ᴡᴇʟʟ, ᴘᴇʀsᴏɴᴀʟʟʏ, ɪ ᴋɪɴᴅᴀ ᴡᴀɴɴᴀ sʟᴀʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅʀᴀɢᴏɴ.

[redeems]

WELCOME TO THE SALTBURNT NETWORK

USERNAME: ANGEL

text ❖ audio ❖ video


(this inbox is a choose-not-to-warn experience, please read at your own discretion.)

Comments

@andor | misfire (nsfw)

[aldhani]

[a photo attachment. followed by:]

There's room in here, if you want a break from the others.

@hyperion

[redeems]

Your others or my others? I thought we're all stuck inside?

I'd remember if you were in the other room, Cassie.

[aldhani]

[it doesn't take long to connect where this message has actually gone; that happens in one awful flash of a moment, followed by several more awful moments. in some of those, he scrambles to find some way to delete what's been sent, only to come up empty, and in others, he stares at the screen in horror as static fills his brain.

he debates ignoring this, then concludes that will probably make things worse. so, about forty-five minutes later:]

What happened to 'evil'? Did you get tired of it?

1/2

[redeems]

What happened to clothes, did you get tired of them? Are they all frozen?

[redeems]

I told you, the house chose that name for me. I would never.

[aldhani]

[he'd argue that the name evil might have a reason, but, given the givens, that argument doesn't really have a leg to stand on, does it? so:]

The house does a lot of things for us that we would never do.

[redeems]

( talk about a leg to stand on. )

Are you going to blame the house for your lurid message? I gotta say, it doesn't seem very on brand for you

[aldhani]

It wasn't for you. Obviously.

[did he really have to spell that out? he thought angelus was smarter than that.]

Messages are going to the wrong place.

[redeems]

Obviously

And who was the right intended recipient? Just so I can properly deliver the message for you.

[aldhani]

No need. I'll find another way.

[redeems]

It sounds like you two are safe as houses in the same house.

I'll cherish your message. Truly.

[aldhani]

[he'd rather not mention max in this man's presence any more than necessary, and he'd rather keep her name out of his mouth as much as possible, too, so he chooses not to address the first part.]

It's not as if I can stop you.

[redeems]

( didn't stop him from leaving a treasure of max behind all those weeks ago. )

You're also not asking me to

What's the word

Delete your arthouse shot?

[aldhani]

I would prefer it if you did, but all I'd have is your word.

[which as far as cassian is concerned, isn't worth two credits to rub together.]

[redeems]

For you, I won't save it. Add it to my personal collection that doesn't need what you contributed, but, make no mistake. I'm keeping it. It was given to me. What kind of vampire would I be if I didn't keep the gifts given?

[aldhani]

[there's some time before any response comes back. in that time, cassian rifles through his things for his notes, writing vampire(?) next to angelus's name; that's something for him to circle back to, maybe in the library. he also writes personal collection(?), and stares at that, brow knitted, mouth setting in a line.

eventually:]

Because you're someone who's so concerned with doing what's polite.

[redeems]

Politeness is overrated, don't you think?

[aldhani]

It can have its uses.

[redeems]

Diplomacy and all that.

Real diplomatic money shot.

[aldhani]

Alliances aren't built on being rude.

[redeems]

Are you trying to build an alliance with me? It isn't every house for itself?

[aldhani]

[he'd rather jump in the frozen lake tbh]

I don't think that would interest you.

[redeems]

You don't know what interests me. Clearly, you don't know what interests me because you sent me (accidentally) that

[aldhani]

Then you don't have to keep it.

[redeems]

But what will keep me company in the dark dark parts of the night?

[aldhani]

I'm sure you'll figure something out.

[redeems]

Whether or not you did or didn't want me to have it, no matter who has it, doesn't it turn you on that someone does have it now? Someone out there

Me

But also, even if it weren't be

Doesn't that rev your engine?

[aldhani]

No.

[redeems]

FYI, not as convincing as you want it to be

[aldhani]

Believe what you want.

[redeems]

Well, that's the beauty of it. I can. The freedom this place affords.

[aldhani]

[ ✔ read at 10:17 PM ]

[redeems]

👋🏻

xmas gift 2025;

[snaggleteeth]

It's Christmas Day. Bound in brown paper, Angelus receives a hollowed out Bible.

When opened, its contents include a map of Galway folded up inside, as well as the meticulously cleaned skull of a mouse. Despite the apparent hygiene, it smells, unmistakably, of trace blood.

The card is signed 'Qimir.'