"Faith, I am truly glad to see you."
Dogan rarely touched. He was like Faith; always brushing out of the way and avoiding contact at all cost.
Noah was the opposite. If Dogan was the moon, he was the sun. Warm and glowing, Noah could make her face burn with a well timed chuckled, and seemed to enjoy the act of meeting skin.
Dogan made a strange move in their eternal dance of glancing blows and put his hand to her cheek. He rubbed the concealer away with the pad of his thumb, and a bruise was revealed. Those sharp, sharp eyes of his glittered with something cold before their owner turned away.
Faith sighed, deeply aware that it had been foolish to even attempt hiding something from the crime czar of Glass.
"I'm sorry," she said, for too many things to mention. Words could never do her regret justice, but perhaps they could soothe Dogan's frown.
"I am not angry at you," he murmured in reply, turning away from the wall. "It would be a lie to say I missed you, but your company is endearing. I could hardly stay mad."
He raised a hand and waved towards the man standing like a statue near the door. The guard glanced at the gesture and murmured an assent before exiting the room.
Faith felt the hairs on her arms stand up as the door slammed shut. Dogan extended a hand as if asking for a waltz. Uncertain, Faith looked up and watched as he pointed to his ear.
Ah.
Sending a mental apology to Noah for failing to keep her promise, she extracted the small device from her ear and handed it to the man standing in front of her. Dogan curled his fingers over the comms and placed it in his apron pocket in one quick movement.
"Since you seem eager to regain my good favor and return to the number of people I very nearly trust," he said, his voice quiet. "I have thought up an excellent first step."
He glanced at her, gauging her reaction, enjoying the game.
"You need to retrieve something of Noah's for me."
Faith shook her said as soon as she heard her mentor's name.
"I can't do that," she whispered, narrowing her eyes. "You know I can't betray him like that."
Dogan ran his fingers along the flawless counter and smirked.
"Noah has an orchid," he said, ignoring her reply. "All I need is a single flower. It will not kill the plant to take one, and you will not destroy the appearance."
Faith felt hesitation stop the word no from tumbling out her lips. She knew of the plant, it was Noah's pride and joy. She had seen him trim it, and it had never so much as dropped a petal. Like Dogan said, taking a single flower couldn't hurt...
"Okay." She said, taking the comms back and nestling it in her ear. "I had better not regret this, Dogan."
The crime czar smiled, and it seemed to make her whole body go cold.
"You won't."
A/N: I really hope I got Dogan's character right. He's so complicated, but I do so adore him. Let me know how I did!
