He was coming home from a night on the town, playing catch-and-release with pretty women in bars. He hadn't really been interested in any of them, so he played with one's subconscious until she started a bar fight. Good times.
Although it was late, everything was illuminated in sickly yellow light. That was just how this city was. He pulled the shadows closer to himself and wrapped his body in them the way a cold man would wear blankets for warmth. Light was not the enemy of the dark, but that didn't mean that Derek liked being under the unforgiving stare of the street lamps' halogen bulbs his entire walk home. At almost eight feet tall, he was too noticeable.
He saw The Fixer sitting outside the side door of his warehouse home. She had thrown a ratty overcoat over herself as a blanket and was relatively well-hidden from view. Was she asleep? He couldn't tell. Derek walked to the door and, standing a few feet from her sitting form, he said her name: "Nell."
She jumped like a deaf cat being woken up by an eager puppy's tongue. Derek was amused by the reaction but didn't particularly care. He said, "What are you doing here?"
"Derek! I didn't see you come over here," she stammered, scrambling to her feet and avoiding the question at first. "I need to stay with you."
She had to tilt her head back quite a ways to make eye contact with him, and he had to tilt his head forward. She was about two and a half feet shorter than he. After staring at her contemplatively, he ruled his verdict: "Okay. Come on."
She grinned in thanks. The Afterdark was the only person to know Nell's real name, except Ben the robot and perhaps the foster parents she had abandoned many years ago, but they would almost certainly never recognize her now. Derek had won her name from her by giving her a place to stay. He'd even told her his own name. Because of the shared secrets, they had am awkwardly trusting relationship, knowing that they would never turn each other in to the police.
Although it was late, everything was illuminated in sickly yellow light. That was just how this city was. He pulled the shadows closer to himself and wrapped his body in them the way a cold man would wear blankets for warmth. Light was not the enemy of the dark, but that didn't mean that Derek liked being under the unforgiving stare of the street lamps' halogen bulbs his entire walk home. At almost eight feet tall, he was too noticeable.
He saw The Fixer sitting outside the side door of his warehouse home. She had thrown a ratty overcoat over herself as a blanket and was relatively well-hidden from view. Was she asleep? He couldn't tell. Derek walked to the door and, standing a few feet from her sitting form, he said her name: "Nell."
She jumped like a deaf cat being woken up by an eager puppy's tongue. Derek was amused by the reaction but didn't particularly care. He said, "What are you doing here?"
"Derek! I didn't see you come over here," she stammered, scrambling to her feet and avoiding the question at first. "I need to stay with you."
She had to tilt her head back quite a ways to make eye contact with him, and he had to tilt his head forward. She was about two and a half feet shorter than he. After staring at her contemplatively, he ruled his verdict: "Okay. Come on."
She grinned in thanks. The Afterdark was the only person to know Nell's real name, except Ben the robot and perhaps the foster parents she had abandoned many years ago, but they would almost certainly never recognize her now. Derek had won her name from her by giving her a place to stay. He'd even told her his own name. Because of the shared secrets, they had am awkwardly trusting relationship, knowing that they would never turn each other in to the police.
