demonicmiracle | (duplicity) ic contact

[It takes him a second but, right, witch, she probably uses those sorts of things as well.]

Well, if you ever need some mandrake root, you know where to find me.

[The on the house is implied.]

Of course, wouldn't do not to keep up to date. But you know that.

[So she's asking for a reason, and he's willing to hear what it is.]

( if he's being generous already-- maybe this whole thing would manage to go in her favour )

Then you'll be aware that someone of my position is more-- disadvantaged than they previously were. I have contracts with other submissives-- ( so she's not entirely screwed, though considering the dominant she had also held a contract with has now left it hasn't made her position any easier.

which means there's a reason why she's suggesting it. someone like lilith with her disagreements surrounding submission-- she has a plan in place for this, particularly since he'll be the one in charge. on paper )

Though the Creator would make it so that even contracted without a dominant there is little I can do in this city.

[It's something that he'd considered as a potential... downside, to the Creator gaining the upper hand in the conflict, though he wouldn't change it.

Maybe he would, if he'd been marked the way Lilith has been.]

You want to contract with me. [Not a question, he can understand why he's the choice she's making here. They may not know each other well, but they both know that she's more powerful than he is. That outweighs social standing.] You've already got some ground rules in mind, I take it?

[She'd come prepared, surely.]

( it's lilith, of course she has some ground rules in mind )

Our quotas are our own business. ( she had no issues taking care of her own and she'd expect him to sort his out. she wouldn't ask for the details either )

You'll also need to be present if I purchase anything. ( rather than the old trick of just having permission ) Aside from that-- my life is my own. You don't control it and I ensure that my business does not reflect on you.

( it's unlikely she'd even mention to people who she'd contracted with. she hadn't for anyone else )

[The last thing he wants to do is think about mixing up quotas into this, so that stipulation is perfectly fine by him. The rest of it is all perfectly reasonable.]

I wouldn't dream of trying to control you. [Sincerely, but he makes a little considering sound. He's fairly sure he'll do this, it's just a question of all the specifics.] Who do you have contracts with? Out of curiosity.

( she pauses, considering, not knowing him well enough yet to know whether it would sway his hand )

They're under my protection. And should their actions be detrimental in any way my responsibility.

( that wasn't how the city would see it, particularly not when he was the dominant, technically overseeing the contracts that she already held but it was her reassurance that she'd handle anything that they did )

I'm not in the habit of sharing personal details.

[There's two sides to that answer. On one hand, he is essentially taking some kind of responsibility for her already existing contracts and knowing who they're with would be nice.

But he can respect that she's discrete, that she wants to protect their privacy.]

We'll put that in the contract, if you'd like, and you're welcome to tell them about me. [About what he is. He'll trust her judgement on that front, as much as he worries it might be the wrong thing to do.] Look, don't take this the wrong way, cause it's not about whether or not you can protect yourself, but this place seems to have more than a few tricks up its sleeve, and I've seen how submissives are treated. Is there something we can write into this thing that'll add an extra layer of protection?

[If he's got this privilege, he might as well actually use it for more than just helping her buy things.]

There may be something. ( there had always been fine loopholes to find which was how lilith had ended up with her contracts in the first place. she didn't know about this new leadership but she was all for exploiting the system )

Though I do have one request, something that will need to be worded carefully. ( the others had been conditions of agreement. this was just purely something that she wanted ) Somewhere to live in the Up. Privately.

( since her previous dominant left she'd been staying at the gray room rather than returning to the down, breaking the rules a little but it was an establishment rather than anyone's home. she'd rather have something else, to have additional privacy for her business )

It would need to be in your name but you may be able to specify it for my use. Careful wording with it will aid with writing the rest.

( and she wasn't offended by his statement, appreciative that he'd considered it. he wasn't a stupid demon )

[That might be the easiest request to fulfil, if only because of his own feelings about the Down.]

Sure. I've been thinking about looking into finding myself a proper flat, too, somewhere more my style. Might as well get a second property while I'm at it.

[Obviously it'll be her choice what kind of place she wants, but maybe it'll save some time and effort on both their parts if they can do some of the realty nonsense together.]

That's a yes to the whole thing, if that wasn't clear. Though if it's all the same to you, I wouldn't mind getting a real lawyer involved for writing it up, so we're both protected.

[It'll reduce the risk of either one of them trying to slip in something that'd make life difficult.]

( she gives a small nod of acceptance, reaching to grab the bottle to refill her glass and pour some into his )

I'm not familiar with any here but it should be simple to find one.

( and at least they'd both been agreeable to the other's requests )

I suppose I should ask if there's anything you want from me.

[Once there's whiskey in his glass, Crowley raises it in a toast, before taking a sip.]

Might be best if it's a stranger.

[A truly neutral party, as it were.

As for the requests on his end, Crowley shrugs.]

Don't screw me over? [A small thing, really.] Supposed I'd appreciate your help, if I ever find myself in a sticky situation, but there's no need for that to be in writing.

[He's willing to let that be a gentleman's agreement.]

( lilith nods. considering this is a favour for her, even if it also sorts out his need to contract, lilith can agree to that )

Then my help you will have.

( though it would probably work out that she'd have done so without him asking. she repaid favours.

she drinks some of her drink before adding )

You may hear of another name connected to me. Mary Wardwell. It was what I'd been going by but-- LIES has recently decided to change that.

( and she sounds incredibly irritated by that fact )

[For all he might have considered it a favor — regardless of whether he needed assistance sorting out a contract — he wouldn't have put it so plainly. In his experience, help that comes because it's owed, isn't half as good as help freely given.

So there's a brief smile that's sincere, grateful.]

Those bloody profiles, right? They weren't exactly flattering. [He's not to cut up about his, really, it felt more stupid than anything.] I don't think anyone's going to immediately leap to the truth, Lilith's a common enough name.

[There are ways to keep spinning a lie, surely.]

Some have.

( those slightly more informed about religion but dorian was a very individual case. but even outside of that things had started coming apart )

Though I've found that the reason I had for going by Ms. Wardwell no longer exists.

Huh. [Honestly, he wouldn't have expected that of most humans, since Lilith isn't as frequent in the Creation mythos as Adam & Eve and the Garden are, but maybe people here are more inclined to pay attention to those things.

Maybe they're just Jewish. Who knows.]

Was there someone here you were keeping it from...?

[It's a very tentative guess, a tentative question in general. He's not sure if she wants to talk about this, but she brought it up, so perhaps she does.]

It was the name I'd been using in Greendale.

( she didnt just go around as lilith. well, not always but that was because she wanted to be unnoticed to do her job )

Though those from Greendale that are here now know who I am. They did before this.

Right. [He assumes the name has something to do with 'Wardwell', but he doesn't know enough about the situation to comment. It doesn't strike him as being that big of a deal, though for all he knows it's more important to her.

Still:] Have to admit, it's sort of refreshing not to pretend to be human. Might not be too bad to have some things out in the open? People are remarkably relaxed about the demon business, I've found, not sure what that's all about.

[Is it because he's not particularly threatening? Probably.]

I may be admitting my name but not what I am.

( even with so many so open about their powers or status lilith was selective about it, even more so about being a demon. it's long ingrained in her, keeping herself and her gifts hidden from the world, a secrecy that all witches learned )

Only some know that I'm a witch or demon.

No one'll hear it from me, if that's what you're worried about.

[Crowley might be fairly relaxed about what he shares about his nature, but he's very good at keeping secrets when he needs to.]

Would you rather I not mention this — [with a gesture between the two of them] — while we're on the subject? Doesn't matter either way to me.

[Obviously the authorities will know, but if Lilith would rather keep it quiet who she's contracted to, he can keep that to himself, too.]

No one needs to know our business.

( if he did tell someone she'd be more exasperated than angry. it didn't matter but lilith was private, knowing the value of secrets and information. and she didn't trust people )

It's a simple-- business arrangement.

As you'd like.

[It's not as if there's anyone he'd feel the need to tell, it has no relevance to the rest of his life here.

Crowley takes another drink of his scotch, contemplating the liquid in his glass]

I've a question, nothing to do with contracts, I've just run into something a bit unusual. Have you met Jonathan Sims, calls himself the Archivist?

( she pauses drinking, returning the glass to her knee )

I have.

( and her tone should reflect how she feels about him: unfavourably )

Why?

[Familiar, and not fond of him. It isn't hard to hazard a few guesses at why that might be. Jonathan doesn't strike him as a man with many friends.]

Can't say I've ever run into anything like him and his, what was it? The Beholding? Thought you might have some input, bad idea to go poking my nose into his business?

[The answer to that is almost definitely yes. It's more a question of how bad an idea it is.]

I've encountered the Beholding.

( the entity itself and not just through the archivist. her tone this time is graver, as if it had been an incredibly pleasant experience, one that lilith wishes she hadn't had to experience it )

If you can remain hidden to him I would advise it.

[If it was just an interaction with Jonathan, he doubts Lilith would frame it that way. She's met the entity itself. That's a far more troubling thought.]

Sims knows what I am, forced me to tell him about my Fall, but I dont plan on spending much time around the man. [So, hopefully he hasn't piqued the interest of the Beholding. He'll do his best to keep it that way.] That's the only one you've met?

[Not asking as directly as he could. Martin seems far more quiet about what he is.]

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