Who: Dorian Gray and Vanessa Ives When: Monday, August 15th. Evening Where: Apartment in France What: Discussing the latest headline back home Rating/Warnings: Discussion of Murder Status: Complete
Dorian had known the bodies would be found eventually; after all, it wasn’t as if he’d actually tried to hide them. He had wanted them found. He had wanted to hear about his handy work on the news and he couldn’t help the satisfied smirk that crossed his lips as he read the news article on his iPad. He had made sure that he and Vanessa would at least be in Paris before the bodies were found and despite the contractors having just finished a job for him, it was very unlikely that anyone would connect the murders to him.
Months ago if someone had told him that he’d murder a small group of men in order to keep a secret, he would have told them they were crazy, but now, now it was a little scary how easily he had come to that conclusion and even scarier how easy it had been to do. He’d already been thinking about it before Vanessa’s vision, but once she’d had her vision of the contractors and his portrait, he’d known it had to happen. His paranoia about his portrait had gotten the better of him.
“You're looking suspiciously proud of yourself” Vanessa said entering their room drying her hair wearing only the hotel robe that had been provided. Coming to sit on the bed with him, leaning over to press a kiss to his lips, “Not that you shouldn't be, this is amazing” she told him. How he'd managed to arrange for their florist to have flowers ready in another country she didn't know but it had been impressive.
“While I’m especially proud that I was able to pull this off, that’s not what I was smiling about this time.” Dorian was extremely happy that he’d been able to work something out with Riza to have flowers waiting for them in the apartment they were renting for the week. He had figured that it would be easier for him to pull it off in Paris than in Greece, but Greece would be the surprise itself since Vanessa still didn’t know about it.
He held the ipad out to Vanessa, “This is what I was smiling about actually.”
Taking the ipad she read the news article, her eyebrows raising as she did so. “Dorian, these are the people who worked for us. Did you...” looking up she realised that yes he did, “How could you do that? What would we have done if you’d been caught?” she said unhappy not with the killing but with Dorian’s reckless behaviour in doing it.
“After your vision, I knew it was the only course of action.” Dorian was so calm no one would have ever guessed that they were discussing murders he’d recently committed. “I can’t risk the portrait.” While he wasn’t entirely sure, he had a very strong feeling that, like in the novel of his namesake, his life was linked to the portrait. He’d already tested whether or not the portrait would take on injuries inflicted to him and so far it appeared that it was all true. “Are you angry with me?” He looked up at her, his expression softening with worry. While he’s done what he knew he’d had to, he was worried that Vanessa would be angry, but he had a feeling she would understand.
Vanessa also believed that Dorian's portrait was now linked to his life, so she knew how important it was to protect it. “No, well yes, but only because you didn't tell me” Vanessa said laying her hand on Dorian's cheek, “I love you, you know that”
“I didn’t want to tell you right before we left on our trip. I didn’t want you knowing until after they were found,” Dorian reached up and placed his hand over hers on his cheek, “I love you too. I did this for us.” Because if someone suspected something of Dorian, chances were they would go after Vanessa and he couldn't let that happen. No one but he and Vanessa could know about the attic and the portrait.
Vanessa couldn’t help wondering if perhaps her vision had been warning her what Dorian had been about to do, still it was done now and Dorian’s secret was once again safe with the two of them. Leaning forward she pressed a kiss to his lips, “You can always tell me anything” she whispered against his lips.
Dorian’s lips turned up into a smile as he kissed her back, “I know. You know, I think I like this version of us better.” In the dreams no matter how strong their feelings were, Vanessa’s possession had put a real damper on anything they could have had. Luckily in the waking world, they had managed to bypass that particular event.
“As do I” Vanessa replied, with Dorian here she wasn’t afraid to embrace her abilities. It was good to be unique and Dorian helped her accept the parts of her that weren’t what others would call ‘good’. “I was a fool in the dreams” she said, pushing him back on the bed so she could lean over him with a smile.
Dorian smiled back up at her, “Well, you were possessed. So, I suppose I can’t blame you completely for breaking my heart.” He was glad that he was the reason why she had been able to embrace her abilities in the waking world. He would have hated if the same thing that had happened in the dreams had happened to her here.
“Still I’m sorry I did” Vanessa said, “And I promise to take much better care of it here” she pressed a kiss to his chest where his heart was beating. Her life was entwined with Dorian’s now and whatever came their way they would face it together.