transgressings | inbox for duplicity;

[The rescue effort Vanessa was part of wasn't personal on his behalf, Dorian knows, but it was still integral to his escape and Toby's fight not being any worse than it was. His gratitude may be coming a month late and while he's still catching up from freshly having risen from his coma, but it's genuine and a good excuse to make contact again.]

Ms. Ives? Apologies for the belated message, but I like to think grace delivered late is better than nothing offered never.

I wanted to thank you for your help in Veracity. Not just for being part of the party that kept Toby in one piece, but also for keeping our apparent mutual friend safe.

[ it's fortunate, at least, that he elects to send her a message by video; thanks to certain developments on her side, she is no longer capable of visibility through anything that could render an image — therefore voice and text, in addition to the handwritten messages she has taken to sending select parties, are her only means of communication apart from face-to-face meetings. ]

Mr. Gray. Truly, you need not thank me. I imagine that were the situation reversed and our apparent mutual friend had reason to call on you for some level of assistance, you would feel a similar inclination.

Speaking of the man in question, I suppose it should come as no surprise that we have him in common.

I would. [Simply put.] I'm glad that neither of you ended up in the pit, but I trust breaking past layers of SIN guards wasn't a vacation either. [Not if the number of bullet holes carving up Grayson's torso at the time were any indication. Dorian would rather put the event behind him, but the collateral damage and the necessary processing to follow makes it impossible.]

How are you? It's been some time since we last spoke.

[Her last comment piques his curiosity.]

Why is that?

Edited 2022-10-10 03:20 (UTC)

Not especially, although Mr. Frost and Mr. Matthews are a bit more well-equipped to handle such injury than I.

[ which isn't necessarily a lie, given her newness to the status of being a vampire and the amount of time she has spent attempting to gain an understanding of her changed abilities. she'd also spent more time tending to grayson's injuries, as he'd made an effort to shield her from receiving any herself. ]

I am... well. Adjusting to changes. A new contract, for starters.

[ but she lets the pause stretch on for a moment, and this time he can likely hear the subtle smile in her words. ] I had an early impression that our tastes were... similar.

Mm. [His tone sobers.] I remember how torn up both of them were in the aftermath. If getting at the parties responsible was at all simple, [or possible] that's what I'd do next.

[The slight of turning his experience in the city so upside down, of doing the same to people he cares about, more than deserves his vengeance. As ever, it's frustrating that Duplicity and its secrets continue to thwart any kind of personally satisfying retaliation.]

Oh? [He's curious about who her new partner might be, and what the choice says about her.

Although she's soon earning a chuckle from him at the nod back to their session at Grayson's party.] From people to encounters. And you know, that 'early' impression needn't be the last.

At the time, I believe both of them were more than capable of seeing to their own retribution. [ she has a very vivid recollection of grayson sinking his fangs into at least one guard's shoulder prior to sustaining several bullet injuries in his own abdomen.

over the years, she has learned that sometimes, vengeance as a concept is not hers to claim or even earn — that she must learn to be content in drawing those she cares for close, and be grateful that most of them made it out unscathed when the opposite has proven true in the past. ]

I believe you are acquainted with our Mr. Frost already. [ she sees no need in hiding that fact now, especially. ]

Oh? I am perfectly happy to wait until you are feeling more recuperated for any continuation in developing my impression of you.

Edited 2022-10-14 17:49 (UTC)

inbox for duplicity;

(Forward-dated to 11/3) voice; @Gray

voice;

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