Canon review slowly reviving old muse; (re)voicetest

[common_name]

Not many of us get second chances.

[Her voice is worn and tired, carrying a twinge of something like sadness. As if this is something she's put a good deal of thought into, but has overall been elusive.]

I guess I should be grateful for this one.

Comments

this little bird isn't rigged to explode, is it? XD

[common_name]

[If that's what he's going for, then it's certainly working. He always has known just what to say, just exactly how to set her on edge. Just as he's most likely able to tell that her attempts to maintain composure are starting to develop holes, even if she's fighting with everything she has to keep them in place.]

I could say the same for you.

0:3

[redeye]

You could.

[ He reaches into his jacket, nonchalant, and PULLS OUT A KATANA TOno, it's just a cigarette box. False alarm. ]

But I would be forced to assume you weren't being genuine, if you did. You understand.

/watches... closely...

[common_name]

[That just went from a few nails on a chalkboard to a whole set of them. Maybe more than one set. She's half-expecting that katana anytime.]

An assumption that can go more than one way, I'm sure. [Yes. She understands.]

/entirely innocent

[redeye]

There are more interesting things that I could lie about.

[ Maybe he still thinks she's pretty. Hm. He doesn't look too bothered about it either way as aesthetics, plainly as he can observe them factually, ultimately mean little to him. Does she want a cigarette? Let's find out. He lights his, then offers her the pack. What a gentleman, this guy. ]

isn't that what they all say?

[common_name]

[Such a gentleman. And what kind of lady would she be to do anything but accept? There's a minute hesitation before she takes a cigarette from the pack, and then turns to light it.]

You always did. [Particularly the last lie he ever told her. There'd been more than two options, hadn't there? She found the third.]

8D

[redeye]

It's a wonder it ever went south, with how much we have in common.

[ Let's be real yo, he's got strong competition for the gold at the Lying Olympics. ]

[common_name]

[A whole syndicate full, really. The Lying Olympics would be much more competitive than the real ones.

In any case, though. She knows this is something she can't argue with. No matter how much time has elapsed, no matter how much a part of her hopes that a future she never thought could exist would bring her out of the cycle of the past, the core of her is someone who can relate to a man like this, practically a mirror image. Cold. Calculating. Willing to let the ends justify the means.

Still turned, she allows a long pause to linger in the air as she inhales.]

A wonder.

[redeye]

A wonder.

[ Echo, or agreement? There's no telling, and then Vicious smiles - a brief, halfway affair that's rusted, the edge of a jagged knife. He inclines his head, polite. ]

It's always a pleasure, Julia. [ A drag on his cigarette. ] With luck, I'll see you around.

[ 'Luck'. ]