[ic] Contact

[hisheartsdesire]

Tobias may one day learn to change the greeting on his voicemail. Until then, there's only the default.

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[hisheartsdesire]

[There's hesitation in his voice.]

... I've never really told anyone before. [A pause. A thought.] I mean, I've only ever told one person.

[And if your guess is "Dorian Gray", then you would be correct.]

[abduxel]

The truth sets you free, Toby.

[There is nothing more full of shit that Abduxel could possibly have said, ever.]

[hisheartsdesire]

[Yeah, he's not sure he can just buy into that. Sharing anything with the demon seems like a game of roulette.]

Does it, now? And what does the truth do for you then, Matthew?

[Feeling quite anxious after making this retort, Toby swallows and begins quietly drumming his fingers on the counter.]

[abduxel]

[His smile is slow and sly.] It excites me.

[hisheartsdesire]

[Toby moves faster than he thinks, sighing and facepalming and shaking his head.]

Right. I don't know why I asked.

[He gets the bartender's attention and orders his Jack Daniels.]

[abduxel]

[That makes him laugh, and he orders fancy red wine.]

So are you going to tell me, or not?

[hisheartsdesire]

[He also laughs.]

Probably not. I hadn't mentioned it for a long time, not even to him. I finally did tell him about it because it seemed absolutely pertinent.

[He shrugs.]

[abduxel]

Suit yourself. Me, I didn't know the ritual would really work.

[hisheartsdesire]

A ritual? What, was it something you'd found in a book, and then decided you wanted to try out?

[Because that just seems silly.]

[abduxel]

Something like that. Although, naturally, I had more to gain than sating my curiosity. I didn't just sell my soul for nothing.

[hisheartsdesire]

[He looks incredulous.]

So, you would've gained power regardless of whether or not you were curious? Was it such a simple matter to sell your soul?

[abduxel]

Unlike Dorian, my power wasn't the reward for giving up my soul. Just a byproduct of becoming a demon. With my soul, I bought revenge.

[He says it so lightly, smiling over at Toby. His wine had arrived at some point and he takes a long drink from it.]

[hisheartsdesire]

[After hearing Abduxel's answer and seeing his expression, Toby glances down at the drink set down before him. He stares at it in awkward silence before finally taking a sip.]

Then you became a demon before relinquishing your soul? And did that work out the same way, by picking up a book or something of the sort?

[...it can't be all that simple, can it?]

[abduxel]

No, not quite like that. I was human, and I sold my soul for what I wanted. But then when I died, I belonged to Hell, who saw fit to give me powers. For their own ends. As you can imagine, they made sure I died in relatively short time so that they could set to work on me.

[hisheartsdesire]

I see...

[Well, at least Abduxel had some sort of advance warning... Is that what Toby should call it? He doesn't know. But he supposes he can count it as one of the few things he does know about the demon.

Again, he grows quiet and takes another sip. Swallows. Thinks. And then—]

I can't say I'm like either of you. [Toby is sure Abduxel knows he could only mean Dorian.] Long story short, someone betrayed me. He changed his mind and came back as I was dying. Then, he saved me.

[Another sip, and then he frowns as he gazes down at his Jack Daniels again.]

[abduxel]

[Cheerfully, all Abduxel says in return is:] He sounds like an asshole.

[hisheartsdesire]

Yeah, I guess he was. [Finding the comment amusing, he lets out a quiet, bitter laugh.] Not that I realized it until later. Good thing that, between you and me, we got that out early.

[abduxel]

What year was that? [He frowns, trying to think about whether Toby has shed any light on that timeline, but he can't remember.] What era were you human? Maybe we would have crossed paths, in another life. I mean, we certainly didn't, even besides that whole ocean thing; I would have remembered you.

[hisheartsdesire]

The eighteenth century, over two-hundred years ago. [He answers with a lilt in his voice as he shrugs his shoulders.] ...I don't think you're even half that, are you? And what makes you say you would've remembered me?

[Should he feel flattered, or suspicious? Toby can't help wondering.]

[abduxel]

I'm more than half that. [It's almost a little defensive, although he's still speaking in fairly good humour.] I'm 115. Although I spent 90 of those years in Hell, so as far as technology goes - [he gestures to his communicator] - I might as well have died for good in the twenties.

[But that brings him to the lattermost question. He tilts his head with a little smile.]

What do you think, Toby?

[hisheartsdesire]

Hardly. [He laughs.] It happened in 1724. Remember, I said over two-hundred. And as for what I think about you remembering me...

[Studying Abduxel's expression and features, Toby hums in thought, and then swallows. He does find the demon rather attractive, though he knows Abduxel glamours his horns out of sight. His real form must look like that in the mirror during the summoning.]

Was that supposed to be a chat-up line, or am I flattering myself, imagining that?

[abduxel]

[He waves a hand dismissively when Toby corrects him, not bothering to do the math which would tell him that's closer to 300.] Close enough.

[He brings his glass to his mouth, grinning behind it.] Well. Let's just say there's a reason I was so nice to you when we met.

[Yes, he's calling you attractive.]

[hisheartsdesire]

...Huh. Then it is a chat-up line. Funny, I hadn't expected that.

[abduxel]

Well, you look good for your age. [He speaks casually, lightly. But then a thought suddenly strikes him.] Do you remember your birthday? Your real birthday. The first one. [A beat.] I forgot mine, a long time ago now.

[hisheartsdesire]

[He's not vampire-blushing, but he does look flattered. And then, he takes another sip and looks thoughtful at Abduxel's question.]

You know, that was... so very long ago. I don't remember anymore, but I like to imagine my birthday's in winter. Perhaps December. Or January. [He gives the demon a small smile.] Oh, I don't know.