forum Back to Where We Once Were....(oxo) (closed)

Started February 28, 2022 by @knightinadream group

tune

Somewhere in an east costal city of England lies two childhood friends. Originally have met during one of their overbearing families' parties, they nearly had become inseparable. Over time, the two have developed feelings though never had acted on them. Eventually one went to medical school in the Netherlands while the other became the head of the family after his father had passed away.

Years have gone by. The young boys have grown into fine gentlemen in their own respective manner. It is now 1887, and the one who had become a doctor had finally returned home. While he has been home for some time now, he has not been able to meet his close friend. The nobleman, for the last ten or so years, has been riddled with tons of work and had fallen to a strange illness after returning from a business trip.

The two are reunited after the nobleman's mother sends for the childhood friend doctor to look after and treat him. What is to be when they reunite? Will old flames burn anew? Or will they be extinguished for good?

Note
Ahhh this was just something I made on the whim for no reason. Was craving some sort of Victorian Era rp with romance anyways, which might have some vampire stuff in it? Oh well… I think this will be fun!

Rules

• At least one to three paragraphs per response
• Try to be active as much as possible (I am a bit busy at the moment but I'll do my best to respond asap)
• Experienced rpers only
• Reminder that this takes place in the late 19th century in Victorian England
• For this rp, I will be the doctor while your character will be the nobleman Lord whatever you shall name them
• Please ask questions and give ideas/suggestions when necessary

Name:
Title:
Nicknames:
Age:
Gender:
Sexuality:
Appearance:
Personality:
Background:
Other:

Name: Maximillian Adriaan Darius Solomon
Title: Doctor Solomon
Nicknames: Max, Maxie/Maxine
Age: 32
Gender: Male (He/Him)
Sexuality: Bisexual (with a preference for men)
Appearance: Max is known for his long pushed back wavy blond hair. His eyes are steel blue. Since his vision is not the best (he is nearsighted), he had one thin silver framed glasses. He stands at six foot five with an athletic body type. His features are on the softer side, though he has a prominent Roman shaped nose.
Personality: All in all, he is a soft yet strong-willed person. A natural sweetheart but Max is not afraid to speak up for others, and is often found to be a diplomat in most conflicts. He loves helping other people; it's what he was put on earth for. There is always a warm aura surrounding him, even though sometimes he just prefers to be in the corner of the room. He loves people, being with friends and such, but he enjoys spending time alone. Sometimes it is out of a melancholic sluggish notion that overcomes him whereas other times it's not. People still find him peculiar like his parents.
Background: Maximillian Adriaan Darius Solomon is the fourth and youngest in his family. Yes his parents gave him two middle names, but his mother insisted on it. His father, Alexander, is a wealthy businessman whereas his mother, Cilla, is a noble lady from Holland. Both his parents are seen to be odd compared to others, but they are, for the better part, good parents. Both always encouraged Max to be himself, to never be afraid.

Though often enjoyed by the company of his older brother, sisters, mother, and cousins, Max had always found himself alone and out of place. Sure he is more so an introvert, but there is something more to it thag even he doesn't understand now. He enjoyed reading underneath the dogwood tree at home. He was always the first person to show up to school. His parents forced him to go to a winter party when he was about six or seven. He was still uncomfortable to being around so many strangers, though he happened to befriend one. They seemed to hit it off right away. After then, the rest is history as they say.

Over time he spent a lot of time either with his friend of studying. Feelings for his friend had developed, but he pushed them to the side. Eventually when he turned eighteen, he went off to Holland for medical school. Max lived with his aunt and uncle in Amsterdam for the next four years. There he met a physician named Doctor Loman who became his mentor. Max ended up getting his doctorate and moved back to his hometown.
Other: Max has a deep voice with a slight Dutch accent thanks to his mother. Along with his medical bag, he always carries a book and journal with him. He has a horse named Benvolio who helps him get to patients' homes.

Name: Ivory Michael Winn
Title: Duke of Norfolk, Earl Marshall, Chief Butler of England
Nicknames: Ivy
Age: 33
Gender: cis male
Sexuality: questioning. Most likely gay.
Appearance: Ivory used to be a rather tanned, well-built gentleman of 5’11, but recently he’s been looking more pale and he’s lost a considerable amount of weight. However, he has retained his angular features, such as his triangle-shaped face, bony fingers, straight, sharp nose. He has hooded, gray eyes, and fluffy, dirty blond hair that ends in a pair of sideburns that end near the start of his jaw. You’ll usually see him wearing thin spectacles, and he tends to wear dark clothing, though he isn’t mourning for anyone currently.
Personality: Ivy is known for being a very intelligent, clever man. His parents prided him on his strong mind, and he loved learning and reading. He’s also fairly extroverted and charismatic, like is father, but unlike him, he’s also an empathetic and considerate man. This, everyone agrees, he got from his mother. He’s a planner and a perfectionist, and is most comfortable when he’s on top of things and knows what’s going on. All of these things combined make him quite popular with the common people, but becoming both physically and mentally ill has made him unable to be quite as great and productive as he wants to be. He’s also tends to be a bit condescending, especially when he’s annoyed, and he has a habit of raising his voice when he feels strongly about something, which not everyone appreciates.
Background: Being the son of a duke, a lot of pressure was placed on Ivory almost immediately after he was born. Some years before his birth, his mother had suffered a miscarriage as well, so the fact that he even lived made his parents think of him as some sort of miracle child who could solve all of their problems. Not long after Ivy came though, his sister, Pearl, came after. As aristocracy, they lived comfortably together, at least in the eyes of everyone else. Really, Ivy had to learn to hide parts of himself in order to please his parents. He loved plants and going outside as a child, but over time was kept inside so he could study and such. Sometimes Pearl would help him sneak away so they could do something fun together, but it didn’t take away from the pressure he felt coming from his parents, mainly his father.
When Ivy was around seven or so, his parents hosted a winter ball. Although Ivy got along fairly well with the other children present, his father also showed him off to the other guests, and the attention of the adults made him nervous. After managing to make an escape, he found another boy off by himself and decided to investigate. Long story short, they quickly became friends. As they grew up they bonded over a shared love of the sciences, though for Ivy it was biology and for his friend, Maximilian, it was medicine. Sometime when he was a teenager he developed feelings for Max and even fantasized about him, but he was ashamed and never talked about it with anyone.
When Ivory was around 18, his sister died of scarlet fever. Not long after that, Max left the country. Ivy had been showing what we now know to be symptoms of depression before this, but after these events, he spiraled. He stopped going out as much, only going out to tend to the gardens or something for business. A few years later, his father died as well. Despite being in grief, he handled his new responsibilities better than he thought he would. Max stayed in the back in the back of his mind for some reason. There would be times where he didn’t think about him, but it was like there was a special place in his mind for his memories with Max. There was a place for Pearl too, and he thought of her almost as often as Max.
Eventually, his work began to overwhelm him. Literally hours after he returned from a draining business trip, he fell ill. After his mother insisted that he arrange for her to take over his duties, Ivory allowed himself to focus on healing.
Other: loves plants, would be considered a plant parent. The gardens at his estate span several acres.

Horses are always great for getting all around the town in a short amount of time. While doctors like him take carriages now, Maximillian prefers to have Benvolio be his means of transportation. The Hackney horse dashed across the gray roads heading towards a grand estate up the hill. The reins slightly wrapped around his right hand with his other holding onto his hat. He knew that if he gotten Benvolio to calm down then they would be a light trot which would not really be helpful.

This morning Duchess Winn sent him a letter about Ivory, or now Duke Winn, had fallen ill. She must have sent it first thing in the morning as priority since he had gotten home from treating someone downtown to have a man hand the letter to him. At first, he did not know that it was the mother of his longtime friend who had sent him the letter. Actually out of sluggishness, he sat it down then went to replace some of the items in his medical bag. Just moments after setting it down on his desk, he saw the coat of arms on the wax seal then ripped the envelope to read the letter.

Now here he is, almost twenty or so minutes since ripping it open. It was not a long nor short read for him. Her grace requested for his presence as soon as possible to look over the duke and begin some sort of treatment. There was a ting of worry in his heart for Ivory, but there was also no time for him to dwell on it. At least he has some sort of opportunity to see his friend again after so long and to be treating him as a doctor too!

Once Maximillian had arrived at the Winn Estate, he hopped off his horse. Despite it feeling like an eternity had passed, everything looked the same. Even the gardens that surround him and the home in front of him look as if they had bloomed yesterday. A smile appeared as his eyes wandered up to the entrance.

Do not die like your sister did.
Do not die like your sister did.
The words echoed in Ivory’s mind as he stared out of the window. They were his mother’s, spoken to him last night, right before she said she would fetch for a doctor first thing in the morning.
Pearl had always been strong. She didn’t die because she was weak, but the way his mother spoke about it implied that she did. Ivory hated that, but maybe his mother only said that because he had been doing quite horribly last night. Now he was feeling better after a night of sleep, but if he did die, he should like to be reunited with Pearl.
But, no. His mother also told him not to think like that. The doctor would be here today, after all. He would have eaten breakfast, but he had not felt a sense of appetite in quite a few days. All he was doing now was looking out the window with a heaviness in his head, a book lying limp in his fingers. At first, his gaze was on the beautiful gardens that stretched on and on, but it soon drifted to something moving on the road. A man on a horse, from what Ivory could make out. The doctor? The man moved out of his line of vision after a few seconds, but why did he seem so familiar?

It wasn’t long before Duchess Winn heard of the doctor’s arrival, and she insisted on greeting him herself. Though it had been a long time, she also remembered the young boy who was once dear friends with her son. Once she was ready, she went to the front door. The butler opened it, and she stepped out.
“Ah, Doctor Solomon. Thank you for coming,” she greeted, her voice carrying a faint German accent.
The Duchess, an older woman in her sixties, was often described as looking like an older version of her late daughter. Blonde hair that looked white in strong lighting, round hazel eyes, and high cheekbones. Her light blue dress trailed behind her, and she held her hands folded in front of her.

Memories had flooded his mind, although he did not welcome them for the sake of the patient waiting. His grin had merely faltered as he loosened the straps on his saddle holding the medical bag full of medicines and equipment. With a slight adjusting of the hat, he patted Benvolio as thanks.

The sounds of doors creaking open echoed. In an instant he glanced over to watch as Duchess Winn walked through. Pushing back his glasses, he gave a light grin. His chin perched up to see her until he walked around the horse.

Doctor Solomon. He still feels excitement coursing through him whenever someone calls him that. It had only been a few years since he received his doctorate and medical license, but he still has to get used to people calling him that.

Looking over his shoulder, he saw that a servant had come to take Benvolio to the stables. He gave thanks then petted his horse again before walking up to Duchess Winn. With his bag at his side, he gave her a bow.

"It is my pleasure, Your Grace. I am glad you had requested my presence as urgently as you did," He said. His expression quickly became somber. "Before I go, is there anything of his condition that I should be aware of? How is he?"

The Duchess’s expression was grave, but she smiled briefly when Maximillian came up and bowed.
“Of course,” she said. Faintly, she shook her head and motioned him inside. A few manservants offered to take his coat and hat, and she continued as she led him through the entrance. “He is… not well. He refuses to eat, and he cannot stand without feeling faint. I have noticed it gets worse in the evenings, it makes it difficult for him to sleep. He has been ill for about five days, if I’m not mistaken. Anything else, I believe he should tell you himself.”
Duchess Winn stopped at the base of a large staircase and faced the doctor. “You will find him upstairs, in his bed. But, Doctor Solomon, I must tell you something.” She paused, prepared her words, then said, “I have noticed something else. I do not think my son wants to get better. He talks of seeing his sister again.” She paused again, as if trying to keep herself composed. “I have not seen him smile, truly smile, in a long time. I asked you to come, and no one else. This is because I know you have made him smile before. If you’re there, I know he will want to get better again. Do you understand?”

Maximillian could only assume how terrible Ivory's condition is by the looks of Duchess Winn's subdued face. As he begun practicing, there was always that hanging feeling of worry every time he went to treat a patient. Now it is possible that it has developed more due to the duke being an old friend of his. On the other hand, he bit the inside of his lip while reminding of himself to take a deep breath.

Seeing the servants, he handed them over his coat and hat. With a gentle smile, he bowed his head in thanks to them. Returning his attention to the Duchess, the solemn look had returned. Even for Max, a stern expression had some element of light in it, but he was fully focused as he listened to what was wrong with his grace. Staring into Duchess Winn's eyes, he would sometimes mouth a few words for his own personal sake.

His fingers wrapped around the handles of his medical bag as he took long strides. Maximillian was ready to go up. Soon he stopped at the same time the duchess did then turned to face her. "Yes, Your Grace?" He replied, slightly turning his head to the right. In a moment, he almost missed what was being said to him due to his heart beating over more worry; although, he did not have to worry about his internal drum from getting louder. He talks of seeing his sister again.

The words felt bitter and acrid on his tongue. A personal cyanide. Max did not even have to think about hearing the news of Pearl's death or a letter from his older brother describing the funeral service and Ivory. He did not have to as her Grace stopped for a moment as if to stop herself from breaking into tears. Whether it is proper or not, he raised his hand and gently patted the side of her arm.

After giving a respectful nod, he pushed his glasses back with his left hand. "I can assure you, Duchess Winn, that you have made the strategic decision in calling for me," He assured. "I will do everything in my power to make sure that he gets better, that he smiles again. You have my word, Your Grace."

Duchess Winn glanced at the the hand on her arm and relaxed somewhat. She offered Maximillian a grateful, though solemn smile. “Thank you, Doctor.”
Then she cleared her throat and patted down her dress. Folding her hands in front of her, she said, “Now, I would accompany you, but I have my own business to take care of. And I’m sure you both have things to catch up on. Now, go.”
Her Grace sent him off with a wave, then turned away. She was quite busy these days, having to take over for most of her son’s duties.

(Ah sorry it’s short)

(It's okay! I appreciate your response!)

Only with a faint grin did he nod. "Very well. I shall send word if I need you for anything, although I do not think that will happen." As she exited, he gave another bow. Quietly, he took a deep breath.

Maximillian waited till the duchess was down the hallway before he made his way to Ivory's room. His long light strides had led him to be close, but as he reached the door, he had slowed down to a halt. Looking in the direction of the door, he gulped. How long has it been since they have last seen each other again? That must be fourteen years at the least. Fourteen years, and he hadn't thought to send letters even while studying and traveling or even go visit while finishing his doctorate in London. God, what kind of friend he is.

No time to dwell, he must remember that. While he is here as friend, he is more importantly here as a doctor. He must remember that. He must…He must….He must. Ages must have passed by as he stood there. Abruptly shaking his head, his hand reached up, knocking on the door. After a couple seconds, he wrapped his fingers around the door knob then opened it.

"Long time, no see, Your Grace," He grinned, stepping inside. Closing the door behind him, he took another step. "It's Doctor Solomon, your mother sent letter saying that you are not well. No worries, I will do everything in my power to make sure you are better than ever under my care."

Ivory looked up from his book. He had to do a double-take, readjusting his glasses as he stared at the man in his doorway.
"Max…?" Then he caught himself. "Ah– Doctor Solomon." He suddenly felt strange, like he was seeing a remnant of his life before he became the duke. He shook off the feeling. Conflicting emotions replaced it instead; joy, confusion, uncertainty. The heaviness in his head grew, and he pressed a hand to his temple. Even so, a smile grew on his face.
"Long time no see," he said. "It is very good to see you again." He chuckled incredulously, letting his hand fall to his lap. "My mother told me she would send for the doctor, but she failed to mention that doctor would be you! Well, I know you are here for me, but how are you? It has been too long."
For some reason, he tried to hide his feelings and the growing pain in his head with his words and his smile. He tried to maintain a sense of dignity that he felt a duke such as himself should have. Perhaps it was due to some sense of insecurity. He had been doing so well in his position before he fell ill, and now he must seem weak. Or maybe it was something else. Something lingered in the back of his brain as he looked at his old friend, something he wished would stay there, or better, go away.