InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Just say MOE"

Dorian Kreskas (dust_and_shadow) wrote in haunted_roads,
@ 2008-04-05 13:21:00

Entry tags:

dorian, nox

Week Five: Wednesday
Who: Dorian and Nox
When: Wednesday, early evening
Where: Old town towers

It was stupidity like this that was going to get Dorian killed. He knew that fact yet couldn't seem to stop himself from engaging in the reckless behavior. There were points though where he wondered why he continued to run. Was it a matter of pride, did her truly want to live that badly, was what he did any sort of life? All questions that didn't have answers that came anywhere close to explaining what it was that he did on a daily basis.

But he did it anyway. Following the same procedure in each new town he came to. Stay as long was he could, always keeping his eyes open for signs that it was time to move on. Those signs had been glaring him in the face in Seattle. That funny feeling that pulled at his nerves. Not long ago that would have been enough for him to bug out and find another place to call home for whatever stretch of time he could. Had he left though? No. Something kept him here.

It was the same thing that had him following in a resident of the Old Town Towers. Slow closing doors and the fact that darkness fell early on the city allowed him to conceal his entry into the building behind the woman who made a beeline for the elevators, groceries in hand.

What was he really doing inside the place? Looking. Looking for what had kept pulling him toward the building before. H needed proof that it wasn't her. Then he could simply move on. His plan once inside was the only thing he knew. If wandered upon he was Daniel Kennedy, just moved to Seattle from Yakima. First time in a big city and he'd seen an ad in the Stranger, a local free newspaper, that there were some open apartments in the building. He was just taking a look and trying to find the managers office to see if he could get some information on the building.

Keep the conversation short and keep moving. He had a check list. Check the mail boxes and make a round through the floors. Amazing what one could discover if they let their senses work. For the moment he stood quietly in the entryway, holding the paper with the ad in his hand for evidence's sake and took in the space. Feeling the dark hollows that lined the edges of the room, feeling the energy that shimmered through the entire place, energy that could only come from it's supernatural residents.

Question was... was she one of those residents.

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in_his_shadow
2008-04-05 09:58 pm UTC (link)

Nox hadn't gone into work today. It has been eerily quiet at the station the last few days, but Nox wasn't complaining. It had given him time to concentrate on some of the colder cases. The weather was somewhat cold as well, at least much colder than Nox preferred, and a storm was definitely brewing this evening.

Knowing that there was always the chance of an emergency situation, Nox kept his apartment well stocked, but it never hurt to take advantage of sales just ahead of such weather. Clerks were pushing merchandise, trying to get rid of items that people really only picked up prior to a big weather event. After working out, Nox had gone shopping to get a few such supplies, and he returned to the Towers with his arms loaded just as the rain started to fall in ernest. It wasn't the best day to decide to walk down the street to the store, and he was a bit damp as he strolled into the building and over to the mail boxes.

He was a bit distracted by a variety of things, the juggling of grocery bags, the thunder picking up, and the effort to not slip and fall from the slickness of his sneakers... but it didn't stop him from picking up on something strange. It was a faint feeling at first, but it grew stronger when he concentrated on it. He immediately set his bags down and turned away from the mail boxes, eyes scanning the area around him for the source of the feeling. His eyes fell upon a stranger.

Being a stranger wasn't a bad thing. Nox was generally nice and polite to everyone, always giving them the opportunity to make a good first impression, but the feeling in his gut wasn't a good one, and he'd long ago learned to listen to it. He nodded to the man across the way and was somewhat reluctant to look away from him, but didn't want to provoke a reaction, so Nox returned to the task at hand, opening his mailbox and sifting through the items inside. Still... he kept the stranger in his peripheral vision, ready to act if necessary.

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dust_and_shadow
2008-04-06 12:27 am UTC (link)

That there was an impending storm... had little bearing on what Dorian did with his days. He'd seen everyone scurrying to stock up in case some tree or trees decided to take their revenge on all the power lines that were strung near them. It was probably inevitable but if anything Dorian welcomed that darkness that would come over the city with power loss, if they were to be that lucky. The humans rarely saw things in the same light as the supernaturals most didn't even know lived among them. But that was to be expected. Different lives often led to viewing the world in a different way.

Just as Dorian looked at this apartment and only saw the advantages and disadvantages. Nothing about the architecture or whether or not it would be a good place to live comfort wise. He saw an elevator bank that was far too centralized and open for his taste, his eyes were still looking for the stairs that had to be there. The rest of his focus was left entirely to the people that inhabiting the building. The individual he'd followed in had been human, so very human. But the man that came in next...

He was not.

Rather he was demon. Dorian had long ago learned to pinpoint those of his own race, how to focus on who and what they were long before he even looked at their face. Appearance mattered little to him, identity far more. It didn't go unnoticed that the other man had looked at him, that nod given and vaguely returned by Dorian, and that the man kept an eye on him however discreetly.

The man however was where Dorian sought to be. Looking to see if names were included on the mailboxes, if the callbox listed more than just room numbers. He didn't think he'd be so lucky but Dorian was thorough when he was on a case. Didn't matter that this was entirely personal. Dorian was torn between letting the man pass and... well acting as he had the last time he had encountered a demon. That hadn't been his most shining of moments, but it had happened and he was always one to own his actions.

This time however, Dorian sought to avoid the confrontation. Situations were different. The lobby of an apartment building was never the place to have that particular conversation. Instead Dorian took a few steps to the side, on his way to a hallway that branched off, the small lighted sign that indicated the stairwell caught in his peripheral vision. Two steps to the side and he pulled the shadows of the lobby around him like a cloak. A human would have never noticed. A demon would... but what the demon did with that would tell Dorian a great deal of information. Or so he liked to think it would.

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in_his_shadow
2008-04-06 10:59 am UTC (link)

The feeling that this stranger was trouble was starting to grown inside Nox's gut. It was in the way the man returned Nox's nod... in the way he seemed to be trying so very hard to blend in, too hard. Something was off here, and when the man side stepped out of view, Nox saw unnatural movement of the shadows on the walls. That was all Nox needed. He left his groceries on the ground, quickly stuffed the mail back in its box, and followed the demon.

Yep, Nox was fairly convinced this man was of the same race, and if he was headed for the stairs or elevator, Nox had a great deal to be concerned about. Was he after Hesper? Was she even home? Nox wouldn't allow the guy to get anywhere near his twin. The guy had to be stopped and shown the door at the very least, perhaps the badge and a gun if things escalated.

Nox wasn't as talented with shadow manipulation, but he could do a bit of cloaking, so he pulled what darkness he could to aid him in following the demon. Soon enough he was around the corner, spotting the strange movement of shadows ahead of him. "Stop where you are and show yourself," Nox commanded, letting his own shadows drop, and keeping his hand ready to reach for the gun he was hiding under his jacket.

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dust_and_shadow
2008-04-06 07:17 pm UTC (link)

Trouble. That idea would almost be laughable to Dorian. If it weren't for the fact that it was true. Likely not for the reasons this other demon thought he was trouble but because inevitably... anyone who spent too much time with Dorian found the fate that Dorian himself was avoiding. How Isobel had survived... Dorian could only attest to the fact that he'd left before they could be connected. Or so he hoped. It was all part of the reason he was here, in the apartment building.

He had to know if she was here or if it was all just some twisted game his subconscious was playing with him. His money was almost on the latter.

Dorian could feel the pull of energy after him. He hadn't observed long enough to read more than just demon from the other. But any questions were now answered and Dorian wasn't liking the answer. What the fuck was with the damn influx of shadow demons in this town. Sign number eight hundred that he needed to pack up and leave. How many more did he need?

Dorian was almost to the stairwell door when the command was shouted out behind him. Really? It almost brought the curve of a smile to his face. But in some odd way it did ease... something inside of him. If he knew anything about his family, it was that they never bothered to use human formalities for anything. And this demon was clearly tied tightly to the human world.

"Been living too long with humans haven't you?" That was the only response Nox got, no showing himself and no stopping. Unless you counted the pause it took to open the stairwell door. If this demon wanted to talk to Dorian, he sure as hell wasn't going to get to do it anywhere near the open. The stairwell if he was lucky.

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in_his_shadow
2008-04-06 07:36 pm UTC (link)

Nox was still tempted to reach for his weapon, but the stranger, while clearly troublesome, hadn't provoked such a reaction from Nox. Good officers used their weapons as a last resort, and pulling it from the holster right now would only cause the situation to escalate. The other shadow demon seemed to want to avoid conflict, and Nox was all for that, but they still needed to chat. The stranger wasn't about to get away with roaming the halls of the Towers on his own.

"Nearly a decade," he responded with zero emotion in his tone. It was clear now what they both were, no need to try and deny that they weren't humans. The stranger slipped into the stairwell, and Nox followed, making sure the door closed behind him.

He heard footsteps heading up, and Nox rushed after them. "You can keep going, but I wouldn't advise it," Nox warned. He would only be tested to a certain point. The closer the other demon got to the fourth floor, the more nervous Nox became. He refused to let this man get too close to the place Nox and Hesper called home.

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dust_and_shadow
2008-04-06 11:40 pm UTC (link)

Maybe he was just a resident who preferred his privacy? Well that story didn't even fly with Dorian, which was why he'd come up with his own tale to explain his presence. And while some of that was blown from the water by the appearance of the other demon... the name would stay the same. No need for anyone else to have that information. It was for Nox's own safety as far as Dorian was concerned.

Before the stairwell door closed behind him, the other's response made it to his ears. A decade... now was that a decade of merely living among them as a human would or was that all the time he'd been with humans in total. Dorian couldn't say that he'd lived like a human, well not in years. He made his appearances in the human world when needed. Transportation when it was required. Wings, under the cloak of darkness, aided in that whole transportation cost portion of his budget. But truly living amongst them... he couldn't say he'd done that since he was a boy. Too risky, humans died all too easily. Cannon fodder someone had once said years ago.

Dorian disappeared into the stairwell. He didn't go up or down though, he merely stepped inside and moved so his back was to the wall. Always know what was behind you and a wall was as good a backup as Dorian was going to get. "And what business is it of yours where I move in this building?" Dorian's voice broke through the silence of the stairwell as Nox nearly moved past him. Arms crossed the shadows that he'd been using slowly began to dissipate.

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in_his_shadow
2008-04-07 01:50 am UTC (link)

Nox didn't care about his safety, he only cared about Hesper's, and that was why he was pursuing the stranger. It was more than a little suspicious that a shadow demon had jumped Hesper the other day, and now one was snooping around the Towers. Either this demon was after the one who had roughed up Hesper, or this was the demon she'd run into. Nox was determined to find out which.

A decade might seem like a long time to some people, but it had passed quickly. More than nine years ago, Nox entered this foreign world among the humans, a world he'd only heard about in stories, and he'd completely immersed himself in it. He had essentially become human. He took every step possible to blend in and seem perfectly ordinary. His wings rarely even emerged for a stretch, and the charmed bands around his wrists kept his claws hidden at all times. He braved the sunlight to ensure he didn't raise suspicion the way the vampires did. He even donated money to charities and joined groups with other humans, all in an effort to be firmly rooted in their society. Hesper thought he was insane, but he really did have aspirations for becoming a federal agent one day, and this was great practice. A good detective and agent absorbed his surroundings and found a way to fade into them, never drawing attention to himself. It was the same way with shadow manipulation.

At the sound of the stranger's voice again, Nox froze and spun toward the man, seeing the shadows begin to fade away. "I live in this building, and I work for the city. It's my duty to protect the people here," he said with authority, pulling his jacket aside to show the badge attached to his hip. "What are you looking for?"

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dust_and_shadow
2008-04-07 05:29 am UTC (link)

By the looks of that girl... she was pretty certain she could take care of herself. Granted that assessment was based on only a few minutes. But... if Dorian still had his sister and she had half the cockiness at their age, he might have been just as protective. There was always someone bigger and badder in the world whether or not you thought you could handle it. It had been Dorian's estimation that getting the fuck out of dodge was the better part of valor.

The human world... had it's interest. Dorian didn't disagree with that. He had never lived in hell, born on the surface, his parents had fled the feuding that overran hell. It wasn't someplace Dorian cared to visit, he didn't need the comparison. However on the surface, there was no mistaking that they were different. Denying that or embracing it could sometimes mean the difference between life and death. That much Dorian knew to be true. Past that... he'd never had much time. He was still working on that whole life part.

The dark nondescript outfit Dorian wore was typical for his very limited wardrobe. Dark shirt, dark pants. Simple and meant in every way to just blend in with the darkness that he preferred. "Protect them from?" Dorian continued, his arms were crossed loosely over his chest, not argumentative or defensive just yet. The badge that was displayed, didn't perhaps strike the fear of truth or worry into Dorian as it might others. But he let the other man have his moment with the flashing. "I haven't harmed anyone, threatened anyone."

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in_his_shadow
2008-04-07 10:39 pm UTC (link)

It was Hesper's cocky attitude that worried Nox so much. She really was overly confident, and he was terrified that it would get her killed one day. She'd pick a fight or accept a challenge that she wasn't prepared for, and that would be the end. And then his worst fear would be realized... seeing Hesper on a slab in the morgue. He often had nightmares about it, even told Hesper about them, but it didn't change anything. She was never going to listen to him. The woman was just too wild to be tamed.

Hell was... well... Hell. The name of the place described it perfectly, and Nox never wanted to return. He liked the laws of the surface world, liked that the beauty of the place too, and humans, despite some of their flaws, were an incredible race. He envied them in many ways. Hesper thought he was pathetic. What sort of demon wants to be a human? But he did. He never outright said it, but it was pretty obvious.

"Protect them from those who would do harm. Just because you haven't, doesn't mean you won't. I don't know you or your true intentions. If you're really just looking for a place to live, you wouldn't have avoided me upon realizing that I'm like you. So why are you really here?"

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dust_and_shadow
2008-04-09 07:49 pm UTC (link)

No one wanted to see someone they loved killed. Dorian would have argued that no one wanted to see their flesh and blood dead... but with his family that sort of argument had all sorts of gaping holes in it, none of which he cared to discuss with anyone. But Dorian could understand concern for a sibling, he'd failed in protecting his little sister so many years ago and if he hadn't given up all hope of her having lived through it all so many years ago... his time would have been far more occupied with the search for her. But as the case was, he was just keeping himself alive.

The human world had it's perks, that was true. But to form lasting relationships in it... seemed such a pointless venture to Dorian. Not only because of his own personal reasons for avoiding ties. But the years could be so limited. Only so many before the lack of aging as mortals did became all too apparent. It was a bit pessimistic of Dorian to think that reason enough to avoid relationships, but he'd never claimed to not be the glass half empty sort. In fact he quite possibly was the poster child.

Dorian's eyes narrowed slightly as he took in the man standing in front of him practically bristling with his supposed authority. "Innocent until proven guilty isn't true then?" he countered. Though the question was more facetious than anything. "The fewer questions you ask about me, the better it will be for you." Dorian said with complete honesty, not an ounce of sarcasm in his voice. "I'm here to look for someone and that someone doesn't concern you so..." Dorian stepped away from the wall, more than ready to continue on his fool's errand, whether this demon wanted him to or not.

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in_his_shadow
2008-04-13 03:42 pm UTC (link)

Nox was starting to lose his patience, and his retort came with a bitter tone as a result. He sounded almost snide, condescending. "You aren't human... the laws of this world don't apply. And, even if they did, you're forgetting about such things as reasonable suspicion... and probable cause. I happen to have information on another case involving a shadow demon, and that gives me pause where you're concerned."

Nox was hesitant to bring up his sister, but as he thought on it, he realized that if this man was after Hesper, then nothing Nox said would make things worse, and if the man wasn't, then Nox would be able to relax a bit. "My sister lives here too. Petite blond. Big mouth. Know her?" he asked, his eyebrow cocking as he gazed right into the other man's eyes. "Because if she's the one you're here to see, you'll have to go through me to do it. And I don't care if you're older or more skilled with shadows, no one hurts Hesper and lives." Yes, it was a threat, one Nox meant with every ounce of his being. He would definitely kill to protect his sister, though it really wasn't something he would ever want to do.

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dust_and_shadow
2008-04-14 03:00 am UTC (link)

"Glad we could be of agreement on something. They don't apply." Dorian said simply, for once he was the one holding his emotions in check. Unlike his encounter with that other demon. He knew that he'd stepped out of line, wasn't something Dorian liked to do but being on edge for nearly two centuries had that effect on a man. Pushed the boundaries of normal social interaction. Not that Dorian mingled much. He wasn't the dinner party sort.

Dorian arched his brows as the other man spoke of a... case. Oh, so was that the situation. It gave him pause though. Were there others? More? If that was the case, there really was no reason for him to be here anymore. He was pushing fate enough as it was. Something he was clearly going to have to look into since he was fairly certain that this demon wasn't going to be freely giving him information anytime soon.

"Met a blonde that was cocky as hell. If she's your sister I wish you all the luck in the world. I'm sure as fuck not after her though for any reason so you can pack the bravado up." He couldn't fault the man for wanting to protect his sister, probably had his work cut out for him though. Almost feel for the guy with that particular duty. "Free to go yet officer?" Okay, so there was a bit of sarcasm to his voice. But it had been a long day> Hell, everyday was a long day.

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in_his_shadow
2008-04-14 09:42 pm UTC (link)

They technically didn't apply, but Nox followed them anyway. If you were going to live among the humans, it was best to follow their rules. Nox hated Hell, hated everything about it, and it was a privilege to be here. He didn't want to wear out his welcome by being a bad guest, so he stuck to the law of the land. It was a shame other demons didn't follow his example.

There were probably even more demons that Nox and this stranger had yet to meet, ones that were far more dangerous. Nox hoped to avoid all of them. He knew that few were like him, and they would probably get enjoyment out of his suffering... which would entail hurting Hesper or Hale. That was part of the reason he only went into the Underground when it was absolutely necessary for work. Still, if running into others of the shadows became a more common occurrence, he'd have to consider moving. He had been considering it ever since Hesper mentioned the attack upon her.

"I don't need your luck. I need you to stay away from her. She's no danger to you, and I won't be so long as you stay out of our way." He wanted to make sure he was clear, and he hoped he was, because Nox was ready for this encounter to end as well. "Yes, you are," Nox said in an annoyed, biting tone, before he straightened up and left the stranger alone in the stairwell, heading off to his own apartment. The moment he reached it, he sent text messages to both Hesper and Hale, alerting them to his encounter.

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