ʟᴏᴜɪs ᴅᴇ ᴘᴏɪɴᴛᴇ ᴅᴜ ʟᴀᴄ (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
deathoftheauthor) wrote2023-06-13 08:36 pm
deathoftheauthor) wrote2023-06-13 08:36 pm
the city | inbox
USERNAME: @louis
|
|---|
I will always prefer to speak in-person. Is there a time and place you would prefer?
You may choose the location. Perhaps your future club? I am available tonight, if that is convenient.
The club, tonight at eight o'clock. I thank you for this.
[At the appointed time, Dorian is seated at one of the tables at the club, leafing through a book. When the door opens, he glances up, then sits back in his seat and gestures for Louis to sit down.]
Thank you for coming, Monsieur.
[At the appointed time, Dorian is seated at one of the tables at the club, leafing through a book. When the door opens, he glances up, then sits back in his seat and gestures for Louis to sit down.]
Thank you for coming, Monsieur.
[ It's not really too uncommon to find someone looking like they're deep in thought about something at the diner - and definitely also not uncommon for the thing they are thinking about to not seem particularly great.
And with how much attention Daniel pays to the people around him, it's not that difficult at all for him to realise Louis must be dealing with the latter, judging by how much he's found the other frowning in troubled ways lately.
And ignoring that? That sure isn't something Daniel ever does, not when he's fond of Louis. He doesn't want the other to keep having to look that way.
So even though he doesn't imagine he can definitely help whatever might be troubling the other, the least he can do is hear Louis out, Daniel figures. So he approaches the other at the diner with a small, but warm smile on his face. ]
Hey, Louis. I hope you don't mind me saying this, but.. it sure seems like you've been thinking about something tonight. Do you maybe want to talk about it?
And with how much attention Daniel pays to the people around him, it's not that difficult at all for him to realise Louis must be dealing with the latter, judging by how much he's found the other frowning in troubled ways lately.
And ignoring that? That sure isn't something Daniel ever does, not when he's fond of Louis. He doesn't want the other to keep having to look that way.
So even though he doesn't imagine he can definitely help whatever might be troubling the other, the least he can do is hear Louis out, Daniel figures. So he approaches the other at the diner with a small, but warm smile on his face. ]
Hey, Louis. I hope you don't mind me saying this, but.. it sure seems like you've been thinking about something tonight. Do you maybe want to talk about it?
Edited 2024-01-19 19:09 (UTC)
( Things Dorian doesn't know: 8 PM is still early for Louis, even in the long dark of wintertime. Ordinarily, with no particular urgency toward rousing himself, he might still be lazing around in the clothes he'd worn to bed last night. He isn't, as they say, a morning person. But this is important.
He's dressed warmly against the damp chill that seems to hang in the air this month: a black wool coat over a thick green sweater, soft leather gloves and a matching newsboy cap. The hat he removes when he enters, but the gloves stay on.
Louis shakes his head slightly side to side, politely dismissing Dorian's thanks as he takes the seat across from him. The truth is that he feels he owes it to him in some inexplicable way, in spite of any misgivings he might have about the man. But admitting to that sense of debt is more than Louis wants to give him. )
I only ask that you temper your expectations. I lack true talent when it comes to reading minds. There are those rare vampires among us who can reach out and pluck a thought from your head just as easily as you might flip to a passage in a book.
( A small shrug. )
I myself am the opposite.
He's dressed warmly against the damp chill that seems to hang in the air this month: a black wool coat over a thick green sweater, soft leather gloves and a matching newsboy cap. The hat he removes when he enters, but the gloves stay on.
Louis shakes his head slightly side to side, politely dismissing Dorian's thanks as he takes the seat across from him. The truth is that he feels he owes it to him in some inexplicable way, in spite of any misgivings he might have about the man. But admitting to that sense of debt is more than Louis wants to give him. )
I only ask that you temper your expectations. I lack true talent when it comes to reading minds. There are those rare vampires among us who can reach out and pluck a thought from your head just as easily as you might flip to a passage in a book.
( A small shrug. )
I myself am the opposite.
can't ttell you I think you're too good for it
Too good? Why in the world would you say that?
I think you're nice
ain't anybody ever tell you you're good before??
ain't anybody ever tell you you're good before??
I'm sincerely touched that you see me that way.
I try to treat people with kindness, but I've done too much wickedness in my life to be called good.
I try to treat people with kindness, but I've done too much wickedness in my life to be called good.
yeah man ypu and me both
guess I gotta... try to believe that we xan be better than the worst things we've done
you know?
guess I gotta... try to believe that we xan be better than the worst things we've done
you know?
[Dorian gives a slightly bewildered smile at Louis presenting this as a bad thing.]
That's reassuring, actually. I prefer to keep my thoughts in my own head.
[He glances away, eyes straying briefly to the half-finished wallpaper before looking back.]
I think I have not been kind to you. And inadvertently, you have suffered from my choices.
That's reassuring, actually. I prefer to keep my thoughts in my own head.
[He glances away, eyes straying briefly to the half-finished wallpaper before looking back.]
I think I have not been kind to you. And inadvertently, you have suffered from my choices.
( Despite his preternatural senses being more than sufficient to detect almost anyone sneaking up on him, Louis still looks mildly startled to be pulled so abruptly from the churning depths of his worry. He looks up at Daniel, first wide-eyed and then, after a sigh, a little rueful. He's never been any good at concealing his darker moods, and tonight he's spent the last twenty minutes or so staring down into his full mug of coffee with his hands cupped around it for warmth, hardly moving, his expression pinched into a frown. It couldn't be more obvious. )
Ah... Daniel.
( His expression softens into something vaguely like a smile, and he gestures to the empty booth across from him. )
It's grim, but I've been thinking about how fragile all of this is.
Ah... Daniel.
( His expression softens into something vaguely like a smile, and he gestures to the empty booth across from him. )
It's grim, but I've been thinking about how fragile all of this is.
I know. And I do believe that. When we define ourselves by our worst actions, we lose hope of rising above them. If we cannot make up for the wrongs we've done, we might at least spare others the same harm.
What?
( Whatever Louis had expected Dorian to say, it wasn't that. He blinks, his focus sharpening as his confusion deepens. )
What makes you say that?
( Whatever Louis had expected Dorian to say, it wasn't that. He blinks, his focus sharpening as his confusion deepens. )
What makes you say that?
Lestat said he told you what happened that night in November. When Ethan got loose.
[When I set Ethan loose.]
[When I set Ethan loose.]
He did, yes.
( A brief, uncomfortable hesitation. )
My injuries healed quickly. It's Ethan's guilt that troubles me. However... I know that none of it was done out of malice.
( Which doesn't mean that Louis has forgiven it, exactly, but then it isn't really his to forgive. He understands. And he's done worse. )
( A brief, uncomfortable hesitation. )
My injuries healed quickly. It's Ethan's guilt that troubles me. However... I know that none of it was done out of malice.
( Which doesn't mean that Louis has forgiven it, exactly, but then it isn't really his to forgive. He understands. And he's done worse. )
[The line of Dorian's shoulders eases when Louis states his major concern about the entire affair--it's the same concern as his own.]
I did not like that he took the blame for it, but he did it while I was away. He asked me to make no confessions, but given as you already know, I wanted to apologize. It was...misguided. I thought because his first full moon here resulted in no encounters, the same would happen this time.
I did not like that he took the blame for it, but he did it while I was away. He asked me to make no confessions, but given as you already know, I wanted to apologize. It was...misguided. I thought because his first full moon here resulted in no encounters, the same would happen this time.
Well. You know what they used to pave the road to Hell. I've done many things that I regret — some misguided, some merely uncaring... some cruel. Immortality only gives us more opportunities to err. What can we do but try to learn from our mistakes?
( He spreads his hands slightly in a small shrug. )
What made you want to help him?
( It's a strange question, perhaps, but Louis asks it without any judgment or reproach. )
( He spreads his hands slightly in a small shrug. )
What made you want to help him?
( It's a strange question, perhaps, but Louis asks it without any judgment or reproach. )
[It is a surprising question, since Dorian didn't really think about it that much. He knows why Ethan needed help, but not why he should be the one to do it. He probably shouldn't have been. He's never been a helping people kind of person before, so he's pretty terrible at it.]
He is afraid of the wolf. Of what he is. [Dorian isn't totally without empathy, he's just better at denial. He hesitates before he says the next thing.] And he helps me.
[It's gotten to feeling pretty uneven.]
He is afraid of the wolf. Of what he is. [Dorian isn't totally without empathy, he's just better at denial. He hesitates before he says the next thing.] And he helps me.
[It's gotten to feeling pretty uneven.]
[ .. that is pretty grim.
On the other hand, if anyone is looking thoughtful in this city lately, you can bet there's a good chance all of this is on their mind.. It's been hard for Daniel to think about much of anything else too, ever since they learned so much just the other month.
So even though it'll inevitably lead to a similarly grim discussion, he isn't shying away from it. Especially since he offered for Louis to be able to talk to him about it in the first place.
Daniel moves to sit in the booth as well, staring at Louis over the table. ]
Our situation here in this city, you mean..?
On the other hand, if anyone is looking thoughtful in this city lately, you can bet there's a good chance all of this is on their mind.. It's been hard for Daniel to think about much of anything else too, ever since they learned so much just the other month.
So even though it'll inevitably lead to a similarly grim discussion, he isn't shying away from it. Especially since he offered for Louis to be able to talk to him about it in the first place.
Daniel moves to sit in the booth as well, staring at Louis over the table. ]
Our situation here in this city, you mean..?
Are you all right? I'm afraid I'm no good at cheering anyone up, but do you need company?
so you say but this actually helped a lot. i ain't ever really been the type to talk about feeling s n shit lol but I appreciate you lerlttng
lettijg me
think it's in everybody's best interest if I go thr fuck ti sleep bit hey
you wanna come over sometime? I know you can't eat or drink or whatever but yknow. could hang
nonpressure
lettijg me
think it's in everybody's best interest if I go thr fuck ti sleep bit hey
you wanna come over sometime? I know you can't eat or drink or whatever but yknow. could hang
nonpressure
In that case... I'm glad I could help in some way. If you still feel like talking once you've slept and sobered up and nursed your inevitable headache, you may call on me after sunset tomorrow.
( wait. )
Come over just to visit, you mean?
...
I think that would be nice. I have a growing list of films I intend to watch. Perhaps you could help me with it.
( wait. )
Come over just to visit, you mean?
...
I think that would be nice. I have a growing list of films I intend to watch. Perhaps you could help me with it.
yeah just to visit, or watch a movie or somethin
[ he'll make a friend of you yet, Louis! ]
fuck yeah, that's what I'm talkin about! bring your list let's work on it together
[ he'll make a friend of you yet, Louis! ]
fuck yeah, that's what I'm talkin about! bring your list let's work on it together
Page 9 of 10