tlv ic contact

[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."

voice, video, text, action

Comments

[citizendetective]

[She huffs. Really, Dorian?]

I do a lot of things that piss Pagan off.

How many people know about this?

[brushoff]

In theory? Everyone.

I'm Dorian Gray, Misty. As in 'the picture of.' My portrait isn't a secret. However, only a few people have actually seen it.

[citizendetective]

And are you showing me because of the things we have in common?

[brushoff]

Partially. And partially because I'm taking a chance on trusting you.

[citizendetective]

[The question is simple, but curious, rather than judgmental.]

Why?

[brushoff]

[ He thinks, but doesn't say 'someone aside from Pagan and Natalie has to or you're never gonna get anywhere.'

Instead, he shrugs a little before pointing out, ]

Because, despite what you accused me of at the start of all this, I do enjoy your company.

[citizendetective]

Well, I had good reason to think you didn't.

[She comes to a stop back at the front of the portrait, facing it directly and crossing her arms over her chest.]

I'm not planning to do a thing to it, by the way.

How often do you come and look at it? Oh, and where did you put it when you brought me and Nat up?

[brushoff]

I look at it every other day or so.

[ Buddy, that's a little worrying. What's also worrying is the way that Dorian looks at the portrait, taking in it's every aspect, as if entranced or drawn in by a spell. ]

And I left it at Pagan's for that evening.

[citizendetective]

[Misty watches him, not saying anything for a long moment.]

You really love it, don't you.

["Love" may very well be the wrong word, but it's how Misty - twisted, screw-loose Misty - interprets it.]

[brushoff]

It's a part of me. [ He idly rests his fingers on the canvas. ] And I love myself. Literature's most famous narcissist, after all.

[ He says that dryly, as if he's trying to convince himself or he's privy to a terrible joke. ]

So yes, I suppose I do love it.

[citizendetective]

Are you bitter about that?

[Honing in!]

The book, people recognizing you, feeling like you're being told who to be...

[brushoff]

God no, [ he says, with a shake of his head. ] Have you read it? It's a work of art.

[citizendetective]

No, I missed that one in high school. It just seems unlike you to let a book define you.

[brushoff]

The author was a close friend, [ he shrugs. ] And someone treated unfairly in life. He deserves a legacy.

[citizendetective]

There's a book about me at home.

[She says it offhandedly, seemingly addressing the painting rather than Dorian himself.]

Well! Kind of. I'm in it, but it's all speculation, really.

[brushoff]

Is it about that plane crash?

[citizendetective]

Yeah.

[She smiles a little.]

It's hilarious.

[brushoff]

One man's hilarious is another man's fucking traumatic, [ he dryly responds. ]

But I'm curious. One, how long were you girls out there anyway? And two, how many details did they get wrong?

[citizendetective]

Oh, tons, hence the hilarity. I always love seeing what people get wrong.

[And that conspicuous lack of detail is just about all the detail that she'll give.]

We were out there for nineteen months.

[brushoff]

Just long enough to go full Donner Party, [ he dryly responds, absolutely unaware of just how right he is. ]

I imagine the press tour when you were rescued was horrendous.

[citizendetective]

[She nods solemnly.]

They wanted us to appear on TV. Morning talk shows, you know. Nobody did, obviously.

[brushoff]

Of course not, [ he says, like it's obvious. Dorian lets out a dark little chuckle before, ] Let's all recount our trauma solely to get those sweet, sweet views! Nothing can possibly go wrong. Have fun talking about our dead friends!

[citizendetective]

Feed the media machine, right?

[Misty says, smiling wryly.]

Apparently the book sold really well.

[brushoff]

And let me guess? You and Natalie never saw a cent.

[citizendetective]

It was "unauthorized", so... no. But we got settlement money from the plane company. I used mine to buy a house!