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[thirtybits]

"This is Judah's voicemail, no need to leave your number, I'll reply as soon as I can."



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[depicted]

[He lets the lock of hair untwist so he can sink his fingers in, brush through Judas's hair, as if that touch can make up for the other distance he is keeping between them.] You would have to look after everything. I don't have wilderness survival skills.

[A little fib, but that doesn't matter.]

[thirtybits]

As if that isn't the story of my life already. [With a smile, he places his hand over Dorian's and laces their fingers together.]

[depicted]

[To reassure, Dorian gives their linked hands a slight squeeze.] Even so, my inclinations don't tend towards the pastoral.

[thirtybits]

Well I knew that. [He laughs.] That would be interesting to see. But terribly out of character.

[depicted]

Then you understand why we must live in Sodom or Gomorrah, not the Jordan River plain.

[thirtybits]

I know. [He smiles, just a little, and if anything, it's a bit sad. But he shakes his head.] Although I hear there's going to be a fire or something there? Maybe another city would be better.

[depicted]

Don't worry. [With a hand on Judas's face, he thinks he might change its mood.] If I did turn into salt, it would be but a momentary event. You could sell off whatever salt was left and buy another field.

[thirtybits]

I didn't get a chance to buy the first one. What makes you think it would be any different? [At least the awful joke does its job.]

[depicted]

[So good that their terrible sense of humour can be relied on.] What, you're going to kill yourself right after I turn myself to salt even though I come back? That's a little unfaithful, wouldn't you say?

[thirtybits]

Jesus comes back too, what's your point?

[depicted]

[Dorian lifts his chin.] I do it faster. And without an assist from my dad.

[thirtybits]

[Judas raises an eyebrow, that smirk threatening to return.] Are you trying to compete with Jesus now? Well, I guess that is more the Devil's territory.

[depicted]

I'm merely pointing out that my resurrections are more convenient. You'll also note that I haven't retained holes in my hands or a big gaping wound in my side. I heal completely.

[better than jesus]

[thirtybits]

I hate seeing those, it's the worst. I appreciate that I can't see where I stabbed you. Although those things show on your portrait, right?

[depicted]

In theory. In practice, that image of me is so mangled and disgusting that it is nearly impossible to make out any distinct wound. Poor, wretched thing.

[As usual, Dorian speaks of his portrait with a lover's fondness and a monster's cruelty, adoring it with infinite tenderness and relishing in its misery at once.]

[thirtybits]

Ah, right, you've destroyed your whole body before, haven't you? I guess after a few of those, there's not much to see. That's...lucky. Maybe you can use that as leverage to keep out of Hell.

[depicted]

I don't intend on staying out of Hell. [Dorian splits the last of the wine between their two glasses, then drinks his as quickly as possible. He balances the glass beside the bottle. And he pulls himself to his feet.]

Think you can climb to the top?

[thirtybits]

Sure I can, don't you think 'climbing trees' when you think 'peasants'? [He laughs, draining his wine considerably slower before sitting up.]

[depicted]

[Dorian gives Judas one of his sweetest smiles.] I don't think about peasants. [And he's off, climbing up through the branches with little attention to what it will do to his clothing.]

[thirtybits]

Ah, of course. [Without missing a beat, Judas gets to his feet and tucks the loose parts of his robes into the belt. Then, he follows. His height makes it a little difficult in places, but he's not afraid to jump for it.]

[depicted]

[Dorian doesn't normally have a height advantage, and he has his recklessness, but it's strangely heartening to see Judas taking risks. Perhaps it shouldn't be. Perhaps he shouldn't mistake recklessness for confidence. And yet, yanking himself up from one branch to another, throwing himself onto the mercies of luck, he still smiles.]

[thirtybits]

[A little over halfway up, Judas stops to rub at a scrape on his hand from the branch below. After shaking it out he continues, calling up to Dorian.] Here I was expecting you wouldn't be able to.

[depicted]

[Dorian grins, perching there with a hand on a higher branch to keep him stable.] I spent about a decade travelling anywhere I could, from the depths of the Amazon to the heights of Everest. This isn't even effort.

[thirtybits]

--Really? When did you do that? [With that pause Judas is able to make back some ground, stopping when he gets to about the same level as Dorian.]

[depicted]

I travelled a great deal after the Second World War. [He yanks on the branch above him, getting it to drop leaves on Judas's head.] Reconstruction was boring, and I was getting bored. So I followed the paths of doomed and missing explorers, trying to solve the unsolved mysteries of the world.