This is a silly place...

[devils_bargain]

Who: Dorian Gray and Hayley Stark. Then, Dorian and Adrian Veidt.
When: Tonight.
Where: Seventh floor, though perhaps he will venture further.
What: Dorian is meeting Hayley so she can explain his comm to him.
Warnings: None.
Note: COMPLETE. This ends with Dorian going away angrily to read Dorian Gray, so he isn't lingering about after Adrian's thread.

Comments

[triggered_it]

Oh, pity. Haley had somehow disappeared, but the other had wandered off on his own and was now going in quite the opposite direction than the one he was supposed to be going. New plan: Adrian retreated back into the shadows, silently, following the young man for quite sometime. Yes, he was aware that his actions could be considered strange, but this was how he operated.

He walked swiftly and without making a sound. As soon as he had caught up to the other, he stepped out into a more well lit area of the Barge's deck.

"Pardon my interruption," a typical, polite start that was common, in its many variants, to most of his conversations. He actually wasn't sorry for interrupting whatever thoughts had been on Dorian's mind. He was feeling particularly selfish and bored that evening, after all. "You're headed toward the bow of the ship," he continued. It was a simple statement followed by a pause, as if he were assessing something. "But that's not what you're looking for, is it?"

And then there was the smile, the charming, 'let me help you, oh no, please, I want to help you' smile of Adrian Veidt.

[devils_bargain]

Dorian had not been aware that he was being followed. However, he was made aware of such when Adrian spoke. Dorian turned, not sure what to expect from this interruption. After all, the last time he'd turned on board this ship, he had been not so pleasantly surprised.

He took in Adrian's appearance and his words at once. He was young, young enough to be charming, and old enough to be interesting, that much was clear. Moreover, he had an unmistakable air of class. It was in everything from his polite words to the obvious charm of his tone and demeanor.

Dorian decided at once that he liked this man.

"No, it's not what I'm looking for," he said, his tone one of very slight hesitation. Then he smiled, and it lit up his face. He still retained the youth, the beauty he always had. But there was a change in his face, and he had not yet noticed it. These past nineteen years, he hadn't changed, not a glimmer, not even a passing speck of anything unbecoming. But now with the broken curse behind him, there was a touch of cruel curiosity in his mouth. He didn't know it, but his appearance was - slowly - following the same route that his painting had.

"My name is Dorian Gray," he said, making no motion to shake hands. "And you are?"

[triggered_it]

If one could look away from an Adrian Veidt smile, they'd probably notice that the smile never quite reach his eyes. When he wants to show cruelty, it's expressed in his entire demeanor: his eyes, his lips, his expression. When he aims for pleasantness, he is pleasant, and there's very few flaws to be found in the facade.

The air of cruelty around Dorian, however slight, did not escape Adrian's notice, though, and he left it open as to whether this would be a good or bad thing. The name, though. Of course, book characters had been onboard the Barge before. That in itself was nothing novel, but he'd be lying if the character of Dorian Gray wasn't particularly intriguing to him, and revolting, all at once. This was partially due to characteristics he saw in his own self.

He gave no hint that the name might be familiar to him, however. Most people didn't normally like to have it pointed out to them that they were 'fictional.'

"Adrian Veidt," he replied evenly, pleasantly, refusing to be the first to offer a handshake, however counterintuitive it was for him. "If you don't mind my asking, what was it you were looking for, then?" The Admiral, the exit, a conversation? More likely, something else. Adrian keeps his mind open.

[devils_bargain]

"To be perfectly honest, I was looking to see if there was a way off this ship. I have heard there isn't, but that can't be true," the articulation of his words were precise and spoken with no small note of entitlement.

"In lieu of that, I am attempting to locate the Admiral. Would you happen to know where he is? I imagine, at the mast or helm or... something along those lines. I have some matters to discuss with him." It was all very matter of fact. He had things to discuss, and they would be taken care of. That was what he knew. What he asked was done for him, what he wished for was granted. Dorian Gray was very spoiled on the surface. He was spoiled below the surface as well, but in a very different meaning of the word.

[Feel free at some point to tell Dorian there's a book... he'll assume it was written about his life. See permissions.]

[triggered_it]

"The Admiral can only be contacted through the Network," Adrian explained. He paused for a moment, looking at Dorian, deciding how this man compared to the image he had held in his imagination. He couldn't help but be just a little disappointed. People were always so less stunning in real life. He doubted even Alexander would be exempt from that rule. However, Dorian was by no means ugly, and he enjoyed seeing the other's spoiled and entitled attitude. It was both amusing and refreshing, and Adrian always enjoyed the company of cultured and decadent men. His time spent with David Bowie at Studio 54 was testament to that.

"Come with me," he added, leading the way toward the library. "There's something you should see."

[ooc: i read permissions, so i assume its okay for adrian to show him the book? :X]

[devils_bargain]

"The Network. Ah," he remembered, "Through these." He patted the pocket in his jacket that contained his own small strange communication device. "Thank you."

Dorian wasn't fond of the communication device, or "computer" as Hayley had called it, nor was Dorian too fond of Hayley. He purposely would forget the names of both, simply out of spite.

"I'm afraid I'm not that stupid. Tell me; what is it I should see?" he spoke with suspicion as Adrian turned to walk past him and to the stairs.

He would not follow Adrian anywhere unless he knew where they were going, and then he would not let the man out of his sight. Dorian had found himself on a time traveling prison barge peopled with criminals and child laborers, sharks and strange men who spoke with hideously uneducated accents. He was still in alert mode, however calm he might appear to be.

[triggered_it]

Adrian stopped and turned to face Dorian. "No, you're not, and I'm glad to hear it," he said pleasantly. "As for where we're going? The library. As dull of a a venture as that may sound, there's a book I want you to know about before anyone catches you off guard with knowledge of your portrait." It's said in the same tone of voice as before: amiable, polite, interested. He's gauging the other man for his reaction, considering that Hayley may have already told him. Masking any sharpness to his eyes, he gives a quick and fleeting smile before continuing to lead the way.

[devils_bargain]

When Adrian mentioned his portrait, Dorian's face changed. The pleasant expression fell away and his eyes narrowed dangerously. Everything about him tightened, from his mouth to his posture. Adrian was looking for his reaction, and he had well found one. Dorian stalked after this man, this man who so casually mentioned the secret of his soul and carried on. If only Dorian had something sharp...

"I demand that you tell me how you know about my portrait at once," he said, voice low and dark as he came to stand before Adrian, blocking his path.

[triggered_it]

It was about the reaction Adrian had been expecting. He remembered the crimes Dorian had committed in the book and he knew this was not a good person that he was dealing with, but he was fine with that. He was not a good person, either, and if worse came to worse, Adrian would always win.

"Patience. I told you, we are going to the library, so that I can show you. Perhaps we can do something to prevent others from finding out. In the meanwhile, I suggest using a pseudonym if you don't want more people to know instantly who you are and what you've done. It should work, at least until you have a warden."

[devils_bargain]

Dorian weighed his options here. Adrian was useful, that much was clear. And he had before and was again saying that he wanted to show Dorian before someone else did. Either he was lying and had some other plans, or he was telling the truth and was, for some unknown reason, offering help without asking anything in return. Yet.

You see, there was always that part of Dorian which, for some things, accepted help and such without question. A part of him that was still quite sure of the way of things; people doing things for him without compensation. But Adrian was no lesser man, no servant or valet. People of ones own class only ever helped another when it helped themselves. Or when it amused themselves.

"What is in this for you? Why are you helping me?"

[triggered_it]

"I've spent most of my life helping people in much grander ways than this." This was true. Adrian tried very hard to be a good person, to do the right thing, even if his own personal morality could be a little warped and even sick at times, but he was right. He always did the right thing, in the end. It was something that he prided himself on, in a world full of people bumbling around with no idea what they were doing or where they were going.

However, why was he really helping Dorian? Well, because Dorian was Dorian Gray: attractive, classy, and dangerous: the type of friend that Adrian wouldn't mind having.

"I also think we might have a bit in common. Forgive me if that's presumptuous, but there's just very few people aboard the barge who can hold much interest from me." Flattery, of course, but also sincere. People generally were very dull, after all.

[devils_bargain]

Dorian narrowed his eyes. So, Adrian had spent his life helping people? He did not seem like such a man, though Dorian was not one to judge, as he had never met a man whose intentions were honest and pure. Well, perhaps he had met one or two, but none of it had rubbed off and he had, after all, always found good men to be rather boring. Adrian might be many things, but he did not seem boring.

Flattery. There it was, something that Dorian Gray knew. It was not the sort of flattery that he was accustomed to; being told that he was attractive, that his lingering youth was impressive and enviable. This was different; Adrian found him interesting.

"Boring people merely lack imagination," Dorian responded, tone making it clear that the compliment was received but that flattery alone was not going to alleviate his suspicions. "I will come with you to the library. Lead the way."

[triggered_it]

"Anyone who lives within their means suffers a lack of imagination, and consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative," Adrian quoted. He stepped around Dorian, leading the way back into the ship and down towards the library.

At this hour, it was empty, the lights off. Adrian casually flicked them on, immediately heading towards the fiction section, specifically, toward the 'W's.' What book he was looking for would be obvious. His eyes scanned the covers until he pulled out an old, oxford hard cover edition of The Portrait of Dorian Gray, handing it to his companion.

"The cover alone should tell you enough, but I suggest reading the content as well. Tell me if it's accurate or not."

[devils_bargain]

Were Dorian in the mood to share, he would have told Adrian he sounded like someone he used to know. Dorian followed along, keeping a close eye on Adrian, still not quite sure what was going on.

He stood in the library, arms folded across his chest as Adrian looked through the books. He saw the title first and snatched the book away from Adrian. He stared at it in stark disbelief. The Portrait of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde. A book penned by a stranger, and his own name in the title. His name, and his secret, stamped together on the cover for anyone to see.

The look on his face made his shock clear, but the depth of feeling could not be adequately expressed. He felt as if he had been punched, the slow, creeping realization that this book contained details of his life, and people had read it. People knew him, details, names, places. Crimes.

"And you have read this?" Dorian demanded, voice thin and struggling against his rising panic.

It was ironic, really, that it should have been a book that poisoned him, and a book that exposed his corruption.

[triggered_it]

"I've read it," Adrian answered, his voice giving away nothing: none of the former pleasantness, but no coldness, either. It was just a statement of facts. "Most people here have probably at least heard of it, if not read it. That's why I wanted to show you before anyone else caught you off guard." He paused, for a moment, and then gave a light laugh that seemed out of place given Dorian's obvious shock and indignation.

"Of course, that doesn't mean I believe every word of it is true -- only the bit about the portrait. Your own earlier response told me that much."

Lies. He knew every word of it was true, the way every word of 1984 portrayed Stephen O'Brien or how Fahrenheit 451 described Captain Beatty. Of course, if their positions had been reversed, and he had had all his secrets displayed for all to read, he would have denied it, refused to even acknowledge its existence or dignify the 'author' with a response. After all, he was a well known man in his world, and libel was a near constant. 'Libel' that happened to be true also wasn't a foreign enemy, but something he was deeply familiar with after the publishing of Rorschach's journal.

Dorian, on the other hand, wouldn't be so well prepared.

[devils_bargain]

Adrian had read it. Adrian also claimed he didn't believe the details within it, but Dorian couldn't know whether they were true or not. He didn't dare open the book, as if for fear that his secrets would spring forth from the pages into the room.

"I don't understand how it could be true."

Dorian looked... dazed. This conversation had to end soon, because he had to go read this. He had to know what was said about him, what other people knew or assumed about him.

"Is this the only copy here?" he asked, clutching the book more tightly to himself.