perfectible | duplicity ic inbox

[ He laughs a little, shutting the door with his foot and then locking the car up before he starts to follow her. Reggie's been here enough times that he knows the deal, like, generally speaking, but he looks around a bit more observantly now, noting things he may need to remember if he's actually gonna live here. ]

I forgot you got a cat. That figures. [ He shrugs ome shoulder. ] But it'll probably be fine, though-- believe me, Moose can get along with almost anything.

More like the cat found me. [ she laughs a little, guiding them through the door] She's still a kitten so... she should be okay with him too. [ she wouldn't know to be afraid of a dog quite yet.]

I have a spare key for you. [ Of course, she doesn't know where this will go. If he'll want a place of his own or if they will live together and maybe move into a bigger place (it's probably about time for her anyways). ]

Edited 2021-03-14 20:13 (UTC)

Oh, so exactly like Moose. [ Another laugh, adjusting the bag on his shoulder. ] I dunno if he was a stray or what, but, he was actually super easy to train. Go figure, right?

[ A runaway, maybe. Reggie found the dog out and about amidst all the chaos of that hell week -- month? -- some time ago, and obviously he wasn't about to abandon the poor thing to its fate. And then...

Well, Moose has been a great pet, so no complaints, really. Plus he's a bulldog, so he's small, therefore not likely to overpower a cat even on accident.

Reggie looks over, eyebrow raised. ]

What, already?

I found a whole litter but I got them all homes thankfully. [ She wasn't sure she could handle more than one cat.

However, at his question, she doesn't look back at him as she pushes the button for the elevator as she answers.] I made one in case anyone from home showed up. [ Namely Jughead but also Archie and Veronica.]

[ Reggie nods slowly, thoughtfully -- more at her comment about the keys than the cats, but it cover both well enough -- and drops his gaze briefly down to Moose, who's trotting happily in step with them, stopping every now and then to investigate the interesting new smells around Betty's building. ]

Makes sense. I'll hold onto it, then. [ He steps into the elevator. ] So, next month, huh? Then I guess this is pretty good timing.

I kept asking if people needed a Dominant and never got any bites. [ She does look back at him now, nodding a little. She'd rather Reggie not be hurting than her conveniently having a submissive she likes fall into her lap. ]

I guess I just feel strange asking a stranger directly if they want me to have theoretically complete control over their life.

[ He has to know her well enough by now that she doesn't have a desire to control her submissive. She glances ahead as the elevator lurches to a stop at her floor and the doors open. ] I would have dealt with whatever they gave me if it meant you wouldn't have to lose him though.

I'm sure it's nothing personal. [ He shrugs again, holding onto the strap of his bag. ] I feel like there's not always a lot of us to go around, you know? Especially the way some people like signin' more than one.

[ Reggie's tone stiffens ever so slightly at that. He's not referring to Nick, really, although Nick has done so in the past, and Reggie did not care for that shit at all; he'd much rather the city get rid of that policy altogether.

He glances over at her, but briefly, directing his gaze forward again after a moment. ]

It's fine. [ It's not, but. ] I'm glad I can help.

Sometimes it feels that way. [ That it's personal and that there are not enough submissives to go around, so to speak. Betty had also had multiple submissives before herself, so she gets it. But sometimes it's difficult not to take it personally sometimes.

Stepping off the elevator, she guides Moose out and towards her apartment door (there are only two apartments per floor after all).]

It will be okay.

[ Reggie follows along, looking at Moose, looking at the floor as he walks, wherever else there is to look before he'll inevitably have to look back at Betty. He can sense the tension there, hidden under layers of words and skin, all the things they aren't talking about. Maybe they will and maybe they won't, maybe tonight or another night or maybe not all. Even knowing Betty can relate doesn't make it any easier for him to acknowledge out loud.

He waits for her to unlock the door, and once inside will set his bag down carefully so as not to jostle the bottles packed into it. ]

Yeah, it will. [ He nods vaguely but decisively, then turns toward her. ] So, you want a drink or somethin'?

[ Betty is painfully aware of what he's going through, she'd gone through it twice. But she had the knowledge that when she went home, Jughead would be waiting for her. And while technically Nick was in the next town over... that didn't mean they were from the same... verse. And she knew first hand, you don't remember this place when you leave it.

She gets them into the apartment and moves to squat down to let Moose off his leash so he can explore the apartment as he pleases. She's already put out two bowls to serve as his water and food dish, the former is full of water.] The second bedroom is yours to have and use however you want. [ Meaning, he can redecorate or move things around if he wants.

At his question, she lets out a laugh and nods.] A drink would be great. [ She waves her hand towards the little bar cart she has.] I'm going to check on the pizzas, they should be close to done.

Edited 2021-03-14 21:50 (UTC)

Cool, thanks. I'll take a look in a second.

[ That's exactly why the loss of Nick hits so different than losing Veronica or Archie had-- never mind the fact he loved and was dating Nick, obviously, but even if he'd had that sort of relationship with either of them here, he'd still see them at home again eventually.

Nick, on the other hand, he might never see again, and even if he does, it certainly isn't likely to mean anything to either of them-- both of them knew what happened in Duplicity would stay in Duplicity.

Then again, it's not like they'd know to mourn it, either.

Moose skitters off, nails clicking along the floors as he explores giddily, while Reggie unzips his duffel and pulls out a nearly full bottle of rum and a half-full bottle of tequila. ]

You got any mixers, by the way?

Yeah, check the fridge, I've got some orange juice, a can or two of soda, and some lemonade. Glasses are above the sink. [ She moves to open the oven to look at the pizzas, deciding they can come out now, so she goes about doing that.]

Sweet, that's perfect.

[ Two screwdrivers coming right up, maybe followed by rum and coke later on... the point is, there's options. Reggie sets about mixing the drinks while Betty readies the pizzas, feeling blissfully comfortable in that busy, distracted silence. It won't last, it rarely does, but that's what the drinks are for. ]

What kind of pizza is it?

One's just a regular margherita pizza with some pepperoni and the other is a white pizza with chicken and veggies.

[ She pulls both out of the oven carefully before she moves around him to grab the pizza cutter and some plates to serve them up on.]

Sorry that I don't have more ready. [ She wasn't expecting company but she offers him the pizza cutter and a plate to let him do the honors of getting his pieces first.]

Hey, it's cool. I'll eat pretty much anything.

[ And it's true. He puts the juice away, moves the bottle aside, and then cuts into the pizzas, helping himself to a couple slices from each. Once his plate is loaded up he hands Betty her drink. ]

Cheers?

Cheers-- [ she says as she takes the offered drink, lifting it in a toast, still leaning against the counter as he serves himself.]

I'm glad you're here. [ She takes a sip of her drink and moves to serve herself before she moves towards the sofa to sit, to show him that she's cool with doing that and not eating at the table which feels far too formal for this moment.]

[ He clinks his glass against hers and then follows her to the couch, sitting next to her-- not too close, but not far either, a respectable, neutral distance for the moment. ]

Yeah, I can definitely think of worse places.

[ He bites into his pizza, chewing, swallowing, then taking a generous gulp of his drink. The sooner he starts to feel drunk, the better. ]

And honestly, I always thought that church was kinda creepy anyway.

[ She laughs at his admission, nodding as she takes her own sip. ] Not that I spent a lot of time there, but honestly? Me too. [ She takes another sip before she digs into her pizza too, chewing for a second.]

Nick didn't really talk to me after I got back this second time, so we weren't really close anymore. So I only ever went there that one time you invited me. [ She always wondered if it was because of her closer friendship with Reggie or if it was because Jughead wasn't here for him to antagonize.

She realizes both are unkind thoughts and she tries to shed them.] But I think about moving out of here sometimes.

[ Reggie chews in thoughtful silence, thinking about what to say. It isn't something he and Nick would have talked about, so he can really only speculate, and his speculations about Nick's intentions are only sometimes accurate.

He takes another sip from his glass, shrugging after a moment. ]

I dunno. He's had some stuff goin' on. [ It's almost casual, between bites. ] We even broke up for a while after he went home and came back again, I don't remember if I ever told you.

[ Reggie and Nick have broken up more than once, after all, and really, it's not the kind of thing he'd go out of his way to tell people about every single time.

He takes another bite of pizza. Chews slowly, swallows. ]

Move where?

[ Reggie is not Nick's keeper and she knows that Reggie can't answer for Nick's choices, she isn't upset that he doesn't have clear answers. She could have asked Nick herself... ]

He told me, actually. [ She got the impression Nick wanted her to look after Reggie.

Shrugging at his question.] To a place not so obviously owned by the city but I'm not sure yet. I resisted leaving because I was waiting for... I thought I'd wait for Jughead to shop again so we could pick a place together again but... [ Jughead never showed up. And the thought has her taking another longer swig.]

Oh.

[ Well, he doesn't know what to say to that, or how much Nick told her, so he starts by just drinking again. He doesn't love the fact that she knows about that, getting dumped is humiliating after all, but there's nothing really to be done about it now.

He finishes slice #1 of his pizza, starts on another, but after a bit longer he finally adds: ]

Better to just get outta here, I think. I mean, you can always move again later. [ That's why Reggie has no problem moving out of his and Nick's place; if Nick came back, it'd be different. ] And sometimes a change of scenery doesn't hurt.

[ Nick had reached out to see if Reggie could stay at her place, he didn't give many details and Betty, despite her investigative spirit and obsessions, didn't press the issue. Despite what it looks like back home, she did know her limits.]

Yeah. I guess... I just got caught up in trying to distract myself and then find a submissive. I guess this is the next step.

Yeah, I get that.

[ Ish. Reggie hasn't had to find a new Dominant since... well, ever, as long as he's been in Duplicity. He sips his drink again. ]

Now you can, though-- like, if you wanted to. [ They won't be living together long (probably?), so it makes no difference to him. ] But it's not like this place isn't nice too. If it ain't broke, you know?

Yeah, I guess I just didn't feel like trying to settle here again. [ Not after last time, after everything seemed to fall apart once she tried. Still, he's not wrong and she nods, taking a bite of pizza.]

But I'm thinking about it.

What kinda place would you want?

[ He thinks idly about what kind of place he'd get, if he somehow had the option -- if he'd been a Dominant, or if Nick had included him more in the decision to move into the church -- but it's hard to know what he'd want without knowing the particulars, without knowing who he'd be living with, what their needs would be, what real houses in Duplicity even look like. ]

Something with a pool.

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OMG SORRY

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