hisheartsdesire | [ic] Contact

[There's a weird echo as Abduxel yelps aloud as well as in Toby's head, before he simply severs the psychic connection.

He lets himself get snatched up, and grabs onto Toby's wrists to steady himself.]

Beautiful as ever, Tobias Matthews. What a warm welcome. I came back just this afternoon.

[Being that Drew is so bitter and detests him so much after what's happened, Toby finds himself appreciative of Abduxel's compliments and flattery. He doesn't care whether or not the demon means any of it, so long as he can feel good and feel like existing; he'll cling on to any reason not to die or feel like dying.

Toby lifts Abduxel to his feet and waits for the demon to steady himself. Slowly, he releases the demon, his touch lingering as he pulls away, because... he doesn't know, maybe he wants Abduxel to block out the hatred swelling in his mind.]

I couldn't possibly be all that important to you; how thoughtful you are to visit me.

[ He's quiet a moment as he regards Toby, trying to train his expression to stoicism, but there's still a ghost of that sadistic little grin gleaming in his eyes. After Toby speaks, the pause draws out a moment, and then suddenly he's grabbing Toby's chin roughly with his thumb and fingers. ]

Of course you're important to me. [ The grin spreads. ] Why wouldn't you be?

[Toby gasps in surprise and freezes in place when Abduxel takes hold of him, even though he'd secretly wanted this. He's silent for a moment, the tension between them building while Drew's rage and hatred cuts Toby down because it's this shit that makes him a jerk. So Toby's vampire-heart races, he swallows his anxiety, and he isn't quite sure what to answer.]

Oh, I don't know. I doubt I'm anything more than a plaything.

[And that's not so important unless Abduxel enjoys his toys that much.]

[ Abduxel examines his face in a shameless way that probably feels intrusive, hand frozen with a tight grip.

The demon couldn't really tell you the difference between a friend, a lover, an enemy, or a plaything; they all bleed together for him, and he feels similar emotions towards all of them. How he behaves depends more on what gets him a reaction, and on what keeps some sort of spark alive. Any attention is good attention, so long as he himself is kept in one piece at the end of it.

So is he sincere when he says: ]

No, I really did miss you.

[ ...Yes... but what does that mean coming from him? He doesn't think deeply enough about it to be able to answer that, himself. But damn is he glad to be back. ]

Anyway, I take good care of my playthings.

[Snatching Abduxel's wrist in a hand, Toby defiantly wrests his chin out of the demon's grip.]

Ha! Something tells me, we have different ideas of taking "good car" of things.

[He steps back, putting about an arm's length distance between them. It's just enough to make him comfortable.]

Fine—aside from coming because you missed me, what do you want?

Edited 2015-11-08 18:47 (UTC)

[He laughs a little, and lets his grip be loosened and tossed aside.]

What do I want? That's a really grand question, I mean, in terms of scale. I already got what I want: I came back here. I have everything I want.

What do you want?

[Turning away,] I don't see why you're asking, when you're the one who accosted me.

[But there's a small smile on his face, and he's trying to hide it.]

I never realized you could talk in people's heads. Wait—were you able to hear what I was thinking?

[Because that could be awkward. Also, because that might explain why Abduxel had teased him about looking crazy.]

"Accosted." That's harsh, don't you think? Anyway, it's a trick I picked up while I was gone.

[A slight pause.]

...Yes, I could hear everything.

[He's full of shit.]

Can you really? You hear the screaming and all?

[He's doubtful; if Abduxel can't address it, Toby's calling him out on it.]

But maybe you're right, that "accosted" was too strong a word. Still, you came to me; not the other way around.

Oh, yeah. Tons of screaming. I just assumed it was a vampire thing.

[He can tell Toby isn't really buying it, but it's too late to backtrack now. He doesn't sound especially convincing, though.]

I could also hear how happy you are to see me.

[He grins and winks.]

[That elicits a laugh from Toby.]

Oh, you're so full of horse shit. [Again, trying to sound angry, but not really succeeding. After a beat,] Care for a drink? It's on me.

[Abduxel frequently shifts between predatory and friendly, and this moment is decidedly friendly. He laughs along and puts a hand on Toby's arm, not intimately, but almost fraternally.]

Yes, please. Hell, you should see how expensive booze is in the real world. And rent. We have a cushy ride, here, Tobias Matthews.

[He'd previously started breaking himself of the habit of addressing people by their full names, but it seems to be reversed now; with the importance placed on "true names" in his version of Hell and in blood magic, it's to be expected, really.]

Edited 2015-11-11 00:56 (UTC)

[It's awkward for Toby, if only because he's more used to Abduxel's predatory side. But why should he complain if Abduxel is actually being nice to him? He can be—he has been nice to Toby before.]

It's Toby. And... have you been calling your home world the 'real world'? Almost sounds as if wherever the rest of imPorts come from, and this world itself, aren't real.

[He doesn't acknowledge the name correction, other than with a look.]

Is all this real? Are you sure?

I don't see why it shouldn't be, but your opinion seems to differ. Now, why is that?

What, you think any of this makes sense? It's ridiculous. I'm fairly sure I'm being tortured in Hell and this is my beautiful delusion.

[He says it with such levity, it's hard to tell if he's serious.]

Now, where do you want to drink?

[No, it doesn't make sense, but Toby would rather this were real, instead of a world where Dorian has driven him away, where there's no guarantee Dorian will have him back.

Still, Abduxel doesn't need to know that, and Toby welcomes the change of subject.]

Believe what you will, then. Let's stay in the neighborhood, shall we? Seems too long a trip heading out to one of the Porter cities.

[And for the time being, he's avoiding Heropa.]

[ic] Contact

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