perfectible | duplicity ic inbox

You seemed fun to me the other night.

( don't make him blush. )

yeah
well i did have fun that night
even if i hadn't gone there with that intention

don't regret it.

I don't regret it either.

As for fun things... do you like to swim or play sports or work on cars or arrange flowers? What makes you happy?

i don't know
i did a lot of work on cars back home.

don't know if i'd consider that fun or not
i guess i liked to read a bit
drink with friends

i'm rebuilding a car here actually.

there's a pretty good library here
and there's lots of bars. i work at one if you ever want to come by for a drink.
or we can go get one somewhere else.

you are?
if you ever need any help, let me know.

but i'd like to take you out for a drink.
i think after what happened last time
it's the next step
or maybe the drinks were supposed to come first.

I will always accept a spare set of hands if you're ever bored.

I think this place does things out of order.
So drinks as the next step would be perfect.

yeah, i can definitely help you out
i'm pretty good at that kind of thing.

but drinks sounds like a better idea first.
if you'd like
i don't know this place very well
so you might have to pick the place

What do you like to drink?

pretty much anything.
tequila, bourbon, beer, water.

doesn't really matter to me.
i haven't been able to be picky

There's a bar called Mendacity. We could go there?

okay.
i think i've seen it.
do you wanna go now?
or am i interrupting something?

No, I'm free now.

do you want to meet there?
i'd invite you over but no one needs to be in this place longer than they should be

( the down, that is. )

I can meet you there.

( he hates the down with a passion but at least it gives him basic necessities like the ability to clean himself up and look presentable. and that's what he spends a little bit of time doing before he heads out to this bar.

he leaves early because he knows it's going to take him a little longer than her since he's still new and figuring this place out.

but, he only gets turned around once and then he's there. he checks inside the bar for her first, walking around and when he realizes he's beaten her there, he finds a spot at the bar and orders a drink but doesn't do much more than tap his fingers against it. )

[ Betty shows up a few minutes after him, finding him immediately at the bar and greeting him with a smile.

If she were being honest, she's feeling a little nervous meeting with him. It's only that their encounter was so intense and she'd felt so absolutely in control and powerful in that moment. Now she's back to being her normal, sweet Betty self. ]

Marcos-- [ She grins as she moves to pull herself onto the stool next to his.] Hey. Sorry, I'm late.

You're not.

( or if she is, he doesn't really care. he's got nothing going on but this so when she sits down, he motions the bartender and then gestures to her so she can order what she wants.

when she's done, he finally takes a sip of his drink and glances over. )

So, uh. How's it going? With...everything?

[ she orders a beer and settles in her seat, smiling softly at his question.]

I'm... [ she pauses for a moment...] Well, to be honest, I got attacked in the Down a few days ago. [ she doesn't want to be too heavy but she figures that eventually he might be able to see the bruise on her jaw despite her makeup and the turtleneck she's using to hide hand-shaped bruises there.] I'm okay but just... [ she shrugs since she's just trying to be honest.]

What about you?

You were attacked? By who? Or...what?

( because that's a possibility here, isn't it? that the thing that could have attacked her was a what and not a who. he leans forward to peer at the bruises before he grimaces and shakes his head. )

I — well, I've been better than that. Just trying to get used to living where I am.

( he's lived hard before, he can do it again. )

Just trying to adjust to what's going on around me.

I don't know who he was. [ she sighs softly before turning to thank the bartender as he puts a beer in front of her.] I think he thought since I was dropping off supplies in the Down, I would have money on me. [ except for the fact that he never asked for money or anything, he simply attacked her.] It's not the first time that's happened.

[ his words have her brow furrowing as she takes a sip of her drink.] Are you contracted yet?

Good to hear that things like mugging people for their money is still a thing that happens here.

( there's a heavy dose of sarcasm in his voice and he shakes his head, taking another slow sip of his drink before he gives his head another shake in answer to her question. )

Haven't really even thought about it. I know I have to but...

( he shrugs. )

I guess one of the few normal things about this place. [ the crime. but even then, it's not actually normal considering murder isn't permanent and there's barely any jail time for people. the punishments are different.]

I've never been a submissive but I think it gets easier once you have a contract. This place isn't ever really fair. [ at least from what she'd seen but it all could depend on the type of contract you make and with whom.] Until you find someone you want to contract with... if you need anything, I'm happy to help. [ it's not exactly allowed but she doesn't care.] And there are others who are too.

That's nice of you, thank you. I don't know if I'm going to find someone that I want to hold my leash, though.

( it feels too much like giving up control and he doesn't like doing that in situations such as this. even if the person's the nice as they can be and willing to work with him, it feels like giving too much up.

he slides a thumb along his lip and sighs, glancing over. )

I'd offer you the same thing, help if you need it, but I don't know how I could do that.

[ she doesn't want to point out that he doesn't have much of a choice. he'll have to choose someone eventually but she does say:] I tried to fight signing a new contract a long time after my boyfriend got sent back home. [ she lets out a breath.] They lock you up when you wait too long.

[ she's facing that again, if reggie doesn't decide on signing with her soon.]

But I get it. [ at his offer, she offers him a smile.] The offer is still welcome though, thank you.

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