Always find my way to your door

[cockhops]

ALWAYS COME BACK They may be a rambler, a gambler, always on the run, a wanted criminal, someone with a higher calling, or just not the type to spend time with you (which may be fine by you), yet somehow, they'll always find their way back to your door. And they'll, again and again, find themselves wanting you, for support, for healing, for feeling alive, for venting frustration and anger, for anything and everything at all. You'll welcome them with open arms...and an open heart, because you want them close, too. Comment: prefs, info, preferred role, etc. Reply: to others. Thread: with them.

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Michael Corvin | Underworld | M/M

[lycanhybrid]

lmk if you need any changes!

[bigtuna]

You... haven't been waiting long, have you?

[ Jim doesn't expect to see Michael at his doorstep when he gets home, but there he is all the same. Then again, it's not like Jim isn't used to unannounced visits; he just feels a little guilty that the guy had to wait at all.

He offers a half-smile, jingling his key in his pocket before heading to the front door and unlocking it. He hasn't had the time to clean up the house recently, and with his roommate and girlfriend out for the weekend, they can't pick his slack up either. ]

Sorry you had to stay out in the cold like that. I don't usually work this late.

[lycanhybrid]

[Michael had been waiting for at least an hour. Of course, after spending the last few days running from vampires and another few days making sure none were holed up here or had followed him, he'll be glad for any kind of break.

He just didn't want anybody following him to Jim's place.]

Cold doesn't bother me much.

[He follows Jim inside.]

Sorry about turning up out of the blue. I've had a hectic few weeks.

[bigtuna]

Hectic doesn't sound good. [ He'd kill for some of it in his own life, but the concept of what Michael goes through is totally different altogether, he's sure. Jim shuts the door, takes Michael's coat, and hangs their stuff up on the rack without incident. ] You wanna talk about it?

[ Jim undoes his necktie with one hand, the other lifting to cover his mouth and the yawn that follows it. Sometimes he asks these things, but it's not like he always expects to be given a proper answer; if anything, he'd be totally out of his league if he did. ]

I rented some DVDs too, if that's more your speed.

[ A pause, and then: ] I'm just glad you're okay, man.

[lycanhybrid]

It's kind of a long story. And a weird one, even for me.

[Fighting the original vampire and werewolf and literally coming back from the dead wouldn't be something even he would believe if it hadn't happened to him.]

Nothing with lots of gore I hope.

[bigtuna]

Toy Story. [ And so Jim reaches out to procure the DVD by the television, holding it up with a smile. Originally he rented it to placate his boss, but hey. ] You've seen it before, right?

[ He turns all the electronics on then, taking extra care when he handles the CD. ]

Also, [ he slips the DVD into the machine ] define 'weird'. I could be wrong, but I feel like we've got vastly different ideas of what that is.

[lycanhybrid]

I might have seen it on TV once.

[Frankly, he'll take a colorful kids movie over something like The Howling right now.]

Well, let me put it this way. You ever met your very, very great uncles who also happened to be monsters?

[bigtuna]

My one uncle always eats all the macaroni and cheese at parties. [ Jim plops onto the sofa by Michael's side, absently playing with the remote as he spins it in his hand. ] Does that count?

[ Of course it doesn't. But his sense of humour demands that he say so anyway.

Jim starts the movie, but keeps the volume pretty low so Michael can keep talking. ]

Or is it a lot worse than having your favourite food run out?

[lycanhybrid]

I got to meet my ancestors. Actually, 'meet' isn't the right word, because they tried to kill me.

[He cracks a small smile at the screen.]

They also happened to be the original vampire and werewolf.

[bigtuna]

"Original"...

[ Jim tries to picture it, but all he sees are horribly wrinkled people. He's always sort of acknowledged the supernatural immortality schtick, but saying 'original' must date back to thousands of years ago.

And to a temporal human like Jim, it's really hard to comprehend.

The Toy Story soundtrack plays softly in the background. ]

Wait--so they were where all the ones now came from, right? The first ones who just... came into being, somehow? [ His brows furrow. ] ... and they were pissed?

[lycanhybrid]

['You've Got a Friend in Me'. How appropriate for right now.]

Well, apparently they were the sons of the first immortal, and then they became the first vampire and werewolf after getting bitten by a bat and wolf.

[Yeah, that sounds silly. He thought the same thing when he first heard it.]

William, the werewolf, went feral after turning and was imprisoned, and his brother, Marcus, had been asleep for the past few centuries. He was not very happy when he woke up, and was going to take over the world with William at his side. They're dead now.

[He says it so casually, his horrific story contrasted with Woody gathering the other toys around on the TV.]

[bigtuna]

[ They're dead now.

The casual way it's spoken makes both Jim's brows lift, but he doesn't try to argue. All he does is smile a bit, his eyes on the television but his body turned, in the smallest angle, Michael's way. ]

You saved the world, huh. [ It's so out of his world--so beyond him. To think he's always stuck in the office and his friend is killing literal villains.

Still... he killed them. Jim turns his head away from the bright colours and looks at Michael instead. ] You okay?

[lycanhybrid]

Told you it was a wild story.

[To think, humanity had come to close to being ended and nobody never knew.]

Marcus left me legally dead for a while, and being stabbed several times really hurts, but I'm fine.

[The fact that he doesn't otherwise look like he was mortally wounded is a testament to the combined vampire and lycan rapid healing.]

[bigtuna]

See, your definition of 'wild' is a lot different from mine. [ The corner of Jim's mouth tugs up, but he shakes his head and eventually glances back towards the television. ] But you know I'm not asking if you're physically okay, right?

[ He lets that question hang in the air, as awkward as it is. It's not that Jim's a huge fan of heart to hearts, but sometimes he hears these stories from Michael and finds himself wondering how anyone can live through them.

Of course, Michael's the only supernatural being he knows, so there's that. But. ]

You've been gone a long while.

[lycanhybrid]

[Michael pauses, just watching the movie for a moment. Army Men. He used to play with those.]

I've been having a few bad dreams since it happened.

[Even with his powers, the run in with those monsters wasn't pleasant.]

Hungary's a long way from here.

[bigtuna]

Sure is far. [ There's no denying that.

Jim could say something like 'at least you're here now', but he's not certain how much help that is. He does, however, reach out just enough to clap a hand on Michael's shoulder and squeeze in some attempt at comfort.

Michael's world will always be separate from Jim's humanity, he thinks. But that's okay. ]

You know you can stay a couple nights here. [ His grip falls away, Jim reaching up to clear his throat into his fist. ] I'm told I'm a great listener.

[lycanhybrid]

[Michael smiles at the touch, grateful for the friendly gesture.

If he can keep Jim out of all the vampire and lycan politics, and not drag him down into this world, he can live with himself.]

Thanks, Jim.

[bigtuna]

Don't mention it, seriously. [ The smile is enough. If Michael's all right, then Jim'll stop pushing it. There's no need to mention that he gets worried.

He settles nicely in the sofa and watches Toy Story in comfortable silence, hoping (if talking won't fix things) that the cartoon helps. The longer it goes on the more Jim slouches and sinks into the sofa; the only time he moves is when he laughs.

Out of the corner of his eye he does still watch out for Michael's expressions. Kind of embarrassing, but Jim worries. It's a bad quality to have. ]

[lycanhybrid]

[Michael watches the movie, occasionally cracking a smile at the funny bits, letting himself relax. After what he's been through he needs a break like this.

Once the movie's over, he looks out the window, seeing that it's a full moon tonight.]

It's not a pleasant thing, you know. The first time you turn into a lycan.

[bigtuna]

No? [ While phrased as a question, Jim doesn't doubt him. The credits are rolling and he's looking at the names but not reading them. ]

Did it hurt?

[lycanhybrid]

Yeah. A lot.

[He squirms, getting more comfortable as he watches the credits.]

Imagine your bones and muscles changing, Your ribs getting bigger.

[bigtuna]

Huh. [ Jim flops back at that, his head leaning into the backrest and his feet propped up on the coffee table.

His hands press to his torso, feeling for the ribs beneath his cotton shirt. He imagines, just like Michael told him to, but it's highly likely Jim's mind isn't doing it any justice. ]

Do they crack? Your ribs?

[lycanhybrid]

Yeah. You get used to it after the first time.

[If it was that painful every time, he's unsure if he would ever transform.]

It's not as extensive for hybrids, though.

[bigtuna]

I've always wondered about that. [ Jim looks Michael over now, doing his best to be subtle as he regards him head to toe.

He's never actually seen Michael shift before. ] How does it work if you're half?

Do you transform all the way?

[lycanhybrid]

It's more like I turn into something that's a combination of both.

[He bites his lip, already regretting what he's about to suggest.]

I can, uh... show you, if you want. Don't worry, lycans keep their minds when they change.