ic contact

[brushoff]

"Hello. This is Dorian Gray's cellphone. I can't talk right now. Don't forget to leave me a message. If you're interesting, I'll get back to you."

voice, video, text, action
[ certain threads in this post contain nsfw content (sex, blood, violence, etc.) so, you know, don't read them where Gramma can look over your shoulder. just kind of a blanket trigger warning for gore & body horror as well ]

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[brushoff]

[ Dorian can't help it—he just lets out a small laugh. ]

Yes, that was him. And we've been doing a lot of kissing and making up since. [ a pause. ] Or, at least, we were, up until a day or so ago.

[takethestairs]

And what about the fight you two had?

[brushoff]

Which fight? [ said with a tone of voice that's purely 'I regret starting this line of questioning to begin with.' ]

[takethestairs]

...a few weeks ago, when you made your grand reentry into the world, I asked you about your friends. If any of you had gotten into a fight. And, while you didn't mention him by name at the time, you did mention an argument with Yuri. In fact, I believe you claimed it was the only argument you had gotten into with any of your friends.

[brushoff]

He wouldn't have killed me because of that. It was just...not about my sins, about me as a person.

[takethestairs]

About you as a person? What do you mean by that?

[brushoff]

Well, we were doing this utterly cliche 'get to know you' thing, mostly out of boredom over anything else. I made the mistake of talking about some of the...negative aspects of past flings, Yuri understandably didn't take it well.

[takethestairs]

...ah. I, erm, I see.

[Dorian's right: Lunatic wouldn't kill someone over a petty lover's spat. However, his phrasing, the words get to know you make him realize something]

Wait a minute - how did you two meet? Was it the post about his work with imPorts, or did you meet someplace else?

[brushoff]

We actually met in a park. It was shortly after Lunatic had made his post about punishing sinners, I egged him on and told him to meet me at a certain place and point, and then I met Yuri instead.

[ and then the penny drops. Yuri was scoping him out. He didn't meet up with Dorian because he was interesting or exciting. He was scoping him out. How much of this relationship was Yuri simply trying to figure Dorian out? ]

[takethestairs]

[And it all falls into place. When Edgeworth speaks again, his tone is dark, talking lowly into the device]

I hate to be the one to tell you this, Gray, but I'm afraid that Lunatic kept his word.

[brushoff]

You don't think I've figured that out now? [ said with a snappy tone. ]

[takethestairs]

[Dorian's response takes him aback, and it takes him a moment to respond]

You- [He clears his throat, and his voice, though rough and stiff, takes on a quieter, almost humble tone]

You have my apologies. Petrov-

[Takes a deep breath]

He had no right to do those things.

[He has no love in his heart for Dorian Gray; between his past murders and his more recent crimes, he's the kind of man that Edgeworth despises. However, what Lunatic did to him wasn't justice, it was a sin in its own right. And as for what he did as Petrov... that betrayal was as loathsome as any of his other crimes.]

[brushoff]

You're right, [ Dorian simply said, with a sigh. ] But that doesn't change the fact that I was murdered by my lover now, does it.

[ YEAH, HE'S STILL KIND OF BITTER ]

[takethestairs]

[Dorian's answer brings back memories of another man. He didn't die at his lover's hand like the way Gray did, but he was manipulated by her schemes to an equally fatal end. Edgeworth tries to shove those thoughts aside, but it backfires, and the more he struggles against them the brighter the images shine in his mind's eye]

...no, it doesn't.

[His voice is small, its tone cold and bitter, but only for a moment. Edgeworth's words quickly regain their strength, though, but they remain as somber as ever.]

I know this is a difficult time for you, Gray, but I have one more thing I must ask of you. But first, a question.

Do you want justice?

[brushoff]

Obviously.

[takethestairs]

Then I'll need you to tell us everything you can about Yuri Petrov.

[brushoff]

[ Really...the more he thinks about it, the less he knows. ] He never displayed any sort of powers to me, so it's entirely possible that fire manipulation is the only thing he has. He's less of an...exhibitionist than I am. [ what's the nice way of saying 'I would take my shirt off at the slightest provocation while Yuri didn't.' ]

What else do you want to know? I don't know how helpful I'll be about this.

[takethestairs]

Anything you can think of about him. His likes, his dislikes-

[Suddenly, a thought]

...or any other friends he may have had.

[brushoff]

Well, you saw that the other Russian was a friend of his—that kid. But we never really talked about his other friends. Possibly Tiger and Barnaby?

[takethestairs]

...I'll see what they have to say. If you can think of anything else useful, be sure to let me know.

[And he's ready to let Dorian go if he's ready]

[brushoff]

Believe me, if I can think of anything else useful, I'm telling everyone.

[takethestairs]

[Snorts]

I can't say I blame you. Anyway, I've told you all that I needed to, for now. If I have any other questions I'll be in touch.

[brushoff]

I appreciate that. And...best of luck.