slightlyoffchilt | - IC CONTACT POST FOR MASKORMENACE -

[ He can't help but purse his lips at that, frowning as Chilton talked. Deeming him irrelevant? How ridiculous. Who would deem him irrelevant, especially since he obviously had so much to offer anyone? ] I thought we were supposed to focus on the here and now, not ridiculous hypotheticals.

[ People didn't leave him. He left them. Dorian didn't take kindly to being ignored, that much was obvious. He had no idea how he would take to people leaving him. ]

Ah, but Dorian. Ridiculous hypotheticals have a nasty habit of manifesting reality.

[Chilton's saccharine smile caught on quick; Dorian's reaction was beautiful, exactly what Chilton had wanted. While Chilton hardly thrilled himself with the concept of fear in the same way Crane did, he nevertheless appreciated what a fine mechanism it could provide -- a cog in the grander scheme of things.]

I'm not suggesting it is a likely occurrence, of course. But, hypothetically, if someone you were invested in decided they no longer cared about you, would you react violently?

[ Dorian's still frowning, as he looks over at Chilton. He doesn't like thinking about this because, again, it never would happen. How the hell is he supposed to answer for something he hasn't thought about? ]

Probably not. [ Of course, he wouldn't think he'd react violently unless he had to. ] I suppose I'd probably try and show them up. To prove them wrong somehow.

You'd go after their friends? Close acquaintances? [A beat.] Their loved ones? Perhaps give those individuals a reason to leave your former confidant?

[He asked with the consistent tone of someone mildly intrigued and amused by these possibilities, someone who was more invested in the ideas than the personal implications. In truth, Chilton's razor focus was on Dorian. The possibilities only mattered in this case as they related to the probability of Dorian's behavior.

Chilton was scripting a guideline.]

Maybe? [ said with an idle shrug. ] But you can prove someone wrong in many ways

This subject is making you uncomfortable, is it? [The tacit response was noted.] We don't have to continue, Dorian. There's always Mr. Lin to discuss.

We're keeping it here, [ said almost emphatically. Talking about Abduxel opened up an entirely different can of worms that he wasn't so sure he wanted Chilton to know about. ]

Absolutely. Confidentiality is legally in the contract.

[And of course, Chilton took legal matters so seriously.]

I meant, we're keeping it here as in there's no way in hell I'm talking to you about my relationship with Matthew. [ no way in hell. ha ha ha. ]

Let's go back to me hurting people for abandoning me. I'm sure you'd like that point of conversation better anyway.

Oh, "keeping it in here" is a euphemism for "automatic repression". [He leveled a glare, tilting his head with contrived cynicism.]

You know I can enable that behavior in you, Dorian. Why does Mr. Lin provoke this reticence?

Aside from the fact that we're fucking? [ said almost nonchalantly, though he's keeping a close eye on Chilton's face as he talks. He doubts that admission will shock Chilton (because let's be real, his patient is Dorian Gray,) but he wants to see just what the man's response will be. ]

That was already presumed. [Chilton smiled, smugly, hoping that this particular breed of smug smiling would irk Dorian.] I have, after all, been in conversation with Mr. Lin.

[Patient and doctor confidentiality ought to close in, right about now.]

We met at a Swearing In.

[There it was. Kind of.]

[ wait what.

Abduxel you shit. Needless to say, Dorian was definitely going to have to shoot his 'close friend' a text when all this was done. ]

There's a difference between an idle meeting and knowing someone intimately. I don't want to talk about him because, understandably, there are some parts to Matthew I want to keep to myself. [ like the whole demon thing. Dorian doesn't realize, however, that Abduxel's as subtle in his demonness as Dorian is at his immortality.

whoops. ]

Hm.

[Chilton's eyes, which had been focused on Dorian's expression, didn't yet shift away.]

You must be speaking metaphorically. Otherwise -- are there any parts that Mr. Lin keeps to himself?

Be honest.

There are some parts that he had better, [ said with a huffy little frown. And certainly some moments that he had better. ]

You're not the jealous type, are you, Dorian? You certainly wouldn't believe yourself to be -- surely it's clear that people ought to come to you. [Chilton leaned back, looking at Dorian. Watching him. Thoughtfully.]

And yet, you're so skittish over Matthew. Is it because he's immortal, like you? [Immortal, says Chilton. Not demonic. Because Chilton doesn't know about that.]

[ There's another moment of 'how the hell does he know that' while Dorian pauses, frowns, stalls for time a bit. ] I'm not jealous. And I don't have delusions that I'm his one and only, if that's what you mean.

[ Because he didn't. Hell, Dorian was about 90% certain that their 'who am I gonna sleep with' circles were practically concentric. ]

I'm skittish over Matthew because I'm not paying you to be a nosy little housewife. I just don't see what this has to do with anything.

Really, Dorian. If you're going to lie, don't do it so clumsily.

[Nosy little housewife? Domestic associations aside (that was another concern, entirely), Chilton truly doubted that Dorian disdained Chilton's methodology of gossip. The immortal simply disdained the topic.

And Chilton was eliminating reasons as to why.]

Possessive in the controlling sense, not necessarily sexual. Let me reframe: you value your liberty. Do you value the same liberty in others?

To an extent. [ holy shit, it's an actually honest answer, not Dorian just trying to dodge the question. ] One of the reasons why I've found making lasting relationships in this place difficult.

No doubt. With your degree of quality control -- [What he meant to say was specifications, quality notwithstanding, but there were simply some things you did not assert before a narcissist!] -- it's little wonder that the stakes are erected so highly.

[Intended use of verb. After all, Matthew was still on the tips of their tongues, wasn't he?]

Do you have a strategy in place? To prevent any of your chosen ones from straying.

[ Nooooot really. Huh. Maybe he should look into that. ] If I chose them, then they're likely not to stray in the first place.

If only everyone could share in that blinding confidence you so routinely demonstrate, Dorian. Then I would truly never have need of vacation time.

[ ain't nothing like him cept him, chilton. And Dorian just flashes the man a toothy grin. ]

Well, we wouldn't want to put you out of business, would we?

Surely not. Because, were I out of business, I'd have all that time to get more into your business.

[And only Dorian's, was the implication. Chilton would continue to circle the Matthew issue, even if he was playing by the no-naming-him rules.]

You're analyzing Dorian Gray, Frederick. You should know that you'll never have me all to yourself. [ and yes he knows that statement could be taken a certain way and he DEFINITELY said that much on purpose. ]

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