darkest timeline } { of local bakeries and bookstore presents

[impetere]

Cora: [works at a bar that's kinda like Coyote Ugly, minus the bar dancing. Well, the patrons may bar dance on occasion, but that's the patrons, not the staff. Cora mostly works behind the bar because it makes it harder for the customers to grab at her and therefore hurt themselves, but finding a spot at the bar can be difficult so ... good luck Stiles]

Stiles: [he enters the bar, looking at the crowd and thinks for a moment. How the hell is he going to get up there. After a moment, he smirks and decides to start a whispering campaign, saying something like "I just saw Bradley Cooper duck into the bathroom." Given two minutes, and a good portion of the women and gay men are shifting to the other side of the bar, watching the bathroom door in anticipation. Which allows him to wiggle through the rest and get to the bar and take a barstool that just happens to open up when a drunk stumbles off it to see what everyone's talking about.]

Cora: [turns around and there's Stiles and she squints for a moment] ... Hi.

Stiles: Hey. Can I get a beer? [just grinning]

Cora: Sure. Just whatever's on tap?

Stiles: Yeah. I trust you'll give me something good.

Cora: [nods and will serve him whatever is on tap, placing the tankard on the bar in front of him] There you go.

Stiles: Thanks. [and he will put a ten on the bar to pay for it] How you doing?

Cora: [shrugs] Tonight isn't too bad. I've seen crazier nights.

Stiles: I'm sure. So do I want to know where all the bras came from? [points up at the decor]

Cora: [shrugs] Donations from patrons.

Stiles: I need to come to the next donation day

Cora: It's not really a set thing. People just leave them behind and are too embarrassed to claim them.

Stiles: So there's no set take off your bra and get a shot day. Bummer.

Cora: Nope. Sorry.

Stiles: Well, I guess I'll just have to find other ways to observe drunken humanity and remember why I like cryptids better.

Cora: Oh, stick around long enough and you'll get plenty of that.

Stiles: Oh good. Guess that means I'll need another beer. Maybe some pretzels too.

Cora: Coming up. [and she'll go to get him the beer and the pretzels]

Stiles: [and he will work on the beer he has, just people watching from his corner bar stool]

Cora: [and it's a pretty rowdy crowd all things considered, lots of squabbling, lots of laughing, lots of just general crazy behavior]

Stiles: [and he keeps himself ordering stuff to not make anyone complain about him staying there for an hour observing.]

Cora: [and Cora will get pushed out from behind the bar for one reason or another, one of the patrons will get handsy, and said patron will wind up with their head getting slammed into the table]

Stiles: Ow. [he winces in sympathetic pain, but smirks because damn girl, you can take them on like a pro]

Cora: [drunk guy's friends apologize and takes him out because they know better, and eventually Cora will make her way back] Asshole.

Stiles: You showed him.

Cora: I shouldn't have to.

Stiles: Well, that's a given. But assholes are gonna asshole.

Cora: Well, hopefully he's learned his lesson.

Stiles: I'm sure the concussion will help him remember.

Cora: You would think, but that doesn't always convince all of them.

Stiles: No, it's always going to be a one on one situation with assholes because they think they are better than anyone else, and will probably think that just because you did it to that guy doesn't mean you'll do it to me because I'm better than that guy.

Cora: That's ... so stupid.

Stiles: So are most guys. Like I say, people are crazy.

Cora: I never said they weren't.

Stiles: [just nods, and goes to pack up his notebook] Well, I'm gonna head home. Well, no first stop by a bakery and then head home.

Cora: [nods] Samson's is a block over and it usually is open late.

Stiles: Good to know. I usually head down to Bleeker street but that's much closer.

Cora: It helps when you've been a local for a while.

Stiles: I will make sure that the mice know to hail you in their ritual tonight for their cake.

Cora: [she smirks] The credit is appreciated.

Stiles: [sliding off the stool, thinks a moment, then looks back at her] Well, see you later.

Cora: [she nods at that as another customer is shouting her down for a beer] Yeah, sure.

Stiles: [he'd ask if she wanted to come over and meet the mice, but after how the pizza night went, he doesn't ask because he doesn't want to go through that again]

Cora: [.... she does want to come over and meet the mice though. alas.]

Stiles: [well, if she gets off soon, she will find him at the bakery since he realized he was a bit wobbly on his feet and sat down for a cookie and a coffee]

Cora: [she does catch him in the window because Laura asked her to stop for a cake for something or other, and she frowns as she makes her way inside] I thought you were going home.

Stiles: [looks up, having been reading his notes] I was, but I think I had a beer too many so I'm sobering up before I walk the rest of the way home.

Cora: Oh. [jerks her thumb towards the counter] Just picking up a cake.

Stiles: I recommend the buttercream. [points at the little box next to him]

Cora: She already ordered it, I'm just the method of delivery.

Stiles: Ah. Well, don't let me keep you. I'm probably going to leave in a few minutes. Should be walking straight by then.

Cora: Okay. [and she heads to the counter to pick up the cake]

Stiles: [and he is going to stand up, stumbling a bit but is that from the alcohol or his own clumsiness no one will know]

Cora: [and werewolf senses means she's turning and catching his arm] Maybe you should call a cab.

Stiles: It's only a block or two. I'll be fine.

Cora: You sure?

Stiles: Yeah, totally. [he squeezes his eyes a bit, then sighs] Though if you wanted to walk me home I won't say no.

Cora: It's not out of my way. Probably better if you didn't get mugged. [and she'll pick up her cake and wait for him to lead the way]

Stiles: You may want to leave the cake outside so the mice don't get any ideas. [he's assuming she means all the way to the apartment door. he'll grab his stuff and show her the way]

Cora: Got it. [and off they go to Very's old place which is now Stiles' new place]

Stiles: [yup, and there's still no elevator. But when they get to the familiar door, he will dig for his keys] Well, thanks for the walk.

Cora: No problem. [and there's an antsy sort of pause as she peers in the door once he's got it open, almost as though she's trying to catch sight of one of his furry friends]

Stiles: [and he sees this. The mice are hidden because of the door opening and won't come out until he tells them to] What is it?

Cora: [a beat] Nothing. [she doesn't want to intrude on his space] Never mind. I should get the cake home.

Stiles: [and he remembers what Very told him] Do you want to meet the mice?

Cora: [and her head ducks, a little sheepish] If it's okay.

Stiles: It's okay. Come on in.

Cora: [and she will, poking her head around to see who's there]

Stiles: [the mice are still hiding, but she will notice that instead of a barbie dreamhouse in the open closet, there is instead a lego custom Hogwarts castle. Once Stiles closes the door, he will head into the kitchen area] Mischief Managed.

Mice: [and suddenly the castle explodes in activity as they come scurrying out to see Stiles, but before they can hail him they see Cora and just stare up at her]

Cora: [smiles, like really smiles, and she sits down in front of them cross-legged and holds out her hand] Hi. I'm Cora.

Priest: [walks up to her, rubbing his whiskers] Hail, Cora. Are you the one our brothers and sisters call the Priestess of Face Punching?

Cora: That would be me, yes.

Mice: HAIL the first visit of the Priestess of Face Punching!

Cora: Hi. Do you guys like your new home?

Priest: It is different from California. The air smells bad. But the God of Bad Decisions has given us a paper tree that smells of the woods. [it's an air freshener hanging in the castle]

Cora: [and she glances over her shoulder to Stiles, then back to the mice] Do I want to know how he earned that name?

Priest: He would get the God of Ultimate Law drunk to be able to get information, and then would go and try to solve cases.

Cora: Yeah, that sounds like a pretty bad decision.

Stiles: To be fair, he worked too hard and wasn't trained to deal with cryptids like I was. [goes to sit on the floor next to them] Priestess of Face Punching.

Cora: I only face punch for good and valid reasons. I don't dupe the person who I'm assuming is your father into getting drunk so that I can get information out of him.

Stiles: Still, I think I may need to invest in a goalie mask if we're going to hang out more, since I'm sure I'll make a bad decision one day that will end up with you punching my face. It's almost inevitable.

Cora: Only if you touch me when I don't want to be touched.

Stiles: I only touch people when they want to be touched. Well, unless you're about to get hit by a taxi and then I will probably not wait for you to give me permission to tug you out of the way of a moving vehicle.

Cora: That's not the kind of touching I mean. I mostly mean the kind I gave that asshole a concussion for today.

Stiles: Oh that, yeah no I'm big in consent when it comes to that.

Cora: Then we should be fine.

Stiles: [and he will out the large slice of buttercream cake in front of the mice] You asked for cake for your ritual tonight, so here you go. Enjoy.

Mice: HAIL THE GIVING OF THE CAKE!

Cora: I won't get in the way of your ritual. I just wanted to come in to say hi.

Priest: We are honored by your presence, Priestess. We are always available to the friends of the Price family when needed.

Cora: I appreciate that. Next time I'll try to bring a better offering.

Mice: [and they are carrying the plate with the cake back to the closet]

Priest: [bows] May the Force be with You, Priestess. [and he will go to join the rest of the mice]

Cora: ... [looks at Stiles] May the Force be with you?

Stiles: [shrugs] I'm a nerd. This group grew up with me. I used to say it to them all the time and they took it as a holy saying.

Cora: Duly noted. [and she pushes up] I should go and get the cake home.

Stiles: Alright. Do you want to leave via window or door? [because he may have questioned the mice on what they knew about her and there was mention of the fireplace and roof running]

Cora: Door. Cakes don't fare well when free running.

Stiles: That's true. [and he will get up to show her out] Thanks for walking me home.

Cora: Thanks for letting me meet the mice.

Stiles: [nods] Anytime you want to be worshipped, let me know.

Cora: I'll do that. [and she will return home with the cake]

Peter: [is in the living room reading] Working late?

Cora: Laura wanted me to pick up a cake, and then I was hanging out with some Aeslin Mice. [glances over] You're actually home.

Peter: I thought Verity left New York. [and yes, he is home. His presence in the living room is obvious]

Cora: Her cousin is subletting her place.

Peter: Hmm. [and he will turn the page, never having lifted his eyes]

Cora: What?

Peter: Nothing.

Cora: [rolls her eyes because Peter is a dick. what else is new] Whatever. [and she's going to go shower and get the cigarette/alcohol/sweat smell off of her]

Peter: [yup, totally a dick in this verse. And he will be gone by the time she's done]

Cora: [surprise surprise. whatever, she's going to go crash out. but she's used to Peter not wanting anything to do with her - or at least that's how she sees it - so she does her best to let it run off her back]

Peter: [he does it on purpose. He keeps them all at a distance while he is secretly playing Batman in the city. Plus they all look too much like his sister that it hurts to look at them]

Cora: [well, it just makes his youngest niece feels like he hates her since he didn't treat her like this before the Argents took her so ... thanks for making her think you think she's a double agent, Peter]

Peter: [he treats Derek the same way. In fact, Laura is probably the only one that actually sees him and that's only because she's the alpha]

Cora: [maybe, but Cora's had to live with it longer than Derek has, and she's just kind of given up at this point]

Derek: [eh, you have him. And he's 1000% better than Peter was anyway]

Cora: [that's true, if she didn't feel guilty about Derek being the way he is]

Derek: [not your fault, Cora. Never your fault]

Cora: [feels like her fault]

Derek: [shut your face. In fact, when he hears you've returned, he actually leaves his room and comes to her bedroom to stand in the doorway] Hey.

Cora: [glances over from where she's staring up at the ceiling] Hey.

Derek: Can I come in?

Cora: [nods and inches over to give him room to sit next to her]

Derek: [which he will take, looking around her room a bit before focusing on her] I went to the mall today.

Cora: Yeah? How'd it go?

Derek: It went okay. People don't really pay attention to you in a mall. Also pretty sure Laura would scare anyone away who tried to get within five feet of me.

Cora: Yes, she would.

Derek: I rewarded myself with dragging her to the bookstore. So if you want something new to read, I have a small library going.

Cora: I'll check it out later. It was a long day at work.

Derek: I understand. I just wanted to give you this. [and he pulls a small box out from behind him]

Cora: [pushes up a bit in surprise] What is it?

Derek: Open it. I hope you don't think it's too juvenile, I just thought you'd like it. [and inside is a tiny playset he found at the bookstore]

Cora: [she opens it, and then she snorts, because it's not what she's expecting and it makes her laugh] It's cute.

Derek: I thought they were cute too. You don't have a lot of little things in here and I know I got used to having nothing that was mine. So I wanted you to have something from me that's just yours.

Cora: Thanks. [and she means that] I'll have to figure out where to put them.

Derek: Just keep them out of Barry's reach, or he might take them.

Cora: I can do that.

Derek: [he smiles a bit, and then gets up] Well, you looked like you were getting ready for bed, so I'll go. Sleep tight.

Cora: You too. Thanks again, for the cats.

Derek: You're welcome. [and he will close the door behind him as he leaves, leaving it open a crack so Barry can slip in if he wants to]

Cora: [and she will brush her fingers over the corner of the box, before placing it on her desk and curling up on her side and closing her eyes to go to sleep]