mccallmemaybe | ic contact; asgard

If there's a way to cure her, we'll find it. [He's already invested in this, and he wants to see Erica freed from that restraint on her health.]

About Isaac--I know he's a good person. You are, too. I'm glad Erica has friends who care about her like you two do.

[There's a somewhat long pause on Merlin's end.]

Errr listen, this is going to sound odd, maybe, but a friend of Isaac's mentioned Derek to me before. Is he--can he be trusted?

[ There's a reason why Scott only called Isaac a good person with no mention of Derek. Not that Derek's all bad, Scott owes him his life, but he's made some really bad decisions. He's also used Scott, but Scott doesn't like to hold grudges.

One day he and Derek's relationship will be better and there will be mutual respect between them, but right now? Their relationship is strained. ]

I trust Derek when I have no other choice... My advice is don't put yourself in a position where you need to. [ Because if Merlin does, there's a chance he'll get stabbed in the back like Scott was. ]

So you don't think much of him either.

[Merlin's impression of Scott has always been a hundred times better than the one he has of Derek, so this doesn't surprise him all that much. Still, Scott seems to get along with Derek most of the time and a part of Merlin was hoping that he and Sophie were just missing something.]

My friend thinks Derek's supposed to be looking out for Erica and Isaac, but he hasn't delivered whatever he promised them to begin with.

[Right about now, Merlin wishes that he and Scott were speaking face to face so he can watch Scott for any clues.]

[ Scott wonders which friend Merlin is talking about. ]

I think your friend might be right... He's put himself in a position where they're his responsibility but he doesn't know how to take care of them in a way that isn't damaging to them. And I think that's mostly down to him being damaged himself.

He lost all his family and didn't have anyone before Isaac and Erica came into the picture.

[That's...really depressing. Merlin grudgingly decides to give Derek a little more of a break the next time he sees him. Just a little.]

So that's why he's that way? Treating everyone like an enemy, no matter how unreasonable it might be.

Maybe. [ Scott shrugs. He can't pretend like he knows Derek inside and out. Sometimes he thinks he has Derek figured out but most of the time he wonders what the hell is going on in that dumb alpha head of his. ]

I dunno, I know that's no excuse to treat people like dirt but it's something to take into account.

ic contact; asgard

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