growling | ic inbox.

[ that earns a slightly skeptical look, as if it's somehow a stupid question. ]

Yes, I have. Why?

[ it's almost hesitant, as he's not entirely sure where this is going - or he has an idea, and he'd rather not go there. ]

[She gives him a look. It's the kind of appraising look that a woman might give a man who she's considering sleeping with, except in this case it's less "I want to sleep with you" and more "I refuse to let some no-name pussy alpha wolf get in my way," and Josh is the prize.

It's a very cat look.]

You're not a member of his pack, are you?

[Because there's etiquette and fuck it she'll break it if you are.]

[ jesus christ. except he's totally seen that look, if a slightly more wolfy variety, and usually from nora and usually in more intimate circumstances, but-

not really appropriate associations, very much not the time. ]

I'm not... sure.

[ he honestly isn't. still, not the most convincing of answers. ]

[Yes, if he would have seen it before, that would be the place. She just snorts. I'm not sure. What a guy answer. No conviction at all.]

You know he has the social skills of a mentally disabled sea slug, right?

[Her conversation with him was exactly ten minutes of her day but man did that guy need some serious etiquette lessons]

[ that earns a short, sharp laugh. ]

Yes, I am very, very aware of that fact. Thanks for pointing it out so eloquently, though.

But he's a wolf. He's...

[ oh god is he going to say this ]

And this kills me to admit, trust me, because I'd genuinely rather cut my own face off than say this, but he's actually better at the werewolf thing than I am at the moment. I need his help.

[She scoffs, because that may be true but she's not going to admit that. She takes a huffy kind of breath, but okay.

Okay, Josh.]

I'm not asking him for permission to talk to you.

[ what the hell is that supposed to mean. he looks sightly less amused now, more confused and suspicious. ]

What? Sorry - why would you need to do that?

Because alpha werewolves are made of pee on your boots territorial mixed with psychotic crazy.

[Maybe that is a little bit too much opinion. Sorry, Josh.]

And there's etiquette. And I hate it, but I follow it because I don't want to make a scene.

[ he is frowning so deeply. but he's not really arguing, he gets it. he's met what he's pretty sure are alphas back in boston and they were awful. ]

I'm pretty sure Derek doesn't play by those rules. And even if he does, I don't.

Well, I'll play by those rules for the teenagers because they're kids.

[She already asked, regarding Boyd, and kind of, regarding Stiles]

It's good to know you're keeping some independence. But really, what I wanted to ask - are all the wolves here kids? I mean, except for you. And that one guy. Peter.

[ that gets a pause, because he doesn't actually know about peter. it's not a name that's come up before, and he wants to ask more, but - now's not the time to dig, at least not with daphne. ]

I don't know. There are a lot of kids, which is - so phenomenally messed up I can't even begin to explain it to you. They're... easily influenced.

[ he's not talking about any young wolves on the ship when he says it, and it almost trips him up for a second, mind wandering before he gets back on track. ]

They think they understand the consequences. Of what they are, of the world it puts them in, but - I don't think they know the half of it.

[Wait.

Wait.

No seriously, wait.

She had thought that they were born but no, no, that's not how it works and she has to rework how she thinks because-]

Did he bite them?

He bit them?

Those kids?

[ wow, he is so not going to get a pack pr job in the near future. ]

What? Shit- no. I mean I don't know, I'm not from where they're from, I'm just assuming because that's how it works where I'm from.

[ it's a lie, because he knows perfectly well that they were all bitten, but this doesn't feel like the kind of revelation he should be sharing. ]

[She is, luckily for Josh, not the human lie detector that the other wolves seem to be. She stands there, quiet for a moment, and finally nods.]

Anyway. If he starts to get all pissy territorial on you, you can come to me, okay?

[She's not sure if she means her room. That would be a deeply personal thing. But to her, anyway.]

If you don't want to be part of a pack, you don't have to be. I don't care how wolves usually work.

[ he relaxes quickly when she moves on, although there's a strange tension in the next line that's entirely unrelated. ]

Hey, you're preaching to the choir.

[ because he hates being a wolf, he hates the idea of packs, of anything that takes away his humanity or control. or at least the thinks he does - he's not entirely sure anymore. ]

And thank you.

[ it's sincere. thanks for her offer of help, thanks for what he thinks might be forgiveness after he'd lied to her about what he was. ]

[She smiles, now, and it's not wide but it's there, just the shyest bit of a smile. She reaches over and pats Josh on the cheek]

Come on, cub, lets go grab something to eat.

Cub, really? I know I owe you one, but awful pet names are pushing it.

[ he bats her hand lightly away as he says it, but he's smiling. the gesture reminds him of sally, and it's bizarrely comforting given how screwed up the rest of this is. ]

I'll cook. And if you feel the overwhelming urge to lick my finger again, maybe ask first this time.

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