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!
Anxieties lingered in Malakai's head while he continued to sort the bottles of varying bright colours. The healing based concoctions oftentimes revealing a red or pink spectrum, pain relievers being vivid blues and dark purples and the others having alterations depending on the ingredients. The shades captured inside the bottles swirled together, making their potency in magic obvious from a mere glance. Meanwhile, the disinfectants were stored in small, circular containers. The substance itself was unmixed and was given a thicker viscosity since the field medic oftentimes left them in the form of salves. Placing it onto an infected wound promoted the healing process by banishing the pathogens; without it, the injury could possibly fester from disease. Similarly, he had salves designed to soothe and heal burns, some specifically made for holy water based inflictions.
With a meticulous intent, the bespectacled man continued sorting through the potions that accompanied him. Extensive breathing continued while Malakai hovered over the table, glancing at the bottle of varying shapes. Each was glass, specially enhanced for improved durability to avoid hefty damage or clean up depending on the situation. Corks acted as caps for the transparent containers, the tiny sponge-like tops keeping the liquid in. The constant licking of the liquids beneath resulted in the corks maintaining a hint of that colour near their smaller bottoms. It was the slightest hint of colour from the result of sloshing of the potions from his journey to the building and numerous medical excursions. Once he completed setting the potions into their groups, Malakai checked over the various concoctions, nodding once he confirmed all required potions were gathered. There were still concerns about possibly missing an important item for the teaching session.
Shortly, he turned towards the small assembly of papers that provided some information about his student. There was a nervousness while Malakai sifted through the notes, his mind attempting to piece together a perfect lecture. The concept was where his anxieties increased tenfold. The full-fledged medic oftentimes failed in the realm of social interaction, making him question whether or not the superior had made a good choice. There was no possible way he could accomplish this with the necessary amount of skill for mentoring an apprentice. While he spiralled into the pit of nervousness, Malakai's breathing quickened, his hands automatically fidgeting with the fringes of his uniform. After a few moments, the bespectacled man narrowed gathered himself with thoughts and became startled by the subtle noise of the door opening. Immediately, the medic's eyes flickered towards the door while he momentarily tensed in surprise from the sudden movement. A slow breath of relief escaped his lips, although, notes of nervousness remained.
Another deep breath was taken while his student entered, Malakai nervously adjusting his collar from an impulsive fidgetiness. Slowly, he closed the folder and watched as a young, short adolescent entered with a surgical mask strapped to their face, concealing numerous facts about the individual. There was a flicker of confusion as Malakai witnessed the adolescent enter the room for only a moment. While the provided information in the folder gave insight about his apprentice, the full-fledged medic had not quite expected this. From what Malakai was aware of, his student was of the male gender and possessed the name Jamie Ungalaq; or at least the notes stated this. The female who escorted his apprentice shortly left before closing the door behind them, leaving them within the room. There was a pause while Malakai attempted to piece together a greeting, desperately searching for the correct words; why couldn't they pick somebody better at this?! He was obviously a horrible excuse for a mentor, his socially awkward tendencies thoroughly proving the concept as true.
There was a self-consciousness that grasped Malakai as he attempted to piece together a response. The pause itself was drawn-out and awkward as the full-fledged medic found difficulty in merely greeting his student. They had spent a few moments together and already Malakai's inept social capabilities were being displayed. While he prepared to speak, his eyes flitted around the room, refusing to remain stationed on his apprentice.
"Um... H-hello," he began pathetically.
A nervous shake entered his voice, transforming it into a slight squeak. Red flared into the bashful man's cheeks which was fortunately obscured by the thick-rimmed, black glasses that circled his eyes. The man sucked in a breath, holding it for a few moments before slowly releasing it. A small mental pep-talk was provided as the bespectacled man attempted to convince his self-conscious nature that he could accomplish this task.
"I'm Malakai M-Moors," he responded with a sheepish smile. "A-and you're J-jamie, right? F-feel free to take a s-seat."
Awkwardly, the full-fledged medic gestured towards the few seats within the small room. Quickly, his hazel eyes flitted towards the bottles settled carefully on the table in their groups. After the sheepishly provided greeting, Malakai's eyes remained fixated on the potions he meticulously created. Out of anxious instinct, the bashful man began chewing on his lower lip while he attempted to battle the feelings that warred within him. There were a few brief thoughts taken to where exactly he desired to begin the lesson, but an introduction to the teachings was needed.
"An-anyways," he began slowly, flinching from the stutter, "so... um... if you have any q-questions, feel free to ask... okay?"
Gradually, the bashful man began gathering the words for a proper introduction into the medical field while he waited to hear more from his apprentice. There were silent prayers that the student would not be mischievous or difficult to work with considering the man's fears of confrontation; it always proved troublesome. There were rare moments where Malakai could speak against somebody's decision, a majority belonging to when he worked on the field. The terrain and intensity of the atmosphere could transform him in a way, providing him with a vague sense of confidence and courage to continue working despite the frightening surroundings. Unfortunately, this was a quiet classroom where his anxieties crawled into his thoughts, gnawing at potential bravery like vicious wolves. Nervousness was accompanied by the brutal force of self-conscious thinking that battled against the inner perfectionist. It was a consistent war of emotions that oftentimes left Malakai apprehensive in the current situation.
Anxiousness had transcended over Malakai when he received a message about being entrusting with apprentice training; a responsibility that required social prowess in his opinion. Nerves were panicking over the concept of forced social interaction between himself and a younger pupil who would require his assistance through long-winded lectures and hands on training. Prior to arriving at the TRS headquarters had been an anxious potion packing session alongside a stumbling through possible lecturing, but the bashful man remained nervous. The inner perfection was persistent, insisting against the possibility of the lesson progressing smoothly. Especially considering the shakiness that entered his hands during some instances of packing his potions away in the specialized case designed for carrying the vast arrangements. From healing to pain relievers alongside a few others that remained less frequent in usage, but maintained value among the collection.
Each step contained an essence of nervousness, the bashful man's steps containing hesitation. Body language continued to be a timidly closed off, with Malakai crossing his arms despite the case in his right hand. The entire walk displayed a lacking in activity, the day passing by slowly as the ravenette wandered through the hall, fretting over the training session. There was a churning in his stomach from the anxieties he felt alongside the constant self-consciousness that orbited his brain, reminding him of past errors. How was he expected to accomplish this significant task? He spoke in quiet stutters a majority of the time, his confidence remaining limited to field-based work. Then his jumbled mind could barely focus on a proper beginning of the lecture, Malakai growing concerned that he would generate more questions than solve them. There were also intense concerns over receiving a troublesome student who caused mischief, challenging his authority and silencing him with irritable responses.
An extensive breath was taken and a momentary pause in movement, the full-fledged medic attempting to calm his nervous thoughts. The responsibility was highly important, but he required an air of tranquility to accomplish the task at hand. The bespectacled man continued down the hall, his TRS uniform hugging his shoulders, displaying his alignment for those who happened to notice his passing. Slowly, Malakai continued down the halls of the medical ward, requesting for the apprentice to meet him here instead of the training center; the ravenette found the medical ward more relaxing. The familiar smells of disinfectant and quietness during the slower days at the headquarters oftentimes allowed for an excellent environment that he prayed an apprentice could appreciate; there was also consideration taken towards possibly forgotten supplies. There was always a friendly hum of sound as patients were tended to, the ward medics borrowing time for conversation to create a comfort.
It was incredibly contrast compared to the constant loudness of on-field work. The pain-filled screams of the wounded and sounds of combat always enveloped the battlefield, forcing for fixation on work instead of possible death or injury. There was fright clinging to the air, making the heart palpitate immensely in horror as warring continued. Land was damaged, various individuals receiving the brunt of the blow with some remaining still, never to move again. The chaos was something Malakai signed up for, his determination to assist those around him allowing the sensitive man to maintain a calm vestige through the horror show. With a quick shake of the head, the bespectacled man banished those thoughts while he turned a corner, entering a small room. There was a silence inside the room considering the lack of people that inhabited it.
Within the center was a small, circular table with a few chairs while the walls were lined with books, bottles and ingredients. The room itself was used for potion mixing, but once the storage were filled, it became mostly empty. Usually, the staff inside the medical ward remained passive towards the concepts of mentors bringing their apprentices inside for training. There was convenience in using the room considering its close proximity to the patients; sometimes mentors gave apprentices a tour to provide a vague idea of the occupation. The case was set onto the table, Malakai flipping the latches and opening it to gaze upon the numerous potions inside; a medic's best friend in all regards. Thankfully, the bespectacled man had managed to arrive early, granting him more time for setting up the potions and preparing for a opening for the lesson. While his thoughts whirled around his head, Malakai began taking the assortment of potions from the case and setting them onto the table.
The bottles were grouped, more specific potions being categorized by their effects while mixture were placed in a long row. Their labels explained their purpose, some having numbers etched beside the title to distinguish batches and recipes; sometimes other recipes had better effects. Deeper into the case was gauze, medical tape, scissors, clothes and various other smaller items; he attempted to limit it towards the basics for today if possible. Another extensive breath was taken, the full-fledged medic taking a few steps backwards to glance over the arrangement. Once satisfied, he nodded to himself and began to fixate on creating a suitable lecture to train his new apprentice.
Suffering the necessity of perfection constantly resulted in moments of harsh self-opinions for Malakai, all possessing the sinister voice of his abusive mother. Perfection was required, anything lower was merely sub-par and abhorrent; punishable by severe scolding for the ignorance. Prior to the abusive relationship his mother had informed of the necessity; the time when affection and love were provided instead of fearful glances and vicious attacks. Obviously, his mother would have been truthful during those days, right? Those were the moments when she loved him because he was her son. The soft hand that settled on his shoulder earned the medic's attention, his hazel eyes fixating on Jordan's adorable face. There was tenderness discovered in the words as his acquaintance insisted against Malakai's notion, giving practicality to argue. While the bespectacled man remained unprepared to give up on the concepts of perfection, the words were touching.
Within Malakai's chest, his heart fluttered wildly from the words while he was left completely speechless; he lacked a defense. There was a certain divinity to Jordan's words, superior to the medic's father and anybody else who informed him of the details which left him stunned. It almost appeared that the blond's opinion was beyond their's, like his approval was significant compared to others. The bashful man's eyes had lingered on Jordan's face and when the smile entered his companion's lips, red hastily coloured Malakai's cheeks. There was a quality of adorableness in witnessing the blond smile which kept a heavy blood flow through the usually pale cheeks of the medic. At intervals of their interaction, Malakai swore he was nearing a heart attack with the palpitations of his heart and the strange reactions his body and mind possessed around this acquaintance. The reasoning for this was beyond the medic, but he craved the knowledge.
The comment about enjoying his company increased the effects, allowing for the red to consume the bashful man's face. This attractive man may become his death with the persistent heart flutters and the feeling of fire spreading across his face. Even sitting beside Jordan generated feelings of anxiety, excitement with a peculiar mingling of joy. Extensive breaths acted as Malakai's method to calm his rampant nerves.
"... Th-th-thank-you for... what y-you said earlier..." Malakai softly mumbled, referring to the insisted against the necessity of perfection.
The response was late, but the medic felt it was obligatory to state. The calmness of the general scenery around them allowed for Malakai to gradually enter a state of comfort in the situation. Birds chirped their songs, animals quietly roamed the underbrush and the careful swaying of leaves in the subtle breeze. Unexpectedly, the bashful man felt Jordan's long, slender fingers wrap gently around his wrist, guiding his hand towards the soft grass. The action brought the return of the bashful emotions, alongside a softness to Malakai's expression at the details that the blond noticed in nature. It was truthfully admirable, especially since nobody displayed an incredible attention to detail to show him the softness in fresh spring grass.
"... It really is," he responded quietly.
The medic's hazel eyes remained fixated on the grass, surprised by the feeling of it brushing against his hand. After he asked his inquiry about Jordan's opinion of nature, Malakai's eyes gradually returned to the man, noticing the perking towards being asked. The action warmed the bespectacled man's heart since witnessing it was incredible and suggested and enjoyment for forested areas; maybe they could walk together some day. Attentively, Malakai watched and listened to Jordan, evening managing to notice the exited glimmer that entered his eyes. Once again, a series of palpitations entered the medic's heart from merely observing. Bashfully, the ravennette glanced away, concerned that his eyes would linger on his company for too long.
"I-i-i see," he responded nervously. "... Um... m-maybe w-w-we could walk to-together... sometime?"
The words arrived in an anxious squeak, the medic unable to even maintain eye contact while asking. Extending the amount of time he could spend with Jordan was becoming vital, or at least as the assistance of these peculiar feelings that transcended over Malakai. There was still that sense of being pulled towards the blond, almost as though a strong gravity kept the bespectacled man close, refusing notions of leaving unless asked or required.
A serenity was settled onto nature, but provided no comfort to Malakai as he remained in the blond's presence. There were peculiar vibes radiating from this handsome man who had required his medical expertise. The passing seconds appeared constantly occupied with a pounding heart rate, intensely warm face and the red that infected his cheeks. These feelings were foreign, yet, there was a vague familiarity in the description of how his body reacted to Jordan's presence. Where had he read about this before? The numerous medical books that adorned the basement bookshelves appeared to be the most probable culprit of this mild familiarity. Considering the various individuals the medic was expected to handle during work hours, there was possibility in acquiring illness; certainly that was the reasoning. Although, a mysterious force rebuked against the notion, insisting towards significance in his acquaintance.
It was odd to discover importance in a stranger, and the bashful man could not comprehend the verdict. This transcending of emotions was complex and a swirling of joyfulness, anxiety and self-consciousness. Those nervous insecurities outweighed the happiness, making it a simple task for Malakai to submit to the tormenting emotions. When Jordan began insisting against his modest attitude towards potion making, the ravenette's eyes quickly glanced towards his face. Listening to the compliment had caused the pace of his heart to increase, but the final remark made it skip. The softness in the blond's tone alongside the eyes contact caused the medic to hastily glance away as he attempted to ponder a defense for his self-conscious thoughts. The perfectionist inside constantly insisted that mistakes were incorrect, furthering the concept to working hard in order to be on par with his peers. Although, the medic always found difficulty in believing he could do anything correctly despite the various examples displayed in his medical ventures.
"... B-but... I... I..." He began, a flinch crossing his expression from the pathetic starting. Speech transitioned to a mumble in a quiet tone. "A-aren't I suppose to try t-to be perfect? B-besides... I don't do a-anything right..."
The justification for his remarks were based around his absurd requirement for displaying his intense lacking in self-confidence. The scars of the traumatic experience while living with his mother were evident in his incredibly low self-esteem. Perfection was a necessity in his mother's eyes, resulted in her deciding to berate his mistakes which furthered in her discovery of his sexuality. The mere thought caused a tremble to enter Malakai's body momentarily, the bashful man immediately pushing the horrible memories away. Gradually, he returned to the situation to listen to Jordan's comment. The initial causing a tiny grin to play across his lips until the later brought surprise. Red painted itself across the medic's face, bright and warm. The wink accompanied by the smirk made the redness intensify, bringing the colour to the tops of Malakai's ears and forcing him to glance away shyly. Responding became extremely difficult because of the remark, the ravenette attempting to rush through possible sentencing while discarding any that were viewed as inadequate.
"Um... y-you really want m-me around?" He started, nervousness claiming his tone. "I-I wouldn't m-mind..."
A sheepish smile managed to crawl onto Malakai's face, although, it remained rather awkward. Secretly, the medic was desiring a method to hide his reddened face from the handsome blond despite how pointless the accomplishment would be; Jordan had probably noticed his blushing multiple times. Bashfully, his eyes flitted towards Jordan, noticing those attractive features and shortly the flushed cheeks, causing the medic's hazel eyes to linger. Witnessing the blond blushing was adorable, making it tough for Malakai to pry his gaze. When the grin arrived and the answer provided, the medic quietly bent down to retrieve his medical supplies and return them to the satchel, although, hesitated when the stranger continued. Jordan had stated he did not desire for him to leave, which caused his fluster intensify. The blush was maintained to the highest degree, his face feeling as though it literally caught fire and his heart continued dancing around his chest as though the apocalypse would arrive soon.
Once he managed to return the supplies to his bag, Malakai stood and turned towards the attractive blond sitting cross-legged on the grassy floor. Merely glancing over the man's beauty was generating desires to remain in his presence. Hesitantly, the medic retrieved his bag from the ground and slowly made his way closer where he settled himself silently beside the blond.
"Um... okay," he squeaked out.
Redness accompanied by heat encompassed his face as a result of the embarrassing squeak, causing Malakai to glance away. For a few moments, the medic remained silent, finding speaking difficult as a result of bashfulness. There were several moments where he craved social adeptness, but currently he desired it more than ever.
"... Uh... do you l-like the for-forest?"
The question was asked nervously as an attempt to discover a topic of conversation. While he inquired the stranger, Malakai's hazel eyes searched through the trees, almost as though they could provide him social support.
Tranquility was discovered in the surroundings as amber light shined through the trees. Leaves gently spiraled through the subtle wind as the branches above danced in soothing rhythms. The calmness of the forest heralded the return of birds chirping. There was a brief moment of attention given towards the change, Malakai's eyes gazing through the slender branches of the trees. There was something about the scene that appeared staged, almost as though each piece was perfectly set. Gaining the chance to tend to a patient whose appearance was defined as perfect in an incredible setting; it seemed like something off of a movie screen. The atmosphere was soothing on medic's nerves as his hazel eyes returned to the scrapes as he replaced the salve for gauze. Tenderly, he proceeded to wrap the bandage around Jordan's wounded hand.
The theatrical response towards improving health habit earned a soft frown to cross Malakai's expression. There were numerous hunters who displayed the dramatics of requiring rest, but nonetheless he appreciated listening to the possible obeying of a medic's orders. Alas, concern remained apparent in the ravenette's hazel eyes as he continued bandaging. Those scars he witnessed before suggested the possibility of Jordan ignoring medical based orders. A gentle sigh escaped through the medic's lips as he continued inspecting his work. Listening to the genuine tone beneath was difficult to detect, leaving Malakai to presume the chance of the apprentice hunter getting injured again. Normally, he could tolerate the dramatics hunters and scouts displayed towards requiring a break for healing, but this situation left butterflies in his stomach. Injuries were natural, however, the concept of the blond getting wounded again made him anxious. The slightest trembled entered his movements over the thought which resulted in the gauze becoming too loose.
Noticing the quivering caused Malakai to flinch as guilty emotions raised from his momentary bandaging blunder. Extensive breaths were taken, soothing the bashful medic's anxieties before attempting the task again. A firmness was given to the gauze as the shy man cautiously continued bandaging. As the finishing point gradually grew closer, the medic's eyes began drifting over Jordan's body to locate the next injury to tend to. As he scrutinized the blond, he noticed him gazing towards the azure sky, muscles popping with the effects of swallowing. The subtle movements of his companion's muscles captured Malakai's gaze, fixating it and ceasing the bandaging. There was a handsome quality in it, displaying the lean muscles that Jordan possessed which reminded the ravenette of earlier. The man stationed in front of him was the definition of perfection.
Immediately after pondering it, the medic's face heated up as red coloured his cheeks, the bridge of his nose and even the tips of his ears. Accompanying the heat and redness was heart palpitations and irregular breathing created from nervousness. There were few occasions that Malakai became flustered over another man's appearance, yet, it never reached these incredible lengths whenever it occurred. The medic attempted to continue his task, bashfully glancing back at the bandages to continue accomplishing the task at hand. Pondering about the attractiveness of another man was a forbidden act considering the haunting words his mother left. Those horrible memories, the actions that occurred under the care of that woman and the concept of her inflicting those pains onto others.
With a shaky breath, the medic continued wrapping the gauze around the attractive man's knuckles. Malakai's attention returned to the conversation when Jordan gave an enthusiastic response towards the concept of potion making. The sudden excitement caught the bashful man off guard, causing him to tense in surprise. At the mentioning of the tree, the ravenette gave the poor creature a glance. The numerous battle wounds it possessed from what appeared to be years of being subjected to torment showed on its damaged surface.
"Well... I-I'm not the greatest at m-making them... I only know m-medical related ones really, b-better people can do just about anything... There are way better potion m-makers," he mumbled self-consciously."Um... Isn't there a s-s-safer way to train? ... One that d-doesn't involve h-hurting your knuckles?"
There was a soft tone to Malakai's voice in prayer that he could convince Jordan to change this reckless habit. Shortly, the medic's gaze returned to the blond, glancing over the various wounds with a concerned softness in his hazel eyes. Gradually, they trailed towards the freshly bandaged hand, the bashful man promptly finishing off the wrapping. The gauze was cut, followed by the meticulous taping of the fabric edging. Afterwards, the work was scrutinized by Malakai's watchful eyes as he analyzed the quality of his work and discovering satisfaction. He rose from the forest floor, his eyes flitting away from possible eye contact.
"Umm... Anywhere else you w-want me to look at?" Malakai asked quietly. "I-I understand if you w-want me to leave... you were tr-training and... I... uh... w-wouldn't want to dis-distract you."
The medical supplies remained on the grassy floor, quietly awaiting retrieval or further use while their owner's gaze drifted shyly towards them. There was something pulling Malakai to stay in this beautiful scene with the handsome man, almost as though a little voice insisted this was the correct path; as though fate's strings bound him to this destination.
[ Congrats~! It is really well done. c: Sorry if this one gets weird in certain instances, I had to leave it 2-3 times before continuing. ]
Anxious emotions still remained in Malakai despite the subtle attempts to provide comfort made by his delightful company. The constant fluttering of his heart alongside self-conscious thoughts were still managing to disrupt him from keeping a calm disposition. Commonly, the bashful man's nervous tendencies would fade during medical work, but currently he found that the passing seconds spent tending to Jordan's wounds were making his heart beat skyrocket. This opportunity seemed precious and different from the numerous other individuals who required Malakai's medical expertise. The hiss that raised from the blond caused the field medic to stiffen, a mild guilt sparking over bringing pain to the attractive male. The action appeared reckless in the ravenette's mind since he neglected to inform his patient about the stinging that accompanied the infection banishing powers of the salve. Nervously, Malakai bit his lower lip, his gaze drifting towards the grassy forest floor with guilt.
"... S-sorry... I should have t-told you it... uh... stings," Malakai responded timidly.
Despite the emotions of guilt, the field medic continued working towards the goal of assisting the handsome blond with his numerous wounds. A delicate touch was given while the field medic continued to carefully wrap the bandages around the scraped knuckles to keep a pleasant balance of tightness and gentleness; too tight would bring pain and too gentle would result in the gauze unraveling. While he wrapped the blond's hand, his hazel eyes trailed the numerous signs of former injuries featured across the hunter's hand, witnessing as the gauze hid a portion from sight. Once the wrapping was finished, Malakai's hand softly held the end of the bandage in place while reaching for the small strands of medical tape. He plucked a single piece from the holder, gently placing it over the tail as he listened to Jordan.
Immediately, the medic's eyes flitted towards his company with concern obvious by his countenance. The thought of Jordan recklessly removing the bandages and reprimanding the chance to heal caused Malakai's heart to skip a beat with worry. Regularly, the bashful man would concern himself with the health of his comrades, but in this situation perturbed the medic differently considering the notion of the blond getting repeatedly wounded was unbearable.
"... Um... you should l-let them heal... It's un-unhealthy not to," he said softly. "Not allowing them to heal... it can cause per-permanent injury..."
There was hints of concern touching the medic's voice while he spoke, praying that the handsome blond would heed his words. Hunters were bound by the chains of their duty to get wounded, but a time of healing was always provided in the aftermath for the fortunate survivors of the latest battle and permanent injuries would not assist the efforts. Shortly, Malakai's gaze returned to the wounds in order completed bandaging the one hand he continued to the second that bore the numerous scrapes. Once again, the medic retrieved the cloth to tenderly wash away the dirt as he attempted to avoid causing Jordan pain again. Listening to the pained hiss from applying the salve had generated a necessity for caution when tending the blond's wounds. While cautiously cleaning the scrapes, Malakai's eyes wandered around the man's body, noticing some other injuries that he could provide attention to alongside various attractive traits.
A faint blush had began forming and deepened when the medic noticed the blush on Jordan's face. Red painted itself across Malakai's face, a heat of embarrassment accompanying it. Instantly, the ravenette bashfully glanced back towards the wounds, deciding to keep his gaze fixated on the injuries instead. When the wound was thoroughly cleansed, the cloth was placed down and replaced by the salve. A gentler approach was taken towards applying the disinfectant, the medic beginning with smaller amounts and gradually working his way up in hopes of minimizing any stinging; there was no guarantee the process would work, but Malakai desired to inflict less pain on the blond. When the inquiry was asked, the medic gave an awkward laugh that continued until Jordan stop; Malakai was attempting not to be impolite by ceasing his laugh earlier.
"Well... I do a lot of potion making... I... um... was kind of h-hoping to possible find some b-berries to make the ingested ones have a b-better flavor," he explained. "Uh... what about you?"
A sheepish smile crawled onto the bashful man's face as he mentally chastised himself for not attempting to joke back. There was comfort found in the lighthearted conversation, but Malakai found his common socially awkward tendencies maintaining a heavy cloud of nervousness in his mind. As time progressed, he was slowly growing comfortable in the blond's company, but the malicious self-conscious thoughts continued their barrage. The range varied from his pathetic stuttering to any subtle errors in his appearance which was mostly linked to his facial expression, although, this man's positive words and oddly tranquil vibes were soothing. Somewhere in the depths of Malakai's minds, something was insisting that fretting was unnecessary, almost as though fate was bringing reassurance.
Every second spent in the blond's company caused Malakai's usual anxious emotions to skyrocket. Gaining the opportunity to merely hold Jordan's hand was causing the butterflies to flutter in the ravenette's stomach despite it being for medical reasons. Cautiously, the medic continued rubbing the any dirt away with the cloth while attempting to avoid eye contact. Inside his chest his heart dancing, fluttering with joy over the close proximity despite the human's immense nervousness. Comprehending the occurrences of his heart were difficult, thus Malakai attempted to ignore the rapidly increasing heart beat; a difficult task considering it felt as though his heart planned to escape the jail known as his chest cavity. The medic's heart rate spiked when Jordan stated it was pleasant to meet him with a soft, genuine tone. The redness across the shy man's cheeks increased as he attempted to remain fixated on the acquaintance's wounded knuckles.
"N-n-nice to meet you t-too," Malakai said, stumbling through the words.
A flinch proceeded the response, the medic shortly chastising himself mentally over the pathetic attempt to speak. It caused his cheeks to flare redder with embarrassment, the heat on his face feeling unbearable. Why was he so incredibly incapable of speaking like a normal person? At this point, the ravenette was certain that Jordan thought he was weak and pitiful which oddly harmed the bashful man's mental state more than usual. There was obviously something different about his current companion which generated this intense nervousness accompanied by fear over negative opinions that the blond could possess. His bashfulness was cursed as he quietly finished cleaning the first hand. The cloth was placed in the baggie while Malakai carefully grabbed a short, cylindrical contain that held a salve meant for quicker healer and riding infection.
There was hesitation as the medic's hazel eyes stared at the scrapes, the idea of gently rubbing the salve into the injuries making him feel extremely anxious. It was another peculiar development that Malakai was not expecting, resulting in him gradually regaining the courage to continue working. Softly, the ravenette began applying the salve while his heart fluttered. The sudden hand contacting his shoulder startled him, making the medic tense and tremble for a few moments in surprise. The positivity that flowed from the man's mouth caused Malakai's heart to flutter. Physically, the medic seemed to calm in surprise, ceasing the task a moment to merely listen.
"... Um... th-thank-you, was all Malakai managed to say.
A small grin crossed the bashful man's lips over being praised by Jordan. Shortly, he returned to work, continuing to rub in the salve with hopes the anti-botics would not provide too much pain; the unpleasant sting, although weak, still disturbed some individuals. Once he pleased with the appearance of the wound, the gauze was grabbed to gently wrap it around the scrape.
"You sh-should keep this on until the b-bleeding stops at least," Malakai said softly.
Carefully, he began working towards wrapping the white bandages around the wound to protect it from infection and further damage. A nervousness remained from being given the privilege to hold Jordan's hand and tend to the injuries the apprentice possessed from training.
There was an attractive and wild essence that the stranger emitted, bringing vibes of an animal-like behavior. The bared teeth, rumbling growl and generally messy appearance gave Malakai the impression that the blond was an animal related species. While a majority may have found the quality frightful, there was something peculiarly alluring to the bespectacled man. The notion was impossible to explain, but a little voice seemed to insist that he remained safe in the man's presence. Instinctively, Malakai found himself hastily straightening himself out, going lengths to carefully fidget with his clothes as though to make himself more appealing to the eyes. A hesitation shortly accompanied the action before it was ceased as the ravenette realized what he was doing; it was definitely not necessary given the situation. Comprehending the current requirement for creating visual satisfaction was difficult for Malakai, especially since it never became evident in medical situations.
Eye contact continued being avoided, Malakai's hazel eyes watching the gentle rolling of grass and leaves. At times, his gaze would flit towards the blond, but would immediately glance away bashfully when concerns about the stranger catching a glimpse of his reddened cheeks arrived. The soft noise of a gasp caught the bespectacled man's attention given him an opportunity to listen to the stranger's agreement to healing accompanied by the adorable, sheepish smile. Nervously, Malakai's eyes glanced away, instead focusing on opening the satchel. His fingers fumbled with the latch, clumsily managing to open the leather bag while the anxiousness attempted to conquer his emotions. Bashfully, the ravenette approached the enchantingly handsome blond. Gently, Malakai placed various small bottles and containers onto the grass before grabbing a small roll of gauze. Momentarily, medic's eyes glanced back towards the stranger to view the nodding, his brown eyes managing to capture a glimpse at the red that adorned the man's cheeks.
Instantly, Malakai's blush increased, even reaching the tips of his ears, as his eyes returned towards his medical supplies. An awkward laugh was given towards the joke with prayer that he would appear normal to the incredibly stunning stranger. It was difficult to relax his anxious nerves considering his heart was fluttering immensely, threatening to suddenly rupture the longer the interaction proceeded. When the introduction started, the nervous man froze as listened to the concept of monsters alongside the hunter section; this man worked for the TRS similar to himself. The hand offering was taken for medical reasons, Malakai's eyes drifting towards them as he carefully brought the man's hand closer for analyzing in hopes working would sooth him.
"I... I'm M-malakai Moors," he started, flinching from his stutters. "... I work as a field medic."
The hand was released as the medic fetched a cloth alongside a bottle of water from his bag. With caution, he poured a small portion of the water onto the cloth before tentatively grabbing Jordan's hand to run the cloth across the scrapes to cleanse any pieces of dirt.
"... I'm sorry if I... uh... don't do the greatest job... I didn't bring much..." Malakai stated quietly. "I'm... probably not the gr-greatest either."
The random self-conscious skill admittance caused the ravenette to wince while his mind chastised him for not keeping a steady silence. There was a piece of him that desired to impress Jordan, but currently the medic felt as though he was failing. Continuously, his nervous emotions conquered his mind, maintaining the self-conscious feelings and generating needs for perfection while he prepared to meticulously clean the scrapes.
Winter had finally dissipated into spring, resulting in warmer weather embrace Lorsette. There was comfort found in the heat of sunlight and the gentle, cooling relief of the passing breeze which made for well-balanced temperatures that roused citizens from their homes. The improvement in weather caused Malakai to happily wander the slush covered streets towards the wilderness. Despite the outskirts of Lorsette being rumored to be terror infested, the field medic maintained a desire to venture beyond the monotone streets of confirmed safety. This adventure held reasoning since the bespectacled man enjoyed walking down the dirt paths of the Calico Forest to view the plant life. At times, the berries or other herbs that could be discovered worked to improve his healing potions or to improve the taste of others without diminishing the effects.
A plain black sweater embraced his torso, the collar remaining high in order to keep the assortment of pinkish scars that maimed his back, stomach and, to a lesser degree, his chest. Pale jeans cover his legs in order to complete the simplistic appearance Malakai oftentimes maintained. A boring gray satchel bounced against his right hip as he closed the distance between himself and the outskirts of Lorsette. Gradually, buildings transformed into spacious trees as the field medic entered the serene environment of the forest, the realm of nature. The gentle rustling of leaves swaying together in the breeze alongside the soft crunching of leaves created a soothing effect on the usually anxious man. Birds chirped in the trees, happy to return after migrating south for the harsh winter months. The shy man's hazel eyes gazed up towards the branches, noticing the congregation of birds which brought a lip-tight smile onto his face.
Deeper the field medic ventured, finding sanction for himself amidst the beauty of nature. His gaze was constantly drifting over the various plants, his hand occasionally pushing the thick-rimmed, black glasses further up his nose. A tranquil disposition was maintained until a thunderous sound echoed through the trees, resulting in the birds fluttering away in fear. The sudden noise rattled Malakai, making the bashful man flinch and tremble from startling noise that reminded him of days spent in his mother's care. The noises created from those days confined within the abusive household had created a sensitivity towards loud sounds whenever he was not under the immense pressures of medical work. A few moments were spent listening, a mild concern over the well-being of another occupant of the outskirts sparking. A deep, calming breath was taken before the ravenette slowly weaved his way through the wilderness towards the booming noise.
Shortly, the source of the incredibly loud noise was discovered which caused the field medic's eyes to widen in surprise. There was a blond teen thrusting his fists into an oak tree, creating large dents into the strong bark. Witnessing the event caused Malakai's heart to skyrocket due to the fear that overcame him. There was a mixture of horror, relief and astonishment from gazing upon the presumed training session. The amount of damage this blond man was inflicting upon the unfortunate tree being both terrifying and incredible, resulting in a feeling of excitement. Relief was found in the conclusion that nobody was getting hurt, although, the field medic was pitying the tree. Then there were the rippling muscles, displaying the male physique that was pleasant to the ravenette's eyes. This stranger captured an attractive essence, and merely noticing it caused red to paint across Malakai's cheeks as blood rushed to his face.
Bashfully, his gaze left the training male as he attempted to quietly inch away in hopes of avoiding an awkward interaction, although, the escape attempt was ceased when a loud groan sounded from the tree. Instantly, Malakai's eyes snapped back towards the man to witness the tree's assault of vengeance towards the torment. Viewing the display caused the field medic's heart to skip a beat with worry as he watched the man escape the depths of leaves with his flesh adorned with numerous scrapes. As though somebody flicked a switch, the ravenette rushed towards the injured man, glad that he had packed a small amount of medical supplies; they had been for personal use should it be required.
"Hey, you alright?" Malakai began, his eyes already scrutinizing the wounds. "Sit down and I'll fix you up."
Prior to usual, there was confidence possessed in the ravenette's voice as he approached the man, slowing down as he drew closer. Despite the medical scenario, there was a subtle change in Malakai's behavior as he found his heart rate continuing to remain increased. Creating eye contact between himself and the patient was impossible even though the circumstances were favourable to his social skills. There was an aura this stranger provided which kept those bashful tendencies lurking despite the situation.
"Th-the wounds could... uh... get infect after all," the medic added timidly.
The addition was suppose to give extra incentive, but it possessed those timid tones that usually fled in these situations. A countenance of embarrassment was obvious on Malakai's face as his brown eyes remained locked with the ground as he attempted to comprehend what was occurring.
The atmosphere of his father's home always possessed a calming effect for Malakai. It became visible with his general body language which eased immensely once the threshold to inside was crossed and the warm air amiably embraced him. The pleasantry in being shielded from the harsh bite of winter weather was another positive factor in addition the atmospheric effects. Despite the nightmares that plagued some nights, there was a sense of safety inside the walls; almost like the location was land his mother was forbidden to physical tread. Moments were spent quietly listening to the sounds of the house settling against the wind and for any signs of another person being present in the house. Alas, it appeared only himself and Vala remained inside which meant his father had marched off to work. A swift glance was taken to the foyer's exit before returning to his friend to notice the minor slip.
The minor act of clumsiness was accompanied by a hasty recovery, thus the bashful man remained silent. Embarrassing his friend accidentally over a moment of maladroit movement. After the insufferable muted walk towards his home, Malakai had no intentions of offending or possibly bringing the return of silence. There was concern over his friend's safety, but there appeared to be no physical injuries which gave the field medic another reason to remain hushed. When the mentioning of having no ideas for food, the tall man went silent in thought. A joyous night of friendship would be pleasant considering it felt like years since Vala had come over. Fancy cooking was unnecessary and time costly, which meant that something simplistic and perhaps better suited in respect towards nights spent around friends.
"How about I just cook pizza and we can watch a movie or something? We haven't done that in a while," Malakai suggested quietly. "Plus, that won't take long which means you can be fed sooner."
Once Vala entered the foyer, Malakai closed the door, locking the chilling winter air outside. He was swift to reach down and unlace his boots in fluent finger motions; not a single shake entering his hands due to his medical practice. Once the untying was completed, the tall man shook off his boots which sent tiny clumps of white snow to the floor. Some of the more stubborn ice particles clung to his boots, refusing to leave. As he gently set his footwear aside, he listened to Vala's comment about the house and gently chuckled. The concept of his house being any definition of lavish was foreign to him since the place was old and even still maintained a cold air to it. Although, it still kept an overall pleasant charm with the manner the floorboards creaked beneath the feet and the common house settling noises.
"This place is a little old, but still pretty nice. Although, if you ever decide to randomly show up and demand to live here, I warn you, it is cold. My dad had no proper heating or cooling since he is a spirit, plus he was barely home." Malakai paused as he pondered more about when he first started living here. "Come to think of it, I don't think he even invested in electricity. When I got older and wasn't down here as much, he kind of just decided to pick up a bunch of jobs in order to have something to do."
The sentence described his father as a workaholic, which was indeed the case. The man lacked hobbies and found investing his time in working and assisting people to be valuable. Constantly, his father appeared to be searching for some odd job the elderly neighbors needed completed or occupying his days with general housework should his occupation not require him. Nowadays, it was not frequent in order to spend time with his incredibly bashful son. There was always consistent conversations about how Malakai was doing, which was meant to reassure his father that his son was well. The bashful man walked past his friend, glancing back to find the cat marked socks. Cats were one of the few things his ravenette friend could be soft towards. A gentle laugh escaped Malakai's mouth.
"Don't worry, as far as I am concerned, you are still tough," Malakai responded.
Once the shoes were off, Malakai shrugged off his coat and hanged it on an open coat, which left him in a dark blue hoodie. When the undressing of winter clothing was completed, the bashful man strolled around the corner into the humble kitchen. The cooking implements taking over the corner adorned with counters and shelves while a table was stations in the opposing corner. Two of the chairs remained slanted out from beneath the wooden table, making their frequent use obvious while the remain two were pushed in. It remained properly clean, its most recent use being prior to potion brewing. Everything appeared untouched since the kitchen was left, which was the product of his father's self-sustaining capabilities. There were several exits from the kitchen, a large archway that led into the nearby living room and the hallway with half being a straight corridor while a stairway occupied the other. For a few moments, the bashful man glanced around at the light grey walls of the house's innards.
"Do you want something to drink?" Malakai offered. "We have quite a selection, or... I suppose I do since my dad doesn't really need anything like that."
Slowly, the field medic walked over to the black fridge, which was adorned with magnets that held reminders and grocery lists, and pulled open the door to reveal its contents. Cold air rushed out to hug the bashful man as he revealed the stuffed shelves hidden in the fridge's interior. There was a few cans of soda kept in the fridge, mostly out of his father's anticipation for Malakai to possibly bring company over. At times, it was brought upstairs for the social gatherings his father would be prone to having. Then there was a plethora of healthier drinks often purchased to assure the bashful man that he would not be solely consuming junk. Lastly, there were various food products that required the chilling atmosphere in order to assure that they would not rot at an accelerated rate. After a few moments of berating himself for the slight messiness of the fridge before glancing at Vala, patiently awaiting a reply.
Sensitively was oftentimes an enemy for Malakai since whenever it decided to be displayed lowered his self-esteem and made him feel pathetic. Sounds that would merely spark a startling sometimes caused him to quiver in fear solely because of the volume constantly booming during those tortured years. The various methods to inflict the wounds that scared his body, being most condensed around the torso. Although, in those few moments of quivering and fearful thoughts there was always a feeling of weakness. They always subsided in time, gradually ebbing until his body stilled and his breathing reverted back to its regular pace. When his brown eyes trailed over to Vala, guilt entered the bashful man's head and mild embarrassment over his extreme sensitivity. The concept of being incapable to tolerate thunderous noises made the self-conscious thoughts generate again and his eyes avert from his raven-haired friend.
All his eyes focused on was the sheet of white snow below him that was broken with footprints; he could not bare sparing a glance at Vala. When an apology was made, Malakai flinched at the fact his friend felt required to apologize over making a loud sound. These moments when he found himself unable to function similar to the common definition of a normal individual were the times the tall male felt as though all his secrets were out. The self-conscious thoughts ruled, tearing at the shreds of confidence he gained and insisted that he should remain shameful over his inability to tolerate loud noises; like wolves swarming a downed deer. A deep breath was taken and released, giving the bashful man a minuscule amount of confidence and bravery.
"D-don't apologize," he began quietly. "... I... I should learn not to be so s-sensitive..."
There was fragility in the words as Malakai softly spoke, unable to fend off the pauses and stutters. A matter of impossibility being stated did not assist the bashful man since learning to not be sensitive did appear like a goal far beyond his reach. For a few moments, the field medic remained silent while debating his next set of words, his eyes staring into the dark brew of coffee as though it was courage in a cup.
"... Sorry... I just... loud noises, they just... they..." The bashful man began, having difficulty stating the next piece. Another deep inhale and exhale were taken for calmness. "Loud noises just remind me... of those times."
Specifically mentioning the reason was always bothersome to the bashful man, almost rattling him similar to when he directly brought up his mother. It caused him to wonder about those frightening thoughts of her escaping the prison and traveling to Lorsette to find him. Those promises she screamed before law enforcement forcefully pushed her into the car and drove her away. The mere thought of that day and the pondering of an occurrence such as his mother escaping caused Malakai to shiver, making him feel cold with terror. Alas, when the time came to walk home he continued in a silence as his thoughts lingered on some of the horrors, turning his skin a touch more pale. The sudden settling of hush between himself and Vala barely tolerable during the duration of the walk. Further guilt flooded into his mind as he wished his sensitively towards loud noises was not absurdly high.
✿ ✿ ✿
Eventually, the extensive and quiet walk began to reach its end as the sidewalk, streets and various other features reached heavier familiarity. As Malakai grew closer to home, he seemed to physical relax as he burdened his pondering with thoughts of possible cooking ideas for Vala; an excellent distraction. The remainder of his coffee had been finished, the styrofoam cup discarded in a trash pin earlier into the venture to his home. As they closed in onto the muted grey stone stairway leading up towards both the front door and the the dark wood deck. Black bars enclosed the sides of the stairs and around the borders of the deck, thin with the vertical metal bars spiraling in shape. The bashful man was quick to tromp up the stairs, a newfound smile upon his lips while he opened the door.
"Any requests for food?" The question was asked cleanly, lacking bashful tones.
There was excitement in the concept of cooking for another individual, which was something rare for Malakai. Lastly, this worked as both an apology for tardiness and his own ridiculous sensitivity that the ravenette was forced to put up with. As he passed through the door's threshold, he kept the door open to allow her access to the simple foyer. The foyer has never been grand, merely holding numerous wall hooks for coats, shoes placed randomly, a small tool chest, a tiny cabinet, boxes (some occupied by soda cans) and various other miscellaneous items. Patiently, Malakai waited for his friend to enter with plans of closing the door behind her.
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The skin is created by Wolf of Adoxography and Gangnam Style. The thread and conversation remodels are by Kagney. The Strange Reality board list, Heal My Soul info center, I Remember Now mini profile and Electric Requiem profile remodel is made by Pharoah Leap. The Who's That Member member list remodel was made by Tictactoe. The Cbox.ws Shoutbox remodel was made by Trinity Blair. All templates used for claims, information sheets, applications, etc are credited to their owners; credits for these can be found in the threads the templates are use on. Images that are used on The Duality of Man are credited to their owners, however, they have been edited by Zac with a few being edited by Chibi Magician. The plot, rules and various other information pieces for The Duality of Man are written by Chibi Magician with the assistence of her co-admins, Finnegan and Dremulf, alongside other unlisted people who were kind enough to give their input. The TRS, AP and face claim were all created by Fleur for specifically the use of TDOM. All plugins used on The Duality of Man are credited to their owners. The templates my members use are credited to their maker, if you find a template that belongs to you, but is uncredited, please speak to Chibi Magician or the member themself. Characters created on The Duality of Man are credited to their owners and should not be used elsewhere without the creator's permission.
Special thanks for the members of TDOM who make suggestions to help make this site better. Even though we can not accept all suggestions, we immensely appreciate it. Thus, we give credit to any additions that you thought of and were later implimented by the staff, because we are glad you give us these excellent ideas.
