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]

Privacy it is. There's something more intimate about booths to begin with anyway.

[ and, with a nod to the waiter, Dorian slipped in a nearby booth ]

[abduxel]

[ Abduxel slides in as well, sitting across from Dorian. Picking up on their earlier conversation, ]

I wanted to show you - I thought you might be interested. I'm best, really, at picking up on the memories of others. But I'm hoping to broaden my skill-set.

[ He watches Dorian closely. Wondering if he'll connect this with the incident during the age plot. But he won't bring it up, himself. ]

[brushoff]

[ Picking up on the memories of others...wait a moment. It hits Dorian like a ton of bricks. Shaking his head, he grins at Abduxel ]

So that lovely bit of nostalgia I had was you?

[abduxel]

[ The winning grin that appears on Abduxel's face, his eyes practically twinkling, is answer enough. ]

[brushoff]

Again, you're wicked.

[abduxel]

Glad you think so. [All smiles.]

Also glad to see you're looking like your normal self again. I was... older as well, but in a different way.

[brushoff]

Probably better looking than my older as well, [ he said with a siiiiiigh ]

[abduxel]

It's a shame I didn't show you, actually. I was pretty grotesque, to be honest. Fangs and claws, spikes, extra eyes...

[brushoff]

I would say 'maybe next time,' but I doubt either of us want a next time to begin with.

[abduxel]

I was extra powerful, so that was nice.

But no, overall it wasn't pleasant. I had a hard time resisting the temptation to use them. As you experienced. Usually, I have good self-restraint.

[brushoff]

This was just the exception to prove the rule, I suppose?

[abduxel]

...Yes, let's go with that.

[brushoff]

It's the easiest way to wave it off, after all. [ said with a wave of his hand ]

Anyway, aside from the memory thing, what else can you do?

[abduxel]

[He's just a nosy jerk sorry Dorian.]

Theoretically, anything I want, if I can find the words to make the spell. There are a lot of things I've never tried.

[brushoff]

By 'find the words', what do you mean? Do you just make them up?

[abduxel]

It's a demonic language. [He speaks a few words, random nouns, the language harsh, guttural and abrasive-sounding.] But to make a spell you have to word it very carefully, or else things go wrong. [Abduxel isn't smart or modern enough to make this comparison, but it's kind of like programming.]

So, I have to ask: are you going to look like that eventually? You just age very slowly?

[brushoff]

Absolutely not, [ Dorian said emphatically, frowning as he does so. This is obviously a sticking point. ] Circumstances aside, my eternal youth is just that: eternal. The only time I managed to look that hideous was when someone tampered with something beyond my control.

[abduxel]

Tampered with what, exactly?

[brushoff]

With my portrait. I met an artist, she tampered with my portrait, I grew old.

[abduxel]

...Your portrait.

[Clearly, he hadn't read the book yet.]

That's a new one.

[brushoff]

[ Dorian...just gives Abduxel a frown. ]

You haven't read the book yet, have you.

[abduxel]

[Caught me.]

I don't get around to reading much.

[brushoff]

Might want to get around to reading this one. But basically? My immortality is conditional. The picture of Dorian Gray, my portrait, takes on all my sins.

[abduxel]

[He raises his eyebrows in an appreciative nod.] Interesting.

I guess it might be less bloody than just watching all your memories myself.

Do you have a copy?

[brushoff]

I've got something better: the original.