( it shouldn't be a difficult thing to manage. alucard prefers places of quietude, but stuffy is a broad encompassment. he leads her through the down with the practiced step of one who has had reason to become familiar with this place and its perils. he does bare his fangs once at someone who is too keenly looking upon dorothy, which results in their abrupt change of direction, but otherwise they remain unaccosted. before too long they've reached the up. his posture becomes infinitesimally more lax, and he allows a modicum more space between them. )
[ quiet and stuffy aren't the same thing as far as dorothy's concerned —she'd feel out of place somewhere with white tablecloth, but not somewhere quiet that allows for conversation.
he bares his fangs once and dorothy finds herself looking, more curious than worried —while there's obvious aggression in the expression, it isn't directed at her. in fact, it's in her defence and maybe she should be more careful, but for all that she's pretty sure alucard could hurt her, she feels safe in his company right now.
besides, if she avoided everyone who could hurt her, who would she still talk to? ]
I've been okay, yeah. Started working at the Haven. [ having something to do, a purpose, a means to help people? that's definitely been contributing to her being all right. ]
( he cocks his head to one side. he hasn't forgotten their first conversation, though it feels like it occurred a lifetime ago now. back when he'd scarce been aware of how this place worked. )
In your capacity as a nurse?
( he has no idea, truly, how much schooling would be required of such an occupation, but she has a keen mind and a good heart, and he knows she would serve the people well should she only be given a chance. )
Should you need a dominant to vouchsafe for you, or sponsor you in any way in your pursuits of medicine, please don't hesitate to call on me. I would be honored to help however I might be able.
[ she's pleased and honestly a little surprised that he remembers and it shows in her expression, the way she turns toward him while they walk, the way the corners of her mouth curve upward. ]
I might get back to you on that if I need to. [ she hates, hates that this place might make it necessary. that the line down her throat that they'd put there marks her as less, as the kind of person who needs vouching or sponsoring.
but that's not his fault. ]
You're full of nice offers today. [ 'nice' isn't the word, not really. 'kind' or 'chivalrous' might be better, but 'nice' is what came out of her mouth.
You know you don't need to make up for that, don't you?
[ if anyone does, it'd be her —but she refuses to let herself feel guilty for being human, for needing sleep, for all but bullying two men who could probably break her in half if they weren't far too polite for such things into cuddling. ]
Need and want are expressly different desires, Dorothy.
( he doesn't feel any sense of obligation to her, no desire to pursue amends. but wanting to help... smooth things over, as it were, is another story entirely. )
[ well. dorothy can't argue really argue with anyone about wanting to help —or she could, but it would be hypocritical (not that that's stopped her in the past). ]
I know. I was speaking in jest — this place is so often beyond all of us, our natures and our wills. If we were living in constant apology of what we've done beneath its boot heel, I don't think any of us would be able to function, much less invest energy in friendships.
I would like to believe that is where we stand with one another, yes.
( he has very little trust for anyone or anything any more, but. perhaps it's the fact that she's in medicine that has eased the opening of his heart to her. there is a part of him that wouldn't like to believe that anyone who can be as dedicated to the betterment of lives as her would betray him in any capacity. naive, perhaps, but. he sees no reason to go out of his way to stomp out what little hope remains to him. )
Though you are under no obligation to return the sentiment. My feelings are mine alone.
[ dorothy really, truly wants to help people. she doesn't want to betray anyone, hurt anyone —but if her time in oz has taught her anything, it's that the best of intentions can sometimes lead to bad consequences, try as she might. ]
No, I like it.
[ although, hm ]
In my world, we have this thing. It's called friends with benefits.
[ he did start this conversation offering to have sex with her... ]
( he selects a booth near the back, and allows her to choose her seat of preference before he joins her, politely opposite at the table. )
You remembered.
( his voice is warm, with a sort of gentle fondness at her having done so. human memory is imperfect, but that she chose to hang on to an inconsequential detail he'd told her in idle conversation is taken as a thoughtful thing. )
I'm sure it's quite easy for anyone arrived here from relative modernity to dismiss those of us from an earlier age as barbaric and poorly educated about the world, but I expect that human nature isn't much prone to change no matter how many fancy electronic devices are in their hands.
Mhmh. [ she hums her response, smile softening a little at the warmth in his tone, the gentleness there.
he's got the kind of voice that invites people to listen, that'd be easy to lose herself in, especially when it warms like that. ]
I spent some time in a world that didn't have technology but magic. [ she's settled into a seat, not really having much of a preference. ] And you're right. I think humans are similar everywhere.
( he raises a hand to catch the eye of the serving staff, the simple black cuff he's chosen for himself seems almost to absorb the low light of the bar. it serves a dual purpose — an easy display of his dominant status, but also it hides one of the scars that dorothy has already seen much more of than most. )
Had you encountered other races before? Like myself, or Lyall?
( call it a point of curiosity for him. despite all that's happened, his parents built up a love of learning in him that no amount of trauma or upset can scrub out.
once the server arrives, alucard orders some appropriately frou-frou cocktail on an utter whim, and gestures for her to do the same. )
[ he orders some frou-frou cocktail and dorothy finds herself grinning, telling the waiter that she'll have the same. there's something utterly charming about this tall and old-fashioned and - frankly, seemingly dignified - vampire ordering a cocktail like that. how can she resist joining him?
plus, it sounds fun.
once the waiter has disappeared again, she shrugs a little, thinking back to oz. ]
I've met witches.
[ in oz, they're a different race entirely, although they look human. but only a witch can kill a witch and only south can give birth to witches, dorothy has gathered. ]
You were my first vampire and werewolf, though.
[ but after oz, accepting the existence of vampires, werewolves, and who knows what else doesn't seem like a stretch anymore. ]
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( it shouldn't be a difficult thing to manage. alucard prefers places of quietude, but stuffy is a broad encompassment. he leads her through the down with the practiced step of one who has had reason to become familiar with this place and its perils. he does bare his fangs once at someone who is too keenly looking upon dorothy, which results in their abrupt change of direction, but otherwise they remain unaccosted. before too long they've reached the up. his posture becomes infinitesimally more lax, and he allows a modicum more space between them. )
I trust you've been well?
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he bares his fangs once and dorothy finds herself looking, more curious than worried —while there's obvious aggression in the expression, it isn't directed at her. in fact, it's in her defence and maybe she should be more careful, but for all that she's pretty sure alucard could hurt her, she feels safe in his company right now.
besides, if she avoided everyone who could hurt her, who would she still talk to? ]
I've been okay, yeah. Started working at the Haven. [ having something to do, a purpose, a means to help people? that's definitely been contributing to her being all right. ]
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In your capacity as a nurse?
( he has no idea, truly, how much schooling would be required of such an occupation, but she has a keen mind and a good heart, and he knows she would serve the people well should she only be given a chance. )
Should you need a dominant to vouchsafe for you, or sponsor you in any way in your pursuits of medicine, please don't hesitate to call on me. I would be honored to help however I might be able.
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[ she's pleased and honestly a little surprised that he remembers and it shows in her expression, the way she turns toward him while they walk, the way the corners of her mouth curve upward. ]
I might get back to you on that if I need to. [ she hates, hates that this place might make it necessary. that the line down her throat that they'd put there marks her as less, as the kind of person who needs vouching or sponsoring.
but that's not his fault. ]
You're full of nice offers today. [ 'nice' isn't the word, not really. 'kind' or 'chivalrous' might be better, but 'nice' is what came out of her mouth.
she shrugs a little. ]
Thanks.
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Consider it recompense for that uncomfortable night we spent sandwiched together on that ship.
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[ if anyone does, it'd be her —but she refuses to let herself feel guilty for being human, for needing sleep, for all but bullying two men who could probably break her in half if they weren't far too polite for such things into cuddling. ]
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( he doesn't feel any sense of obligation to her, no desire to pursue amends. but wanting to help... smooth things over, as it were, is another story entirely. )
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Yeah, I guess.
But there's nothing to make up for, is my point.
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I know. I was speaking in jest — this place is so often beyond all of us, our natures and our wills. If we were living in constant apology of what we've done beneath its boot heel, I don't think any of us would be able to function, much less invest energy in friendships.
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[ he'd said something similar over text, but it's different to hear it. dorothy squeezes his arm, her grin obviously pleased. ]
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( he has very little trust for anyone or anything any more, but. perhaps it's the fact that she's in medicine that has eased the opening of his heart to her. there is a part of him that wouldn't like to believe that anyone who can be as dedicated to the betterment of lives as her would betray him in any capacity. naive, perhaps, but. he sees no reason to go out of his way to stomp out what little hope remains to him. )
Though you are under no obligation to return the sentiment. My feelings are mine alone.
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No, I like it.
[ although, hm ]
In my world, we have this thing. It's called friends with benefits.
[ he did start this conversation offering to have sex with her... ]
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The benefit being sex, I imagine?
( what an absurd term, however fitting it may be. )
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once he's followed her inside: ]
You did say you catch on quick.
[ he has said that, hasn't he? she vaguely remembers something to that effect. ]
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You remembered.
( his voice is warm, with a sort of gentle fondness at her having done so. human memory is imperfect, but that she chose to hang on to an inconsequential detail he'd told her in idle conversation is taken as a thoughtful thing. )
I'm sure it's quite easy for anyone arrived here from relative modernity to dismiss those of us from an earlier age as barbaric and poorly educated about the world, but I expect that human nature isn't much prone to change no matter how many fancy electronic devices are in their hands.
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he's got the kind of voice that invites people to listen, that'd be easy to lose herself in, especially when it warms like that. ]
I spent some time in a world that didn't have technology but magic. [ she's settled into a seat, not really having much of a preference. ] And you're right. I think humans are similar everywhere.
[ in both the best and the worst possible way. ]
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Had you encountered other races before? Like myself, or Lyall?
( call it a point of curiosity for him. despite all that's happened, his parents built up a love of learning in him that no amount of trauma or upset can scrub out.
once the server arrives, alucard orders some appropriately frou-frou cocktail on an utter whim, and gestures for her to do the same. )
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plus, it sounds fun.
once the waiter has disappeared again, she shrugs a little, thinking back to oz. ]
I've met witches.
[ in oz, they're a different race entirely, although they look human. but only a witch can kill a witch and only south can give birth to witches, dorothy has gathered. ]
You were my first vampire and werewolf, though.
[ but after oz, accepting the existence of vampires, werewolves, and who knows what else doesn't seem like a stretch anymore. ]