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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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[brushoff]

[ There's a pause as Dorian finishes off his wine. ]

I'm glad to hear that, [ he quietly admits. ] It's easy to hurt people but harder to try not to.

[ And in his mind? Pagan doesn't deserve to be hurt. ]

[citizendetective]

[Misty swirls a finger around the inside edge of her glass, nodding.]

That's it, isn't it. A few people have tried to talk to me about learning how to resist the urge to kill and hurt, but they're missing the point. I've never had uncontrollable urges like that. I'm not bloodthirsty.

But if I think it's necessary, or they deserve it, and I don't want to try not to...

[brushoff]

Anyone who tries to talk to you about resisting the urge to hurt really needs to look at half of the Barge.

[ Does Misty probably need to learn not to immediately go into attack dog mode if someone's a dick to Natalie? Yes. Can Dorian think of at least three people off the top of his head who need that 'don't hurt people' lesson more than she does? Absolutely yes. ]

But I've got a hundred years' experience of breaking things. If you think they deserve it, it's just so damn easy to come up with a justification.

[citizendetective]

And it feels so satisfying.

[She closes her eyes for a moment, conjuring up the ghost of the feeling.]

[brushoff]

[ Dorian lets out a little murmur of agreement. Because it does. Like, there's no way around it, the well-deserved murder of someone who's hurt you feels fucking wonderful. ]

Who was the last person who you felt deserved it?

[citizendetective]

Arthur.

[She says immediately and with conviction, before giving Dorian a shrewd look.]

But if you're faking sympathy to get me to give you details of whatever I'm planning, you don't have to worry. I'm not planning anything.

[brushoff]

If you were planning anything, I wouldn't rat you out to begin with, [ Dorian shrugs. ]

And I'm not faking sympathy. I'm just suddenly aware that there was a big mess between at least four, possibly five people and I like being aware of the gossip.

[citizendetective]

Three people. Pagan wasn't even involved, he just heard about it after the fact.

[brushoff]

So what, it was just you, Arthur, and John?

[citizendetective]

Is that a surprise?

[brushoff]

Well this mess is about Natalie, isn't it? So why wasn't she a part of it?

[citizendetective]

It's not about Natalie. It's about the secrets that Natalie and I share as teammates. It's about our bond.

[brushoff]

Considering this is about bond which, let me remind you, also involves Natalie, it absolutely is about her. Did you tell her what you were going to do before you decided to interrogate her new warden's plus one?

[citizendetective]

[Misty lets out a loud huff, downing the rest of her second glass in one fell swoop.]

No, Dorian, I didn't tell her. I also didn't interrogate him.

[brushoff]

Well there's problem number one right there.

[citizendetective]

[She clunks her glass down on the counter, crossing her arms over her chest.]

I don't need Natalie's permission to talk to people.

[brushoff]

But it would be courteous to give her a heads up if you're going to try and set boundaries that involve her.

[citizendetective]

Well, I didn't know I was going to have to be doing that at first.

[brushoff]

Then the moment you knew you were going to have to do it, that's when you should have put a pause on the conversation.

[citizendetective]

Well, I needed to take care of it in the moment. Things could have easily ballooned out of control if I hadn't.

[Misty, honey, they kind of did that anyway.]

[brushoff]

A part of me suspects it blew up anyway. Not due to you, of course, but because this ship is a goddamn bomb, perpetually waiting to go off.

[citizendetective]

[The muscles in her face twitch.]

Not due to me, you're right.

[brushoff]

[ Dorian rolls his eyes as he looks at Misty's face twitch. ]

I know you don't believe me, but it's true. Surely you've seen Big Brother or any sort of show like that. Shove twenty people in an enclosed space, where they're all in each other's business, no way to get the hell away from everybody? Conflicts will inevitably ensue.

[citizendetective]

I do believe you, but I don't think it's that. I think Arthur is just a grade-A a-hole.

[brushoff]

[ Dorian lets out a sharp laugh before, ]

Both can be true, of course.