Maybe that wasn't quite what you meant? I think I have a different view than most people since I'm kind of on the edge of it all. You'd have to talk to somebody who's out there more, like one of the Adventure Scout leaders, or maybe Mrs. Starkwood, if you want to know what it's like to really be in it." DEREK: Derek's dark brown eyes watched Mason as she answered. He felt it was an honest answer, and found himself looking at her curiously, as she told him. She was a fly on the wall if he had a guess. She probably knew way more about what was going on with the townspeople than she probably realized. People trusted her with their secrets if they decided to vent without worry. It said a lot about a person. It said a lot about a witch who could do a lot of damage to the townsfolk with the secrets she knew... He leaned back in his seat, sipping his juice. Probably looking quite ridiculous, but he didn't care. He lowered the juice box and set it on the counter and shook his head at her. A smirk appearing on his face. "That's exactly what I meant." He said. "You probably know everyone in town then huh?" He said. A close-lipped smile on his face suddenly grew into a devilish, mischievous grin as he leaned forward, resting his chin in his hand. "I'm gonna be in town for a couple of days. Who's the oddest here? Or at least the one I should watch out for?" He asked. Curious to know. He had a hunch about who it might be but wasn't about to give any indication to who he was connected to in town. With that thought, the sudden buzz of his cell phone suddenly went off and began to vibrate on the counter. Recognizing Hank's number, he reached over and pushed the button on the side to send it to voice mail. Served him right for not answering Derek when he called him the first time. A smirk appeared on his face. He could just picture Hank swearing at his phone, cursing Derek's name as he tried to call him again. Two seconds later, right on cue, he called again, and Derek silenced him once more. He chuckled and then turned his attention back to Mason. Hank could wait a bit more. The little witch in front of him couldn't. MASON: Mason laughed again as she considered who could be called the 'oddest' one in town. There were so many people with interesting habits, it was hard to say one way or the other. She had just opened her mouth to answer when his phone buzzed, and she hesitated. She was just a stranger, so if someone was calling, they should really take priority. She waited for him to take it, and looked almost horrified when he muted it. She really didn't need to hog his attention. Maybe he just wasn't comfortable talking to whoever it was with her around? Maybe a girlfriend or boyfriend? "I won't be offended if you take that, you know. I can even go hang out in the kitchen for a bit if you need privacy..." she offered as the phone began ringing again. When he silenced it again and turned to her, she took that as her cue to answer his question instead. "Well, just let me know if you need me to. Anyway. The weirdest person in town is a tough competition around here." She tugged on her ponytail absently as she narrowed down her list, and looked up at the neon '24 hour' sign in the window as she recalled the details. "The top two live right next to each other, Hank and Magenta. Magenta changed her name to Magenta Rose Pinkerton, her house is pink, her hair is pink, she only wears pink, and she always orders strawberry pancakes and a strawberry milkshake when she comes in so that her food is pink too. She looks like she's maybe in her fifties? But she's got enough energy that she might as well be closer to my age." She listed off on her fingers as she described the spunky older woman. "Hank is a different story. I couldn't tell you how old he is, but he seems to think everyone is out to get him. It's kinda frustrating because he gets so worked up, but nobody's really gonna do anything to him. Most everybody likes him, even. He's pretty nice, too, once you get him to calm down. He always calls me Miss Mason, and I call him Sir when I take his order."She grinned just thinking about it. "With older men, you just have to be extra polite and it takes the fight right out of them. Unless they're real jerks, then there's nothing you can do." She genuinely liked both the people she'd described. Weird they may be, but they were harmless when it came down to it. Just people living their lives. She shrugged. "Everyone's pretty much harmless, though, those two are just fun. Magenta has a crush on Hank, I think, and some of the locals are saying she should ask him out." "As far as watching out for anything, I think you're alright as long as you don't wander off into the woods. The wildlife is a little different than what you might be used to. Oh, and don't go near the deer. They're protected." DEREK: Derek blanked his expression as she began to describe the town weirdoes. He should have been surprised but wasn't when she had Hank tied for first place. He found himself grinning and shaking his head. Acting as if he couldn't believe it. "Hank and Magenta huh? Alright, I'll keep my eyes peeled." He said. His phone vibrated yet again, just as angry as the last time. It ended as Derek muted Hank yet again, and this time the voicemail icon showed up. He reached over for it, flipping the phone open. "Sorry, let me listen to this for one sec." He said. He pushed the play button and lifted the phone to his ear, smiling at Mason even as the long string of swearing suddenly exploded in his ear. He held the phone away a bit, and picked up his juice box as he heard Hank call him a no-good son of a bitch, and that if he didn't call him back he was going to sick the damn dog on him and find him. Derek smiled as he closed the phone. Drawing juice out of the straw. "Telephone marketer." He told Mason. "And a persistent one at that." He said. "Deer are protected huh?" He asked. His curiosity piqued. "I don't get surprised by much." He told her. The ding of the bell sounded, and Derek and looked up and over to the ready up window, seeing a burger sitting upon it. "How long you been here Mason? I take it you're a local?" He asked her. Not in any hurry for his food as he finished his last juice box and then stacked them next to each other. "I think I'll also take that coffee now. I'm going to need a lot of fucking energy for who will likely come through that door in the next hour." He shot her a wink. Knowing something she didn't. MASON: Not easily surprised? Well, she wasn't either, at least not by what was in the woods, but it had still given her a start when she saw what the deer around here ate... Oh well, there was no use arguing. He'd learn from experience if it came to that. She didn't buy the telephone marketer excuse, although his smile didn't falter. She couldn't make out the exact words of the voicemail, but she could certainly pick up on the mood of it. Someone was yelling, loudly. She was curious still, but she decided it wasn't really any of her business. 'Order up!' The cook rang the bell behind her, and she spun around to grab the finished order, deftly slinging the burger, fries, and milkshake onto the counter in front of Derek without batting an eyelash. The meal practically sparkled with rising steam and an (un)healthy shine of delicious oil and salt. She leaned across the counter to grab a glass bottle of ketchup from down the way and slid it over to clink gently against the heaping plate of fries. "Here you go! I hope it's up to snuff for an out-of-towner." She winked before turning away to set to brewing a fresh pot of coffee for him. She answered his question as she bustled around behind the counter: filling the pot, measuring the coffee grounds, and starting the machine. "Mhm, I'm Xander's Cross born and bred. My family has been here since westward expansion when indigenous people and Hispanics got pushed out of the land that was being freed up for the homesteaders. Let's just say that my family of poor Mestizo farmers wasn't exactly popular. But, Xander's Cross has always been a haven for people who were outsiders anywhere else. My ancestors settled in here in the old part of town, and have been here ever since. We're not as loud about it as the Starkwoods, but the Garcias are part of the fabric of this town." The smell of fresh coffee soon mingled with the smell of the bacon from his burger, reminding her of Sunday brunch. Hmm...she'd have to get the cook to make her some waffles next time the diner was empty... She pulled herself back to the moment when the coffee started to filter down into the pot, turning back to Derek with a raised eyebrow. "Now, what do you mean by that, I wonder?" She quipped, putting her hands on her hips. "Someone in town expecting you?" She kept an eye on him as she grabbed the finished pot and poured them each a mug of coffee. "Cream and sugar?" DEREK: Derek could tell right away Mason had been on the job for a long time, what with the way she moved to go get his order and bring it back to him. He watched the ketchup bottle slide over and he found himself smirking. A bit impressed with her. He reached for the ketchup bottle and began to create a small pond of it on his fry plate and then dipped a french fry in. Practically inhaling it and barely chewing. Not minding if it was a little hot. He dug into his food then, keeping an eye on her as she made the coffee. Making sure she didn't try to spike it or put anything in it. He had to move around in his chair with a mouthful of fries to make sure he kept her hands in his sight the whole time, but he somehow managed before she turned around. Garcia huh? Derek made a mental note to research her family later to see if he could find any ties to Salem, or witches that did stuff they weren't supposed to. He swallowed the mouth full of fries and lifted the burger to his lips as he made eye contact with her and then took a slow bite. He shrugged his shoulders. He knew Hank had wanted him here but was expecting him so soon. "Not really. Just sort of dropped in." He said with his mouth full. Not caring he had a dollop of ketchup on the corner of his mouth that was about to slide down onto his plate. He shook his head at her question of cream and sugar and reached for a napkin. He wiped his face and then reached for the cup. Taking it from her. "Much appreciate it." He said with a small smile. He blew on it before he took a sip and set it down. "It's good." He said nodding his head before he went back to eating. To watch Derek eat, would be like watching a man you would have thought hadn't eaten anything in days. It took him no time at all to down the burger before he was pulling the milkshake to him and proceeding to dip his french fries in the chocolate ice cream before chowing down on those. He didn't say much of anything as he ate. His stomach reminding him that he'd neglected it for some time. And he had. Derek hadn't had a proper meal in a week. Too busy with work, and surviving off his cliff bars, graham crackers, and a jug of apple juice. He leaned back in his seat when some of the edge was off and sucked on the straw of the milkshake. "Gotta say, Mason, I bet you make a lotta out of towners come back with food like that." He hummed, very content with the meal. He saluted her with his milkshake before he brought it up to his lips. MASON: Hasn't anyone fed this man? Mason found herself wondering as she poured a hefty dollop of cream into her coffee and followed it with two packets of sugar. Derek was tearing into that meal like he hadn't eaten in weeks. He was fit enough that she knew that must not be the case, but she couldn't entirely ease the squeeze of concern that had gripped her heart. He acted tough, that much was for sure, but something about Derek was giving her the feeling that he had more than his fair share of ghosts hovering over his shoulder. He seemed like somebody who needed a home. Like someone who needed Xander's Cross. She frowned at the outright lie that he had just dropped in--she could tell right away that he was hiding the truth. Didn't he know he was doing a terrible job, after that phone call? Either he was running to something or away from it, she wasn't sure which. Whatever it was, he couldn't keep out of it for long. That was just the way of things. It reminded her of her mother smoothing her hands over her hair when she was a girl, and kissing her forehead. Que sera, sera, Mrs. Garcia had reminded her daughter whenever she was too filled with worries and 'what ifs' to move forward. It was a comfort and a warning. Whatever will be, will be. There was no hiding from the future. It always came. She laughed at his compliment about the meal and the way he directed it at her, returning a smile to her lips. "We sure do! I'll be sure to let the cook know you liked it, too. Personally, I'm a sucker for the breakfast. But then, maybe I just love waffles." She shrugged. "You staying in town long? You can get a room over at the B&B, you know. Selene, the owner, keeps it real nice. And not too expensive, either. Lots of people's families stay over there when they visit."
last edited Aug 17, 2020 11:32:44 GMT -5 by Admin
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Xander's Cross, Oregon: a small town ringed with forbidding mountains and misty forest. The sky may be gray, but the townspeople are welcoming to people of all kinds...and things that are not quite human as well. Here the native shifters, aliens, werewolves, and witches live in peace. They have yet to find out the new business owners encroaching on the land are also vampires.
The peace has been broken by murder, however, and things in Xander's Cross are about to become quite a bit darker.
Welcome to your new home.