Homoween 2019: Hollywood Coven

Day 18: I Will Rise Again

Hunter Moon's sanctuary church (he really should've read the contract before signing a commitment) was done in a Spanish style, something of a rarity in his homogeneous section of Vegas. That meant that there was a lot of iron scroll work more than there were stained glass windows. 

Which was good. Because there were days when people liked to throw the non bolted down pews and apparently now that the box had been opened by the strange blue Hunter men, this was going to be his new life. 

"You're mortal! What can you know?!"

Crash.

They also knew how to throw office chairs. Apparently he had a small itemized budget to replace things like office chairs because *this* was something that happened a lot for his predecessor who had mysteriously gone missing.

"I might be mortal but there are still feelings and relationships to be had, however short. And even if you don't pray, meditation is quite good. Just to way to help settle your thoughts."

"Eastern freak show!"

The ... man in question... stomped out after that. He didn't quite leave holes in the floor on his way out but he did drip some moss, almost shaking with anger. Hunter supposed you couldn't win them all. And he hoped his mop could clean up that moss. Which was probably not alive. Hopefully.

"Busy padre?"

"No, no. Last appointment just left. Please come in." Hunter said, motioning to the space where there were now splinters on the floor more than a chair. "Uhh- maybe the couch instead."

"Thank you." 

Hunter wanted to believe that this man was just a human. He looked human enough. Slightly frizzy hair and pretty tanned. Good teeth. Handsome, not that that meant anything to Hunter. He was pretty sure.

"So how can I help you my son?"

"Derek."

"Of course," Hunter smiled. "How can I help you Derek?"

"Well I've- I've got problems. And I know it's kind of your job to not talk outside of the walls so I'm hoping you can help me figure things out."

"I hope I can help you do that too Derek. What's going on?"

"Well- there's these two things in my life. Three actually I guess that are pretty important to me in different ways. Uhh- there's this vampire first. Umm and at first I was like he's just hot and he's super good at sex, uhh sorry don't know how else to say it, but like I always kind of figured we were just playing with each other. I mean, what vampire could want a werewolf right? But- I guess he's just kind of abandoned me here without so much as a goodbye and like do I tell him off? Do I make sure he's actually okay and not like buried out in the desert somewhere by some anti-vampire crusader or what? Usually I don't- I don't think I've ever really had feelings for someone I've played around with. You know us- we're wolves. We, you know, sex is kind of our thing."

Derek shrugged at Hunter and Hunter did his best to rearrange his face. Well, were wolves were at least humanoid.  "That- that seems difficult. To be abandoned. For whatever reason."

"Well it is. But it's own fault too-" Derek said, looking down and blushing. "He was right. We came here together to try and solve a problem and now it just seems like it tore us apart. It's weird because I've never missed him before. It's like- we lived on opposite sides of the city, we'd never worked in a movie together. And I'd always be happy to like see him but I never bugged him necessarily. Maybe it was because I was so busy with my pack I don't know. He's so different too, from me. He's calm and intelligent and everything I'm not-" Derek said in a little voice, clearly sad and a little depressed.

Hunter handed him a tissue.

"Thanks," Derek said and proceeded to let it fall onto the couch without using it. 

"So you love him."

Derek tilted his head. "Eh- ummm- sure? I guess as much as longer living creatures can. I mean, werewolves in good weather with good food and regular exercise can live almost 500 and vampires beyond that, though they tend to start losing looks around three hundred is what I'm told. And I know technically you look down on two dudes because you have to but I'm not here for that either. It's- way past that point. And plus everybody knows about the disciples anyways."

"Wha-"

"The thing is, I don't know if I was ever happy in LA. It's like I loved Vancouver working there and being off around the world is great. Getting to hike Hawaii and- and it's not like I don't love my rock wall gym and my wolf pack but there's a great set of wolves here in Vegas that really get me. I get to do all the stuff I love with them and I know they're not good people. They're covering- you know- for whatever the fuck CT is doing here in town and I'm supposed to hate them but they're, you know, they're mmm-" Derek looked away for a moment.

"They're your brothers."

Luke's voice called from the doorway. Derek looked up at him, beet red. 

"I'm so sorry."

"I am too."