[h1][b][i][color=CC99FF][center]Dorian Gray[/center][/color][/i][/b][/h1][center][img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/c615b039-ff58-401d-b7c9-c367db228382.jpg[/img][/center][center][/center][hr][center][color=CC99FF][b]Location[/b][/color]: Nemo's Office 
[color=CC99FF][b]Skills[/b][/color]: [url=https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/392257844256440322/1220897088322277436/Screenshot_20240322_204856_Instagram.jpg?ex=66109c05&is=65fe2705&hm=639d58a538e21bf7ab4251ae2cd57815ec479bf241a93e68c915e7f911234b1e&]Work Out Fit[/url][/center]
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Dorian had had a box sitting in his room since he had come back from break. So much had happened he had almost forgotten about it. He sat at his desk, balancing a pencils between his nose and upper lip as it swayed side to side, boredom and numbness eating away at him. Percy had his classical studies course today, one they shared but Dorian hadn't felt up to going to today. His pencil fell and rolled under the desk, when Dorian went to go grab it he saw the familiar box through an opening in his drawer. He pulled it open, revealing the rest of it and deciding now was as good a time as any, he had nothing better to do and it had been some time since he had had a chat with Poisson-Pas. So he got up, holding the small box in one hand before slipping on some shoes and making his way down towards Nemo's office. 

It was eerily silent down the halls, with most students attending class save for those involved in the Arcade incident. He hadn't seen much of everyone else, actively avoiding Diana after what she'd said about him, Leah seemed too preoccupied and even then it felt weird between him, her, and Leah right now, Danni was off with Amelie and Dorian hadn't felt up for it today. It was one of those days that it just felt so [i]easy[/i] to come up with excuses for why he hadn't seen anyone. Before he knew it he was at Nemos door. He stared at it for a while, wondering if he should go. Forget he'd even come here, or simply just ditch the parcel before the door and knock and run away. That would’ve been easier. Dorian knocked lightly, almost hoping that Nemo wouldn't hear.

Nemo had been busy in his office, filling journals with a strange code understood by him and him alone. His penmanship was smooth and exact, the edges of the odd symbols curving, merging together into almost a cursive script. Twenty of these journals had already been filled, placed in a neat, organized pile, each clearly labeled as to its contents in that same cipher. A cup of tea had long since gone cold on his desk, and his pocket watch rested before him, open to display a faded picture - one of Ser Nemo and someone he had lost in his youth. At the knock, Nemo snapped it closed. 

He rose to his feet, even as his weary old bones protested, and the air around him shimmered as he reappeared directly in front of his office door. He hadn’t been expecting anyone. So it was genuine surprise on his face as he opened the door to see young Dorian Gray. 

“Ah! Young Master Gray - to what do I owe the pleasure?”

Dorian was just about ready to go, halfway turned around when the door opened up to reveal Nemo before him [Color=CC99FF]”I uh, I brought you somet'in from t'e break…”[/color] He said, though something else was clearly beginning to talk hold over Dorians mind. Or rather it had been all along, since the day April was taken away from them.

Nemo studied him for a moment, before nodding. “Would you like to join me for some tea?” he offered, stepping aside to allow Dorian to enter if he wished. “And perhaps we can talk about whatever is on your mind?”

[Color=CC99FF]”I t'ink I would, yeah.”[/color] Dorian had forgotten how much of a calming presence Nemo was to be around. Somehow able to freely talk to him about anything it felt like. He stepped in, going towards the chair he'd sat in before as he watched the cold cup of tea sitting on the desk. [Color=CC99FF]”No steam.”[/color] He noted.

“Ah,” Nemo nodded, staring at the cup. “I find it easy to get lost in my work,” he explained, teleporting across the room and reappearing next to his small electric kettle. “Forgive an old man’s memory - is it still Cinnamon Tea with sugar and cream?”

Dorian was shocked, still for a moment as he wondered how Nemo still remembered it from last time. [Color=CC99FF]”Yeah it is. You've got a good memory.”[/color] He said as he placed the small box onto Nemo's desk, looking at the odd writing on the pages. [Color=CC99FF]”I don't recognize t'e language, almost looks…gallifreyan.”[/color]

“Hmm? Oh!” Ser Nemo titled his head for a moment, clearly torn about something. “It’s my own personal code - I developed it during my time working for the TVA. You can never be too careful about who might read your words,” he reasoned, preparing the tea for them both. It hadn’t taken very long for the kettle to boil - a trick of his powers, as Nemo had jumped temporally for a brief second, allowing him to set the kettle to run before Dorian had even knocked. “You… might find it legible, however, if you were to let your eyes drift.”

That seemed easy enough. Dorian was always capable of simply unfocusing his eyes in a dissociative state. Some kids could wiggle their ears, he could just unfocus his eyes. So he did, staring towards the page but not really focusing on the shapes, just allowing them to blend out of view as they mixed into one another. Almost seeing the writing before getting excited and having it snap back into the swirls it was. [Color=CC99FF]”Ah i almost ‘ad it! I swear!”[/color]

Ser Nemo chuckled slightly, reappearing next to Dorian. He briefly thumbed through the pile of journals, before selecting one. “Here. This one might be of use to you one day - it’s my account of… Well, it’s not important,” he dismissed, offering the journal to Dorian. He then reappeared next to the kettle again, and then flickered back, holding the tea. “Now… do you want to tell me what is going on?”

Dorian took the journal, shrugging off the ominous words that came with it as simply old man talk. Old people loved to speak cryptically, just look at Agatha. But still, he placed it in his lap so he wouldn't forget it when he left. His eyes focused on the cup of tea, a different set than the last time he was here, back when he'd broken one of Nemos tea cups on accident upon returning to his dorm. [Color=CC99FF]” It's just…’ow did you notice?”[/color]

“How did I notice what?” Nemo asked, taking a sip of his own tea. 

[Color=CC99FF]”April. I…she's like a sister to me, a best friend, and I missed [i]every[/i] sign. What kind of a friend misses every sign when you were able to so quickly? Not just t'e illness but what she was about to do?”[/color] Dorians eyes began to wet, his voice becoming hoarse as he choked back his tears and anger. 

Ser Nemo was silent for a moment, putting his tea cup back down on its saucer. He reached into the drawer of his desk, and produced a silk tissue, one with his initials embroidered in the corner. “Here,” he offered gently, holding it out to the young boy. “There’s no shame in tears.”

“I… I noticed what happened with Mx. Flynn because that is my deepest pain,” Nemo said carefully, slowly. “I lost someone close to me when I was your age - and I suppose I see its shadows wherever I look.”

[Color=CC99FF]”I'm not cryin’ I just-”[/color] It was then that Dorian noticed a tear fall off his cheek. How long had he been crying? Was this a trick? No. But he didn't remember, he couldn't recall when it began. He wiped the tears away with his own sleeves, rejecting not the offering of the silk but the notion at all that he even was crying. [Color=CC99FF]”I'm sorry t'at ‘appened to you…It couldn't ‘ave been easy…it's not easy. April didn't even finish it and I still feel it…”[/color] This wasn't some villain they could simply defeat. Someone they could give a change of heart to. This was his best friend and sister fighting herself and losing. 

Ser Nemo nodded. He didn’t retract the tissue, still holding it out for when Dorian was ready. There was a strange look on his face - a pained, almost haunted look - as if this conversation was one of the most difficult ones he had ever had. And perhaps it was. “You need not apologize. It happened many years ago,” Nemo said quietly. “What is it you feel, Dorian?”

[Color=CC99FF]”Empty. Anger. Loss. Like a chunk of me was ripped out and I can't quite fit it back in ‘ow it used to. Everyt'in's back to normal but not'in is t'e same. I feel

I feel

Useless…”[/color] What was he supposed to do here? How does he help?

Slowly, carefully, Nemo took Dorian’s hands and held them. It pained him to hear him say those things - to see the echoes of his own grief in the younger man. He’d thought he had acted quickly enough - that by making the call when he did, he would spare him this pain. He thought… he thought he had gotten it right, this time. 

“I see,” he said, somewhat hoarsely. “It is terrifying, seeing the ones we love suffer like that - to feel powerless to stop it. I… I did not handle it well, when I was your age. I tried to numb the loss. It didn’t work. Have you visited your friend - have you told them how you feel?”

Dorian didn't know how to respond. To any of it. This all felt like it was too much, and all he could focus on was the last thing Nemo had said to him. It felt rude, like he was brushing off Nemos pain for his own but he wasn't. He just didn't know how to handle any of it, so he focused on the one thing he could. His eyes looking off into the middle distance of his cup. [Color=CC99FF]”I visited as much as t'ey allowed. But…I ‘aven't told eit'er of t'em ‘ow i feel. April's recoverin’ still and I want ‘er to focus on t'emselves and gettin’ better. Not on me. I just…i wish I knew ‘ow to ‘elp ‘er. What steps to take.”[/color]

Nemo blinked rapidly, doing his best to maintain his composure. He hadn’t - he hadn’t prepared for this conversation. He hadn’t known this would happen today. He knew, most of the time, everything he would experience - he had all the dates and times memorized, his words carefully rehearsed. But this? Speaking to Dorian Gray about suicide? He hasn’t prepared for it. “Hmm. I know you don’t want to, Dorian, but I do think you should talk to them about this. As for other measures… perhaps helping them to develop a safety plan? Or simply staying by their side, and watching for any signs.” That’s what he wished he had done - that he had watched. It had been too late when he arrived to save his love. “Perhaps… perhaps you could ask them - ask them what they need.”

[Color=CC99FF]”T'at's…actually very ‘elpful. Maybe I should talk to t’em. A safety plan sounds good too…I…maybe I'll give Doc a call, see if Maeve is able to give me pointers on ‘ow to approach t'is delicately and what to look out for…t’anks Poisson-Pas.”[/color]

He nodded, forcing a tired smile. “I do try my best to be helpful.” Nemo then took another sip of his tea, trying to steady his nerves a bit. “I’m sure Dr. Whitehall will have better advice than I do. Is there anything else you wanted to talk about, Dorian?”

[Color=CC99FF]”Oh right. I brought you somet'in”[/color] Dorian said handing Nemo the box. 

“Oh! Yes. How forgetful of me,” Nemo mused, as he slowly opened up the box. Inside, there was a familiar teacup - one that had been broken at the start of term, now fixed. Dorian had mended it. He swallowed, attempting to maintain his composure, but… Something about the mended cup, it broke him. It wouldn’t be clear to others as to why, but for Nemo, the small gesture meant the world to him. Tears began to quietly fall down his face. “Ah - thank you - thank you very much,” Nemo whispered. 

Dorian didn't expect this sort of reaction. He wanted to comfort him, to do something, but everything just felt so awkward. He stood there quietly for a moment, his hand scratching the back of his other hand as an incessant itch took over him. [Color=CC99FF]”I didn't mean to make you cry Poisson-Pas…I…”[/color] Dorian said as he awkwardly patted Nemos arm.

“No, no - it’s - it’s not you,” Ser Nemo lied. “It’s - it’s my allergies, you see. I really ought to be better about taking my medicine for them…”

[Color=CC99FF]”Oh. Right. Allergies. Probably my cologne…sorry.”[/color] Dorian lied back, unsure why. He didn't wear cologne, ever. 

Nemo raised an eyebrow at that, the sorrow breaking for a moment. “Hmm. Yes. Your cologne is rather strong, Master Gray.”

[Color=CC99FF]”I'll leave, so you can…take your meds. Need to make a call anyways…”[/color]

“…Very good. If you, erm, if you need to talk again, my door is always open…. Will you promise me something, Dorian?” he paused. “Live. No matter what may happen.”

Dorian was caught off guard by the promise he was asked to make. Especially given his lineage. [Color=CC99FF]”You can't get rid of me t'at easily Poisson-Pas, I don't die easy and I don't plan to eit'er. So you can count on t'at promise.”[/color]

Ser Nemo locked eyes with him. “I will.”