Dexter Schade

Tweedle Dum

[ismay-the-rose]

He doesn’t pull away from her immediately, that’s a good sign. She knows that face. He’s deliberating and probably freaking out a little because of what she’s just told him. She doesn’t care that she put him on edge a little. Frankly, it seems fair to her that he should experience a taste of some of the stress that she’s had to go though lately. He’s agreeing to start over, so she’ll give him his space. Bringing her hands back to herself she fights to keep her smile small. May’s feel’s like she’s just won a little victory. His pouty face has her smile crack into an uncontrolled grin. Leaning back on the counter May tries not to act too ecstatic and proud that she can still persuade him as she once could. With a small, little giddy laugh she tries to keep in May decides to change the topic now that they’ve agreed on the terms. 

“Yes, I’m very much away of what you do and I confess that I’m still rather taken by your hands. I’m quite aware that you have nimble fingers. I remember that rather impressive rose you folded when she first met. What’s you’re favourite things to make with paper?”

[dumschade-blog]

He narrows his eyes at the way she’s smiling but any kind of positivity is infectious to him. He allows a little, lopsided grin. He moves a little closer and reclaims his stool at the bar. He signals the bartender and is brought a fresh glass of water. He takes a delicate sip. This woman sure is something. She’s infuriating, mysterious to him, and too pretty to be of this earth. His eyes scan over her since she’s leaning, then settle back on her face. He arches an eyebrow and gives a little bit more of a genuine smile. 

“You could say that my hands are capable of a lot of things.” he mutters slyly, unable to help himself. He stops to think, looking down and toying with a stray napkin. “I like making flowers. They’re harder than most other things. Roses, actually. Which is why I’m so good at them.”

[ismay-the-rose]

She sits quietly, she could get mad at him but she is technically working and it didn’t feel right to get mad at Dex for this. Anger also wouldn’t accomplish anything. There were a hundred other things she could say about him that she knew. “I said nothing about picking up where we left off. I had hoped that could be the case when you came back; that was before I knew about your memory loss. You said that you felt I knew things. In my opinion you are entitled to know what I know about you and your brother. Telling you is the decent thing to do. I’m not trying to mold you, it’s just that I know-knew you before. Right now we have our own problems, mine is loosing someone I was the closest to in my life. You have frustrating memory gaps.”

When he runs his hand through his hair Ismay has the strong urge to do the same to his hair, really, to touch him anywhere. She stands from her stool and takes a step towards Dex. She reaches out to touch his arm gently. “I know about fire and chaos. And I know about Dorian. Your brother trusts me and please believe when I say that I have no interest telling anyone else. If you’re so sure I’m not worth any chance at all why have you been one of the most consistent visitors of the Garden as of late? We can start over. Reintroduce ourselves, start from the very beginning and I will do my best to not make any assumptions. I am coming to terms with the fact that you are not the same man I knew before. If all that comes of it is less anger and disappointment between us I will be content with that.”

[dumschade-blog]

He turns to look at her when she reaches out to touch his arm and for some reason, he can’t bring himself to pull away. Dexter listens to her. A muscle clenches in his jaw and his nostrils flare. She knows? How could she know, out of everyone? Dorian wouldn’t have told her of his own free will. She could in no way have deduced it on her own. That meant, in the past, he was the one who told her. It was like a message from past Dexter to present Dexter. If she knew their secret, she could be trusted. He finally jerks his arm away from her and takes a few breaths to steady himself. He didn’t want to trust her, yet. While his past self may have recognized her as someone who could be told secrets, his present incarnation hasn’t reached that point.

He works his jaw for a moment. “Fine.” he relents, begrudgingly. His expression is almost pouty. “We can start over, just because you know what you do. I’ll take it as a sign.”

[ismay-the-rose]

She nods only, taking another sip of her water. She swallows when he talks of her not telling the whole truth, and of his sense of déjà vu. She presses one hand to her stomach, trying to quell the awful feeling there. This is exactly what Dorian had been talking about. How much does she tell him without him flying off in a rage like with the tea? “I - Dex you’re not wrong. I do know more than I’ve told you. Much more. I know you like the smell of lavender. And that you love the sun.” She puts her hand on his that’s still flipping over the paper heart. “I know some origami because you taught me.” May starts rubbing his hand mostly to calm herself. She’s trying to be careful, to remember what Dorian had said. But she dislikes keeping things from Dex, and she detests lying. “Did you stop to wonder why the sex we had was some of the best you could remember? I know all your preferences. How, where and when you like to be touched.”

When he calls her little Thorny Rose the smallest of breaths escapes her. His pet name for her. She’d do just about anything to have him call her that all the time, like he used to. So when he says that he thinks he shouldn’t take a chance with her because he doesn’t know how she feels about him it hurts. It hurts her more than losing him the first and second time. She might have gotten mad at him for dismissing her feelings, but he can’t remember anything. That’s not his fault. Ismay can’t keep the look of pain off her face as she looks back at Dex who seems so distant right now. “Dex,” she turns his hand over with gentle hands, placing the origami heart in his palm. “You have my heart in your hand, you can’t remember but you’ve had it for a long time. Even when I was briefly with another, thinking of what my life would be with him, you were still there. You still have it.”

[dumschade-blog]

He stares at her, expression still closed off. Every little detail about him that she lists not only confuses him, but slowly starts to make him angry. There’s no bloody nose or manic behaviour; It’s plain old anger. How could she know these things about him? How close had they been before he’d gone away that he would vouch so many truths? He wonders if she knows... No, nobody could know that. He’d have trusted her enough not only to put himself on the line, but Dorian as well. Was anybody really worth that?

He takes his hand away when she tries to rub it but accepts the heart. He closes his fingers around it for a moment. 

Dexter sets the paper heart on top of the bar and faces away from Ismay, reaching up to scrape his fingers through his hair. “Even if we had something before, you think I’d just pick back up and blindly start over where we left off? I don’t know you. I was willing to learn, but now... It gives me a bad feeling that you know all these things I don’t ever remember telling you. The thing with lavender-- I don’t like it. It must have been something I associated with you so I learned to like it. Don’t mold me into something I’m not ready to be.” He gets up and turns away, starting to leave.

[ismay-the-rose]

There’s that smile. It sends thrills through her heart, but they stop dead cold when she remembers what she’s done. “Oh. I’m sorry to hear that. Perhaps I could help?” She offers. Then he’s asking if she was seeing Dorian. There’s that sick feeling again, growing in the pit of her stomach. She can’t stop the wince that his words incite. Quickly she shoos the bartender after taking her drink. She hangs her head, staring at the slice of lime in her water feeling ashamed of herself. 

“We’re not, we really aren’t. That was a one time thing started because of outside factors. It’s never happening again because it ended up hurting me and you, and I don’t want to cause a rift between you and Dorian.” She sips a little of her drink. And picks up one of the thin cards used for taking down tabs at the bar. Quietly she starts folding it into a precise shape. Sliding it to him when she’s done. It’s a little heart. Long ago he had taught her how to fold it. “I did let you into my apartment, I danced for you. Through that evening I was only thinking of you, because I do like you Dex. Very much.”

[dumschade-blog]

“Nothing could cause a rift between us.” Dexter says firmly. He likes Ismay, he really does, but they don’t know each other well enough for him to ever choose her over his own twin. No matter what will ever happen, Dex knows that he can trust his brother to always be there like an extension of himself. His eyes flicker over when she starts to fold, his eyebrows going up. He didn’t know anybody else who could do origami. He picks up the little heart that she slides to him and he considers it thoughtfully, turning it slowly between his thumb and index finger.

“I always get the feeling that you’re not telling me a whole truth.” He says softly, eyes still on the heart. “Whenever I see you, or think about you, I have this sense of deja vu. But then I start to think about it too hard and my head starts to hurt. Weird, huh?”

Dexter takes a deep breath and sighs through his nose. “I don’t know what to do about you, little Thorny Rose. I’d love to take a chance on you but all these signs are saying that I shouldn’t.” He props his head on a fist and gazes at her, expression unreadable and brown eyes masked. “I want you, see. I wanna take you out and dance with you and make you laugh. But I don’t even really know if you want me back.”

[ismay-the-rose]

There he is, at the bar. She had been avoiding Dexter ever since the night Dorian told her all of the truth. She had gotten over that part but she’s still struggling with having slept with Dorian and fucked him. She doesn’t regret the act, but that her actions had hurt Dexter. Why else would he have left that morning after making them breakfast is it wasn’t because she had hurt him. She knows and loves Dex’s morning breakfast food, but that morning nothing tasted the way it was supposed to. 

He was becoming a regular at the Garden again. It was the same as before they had met the first time. Yet, now she knows everything.She had been avoiding him because she didn’t want to hurt his feelings any more, but it was becoming clear to her that he was at the Garden to see here. “Cold water with lime juice please.” She asks the waiter then turns to Dex on her right as she perches in the bar stool. She tries a small smile, testing the waters. “Good evening Dex. How did you enjoy the shows this evening?”

[dumschade-blog]

He surreptitiously looks over at her from under the bill of his newsboy cap when she join him at the bar. Dexter sits up a bit straighter and abandons the hopelessly crumpled napkin as he flashes Ismay a handsome smile. Seeing her sends a pang right through his chest because he knows what she did with his brother. He isn’t angry with either of them but he doesn’t understand why they did it. He had gotten the impression that Ismay liked him. Was it only because he looked like Dorian?

“Hey, May.” Dex replies, “I dunno, I didn’t exactly watch. My mind’s somewhere else.” His smile fades and he looks away from her to focus on his hands. He drums his fingers on the top of the bar and chews lightly on his lower lip. “Can I ask you something?” He questions, lowering his voice and leaning a little more towards her. He doesn’t wait for her to answer.

“Are you and Dorian seeing each other? I thought you and me-- Well. You let me into your apartment that night and talked to me. You smile at me so pretty. I figured you liked me. You coulda told me if it was really Dorian you were interested in.”

[dumschade-blog]

Dexter sits at the bar of the Garden, fingers idling with a napkin. He’s been folding it, unfolding it, and folding it again as he keeps lifting his head to glance around. He smiles at certain Flowers as they pass him by, always patting him on the shoulder or saying a nice word. He’s been slowly making friends with all of them because he’s been coming around so much, but he never does more than have the odd glass of water or maybe a small meal. Sometimes he watches the performances but never stays long afterwards if he doesn’t see what he wants.

[ophelia-pyke]

That makes sense, I suppose, O comments, leaving out the fact that there were plenty of secrets she’d keep from her sister. Then again, her and her sister’s lives were probably considerably more scandalous than that of most people in the City. That’s a good way to live. I wish I could be an open book, but I just don’t think it’s in me to be. Not that I do very many exciting things– I strive for the opposite, in fact. But scandals and excitement always seemed to find her anyways, much to her dismay.

[dumschade-blog]

Does that mean you have stuff to hide? Or are you just playing your cards close to your chest, waiting for the right moment? He watches her with that same grin, teasing. Despite his teasing, he wonders if she’ll tell the truth. Caution was needed around people who liked to keep secrets because on could never know what they were up to.

Oh yeah? And how’s that working out for you? He tips his head to the side. Don’t tell me you want a boring life. What’s the fun in that?

[knightfellonblackdays-blog]

“Oh, I had no idea Dorian had a brother. All the same, it’s nice to meet you.” she gives a small smile despite the twinge of pain that runs through her bruises at the motion, and extends a hand to shake. “I’m Fiona” she leaves out her title on purpose. “I think I have some frozen peas that’ll make a nice ice pack.”

[dumschade-blog]

Seems like nobody knew he had a brother. Call me the family embarrassment. He shakes her hand firmly, his own burning hot. He lets go after a moment and slides both hands into his pockets casually, posture relaxed. You want company? I like making new friends.

[heyjudeellis-deactivated2016072]

Well, I mean it’s not like she’s not allowed to have any friends. He’s just not a big fan of mine. Guess I’m not the best of influences. He shrugs with a grin.  

[dumschade-blog]

Bad influence, huh? You look like a fine, upstanding citizen to me. But Dex can’t help but grin as well. It’s not that he likes getting into trouble per se, but he doesn’t like boring. He’ll take a shake up and some adventure any day.

[ophelia-pyke]

That seems like it could be both convenient and inconvenient, depending on whether either of you had anything you’d rather keep to yourselves. Don’t you ever have any secrets you’d rather keep from him? She personally liked to keep most her secrets to just herself, so the thought of sharing everything with another person seemed incredible and confusing to her. 

[dumschade-blog]

He considers her question for a moment. No, not really. If you have to feel like you need to keep secrets from your own twin brother, what kind of life is that? Probably a scandalous one, but I’m not very scandalous. I’m not sure I’d want to be. I’m actually a pretty open book with everybody, y’know? I don’t do many exciting things, so there’s no need to really lie. Just omit some parts of the truth when needed.

[heyjudeellis-deactivated2016072]

“I guess, yeah.” He wasn’t sure about that he hadn’t known his father thst long before the man had been executed and he still missed him. Or was it the idea of him that he missed? Whatever it might be he was glad not to dwell on such a dreary topic. 

“Well….” Dexter didn’t seem the type to be so easily offended but he didn’t want to take any chances and decided to put some actual effort into choosing his words. “he’s not an awful guy, I’m pretty sure about that. He could probably have more friends if he didn’t concentrate all his attention on one particular person and thwart all attempts of friendship with said person. 

[dumschade-blog]

Dexter grins and he’s not offended by Jude’s observation of Dorian at all. He’s always been a little weird like that. I guess him having one special friend is better than no friends at all, since it’s better than what he used to have. Which was no friends. But I didn’t know that he tries to keep this person from having her own friends... That’s just mean.

[knightfellonblackdays-blog]

Frozen pe-…….How do you…….Dorian?

[dumschade-blog]

Oh no, not Dorian. I’m Dexter, his brother. I’m not joking, I promise. People seem to think he’s got a sense of humor at all but he really kinda doesn’t. He grins. You should still get something cold on that. What’s your name?

[foxythieflord-blog]

That is a long time to forget and I would be quite troubled if I’d lost so much time. But your method is probably best, dwelling on such things likely only leads to frustration and anguish. 

Dex seems to watch him as he talks, like he’s assessing him, but Cal just leans back a little to show himself off more, pretending like it was only his physical appearance Dex was assessing though he’s fairly certain it was more than that. 

You’re quite welcome. I can see that. Have you ever heard the expression ‘a ray of sunshine’? It certainly seems to apply to you. 

[dumschade-blog]

Dex lets out a short chuckle. Anguish? I don’t anguish. I get a little upset sometimes, and only sometimes, but never anguished. I don’t know if I could ever feel something like that. There are always ways to cope, y’know? He gets a little glint in his eye but looks away to take a drink. He laughs again when Cal calls him a ray of sunshine and nods enthusiastically.

I’ve heard it a lot, actually. I love it because I love the sun. If I worship anything, it’s the sun. I love the heat and light. It gives me energy. To be compared to something that I love just makes me so happy. As he talks, he looks down and starts to fiddle with a bar napkin. He folds the square with speed and precision, almost absentmindedly like it’s a trained skill. By the time he’s done talking, he’s made an origami sun with little rays. He offers it to Cal.

[ismay-the-rose]

She has her hands set against the sides of the tea pot to warm them. Ismay glances at Dex when he moves toward her. Her eyes follow his hand, to where it slips the soft silk through fingers. She follows the line of his arm up to his eyes but he’s looking down. She can’t see his eyes, but he’s smiling, it makes her smile a little more. 

Had I known … I probably would have made a space in the sets for one of my own. She looks at him, trying to meet his eyes. Is this you asking? Dex, I’m very comfortable with you. I know you don’t remember, but we did know each other before. You came to watch me perform and I’ll tell you that you were one of my favourite audiences. That’s why I’ll perform for you tonight. Besides, it might jog something in that handsome head of yours. She can’t stop hr self from running a soft hand through his hair. Ismay breaks away from their closeness in her kitchen to take their tea to the coffee table. She comes back to him, taking his hand, leading him to the couch. Sadly I don’t have a whole lot of props here, nor any of the exciting costumes. But you’d like to see me move like water, so that’s what I’ll do. Have a seat. She leaves Dex’s side again to set a kitchen chair out for her dance and to dim the lights. Ismay flips though some records, finding one and setting it on the player. She’s already thinking about what to put together from her wardrobe to make a good set. It doesn’t take her long to get herself sorted, she opens her bedroom door that she had gotten dressed behind and reaches to set the record to play. When the slow, sultry music starts she steps out.

For all Dex knows yet, she didn’t change. All of her tricks are underneath. She glides across the floor, her movements slow, but sure and as provocative as they ever were. She turns away from his, still in time with the song as she unties her covering, slipping the shoulders down to hang at her elbows. She sways her hips and shoulders letting the dressing gown down farther, but catching it before she reveals her hips. A beat later she lets it fall completely. Now she’s only wearing underwear, a corset, garter belt and stockings.

[dumschade-blog]

He just gives her a shy little smile when she says she’ll perform for him. Dex’s eyes flutter and he lets out a soft breath when she runs her fingers through his hair. It feels familiar but he can’t put a finger on why. He wants her to do it more and he really wants to touch her back, but he’ll wait. He follows her to the living room and has a seat directly in the middle of the couch when he’s told to and reaches out to try his tea. He waits while she gets ready, jiggling his leg nervously. He glances around for something to fold but decides against it ultimately because he doesn’t want to rip up her books.

When the music starts, he puts his teacup down and leans forward to watch her. He barely blinks, watching her every move. Dex is spellbound. He wants to pluck every piece of clothing off of her, impatient. But he forces himself to wait, to watch, because it really is what he wanted.

[just-in-your-dreams-love-deacti]

Oh! a gentleman. The action was for whatever reason unexpected but it seemed to win him yet another point in her books. Well of course everything is good. But lets see… opening the menu she scans it and begins pointing out a few things she remembers having tried. If you like Fish the stuffed salmon is very tasty. I really like the leek soup with fennel, it tastes like autumn or, for a heartier appetite the potato onion quiche is good. But my favorite thing at the moment are the cheese and chive popovers! I could eat an entire basket myself. Giggling with a hint of embarrassment. And you can never go wrong with a classic steak, the over crisps are wonderful.

[dumschade-blog]

He lays the menu flat on the table and leans over it, twirling a piece of his own hair in thought. Dexter nods and she speaks, eyes flickering up to look at her to show that he’s paying attention, but he skims the menu at the same time. He never used to be able to eat anything he wanted. For years, he and Dorian ate nothing but chicken, rice, and vegetables. 

Too early in the day for steak, I think... But maybe since they’re your favorite, I’ll try the popovers. I like anything bread. Dexter smiles at Lucy, watching her and resting his head against his fist. Do you like your job, Lucy? 

[foxythieflord-blog]

You don’t remember? So you have some kind of memory loss, then? That must be frustrating. He notices how he doesn’t spill any of his drink even when he spins. Interesting. 

Well, if you insist. I do so enjoy talking about myself. I’m a connoisseur and collector of fine jewelry and art. As for friends, I like to think I have quite a few, most of whom I know on rather intimate terms. Yes, I can imagine it would be easy to get along with people that way. Besides, you have quite a charming personality so I imagine most would be hard-pressed to dislike you. 

[dumschade-blog]

It’s only frustrating because I guess I’m forgetting just a little before I left. An entire year of something is just gone out of my head that I should remember. Eh. I don’t dwell on it too much. I don’t like feeling like that.

He watches Cal as he talks, tilting his head to each side slowly, as if taking him in. He doesn’t look like the regular kind of art collector and that makes Dex suspicious, but he doesn’t care. Whatever Cal does is his own business as long as it doesn’t threaten Dex is any way.

Aww, thanks. He bats his lashes at Cal. It’s just how I am.

[foxythieflord-blog]

Cal nods in thanks for the drink and picks it up, taking a sip. 

Away? As in Elsewhere or just a different part of The City? Yes, I have noticed that about your brother and I wouldn’t say we’re particularly close so even if he didn’t I doubt he would have mentioned you to me. 

[dumschade-blog]

Not exactly Elsewhere. It’s hard to explain because I don’t remember a lot of it, so I don’t try to explain it at all. He laughs and takes another drink, spinning on his barstool like a child. He doesn’t even spill a drip of beer.

So tell me about yourself. What do you do? Do you have a lot of friends? Or do you just like to be alone? I don’t have a lot of friends yet but I’m working on it. I love having friends and it’s been so easy because I’ve got a fresh slate with everyone.