duplicity inbox | un: prince

[rosebyanyother]

"Morrigan Prince. I'm afraid I'm too busy to answer at the moment, but leave a message and I promise to respond as soon as I'm able."

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text | un: sarcasmandcoffee [private]

[permanentlyexhaustedbird]

How good a thief? because from that description it seems like you're adept at confidence schemes but what about breaking and entering?

And you say you haven't broken into anything here?

[fuckinabucket]

[ Oh, she absolutely baited that hook on purpose ]

still can't come out and say it can you? the dreaded L word?? it's alright darling you don't need to spell it out i no men have trouble expressing their feelings

[ It should be clear by this point she's just being a pest, having goaded Peter along that line of conversation so she could playfully smack him with a comically ill-fitting stereotype

But then he went and said something actually nice and now she feels like she ought not leave that unaddressed ]

oh i would absolutely fuck up anyone who tried to hurt you so your not wrong to feel like that either ;) you've given me a hand when i was down more than once

and i don't have to return the favor

but i'd like to

[rosebyanyother]

I promise I have no intention of going looking for him.

[Well. Now he doesn't, certainly.

Peter didn't look concerned before, but he certainly does now. Though perhaps he's also.....morbidly touched. Jon looks so terrified and it is...it can only be on his behalf.

...Though on the subject of morbidity...he now also wonders just what Elias would use to hurt him with. Whose memories he might possibly use. Mag, maybe. Juno's thoughts as he left that night? There have been so few people that Peter has allowed close enough to hurt him.]

[compellingstatement]

[It's something of a relief to hear that and know that Peter is many things, and practical is one of them. Staying away from a potential threat is the only sensible thing to do. Jon reaches out with his other hand, now holding Peter between his own and staring down at that point of connection. He begins to knead the other man's hand to sooth his own nerves.]

Thank you. I suppose the question is do you want anything with me, knowing that? Elias will be a threat as long as he's here. He created me, the Archivist, and so he thinks I belong to him. I don't, obviously, but he... can command me to a certain extent. It's just to physically call me to him, though. He can't affect my mind any other way.

He can't make me hurt you.

[rosebyanyother]

Agnes Montague.

[...Yes, either there is at least one other person Peter doesn't know about or this person is simply being very cagey.]

[rosebyanyother]

I'd prefer it if you didn't.
But yes. That's all.

[rosebyanyother]

[Oh, she is clever, isn't she. So is Peter, though.]

You mean to say, you're finding it difficult? Running a criminal organization here, I mean. Not the club. Although perhaps the club too.

[rosebyanyother]

An exceptional one. I'm very adept at breaking and entering. And no, I never said that exactly. I haven't done it a while, but when I first got here as an uncontracted submissive I did end up stealing from stores that refused to serve me. And then there was a while where I did odd jobs. For money and for something to fill the time.

What's your interest in all this anyway?

[toplieutenant]

To reiterate, it's difficult to run a criminal syndicate in a galaxy that doesn't seem to exist here, but I appreciate the opportunity to run a club.

Which you're more than welcome to stop by and visit at any time. Crimson, in the Down. Your first drink is on the house.

[rosebyanyother]

[Somehow Peter manages to avoid answering that question. It's rhetorical anyway!]

I know where to turn if I need it. And I would turn to you.



My but all this candidness is exhausting. How do people DO it?

[Don't mind him, making light of the situation.]

[rosebyanyother]

[Yes, alright, Peter knows when to push and when to stop pushing. Badgering her won't do any good.]

Ah, yes, I've heard of it but haven't gotten around to investigating. But with a offer like that, I may have to rectify my oversight.

And perhaps we might make our acquaintances face to face? I would like to properly meet you.

[toplieutenant]

We're open late into the evening. Please come by any time.

[compellingstatement]

Only because you asked, then.
Goodbye, Morrigan.

[rosebyanyother]

[Peter glances down at their hands too, once Jon has taken his and started to massage it.]

I'm not scared of you hurting me. [That...is maybe a bit of a lie but it's the truth too. He isn't scared of Jon hurting him like that. There are other fears he has. They have nothing to do with Elias or his influence.] But...I meant what I said. I don't want to be-

[But that isn't precisely what he means, is it? Or at least, when Peter goes to restate it, he realizes how his words could be mistaken.]

If it came to it, I wouldn't want you to let him use me as a weapon against you. I don't particularly relish the idea of accepting the consequences for my actions...but it's preferable to the alternative.

[The idea of being used to make Jon do something he doesn't want to do.]

[compellingstatement]

I- I can't promise that, Morrigan. You're important to me. You're already important to me. You're my friend. I never had many of those. And now I'm here and I have more than I know what to do with and all of you are always in danger because of me. I play it out in my mind sometimes, what I'd do. What I could do if he went after you or Martin or Alessandro or...

I don't know that I could do anything. I'm not... clever like you or Martin. I'm not an idiot, but Elias is on another level. He's playing 4-Dimensional Chess and I'm stuck at 2 dimensions. I don't know what game he's actually playing here and that's- it scares me. I don't know what he wants. He already used me to end our world.

[He's... mentioned that to Peter, hasn't he?]

I don't know what else he wants, but he won't let me go. And I'm so scared for all of you... all the time.

[alwayskayaking]

You're missing a couple more of us. There's a wannabe goth Gerard and an utter pick in a humanoid shape named Elias. I say don't both with him. You're better off not knowing him.

[fuckinabucket]

[ It satisfies her that the best Peter can manage with all that is a graceful sidestep; she likes pestering her friends, apparently. He's got such a silver tongue, a non-response is its own little victory ]

good because i will hold you to that ;) i know you don't need me to solve your problems but sometimes two evil geniuses are better than one don't you think?

isn't it tho? next thing you know we'll be sharing childhood memories over a pot of tea and weaving matching friendship bracelets

at least i assume thats how friendship works i actually have no bloody clue

don't tell anyone alright?

[ She likes to think he knows her well enough to read the tone of sarcastic humor to her words ]

[permanentlyexhaustedbird]

My interest in it isn't something I really want to discuss on the network. How are you at working with others?

[rosebyanyother]

[....He has not made any mention of an apocalypse to Peter, no. But that seems like - oddly enough - the least important part of all that information to address.

Peter does understand when Jon says he can't promise not to let Elias use him as blackmail material. He understands that it is a tough ask for certain people. The type determined to do or be good. (He doesn't think Juno would have agreed either.) And even though he is...concerned about the idea of being used to keep Jon in line, it is very hard to let go of this budding...relationship. Whatever it is or might become. He should be stronger and turn away but then there are certain things Peter has never had the strongest willpower for.]

That...sounds like an extremely exhausting position to be put in. [If he can, Peter attempts to intertwine his fingers with one of Jon's hands] And I can only speak for myself, but...

Knowing and acknowledging that danger is my choice. Because yes, I do still want to pursue this. Whatever it turns out to be. I won't make you promise but I hope that if it does come to it...well. That you'd at least tell me and allow me the choice of taking on those consequences.

[compellingstatement]

I'll tell you. [He's been trying to get better about being open, communicative. It's difficult. Talking about feelings is always a challenge. This conversation is brought to Peter by a good deal of alcohol. Jon lets their fingers intertwine and lifts the other man's hand up. He starts to lean in to kiss his fingers, panics a bit with there being other bad things and just ends up lowering it down to the desk again.]

There's- there are other things. It's not just that. Things you should know. About me. About what the Archivist is.

[He draws in a breath and rubs his thumb along Peter's hand.]

You've... seen what I am. A monster. That's not just- It's what I am. Now. The Archivist is an avatar of the Beholding, a creature designed to inflict terror on its victims and feed on their suffering. Perpetually.

I've been- god, I've tried to be so careful with you. I Know< you have a Statement. I can taste it on my tongue any time you're around. Miasma. I want to know more, I want to- there is a part of me that wants to rip it out of you and feast on it, on you. Your horror.

It wouldn't end there, either. You'd have nightmares... for the rest of your life. Reliving... whatever that name is connected to and I was would be there watching. I don't dream, Morrigan. Not anymore. The Beholding's realm is dreams. And so... the Archivist walks. I visit my victims every night and I watch them suffer. Some of them see me, some of them don't. But they can feel me. Someone who is there simply to watch them suffer. I can't hurt them or help them beyond that. I just watch.

But it's why you must never give me a verbal Statement. And you need to know I've done horrible things to people. I do horrible things to them every night and it's not fair... but it's what the Archivist is. What I am.

[rosebyanyother]

[He absolutely does. And yet: he feels compelled to answer where he normally wouldn't.]

I won't.

[...Anything he'd normally say in response to her bit about friendship would probably come out too truthful for his own liking and Peter doesn't feel particularly like dancing around the issue. So. He's going to leave it at that.]

[rosebyanyother]

[Peter listens. He does not try to interject or interrupt because he owes it to Jon to listen. He can't help, of course, the way that he tenses when Jon brings up Miasma. But he listens. (Perhaps in the very beginning his mind is a little stuck on the way Jon seemed to be lifting his hand with purpose but that does eventually fade to the background.)

His first response, when Jon is done, is a murmur.]

I had been wondering for a while what you meant when you said you didn't want to hurt me.

[Then, at a slightly more normal volume.]

Thank you for telling me that. I'm not sure I believe that's all that you are but...I understand. [Jon is saying that what and who he is is a monster and Peter believes he's seen so much more than that. Even the fact that Jon appears to be struggling against that nature seems to imply to him that he isn't just the Archivist.] In any event....my hands certainly aren't particularly clean either.

[If Jon seems to think he needs to know all this, then perhaps.....yes, well. They are disclosing. And as much as it frightens him, as much as he has a strong urge to take back those words or say nothing more....he steels himself. Takes a breath. Wonders if what he is will make Jon turn away.]

I haven't always been particularly scrupulous in who I've stolen from or what I've been asked to steal. And I've killed people. Not wantonly, never for no reason at all. I prefer to handle situations without it. But sometimes it has simply been the most efficient option to dealing with a situation.

I won't judge you for this. I can't. For a very long time my life has been completing jobs, no matter what it takes, and asking very few questions. Never looking back to see the consequences.

[compellingstatement]

[Jon can't help the fondness that washes through him as Peter tries to compare being an unscrupulous thief to what the Archivist has done. He appreciates the gesture, if nothing else, and finally lifts Peter's hand properly to kiss it.]

I didn't think you were Robin Hood, if it helps. I found you in that den of silver-tongued bastards, after all. I'd have been surprised if you weren't one at some point. [He takes a deep breath.] I suppose that's... more or less the bulk of it laid out on the table, then. You're an awful thief, I'm a terrible monster, and we've somehow decided, collectively, it's still a good idea to proceed with this. Is that right?

[rosebyanyother]

[Oh. Well, Peter had completely misjudged this conversation.]

The majority of my career has been conducted largely solo but I certainly can operate in a group. In fact, that's what I was doing before I arrived here. Working in a team.

[rosebyanyother]

Yes I suppose it is.

[Again, Peter is slightly distracted by Jon taking the initiative to kiss his hand. He doesn't do anything so foolish as swoon, but his lashes do flutter a moment.

And he smiles, squeezing Jon's hand for a brief moment.]

We don't have to....jump into anything, though. I think it's probably best that we simply...acknowledge that this could be something more and let it develop as it will.

[Perhaps that's disingenuous. Knowing they both have feelings for each other will surely lead them to want to act on it. At least it some part. But diving in headfirst seems terrifying.]