IC contact

[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]

[Dorian isn't wholly caught off-guard by the kiss, but it does surprise him. Then he hears what Judas said, and understanding strikes.]

No, I was just getting dressed. It's fine. Come in. [He steps back to allow Judas entrance.]

[thirtybits]

[Judas gives Dorian's hair a quick combing with his fingers as he pulls away. Nodding, he accepts the offer and goes inside.]

I guess I should start by saying I really like Oscar's writing. I read the other books you gave me too - the short stories and essays. I wasn't expecting that kind of subject matter, but I'm sure that's exactly why you recommended them to me.

[depicted]

[He stays obediently still for the finger combing, but he intends on going over his hair with a brush and a mirror first chance he gets. Dorian shuts the door behind him, tying up his waistcoat as he walks to his pot of endurably clean water.]

Oscar is brilliant, isn't he? He had a reputation for frivolity, but that overlooks some of his most moving works. But typical of Oscar to make himself an image like that.

[He lifts the pot.] Something to drink?

[thirtybits]

It doesn't come across that way at all to me. He seems very...conscientious.

[He waves his hand.] No, that's alright, thanks.

Of course, your book was a lot more flowery in speech, but I guess that's not entirely his own words, so it's a bit different there.

[depicted]

Oscar could be flowery when it suits him. One day, I'll have to lend you his Salome. [Dorian pauses a second as he tries to work out if that would have been recent history for Judas, and then setting that aside, he indicates with a waved hand that Judas should sit.]

That aside, not all of the dialogue was verbatim. He took a few liberties here or there. Some of Harry's dialogue and interior monologue, he tells me, was inferred from conversations they had while I wasn't around.

[thirtybits]

--As in Herod's step-daughter? Or Jacob and John's mother?

[He takes a seat, nodding.] That makes sense. They must have hated eachother, huh...

[depicted]

The step-daughter. Her tale was very popular among my circle in those days.

[Dorian sits opposite Judas with the water he claimed for himself. He finishes buttoning up his waistcoat.] They didn't particularly care for one another, no. I heard their verbal sparring became even more vicious after that book was published.

[thirtybits]

That sounds interesting. I admit I kind of hope it's not a favourable account.

I was going to ask if you'd gone away when it was released, I can't imagine being in the public eye for that. But I guess you've already answered that question.

[depicted]

It is a complex one, as Oscar's works always are.

[He nods, relaxing into his seat.] I was sick of England, sick of everything. [Exhausted and in anguish about Harry, about Basil, terrified of doing exactly what Oscar writes him doing in the end.] I told Oscar that I was going to the Continent for a long while and that he could publish whatever he cared to. Brilliant as he is, he managed to convince the world it was a work of fiction, even with what it drew from the real.

[thirtybits]

Well, I guess it would be difficult to believe someone became immortal simply by wishing it, like that. It's certainly not something I would have believed, even if it were presented as fact.

[depicted]

[His smile is lopsided.] That wasn't the part one might be particularly concerned about someone believing.

[In retrospect, Dorian realizes that nearly everything described in that novel was varying degrees of illegal. They all could have been in so much trouble. Indeed, Oscar was. It's incredible he was never hit with a libel suit himself. But those things that Dorian doesn't want to bring to Judas's attention. The murder is the obvious crime, and the other peculiarities of Victorian morality are best left in the past, where they did their damage.]

[thirtybits]

Well, no, but I mean, that's what makes it 'clearly fiction'. If anything else was believable, they would certainly look at that and realise it's to be taken with a grain of salt.

[depicted]

[He nods in agreement.] And so he got away with the truth and I got away with murder.

[thirtybits]

...For what it's worth, I'm sorry about everything.

[depicted]

[This time, Dorian really is caught off-guard. His mouth parts as he tries to work out a reply that doesn't actually come. How can he reply? He has no idea what Judas means.]

I know you like taking on responsibility for every terrible thing in the world, but even you can't be held accountable for my sins.

[thirtybits]

No, that's not what I mean. It's more like...my condolences? [He smiles weakly.] But, thank you for showing that to me. Even though it's something anyone could pick up outisde of here, you didn't have to let me see it.

[depicted]

[Still not understanding, Dorian shrugs it off and moves on.] As I said, it seemed only fair. I know the Gospels; now you know the novel.

[thirtybits]

[He nods.] And so we're on even footing, huh. Thanks. Really. I appreciate it, I'm glad that you trust me. Ironic as it is to trust a man whose surname means 'the false one'.

[depicted]

And here I thought it was the Kerioth explanation, not the, ah, what was it? [Dorian ransacks his memories, trying to find the right word. Eventually, he grabs it.] אִשְׁקַרְיָא.

[thirtybits]

[He shrugs.] No, it's Kerioth, really. The rest are posthumous definitions, but they make just as much sense.

...I keep forgetting you know Hebrew.

[depicted]

[Dorian gives that a smile. After a search for the words, he manages to put together his reply in Hebrew.] I prefer reality to—ah—to what makes sense. In this case.

[thirtybits]

[Judas seems to light up instantly, hearing his native language. He sits up a little straighter, raises his head, and smiles. Replying in kind, of course.] They're all equally accurate, 'from Kerioth' just happens to be the original derivation.

[depicted]

[Dorian is obviously far from fluent, needing to speak around words he doesn't know and spending time searching for words he knows but doesn't quite remember, but seeing the way Judas responds, he can't just switch back to English.]

The name from origins is not a name to be defined again after an event. It would be—backwards.

[thirtybits]

[Noticing that, Judas makes an effort not to speak too quickly, or use words that might not be easily understood. But likewise, he enjoys the opportunity too much to drop it.]

True. But plenty of disciples were given new names.

[depicted]

You mean like . . . [Wait, he definitely can't do this in Hebrew. He is forced into the Greek.] the Beloved Disciple? [Dorian is totally going to punch 'the Beloved Disciple' if he ever gets a chance. But back to Hebrew.] Your naming is more interesting. Everyone loves a villain.