royal_musings | [Open Post] Where the Streets Have No Name

If there was anyone or any group who understood on some level what he went through about being accepted, it was likely this group. They had found each other, some of them coming from truly shit home lives and they were there for each other. They helped and assisted other neighborhoods out when they needed it and at the end of the day, their found family was the one thing that mattered most.

She nodded in understanding. "That makes sense. I'm glad that even if they weren't wolves that you had that support network." Les's mouth quirked up wryly as she rolled her eyes, mostly to herself. "God, I sound like one of my old school counselors."

"Great, then, we'll make it happen," she said with a grin, more or less inviting herself along. Which, would then invite the rest of the pack but it wouldn't hurt. Les listened to what he said about how the two were separate.

She tilted her head and nodded. "I can see that though. If my wolf was sharing head space with my vampire side, she may be a bit more feral as well."

The very idea of anyone wanting to take him in isn't something that would occur to Tyler. He's spent so long on his own, knowing he is the only of his kind and needs to be the only of his kind no matter what, that he's never thought about the possibility of anyone wanting to take him in. He's a threat and a danger, and he accepts that. Even if it sucks.

He laughs at that. "You really do, but it's true. I lost my family and I'm definitely not standing with the Mikaelsons. I spent days on end forcing my shift back and forth to break the sire bond. I'd rather die than side with them. Even to have a pack of any sort."

He definitely never wants that to be something in his life.

The thought of running with others though is an amazing thought. It's not something he's ever had, or that any of the other packs offered him, though he can't blame them.

"The oddest part is coping with the sunlight. I have the means to be in sunlight, from a friend, which you should also know that others have that means as well. Beyond the Mikaelsons. But my body craves the sun and hates it at the same time, and hates the moon and craves the night."

"Fuck, that must have been really painful," Les said just imagining him forcing the shift back and forth to break the sire bond. She nodded in understanding. "Yeah, I can't say I blame you. They don't sound like the best sort to be sided with." Although, she could imagine being sided with a family like that would attract certain people - the type who enjoyed the power and chaos.

Les watched Tyler as he talked and thought about how at odds that would be to both crave and hate the sun and the moon. "It's like you can't get away from the day or the night. That would be exhausting," she said, shaking her head.

"Outside of cross country road trips to warn packs about sociopathic hybrids, what kind of things are you into or enjoy doing?" Considering their family, it was only natural that he come out to the races one night while he's here helping them out. It was a sudden change of subject, she knew, and despite the subject, they ended up on, she still found him interesting. She also couldn't deny that her wolf found him interesting as well.

With others he's hedged on it, lied about it. Caroline had seen it, but with the others he shrugged and dismissed it. Other wolves though they know the truth and they know what that means, what he's been through.

"Yeah, it sucked. It was... horrific, but the idea of being Klaus' fucking puppet was more terrifying."

And it still is, even if he's fairly sure it will never happen again.

He looks at her for a long moment because she got something he couldn't always explain and no one seemed to understand. "Exhausted all the time except my body heals it," he agrees in a soft voice.

"I used to play football. I enjoyed a lot of sports. I was a rich kid in a town where my family were the founders and leaders. I was the son of the mayor. I mostly partied and drove fast and... and squandered all of my life before I was triggered. Then everything was focused on vampires and assholes and trying to save those I care about." He snorts, rolling his eyes. "Speaking of exhausting things."

He's never gone back to calm, to relaxing, to having fun. His life is just this now.

"Yeah, the pain would outweigh the idea of becoming anyones puppet," Les agreed. She respected that. If there was anything she knew about herself, it was that she loathed anyone having that kind of power over her. Having a pack and an alpha (and potentially a mate one day) was different. She'd heard stories and had heard what Tyler had told Ricky and Don earlier that day about the vampires in question and it made her wolf growly.

She met his gaze with a little tilt of her head. "Lord," she said with a sigh as she shook her head. "That sounds beyond exhausting since it's a continuous cycle 24/7." Les hated that for him and hated that's what he dealt with on a daily basis.

Les listened and grinned. "Ah, driving fast, now that's something I'm definitely familiar with." Well, okay that and the sports part. "Considering everything you've been through, that makes sense. It sounds like it keeps you busy." Her life compared to his seemed much quieter. Illegal street races and making sure people weren't creating extra trouble in their neighborhoods, it was all pretty mundane compared to vampires and the like.

"Why do you think I jumped on the Cockblock Klaus Tour?" He grins as he says it like it's all a joke and nothing serious. No sense his life dragging down everyone else. "Sure it's still more of their shit but it's just me and outdoors and I only got hit a few times at first, before I had packs to vouch for me."

Once he'd done the first couple of packs, they had given him messages and to send on and more and more listened to him. Just as they had here. It means less fights, and just a lot of stress still.

He's never known a time of his wolf running free, of trusting he can shift and not have it used against him, to be somehow locked in the form and fearing for that, from the stories he's heard.

"Yeah busy. I was really hoping for college, a scholarship to going pro and then maybe a trophy wife in a few years or something," he says with a laugh. "Now I'm just hoping to not die before I'm thirty."

Most days he hopes. A lot of them he's not sure he's going to make it either. He'll keep trying though.

Les snorted and shook her head. "I would have done the same thing," she admitted because there wasn't a single doubt in her mind that she would have done everything she could to not be a puppet. She nodded in understanding. "You're making a name for yourself across the country, that can be handy." Since she could remember, who they knew and who they formed alliances with had always been important. Not so important where there were things like betrothals (because "we're not monsters, Les") like in the ye olden days but it had always helped in their line of business.

Her mouth curled up into a smirk when he spoke about how he imagined his future. "That's fair, it's not like you were asking for much," she teased before laughing. "Just some small things. Well, I hope you don't die before you're thirty either. After that, I suppose it's free reign but thirty is a nice goal." Her tone was teasing though as she spoke.

"Hell, I'd say that goes for all of us here. It'll be a small miracle when and if any of us make it to thirty." There would be undoubtedly a big party for each birthday.

"Do you want anything to drink," she asked, standing from her spot on the couch and picking up her glass to get a refill.

"Yeah, I'm making something," he admits, but he smiles at that. "I'm glad. I want the packs to know that there's others on their side. Not just me either. There's other vampires that are on their sides as well. But until the Mikaelsons are gone, it's a threat."

And he's not even sure about the rest of them, but definitely Klaus.

"Oh, I forgot to mention the car and the mansion. I was thinking eight figures for my first five years," he says with a grin. It's easy to talk about things like this and not focus on how bad things really are.

He glances at her. "You guys have it good here though, and I just want to keep it that way so you can make it to at least fifty," he says, yet he knows how few of them live that long.

That gets a smile and a nod. "Yeah, I'd like that. Whatever's easy. I'm not picky." There's a time when he had been but through the year he's been on the road, he's learned to be happy with what he has. "Though you know I can get up and get my own. You don't have to do it for me."

Les' mouth curled up in amusement, watching him. When he noted that there were other vampires that were on their side, her eyebrows rose. "Vampires are on the pack's side? As some sort of, the Mikaelson's are that batshit crazy and the vampires don't want any part of it?" Because if that was the case, that was interesting and not something she'd have ever thought, if she were honest.

She laughed when he mentioned the car and the mansion. "Ah, so easy money then, got it," she said with a grin. It was much easier to joke about things like that instead of focusing on how very real that threat is looming over them and especially over him.

"Fifty would be nice," Les agreed with a nod. "Really though, it's appreciated. Which... I know we've all said at least three times or more."

Les nodded. "I know but I'm heading in that direction. But, if you want to come with, I can show you around the house and the garage." She knew Don and Ricky were still tinkering but it wasn't just their projects hanging out in that garage, she and Abby had a couple going on too.

"They're on the side of everyone getting to live their own life without answering to the Mikaelsons," he admits. "Some were turned because of them and have dealt with Hell, some have loved the people they loved. When you're the all powerful supreme vampire, you live like it. That makes a lot of enemies. Even without a hybrid psycho brother."

There would be others already out there against them without Klaus and he knows it. Like what happened to Caroline and how they treated her, but then that was Klaus too a lot.

He shrugs. "I came from money so I was expected to live in it. My dad was mayor and my mom after him," he says, knowing he's venturing into deep territory now but he feels close to her already, enough to share. "Some tried to kill all the vampires in town. They knew my dad wasn't only human and so they tried to kill him but it didn't do anything. Turned out he was never activated, somehow. He was killed by a vampire, I never knew who. Unlike my mom."

He pauses, not having used this for pity earlier but they were letting him help so someone should know. "Klaus killed her to pay me back for the things I'm doing."

He can mange it in a flat voice, not letting it crack, but it doesn't hurt any less.

"It's why I have to do this for you all. I know what he can do."

And he wants to do what he can for them.

He nods though, moving close rto her. "Sure. Lead on. I'd love to see the place."

"That's fair," she said after a moment of consideration. "It would take a lot for vampires to be on the side of werewolves but in this case, it's a good reason." From what she could tell, she wasn't sure she'd ever want to meet these Mikaelson's. "Like... a common enemy."

Les watched as he spoke about his family and took a moment to just listen. When he spoke about his father being killed and then his mother being killed by Klaus as a means of payback, her mouth opened. "Fuck," she said, unable to help herself. "I'm really sorry, Tyler. It's... well, it was already great what you were doing for the other packs but it's also badass. That you're not letting him deter you." It took a lot of strength to push forward in the face of something like that.

"Great, let's start outside in the garage then," she said and led him through the back of the house toward the door that leads out into the large garage. She paused a moment to listen and made sure she wouldn't be interrupting any sort of 'top secret' conversation before she opened the door. The space was large enough to comfortably fit three cars and two motorcycles that were in progress.

"Hey Don, Rick," she said before looking at Tyler. "As you can tell, most of us are gearheads... a few are artists but we all bonded over cars. Abby and I are working on a couple of motorcycles over in the corner there," Les explained, stepping into the garage and motioned toward them.

"Doesn't hurt most of us have known one another our whole lives," he says softly. "Elena and Caroline were turned. I was activated as was my uncle who was killed by them. Everyone but Matt was either turned or killed," he says, thinking about how many he'd lost, how hard it is to face going home. Maybe he just never will, but so long as he's on the run, it doesn't matter.

He glances at her and shrugs, though he can't help but smile. "Thanks. It doesn't feel bad ass. He's going to kill me one way or another, so might as well warn as many as I can before he does."

He smiles when she pauses, whispering to her. "I can hear them too," he teases, letting on about one of his abilities they may or may not have known but not feeling the need to hide it from her, or them.

He steps in, looking around. It's a great space, one that is protected and that could be used if needed. He kind of hates so much of his life is knowing how to barricade anywhere and protect anyone.

He nods at the others, looking to the bikes. "I've learned some basics, but mostly because every stop if contact and I try and minimize that." So when his car has troubles, he tries and fix it on his own the best he can.

"Well, if you ask me, anything that sticks it to The Man or in this case, a crazy-ass vampire is badass. No matter how it may turn out in the long run," Les said with a little smile.

She snorted when he mentioned he could hear them too. "Well, I figured you could but it was only nice that I make sure they weren't in the middle of some sort of conversation before we just barged on through." After all, if werewolves had heightened hearing, she was doubly sure that he would have it from both sides.

Don turns to look at them as they walked in and watched (and listened) as Les explained a bit of what they did and who they were. They may still have some reservations in the long run but in the meantime, they were placing a ton of trust in the boy. Trust they didn't exactly take lightly but were told by other packs, that it would be in bad hands.

Les grinned. "All things considered, that's fair. It only makes sense it wouldn't be high on the list. It's a good thing you walked into the garage - we can make sure your car is in top shape before you're on the road again."

"Fine fine," he says, grinning though there's still a tightness of nerves around his eyes. "I'm a badass. Who am I to argue with the beautiful lady?"

Because teasing and flirting and playing is easier than coping with the pain of loss, and the history of all he and the others have been through. It's much easier to focus on here and now and helping the next group of people, the next pack that he can.

He watches Don for a minute, giving him a nod. He can't blame them for not trusting him, and honestly, they shouldn't. They shouldn't trust just anyone. He'd still take the chance to help them.

"Life being fortuitous. Lucky for me." And he means it. Because he knows he could use the help and the work. He also knows because there's something about the woman beside him that he truly did want to know more about. He couldn't help himself to want to know more. "Maybe I can learn a thing or three from you guys. And not just for my car."

Edited 2021-10-08 01:53 (UTC)

Ricky snorted. "Sometimes it's just easier to give in," he said, unable to help himself from commenting on their conversation.

"Don't let him fool you, those two hardly let Abby and I get away with anything," she muttered but gave Tyler a pleased grin nonetheless. She liked knowing that he found her beautiful.

Don snorted at the teasing but didn't deny it and gave Tyler a nod in acknowledgment.

She smiled. "Absolutely, I'm of the opinion that we can always learn a new thing or five from those around us." She grabbed his hand unconsciously and lead him back toward the door to the garage. "See you, boys, later," she called to Don and Ricky as they left and shut the door behind them so she could continue the tour of the sprawling house.

"So we have the kitchen, pantry, an office space that doubles up as an art space... usually Abby takes over that space on the weekends. With rent being astronomical here, we've all sort of pooled resources together to make do and live together. It's safer in the long run for the pack."

"Such hardship but we have to do it," Tyler teases, following after her as she leads him on to stop Tyler the rest of the house.

Every time he finds a pack to help, he learns more and more about what its like to live with other wolves. He's not like them, not with being a hybrid, but it's still a nice feeling to be part of it for the time being. If only because he just feels so separate from everyone else in his own world, even as close as he is to them. Now that he has to run, he's lost even that.

"You're a pack," he says with a nod, hearing the wistfulness in his tones in his own ears and wincing. "You should be together. Nice you can make it work for you all. Then, realizing how he sounds, he changes the subject. "What does Abby paint? Or is other kinds of art?"

It wasn't every day they welcomed someone new into their home. Even with other wolves or "normal" humans, bringing someone here wasn't an everyday occurrence. They were selective about those they brought into their lives and so she was enjoying giving him a tour.

Les heard the wistfulness in his tone and looked at him with a tilt of her head. Somewhere, deep down she wished they could provide that sort of 'pack' like family for him. She wasn't sure where that feeling was coming from but she wasn't going to think about it for too long. Right now.

Later, her brain would go into overdrive but she'd let it go for now.

"Paint is her primary medium but sometimes she sketches with pen and ink. She started with people but she's gone into a landscape - sometimes fantasy landscape direction. A few of her pieces are hanging up around the house, I'll point them out when we get to them." Les was proud of her best friend and how far she'd come in her art. It suited her.

It's good to change the subject, and he's glad for it. A focus on something else than his pain and longing is good. This isn't about him and his desires but about ensuring this pack, like the others, is safe from Klaus Mikaelson.

So long as he manages that, it's worth how much it hurts not to have this.

"Good. I'd like to see them. She ever have them shown? I mean, I may know a few people that could help with that if she hasn't."

Les smiled. "Then I'll be sure to point them out as we walk around." She turned back toward the door and exited the room before answering. "She's had a few shows but she would gladly welcome the additional contacts. I know she's always looking to have more people see her art and potentially buy them. So that would be great if so," she said looking at him with a grin.

"Do you have any artistic pursuits you enjoy?" She found herself increasingly curious about him. She knew he had a tremendous weight on his shoulders so talking about other things that were less serious was good. And it gave her the opportunity to learn even more about him.

"The person I know is in Mystic Falls, but then that gets her works out that way, and they have connections in D.C. as well. Beautiful place in Falls Church I went to once," he adds, thinking about the trip. That had been before he found himself on the road, when he thought he could be a hybrid and still live his life with his friends. Before he learned the truth.

"Me? Naw. I was your stereotypical jock before we became original vampire central," he admits with a snort. "I was the golden child. My dad was mayor, my uncle an adventure, and my mother basically ran the town beside my dad. Until the Salvatores came back to town and brought trouble with them I was just an asshole and a jerk with good looks and a pretty good brain."

"That would be great," she grinned. "Her name has made it to south Florida but that's due to some connections from our side business. Having the extra push to D.C. and that area would be great." She was one of her best friend's biggest fans and was always promoting... well, everything—Abby's art, the shop, the tattoo shop. The list went on.

Les smirked. "Ah, so you'll fit right in then," she said. He had mentioned he had been a joke and an asshole and honestly, who was she to judge. The guys had all been assholes (still were in certain circumstances) with good looks and decent brains. "Exchange jock with gear head and the guys were basically the same."

They were walking toward the main set of stairs when they came across one of Abby's pieces hanging on the wall. She didn't normally draw people so she'd drawn and painted the entire group in their wolf forms. Anyone who came over and didn't know just thought there was a story there and likely didn't think too deeply about it. But they knew and that's what mattered. "This is one of hers. After this, I think she swore off any group pieces for at least five years."

He finds himself glad to be able to do more for someone than just warn them and help them protect themselves. Maybe before he moved on to the next pack he could do some good for this one and help them out. One day he wouldn't be there, and hopefully Klaus would be gone too but if he wasn't, they needed all they could have and he'd do what he could for them.

Tyler laughs at that. "Yeah, but I can't change oil with my knowledge and you guys have a good business going here it looks like."

Unlike some packs they weren't hiding but living and thriving. After seeing that he knew he would do what he could to keep Klaus from destroying this for them.

He paused to look at the painting, taking in each wolf, their coloring, the image of a full pack there hung for all to see and knowing no one would see the truth. He couldn't help but smile at that.

"I so don't blame her." That was a lot of fur to paint. "I like you guys," he says suddenly before he can stop himself. "So many packs have made themselves small to the world. Hidden and lost from the rest of the world. You guys have a thriving business, you're... vibrant,' he says, turning to look at her. "It's beautiful."

Sure he's talking about the pack but he even realizes he could mean more. Like her.

"Pfft, we can teach you how to change your oil. I can teach you in no time," she said with a little hand wave. "It's easy," she paused and gave him a look over with a considering hum. "You'll just have to get a little dirty is all," Les finished with a teasing grin.

Les glanced at him (he was more distracting than he had a right to be, thank you) as he looked at the painting before returning her attention to the wolves staring back. She smiled when he mentioned liking them. "Thanks. Being small and hiding from the world isn't our MO." Not that their side hustles were exactly legal but it sure made it fun.

While she was so sure he was speaking about the pack, she felt his gaze on her and felt heat creep up her neck. "I'm not sure about beautiful but it suits us," she mused, glancing at him again.

"Come on, there's more to see," she grabbed his hand and pulled him away and giving him a tour of the first floor. After returning to the living room some minutes later, she motioned to the stairs. "The rest of the rooms upstairs are bedrooms and bathrooms. Nothing too exciting to see up there." Except her room, where had that thought come from??

She glanced over at the time before turning to look at him. "You're probably exhausted and here I am taking up all your time," she shook her head.

"Remember that when I'm covered in oil," he says, knowing he's going to let her teach him and make one step to being independent. It'll be good for him to know.

He pauses, giving her a look. "Did you just tell me you're going to get me dirty? Is that what you said?" He can't help himself. It feels like the Tyler Lockwood he'd once been and he had forgotten how that felt.

He's still watching her though, even as she argues that about being beautiful. "Well then, trust me on it. Definitely beautiful."

And he knows he's not talking about the pack and their actions, and he's not hiding that either. Maybe it's too much but he can't help himself.

His fingers curl around hers and when the tour's over, he doesn't let go. Not until she does. He just doesn't want to.

"I'm kinda tired, yeah but been enjoying myself too much. You can always take up my time."

"It's a good thing I like a guy with a little oil on him," she said offhandedly, with a little grin. Hoping he'd let her teach him. Everyone should know how to change their oil if they are able to.

The little grin widened at his question which made her laugh. "Yeah, suppose I did," she smirked. "Besides, you stick around long enough and it'll be more than just a little oil."

Les glanced at him and found him watching her, causing her to smile. "Then I'll take your word for it."

Truth be told, she hadn't even realized she was still holding his hand well after the tour was over. And still, she didn't want to let his hand go. "You just remember you said that when you get some random text message in the middle of the night." She paused. "Come by the garage tomorrow and we'll get your car worked on. I'll teach you how to change your oil."

And she wanted to see him again.

[Open Post] Where the Streets Have No Name

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