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[brushoff]

"You've reached the inbox of one Dorian Gray. Don't forget to leave me a message. If you're interesting, I'll get back to you."

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audio; the day before the breach starts, late evening

[citizendetective]

Dorian! I heard you and Pagan are going home together; congratulations!

I realize that we've had our differences, but I think you and I should hang out more. Unless, of course, that's something that you're violently opposed to.

[brushoff]

[ idly, Dorian wonders if he can somehow convince Pagan to change his tropical island to a different tropical island and just like, not tell Misty. ]

I'm honestly curious as to how the hell you think we'd 'hang out.' Do you even know what my hobbies are?

[citizendetective]

Parties, drinking.

[She pauses, and then sighs.]

Look, I can learn them.

[brushoff]

Quigley, you know I do things other than party and drink.

[citizendetective]

... Funny pranks? Ones that aren't mean-spirited, even. You'd be a good escape room artist.

[brushoff]

One, I've never done an escape room in my life. Which is to be expected, as I have a social life and actual taste. Two, I mostly read. Read, listen to music, occasionally practice piano, things like that. Things you can do alone.

[citizendetective]

Fine. Message received. Never mind.

[Oh my god she hates you all!!!!]

[brushoff]

[ He can end this here.

He can totally end this here, not deal with Pagan's needy inmate. He can just make her someone else's problem.

...

Urrrrrrrgh. ]

Do you want to learn how to play piano?

[citizendetective]

[There's a lengthy pause. ]

... What?

[brushoff]

You said we should hang out more. So this is me, asking you if you want to learn how to play piano.

[citizendetective]

[The weird thing is that if this is how her conversation with Arthur had ended up, she'd have been satisfied. Grimly satisfied, maybe, but satisfied all the same, because any sort of concession would have felt like a victory; would have felt like her coming out on top.

But some small part of her had thought that, after the Halloween party, Dorian might want to hang out with her. And the pity offer, when she hadn't even been trying for a pity offer, doesn't feel like a win. It just feels hollow.]

I don't need your pity, Dorian.

[She sounds defeated, and bitter, and god, this is what Pagan would have her feel like all the time. It wouldn't have felt like this if she'd come in with a cheery, empty smile to hide behind. It wouldn't have felt like this if she'd come in with the aim of stealing Dorian's fucking scraps.]

[brushoff]

It's not pity.

[ Not entirely, at least. If you asked Dorian, it's mostly him offering to shut Misty up. ]

But tell me. If I wasn't going home with Pagan, would you still ask me to hang out?

[citizendetective]

[Hold up, hold up, hold up. This sounds familiar. Multiple times over, in fact.]

So-- wait. You said no because you don't think you matter to me as a person. You think I only asked because of your relationship to Pagan.

[brushoff]

You literally started our conversation with "hi Dorian, you're going to live with Pagan, we should hang out."

It's really easy to get that impression.

[citizendetective]

Well-- I--

-- What if the answer is yes and no? It's complicated.

[brushoff]

I've got time to listen to your explanation.

[citizendetective]

I want to be friends with Pagan's friends. I want to have a group here, the way other people do.

But I really liked hanging out with you at the party. You were... fun? Nice? Even though you were probably making fun of me, the murder mystery scene was really cool.

[brushoff]

[ There's a pause as Dorian mulls it over. After a moment, he sighs. ]

I wasn't making fun of you with the murder mystery thing. I'd have tried to fuck with anybody who came through: you were just the first person I saw.

And, I'll admit, I do like getting drinks with you—even if your taste in music is a little dubious. But surely you've got to realize how it comes off when you start the conversation off with Pagan. You can have friends that have nothing to do with your warden, you know.

[citizendetective]

I know. And I do. But friendships are always stronger when you have a lot of people in common.

[brushoff]

Really?

[ There's nothing condescending in his tone, just simple interest. ]

I've found the opposite. I can safely say that here, on the Barge, this is the largest friends group I've ever had. I mostly go for...mmm, intense one-on-one sort of friendships.

[citizendetective]

Well, I haven't exactly had an abundance of those myself. You don't find them less... secure?

[brushoff]

Not really? Once you find someone who you're ride or die for, all you have to do is stay alive long enough and wait for the 'die.'

[citizendetective]

Well, I'm used to that with a group. It's always felt more secure to me. Pagan is the first person who I've been close to in isolation .

[brushoff]

It's odd how two people can have such completely different experiences with regards to friendship.

[citizendetective]

I know you're probably being sarcastic! But it is odd.

Do you actually want to teach me to play the piano?