Welcome to The Duality of Man, an original animanga role-play that features numerous supernatural creatures. Unfortunately, these various species have distanced themselves because of the war that occurred thousands of years ago, plaguing some with eyes that only see their dualism. While others meddle themself with their differences, two groups fight, each attempting to eliminate the other in for their definition of worldly peace. These two groups of the Terror Response Syndicate (TRS) and the Assembly of Phantoms (AP). With individuals fighting merely over their differences, it brings uncertainty to the outcome of this war.
We happily accept all role-players as long as they obey the rules and are capable of meeting our word count of 50. This does include those who are unfamiliar with this style of role-playing. The staff of The Duality of Man are willing to happily help those who are new to the role-playing world so they feel comfortable on site. Feel free to message the staff if you need help, they can be found here or in the site Discord and will gladly answer questions alongside calm concerns. If you have any suggestions we would love to hear them; guests may use the support board as a suggestion area as well. Should you decide to join, may I say welcome to the site and we all hope you enjoy your time here.
Yours Truely,
The Staff
season
Summer 2024
Heat has broken through into a glorious summer. The snow has entirely dried through the spring, leaving to the brilliance of the warmer months. Terror activity has risen as people are brought out of their homes, leaving the TRS in a position of consistent work. Each are attempting to maintain victory in the endless struggle for power.
Since the wonderful members of TDOM enjoy the site enough to play around on it, this thread is to assist with the site's tidying! Functionality is important and we want to make the site functional even if its activity will be minimal at best!
The world seemed outstandingly silent to Dexter during a winter afternoon out on the streets of Lorsette. Despite the fainting incident, his grandparents had insisted that the redhead got some fresh air in hopes it would make him feel better. They informed him that all text messages had to be answered to assure them that he was alright. As the man walked down the cold streets, his nose a little red and breath being released in cloudy, white wisps he wondered how walking around was suppose to make him feel better. As he walked along the sidewalk he noticed the way some people who recognized him would look at him. Some bore gazes of hatred for the introvert for his criminal past, others eyes shone with pity because he lost his parents and the remainder were conflicted. To Dexter it was the definition of annoying to be watched and it was making him uncomfortable.
A long breath was released while the redhead shoved his hands into the depths of his pockets while shrugging his shoulders to hide his face deeper into the jacket's collar. The action allowed warmth to embrace his face, but also resulted in his warm exhales to fog the lenses of his yellow and black glasses. As usual, Dexter wore a pair of comfortable jeans and as of footwear a simplistic pair of sneakers. Naturally, his yellow eyes surveyed the area to find those usual expressions when gazes drifted his way, but also how happy everybody else was compared to him. It stabbed him in the heart, reminding the young man of the sadness that clouded his head. Easily it became evident within his eyes as they glossed over with sorrow over the thought of his parents being deceased.
The expression on his face shifted, lips dropping into a frown. Momentarily, Dexter was thankful for having his mouth hidden in the collar of his jacket. Memories began flooding in, almost like a pack of wolves attacking his composed state and making him miss his parents. The introvert's gaze was soon adverted from people and remained on his feet; nobody needed to see the beginnings of an upset moment. He needed to get to his destination, a place where people were improbable to visit during the winter months, which was Starlight Cliff. Home was simply too far away and he needed a momentary refuge that would allot him enough personal time to pull himself back together. Suddenly, Dexter pace picked up while his gaze for the most part remained towards the sidewalk in hopes nobody would notice he was edging towards the brink of his composure.
When he turned off the main walkway, the amount of people thinned out significantly until the introvert felt he was alone. Steps gradually slowed and he ceased the action of hiding his face; fogging up his glasses constantly had began to get annoying. Shakily, Dexter released a slow breath in a last minute attempt to calm the rising tide of sorrows; he really wanted his parents. He began shaking a bit as he reached the top before diverging off the main path and into the treeline a little ways. Once the introvert felt as though he was out of view, he slowly settled himself below one of the trees; not caring about the snow that would likely soak through his jeans. The discomfort did not matter, Dexter believed he could not allow anybody to see him during these moments. The young man brought his knees to his chest, arms wrapping around them while his chin rested on top.
Staring at the footprints his left, the introvert began to notice as his vision grew blurry and a slight, painless pressure came behind his eyes. The upset boy was attempting to fend off the forming tears that would inevitably win. It was not long before the warm drops began to slowly roll down his cheeks. In reaction, Dexter brought the sleeve of his jacket up to wipe them away, but the effort was futile since they were shortly replaced. Upon noticing that trying to wipe them away was useless, he began hugging his knees tighter and merely allowed the teardrops to trail down his face. Quickly, his mind began raveled in thoughts about those happy days spent in the company of his parents and the moments he disappointed them. The guilt washed over him like a river, more tears proceeding to fall down his face which felt cold when the winter air embraced it.
His grandparents told him he would recover, but alas the concept seemed far out of reach. It had not been long since his parents died and with both his birthday and Christmas coming up he found himself being reminded of their absence. By no means would the special occasions ever feel the same now that his parents were gone and all the words he wished he had said not left unspoken. Inside he wanted to apologize for being a horrible son and for doing all those terrible things, for rebelling against their wise authority. He wanted to hug them and inform them of how amazing parents they were alongside how much he cared and loved them. Alas, that seemed an impossibility now which caused more droplets to fall down his face.
Somehow, Dexter managed to remain quiet while he wept in the silence of the trees. The only sound being the gentle rustling of the wind through the now bare trees. In an attempt to hide his crying, the introvert buried his face into his knees while shaky breaths escaped his mouth.
- - because it's difficult to find people who understand.
"Isn't the view just beautiful, Nickster?" Kenneth gushed as he stepped as close to the edge of the cliff as he could manage. He was lucky the weather wasn't freezing today...and that whatever win had been around before was no longer blowing...because otherwise he'd be dealing with a miserable son. The dirty blonde stepped in beside his father and glanced down. He had flown before, but staring down a thousand million feet did not make his stomach turn any less. He preferred his feet on the ground...no he preferred riding his motorcycle, but that damn thing had been stored due to the winter.
"I should bring your father here and we can make-out in the moonlight," he carried on and his son chuckled. "Do it in the sunset and light on fire so anyone passing thinks you two are suicidal vampires." He was being snarky, but his comment caused his father to grip his wrist like a child and look excited. "That is poetic," he complimented him and seemed snagged on the image of his suggestion. The dirty blonde should have expected him to actually try out his bizarre mumbling. The two separated at that point and like Kenneth had mentioned prior the cold seemed to make using his bad leg easier. The journey up there was long and a few times Kenneth needed to lean on him for support, but it wasn't an uncommon occurrence in his life by this point. Since his coma Kenneth's health had always fluctuated.
Nicolas remained where he was staring out over the cliff and unconsciously trying to steel his stomach, but the sight always made him a bit queasy. However, his time alone was eventually halted when Kenneth return and latched onto his arm and began gesturing for him to follow.
"Come come," his father told him as he continued to yank at his arm whilst limping more prominently and leaning on him more. There was a frown of concern on Nicolas face as he went to the area point out. But what his father was actually going on about had nothing to do with an emergency...but rather...something random and unrelated. "There," he stated and pointed whispering as he pointed out some kid out in the distance. "I was watching him for a few minutes and he's just sitting there all alone..." Kenneth visibly pouted looking sad, but Nicolas could never tell when he was being serious or not. The scene was unusual especially because no one else besides that kid was there crouched down hiding away.
"He might be a runaway...lost and in need of some...company," Kenneth continued and Nicolas had a feeling he knew where this was going. "Decided," he snapped before his son could even get a word in. "That's your test, go comfort him."
"What? Why don't we go together?"
"Hmmm, nope! You told me you'd try Nicolas now don't go back on your word. I'll be waiting here...watching and observing your technique. I need to know why my son hasn't found himself a match yet and I won't flounder such a perfect opportunity."
A heavy sigh left the teen as he stared at his father for a long period before rolling his eyes and stalking over to the lonesome kid. He couldn't see him moving at first and there was a bit of snow on his shoulders and head...but he didn't think he was dead...then again maybe that was exactly the situation...his fathers could have a sick sense of humour. No, he was being dramatic that type of nonsense hadn't happened in the past with his family, so it wouldn't be the case now.
"Uh...you alright there...?" the dirty blonde muttered and glanced behind him wondering where his stupid father was hiding. "You cold...?" He asked and began crouching down in front of him...lighting a flame in his hand to offer some heat? He wasn't really sure what Kenneth expected of him.
OOC: Hope my post is all right! I thought your post was really sad. I like how you implemented the fact that it's Christmas and how that adds to his misery. : <
tired of the destruction, tired of no one ever doing a damn thing
As the sorrowful time progressed, Dexter found himself hugging his knees tighter as the memories swarmed him. The upset emotions the redhead felt were increasing with every passing memory. All those times spent in the company of his wonderful parents was taken for granted and all those opportunities missed because he decided that being around his parents would be lame or exhausting. The days where they wore those disappointed expressions acted as haunting faces in the depths of his mind. As he got buried deeper into those painful thoughts, the cold was ignored, the sorrowful thoughts taking his complete attention. The emotions were simply drowning him, making him unaware of his surroundings and his own wellness; it was evident the day he had fainted. Losing those dearly close had left the introvert lost and alone.
When the stranger approached, the crouch of snow acting as a warning, the redhead did not notice. Trapped in those sorrowful thoughts while hot tears rolled down his hidden cheeks. When the man first spoke, Dexter stiffened and remained silent for a few moments. Nobody was suppose to see him upset like this, to witness the tears fall from his face. The introvert did not want to speak, out of fear it would escape his mouth in hiccups or pathetic sobs. He wanted to ignore the stranger in hopes he would leave and not bother him, but that seemed like it would be difficult. That was when the mystery man ask if he was cold and the little bit of warmth that radiated from the fire and licked at him in a welcoming manner. The introvert had not realized how cold he was until now. For a moment, Dexter brought his head out from its hiding place to see the man who held fire in his hands.
As it currently stood, the introvert's cheeks were puffy, red and coated with tears from those attempts to desperately rub them away. His breathing remained shaky and every so often Dexter would sniffle. With blurry vision from the still gathering tears, the redhead looked at the stranger. Deciphering the features were difficult considering the introvert could only see a blur of dirty blond hair and fair skin. Distinguishing him from other people seemed impossible at the current moment given his state of emotions. Dexter curled up more, shaking a bit at the realization that somebody was looking at him during an emotional moment. He desired invisibility or teleportation (that did not drain him of course) to get away from this current situation and avoid this person who noticed him. Once again, his knees were hugged tighter while the redhead looked away from the person who was merely concerned about him.
"I-i'm fine! J-just l-leave me a-alone," he choked out.
There was a hollowness to the sentence, the essence of a lie. The redhead was by no means alright and it would be difficult to create the illusion with his cheeks slicked with tears. It was obvious by the countenance of Dexter's face how upset he was since he wore a deep frown, his yellow eyes were glazed in sorrow and the tears that still ran down the trails on his face. The realization of his horrible illusion caused the redhead to bury his head in his arms as he attempted to pull himself together, yet, that seemed beyond reach. It seemed each second he tried to compose himself those sorrow filled thoughts crept back in and wreaked havoc on any attempts for composure. The misery the redhead felt was blatantly obvious as he gradually began breaking down more. He was frustrated that there was no escape from the scenario and upset over his parents being taken from him. It caused his sobbing to gain noise as he buried his head deeper and tried to force himself to stop. Alas, the emotions were over-powering and easily won the mental war.
[ awwww, thank-you! I figured it would be a good way to emphasize the sorrow that he feels. not to mention, it acted as a good method to assure his sudden upset. ]
- - because it's difficult to find people who understand.
The kid wasn't moving...clearly he was breathing...but he wasn't reacting to him at all. Maybe he wanted to be left alone? Nicolas paused, keeping the flame out as he glanced back at his second father who was nowhere to be seen now. Did he take off? Was his interest in what he wanted so easily lost? The teen had dealt with his father's fickleness all of his life...but sometimes even now it could shock him. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard slight movement from the kid and the dirty blonde brought his eyes back to him. It was then that he was given the full blown sight of his state. There was a look of immediate shock on his face, although subtle and through a bit of a frown as he realised the kid was crying...like a lot.
The kid trembled lightly before jerking his eyes elsewhere. Who knew he'd stumble upon a scene like this. Sadly, the teen felt nothing emotionally for the guy's tears because his own were beat out of him when he was a kid. It was awkward...but he didn't feel sad because tears to him were a waste, it never offered him anything.
"I-I'm fine! J-Just l-leave me a-alone," the stranger sobbed out pitifully, and the dirty blonde could barely hear him with how congested he sounded. Nicolas' gaze became more serious as the flame within his hand began to dwindle away. He could understand the humiliation the kid must have felt...and that was enough for him to do as he was told. Especially when the stranger just began breaking down more. Perhaps it was his withdrawn nature and he would rather shut out emotion than deal with it, or maybe even the fact that he was unconsciously unreliable. Whatever the reason Nicolas began standing to make his departure, however, when he turned he did pause to see Kenneth appearing. The light haired frail looking male gestured impatiently for him to turn around and when his son stubbornly shook his head and began walking away...his father did what he did best...surprised him.
Kenneth actually shot a bloody fireball...right at the kid's head. He couldn't believe his father...but he hardly had time to think as he stepped directly in the way. The flame hit his back hard...and it shouldn't have hurt him...but it wasn't just fire manipulation...there was a twinge of dark manipulation too. He would no doubt bruise, but he maintained his composure and returned to a crouch before the kid. His mouth was tensed into a fine line as he silently fought the growing need to curse. But he took another approach entirely.
"Look, I'm sorry, but this isn't the best place to be crying your eyes out. It's freezing out and...there's news of a blizzard," he was a bit harsh in the beginning but towards the end...as he blatantly lied he became somewhat awkward as he on the spot thought up whatever excuse he could to just get the kid away from his father. His hand came down onto his shoulder, his grip firm as he added.
"If you don't move I'll carry you out of here."
OOC: If Dexter does something to cut off my post don't worry. ♥ Also, Nicolas has his horns out, not sure if that'd effect how Dexter see's him or not. But I wanted to let you know!
tired of the destruction, tired of no one ever doing a damn thing
At the current moment, all Dexter wanted to do was to shut out the world around him and remain in his sorrow filled world. There was a mental pray that his desires would be answered and the stranger would leave. Based on the sounds around him, the redhead believed the attempt was successful considering and it allowed him to ease a fraction. Even though a majority of people would have seen the act insensible because most would consider it was requirement to insist on helping a crying person, Dexter believed it to be pleasant. He was emotional and currently did not want to deal with the frustrations of attempting to get a stubborn person to leave him alone. Thus, the introvert remained curled up letting the tears roll down his cheeks and feeling the heat of embarrassment on his face.
Being seen during these moments was always nerve-racking on Dexter's self-confidence as thoughts of those pitiful looks increasing entered his mind. The sometimes pitiful manner people addressed him at times caused him to feel pathetic since it was almost as though they viewed him as a sad child. It always bothered him when people viewed him like that; he was not immature! Once again, the redheads knees were hugged tighter as he wished he could stop crying or stop feeling so incredibly sad entirely. For a few moments, Dexter was certain he was alone, up until he heard the stranger speaking again; why was he still here?! While his face remained hidden, the introvert flinched as he had the suspicion he was trapped in conversation or at least in some sort of awkward scenario. Remaining in his hiding place of sorts, Dexter silently listened being uncertain of what he could do to make this man leave. It was not long until a hand was placed atop his shoulder, making the introvert more certain that the stranger was not planning to leave; or at least not without some incentive.
There was silence while the redhead thought over the situation, praying for an answer that could not arrive. He had noticed the blizzard bit, which was an obvious lie to the intelligent introvert. With a sigh, Dexter revealed his face and looked at the demon who seemed insistent on attempting to help him. Unfortunately for the demon, the redhead had no desire to move and have people see that he had been crying. One person witnessing the occurrence was already an embarrassment and allowing more to view the display was not on Dexter's agenda. A deep breath was taken to banish the shakiness from his currently upset state, however, it only worked to a small degree.
"I don't care! I'm not leaving and do you really think a lie will change that?! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE! I DON'T EVEN SEE WHY YOU CARE! YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW ME!" The introvert snapped back rather loudly.
After only a few moments did the crying worsened as he hid his face again, pale hands reaching up to grasp the hood of his coat and pull in over his head. The introvert's knees were brought as close as possible without ruining the comfort in the position. The sobbing gradually grew louder and shortly there was a difficulty in ceasing the crying. The cold around him was ignored, he was becoming too upset to care for himself or those around him. All the redhead desired was to be alone, to allow the tears to flow until they ran dry.
[ whether Nicolas' horns are out shouldn't effect his view, Dex is pretty chill with most species. c: Also, sorry if this seems a bit disorganized, I wrote half of it then was forced to leave it for a day or two before picking it up again. @-@ ]
- - because it's difficult to find people who understand.
Nicolas knew he was being callous but he didn't care. His father was the one who was making all of this difficult. Did he really believe that he could force a match up just because Nicolas was over here pestering some kid who was crying his eyes out? But like always Kenneth seemed to know how to get what he wanted without directly getting involved. The teen expected a lash back from the kid, but maybe that's what his father expected too. Maybe he was just punishing him and showing him what his life would be like if he didn't start making 'friends' on his own. He wanted to yell at his father for it...but he knew how fragile his health was...and so the teen was stuck playing his game.
"I warned you," Nicolas returned, but his tone wasn't threatening. He moved to grab the kid from underneath his arms, lift him up, and then latched onto his upper arm to being dragging him away...it was...not the best most elegant picture...but he didn't care. He needed to get the kid out of harms way and he didn't hesitate to start walking in the opposite direction of his father. Kenneth wouldn't be able to follow them with his bad leg...
'Sorry to use your own weakness against you, dad,' he thought to himself and didn't like it but he didn't want to see this kid hurt either which from the fireball display...it showed that it was a possibility and Nicolas didn't want to risk it.
"Okay, you got me on the lie," he began trying to talk to him to hopefully help distracted him from the fact that some stranger was currently dragging him away. "What about you? You saying you could see some kid out in the freezing cold, crying and just leave him?" In reality, Nicolas had respected his previous wishes...he was just now...saving his life in a new way...
OOC: No it's fine! I know you weren't feeling well! I've been feeling a bit blah too. xD; Your reply was great I like reading all of Dexter's thoughts. I wonder where this thread is going to go. xD
tired of the destruction, tired of no one ever doing a damn thing
As it currently stood, Dexter felt that his emotional state was fragile. It seemed as minutes ticked by and he remained in this frustrating situation, the worse his sobbing would become. The emotions were a mixture of sorrow and frustration alongside fear and anxiety over more individuals witnessing him in this pathetic state. Those pitiful gazes that already haunted him and with the increase of worry could come more circumstances that the introvert did not favor. Should his grandparents discover his proneness to getting upset, they may perhaps consider therapy, which was something Dexter did not desire to be put through. There was a lack of threat in the stranger's tone as Dexter felt the man latch onto his arm and force him to stand. The sudden motion made the redhead stumble slightly as he felt unsteady on his own two feet.
The cold embraced the introvert at once, the shift in position causing exposure; at least being curled up on the ground had been somewhat warm. To make matters worse, the chilling breeze touched where his jeans were soaked from sitting on the snow, causing him to shiver more. Desperately, the redhead attempted to rub away more of the tears that were causing his face to feel frozen from the wetness. Before Dexter could manage to get a word out, he was pulled forward when the stranger began walking without hesitation. For a few moments, the introvert passively followed as he attempted to get his mind organized after the sudden disturbance to his realm of sadness. After a little while, Dexter struggled against the stranger's grip in an attempt to break free; nobody could see him like this! His cheeks were still puffy and red, swollen from crying, and contained a gleam from the coating of tears that had rolled down them.
"STOP IT! LET GO!" Dexter shouted, while trying harder to struggle against the man's grip.
Unfortunately, if the stranger held hard enough, the redhead would definitely be unable to escape. There was still weakness evident from his fainting episode and his parent's death had caused him to improperly care for his well-being. At times he would skip meals, stay up crying until eventually passing out and rarely even left the comfort of his room. The loss had effected him hard, causing him to further dislike interacting with the outside world. When the stranger began speaking about whether or not Dexter would do similar in the demon's position, the redhead flinched.
"I... I... JUST LET GO!" Instead of answering, he just continued struggling. "I will be fine on my own! Nobody is suppose to see me like this! I don't want them to pity me or see how pathetic I am! Besides, it's not like anyone cares anyway!"
There was admittance in the sentence, a prayer that a little truth would make the stranger release him so he could leave. Even just surprising the demon could warrant a possibility of slipping from his grasp and running off. Some sorrowful sentences all designs as a distraction; besides, only one more person pitying him was nothing compared to an entire group. Dexter did not desire to spark sympathy since those who were aware of what happened may approached and state that they were sorry for his loss. Hearing that was similar to rubbing salt in the wound for the introvert; it was merely a reminder that his parents were gone. The first few occasions he heard it had only caused him to grow upset and for those memories to contain their lingering sting that seemed keen on staying. A few more tears tricked down from the introvert's eyes as he continued struggling against the demon's lead, his body shaking a bit out of fear of people seeing him so upset.
[ that's good to hear, I was very unsure of the reply's quality on my end since it felt messier than my usual. ^^' well, as it currently stands Dexter will attempt to get away from him at any costs rather than risk more people seeing him upset. :3 ]
- - because it's difficult to find people who understand.
Sorrow was overwhelming, engulfing Dexter as he attempted to struggle from the teenager's grasp, the redhead's declined health making him vulnerable to being overpowered. The unexpected death accompanied by recent events where the family was crucial had resulted in the bespectacled man failing to maintain a proper diet. There were plenty of incidents where his grandparents were forced to motivate the redhead to eat despite how upset and unhungry he became. Grief could drive people to accomplish idiotic actions, the negative emotions blinding the individual from the proper path. Continuously, Dexter struggled against the stranger's grip, narrowly escaping the stranger's grip. Before the wealthy gifted could properly escape, the younger man managed to pick him, throwing him over his shoulder. Immediately, Dexter began squirming in the teen's grip, displeased by being picked up. The insensitive remark only resulted in the redhead squirming more, desiring release from the mysterious stranger who interrupted his moment of emotional weakness, alas, he could never muster the strength to manage an escape. Days of poor health decision were weighing heavily on him.
[break][break]
"JUST LET ME GO! I AM OLD ENOUGH TO MAKE MY OWN CHOICES!" Dexter snapped back, sniffling slightly.
[break][break]
There was a chilly sensation through Dexter's body, however, the young man proceeded in feebly struggling against his captor. The entire situation was uncomfortable, the stranger displaying no softness as he carried him towards a lonely cabin, going lengths to cause a jolt as he kicked the wooden door. Tears remained evident in the redhead's eyes, clinging to the reddened and puffy cheeks, freezing his bare face until they finally crossed through the threshold of the cabin. Through the blurry teardrops obscuring his sight, Dexter could narrowly, the tall log walls meshing in with the light greys of the floor. A faded fireplace captured a portion of the room, white sheets covering the furniture and suggesting the location was abandoned. Once inside, the stranger grumbled a few words before setting him down, Dexter's eyes narrowing as he sniffled a few more times. There were instances where people held no choices on whether or not those haunting upset emotions would arrive. The following comment earned a scowl from the redhead as he glanced away.
[break][break]
"Shut up..." he mumbled back bitterly. "Sometimes people don't have a fucking choice."
[break][break]
Afterwards, Dexter crossed his arms, still sniffling as he desperately attempted to wipe away the tears from his face. The words the blond stated were not appreciated, the redhead already disliking the mysterious individual who found him and dragged him down to a lone cabin. The bespectacled young man was sorrowful, unable to handle the burden of grief weighing heavily on his shoulders; he could have been a better son, could have worked harder instead of falling into a sinful business. Quietly, the gifted man sniffled, still wiping away tears as he turned away from the stranger, opting to stare out the window. The windows themselves were oddly tall from what Dexter was capable of seeing, the peculiar tipi-like shape resulting in the windows have a unique shape as well. Never had the redhead entered a building with this strange a design, although, he wished it was under better circumstances. As he quietly remained in the living room, a single question stayed in Dexter's mind, which was why did this random guy care remotely about his situation to drag him out of the cold?
[break][break]
[ YUUUUUUS! I am so hyped to continue this!!! I just love how bad of terms they are starting off as. XD Dexter is clueless that Nicolas is actually protecting him. Either way, what happened in your post is likely since based on my timeline, this would be a bit after Dexter fainted, so Nicolas overpowering him would not take much effort. c: ]
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[attr="class","sorry_p_tagname"]@nicolas [break] 565 Words
Arms were crossed while Dexter sniffled, tears still trickling down his face as his lips quivered, refusing to become anything, but a sorrowful frown. Ceasing the endless water dripping from his eyes felt impossible, especially considering the redhead was upset over his sudden loss of his parents alongside his embarrassment over being found with a tear slickened face. Being overwhelmed by his emotions and the mental pain he felt was not a choice, but rather a consequence of when horrible things happened. There was an intense longing of his parent's attention, however, Dexter knew it was impossible to ever have those interactions again. As the tears proceeded, the gifted man's eyes remained locked on the floorboards, following the cracks between them. There were further sniffles, the crossed arms tightening as he allowed the tears to fall. A congested sensation remained in Dexter's throat, the young man struggling to create even an illusion of calmness. The sound of returning footsteps arrived, the redhead checking his peripherals and noticing the stranger return, setting down a roll of toilet paper. Immediately, Dexter snatched the roll, tearing off some pieces to wipe away the tears and blow his nose.
[break][break]
The sounds of movement and wood hitting the bottom of the fireplace caught the redhead's attention, his amber eyes glancing over to watch the mysterious man piled wood into the fireplace. After a mere few moments, there was a pile of toilet paper from Dexter cleaning himself up, the redhead gathering up the tissues to throw them out in the kitchen garbage; hopefully, nobody would mind. Slowly, he began walking back towards the house, stiffening when the stranger stating he would get over it without even being aware of the situation. Could he ever recover from losing his parent?
[break][break]
"Shut up... you don't know anything," Dexter mumbled, sitting back down.
[break][break]
Once the redhead stationed himself, he noticed the large, black mark on the man's jacket. A confused eyebrow was raised, Dexter wondering what happened to had potentially resulted in the large burnt mark. An extensive exhale escaped the redhead's mouth as he carefully adjusted his glasses, glancing through the messy lenses. He pulled them further from his face, reaching under his jacket and sweater to grab his shirt to carefully wipe away the distracting marks on them. Once everything was cleaned, he adjusted his glasses, pushing them up the bridge of his nose. When the man spoke again, attempting to make it clear he was not their enemy.
[break][break]
There was a soft sigh which escaped Dexter's mouth before he spoke, "... Yeah..."
[break][break]
The word was mumbled out, Dexter uncertain of how to respond to the notion. While he understood the stranger was attempting to assist him, but unfortunately the redhead wanted to be alone. The introverted man simply felt overwhelmed and as though he needed to cry everything out without anybody else around, however, fate had different plans it seemed.
[break][break]
[ AHHHH! Same! XD Dexter will think that for sure, he thinks Nicolas is a jerk. ]
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[attr="class","sorry_p_tagname"]@nicolas [break] 484 Words
Comfort was discovered when Dexter wrapped his own arms around his torso, hugging himself tightly as he desperately attempted to maintain calmness. Another man was in the room, yet, the redhead felt a suffocating sensation of loneliness because of his companion’s lack of assistance to his sensitive situation. The man had a callous attitude towards his situation, which he held no knowledge about and, yet, felt entitled to treat him horrendously in response. All Dexter had desired was solitude to hopefully soothe his mourning heart and mind. Warm colours proceeded to consume the wood, although, the warmth embrace failed to reach the redhead who remained on the couch. Despite blowing his nose being recently blown; he was simply too upset to completely calm himself. There were desires to leave the cabin, but after the attitude the horned man displayed, Dexter believed leaving would be a difficult task. Considering the demon was willing to toss him over the shoulder and literally carry him against his will to the lone cabin. Quietly, the bespectacled man proceeded to hug himself, listening to the calming sound of crackling flames.
[break][break]
Words left the blond's lips, Dexter's eyes flitting over as his attention fixated, listening to the fact the stranger planned on leaving the building. There was a chance he could finally escape the cabin and hurry home into the sanctions of the Adams Manor where he could sob as he pleased with both comfort and support from his family. As the demon stood, Dexter nodded hastily in hopes the stranger would leave and not guard the cabin. Quietly, the redhead settled on the couch, amber eyes carefully watching as the blond stood and headed towards the door, but there was something different. Immediately, the introvert's brows furrowed when he realized the room was darker than it was previously. How much time had passed since they entered the cabin? Certainly, the time could not have transitioned to evening this quickly. There was little thought towards the notion, the redhead watching intently as he waited for the stranger to open the threshold and finally leave him alone, however, it never happened. Each attempt to open the door appeared to be a failure, yet, blocking the door in a brief amount of time was impossible.
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"What the hell is going on?" Dexter asked, rising from his seat.
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Slowly, he rose from the comfortable embrace of the couch, his steps quick and brisk as he moved towards the door. Should he gain the opportunity, the introvert reached for the door, attempting to open it himself, however, there would be no budging. The attempt to open the door provided Dexter with the evidence to make a conclusion. Ultimately, they were stuck inside the confines of a cabin without any way to escape from the walls around them or one another. Instantly, a single fact became obvious, today was designed to be a horrible series of events and fate refused to give Dexter a break. An annoyed groan escaped the redhead's lips as he fished his cellphone from his pocket and noticed the text message inquiring his health sent by his grandmother. A frown touched his face as he clicked to open the message then used his fingerprint to unlock the phone. There was a single message quickly sent through taps on his screen, I'm stuck in a cabin... Can you help me, please? Undoubtedly, his grandparents would assault him with a torrent of questions, but the redhead was more fixated on limiting the time he was forced to spend with the rude stranger.
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[ PFFFFFT! Well, in some way Dexter would say that. XD Either way, it is an amusing thought. Also, no problem! Let's make this harder on them. XD Muahahaha, evil character trapped together moment! lol ]
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[attr="class","sorry_p_tagname"]@nicolas [break] 593 Words
Each letter was carefully tapped and placed into the text area, Dexter already imagine his grandmother staring directly at her messenger, waiting for confirmation or denial. Fixation was placed onto a phone, the redhead desiring assistance to escape his abrasive companion. Quietly encroached a force from the darkest corners of the cabin, from places where the fire’s light failed to reach. Smog consisting of shadows consumed the floor, although, the redhead merely proceeded, assuring there were zero spell checks in his message. Suddenly, he heard the other man’s voice, Dexter’s senses returning as his eyes widened with realization. Thick, black smog was enveloping the floor, resulting in a surprising yelp escape the redhead’s lips. There was little time to focus as arms grabbed him, pick him up. The startled emotions resulted in Dexter’s grip loosening around his phone, the device plummeting onto the wooden floor without the send button being touched. A flinch graced the redhead’s face as he realized the phone left his hand. The arms around his wrists lifted him higher, the bespectacled man glancing to notice the blond’s large wings; how many demonic traits did this man have?! They were hovering above the smog, Dexter squirming slightly as he watched the wrestling shadows below.
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Beneath him, he could sense the loose darkness manipulation creating a smog-like consistency. After a few moments, the bespectacled man’s eye’s widened as he stared where his phone was. The screaming did not disturb him, but rather the thoughts of how his grandmother would react watching the typing indicator disappear with no text message.
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“... Oh fuck… I-I need my phone!” he stated, squirming slightly, ignoring the question momentarily. “NO! MY GRANDMA IS GOING TO FREAK, DAMMIT! If we’re in danger, my grandparents sure as hell are when they get here!”
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Panic settled in quickly, a nervousness breaching Dexter’s expression as endless concerns flooded his mind. Chances were, his grandmother would overreact and request a driver to immediately take them to the location of his phone. Despite the danger below them, the redhead’s worries about his family making it impossible for him to cease struggling. Thoughts were rushing at light speed through his mind, Dexter having difficulty thinking straight. Senses gradually led the worried redhead to a potential escape from the situation, the darkness manipulating gifted praying there was a way out. A deep breath was taken, the bespectacled man attempting to focus, desperately hoping he could control the smog below, but nothing happened. A grimace breached his face as he watched the wreathing mass of shadows pooling on the cabin's floor. The threatening darkness below was undisturbed by the gifted's attempts, resulting in a frown touching his lips.
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"I... I can't get it to move," Dexter mumbled in defeat until his eyes flitted to the stranger. "You're a demon... can you move the darkness so I can get my phone? If you do, I can get both of us out of here."
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The dangerous situation they were placed into was menacing, thus Dexter believed the insensitive individual could be searching for a method of escape. Unfortunately, the downsides which would inevitably arrive worried the redhead immensely since there would be no possible way to defend himself. Shadow teleporting, the riskiest method of escape the gifted man held in his hand, but definitely a type which could hastily evacuate them from the cabin with little injury.
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[ Well Dexter didn't like his phone being taken away. XD This will be a fun rollercoaster! ]
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[attr="class","sorry_p_tagname"]@nicolas [break] 563 Words
Endless concerns about his grandparent's well-being flooded through Dexter's mind, his fears of loss remained fresh after losing his parents in November. Despite potential getting hurt no longer mattered, the redhead desiring to avoid the mourning from more family members passing away; the first time was enough. There was an aching deep in the introvert's heart as he foolishly struggled in the stranger's grip. Concentration was increased, the redhead attempting to move the darkness despite being more inept than the mysterious force which manifested it. When they moved further from the phone, Dexter eyes widening as he squirmed slightly more, his heart nervously slamming against his sternum. He feared for his overprotective grandparents who would most certainly follow the phone's signal. Would this mysterious force attack them for attempting to find their missing grandson? The last thing Dexter desired was for somebody's death to be entirely his fault. He already failed to provide his parents with an incredible son who could have brought them happiness and pride, but he wanted his grandparents to be around while he changed; he did not want to be alone...
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The gifted man squirmed, surprise invading his concerned expression when he heard the sounds of shattering glass. Immediately, his amber eyes flitted towards the stranger who broke the window, shards of glass reflecting sunlight and glittering as they fell. The demon's wings provided safety, Dexter failing to comprehend why this complete stranger decided to rescue him from everything bad. Wings were flapping, the redhead carefully adjusting himself to avoid being scratched by the menacing remnants of glass remaining stuck in the window frame. Breaths were faster, worry permanently clinging to Dexter's face as the distance was created between himself and the phone. The bespectacled man bit down on his lip as he tried to fight the worrisome tears fighting to surface.
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"NO! PLEASE! I NEED IT! IF THEY GO THERE, THEY MIGHT GET HURT!" He shouted, squirming fearfully for his grandparent's safety.
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The location was unanswered as Dexter squirmed, more worried about his grandparents than his own safety. He was narrowly avoiding the surfacing of tears, his thoughts tormenting him with the notion of somebody attacking his beloved grandparents. The mentioning of the phone made him flinch, the bespectacled man only memorizing the home phone's number; contacts existed for a reason. The location was provided in a quiet murmur, Dexter reaching up to grab the phone. The numbers were quickly dialed in an anxious hurry, Dexter praying the servants could persuade his grandparents to turn back.
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"Someone better be home... or else you are dropping me off and I am getting my phone," Dexter stated while he listened to the ringing.
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There were two rings before the familiar greeting of an Adams' family servant answered, "Greetings, you have reached the Adams' residence, is there somebody certain you wish to speak with?"
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The male tone which answered the phone was quickly given a name in Dexter's mind, Thomas Waterson. The man was older and always answered in a professional tone whenever his grandparents were gone or preparing to leave.
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"Hey, Thomas! I need you to call my grandparents and tell them I will be home soon! Tell them they can't go to where my phone signal is, please?!" Dexter stated, the words hurrying out of his mouth.
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A soft sigh escaped Thomas' lips before he answered, "Very well, Master Dexter."
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"Thank you! Bye!"
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Only mild relief flooded through Dexter once he hung up the phone, praying his grandparents would listen to the servant's message. Slowly, he reached up to return the phone to the stranger's pocket, the bespectacled man attempting to relax while he would be flown towards the suburbs, specifically the wealthier side where large houses were.
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[ Ooooh! That could work! : D Also, Dexter did give directions, I just kept it vague since I suck at street names. XD ]
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[attr="class","sorry_p_tagname"]@nicolas [break] 622 Words
Protectiveness and reckless decision-making manifested at the notion of potentially losing more than his parents. The loss of his parents was devastating, but Dexter knew possibly losing his grandparents would be another heartbreaking occurrence. Pessimistic thoughts of impossible recovery from four life-shattering deaths entered his mind, thus it prompted his threats about returning for the cellphone he dropped. He refused to feel the pain of losing more family suddenly and violently. Murdered by terrors while being driven home in a taxi, it was a frightening thought for an abrupt demise. The thought always disturbed his stomach and worried him about possibly meeting a similar death... Similarly, his grandparents were terrified of losing him, going lengths to insist on installing a tracking app so they could find his exact location should he fail to respond to any text messages. The entire Adams family was filled with people scared of losing another person close to them, all rattled by the abrupt deaths of the two wealthy, company heads. News stores never captured the amount of anguish and fear created from those chilling stories, thus nobody knew about how over-protective they became of one another.
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Once soothed by informing one of their butlers, Dexter quietly watched the ground pass beneath them. Something was thrilling about being at these heights, watching the world beneath pass by. It was calmer than the rollercoaster rides Dexter enjoyed in his teen years but held a tinge of fear because of the distance away from the ground. The redhead was thankful he was not terrified of heights. Quietly, the amber-eyed adult watched the world passed beneath, noticing as they closed in on the lavish Adams' Manor. Their landing was interesting, the lack of grace resulting in a slight stumble on Dexter's part as he attempted to create room. Blood landed on his jacket, the weather-resistant material failing to absorb the red liquid. As the man retorted, the redhead narrowed his eyes, but before he could speak the manor's front doors would burst open and reveal a pair of elderly people quickly hurrying towards him. Despite their age, they crossed the distance quickly, the female of the pair immediately wrapping her arms around Dexter.
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"DEXTER!" A tight squeeze was taken, prompting the redhead to hug her back before she pulled away.
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Worry was obvious, his grandmother anxious about her grandson's well-being and he could hardly blame her. Chances were, their eyes were glued to the Life360 app used to track the location of Dexter's phone. Concerns undoubtedly flooded through their mind when they noticed the motionless tracker after he stated being on his way home. Slowly, his grandfather approached from behind her, a stern expression on his face. His grandmother, Colleen, carefully released her grandson and shared a similar expression.
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"No more adventures into the city for a bit, okay? The elderly man, Wayne Adams, said.
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Embarrassed and quiet, Dexter merely nodded, amber eyes refusing to meet theirs. The redhead knew they were concerned about his safety, and after what happened today, he could not reassure them it would never happen again. Eventually, Colleen glanced around her grandson and noticed the horned man with wings who brought her grandson home. She favoured him with a thankful smile, Dexter watching as she walked around him to approach.
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"Thank you for bringing my grandson home," she said graciously.
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The smile she wore crumbled as he looked over the young man, noticing the blood seeping from his arm. Once again, Colleen glanced over at her grandson with a worried expression before return her eyes on the person she assumed was a young man.
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"How about you come inside? We have some peroxide and bandages for those cuts," she offered.
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Her tone was insisting, making it clear she would merely try harder if the offer was refused. There were no doubts about Colleen Adams being a good-natured woman, albeit, occasionally over-bearing or downright excitable if placed in the right crowd. Alas, her mood was dampened by worry, specifically with what her grandson was involved in. Meanwhile, Dexter's eyes fixated on the concrete walkway leading up to the large manor as he concerned himself with the upcoming interrogation about what happened while he was out.
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[ YAY! ADIRA LIVES!!! Also, if it helps Nicolas, Dexter will be interrogated which he will hate. ]
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[attr="class","sorry_p_tagname"]@nicolas [break] 701 Words
Anxious and thoroughly embarrassed, Dexter awkwardly stood awaiting his grandparent's requests. The inevitable interrogation was worrisome because of the manner used to enter the cabin. Criminal acts were something the Adams' family were strangers too, mostly due to his foolishness a mere few months ago. Forceful entrances, thievery, graffiti and a variety of other crimes coloured Dexter's history, thus, he feared the response he would receive should he mention the cabin break-in. Reprimanding? Lecturing? All of the above? The final appeared the most probable considering his grandparents would be upset he failed to avoid those types of situations. They would undoubtedly be disappointed, or perhaps downright angry because he allowed the assumed demon to break into the cabin. The redhead knew his grandparents would disapprove, but he mostly feared the possibility of being punished for something he never did. He never demanded the man who saved him to break down the cabin's door and instead wriggled and complain throughout the entirety of being carried because he feared the possibility of embarrassment encroaching. People would leap at gossip, especially the type which involved a member of the Adams' family displaying their true emotions after the deaths.
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A hand grasped Dexter's shoulder, making the young man stiffen and glance at his grandfather. The man's wrinkled face leaned closer, eyes examining the small drop of blood. Once satisfied, his pointer finger is used to push up his black, wire-rimmed glasses higher onto the bridge of his nose. There appeared to be no injuries on his grandson, however, it never ceased his relentless worrying.
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"You're not hurt, right Dexter?" He inquired softly while Colleen invited the demon inside.
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Slowly, Dexter nodded in response to his grandfather's question. The redhead was thankful to be uninjured since past behaviours exhibited by his grandmother allowed him to easily imagine her over-reactive fretting over him receiving a mere cut. When the blond refused her assistance, Colleen's eyes softened, her mouth opening briefly to insist, however, she sympathized with the notion of worried parents. An understanding smile stretched across her cheeks, small, but respectable.
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"Well, you are welcomed to come back if you ever need help. You be careful. Thank you again for bringing my grandson home, he can definitely be a handful," she said, attempting to lighten the mood.
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Slight red touched Dexter's cheeks, but before he gained the opportunity to whine, the stranger provided peculiar words of farewell. The bespectacled man's amber eyes widened slightly, brows furrowing in surprise at the odd statement. Moments prior, they were constantly bickering because the blond refused to leave him alone. There was slight confusion on the countenances of his grandparents at the unexpected comment, but they allowed silence to reign. Once the stranger turned to leave, Colleen silently watched, waving with a smile on her face when he glanced back. Only after the blond left their vicinity did her expression shift to stern as she turned to Dexter.
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"Now... care to tell us why you were stuck in a cabin?" she demanded as he was ushered inside.
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Text messages from earlier were unfortunately remembered... which meant Dexter would be thrown into the deep end. The redhead flinched, his prayers of escaping his interrogation unanswered. Trouble would arrive in the form of lecturing or punishment, which the wealthy, young adult knew all too well.
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[ We already discussed the upcoming thread obviously since you got it up while my slow butt is was still getting this wrapped up XD, but I agree where it would have been an interesting environment. <3 Especially with the Adams' Manor being lavish and quite large. ]
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[attr="class","sorry_p_tagname"]@nicolas [break] 553 Words
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