Thankfully, Dorian is in his room alone. Fortunately (or unfortunately?) for Crozier, Dorian is also just out of the shower. He opens the door shirtless, wearing a pair of boxers, still a little damp from the shower.
When he spots Crozier, Dorian's face lights up with excitement. "Come on in," he says, smile on his face. "Can I get you some tea?"
"Coffee it is," Dorian says, gesturing for Crozier to follow him to the kitchen. Of course, he's got some very expensive coffee and a very expensive french press.
There is definitely something here. Dorian isn't the most astute of people, but he's astute enough. He looks over Crozier before saying, "Even if I was eviscerated, it wouldn't take."
Another pause before, "Whatever it is, you know I won't judge."
Ah. It's a pity that Crozier doesn't drink anymore. Maybe he still has some ice cream that he can feed him? This is an ice cream and/or alcohol situation.
"Right. Who is this dear friend and why do you think you've pushed him away?"
Coffee, yes, good! He takes a sip and shakes his head.
"Oh, no, no. He would never. That isn't how he's built, all grace and optimism. But it isn't anything he's considered for himself, and I think I made things terribly awkward for him."
"You're welcome," Dorian says, with a nod. And then, immediately, he continues with, "You should go back to him and ask him how he really feels. No beating around the bush, no discounting yourself, just go back there, be blunt, and tell him your true feelings."
"Will you?" Dorian asks. There's a pause before he sighs, rubbing the bridge of his nose before he continues talking.
"Francis. You're one of my closest friends on this damn ship. I want you to be happy. And one essential step of happiness is not shooting yourself in the foot because you're worried you've mucked it up."
"Easy enough to say, harder to do in practice, Dorian."
But he understands his point. He needs to do less worrying about these things, and give himself a little more grace. Also easier said than done though.
"All the important things are easy to say, hard to do," Dorian points out. "That's what makes them important."
That little bit of an oddly profound statement from Dorian 'barely a warden himself' Gray is ruined when he takes a sip of his coffee and hisses, "Ah Christ, I burned my tongue."
"It still hurts," Dorian lightly complains, before taking another, smaller, more tentative sip of his coffee.
"I'm serious about you talking to Xie Lian, by the way. Even if he doesn't like you in the same way you like him, the two of you can still be friends."
"Good," Dorian says, with a nod. Though Sophie and James? He hadn't heard those names before. It's odd how he knows so much and yet so little about Crozier.
"And I hope that he decides the two of you would make a lovely couple—because you would. You're adorable like that."
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When he spots Crozier, Dorian's face lights up with excitement. "Come on in," he says, smile on his face. "Can I get you some tea?"
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"No, thank you. I'd take some coffee though."
Black coffee sounds incredible right about now.
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"Paying me a visit just because you missed me?"
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He attempts to smile, but it's pretty clear this is not the reason he's sought out a friend.
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Another pause before, "Whatever it is, you know I won't judge."
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He sits down at the table and rubs his forehead carefully. "Once again I've pushed a dear friend away with my goddamn idiot feelings."
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"Right. Who is this dear friend and why do you think you've pushed him away?"
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"I told Xie Lian that I was interested romantically. And I think I might've broken him."
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"You do know that 'might have broken him' isn't the same thing as 'he said no.' Are you sure that he just wasn't taken by surprise?"
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He groans softly. "He called me 'brave'. Good Christ, Francis, why couldn't you have just kept your bloody mouth shut..."
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"Francis. Did he say, and actually say, anything like 'well I don't think that we can be friends any more'?"
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"Oh, no, no. He would never. That isn't how he's built, all grace and optimism. But it isn't anything he's considered for himself, and I think I made things terribly awkward for him."
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Idly, Dorian wonders if this is what it's like when he talks about his nonsense to others.
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"In any case, thank you for hearing me out. And for the coffee."
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Personally, it sounds like a far better idea.
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"If you don't mention it to him, I will. And if he still rejects you then, you'll come back to my place and I'll fuck you until you feel better."
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For Dorian to step in, or for him to...step in.
He shakes his head softly. "I'm a grown man, I'll handle my own business."
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"Francis. You're one of my closest friends on this damn ship. I want you to be happy. And one essential step of happiness is not shooting yourself in the foot because you're worried you've mucked it up."
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But he understands his point. He needs to do less worrying about these things, and give himself a little more grace. Also easier said than done though.
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That little bit of an oddly profound statement from Dorian 'barely a warden himself' Gray is ruined when he takes a sip of his coffee and hisses, "Ah Christ, I burned my tongue."
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"It'll heal."
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"I'm serious about you talking to Xie Lian, by the way. Even if he doesn't like you in the same way you like him, the two of you can still be friends."
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He treasured those friendships, despite the broken heart they'd left in their wake.
"I'll speak to him, Dorian. I'm no hypocrite."
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"And I hope that he decides the two of you would make a lovely couple—because you would. You're adorable like that."
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