Adrian is waiting in the aforementioned courtyard, blocks from the Square and sheltered in shadow. It's cold so he has his coat on, the collar popped up not for fashion but to further obscure his face. For Dan though, Adrian really has no reason to hide his injuries. He's washed the blood off, but the wound at the corner of his mouth is still raw and his cheek has a darkening bruise. Really though, considering who he fought, both men left far better than what they could have done to each other.
Dan makes his way to the forementioned courtyard, he means to be timely without being early. Or late for that matter. Seeing Adrian, let alone speaking to him, is not anything Dan enjoys anymore. It can't be simple. Nothing is simple anymore for anybody he knew once. It was a bit of prep for the City.
And there he is. Dan adjusts his glasses. Is that a bruise? A small amount of satisfaction spreads unexpectedly.
His accent is perfect. The word couldn't sound anymore proper coming from someone else's mouth, however recently damaged. No, Daniel's minute satisfaction does not go unnoticed to Adrian.
"Only a little. You're hard to lay a punch on." Most of the time anyway. Either Adrian allowed it or it was one hell of a thrown down. Could that be what this is about? Adrian Veidt, calling in favors? That sound highly unlikely. Dan sighs and keeps his hands in his pocket, not offering up a hand shake or the embrace of old friends.
What was that joke about Ozymandias being fast enough to catch a bullet? He neither confirms nor argues Dan's remark. Hands in his pockets as well he honestly doesn't expect a handshake or an embrace for a greeting. Really, Adrian doesn't expect a proper greeting either.
"Have you spoken to Laurie."
About Blake.
There's very little doubt in Adrian's mind that this requires clarification.
That was a surprise. Dan was sure that Adrian would have taken that as a compliment. Maybe it isn't a compliment worth keeping. When all is said and done he feels like the man in front of him is a stranger. Everything that he does know is based on something false or at least something perceived incorrectly.
"Not really."
Because he's burdened with the truth about the fate of the world and all that goes with it, passing even a little to someone else is a backbreaking task. How does he do it without sounding like a maniac? How does he do it? It is almost as bad as actually blowing a hole in New York except it would be in someone's perception of life.
"Have you?"
What if Adrian had cut him off? Jon zapped the city and the world came to America's aid. Eddie had a horrible, unrelated accident. That would be his truth.
Oh it's a compliment to some, but to Adrian it's a fact, nothing more nothing less. He just doesn't say it, knowing the very notion would further build upon his already reputed arrogance.
"Once. We've barely spoken at all," he adds, a veiled comment on how little he's exposed of what they know regarding their own lives back in New York. From the one conversation they've had he knows Laurie is unaware of his involvement with Blake, Laurie is unaware of his master stroke, Laurie is unaware that Jon has left for good, Laurie is unaware he caught the bullet.
"Blake has a personal interest invested in her," Adrian concludes, the only real point of this meeting.
A reputation justly deserved in Dan's eyes. Here they stand. Adrian must have something planned. He always has something planned.
That's another surprise. Then there is a chance that Dan can get it right. "I don't think she likes you all that much." At least that's what she's put forward.
"I know. I think it should be up to him." Which would have been the best thing to tell Laurie if he got to it. She'll....likely never let him live it down. Eddie Blake is the last person Dan wants to think about these days. Why does he have to be the only person to carry that banner of truth.
Don't mistake it for a peace offering either, Adrian hasn't told her much of anything because it's best coming from someone she likes. He knows Laurie doesn't seem to think too highly of him. He knew it when she erupted at Jon, when she told him he's all yours. When Jon refuted his own assurance that she would be back, Adrian knew that was true too.
"She doesn't," Adrian agrees.
Upon hearing this, the blond averts his green gaze. Leave it up to Blake? That's like letting the Comedian carry a loaded gun, which he does on occasion, and they both know what he's capable of with it. "She's your friend," not mine, not anymore, "it's your call."
Adrian wonders when did he stop seeing the Watchmen as his own friends or if friends can be pawns simultaneously. Is the pawn the convenience of their friendship or is their friendship the convenience of being a pawn?
Laurie has a good sense of judgment. Mostly. He can't ask her why she kissed Jon or why she liked Jon at all. That's such an asshole thing to do anyway.
"I know. I appreciate that." Laurie and Eddie's issues belong to them. As much as Dan wants to be integrated into Laurie's life as easily as he had once, being a mediator is several steps backward.
There was a time that Dan would ask Adrian's opinion.
He waits a moment, the tip of his tongue slipping out to taste the broken skin at the corner of his lips. There's no doubt in Adrian's mind his own hands, his own work, has brought him to this point, an empire of peace and progress but he a king in a sea of sand.
"That's all," finally Adrian speaks.
"I'm not holding you to a warning if she comes after me with a pistol," the blond adds, almost with a sense of humor. It's black humor if anything.
Dan's mouth falls slack a moment, it stops from falling completely opened. Laurie would do that. Another obligation to let her know a head of time. Of course this would be a joke of Adrian's.
"That goes without saying."
It's not for a first or second time that he wishes that he had a bit of Rorschach's sensibilities in the absence of the man himself. This would be a perfect moment to grill for further information. Or finish the job that someone else started. Nite Owl is no Rorschach, every good cop needs a bad cop. Visa versa. He'll have to carry on alone.
"I'm telling her the truth." He calls this over his shoulder as he starts walking away.
[Like Dan needs to put a name to the voice.]
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[He discloses a location, somewhere public but certainly private due to its obscurity.]
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Sure.
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And there he is. Dan adjusts his glasses. Is that a bruise? A small amount of satisfaction spreads unexpectedly.
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His accent is perfect. The word couldn't sound anymore proper coming from someone else's mouth, however recently damaged. No, Daniel's minute satisfaction does not go unnoticed to Adrian.
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"Have you spoken to Laurie."
About Blake.
There's very little doubt in Adrian's mind that this requires clarification.
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"Not really."
Because he's burdened with the truth about the fate of the world and all that goes with it, passing even a little to someone else is a backbreaking task. How does he do it without sounding like a maniac? How does he do it? It is almost as bad as actually blowing a hole in New York except it would be in someone's perception of life.
"Have you?"
What if Adrian had cut him off? Jon zapped the city and the world came to America's aid. Eddie had a horrible, unrelated accident. That would be his truth.
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"Once. We've barely spoken at all," he adds, a veiled comment on how little he's exposed of what they know regarding their own lives back in New York. From the one conversation they've had he knows Laurie is unaware of his involvement with Blake, Laurie is unaware of his master stroke, Laurie is unaware that Jon has left for good, Laurie is unaware he caught the bullet.
"Blake has a personal interest invested in her," Adrian concludes, the only real point of this meeting.
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That's another surprise. Then there is a chance that Dan can get it right. "I don't think she likes you all that much." At least that's what she's put forward.
"I know. I think it should be up to him." Which would have been the best thing to tell Laurie if he got to it. She'll....likely never let him live it down. Eddie Blake is the last person Dan wants to think about these days. Why does he have to be the only person to carry that banner of truth.
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"She doesn't," Adrian agrees.
Upon hearing this, the blond averts his green gaze. Leave it up to Blake? That's like letting the Comedian carry a loaded gun, which he does on occasion, and they both know what he's capable of with it. "She's your friend," not mine, not anymore, "it's your call."
Adrian wonders when did he stop seeing the Watchmen as his own friends or if friends can be pawns simultaneously. Is the pawn the convenience of their friendship or is their friendship the convenience of being a pawn?
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"I know. I appreciate that." Laurie and Eddie's issues belong to them. As much as Dan wants to be integrated into Laurie's life as easily as he had once, being a mediator is several steps backward.
There was a time that Dan would ask Adrian's opinion.
"Is that all?"
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"That's all," finally Adrian speaks.
"I'm not holding you to a warning if she comes after me with a pistol," the blond adds, almost with a sense of humor. It's black humor if anything.
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"That goes without saying."
It's not for a first or second time that he wishes that he had a bit of Rorschach's sensibilities in the absence of the man himself. This would be a perfect moment to grill for further information. Or finish the job that someone else started. Nite Owl is no Rorschach, every good cop needs a bad cop. Visa versa. He'll have to carry on alone.
"I'm telling her the truth." He calls this over his shoulder as he starts walking away.
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