#if I don't see an influx of sibyl lives fics in the next few days

[yallemagne]

I dunno if I'm gonna include citations because I can't. I just. Don't make me read Harry's words.

DROSIAN SORId DORINA

DORIAN finally has thoughts of his own-- and yeah, his first draft was shitty-- but he feels remorse for his cruel words and lack of sympathy and the desire to make right by Sibyl. Now, too little too late, but it's a sign of humanity. And we don't exactly know whether he actually does want to do the right thing or if he's so scared of the possibility that his cruelty makes him a bad person that he's just doing whatever he can to repent. He does say to Henry that he's afraid he isn't feeling as bad as he should, but that's a natural response to death. He's in shock and has not had much time to process, and if Sibyl died for her grief then what is he to do??

Either fucking way, Henry sees Dorian's first thoughts and PISSES ALL OVER THEM. Henry sees Dorian feeling remorse and says BLAH I WOULD KILL TO HAVE SOMEONE DIE FOR ME. (Dorian's portrait is noting that down for later /j.)

He isn't comforting Dorian, he's just saying "You're FINE. You're blameless. It's fucking good that the bitch died. Honestly, it's poetic. Women love being abused, why else would they take it? I wish someone would die because of me, then I'd have a reason to love." Henry, I wish you'd die for me, choking on your own dick, you massive bitch. You absolute stain of a man.

This is the part where it is Henry's fault. Dorian is so willing to accept whatever makes him a good person, and he's having a (slightly) older man tell him that he doesn't need to feel bad for anything, that it's just good that there's nothing linking him to the death or else he'd be suspected as a murderer. Dorian was so willing to marry Sibyl and keep his promise, but he learns "oh, she's dead? oh, I wouldn't have needed to apologize even if she had lived? that makes it so much easier! I'm still a good person!"

Wilde should have fuckin given Sibyl two gay dads and just had her live like I asked. It wouldn't make the book... inherently better... but I'd be less angry.

Also, tiny lil footnote, but the foreshadowing--

Was it all true? Had the portrait really changed? Or had it been simply his own imagination that had made him see a look of evil where there had been a look of joy? Surely a painted canvas could not alter? The thing was absurd. It would serve as a tale to tell Basil some day. It would make him smile.

--has got me FUCKED UP.