duplicitymemes | TDM #22

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TDM #22

« « « TEST DRIVE MEME » » »

« « « ALL ON DISPLAY

It's discouraging to think how many people are shocked by honesty and how few by deceit. Yet, solace is found in the lies we tell each other, comforted by the peace of knowing that we're not alone in our depravity, and once on this path, sin itself becomes the lesser of two evils masked in a cloud of normalcy.

This is how Duplicity has functioned since the beginning. The divide of power and social standing is overt in that Dominants influence the decisions made both publicly and privately while Submissives cater to the rules presented to them. It is the way of Duplicity to assign random designations at birth with no leeway in altering what has been given. Climate in the Up is far stricter than that of the Down; violating outlined personas for a Dominant or Submissive while in full view of others is punished by degree of infraction. In the Down, many tend to turn a blind eye to these sorts of offenses.

To counteract the discovery of the Deceit Gene – a natural "negative" response to all stimuli – the L.I.E.S. program was founded. The program had been designed to introduce new subjects to the current environment and test for the Deceit Gene through immersion in Duplicity's standing society. Sexual impulses and encounters increase the chances of detecting the gene within these individuals. Participants are typically released from L.I.E.S. after a year; however, results have remained unsatisfactory and testing still continues.

... and you’re here! Finally! Welcome to Duplicity.

After choosing a door and stepping through to the other side, the first thing that greets you are the enthusiastic faces of people in medical scrubs and pristine lab coats. Their enthusiasm translates to eagerness as they strip you of your clothes to perform a thorough examination—you will be healed, bathed, and given a paper gown to wear until your items can be processed and delivered to your residence later in the evening. You are also given a device that accesses the network as well as the time and location of orientation.

If you enter Duplicity into the Up, congratulations! You’re a Dominant, which means you are immediately picked up by a limo after processing and taken to your highrise. Here, it is two Dominants per floor with separate apartments. If you enter Duplicity into the Down, congratulations! You’re a Submissive, which means you are directed towards public transportation with the address of the motel you’ll be living in. Here, it is two Submissives per room with a shared common space for all rooms.

Enjoy your free time until orientation! Participation is mandatory by all new and old arrivals.

Winter is here and snow flurries are common in the Up while the slush collects in the Down.

» » » ALL ABOARD

After stepping through the door and participating in orientation, LIERS are assembled together in the Up for a tour of Duplicity in its entirety. Seats are in pairs and randomly assigned to Dominants and Submissives alike. Traveling from Fiddler's Square, the train journeys through various parts of the Up, showcasing society and examples of lifestyle. Along the way, frequent stops are made; a variety of passengers can be seen exiting and entering the doors. A Dominant with a kneeling Submissive takes a seat near the front of the train at one stop. A small group of Submissives board and sit closer to the LIERS at another, all seemingly content in their roles. As the tour continues through the Up, the train passes close to the Market and White Wall Bridge and zips by North Park before heading into the Down and bypassing Red Wall Bridge and South Park.

The train makes a "final" stop at Riddler's Square, where inhabitants of the Down are instructed to return to their temporary housing. Those who live in the Up are permitted to stay on the train and revisit the same locations while returning.

« « « WINTER WONDERLAND

As a particularly heavy snowstorm blows across the city, Duplicity finds itself blanketed in white. The morning after the storm, many citizens seem to be in a particularly mischievous mood and snowballs are a common sight flying through the air. A projectile meant for someone else may hit you square in the face if you're not careful — and then it's on. Joining these impromptu snow battles is encouraged, no matter a person's designation, and even Submissives teaming up to pelt unsuspecting Dominants with snowballs is generally taken in the spirit of good fun. Not everyone is throwing snow, of course — some are rolling much larger balls and shaping them into lewd snow figures.

Those feeling chilled after playing in the snow may experience the urge to warm up with someone else, skin to skin. Whether they're a stranger or a familiar face, holding hands, kissing, or getting down and dirty with the nearest willing partner is invigorating. It might even be the only way to really feel warm again.

« « « DUBIOUS DELIVERIES

(cw: aphro, humiliation kink)

Want to make some quick cash? After exiting the train in the Down, there seems to be a questionable character hanging about the station. Dressed in a trenchcoat and looking more like a flasher than the businessman he claims to be, this shady recruiter offers easy money in exchange for a simple delivery. Just take a package and drop it off at the address on the label. Really, that's it! Stop asking questions.

Should characters decide to open the package themselves instead, they'll discover one of the following: glitter — so much glitter, lube (appears normal, but actually contains hot pepper and will cause more than a mild tingling sensation if used anywhere sensitive), a package of flavored condoms mysteriously labeled "every flavor" (none of them taste good), candy or perfume containing an aphrodisiac that, in addition to the usual libido-boosting effect, will also cause an intense craving for humiliation.

It seems to be one of those services that allows one to send anonymous prank gifts, and they're hiding behind LIERs as couriers. There's no return address or company information on or inside the package, except for a card marked Encoded Sin Corp — which does not seem to be a real company if the name is searched.

Whether characters end up delivering the package — maybe even to a fellow LIER — or get into some trouble along the way, someone is getting a nasty surprise.

« « « SURPRISES FOR SALE

(cw: aphro, dubcon, excessive fluids, exhibitionism, public use)

A small winter market has been set up along one of the major streets in the Up with stalls selling a variety of goods ranging from knitted hats and scarves, soaps, scented lotions, candles, jewelry, artwork and assorted crafts to hand-dyed bondage rope and kinky leather accessories. Food and drink stands are plentiful as well. Strings of lights crisscross the street between the roofs of the shops, providing a cheerful glow, and there are tables set up in the street itself for people to sit and chat while having a snack — if they can stand the cold.

Some of the most popular treats being sold are hot chocolate, eggnog, marshmallow snowmen, and sugar cookies decorated like snowflakes. Of course, their popularity may have something to do with the effects they produce when consumed.

• The hot chocolate simply gets one all hot and bothered.
• The eggnog may cause heavy production of sexual fluids, a desire to be filled or covered with someone else's cream, or all of the above.
• The marshmallow snowmen will make those who eat them want to invite others to use them as they please, desiring nothing more than to be molded into the perfect fucktoy.
• The sugar cookies seem to induce all sorts of different cravings — after all, no two snowflakes are alike!

These effects tend to last at least an hour and may, in some cases, last up to a full day.

One of the jewelry shops sells an unusual selection of compass pendants and bracelets. The compass arrows spin round and round lazily while the pieces are on display. Once worn, however, that changes. The arrow will settle on a direction, but instead of pointing north it will lead directly to another person. Perhaps you should speak to them? You may even begin to feel magnetically drawn to them yourself… In the event that two people have compasses that point them at each other, the attraction will be even stronger — nearly impossible to deny.

There is another shop which sells intricately designed pocket watches and small clocks. When these timepieces are stared at for an extended length of time or picked up and handled, characters will feel a brief but strong connection to their past and experience a vivid flashback to some moment that was, in whatever way, meaningful for them. After reliving the memory, they will feel compelled to speak about it to whoever is nearby.

« « « MOD & OOC NOTES

Please read carefully.

On each Test Drive Meme, there will be a section noting character roles; these will vary each TDM. On an IC level, characters will still have gone through the doors but assignments OOCly are still randomized. When applying, there is a section of the application that denotes whether the character chooses "left" or "right." When participating on the TDM, there will be a third option. Players may link either a top level or a thread (five or more comments from their character) from the TDM and title the link as "Door Pass." This means that the player is choosing to take the designation that they were randomly assigned on the TDM, rather than taking the designation of a door. If the player decides to select a door rather than use the pass, then they are trying their luck; they may get the same designation they had on the TDM or the opposite. Once the application is submitted, players can't change their choice.

To assign roles to characters for this TDM, use the following guide:

If your character likes it hot, they are a Dominant. If your character prefers the cold, they are a Submissive.

To Note: Characters can only swap their designation for one of the following reasons: an event occurs that allows it or there are OOC reasons that make it a necessity. Any swap always requires mod approval and each character can only ever switch once. Characters that are being reapped will keep their previous designation but players can choose to use new TDMs with different designations for fun!

Test Drive threads can be used as activity proofs for characters currently in-game.

Please remember to mark any necessary content, and have fun!!

» » » MAIN NAVIGATION « « «

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

( fancy. he--takes a look around the booth, before he's sliding into it on the opposite end of william. facing him, with the menu down on the table between them. oliver glances to it while he listens to william, humming soft as he looks over the options. )

Monogamy isn't something I'm into regardless. ( so it's good william didn't expect to get it; even back home, he'd preferred more open ended relationships. the ability to find someone else he liked and pull them into what he already had. no need to restrict himself to only one person, right? ) I know how to play my part. I wasn't intending on, visibly, breaking any laws and causing problems that'd catch the guard's intention.

( purposeful wording. visibly. focusing on avoiding the guard itself, rather than avoiding individual people. he flips the menu over, to browse their dessert selection instead. when oliver said he wanted a parfait, he meant it. )

Work the system to do what you want it to, yeah? That's reasonable.

Visibly works.

[William's not really going to break Duplicity's laws in that he'd ever willingly act Submissive to anyone, but... there are a few things he might do in the right circumstances, if Theo's face is involved and the body worship's not so overtly a power swap. Maybe. And the rest of the rules of the city, though? Beyond that? He's not afraid of breaking those, and many he already has. Society's fragile sometimes, it really shouldn't matter

A Submissive in a full-neck collar comes to take their drink order, posture rigid; William asks for a bottle of fine wine, but looks expectantly at Oliver to see if he wants anything in addition. Otherwise, naturally, "water as well".]

I'm used to a certain kind of life, and I plan to have it here. Wealth, power and security. Those are things I'd be able to offer. Just something to think about.

[He looks down, smoothly transitioning:]

Steak's quite good. Better than the seafood, actually.

( there's the quirk of a brow when william looks at him after ordering their drinks, but he doesn't offer anything else up in exchange. a good wine sounds nice, he doesn't need anything else. oliver turns his attention back to the menu. pretends to look it over for the most part, while he listens to william speak.

hums soft when he's finished, turning the menu back over and sliding it across the center of the table. he doesn't need this anymore, william can tuck it under his own to return it to the waiter when they come back. oliver hadn't actually needed it to begin with, but it was good to keep his attention on for a moment. )

Steak. Medium rare, please. ( he knows how to use his manners. ) What do you want in return? You want me to trust you, to be flexible, you'll offer security and wealth but that tells me fucking nothing about what you actually want. A good lay every once in a while? A well-behaved sugarbaby? Someone legally obligated to fulfill whatever fantasy of the day you come up with?

A good lay, yes. And no messes in my home.

[It's weird, being asked this. It always seemed to be implied in the lives where contracts like these mattered, when he was a King whose bed warmers already knew what he wanted and what to offer him. Company, their bodies and no interference in his day to day plans. But this is different, it's modern and it's strange to think he could ask for more. But does he want it?

He orders steak for himself, as well as bread for the table. The wine's already back at the table and being poured first for him before his approving nod to the server has them serve Oliver in turn. Turns out he doesn't even bother asking about his age, do rules around alcohol even exist here?]

Good company, whether it's a meal or just time spent together but enough time to ourselves that that won't kill us both. I don't know beyond that. I suppose we could work out the finer details if you do have genuine interest. I have to woo you still, after all.

[...]

If you do indulge a fantasy or two, you'd be compensated accordingly.

( nobody asks for his age, in the crowd he runs in. a look at pierce's very old money look, his name on a reservation, and nobody gives a shit to ask about his accomplices when he and oliver take a fun night out. he assumes it'll work the same way here off the basis of the position he was put into: if dominants are who rule the city, who'd give a fuck what their submissives do with them, long as they're not loud enough to cause a stir? he looks to the wine glass as the server pours some into his glass. reaches out to take it once it's about three fourths of the way full.

raises it to his lips for a sip and takes a moment to really taste it before he's setting it back down onto the table. )

I won't be your personal whore. If you get boring to sleep with or piss me off, you're on your own. And you're not paying me for whatever fantasies you have. If I feel like playing into them, we can. Any money I get from you doesn't come with extra strings attached.

Of course, on the contingency you woo me well enough.

Sounds fair enough to me.

[All on contingency, of course. The bread arrives along with salad William didn't ask for and he can't decide if he's pleased or annoyed. His eyes keep slipping back to Oliver, the features of his face just... so fucking familiar. The more he looks at him the less confident he is that that's Theo's face at all, but in the same moment there's no mistaking it. The crease of his brow, the way his lips move when he speaks. It's alarming. And alluring.

Adding on with no actual desire to draw lines because if this "Theo" asked him for anything, he'd likely find a reason to comply:]

No pets.

As in no pets in your apartment, or at all? Is it an allergy?

( just to be an asshole. he's quirking a smirk towards william, before reaching across the table for a bread roll. because bread is the fucking best and who wouldn't like some good bread? oliver unwraps the silverware from the stupid fancy cloth napkin, drops the napkin down onto his lap. takes the butter knife and uses it to split the bread so he can. put what is probably considered a little too much butter onto the bread. )

Or do you just want to avoid dog shit on your carpets?

Let's just call it all of the above, and strike it off the list.

[He doesn't see the purpose of pets unless they're people he takes a shining to. Animals have their working uses and maybe this is another way to detach himself from the associations with Theodore, who fed cats and nursed back to life the barn cat's litter when she'd abandoned them mid winter. He stares at Oliver, and then gives a shrug.]

Is that a disappointment?

It's probably not something I'm gonna keep to.

( not something he'd admit to if he was desperate. which. oliver is, a little, but he's got enough time that it isn't dire yet. there's more idiots running around this city he could shove into if he needed something and this guy opted not to give it to him. nick has it nice enough he could make do with the crappy room for a few weeks if nick let him take off with a bunch of his crap to keep him mostly comfortable.

but the bread's delicious. too many carbs and too much fat and it's fucking amazing. no complaints here. he's even reaching for another piece of it, talking again as he reaches for a second piece. )

Is that a problem?

Suppose you'll have to wait and see.

[Does he want to dissuade Oliver from a contract with the truth - that he'd like to say he'd drown anything he brought home without permission, or much more truly probably let him keep it? He hates being tethered to the weakness he has here and so chooses to avoid the answer all together. He can't be stepped on and over so easily by a fucking kid, no matter whose eyes are staring back at him.

He sips his wine and the server comes and goes, setting down plates of additional appetizers that are on the house before scurrying away. William pays mild attention to his dinner before him, knife and fork held effortlessly in practiced hands as he cuts his steak. Ignores the bread fiend across from him.]

I'm open to trades and negotiations, should the time come - you might have to woo me to get me to change my mind.

I'm not worried about it.

( he's more concerned about the pile of bread and miscellaneous other foods that are being delivered to them, thank you. oliver knows how to use his table manners well enough, but he might be going a little overboard on pulling crap over towards him so he can get a bite. orientation and the bit of time after wasn't a particularly grand time. and he's hungry.

the bread gets abandoned for the steak, which he takes a few bites out of before he's opening his mouth again, )

What job did you land here?

Right now it's some consulting work.

[Vague, but he does a variety of things to try and give aid to other businesses to prevent them from taking nosedives and to get them on their feet. He'd prefer something else, but one has to work themselves up the ladder in life, again and again, it seems. He speaks while cutting with his utensils some more, and before taking his bite:]

Pays well enough to have dinners like this be frequent.

[Saying that so Oliver knows, y'know, this isn't a one time thing.]

What about yourself? Any opportunities granted to you yet?

Work isn't really my thing.

( his thing is finding people he can mooch off of and avoid working for forever. it's worked well for him this far, so don't ruin it for him, thank you. he speaks around forkfuls of food, waits until he's finished it before opening his mouth again to speak. see? polite. )

I know a few things I can do on the side to keep income coming in, but my goal's to avoid that entirely. You know? ( thus: seeking out people like william. ) But 's not like us Submissives can get a job without a Dom signing off on it anyway.

What about passions or hobbies, then? Anything else to fill this time with, since you'll clearly be carried financially.

[He - can't really make a swipe at Oliver's answer, not with how stupidly willing he is to project long lost and buried feelings for another person on him. Not when he made sure Theodore didn't have to lift a finger, either. He did what he wanted, on whim, and maybe that's what William wants to hear from Oliver. That he wants to paint, or write, or do anything Theo used to do too. To help with the, well, projection.]

Besides being hand fed grapes on a chaise.

Metalworking.

( putting his fork to the side to tilt his head, showing off first one ear and then the other. one has helix piercings covering the outer shell, two cuffs up top with chains coming down from them and barbells down to his earlobe. there's a daith, rook, conch, and tragus towards the inside of his ear. the other ear has an industrial through the top, a couple helix cuffs below it, a couple forward helix piercings, and another conch. )

These're all my pieces, ( they're all charmed, too. ) but I have a few more that're less obvious.

So you'd also need a proper workspace.

[That's another thing he could hopefully provide, and hopes that comes across - he'd be willing to splurge and he knows he should start to show a bit more restraint but he can always pull in the reins later. After he secures - not Theo, but a contract - and can come out of this phase of pathetic hope he has for reenacting old times. His eyes drift over the piercings Oliver shows him, new additions to the old picture but ones he... doesn't hate. He lifts his brows and gives a nod of approval.]

You've got talent. Have you worked with larger pieces?

Made a whole sword once. Like an excalibur replica. A good four feet long, ( both hands raising, to--give an approximate image of the length. ) mostly bronze hilt, carbon steel blade laced with gold. You wouldn't believe how much it cost just for fucking materials.

( not to mention the amount of time he poured into it. that thing was his baby, until he'd finished it and ultimately handed it off to pierce, so pierce could. go swing it at things like the idiot he is. enchanted with a shitton of juice, that thing was damn close to just as good as the mythical excalibur, if not better. )

Ah, perhaps if you do take commissions sometime I'll have to put in a request.

[He wouldn't mind having a good dagger or knife around. Swords had their time and while he is sure he still knows how best to swing one around, they're sort of... out of fashion. Unlike future phone calls, you little twit. Something small and dangerous with a nice sheen and some intricacy in the metalwork? Now that's nice. He seems visibly impressed as well, and leans back in his chair.]

Should you make anything here, though... I'd be interested to see. Whatever it ends up being.

I don't put in work for whoever asks.

( another bite of steak. oliver's already cleared off a good two thirds of his plate. he reaches for another bread roll in between finishing off the steak in his mouth and continuing where he'd left off in the conversation. )

And I only take money for the smaller crap. You want something bigger than a charm or a bracelet, you're gonna have to make yourself worth the effort.

( it's the intent behind the thing that really pulls shit together, for him. oliver's a witch after all; he doesn't rely on normie tactics to pull together pieces. )

So, then - if you ever do picky commissions.

[He stares at Oliver for a second, brows raised and his gaze a bit deadpan but he understands what's being said, he thinks. He can't just waltz into this and expect favors from this apparent sugarbaby, no. The sugarbaby wants to assert his own agency and William is going to treat that like Oliver treated his statement against pets. Going to test it later, if given the chance. He smiles against the rim of his wine glass, sipping before setting it back down to refill it.]

Should I order us another basket?

[Of bread.]

It's not a commission if I don't want to get paid for it.

( hexed weapons are more gifts for good friends than people with pockets lined with cash, thank you. oliver looks to the (now empty, oops) container of bread, then lifts his shoulders in an idle shrug as he takes a bite out of the last piece. )

It's good bread.

I'd just recommend saving some room for dessert.

[Since, you know, full wooing means the full shebang and this place's chocolate mousse is pretty good. William usually abstains from sweets but he'd still be pleased to be able to offer not!Theo whatever he wants. Including, as he flags down a server, another basket of rolls.]

If you want me to get some for you to take back with you, remind me later. I'll have the rest put in a doggy bag.

Leftover bread always gets too hard, leave it.

( also it's good bread, not amazing bread. he's not that desperate for a good roll, wow. oliver finishes the one in hand though, moves back to finishing the steak. he's only got a bit left. he'll probably finish the entire new basket of fucking rolls too, you can't tell him how to live his life. )

What's your dessert recommendation?

Chocolate mousse, or the macarons.

[The macarons are actually a bit dry last he tried them but he's giving Oliver options for the sake of having options. Still internally seething a bit at how much he can stare at him and see someone else, finding himself hopeful of hearing Oliver's choices being the same as Theo's would be. This whole pining shit is going to be a bother... and yet the longer he's with this kid, the more he wants to secure his grip on him. He needs to sink his claws in.]

They're terrible at cakes, even with the price.

( maybe they're great with cakes and your tastes just suck, william. have you thought about that? but he is raising his hand up to get the attention of a nearby server, offers them a gentle smile that morphs his face from snarky young adult to gentle submissive before he's asking in the softest tone he's probably used in--years? years. )

The chocolate mousse, please. Thank you.

( giving it a few moments to settle before he's turning his attention back to william himself. voice a pitch lower. )

Macarons are fine but why waste money eating fancy wafers when you can have the good shit.

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