there was an exquisite poison in the air

[depicted]

Characters: Dorian Gray and various!
Date: April 4th-6th?
Location: All over Keeliai!
Situation: Catch-all log! Dorian will be doing all the things that I worked out for last CR meme.
Warnings/Rating: Default PG13.
Additional: Am I missing something? PM/Ping me. I do not have everyone added on plurk so I think I may have missed a few! Also, pick your format. I'm happy with either.

Comments

[wholenewstory]

[Cass arches her eyebrows, like Barbara.]

No. Reckless would be...doing something - brave. Even if it - only got you hurt.

[She gestures back to the streets behind them.] That was just - stupid.

[depicted]

[Damn, that's a good eyebrow arch.]

It wasn't, and that's not what recklessness is. Bravery is being scared and doing something anyway. Recklessness is just not caring about danger. It's sort of a speciality.

[He doesn't believe that he just called 'being stupid' his speciality.

But he did.]

[wholenewstory]

[She learned from the best.

But now her brow furrows, steps slowing.]

I - was like that, once.

Because...didn't think my life - was worth anything.

[depicted]

[Dorian hesitates.]

You're not like that now, are you?

[wholenewstory]

[A week ago, it would have been easy to say no. Now - now the word catches in her throat, for a second.]

No. Are you?

[depicted]

[He hears the catch and wonders. But he doesn't press the point.]

No. I know what I'm worth. Promise.

[wholenewstory]

[Her nod is firm and earnest.] Good.

[And she cocks her head.] Then - why?

[depicted]

Why what?

[It's in earnest. Cass is asking him questions he isn't accustomed to being asked.]

[wholenewstory]

Why do you - not care, if you're in danger?

[depicted]

Ah, that's—

[Dorian hesitates.]

I suppose you never studied Victorian literature of the aesthetes and decadents.

[wholenewstory]

[If Cass looked nonplussed before, Dorian...]

[depicted]

[Dorian breathes in and sighs.] It's a story. To put it briefly, I am—immortal. I don't concern myself with danger because danger is no concern.

[wholenewstory]

[Cass just...stares, for a moment.] Oh. [No, she wasn't expecting that.]

But - you can still get hurt?

[depicted]

[He affects a detached air.]

Not permanently.

[And it therefore doesn't count.]

[wholenewstory]

[Cass frowns, crossing her arms.]

Still hurt. That - matters.

[depicted]

[And yet he still shrugs it off.] There's a certain point where it doesn't anymore, not really.

[wholenewstory]

[Her brow knits and her chin lifts.] It does - to me.

[depicted]

[He glances down and smiles.] Don't worry about it, all right. [He pats her on the shoulder, briefly.] I've been taking care of myself for about a century and a half, now, and I'm careful enough where it counts.

[wholenewstory]

[A century. That's....a hundred years? Her eyes go wide, again. That - that makes sense. It's hard to wrap her head around, living that long.

But still, she frowns.]

Not that hard...if you can't die. [How many scars would he have, if they didn't fade away?]

[depicted]

[He takes playful offence. He doesn't want her to take this so seriously.] Not that easy, either. We immortals have our own concerns to contend with.

Have a little faith, Cass. You don't think I'd go all those years without ever learning how to defend myself in a fight, do you?

[wholenewstory]

[She can see exactly what he's doing, but her lips quirk all the same.]

Could...find out.

[depicted]

[As long as he has her smiling, it's all right.]

Are you challenging me to a fight?

[wholenewstory]

[Her smile widens, both at the sentiment and the question. There's a raw, nagging part of her that insists she doesn't deserve the consideration, but she pushes it down, focuses on her friend.]

Yeah.

[depicted]

[He gets the sudden impression that his painting is not going to thank him for this.]

Then name your time, place, and weapon, and you're on.

[wholenewstory]

Tomorrow morning. Park, in Wood Sector. No weapons.