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Let's start with something simple. An old fashioned, if you please.

[ he folds the paper bag up and puts it out of the way ]

I fired a man once from the Archives for his atrocious taste in fashion. Back in the days you could simply tell a man to go and not be up to your neck in paperwork. It wasn't a week before he'd been taken by the Spiral.

And I'm sure that was a simple coincidence, not you purposefully feeding a man to an eldritch entity to help save yourself.

[ says the man who would probably also purposefully feed a man to an eldritch entity to help save himself. ]

[ elias opens his mouth to correct him-- no, he hadn't needed to save himself. he'd just wanted to see what would happen.

he stops himself. no need to make dorian aware of it if he thinks otherwise. ]

It's a dangerous line of work, being an avatar of fear. Not all of the fourteen entities are quite so... aggressive in their attempts to create chaos as the Spiral, but it pays to keep one's eyes open for anyone getting a little too close.

[ As Elias talks, Dorian adds the ingredients to the cocktail shaker. There's a moment as he stirs the ice where he stays quiet—mostly because ice is damn loud. When he's stirred it up enough, he goes to grab the garnish as he continues the conversation. ]

You know, I think I've got bingo for all fourteen? Jon told me about them one time. I can't die, that's the End. There was this odd bit with bodyswapping, Stranger. Some nonsense with my portrait caused big capital-C Corruption vibes. I'm a Fleshy nightmare any time I heal. There was this awful drug trip that maaaay have been possessed? Spiral. My serial killer stalker is easily Slaughter.

Which ones am I missing?

[ elias is quite happy to watch Dorian work. he's very easy on the eyes. ]

Six of the fourteen-- Dorian, you have been busy.

[ and he's amused, not quite taking the proposition seriously. There's more to being marked by the entities than just having strange encounters. ]

But let's see. The others on Smirke's list would be the Buried, Dark, Desolation, Hunt, Lonely, Vast, Web, and, of course, It Knows You-- the Eye.

[ he counts them off on his fingers as he goes. He doesn't include Extinction. Oh, no. He won't acknowledge that it is coming into being. ]

A werewolf once almost bit my face off. Is that Hunt enough? And I burned some ghosts out of myself in the middle of the London Blitz—peak Desolation. The Web's...what, manipulation? The past six years of my life have been a long con by the devil. And the Eye's easy. I'm Dorian Gray. Everyone's read my book. Everyone knows my secrets.

And, of course, I spend far too much time around servants of the Eye themselves. You'll rub off on me.

[ He gives Elias a saucy wink before pushing his drink in the man's direction. ]

[ elias accepts the drink with a knowing look. ]

It isn't just about-- being rubbed off on, my dear. It's about the fear-- the all-encompassing, consuming... dread permeating right through you to the core of your very being.

[ he could say that it's what made Jon such an excellent Archivist. He felt those fears so viscerally-- but Elias doesn't want to talk about Jon just now.

he sips from the cocktail instead, not taking his eyes off dorian ]

And you don't strike me as a man with all that many fears.

[ it isn't true, of course. Elias suspects that Dorian has a great many, but simply keeps them very well covered. He also suspects that Dorian enjoys challenges and proving people wrong. ]

I suppose that all depends precisely on what we're fearing. Take that werewolf. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Hunt is the fear of being chased? It wasn't the chase I wanted to avoid but the being caught. I have lived and died in so many different ways and getting mauled, no matter what the circumstances are, simply isn't fun.

Not wanting something isn't the same as fearing it, Dorian.

[ Elias takes another sip. ]

And not that you need more compliments, but this is a lovely cocktail.

I'll happily take whatever compliments you throw at me, [ he grins. ]

But I suppose I do fear being mauled. It's not an all-encompassing, render me speechless fear. But it's something I keep in mind if the situation goes south.

Is it the pain of it that you fear?

[ elias has to keep his mind from following that track. there are very interesting possibilities with Dorian and his immortality and his fear and--

no. Elias is here to get what he needs. ]

I think I can safely promise not to maul you either way.

If you suddenly have 'turning into a bear' in those Eye powers of yours, I'll be very put out.

[ Dorian laughs, shaking his head slightly as he gives Elias a little grin. He finishes off his drink, setting it down before deciding. ]

I think I want another. Shall I top you off?

I'm not exactly the bear type, you may have noticed.

[ he swirls the drink in his hand, considering for a moment before finishing it off ]

What about a Sazerac this time?

I think I've got everything for that? Rye whiskey, bitters, sugar cube, absinthe... [ Dorian turns to look through a cabinet that's very obviously his liquor cabinet—there's the sound of moving bottles as he continues to look. ]

Ha, here we go! Do you know some people make this with simple syrup? Disgusting, I know.

[ fun fact! Dorian is a snob! ]

[ If Dorian is missing anything, it'll be in the bag Elias brought.

and elias smiles at the snobbery and tuts with faux-disapproval. ]

The state of modern society. What's one to do about it?

Youth, [ Dorian scowls. His face turns into a grin as he sets three bottles on the table before rifling through Elias's bad to pick out the last one. ]

I am more than happy to 'kids these days' when the kids are being stupid and tasteless.

So always, then?

[ it's mostly a joke ]

Occasionally there's someone worth my while, [ he shrugs. ] But I've found that generally, I enjoy the company of older men the most.

[ He gives Elias a wide, flirty smile before he starts the drink mixing process. ]

[ elias almost laughs at that ]

Do you say as much to all the interesting older men you meet?

[ he suspects dorian would say just about anything to someone he was attracted to. elias can understand that and doesn't begrudge him it ]

A shame you'll never have the chance to know for yourself the pleasure of having youths throw themselves at you simply because you have the distinction of age to your credit.

Fortunately, they throw themselves at me for plenty of other reasons, [ he laughs. ]

I could give you a list if you want.

A list of reasons? Or a list of the older men? [ now he does laugh, a small, amused chuckle ]

I think I'll stick to the cocktails for now.

A list of both—though I'd probably start with older men, just to make you jealous.

[ Dorian winks as he pushes the now-finished cocktail in Elias's direction. ]

[ Elias receives the drink with more amusement ]

Jealous? Dorian, I don't think you're aware of exactly how long I've lived.

[ or what tends to happen to the men who become involved with him. ]

Then tell me. How old are you really?

[ rather than just answering, elias takes a drink. why just give someone what they'd asked for when you could make them wait for it a little ]

Jonah Magnus was born on All Soul's Day in the year of our lord seventeen hundred and eighty nine. A celebrated birth, the long expected eldest son of Lord and Lady Magnus.

[ he takes another sip, smiling almost to himself ]

But that was long ago and far away. Now, I am just shy of two-hundred and thirty years old.

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