dinosize | anomaly 008 . pairing & spam

anomaly 008 . pairing & spam

[ He spends a long time going over the file before he contacts her. Early life first, then moving on. Coming on the manner of her death is a sudden and brutal shock, and he has to fight down nausea for several minutes before he starts to calm down again. Flips through the list of her victims, trying not to think about the quantity, but just on the reasons. Finally, he breathes out and turns on the comm. ]

[ private to clementine ]

So. I might find someone to teach me werewolf hunting. Is that what you said?

[ spam ]

[ Catch Stephen around with a toolkit, fixing wobbly tables and chairs in common areas and the cafeteria. Feel free to have him fixing something specifically requested.

Alternatively, catch him floating down a river in CES. Chillin'. In a canoe. Like you do.

Also alternatively, he can always be found going for runs, at least once a day, up and down the stairs and in whatever environment the CES provides for him.

He has hardly said a word to his friends since Nick arrived. But he'll be doing his best to pretend nothing's wrong. ]

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[ After getting out of Zero, Stephen was of special interested to the vampire. It was a few days after, his gifts already left for Stiles and Allison. And he was leaving Lydia alone for the time being to let her paranoia build. For the better part of an hour.

He'd taken notice of Stephen in the dining hall the day before, and had been more or less keeping an eye on the guy for the better part of following day and night, off and on. But always out of sight. The only time there wasn't a chance of Jerry being somewhere, watching, was if Stephen went into CES at any point that day. Because, apart from needing warden approval the sunlight in there was not something he would risk.

It was while most of the ship slept in the wee hours of the morning, that he would a last see the vampire. In the stairwell leading to the fourth level. Calmly leaning against the wall, eating an apple. His gaze intent on the early morning runner. ]

[ He slides the iPod earbuds out, one by one, and comes to a stop. He hasn't even started to break a sweat yet; this won't be too much of an interruption to his morning routine. It's the apple that catches his eye, that makes him make the connection - since he's never seen Jerry's face. ]

Knew it.

[ Knew he was being watched. That vague prickle at the edge of his senses. Same thing he got when he was tracking down the future predators. Funny enough, he'd felt the most alone in CES, the least watched when there were the most people around him. ]

Can I help you?

[ If Jerry was impressed at Stephen figuring out who he was, he didn't show it. He just took another bit of his apple, watching the man. Letting him sit in silence while the vampire chewed. Only then did he shake his head, giving a slight shrug. ]

You're the one who stopped, guy. I should be the one asking you that.

[ He takes another bite. Everything about him slow, uncaring, and casual. ]

It's Stephen.

[ Not that he thinks Jerry has forgotten. ]

And, what I should have said is - I knew someone was watching. [ Stephen has the eyes of a hunter, the body of a hunter. He is aware of the danger, keenly, and he doesn't back down regardless. ]

Am I that interesting?

[ Another bite. Another long pause as he considered the question. He pushed off the wall, leaning closer to Stephen. But it wasn't with an answer. ]

I'd like to know, what you think you're running from.

[ Because even the most fit humans didn't run nearly as often or as at odd hours, as Stephen did. ]

[ Stephen's expression hardens. ]

Exercise, mate.

If I was running from something, I wouldn't be going in circles, would I?

[ There's a flush on his skin, though, something between anger and embarrassment. Wasn't he looking for a way out? Isn't that why he died? ]

[ That flush. That's what he was looking for. To most, it would have been subtle. But to him, it was a screaming alarm that he'd hit close to something. He was on the right track. He moved just a little closer. ]

If you ran once....maybe twice a day. But you? If you're not working, you're running. So what is it, guy? What's got you so spooked you can't stop running?

I don't, more than twice. It's asking for an injury.

[ He may not be actually counting boot camp. Cause he's not going full speed there. ]

[ He's so not buying it, Stephen. And his amusement is clear. Bordering on condescension. Another small shift closer. ]

That's not an answer, guy.

[ There isn't an answer. Because there's no specific thing he's running from. He's just staying in motion, trying to convince himself that he's still alive when everything feels numb, when he wakes up every night remembering teeth raking his flesh and his ribs snapping.

Stephen's always been a bit reckless, chasing an adrenaline high. Dying hasn't made it any better.

He steps closer himself, this time. Daring Jerry. ] Didn't your mother ever tell you not to play with your food?

[ The amusement spills over into a full, broad smile at the comment and the fact that Stephen closed the space even further. It was a fanged smile.

But in a snap, he changed. The only warning given was a slight shift of his head as more teeth appeared--enough to rival the monstrous lizards Stephen was used to. And like a viper, he struck. Fast. Teeth going for the man's neck. Hands moving to drag him closer. ]

[ He honestly hadn't expected Jerry to strike. He'd bluffed through encounters with plenty of predators before by making himself seem large and intimidating. And Jerry, all else equal, is a prisoner here - someone who can be punished by the wardens, the ones with the final power.

If not the physical power, at this particular moment.

The sight of the teeth inspires a flash of adrenaline, and he thinks - the future predators. The ones evolved from bats.

Stephen reacts faster than most humans would have been able to, an attempt to twist away, but Jerry is monstrously fast, and it isn't good enough. ]

[ After living off the blood rations the Barge provided, there were a flood or relief as his teeth sank into the man's neck. It took a measure of effort to not just tear deeper and indulge.

He doesn't linger long. Not taking enough to weaken the man terribly, less than a pint. But he takes his time when his teeth release. Flat tongue dragging over skin, savoring the blood that escaped. At least he was a considerate predator. ]

[ His hands are flat against Jerry's chest, and he fights like a demon until the teeth sink in.

It's not better instincts - though, God knows it's a good idea not to let the teeth tear him further. It's the sudden shock of pain - and what comes immediately after.

He breathes in, sudden and shaky, because the adrenaline's hit him at unimaginable speeds, and suddenly everything around him is the boldest it's ever been. Bright sharp pain, and he sees details, metal joints and the shadows on the stairs, the fog that's held him since his death sliced through and peeled away. His heartbeat threads.

He feels alive.

And when he realizes that, he stops trying to push Jerry away. Whether he survives now or not isn't up to him. ]

[ The shift, the lack of fight, was one Jerry didn't find very often. At least not like that. Usually the fought. They cried. Until the lost enough strength or the will to keep struggling. But usually it came with a marked decrease in heart rate. Their bodies struggling to keep up with the blood loss.

But to come with an increase in pulse? It wasn't paralyzing fear. No, it was close, but not quite. He lingered, drawing in that scent. Savoring it for a moment. Oh. OH. Wasn't that interesting.

He leaned back, letting go of Stephen, drawing a hand across his lips as he did. Just smiling. ]

[ He's out of breath. Running didn't leave him out of breath, but this did, and it's not just the blood loss. Blood loss - fuck that, this doesn't reach how he felt the first time he donated.

His hand goes to the wound in his neck, bleeding far too fast for comfort, and he gasps in a couple of breaths. And then he starts to laugh. Probably an edge of hysteria, the flood of endorphins coming on the heels of an injury. Feels like someone delivered caffeine straight to the bloodstream. And he knows, intellectually, that this isn't a good reaction. This isn't a healthy reaction. This is, in short, fucked up.

And he's still laughing. Laughing in this twisted, fucked-up relief.

He raises his eyes, red and a little wet now from sheer emotional and physical reaction. ]

You could have just asked. [ Blood running through his fingers and a throb of fresh pain, and that fog hasn't come back yet. ]

[ He calmly cleaned the blood from his lips as he watched Stephen's reaction. Calmly licking the traces from his fingers. His dark gaze drifted to the blood still escaping the wound. Calm and collected. ]

I have a feeling that next time...

[ He reached his hand out to drag a freshly cleaned finger through the blood that escaped between the man's fingers. ]

...I won't have to ask.

Next time, ask anyway.

[ He doesn't have a problem telling Allison she can come and kill the vampire. But, by the same token, he thinks it's better if he's the one being hunted. No one needs to know. Unless he wants them to.

There's a strange, heady combination of power and the lack thereof. Stephen isn't quite sure how to think about it.

So he doesn't. ]

Or don't you think it's best to give the warden the illusion of control?

[ He feels insane and reckless and warm. He needs to get this looked at. Infirmary. Hopefully before anyone else gets up. ]

[ He remained amused. Calm. Staying close as he licked his fingers clean again. Eyes still focused on Stephen. He'd been looking for a thread to tug on. But what he'd found was so much more.

After a moment, he just gave the smallest of shrug. As if he'd grown bored of this. And he turned away, headed down the stairs. Leaving the warden to tend to his own wounds.

He had a feeling that he wouldn't have to ask next time, because Stephen would offer it freely. Even if the warden didn't, he'd be receiving another visit from the vampire. Knowing he was so receptive. ]

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anomaly 008 . pairing & spam

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cw: mention of gore in stephen's death

cw: Let's just leave a blanket "vampire stuff from here on out" warning

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