freezerburned | IC Contact for Asgard

[ the truth might be one thing, and how derek handled it all another. but there had been no time for softness, no time for explaining what and why. only that he gets isaac out of there, send him away with feelings of hurt and betrayal-- something that wouldn't allow doubt and questions to linger.

looking back on it now, maybe he could have found a different way, but it's in the past and he can't cling to it now. ]

You had every right to be wary. Angry. I never did explain back home, only sent you away.

[ so for the other isaac to be angry-- it was expected, and not something derek could deny being guilty of sending him away in the harshest possible manner. his voice is steady even if what he says next pains him; ]

And after Boyd died, I couldn't take you back.

[ the alpha pack had succeeded in showing exactly how serious they were about him killing his betas. ]

[Isaac nods again, trying to ignore the reminder of Boyd's death, and how it pangs at his heart. He hasn't experienced it yet, hasn't experienced losing Erica- all he knows is that they die and he couldn't save them. Derek couldn't save them.

It hurts, but not in a finite sort of way. It's the not knowing that does it, the confusion, the secondhand information, the not seeing Boyd or Erica in their world, not realizing them as dead.]

...yeah. I get it. [It's soft, and Isaac moves to set the coffee mug down on the table, his eyes lowered a little.] So... okay. Is that all?

[He doesn't mean it harshly, but he honestly has no idea of what else to say. Derek and him haven't been close for months now, and while part of Isaac misses him dearly, part of him also doesn't know how to navigate this gap that seems to have wedged itself between them.]

[ they're not close here and they're not close back home. a part of him wonders if he should let it be like that, but then scott's words ring in his head and-- he should try. it all depends on whether they want him present or not. of course, saying as much has never been easy for derek.

his coffee remains untouched, eyes falling to it for a brief moment before he's looking at isaac again. is that it? there's a lot to say, but then, does he need to say it all? some of it has no time or place here, except for... ]

I'm no longer an alpha.

[ he hadn't explained that back home either, it was just known-- scott most likely told the rest while derek proceeded to get out of town with cora and peter. but it had been better that way, since isaac was no longer truly his. ]

[Isaac looks up at that, surprised to hear it. Scott and Stiles both haven't mentioned it to him and he doesn't know what exactly it entails, but from the tone of voice, he can infer that it's something huge.

Of course it's huge. It means something significant, because Derek as he knows him is all about being an alpha. Derek wants power, and that's okay because Isaac wanted power too- the same way Erica wanted power. The fact that he's not an alpha anymore removes him from the equation, and for a moment his mind jumps forward, eyes widening as he looks back toward the older man.]

Wait- but Scott said he didn't- oh my god.

[Scott said he didn't kill him, but if Scott is an alpha now and Derek isn't, then how else could it have been transferred?]

[ derek can't blame isaac for the reaction, he'd been much the same when he'd seen scott's eyes glow red in the alternate version of asgard. and of course, when he'd learned the truth about it, he'd still had a hard time believing it, what with true alphas being so incredibly rare.

his tone remains even despite how isaac seems to get a little panicky. ]

Scott didn't. He didn't need to take the power from anyone. It's what being a true alpha is all about.

[ and to clarify that he's not a rotting corpse back home either, he continues quickly; ]

And nobody else stole it either. Just not in the sense you're thinking.

[His brows furrow a little at that, but Isaac can't deny that a wave of relief comes over him at the revelation and he nods carefully, taking a deep breath and trying to process this.]

So back home... I'm still with Scott? What about you?

[If Derek isn't an alpha anymore, where does that leave him? Isaac isn't sure if he wants to know, but at the same time, it's far too important of a question to leave unanswered.]

You're still with Scott. [ a part of his pack, basically. but unlike before, there's... something even about the way derek says it, like it's alright. and actually-- it's better than alright really, when he thinks about it. he trusts scott to be a good alpha, to look after isaac. they might have never talked about things, not since derek refused to leave cora's side while she was sick and isaac called him out on why he'd done what he'd done... but even then, knowing isaac was alright and with scott left derek satisfied. ]

I was leaving town when I woke up here.

[ can't close a chapter in his life without being forced back here, apparently. ]

[Isaac looks down at that, not sure if it's guilt or shame or- or what, that makes him feel so awkward about his relationship with Scott and how it overwhelms the one he had with Derek. So he just nods once, not wanting to acknowledge Derek actually leaving- not knowing if they left on even remotely good terms. From the sounds of it, they didn't.

The fact that Derek was trying to get away from Beacon Hills- from him- doesn't escape him, and Isaac leans over to set his coffee down with a soft sound.]

...you just see failure when you look at us- don't you? Not ours, but- [He can only imagine the guilt at getting two teenagers killed and sending a third to be taken care of by someone he considered a rival. Maybe that's why Derek hasn't wanted to be around them. Maybe that's why their relationship has been strained.]

[ derek can't deny the guilt, or the failure. it's always there, especially here in asgard, where he has erica's anger to deal with. justified as it is, he has no idea how to heal those wounds when she's gone back home and he can't change it. ]

I haven't exactly succeeded. Not with any of you.

[ least of all erica and boyd, but he'd failed isaac too, ultimately. ]

Fixing things back home isn't an option anymore... But I'm not entirely sure how to go about it here, either.

[ look at that! honesty. ]

[Isaac just offers a loose shrug at that, not really sure of what to say. He doesn't even know how old Derek is, how much pressure that he'd put on him to succeed when the alpha probably didn't know what to do at all. It takes Isaac a few more moments to try and sort his thoughts before he finally offers Derek a wry smile.]

You know... I never know how to act around you either. [HONESTY. It's happening. Things are going places.

The smile actually goes a little genuine, and if they were any closer then Isaac would bump their shoulders together. So... it's probably for the best that they're not.]

I'll put in a good word with Erica. See if we can all maybe level a little.

IC Contact for Asgard

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