I remember that lovely spring afternoon when I saw Dorian wandering about in an art gallery near my house. As an artist, I feel like I need inspiration. Of course, I loved to spend my dull afternoons staring at all of the portraits of Dorian that I had painted. Oh, how his eternally boyish face seemed to never reflect the hardships of life! That is why I adore him. That rosy colour in his cheeks, those bright eyes, the remarkably elegant and graceful figure! For those fools who call me a hypocrite fornot possessing the youthfulness that Dorian possesses, I shall say that he was meant to be worshipped by men and women alike.
Dorian was wandering in the art gallery, admiring various paintings and lithographs created by Toulouse-Lautrec.
Toulouse-Lautrec. The absinthe addicted Frenchman who spends his nights at the Moulin Rouge, painting the glamourous nightlife of the courtesans and gentlemen. If his life was the ultimate example of the corruption, vulgarity and decadence that the nightlife brings about, my life shall be filled with beauty. It is our ideal of beauty that is different, not whether beauty exists or not.
He finds beauty in seedy nightclubs, courtesans and gentlemen of the bourgeois class. But I find beauty in flowers shimmering in the morning dew and of course, Dorian.
"What are you looking at, my dear Dorian?" I ask as I placed my hand on his shoulder. "Oh, Basil. I was looking at these splendid paintings by Toulouse-Lautrec. Basil, I think you ought to display your portrait of me in an art gallery. It will be wonderful! People could admire the portrait that you painted of me. Although you love secrecy, afterall, how can a person understand a person's life from one piece of art?" Dorian replied. "You may be able to see one aspect of a person, but it is true that you cannot see the whole person. Do you truly believe that we could both benefit from displaying my painting?" I asked.
"Of course. Your friend Harry preached about youth and how it is valuable, but that is his philosophy. Friends do not choose among each other because of their looks. My youth shall be preserved in that portrait. I feel that eternal youth is not necessary in our friendship." His porcelain-like, boyish face became serious. "Even if you do not possess eternal youth, you will always be that boyish lad I saw the first time I met you. To be frank, I have once believed what Harry said. I was horrified at the thought of your face surrendering to the years. But now, I realized how foolish I was. I do not want to betray you later in life because of your age. I am actually quite angry at Harry for trying to influence me and more importantly, you." I reassuringly told Dorian as I stared into his eyes. "So you will agree to display the portrait?" Dorian asked. "Yes, I will. Now let us go back to my place and have some tea, shall we?"
We joined hands and walked out of the gallery with confidence in our hearts. We had confidence that our love would never end.