IC Contact for duplicity

[arkfall]

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August 2019

[goldenglasses]

[Vash hasn't had any reason to celebrate his birthday in over a century. Just another reminder that he was different from everyone else. So while he doesn't really want to do anything for himself the thought of doing something for his brother strikes him as fun.

Which is why on their birthday Knives will get a knock on his door. A creature that looks more dog than person stands there in a delivery uniform. He's got a box labeled this way up, fragile, do not drop or set anything on top. Plus a handful of balloons that say: Happy birthday! Which should be a clear indication who the package is from. Sign here please.

[When Knives opens the package he'll find a few things. Starting with a card with Vash's cursive handwriting inside.] Happy birthday brother. Sorry for missing all the other ones. Not like either of us had a clear mailing address. [A hand drawn winky face is drawn inside. Then just below that is an ominous bit of text.]

P.S. Sorry about the cake. Next time I'll remember 'normal' shape does not mean square.

[What could Vash mean by that? Well Knives doesn't have to question it for very long if he opens the box labeled cake. It's in a rather questionable shape that Vash has done his best to hide and redecorate. At least it's super moist and delicious if Knives chooses to eat it.

There are also a couple gifts inside! Wrapped in colourful birthday paper. Inside the first is a book that Knives may not appreciate. Vash has skimmed through and decided it has some good points on how to make friends!

The second gift is a little more useful. A little tree that grows grass. Vash is hopeful his brother will like this one better.

Happy birthday Knives.]

[arkfall]

[Knives is mostly confused by the gifts, but then he never fully understood Vash. He tosses aside the book but focuses on the plant. He actually likes the idea having a bit of green in the luxury apartment.

After he settles on putting it out somewhere, Knives messages Vash directly.]

Thank you for the plant.

September 2019

[goldenglasses]

[Vash paced back and forth in his shared room with Laurent. The contract had expired by V had said Vash could stay for as long as the city allowed him to. His mind was swirling. He could lie and tell Knvies his contract hadn't ended yet. Buy himself a little more time. He could also change his mind and refuse to contract with Knives. He could keep living not under his brother's rule that this city would give him.

Only he knows that he can't. He could never bring himself to give up the chance to keep people safe by contracting with his brother. Finally he dials his brother's number and waits for him to pick up. He knows Knives is close enough that he could reach out to mentally speak with him, but Vash preferred it this way.]

Hey. It's me. My contracted has ended so I'm free to sign one with you now.

[arkfall]

I see... We should meet to discuss terms.

[He should be more pleased with that. All he's wanted is to have his brother back, to have him under his control, but now it just feels hollow.]

November 30th 2019 - Mental Link

[goldenglasses]

[Shortly after supper time one night, while Vash is imprisoned for breaking one of Duplicity's laws one too many times, Knives will feel a familiar push. His twin seeking to talk to him from behind bars over their shared connection. Vash wouldn't easily admit it but he was feeling lonely in his cell and was missing his brother.]

Hey Knives. [He speaks casually. As if he was simply out for a walk and not locked away.] Did you have a good dinner?

[arkfall]

[Despite everything, Knives feels relieved when Vash reaches out.]

You must be bored to reach out to me.

Anonymous text, first week of December

[willing_sheath]

[Now that she's had a few days of her mind being clear and unaltered for the first time in over a month she is back to her regularly scheduled existential crisis and contemplating a trip to Insincerity to have her memory repaired... and there is a certain broom head that she has gotten too used to using as a sounding board for potentially bad ideas whose advice she probably won't take anyway... and said broom head has been MIA for much longer than she cares to think about. She doesn't think he's gone, not yet anyway, though that first twinge of fear is there. No, she is fairly certain his ass is just stuck in jail, but when she's tried to find out on her own she's been told that such information is only available to the submissive's Dominant. Because of course it is.]

[So eventually, after much debating, and then after double and triple checking to ensure she is anonymous she takes a chance and sends a message to Knives.]

Your brother has asked me to avoid you, however, I do not know where he is and I am concerned about him. I know you are contracted and will be notified if it is anything to do with the city. Do you know where he is and if he is alright?

[So long as Knives doesn't know which friend she is, that should make this ok... right?]

[arkfall]

Why would I share news of my brother's location with someone who hides their identity?

Christmas Day 2019

[goldenglasses]

[When Knives and Legato get up on Christmas morning they'll find that Vash is already out. Out on the counter is his magical box that makes 12 fresh donuts each day. Three are already missing, but the rest sit warm and inviting with a sign written in the outlaw's handwriting: Help Yourselves.

Next to that are two boxes one marked For Knives and the other is marked For Legato. Wrapped in paper with little cartoon cats and dogs wearing Christmas sweaters on it.

Inside are a box of home-made sugar cookies. In the shape of trees, stars, and gingerbread men. Which likely isn't a surprise considering how much baking Vash has been doing lately. Knives will also soon see why his box was labeled with a: open from this end as nestled inside with the cookies is a small light blue orchid. Along with instructions on how to care for it.

Should he watch Legato open his gift he'll see Vash found him a black electric blanket.

Vash will be home later in the day after the rest of his gifts are given out.]

[arkfall]

[When Vash gets home the orchid is in the perfect place for it in the house, with just the right amount of light. Knives probably even moved around some stuff to find the best place for it.]

I didn't get you a gift. [He brother admits, as soon as he sees Vash. He even looks a little guilty about it.]

[arkfall]

[continued from here]

[Knives is waiting for Legato when he gets home. Vash should be away for at least a few hours, so when Legato comes through the door Knives is on him. He pins him against the wall and leans in to bite his neck, making a claim to his territory.]

I want you undressed and leaning over the couch, understand?

[endthem]

[Even being able to sense Knives' presence waiting and then heading for him the moment the door is open, does nothing to lessen how caught off guard and immediately disarmed he is when Knives pounces.

Breathless with adrenaline the moment his back is shoved into the wall, and then with the shock of pain and arousal when he's bitten, all Legato can do is nod in compliance.

As soon as he is released, he moves to obey. He normally does everything he can to keep as many layers of clothing covering as much of his body as possible, but this he will undress with little hesitation over.]

[endthem]

[Despite the things that haunt him, Legato has never had an overt tendency toward nightmares. Aside from a short period of time after he'd first been rescued when he was young, Legato's sleep has been quiet.

The past few months have been a drastic change, however. Legato nearly matches Vash in the poor quality of his sleep now, with even his absurd levels of willpower not enough to completely fend off the effects. He's been wearing thin around the edges and there are dark circles under his eyes now.

Usually, when he wakes up from his nightmares in the middle of the night, he does so relatively quietly, and quickly leaves the room so that Knives' rest isn't disturbed. Tonight, he's not so lucky. This time, when he jolts awake, it results in him banging his elbow into the wall over on his side of the room.]

[arkfall]

[Knives jerks away at the sound and seems poised to attack until he realizes what is happening.]

Bluesummers?

Shared connection

[goldenglasses]

[While speaking with Legato the alternative version of Vash reaches out with his mind towards his brother. The confusion his twin feels shouldn't be hard to miss. At least it doesn't feel like he's angry. More curious.]

Did you threaten Legato?

[arkfall]

I did.

Shared Connection

[goldenglasses]

KNIVES! [Vash sounds livid when his voice suddenly booms into his brother's head.] Did you really give Legato orders to bring me home!?

[arkfall]

You haven't come home.

UN: Himura.Tomoe

[willing_sheath]

[Once she has calmed down after this interaction.]


Is there a particular reason that your submissive will not let me enter the building to go to my own home?

[arkfall]

Isn't it best for you to be away right now? Vash has been using his abilities. He's dangerous.

May 2020

[goldenglasses]

[Not long after they've been given their egg to care for Vash will call his brother about a plan he and a priest have come up with.]

Knives, I might have an idea on how to protect these eggs. I need to check on a few things first, but it means you might lose contact with me for a little bit. It's nothing dangerous it's just a bit far. Shouldn't be more than a day or so.

[arkfall]

Very well. Let me know if there is anything you need me to do.

June 2020

[goldenglasses]

Hey Knives! Our contract is coming up for renewal! Shall I come around for dinner and we can get the renewal forms signed up?

[arkfall]

Are you sure that is what you want?

Backdated to their birthday

[goldenglasses]

[On the twin's birthdays Knives will get a package. A small gift-wrapped box with a birthday card included.

The card will read: Happy Birthday, Brother.

Pick a day and we'll plant these together in a way that only we can do.

The card will likely make more sense when he opens the gifts. A few homemade cupcakes are inside along with some daffodil seeds. Vash picked these flowers for a reason but unless Knives knows much about what flowers are supposed to represent then he might not know that Vash picked these flowers because they mean hope. The hope he has in the future they are making together.]

[arkfall]

[Knives is still perplexed when Vash does this, even though it's not the first time he's had surprise gifts waiting for him on a certain day. He still isn't used to the idea and so Vash has no gifts for his brother.

Instead, he texts Vash later in the day.]

I'm free today if you want to plant them now.

for rip [cw; bdsm, blood drinking]

[arkfall]

[Knives seems almost bored when he walks to Rip's place. That blank expression doesn't reflect the emotions in his chest though. He feels an odd sense of anticipation unlike anything he's ever experienced before.

He gave this woman permission to draw his blood. He wonders how that will feel like. When she answers her door he nods at her by way of greeting. This close to him it's easier to tell that despite his blank expression there's a weird aura of bent up energy around him.]

[singinghuntress]

[Rip knew he was at her door before he even knocked. Even with her senses dulled, she could feel that strange, pent up aura that surrounded him. It has her blood singing with excitement as she opens the door to reveal herself dressed for the occasion.

She pauses long enough to look him over before allowing him into her home. It's a simple apartment above the shop, nothing exciting even if she did keep it neat.

On her kitchen table lay an assortment of whips, chains, floggers and other assorted toys if he felt like trying any of them out.]

Velcome. I hope you aren't too nervous about our little playtime.

September 16th [CW: Talk of murder] | Private

[goldenglasses]

Where what has Legato been up to the last couple nights? [Perhaps Knives will be suspicious as to why his brother is asking him this after the multiple murders have been popping up on the network.]

[arkfall]

Nothing of interest.

Why?

cw: non-con and violence

[endthem]

[By this point, the shadows had gotten bad. The mischief caused by the collective alter-egos of this city running amok in the streets was bad enough, but the personal horrors--at least for those who hadn't embraced their worst traits yet--were much worse. For Legato, despite all the ways that this city had bent and changed him over time, the idea of accepting the loathsome, human urges that he'd worked hard to lock away, acknowledging all of the pride and volition that he didn't deserve, was still too much to bear. So, his shadow had gotten more vicious about the things that it whispered to him, more violent in the scratches and bites that it would leave on him when its temper flared. He had been hoping that this torment--like everything else in this city--would end after a time. He'd been trying to wait it out.

His shadow shared all of the same malevolence and determination that he had, however. It refused to be ignored. All of that willpower and those disgusting, base urges had to go somewhere when its patience finally snapped.

With their connection, Knives will probably sense that something is wrong before he even reaches the front door. Somewhere inside their home, his pet is in high distress.]

i am so sorry this is so late dude

[arkfall]

[When Knives senses the presence tormenting Legato, he forces his way hard into their home. They'll have to replace to door, but he doesn't care about that for the moment.

He moves with speed and precision, following that link to where Legato is. As much as he claims to hate Legato, he's still driven to protect him.

The only one who's allowed to hurt his pet is him.]

Christmas Gift

[goldenglasses]

[This year Vash will actually hand deliver his brother's gift. A blue orchid and a bag full of sugar cookies that Vash baked himself.]

Merry Christmas, brother! I have a few other stops I need to make today, but I thought we could have dinner together when I'm done!

[Vash will be a whirl of activity. Talking excitedly and eating a couple cookies before he's out again, but he will return for dinner as promised.]

[telepathy]

[arkfall]

Thank you for the gift.

One of these times, I will remember to get you something too.

Delivery mid-to-late December

[willing_sheath]

[Sometime in mid-to-late December Knives will receive a curious package--a clear cylinder outlined in black with a blue ribbon tied around it. Inside there is a miniature tree secured, protected from the elements if it were to sit outside for an extended time and also to make sure a certain broom head didn't shake the box considering he got the same thing. There is also a note written in Tomoe's careful hand:]

It is customary to give gifts at this time. I do not recall what it was called here, but in my world this is a bonzai tree. I am not wholly familiar with the artform, but I thought they would be unique among your plants.

~Tomoe

text

[arkfall]

Thank you for the gift.

I am afraid I did not get you anything.

January 2021 - Voice; un: DonutDevourer

[goldenglasses]

[One day out of the blue Knives will be getting a call from his brother. He sounds vaguely annoyed.]

Kniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiives, I'm trying to buy a couple movies, but the check out person won't accept my money until they talk to you first and get your permission. Apparently written permission isn't good enough for this place and I'm already running late to meet someone so I don't really want to try to find and go to another store! I don't even know off the top of my head where another store is and who knows? Maybe they'll do the same thing!

[Did Knives need all that information? Sure didn't but he's getting it as Vash is annoyed.]

[arkfall]

[Knives sighs deeply, also annoyed.]

Do I need to go there or will they accept me simply speaking to her like this?

Forward dated to after several Dom bodies are discovered (end of March 2021)

[willing_sheath]

Knives... [She speaks through the connection, trying her best to focus on him and only him. She doesn't want Vash to know about this for a myriad of reasons--and all things considered, she doesn't trust a message on the network either.] We have a problem... I need to see you as soon as possible...

[arkfall]

[Knives drops everything to go to her.]

I'm on my way.

Are you in danger?