can't win for losing [derek]

[KENNEDY NYOTA GARDNER]

Even though she told her clients about the dangers of certain kinds of fatty foods and how they should go on diets and really think about their health – go for carrot sticks instead of french fries, Kennedy was pleased to be going against her own advice. The hunter was really in top shape, and knew all about the body and fitness, since she was a personal trainer at the gym. Her clients were all types: high school kids wanting to train for a sport, overweight parents who had gotten lazy after having children, older humans who wanted to get back in shape after being diagnosed with some major health issue... but Kennedy enjoyed her job, even if the laziness of people really did astound her sometimes. Even when she was a child, Kennedy had loved to run around and play sports, lift weights, and be physically active with her brother. AJ was a natural athlete, and it must have been genetic, because she picked up everything right along side him.

When they'd started training with the Montgomery family, she had been able to match her brother at everything, too. Hand-to-hand combat, even though her brother was physically stronger, swords, guns, knives... they were the perfect pair. Because even where her brother had an advantage biologically since he was male, Kennedy had the determination and willpower it took to be his equal – every fight, every time. The female hunter's determination was something that nobody could match, however, and in that regard, she'd never truly met an equal, not even her beloved brother. AJ didn't come around as often as he used to, because both of them knew that it would be dangerous to be seen together, especially since Manuka was crawling with hunters and other supernaturals that might not have their loyalties in the right place. AJ was the only person in the world that Kennedy knew she could completely trust, because they'd always had each others' backs. When their parents died, it had been them against the world, and even though they'd loved the Montgomery's son Kyle like a brother, he hadn't been one of them. Something made them different... special. And that bond was something that Kennedy knew would never be broken. She loved the fighting, hunting, and killing more than just about anything, but that bond was the thing she held most dear.

Because of the way she was wired, she was used to living a lonely life, so to speak. Other than when she was with AJ, Kennedy had always been alone. Eating at restaurants alone, seeing movies by herself, it was just another part of her daily routine, like working or hunting. Kennedy looked at the large pizza in front of her, from the Italian restaurant that had become one of her favorites in town. My clients would totally be jealous right now...

[/color] Kennedy picked up a piece of the very large, very cheesy pizza, and guided a slice all the way to her mouth before getting lost in the perfect bite of pizza. Some days, she'd be hungry enough to eat an entire pizza on her own, which was really one of those things people had to see to believe. But today, since she'd just been working instead of chasing down supernaturals, she'd probably only be able to finish half, and would save the other half for when she didn't feel like cooking later. She wasn't a terrible cook (she didn't burn water or anything), but she'd much prefer having a restaurant chef cook for her over doing it herself any day. She made enough money to get by, and was pretty sure that the contents of her fridge wouldn't be able to yield any edible results. When she'd rummaged through that morning, she noted that she only had a half-empty jar of salsa, some bread, and milk that she planned to use for cereal until she discovered by the 'sniff test' that it had not only expired, but probably had gone bad at least three weeks prior to her getting a craving for cereal. Kennedy ending up having her cereal dry and directly out of the box instead.

Kennedy was about halfway through her first slice when she noticed a young man staring at her as he made his way back to where he was sitting, most likely. He had a drink in his hand, but wasn't really paying attention to where he was going. Kennedy looked back at her pizza, because she didn't want him to think that she was interested in any kind of conversation... even though he was probably a nice guy (and deep down, she really did prefer the nice ones), he was kind of dopey looking. And, if he wasn't careful, he was going to end up tripping or bumping into someone, and spill that drink everywhere. Just as he was passing her booth, Kennedy realized that the thought had happened just in time to prove correct...[/blockquote][/justify]
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OUTFIT:[/color] Here!

[DEREK JEREMY BRENSEN]

with your heart like a stone
YOU SPARED NO TIME IN LASHING OUT

Derek always felt so out of place in public places. He stood outside of Georgio's, his blue green eyes scanning the streets for his friend who had planned to meet him their for business matters. Slowly, his father was letting him get involved in their family business. For years his father had kept him in the dark about what they were actually doing, but now that he was growing older his father was trusting him with the Brensen secret. All that time he had thought his father owned several psychiatric facilities. Apparently it was more than just that and Derek was growing more and more curious. He was hoping this meeting his friend would clear all of those questions. Derek pulled out his phone to check the time and sighed loudly when he realized how late this person was. One thing Derek hated more than anything was someone who did not understand the importance of punctuality no matter the circumstance. Even in a casual event it is just common courtesy to be on time.

Derek ran his hands through his hair in frustration, wishing he had just stayed in bed that day. Avoiding socialization and only focusing on his school and work had been keeping him sane for the most part, so why would he stop now? It wasn't a healthy choice, but if it meant not risking getting his heart stomped on again that would be the answer. Derek didn't even want to meet with this man anyways. He called him a friend, but they only hung out for business reasons or whenever the other wanted something. That didn't sound like a friendship to him. He checked his phone for the last time and figured he might as well get himself a drink while he waited. Derek had no patience for people who showed up late to anything. He wondered how long it really would take this guy to show up, even if he showed up at all. How could he set up something and then cancel out on his own plans?

He pushed through the two doors that lead into the restaurant and let his eyes take in the scene around him. Derek had never in his life heard of this restaurant in all the years he had lived in Manuka. There were always little hole in the walls scattered around that were to be discovered. Derek smiled kindly at the hostess who told him to seat himself anywhere. He nodded a quick thanks and made his way over to the bar. Derek had let himself drown in alcohol for the past months. After going to that party with Weston his mind had been all screwed up. He had drunkenly kissed his friend and even though he didn't want to admit it to himself, he kind of liked it and that disturbed him deeply. Now whenever he went out he was desperately trying to find at least one woman who caught his eye. He had forced himself to go out to a club and did not see one girl who he was the least bit attracted to. Either he was extremely picky or he was secretly attracted to men. Derek really hoped that wasn't true because his family would instantly disown him if they were to find out.

Derek pulled himself onto the stool that was in front of the bar and put his head in his hands for a few moments until the bartender came over to assist him. He ordered a white russian and turned his head slightly to survey the people in the restaurant. There weren't too many people, so it must have been a slow day. He paid and tipped the waitress when she brought him his drink and he pulled himself off of the chair to go find a table to wait for his friend. Derek took a few sips from his drinks and began to walk to a booth when a woman caught his eye. He knew it was rude to stare, but he hadn't seem a girl so stunning in a long time. After things got patchy with Vaeda, he realized that no woman could measure up to her beauty. This woman though, she was like something out of a movie and when she locked eyes with him he wanted nothing more than to talk to. There was no way in hell he would find another woman who actually made him do a double take and for a few seconds forget about Vaeda. Derek was trying his best to pry his eyes off of her, but as soon as he did he ran straight into someone rather roughly.

He stumbled back a few steps and cursed loudly when he realized some of his drink got on his clothes. Derek looked up to apologize to the person he ran into when he realized it was his friend who looked rather pissed. Instantly his friend began yelling and ranting about how expensive his clothes were and how he would kick Derek's ass. He tried a feeble attempt to clean up the mess, but his friend pushed him off of him and walked out of the restaurant after making that scene. Derek watched as some of the staff came to clean up the mess and he kept on apologizing until they disappeared. He grabbed a handful of napkins and began to dab at his wet shirt. Derek sighed in frustration and looked back over to the woman who had caught his eyes only seconds before,"D-did any of m-my drink hit you?" He asked with wide eyes. Derek shook his head, wishing so badly that his stutter would go away just for a few seconds so he could actually talk smoothly."And sorry f-for the googly e-eye thing earlier. That m-must've been a b-bit creepy." He paused for a few seconds as he felt his face grow slightly red. Derek wanted to smack himself in the forehead. God, he sounded like such a jackass. He was a twenty-six year old man still finding it difficult to talk to women.

Derek didn't have to worry about flirting and dating much because he was always so engrossed in school and nobody ever caught his eye. Vaeda had just popped up out of no where and changed his whole life. He was just not sure what to do with his life now that she wasn't really in it a lot anymore. Derek felt like he was in his early twenties again, feeling confused about where to go and who he was. He was nearing his thirties and he still acted like he was just out of high school sometimes. Derek needed more of a backbone.

[/blockquote]

[KENNEDY NYOTA GARDNER]

The Montgomery family had always tried their best to instill good values and strong morals into AJ and Kennedy when they were young. In that moment when the poor, terribly awkward young man made his way past her booth, Kennedy couldn't help but think of an old saying that Mrs. Montgomery had considered an old standard: “if you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem.” Kennedy didn't mind being part of the problem in this case, because she was quite convinced that there was really no helping this guy. The man was practically stumbling all over himself before the collision, and now he was in a world of trouble. She'd practically called it, the collision course, the spilled drink, the staring: but the entire debacle was turning out to be so amusing, almost like reality television, or Pay-Per-View fights. The guy from the bar was just so... weak, trying to clean up the mess so the wait staff wouldn't have any extra work or something. Maybe it was because he genuinely felt bad about his own oafishness, but where to some people, it might have been endearing, Kennedy found it pathetic. At least, that's what she thought she felt.

The whole sense really got interesting when one of the guys he'd spilled on and a buddy decided to win the Asshole of the Month award by beating their chests and hollering like the specimens of monkey they descended from. Humans. Kennedy sighed, then took another bite of pizza. Even though she was technically still connected to them through her own origins, she hoped that that curse wouldn't last forever. The more she got glimpses of real human nature, the more she saw why supernatural beings saw them as prime targets and inferior. They were classless neanderthals that turned an already embarrassing situation into a powder keg just because of what, some spilled booze on their 'expensive' clothing? Kennedy looked at the shirt that one of the men was wearing, and recognized it from one of the cheaper warehouse clothing stores that she'd visited in search for a new pair of jeans just a week prior. Yeah, definitely saw that on the Clearance rack.

[/color] Kennedy rolled her eyes and watched the entire scene dissipate with a few more harsh words, and found herself just a touch disappointed that the entire thing hadn't gone to blows. Although, if it had, the pipsqueak guy would have probably been toast.

Oddly enough, something in Kennedy made her think for a split second that if he actually had been in any trouble, she might have intervened. She could tell humans when she saw them, and even the more convincing supernaturals were easy to spot if you knew what to look or listen for. These guys were definitely human, and she probably could have kicked their asses frontways and slantways with her hands tied behind her back and a peg leg. That was being modest, too, or at least was as close as Kennedy got to modesty. The hunter preferred to think of it as confidence, because she'd worked too long and too hard training for her skills to be able to be bested by anyone, much less a couple of idiot humans. Another piece of pizza went down the hatch, and Kennedy washed it down with her drink, then went back to watching, and noticed that the clumsy guy had finally seemed to have given up. On the mess, at least.

Kennedy watched him make a move toward her, and her booth, and immediately frowned. Really? Hasn't he been knocked down enough pegs for one day? Maybe he likes the abuse...[/color] The hunter's thoughts were a shuffle, and she tried to clear them so she could be on her A-game in case he actually worked up the guts to get to talk to her. And he did. Kennedy made a big show of looking down at herself, her clothes, and maybe a drop or a small splash of whatever he was drinking got on her somewhere, but it wasn't really noticeable, and she didn't really care either way, so she moved on to her response.

”Nope, don't see any, so I don't have to kick your scrawny ass,” Kennedy said, tongue in cheek, but smirking a little so he wouldn't soil himself or something. The guy had a really strange look on his face... it was a mixture of intimidation, maybe even fear, but also something else. ”That's a terrible opening line, though, if you were going to try to impress me.”

So maybe she was a little harsh. Kennedy hadn't built herself into what she was by being nice, and she'd learned that sometimes, in life, you had to step on other people to get ahead. Now, she and AJ had always been a unit, but he was blood and that was different. Kennedy would never, ever betray her brother, but the way she saw it, anyone stupid enough to meddle in her affairs or get in her way was fair game. Normally, she wouldn't even waste her time with somebody like this guy – she barely felt the urge to go on dates or get physical with people, and he so wasn't her type that it wasn't even funny. But... something in her stirred and felt like morbid curiosity, so she waved her hand in a “go on,” motion, so he could know to keep speaking. Unless he'd suddenly become a mute or something.

”You're not subtle, but you're one of the least offensive men that's ever stared at me from a bar,” Kennedy said, wanting to add something biting and rude. Something sharp, like a knife, because she'd honed so many of her words to a razor's edge, but she couldn't. She could be harsh, maybe, and cruel, possibly, but hurt him? No, he hadn't earned her brand of pain, not yet. This one wasn't special enough. ”You about got your ass handed to you, though. Tell me, was it worth it to come talk to someone who really doesn't care?” Kennedy smiled a little, but it wasn't a kind smile, nor was it predatory. This smile was different... testing. Sometimes, she just had an urge to push things, just to see if they'd break. Maybe this one wouldn't break. Maybe the weakling oaf had a spine somewhere hidden, and hidden really well.

”Listen, I'm not trying to kick you while you're down, but seriously? You're not some kind of scrawny fool... next time assholes like that want to play a little rough, hit them back. Show some nerve. Be a man.” The last word was just a bit taunting, just a bit... testing of his resolve, whatever amount he possessed. Kennedy took a sip of her own drink and studied him with his brown eyes. Then, she snapped her fingers and called a waiter over. ”Tell the man what you're drinking, flower, and I'll buy you a refill. How does that sound?” Then, Kennedy motioned for him to sit, not sure why she was doing so; her intention had been to have a lunch alone, in the quiet, but maybe this conversation, assuming he could actually hold one with her, would prove to be a better alternative.[/blockquote][/justify]

[DEREK JEREMY BRENSEN]

with your heart like a stone
YOU SPARED NO TIME IN LASHING OUT

Every bone in his body was screaming at him not to even take the chance of talking to this woman as soon as her brown eyes locked with his. Her gaze was piercing him like knives and if Derek didn't already feel uncomfortable, he surely felt that now. Derek always felt inferior to others, but this woman really was making him mentally squirm and she hadn't even opened her mouth yet. He chewed on his lip nervously for a few seconds before he realized that didn't help with the already scared shitless look. Derek took a deep breath bracing himself for whatever words she was going to throw at him. Even if he did appear like a feeble minded person he could handle himself in a lot of situations he just wasn't too sure about this one. Derek also knew there was no way to back out now since he basically threw himself into a conversation with her when she clearly didn't want one. Hopefully she would just dismiss him and then he could go home and cringe about his awkwardness there. Even though another side of him hoped that even though her stare was menacing she would welcome him in.

Throughout his life he had made the mistake of trying to seek out the best in people who only stomped all over him. People didn't walk all over Derek, they jumped and stomped on him until he was literally nothing. For some reason he never learned his lesson no matter how many times it happened to him. Derek didn't mean to surround himself with heartless people, it just happened. He glanced at the door his "friend" just stormed out of and wondered exactly why he was that way when it came to people. Derek was too happy and ready to forgive and forget. He knew as soon as he let someone in it was hard for him to let them go, even if they were only barely acquainted. Derek wanted to believe no matter how bad someone treated him they did truly care or they wouldn't stick around. What gain were they getting from being around him? He knew his "friend" only talked to him for money benefits and social status, but for some reason Derek knew he would probably call him up later and apologize even though he did nothing wrong.

He always was playing the good guy role because that was all he knew. Whenever Derek did let that darker, animalistic side out inside of him a lot of damage went down. He nearly beat Elijah to death at the Winter Ball over jealousy. Derek just wished that night never happened. He never let his anger get the best of him because when he did Derek had no control over himself. Derek for the most part didn't let petty things get to him, but sometimes he just snapped. There had been times in classes he had to remove himself before he hurt someone. Derek appeared weak and helpless at times, but he knew type of power he had and how much it could injure another person. Even when he went to Elijah's house to apologize, as soon as he saw the bruised face of the human he still wanted nothing more than to tear him apart with his teeth. Derek would either throw things over his shoulder and believe things would blow over or he would subconsciously force himself to believe it was all his fault. His mind worked in odd ways that he didn't understand at times.

Derek felt his heart pounding in his chest rapidly as he snapped back into reality. He felt a huge lump in his throat as he waited for the woman's response. Derek blinked in surprise at the first thing that came out of her mouth and the smile that came after it. He didn't expect some kind of threat. She seemed very sincere with the threat and fear began to swell up in him, but he made sure to keep that hidden. Derek still kept the look of surprise on his face as she continued to speak. His eyebrows furrowed at the insult that was thrown at him. Derek opened his mouth to speak, but quickly decided against it as it seemed his mind went blank. He broke eye contact with her briefly to let a waiter get past him. Derek met eyes with the female again and again felt like he was about to crumble into the ground like a puddle from her intense stare.

He wet his lips and took in a small breath of air to speak,"I..I-I wasn't trying t-to impress you..." Derek frowned down at her, his face growing more and more red as he finished his sentence. He wasn't sure what he was feeling as he was standing there. The sting of rejection? The werewolf didn't even know. He wasn't even sure if wanted to keep on talking, but yet again he found his feet still rooted to the same spot. Derek knew he didn't deserve how rude she was being to him and yet he was keeping his mouth shut as she tore him down. He began to chew on his bottom lip again, hoping his eyes weren't giving away all the emotions that were coursing through him. Derek knew he should be getting angry with her, but for some reason he wasn't.

Yet again she had him at a loss for words. Usually Derek was very quick on his feet and came up with some type of witty, funny comment. He still had the shocked look plastered to his faced, mixed with a lot of "why the fuck are being so mean?". Derek definitely wouldn't voice that question because that would only make circumstances worse for him. He was brought back into reality when her voice hit his ear again."I don't know y-yet." Derek said in a slightly confused tone. Was it really worth it to talk to her? He was hoping so because so far she was making the answer leading more towards no. He was hoping it would be worth it because something about her sass made her even more alluring.

Derek knew what he could have done if he had hit that man. He was only a human. The werewolf would have sent that fucker flying across the restaurant. He sighed, choosing to keep quiet on that one. He looked at her with another shocked look not only at her offer, but also at the little nickname she had used for him. Derek watched as she motioned over a waiter and he realized there was really no getting out of this then. He hesitantly began to move over to seat across from her and finally sat down. Derek's eyes followed the waiter as he came up to her table."Do you guys need anything?" Derek smiled politely and ordered the same drink that was now being mopped up off the floor next to them. As soon as the waiter left he looked over at the woman across from him."I'm confused. W-what are you d-doing?" Derek had no idea what her motives were. She went way off when she basically demanded him to sit down.

He looked up to see the waiter returning with his drink. As soon as he set it down the table Derek threw back a majority of the drink. Derek needed more than just a drink. He set the cup down, enjoying the burn of the alcohol as it went down his throat. Derek stared at his glass to avoid looking at anything but her. She was gorgeous, but he had to admit she was very intimidating.

[/blockquote]

[KENNEDY NYOTA GARDNER]

Am I really that terrifying?

[/color]

Kennedy's thought was in immediate correlation to Derek's reaction to their tiny little introductory conversation. Most people, after getting a response like that from a random stranger might soften up or try to change, make the person feel welcome, or even apologize. Kennedy grinned. Terrifying, to her, was a better compliment than some attractive individual coming up to her with bravado and commenting on her eyes, her hair, or any other physical feature any day. While she was still, unfortunately, a red-blooded human, she couldn't help but notice physical features or aesthetic value, but it had never been the determining feature for her when selecting a mate. Not that she selected mates frequently, or really cared about sex on more than a level that was more or less governed by her hormonal instincts. When she got the 'urges,' she was definitely selective, and rightfully so. Kennedy knew that she was attractive, desirable, and that men (and sometimes, even women) showed an interest in taking her home. However, while she absolutely detested the sexually aggressive, pushy men, they were usually perfect candidates for a one-night stand. Every now and then, one would be good enough or cross her path again at the right time to get a shot at a repeat performance, but it was rare, since she was usually focused on other things. But Kennedy didn't want to be distracted by an actual relationship, and while she was fairly aware of the kind of men she actually enjoyed on more than just a sweaty romp between the sheets, she didn't like keeping them around. Quite the opposite; she usually tried her hardest to chase them away.

Truthfully, Kennedy did prefer the 'nice guys,' but that was only if she wanted a real relationship. That need had passed a long time ago and had taken a backseat to her ambitions, especially once she got new marching orders, so to speak. The hunter had always been committed to her work, and that commitment had been fueled by Kyle's death. But now, after she'd learned that death by the hands of a supernatural being was only a new chapter in a much better story, she had to change her outlook, and focus on a new task at hand. Now, she was working with the dark alliance to help them further their agenda, even if it meant a serious drop in numbers for the human race. Kennedy didn't desire to be human for much longer, anyway – it was a means to an end, a temporary arrangement, until she had done what she was supposed to do and accomplished the mission that had been agreed upon when her brother went to bat for her. It had taken a lot of convincing to make the leaders and strong members of the dark alliance believe that a human who had hunted their kind for years (and was very, very talented at her trade) wanted to help them, but now that she'd earned their trust, she couldn't let anything distract her or stand in her way. Not 'urges,' and certainly not falling for some simple, nice guy.

Kennedy watched the face of the man standing before her redden more and more as he stumbled with his words. It was an unconvincing statement that his intention hadn't been to impress her, and the brunette laughed, deep and hearty. ”I guess that's probably for the best, then, isn't it? That way, you weren't a spectacular failure.” Her words were harsh, and she knew it, but her blunt brand of truth was one that few could swallow. And, her motivations here were to get rid of this guy, and send him packing, preferably with his tail between his legs. It was a rough maneuver, but Kennedy had mastered the whole 'come here, go away' method of acting, and found that with the guys that she'd usually bring herself to become fond of, it was the perfect poison. Most of them were interested in her, and it was flattering, even helped boost her ego for a second, but ultimately, she desired to abuse them to the point where they'd turn around and never look back. Sometimes, it took a while, but that was just part of the fun. ”I'm surprised they even gave you booze – aren't you underage?” He didn't really look that young, and if she was being completely honest, he was kind of attractive for a meek, spineless male specimen. The dark-haired man had great bone structure, and cheekbones that would make lots of other men jealous. Physically, he wasn't imposing, but he wasn't a skinny rail of a guy, either. There might have been some musculature or strength hidden under those clothes, but Kennedy knew that she wouldn't bother to satisfy that flicker of curiosity. That path led to nowhere she wanted to go.

However, commenting on a man's physical appearance if you were a woman in a way that wasn't particularly complimentary tended to be a definite ego shot. No matter if they were the confident type or the wallflower type. And this guy was definitely the wallflower type... which got her brain spinning with more dangerous barbs and insults.

Her next set of questions hit him in a way that made him have to think for a second, and Kennedy was patient. After all, she didn't know if he was thinking of a way to respond, or doing a little bit of internal recovery from her carefully-crafted, not so nice words. For a moment, she considered slowing down, making it a little easier on this guy. He'd almost got his ass handed to him, and was likely still processing that as well. The wallflower seemed confused, like he really wasn't sure why he talked to her. Then, when he responded, Kennedy had to give him some props for honesty. Even though she'd certainly thought that he had originally been making his way over from the bar to talk to her, maybe she was wrong. Though she usually had great instincts about people, every now and then, she was wrong.

”Huh. Well, you'll let me know when you do – I'd hate to think you're just here wastin' my time,” Kennedy said, then cracked her knuckles. It was a nervous habit, nothing threatening, but seemed to make him a little more... jumpy. Something about the wallflower was becoming endearing, and while it went against her better judgment, because she really was trying to make him get lost, it was an opportunity to play her favorite game. So, she invited him to take a seat, and was surprised when he actually took it. She flagged down a waiter, and got them both refills on their drinks.

”I'm kind enough to let you sit down with me so you don't just float in the walkways looking like an idiot,” Kennedy said, then narrowed her eyes a little, but only for a minute. ”It's a favor, take it or leave it.” The man sat down, and then she grabbed another slice of her pizza, realizing that she couldn't finish it all by herself. Even though she thought she could, and had quite the appetite, her eyes had been just a little bit bigger than her stomach this time.

”If you like pizza, wallflower, you can have some,” she said, deciding that she kind of liked that nickname for him, but probably should ask for his real one, just in case. ”Do you have a real name, or cat still got your tongue?” The guy certainly hadn't gotten more comfortable, but that was just fine by her... she liked to keep people on edge.[/blockquote][/justify]

[DEREK JEREMY BRENSEN]

with your heart like a stone
YOU SPARED NO TIME IN LASHING OUT

This woman was so gorgeous and terrifying, he wasn't sure if he was attracted to her or simply just scared shitless. Hell, maybe even both. This was a breakthrough though. She was the first woman to catch his eye in months. Derek thought he was literally walking around with no sexuality for so long. Up until the moment he saw her he was going to declare himself Vaedasexual because she seemed to be the only person he was attracted to. The only thing was that this woman had him shaking in his boots only with a look. Derek was not sure what to feel or how to act. He was afraid to even speak in fear she would attack him in the middle of the restaurant if he did one wrong thing. Derek would not want to feel the wrath of this woman. Her whole demeanor was so alluring and he couldn't exactly put his finger on why. The first words to come out of her mouth was a threat and yet he still found himself still wanting to be in her company. Something about her was so captivating. Derek just wished he knew precisely what was. Maybe if he stuck around he would find out. It wasn't like he had a choice to leave because it seemed she made up her mind that she wanted him to stay and he was too scared to disobey her.

She seemed interested in him for the time being, so he would take advantage of that while he could before she became bored of him. Derek was sure that wouldn't take very long. He became boring to those with more patience than her rather quickly. Derek never could relate to the people his age. They were all on a totally different page. Either they were still partying like they were still college freshmen, starting to settle down, or actually realizing they were getting to old to not have any ambition. Derek did not have a long list of friends he could name that were actually in his age range and even remotely normal. When he was with Vaeda she was all he focused on. It was like he didn't even need friends because she was all he needed. Now that she was nearly absent from his life now he had no clue what to do with his life. Alcohol had been his friend for the time being to get him through the days where he was stuck alone with only his thoughts as his companion.

Derek wondered if he'd ever get over Vaeda. She was probably off all happy and dandy with Elijah doing god knows what. Derek tried his best not to even think of what would become of Elijah and Vaeda. The thought repulsed him. He had promised Vaeda he wouldn't be the jealous ex-boyfriend and he was hoping he would keep the word. Derek just needed a good distraction away from her. He was sure as soon as they happened he'd be able to finally forgive her and get over her. At least their relationship ended on a good note. Although in a way it was all his fault. All the confusion with kissing Weston and Vaeda kissing Elijah. It had made him a vulnerable mess. His life sounded like such a teen drama. Derek just wished he could go at least a few hours without thinking about any of it. He couldn't think of anything that would make that possible for him to do. Even when he let himself drown in drunkenness he was still the same whining brat who cried about his life. He only did it alone though.

The werewolf didn't even have anybody to open up about all the shit to. He had Sidda, but she already had enough on her plate with Gavin. Derek didn't like to burden other people with his petty problems. It bothered him that he had not a single person to at least tell even his little problems too. Derek was always there helping other people and being a good friend, when he wouldn't let others be a good friend to him. He had to be cursed with the nice guy gene. Derek was far too nice sometimes he let even the most genuine of people walk over him. He put other's needs in front of his because they probably had it much worse than he did. Derek didn't want to put his problems on their minds when they had problems of their own. He couldn't do that to them.

Derek snapped out of his clouded thoughts back into the harsh reality. He couldn't even think of a way to respond to such a rude comment. Derek was speechless. Nobody had ever been that rude to him before and it was even more surprising coming from such a beautiful lady. If he could even call her lady from how mean she was. Derek was slightly offended at her next question. He was perfectly of age to drink. Derek shook his head,"N-no... I'm f-far from underaged." He said quietly. Derek definitely didn't act like he was of age most of the time. He should have a lot more confidence for a man of his age, but sadly he didn't. Derek only lacked confidence in socialization with other young adults. That was when his anxiety went through the roof and he sure as hell as no idea how he was even managing to talk to this woman.

She must love to make him jumpy. There she was again with the threats. Derek watched in silent terror as she began to crack her knuckles. He could only imagine how hard a punch from her would be. It would probably knock him out with only one swing. If that was even possible. Derek wasn't even sure what to do with himself as he sat down. Why did he listen to her? He could have easily turned her down politely and left. Unfortunately, he let his fear of her control him. Derek was so afraid of what was ahead of him in this conversation with her. She seemed completely unpredictable and he wasn't sure if he liked that yet or not.

Well that made sense. He hadn't even thought of how he weird he looked standing there talking to her with such a wide eyed scared expression."O-oh...Um, thanks then." Derek stuttered out, still trying to avoid making eye contact with her. He stared at his cup, swishing around the liquid slightly. The werewolf finally looked up at her when she reached over to grab another slice of pizza. For a second he thought she was going to strike him. Derek was glad he didn't flinch like he thought he was going to then he really would have looked stupid. He winced slightly at the little nickname she already seemed to establish for him. Derek grabbed a slice only because she offered, but only picked at it to keep his eyes off of her. He met eyes with her though when she asked for his name."D-Derek." He responded a few moments after she asked. He was almost afraid to ask for hers because he was expecting the smart ass answer only to avoid it."S-sorry, I...Um. I-I don't talk much." Derek just decided to put that out there. He really only spoke when it was necessary so he wasn't only trying to fill the silence. Plus he was apologizing in advance for the boring conversation he was about to give her. She would probably just throw him aside in only a few minutes.

[/blockquote]

[KENNEDY NYOTA GARDNER]

Kennedy liked to think of herself as the definition of an independent, strong female. She didn't remember much about her parents, but she hoped that her mother had been strong, too. Kennedy hoped that her father was a kind, gallant man who treated her like a queen and took care of her and her brother like they were the center of his universe. All the signs pointed to the fact that her parents had been amazing people, which caused the sting of losing them to be ever-present. Kennedy didn't think that being orphaned at a young age had too much to do with the woman she'd turned into, but she knew that it made her stronger, and made her more aware of how short life really was, so she tried her best not to make decisions or mistakes that would compromise her living the lifestyle that she wanted to lead. AJ had always been proud of her as his sister, and knowing that her brother thought she was a good person had killed any thoughts she had when she was younger that she might be overbearing or a bitch.

Kennedy knew that she was difficult. She had a taste for the finer things in life, but didn't need anyone to get them for her. Her money was her own, and she could take care of herself better than anyone else could, hands down. She also knew that she had difficulties with being pushy, bossy, and so determined that she could almost be considered cutthroat. But, in her opinion, that was just the mark of a strong woman who knew that she didn't have a 'place' in the world except for being the best that she could be. The hunter hoped that her parents were looking down on her and were proud of who she had become, and proud of AJ as well, even though they had both chosen a side of the world to align with that her parents wouldn't understand. As far as she knew, her parents didn't know that supernaturals even existed when they were alive. However, they were friends with the Montgomerys, who were definitely good at keeping secrets, but didn't seem the type to share their most personal business with just anyone.

The man in front of her was certainly terrified and maybe even a little intrigued by her, and Kennedy wanted to laugh at him and how positively awkward he was. She tilted her head to the side and just watched him for a moment, leering like a hawk at her prey as he nearly squirmed in front of her. There was something inherently pleasing to her when she could make someone so uncomfortable. The comment on his age had actually gotten him to speak, and with a little bit of confidence, despite the stutter. ”Huh. Could have fooled me,” Kennedy said, shrugging her shoulders. Although the barb about his age might have been a little much, she enjoyed the look on his face that was almost like that of a kicked puppy. She'd never kick a puppy, though – that would be too harsh. ”Unless the shyness and the stutter help you pick up women. And then, by all means, you can prove me wrong.”

Her harsh comments just kept rolling, one right after the other, and she figured that it was probably rude of her, somehow, to make this guy who really did seem like a nice, decent gentleman, so miserable. Even though she found her rudeness to be entertaining and was the type to toot her own horn, she wondered if she needed to curb it a little – she was starting to get pretty harsh. When she explained why she'd let him sit there with her, he seemed to be grateful, and even thanked her. ”Nah, I've been ridin' your ass ever since you sat down. I'm a real bitch sometimes. You don't have to thank me.” Kennedy chuckled a little, because sometimes she could curse like a sailor and wasn't exactly ladylike, which seemed to bother some people. Maybe it would bother this guy, too. When she asked, using his little nickname that wasn't exactly flattering, she learned that his real name was Derek.

”Derek? Well, I'm Kennedy. And I think I might like wallflower better,” Kennedy said, tapping her fingers absently on the table. ”Maybe 'daisy.' Wallflower might end up being a bit of a mouthful.” Kennedy had a habit of talking with her hands, and it didn't escape her keen eyesight that every time she moved said hands, Derek's eyes followed them. He was watching carefully, the way she watched someone out on a hunt to make sure they didn't make any sudden movements, reach for a weapon, or that kind of thing. Derek was certainly afraid of her, or at least nervous around her to think that she'd hit him or something. In a way, that was her idea of a twisted little compliment: Kennedy liked making people nervous, and truly wanted other people to see her as some kind of 'big bad' or force to not be messed with. While some women got off on flattery, she tended to like good, old fashioned scare tactics and playground insults.

For her, admiration was like in grade school when a bully targeted one specific kid and made their life hell. That kid would go home, complain to their parents, and tell tales of what the bully had said or done. The parent might, sometimes, respond by saying that “they're just doing it because they like you.” Nowadays, Kennedy knew that people really were sensitive about that kind of thing and didn't stick with the same mentality anymore. Nowadays, bullies got sent to detention and taken seriously, even if that bully did just have a strange way of showing affection. Kennedy certainly had that same way about her. She didn't know Derek well enough to say that she felt anything for him that would cause her sharpness to be chalked up to attraction, but she was certainly meaner to him than a lot of other people she met right off the bat. No, something about him definitely rubbed her the wrong way. It might have been because he was shy, soft-spoken, or maybe it was the stutter. But, he hadn't run away yet, and she had to give him credit where credit was due.

Wallflower told her that he didn't talk very much, and Kennedy rolled her eyes. ”Really?” Her words were dripping with sarcasm, because she totally knew that he was shy from the moment she first saw him. ”I'm totally surprised.” Kennedy folded her hands on the table, deciding to take a break from pizza for the time being.

”You don't get to be silent, though. You want to sit with me, then you gotta earn your keep, or I'll throw you out there to the wolves. Let's face it, I'm the coolest person in this place.” Her confidence could also be overbearing, but she didn't mind, and wasn't about to change herself for just anyone. Or anyone at all. She looked at him and gave a little disarming smile, hoping that it would be enough to at least start him toward being a little more confident. ”Tell me something interesting about you, assuming that there is something.”

[/justify]

[DEREK JEREMY BRENSEN]

with your heart like a stone
YOU SPARED NO TIME IN LASHING OUT

One thing that got under Derek's skin more than anything was a person who was hard to read. He had taken enough psychology classes to be able to understand other's emotions. She was a completely different story. She had him on edge and he was trying to work out whether he liked it or not. It was definitely a change from the people he was used to conversing with. Sure he had to put up with characters, but they were never this... out there. Derek was unsure of how to react to anything she was saying. All types of responses boiled up inside of him and none of the ones that actually sounded half decent chose to stay trapped inside of him. Derek hadn't been that socially awkward since high school. He still was a bit of a mess, but in that moment he felt ridiculous and only wanted to kick himself. Why couldn't he just give a normal reply to something for once without stuttering or making an idiot of himself? He could only think of the judging thoughts that were going through the woman's mind.

Derek wasn't even aware of his own facial expressions as they continued talking. He wasn't sure if he looked offended, placid (which he highly doubted he could match the uncaring look on her face), or scared. She on the other hand kept to her same bored expression. Derek's eyes watched in confusion as she shrugged her shoulders. One second she's insulting him and the next she's basically ignoring the fact that he spoke. She was a roller coaster. Derek's face twisted in slight confusion. Did he really seem like he was trying to hit on her? Anger rose up in his throat at the mention of his stutter."If I was t-trying to pick up g-g-girls I seriously hope I w-wouldn't have a stutter," he responded, a little agitated. Derek hoped she wouldn't notice the slight bite to his tone because around her he wasn't sure what she would do. He did have a backbone somewhere under all that awkwardness. The only time he would snap at someone is if they jabbed at his stutter. That was an insecure he knew he couldn't get rid of. Even after years of speech therapy it was still there and progressively getting worse.

He wanted to rip Elijah's heart out when he pointed it out. That was one thing you could not say to Derek without pissing him off. Saying just that one insult sent him over the edge. Derek tried his best to shut out his werewolf side because he didn't even want to think of how many animals or people he may have murdered during the full moon. It did take quite a lot to make him angry, but mention his stutter once and he was at your neck. Derek hated that it bothered him so much and he felt so petty and stupid afterwards. He always despised when he let his anger get the best of him. The Elijah and Vaeda situation was such a perfect situation. He had almost killed the human a few times over jealousy. The emotions he had been feeling at the time were beyond jealousy. Derek's mind hadn't been in the right place and it still wasn't. He just wondered whenever he would begin to feel himself again.

Derek was even afraid to smile because he could not tell if she was being friendly or not. His lips managed to pull up into a small smile. Maybe she wasn't as bad as she was making herself seem, but he definitely wasn't going to let him guard down."I w-was just trying to be p-polite." He answered with a warmer smile. For those few seconds he actually didn't feel scared for his life. Derek wondered what she was actually like under all of that toughness. Maybe she had some human decency and could be nice. He wanted to see that side of her. She'd probably kick him out from her table as soon as she was tired of him and he was fearing that time was coming soon. For some reason he was kind of enjoying being around her. It was a complete change of the people he was used to being around. She actually challenged him and didn't act all face and nice to him like others would. She seemed to speak her mind and he liked that. He wished he had that quality about him.

Kennedy. He now had a name to match the face. Derek smiled as she went on about what she wanted to call him instead. He shrugged, as a small laugh escaped his lips."T-that's fine by me," It wasn't like the names actually were an insult to him. Well, daisy was a bit much, but he had been called worse. Plus it wasn't like he could demand her not to call him that. Then he definitely would probably get knocked on the side of the head. She didn't seem like she would take well to being told what to do. From what Derek saw from her personality she was definitely a very strong, independent individual. She was basically everything he wasn't. He was independent, but she gave off that vibe that she literally got help from nobody. That she did everything herself. Derek wasn't sure if his guess was true or not. Even if it wasn't she seemed like a really interesting person.

Derek laughed, knowing that was probably not the best thing to say. He took a sip from his drink and stared at the liquid as he set it back down on the table. Derek looked up at her as she continued to speak. He inwardly chuckled when she mentioned wolves. She was right, she was the only interesting person around. Even if the room was full of people she probably would still be up there on the list. Derek was a bit surprised by her smile. He knew she capable of being nice. She had a beautiful smile. Having her face in that hard set the whole time didn't show how appealing she actually was. Derek sighed, trying to think of something that was even remotely interesting."Um... I'm t-trying to become a n-neurosurgeon." He paused and looked down at his hands that were fiddling with his glass."Not sure if that's i-interesting enough"

[/blockquote]

[KENNEDY NYOTA GARDNER]

Daisy really was too much. Kennedy wasn't going to lie and say that she didn't enjoy the little wallflower's shy, practically terrified reaction to their little conversation. She rather liked being intimidating and a force to be reckoned with – it pleased her to know that others naturally respected and feared her when she didn't even have to do anything. She barely even threatened this guy, and he was already a stuttering, words failing, completely neurotic mess. And, even more strange, she kind of thought it was cute. Ugh. Usually, her 'type' of guy was the cocky asshole type because they were easy enough to throw around for a bit of rough loving and bail before the sun was up. No strings attached, no second thoughts, no worries, and best of all – no messy emotions to hold her back. The hunter didn't like to get involved, didn't want people poking around her business because she was an independent woman who didn't need anyone else to tell her what to do. And likewise, she didn't want to have to worry about stepping on toes or taking other people's wants and feelings into account. Feelings were one of the dumbest things, and the 'sensitive' types just pissed her off more often than not.

When she commented on his stutter, Kennedy noticed that he got a little... testy and she grinned. How perfect. She struck a nerve. Nerves were some of her favorites, because she knew from years of taking specialized hand-to-hand combat training that picking just the right nerves with just the right amount of force behind a hit could be debilitating. In fighting, this was just good form – find the nerve and beat the hell out of it. But emotional nerves were just as fun to play with, and even though she'd already asserted plenty of dominance, she still was amused by Daisy's reaction to her comment. ”Some girls might dig the stutter. Never know until you try,” Kennedy said, giving him a wicked little smile. ”Careful, though – some might just think it's sad. Or think you're special.” There was the hint of rudeness that she was so used to delivering. At this point, she didn't even care if it offended people – surely, it was offensive, and sometimes people even had the gall to tell her that she was being rude or a bitch, but that just egged her on. Kennedy could be relentless, but she didn't like to waste her time with people that couldn't handle her normal conversation tactics. She didn't like people enough to change major facets of her personality for them.

After talking to Derek for a little while longer – well, she did most of the talking, but what was new? - she started to wonder why she was continuing up her efforts. She wasn't going to be friends with this guy, most likely. He wasn't the type of guy she used to scratch an itch. She didn't even really need any particular itches scratched lately; there had been a few recent events that had taken decent care of that. Did she just like tormenting him? Maybe. Kennedy laughed internally – god, she was a bully, wasn't she? The nearly pained expression on his face made her curious as to what he was thinking. She wished she had the ability to read minds sometimes – it would make it that much easier to call people out on their crap and scare the shit out of them at the same time. Yeah, mind-reading in the hands of somebody like her would be downright terrifying, but she was pretty good at reading people just on actions and body language. This guy was an odd mix of scared about curious about her, and that was why she kept him around. He could obviously take her abuse, even if he didn't like it, and he had about twenty chances to just get up out of the booth and leave, but he didn't go. Maybe he was some sort of emotional masochist. Maybe he had the self-esteem of a walnut. Either way, Kennedy continued to lead the conversation, wondering what would happen next. More nerve strikes, perhaps? Maybe she could actually push him to his limit, assuming that he had one.

She was a little surprised when Daisy thanked her for letting him sit down with her, even though she knew she was out of line and was being terrible to him. The hunter even admitted it, and out loud, and still he said he was just trying to be polite. Kennedy sighed and rested her chin on her hands, looking at him carefully – sizing him up a bit. ”Man, Daisy – that's why people can walk all over you. You'll just take and take. You don't always have to be polite, you know. You could grow a pair, really tell somebody off. Even me – I might kick your ass, though.” Her smile was positively terror-inducing, even though she knew it was also slightly attractive at the same time. Scary sexy – that was the vibe she tried to maintain, and it was a vibe that she felt really worked for her. However, as rude and scary as she could be, there was also a devious charm to her nature that sometimes lured people in. Unsuspecting victims, really, but she didn't mind having little 'playmates' here and there, it gave her an outlet for some of her best material, and Daisy was turning out to be one of her best test dummies. She hadn't gotten away with this level of rudeness for quite some time. Most men would have up and left by now, but he continued to sit there with her, and even accepted her rather insulting choice of nickname, earning him an actual grin when he said it was 'fine by him' for her to refer to him as 'wallflower' and 'daisy.' Now that was totally going to stick.

Whether she had originally wanted to be interested by him or not – she was guessing not – she actually ended up taking a small interested and wanted to know more about Daisy, so she asked him to tell her something interesting, wondering if he'd actually be able to give her something good. His response came a little slowly, but was surprising. Really? A neurosurgeon?

”People trust you to cut their heads open? Really? But you're so... meek,” Kennedy said, stating facts as far as she could see instead of trying to be directly insulting. ”Don't surgeons have to be super confident or something? You've got people's lives in your hands, that's no small feat.” It was an interesting little factoid, she had to give him his due credit, because she would have thought a guy like him was into taxes or some other stodgy, boring shit. Evidently not – Daisy was full of surprises. ”Well all right then, Dr. Daisy – you go on with your bad self.” She took a sip of her drink and smiled at him, deciding that she could give him a little tidbit about herself. ”I'm pretty new to Manuka – just moved here. I work at the gym, personal training. If you ever need any help tightening up what you got, look me up. I'll put you through hell.” She was rough on all her clients, but they didn't get anywhere from being spoon fed, and they wouldn't come to her if they didn't want results. Also, the money was good, so that was a draw. After they fell into an easy silence, Kennedy decided that she'd give him an out, in case he wanted to leave.

”You know, I'm not holdin' you hostage. If you wanna leave, if you've got better things to do, you can go...” So... would he stay? Did he like her that much to take her bitching and her insults to stay? If he did, that would certainly be a first. Especially from some weak little man.

[/justify]