|
|
Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Nov 4, 2012 1:46:31 GMT -5
Joshua was feeling pretty damn good about his life right there and then. He had a large house, a fat wallet, a beautiful wife and an acceptance letter into Maple Hollow's medical school. Though it had been several days since he'd received the letter, Josh was still riding the high. He was going to be a medical student come January, as Maple Hollow's schedule ran parallel to the Academy thanks to it being in an elemental community. He had always known that he was intelligent and that his high score on the MCAT and his college grades would work in his favour but there was nothing quite like a dream becoming a reality. He had already celebrated at home with his wife and he'd called up his close family and friends to tell them about it but the excitement hadn't quite died down. It was a motivator for him, a reminder that if he studied hard and kept his GPA where it was at, he'd graduate in November and have a month of freedom before his life started off the way he wanted it to be.
This new drive had led him to finish most of his work ahead of schedule and after getting some studying time in on top of that, the Fire graduate decided that he deserved a little bit of a reprieve from muttering formulas and theories under his breath and staring intently at his notes for hours on end. He had good work ethic and his study habits had never failed him yet but he refused to work too hard and fry his brain. That would do more damage than anything else. He told Nell where he was off to and bade her goodbye with a kiss, trusting her to trust in him not to do anything stupid. There had been no thoughts of cheating since Brittney, for Josh was satisfied with his marriage and with the woman he called his wife. Brittney had appealed to him during a weaker time and that he had managed to resist her desperation was something he looked back on with a mild pride. Nell had nothing to worry about. He got into his white Aventador and soon found himself pulling into the parking lot outside of Blackjack, frowning at the chill that hit him as he stepped out of the car. No sooner had he thought about the cold than it had ceased to exist, his body temperature adjusting to block out the cold.
Sometimes he loved being Fire.
The warm atmosphere and open feeling of the bar greeted him as he walked through the door, an interior of dark wood with dim lighting creating a distinctly upper-class feel. Blackjack was the bar frequented by those rich and snobbish citizens of Maple Hollow and as someone coming from a lot for money, Joshua was one such citizen. He much preferred it to the cramped interior of Corrosion, the closely-packed bodies and stink of sweat enough of a turn off to keep him away from the club at all costs. Though he found some of the patrons disagreeable with their holier-than-thou attitudes toward anyone with lesser status than they, he'd much rather have them for company than the assorted and often creepy lot he tended to stumble across at Corrosion. The club wasn't all bad but the bar was his definite preference. He also enjoyed the casino, not only because his wife worked there, but he was not in the mood to gamble and so Blackjack would get his money's worth tonight.
He found an empty place at the bar and folded his arms across the surface, glancing around at the faces of those around him as he waited for a bartender to come near. There were a few that he recognised from the social circles of his parents, a girl who was in one of his history courses, and a vast array of strangers. None of them paid him any attention and he turned his attention away after a second or two. He found himself staring at a familiar face across from the bar, a face that caused his gut to twist and the back of his neck to prickle. The rage was a physical presence in his chest and it invaded his conscience, also, instilling an old hatred. Old as it was, it had not been forgotten. "I'll take a couple shots to start. Whiskey." As an old friend, would she remember? Whiskey had always been Joshua's favourite, his poison of choice. The anger shouldn't have been as strong as it was. He didn't want to be near her. For a moment the Fire graduate considered leaving, then quickly shot that thought down. I'm no pussy. He wasn't scared of Rachael, not in the least, but pride wouldn't allow him to walk away. Pride told him there was something to prove by staying right where he was.
[Josh has been a traitor since the beginning of sophomore year btw! I realise I neglected to answer that in the PM, whoops!]
|
|
|
|
Post by RACHAEL MARIE CALLAHAN on Nov 4, 2012 14:37:03 GMT -5
The bartender sat, cleaning out glassware as she prepared for another long night. Rachael Callahan scanned the bar, watching those customers who remained at the high end bar. They wanted her to shake their martinis and talk with them if they came alone. It was all just part of the job description. All things she would put up with for the good of the money. What she had not expected to put up with was enemy fraternizations. Blackjack was suppose to be safe from the college crowd, a small perk that had put Rachael to ease when she was first hired. Two years at the club had given her that until now.
The man sitting at the bar was Joshua Dale…and yet it wasn't.
That was his name, alright, of that she was sure, but the man who sat slumped over his whiskey was nothing like she remembered. Two years had seemed like more, his dark black hair still cut the same and same went for the lack of stubble on his face. He would always look like he did at the end of high school to Rachael. She watched him from where she stood on the other side of the bar and felt an old angry wound open up in her chest. So much about him was familiar; the clothes, the glasses, the same intensity in his eyes-now directed towards her- but nothing was the same. The ring on his finger was new, a reminder to why she hated him. But he was taller, even taller than the when she'd first met him seven years earlier at the Academy, before the incident, before he turned his back on his allegiance.
She'd seen him plenty of times over the past years but not recently, not since he began dating that Earth student Nell, not since he'd fully withdrawn from the fire allegiance. She was wary about approaching him, not sure how he would react, but she had a job to do so there was no avoiding it. She took a deep sigh and collected herself, making her way slowly towards him. She pursed her lips and with an unsuccessful attempt at a smile, slipped away to take care of his order. His presence infuriated her to no end, but he was a customer and for the sake of future employment. If only James, her co worker could cover for her without looking like a coward. She was much more afraid of what she might do rather than Josh. She lined up three shot glasses in front of her former friend. Without much thought, she poured the whiskey out in front of him, not allowing herself to make a single mistake in front of him. ”Enjoy ”Mr. Dale,”” she said through a strained smile. ”Please don’t … hesitate to ask for anything else.”
Of course Josh would be here of all places. This was like a Holy Mecca for families like his. And now she was forced to serve him, putting on a happy face and falling into a role of servitude for the night. Her hands gripped the neck of the whiskey bottle tightly as she silently fumed over her misfortune. ”Rachael, watch what you’re doing girl,” James said. She shot him a nasty look before checking what he meant. The whiskey bottle had steamed over from the unintentional heat she was forcing onto the glass. Rachael placed the bottle down rougher than usual. Usually at work she was wonderful at hiding her true emotions, but Josh had proven to throw a monkey wrench in on that plan. How the hell was she suppose to make it through the night if she could barely keep it under wraps right now.
|
|
|
|
Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Nov 4, 2012 17:39:35 GMT -5
Upon making his decision to turn his back on the element which had once been his home, Joshua had lost many people in his life. He had always been a bit of a loner, had never really allowed a large group to get close to him, but it had been in the comforts of the Fire/Thunder alliance that Josh had been as close as he would ever come to fitting in. He was not taunted or bullied throughout high school, he had never been called a bookworm or shoved into a locker, but his rather abrasive and standoffish nature meant that he warded people off as effectively as if he'd carried a bad odour about him. The Fires had not been as susceptible to this cold exterior as most of the school. They had done as they did with every other Fire—accepted him, treated him like part of a whole. He had not gone as far as to befriend a great deal of them but to a boy who'd been tempted into a gang in youth in a desire to feel like a part of something, it had meant more than he'd ever told anyone. It had been the companionship of the Fires, they who asked for nothing in return but his loyalty to the element that he loved, that eventually led him to distance himself from the gang. They were a crucial part of his growing a backbone and discovering a confidence he had not been aware he'd possessed. They were like family to him.
And yet still he'd turned his back.
It was all because of Nell, and as Joshua sat down at the bar his gray eyes found the ring on his finger as a smile found its way to his lips. He'd never been much for smiling, his usually neutral expression looking more like a scowl than anything, but he had a softness for his wife that he couldn't suppress as easily as other emotions. He remembered fondly the days when he'd worn a fake ring when drinking in bars so that he had something to ward off any girls like Brittney who would try their hand at seduction and tempt him into a sin that he did not want to commit. Now the ring was real, the promise was real, a reminder of the reason that he'd betrayed the first people who had given him a niche in the world. He still missed the Fire elementals at times, a fact that he told no one—not even Nell herself. He didn't want her to feel guilty for the pang of longing he sometimes felt when he saw them sitting in large groups in the mess hall, talking and laughing and displaying their status as the most loyal and tight-knit element in the school. But it was there, that desire for what had once been. Though the Earths were kind-hearted and the Waters quite funny, they were not the people he was used to. He could make friends among them and some of them had began to treat him like their own but it was not the same.
It was for this reason, perhaps, that the sight of someone from back then caused such a stirring of hatred and bitterness in his gut. He cursed his good memory then, for it assaulted him with images of time spent hanging out together, talking and joking and being themselves. Rachael had been one of the few Fires that breached the companionship and found her way into a friendship with the reclusive Fire that was Joshua and so it had angered him all the more when things had gone south. Where some people would cry and grieve at the loss of a friend, Josh's emotions translated fairly easily into anger. He had an incredibly foul temperament that was practically legend to all who knew him well and even some who didn't. If he felt hurt, if he felt confused, if he felt lonely, it all turned into one single thing: rage. And it was rage that he now felt and now covered so well with a neutral expression as Rachael returned with the bottle of whiskey and shot glasses. She would not be able to see it in his gray eyes, which revealed nothing, or his expression which was so carefully crafted into an unreadable mask, but could she feel it radiating from him? Would she know, just by what had occurred between them, how much he did not want to be anywhere near her? Maybe. Possibly. He didn't know.
She finished pouring the whiskey and he gave a nod and a simple, "Thanks." What his face could hide, his words had a harder job of doing. He sounded fairly mild and not outright frustrated but there was still a slight tension to the sounds. Like Rachael, he was trying his best to be civil. He might not have liked her—hated her, in fact—but that did not mean he would risk his status as a good patron of the bar by causing trouble with their staff. He was known as the rich son of a doctor and a politician. One day, Josh hoped that he'd be known as the wealthy doctor himself instead. He might not have looked down on others for their financial status—his wife grew up in The Bronx—but he definitely didn't hate his own wealth. The man drove a Lamborghini and lived in a mansion, the perfect image of the spoiled rich guy whose parents were more than happy to provide for him. At the same time, he felt that he made up for this by being an incredibly driven and hard-working individual looking to make his own money in the future. He couldn't help that he was more focused on academics than on finding a job. "Actually, yeah," he said, lifting his hand briefly in a gesture for her to wait. "Can I get some wings, too?" It occurred to him then that he had been a hardcore vegetarian when they had broken off their friendship. In fact, it had only been in recent times that he had started to branch out into a world of experimenting. Wings were a staple of bars like these and he figured it was about time he figured out what everyone went on about.
[Ah, his signature is misleading, he doesn't have glasses <3 I really ought to fix that but his face claim does a good job of looking nothing like him in most pictures. Ignore the length of this post, I was feeling inspired! And sorry I didn't give much to work with D:]
|
|
|
|
Post by RACHAEL MARIE CALLAHAN on Nov 5, 2012 19:29:05 GMT -5
She raised a brow towards the other fire graduate, almost giving him a double take. Had she heard Josh correctly? Wings…as in chicken wings? Coming from the kid who pushed tofu around on his plate not two years ago. She had no problem eating meat, hell it was the natural way of life. Once those stupid baby cows were smart enough to escape their tiny imprisonment and avoid being turning into veal, she would continue to eat the little heifers. ”Kendra I need an order of wings,” she called out to one of the passing servers. It was not Rachael’s job to interact with the cooking staff. She stayed strictly behind the bar and continued to fill out drink orders and that was it. She was actually grateful not to be a server. Other than dishwasher it was the lowest of the lows in her opinion. Walking the floor and searching for where people may have run off to before getting what they ordered. No thank you. She’d take a stationary drunk any day.
"Do you think I pay you to stand around and look pretty? Get out there and serve your tables!" the manager barked at her loudly, making Rachael turn around from where she waited for another order. Why didn't he do this in front of James? ”Well I didn’t see you hire that girl the other day who came in with glasses and a gap tooth smile so I figured that must have been one of my duties,”, she disputed and snatched the plate of wings from the waiter and went back to the counter to serve her awaiting client. Normally she didn’t test the wrath of her nasty shift manager, but then again, normally she didn’t have to face down a blast from the past. There was a group of young business men seated in her area, and for some reason they all looked like Patrick Batemen look alikes to her. ”I’ll be right with you boys,” she called out passing them. In her initial shock, she shuddered visibly when she saw Josh smiling to himself. It was strange to see such a beaming smile come from her former friend. ”Here you go, several chickens slaughtered for your pleasure.” The smile she flashed him was as hospitably as she could fake, but it felt good to get the jab in when she could.
She was waiting for him to snap. Even though this was where she works this was very much his realm. Would he start something here in the middle of all these people? Rachael sure as hell would fight back if he did. With her, she was an anomaly to these people, a small blimp in their life. Joshua, or more so his family, had a reputation to up hold. Anything explosive that could happen would damage him far more than Rachael. He was smart enough to know that. ”I guess congratulations are in order,” On one end of the spectrum Rachael actually was happy for Josh, as much as she would hate to admit it. She was mad at all he had to lose in order to actually be happy. ”Must have been a wonderful day.” It was more of a question on her part, still confused as to what was so special about Nell. Was she worth the tremendous amount of fallout Josh was dealing with?
Sorry for not matching the awesome that was your last post. I hate school! |
|
|
|
Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Nov 7, 2012 4:27:27 GMT -5
He did not miss the change in her expression, the way she lifted her brow in surprise, but he offered to explanation about his dietary choices. Instead he merely raised an eyebrow in return, daring her to ask about it. She caught the attention of one of the servers, who hadn't been close enough for Joshua to address, and he went back to contemplating the other occupants of the bar as he waited for his order. He caught wind of the argument between Rachael and a man he assumed to be her boss and that strong loyalty he'd thought was long-buried reared up in his chest for a moment, as sudden as it was unexpected. There was the desire to defend and protect like he did with anyone who called him 'friend' but his logic fought back instinct after a moment, reminding him that things had changed. They were no longer friends that had each others backs but enemies who had to watch their backs around one another.
There was a pretty girl seated beside him, the type that he would usually go for if he were single. She had nice eyes and a matching smile that she directed toward him when he met her gaze for a moment. His left hand rested on the bar counter, ring clearly visible, so he felt there was no harm in saying hello. She introduced herself as Michelle and they made brief small talk before her girlfriend returned from wherever she'd gotten off to and they turned back to their own devices.
Rachael returned shortly after Michelle's friend and he blinked at her when she commented, expression completely unamused. "How cute. So are you vegetarian now or just an asshole? It's hard to tell." He didn't miss a beat with the words and didn't appear all too offended by her comment. There was an undercurrent of anger even still but he ignored it for the sake of civility. I won't start a fight here. He'd taken the bait a little, at least verbally, but he wasn't going to try and take it outside. He'd drank at Blackjack since his IDs said he was nineteen and he didn't fancy the idea of being forced back to Corrosion. The popular opinion was that on bad nights the beer tasted like watered down piss. He didn't go often enough to find out how accurate this rumour was. The wings were drenched in barbecue sauce and he did his best not to get it all over his fingers as he lifted one and took a bite. I like the sauce at least. The meat was an acquired taste. Not a bad one, simply one that was taking some getting used to. That he was still bothering to sample meats showed that he was not repulsed by them. The barbecue sauce reminded him that he'd actually be able to use the barbecue in the summer.
He surveyed her with a critical gray stare when she offered her congratulations, wondering whether or not they were sincere. His thoughts danced back to the comment about slaughtered chickens and the doubt and distrust crept in. All the same, Joshua did not allow his calm expression to change. He'd always been a master at holding a poker face. It was never easy to tell what was on his mind unless he wanted you to know. He paused for a brief moment as he figured out how he wanted to respond. It was only a second or two, long enough to sort out a battleground in his thoughts. A part of him wanted to snark her and the other half wanted to be serious, to prove that he did not regret his decision. It was the latter half who emerged victorious, his pride over taking Nell as his wife winning out over his desire to verbally assault his best ex-friend. "Of course. It'd be a shame for a guy not to enjoy his own wedding. Nell's a great girl, I'm lucky to have her." He wondered what Rachael would think of that, his words calm and completely serious. He could feel the metal of the ring against his finger. It felt like back up, like a reminder. He had done all that he had for Nell and there was no going back.
He didn't want to go back.
After chewing another bite of wing and carefully swallowing, he said casually, "You know, I always used to think that if I ever got married you'd be one of the first people invited. Funny how these things work out." It was a jab, but at what? He was not entirely sure himself. It was a cold sort of reminder that their friendship had gone down in flames and Nell had been its killer. I don't regret it. Does she? It was not that he had wanted to lose his friends, it was that the price for Nell's friendship had been one he'd been forced to pay. He had paid it willingly, knowing that in the end it would work out for the better. And it had, in his eyes.
[Oh, don't worry about matching! I mostly just rambled! <3]
|
|
|
|
Post by RACHAEL MARIE CALLAHAN on Nov 8, 2012 14:31:53 GMT -5
”I’ve always been an asshole Josh, now you just get to be on the receiving end,” A spade was a spade to Rachael. There was no denying she could be a royal bitch to the people she felt deserved it. The list was short since she tried her best to let things just roll off her shoulders now a days. Josh just so happened to meet the qualifications. ”I’ve known a few people who fit both of those molds though.” Before her clients could get upset with her she excused herself. The group of males made her life simple with a round of beers. As much as she hated her job, the few minutes of making drinks seemed like mini vacations, helping the hours of her shift go by just a little smoother. She pulled the tap and watched the amber liquid fill the glass tumbler. A thin layer of white foam threatened to bubble over the top as she set her first beer down. With her peripheral vision she watched Josh hone in on one of the wings. There was actually a small piece of her that thought he had ordered the wings just to throw her off. Josh wasn’t really one to do that though.
The comment about Josh’s wedding hurt Rachael more than she cared to admit. What would their life be like if Joshua never met Nell? There wouldn’t have been any contention with the Fires on Josh’s behalf. Rachael wouldn’t have been hiding behind the beer taps just for a piece of mind either. Juggling four beers, she placed them counter top in front of the young men. ”Here you go boys. If you need anything else to go with those hefeweizeners let me know.” offering the small, yet fake smile to the group of men. Tonight seemed like to was going to be an emotional rollercoaster for the server. On one hand she had Josh to deal with, a true testament to how well she could hide her rage, while on the other hand she had the usual rich crowd that wanted her to play pretty, serve their every needs, and boost their ego every now and then. This job made Rachael feel like an actress most days.
She finally rejoined Josh when she felt ready to combat with him without breaking her control. Her hand leaned against the bar with ease. ”Did you have all the bells and whistles rolled out for the day?” The Dale’s probably pumped out the cash flow to make sure their first born remembered the day. What did his parents think of Nell? As if weddings weren’t enough to cause the girl confusion, a proper family life made her head spin even more. While Josh and his sister had a silver spoon in their mouth since the day they were born, Rachael’s only guaranteed was coming home to a doped out mother who was ready to let out her frustration on her own child. Josh knew enough to know that Rachael’s life was anything charmed. She had never talked about the abuse with anyone –not even the state shrinks who tried to wrestles answers out of her for years- but she hate hinted around at the horrors she faced traveling from foster family to orphanages. She had never known her father; her birth mother had used her as a punching bag, and she had lost the closest thing she had to a best friend. She was a far cry from ever becoming a humanist in this lifetime. ”Some wedges are just too big to get over,” Of course she had meant Nell.
|
|
|
|
Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Nov 10, 2012 10:56:58 GMT -5
Fires were an interesting bunch. They could be cruel and unforgiving toward their friends and yet display the utmost kindness and compassion to their loved ones. He knew it was truth because he'd lived that truth through Nell and his relationship with her. She was not fully immune to the temper that poisoned his personality and caused him to lash out on occasion but he certainly treated her much better than he would someone like Rachael. The same worked in reverse and so her answer did not shock him. He took one of the shots between his fingers and tipped it back, the liquid burning down his throat and giving him a few precious moments of silence to contemplate an answer. He settled with a dry smirk and a, "Lucky me." He did not care how she acted toward him. He would respond in kind. The friendship they had once had was severed and there was nothing left but the bitterness they'd left in their wake. He turned the wing around in his fingers but did not yet take a bite, instead opting to comment, "Guess you can strike me off that list now." His tone suggested disinterest for he was playing the same game as Rachael. Neither wanted trouble and so both were faking civility.
He was glad for the break that came in the form of Rachael wandering off to serve another group of customers. He glanced toward Michelle only to find her occupied by other conversation and so he focused on his food instead, polishing off another couple of wings. These aren't so bad. He didn't know whether he preferred the chicken to the duck he'd tasted in France or not. They're better than the snails, he thought, sharing a private joke with himself. The amusement did not register on his face, his expression still calm and neutral. He almost wished that he'd asked Nell to come out and join him or perhaps called up Devin or Skye to have a couple drinks. He was a solitary person but there were some times, like now, that he realised company would have been a welcome excuse to avoid other, less pleasant conversations.
The question caused him to raise his eyebrows as if he'd expected something more from her. "This is my wedding we're talking about," he said simply. "Did you really expect I would cut corners?" They had known one another once. He had never mentioned that Rachael had less of an income than he did, had never held himself higher than anyone. He did not like to think himself as superior. To put himself on a pedestal simply because of his family's wealth was to become one of the very types he so hated. All the same, Joshua was not known for being frugal. He was a reckless and lavish spender in every respect. It was worth every penny, he thought as he recalled the wedding. Nell had been beautiful, the reception had been everything that they'd wanted, the honeymoon and its memories lingered in the back of his mind. Once upon a time he would have shared these memories with Rachael over a beer or walking through the Academy halls, but not now.
She pointed this out herself and his lip twitched, though his thoughts were still concealed. "I accepted my choice the day I made it." Though he would never admit it, Joshua had not truly appreciated the scope and the full impact of that choice when it had been made. It had been impulsive, a desire to protect a girl that he had not even realised he had feelings for at the time. He had known what it would mean but not how much it would take from him. It had meant his elemental connections, his friendships, his alliance. He confessed none of this to Rachael. I don't regret it. He always reminded himself of that fact. There were no regrets.
|
|
|
|
Post by RACHAEL MARIE CALLAHAN on Nov 12, 2012 13:40:14 GMT -5
Being around Josh made her thirsty for a drink of hard liquor. More specifically it made her want to numb herself out to this whole fiasco. ”That sounds pretty alcoholic of you…” she reminded herself. One, she was working, so drinking was pretty much off limits and two, drinking while being in a fool mood would only lead to rash decisions and a lot of abuse of her powers. No one wants to see a drunk bartender lighting up shots and getting carried away. Plus she didn’t want to wake up on the inside of a prison cell again. She promised herself that that would be a one time experience. ”Oh I wouldn’t worry if I were you. You’re on quite a few list’s Josh.” Traitor, Asshole, Ex-friend to name a few. Longer she stood around talking to Josh the more she hated him. Hard to believe she trusted him at one point in her life.
’Don’t you mean Mommy ad Daddy didn’t cut corners?’ she thought. She raised a brow at Josh. ”Hmmm, I can only imagine,” Rachael gave a quick look down the bar to see that everyone seemed to be handling themselves. During these rare moments of calm she liked to daydream about what she was really working here for. She had been in the middle-of-fucking-no-where, upstate New York for six months before being shipped to the Academy. Rachael said she wanted to run and get away from it all and she’d be damned if she didn't get it. Twenty-one years old, a shitty job, a piece of a car, a few thousand dollars in her account, and no family or friends to answer to. Rachael had to go, get away from Maple Hollow, go somewhere where no one could find her and no one knew her. Maybe somewhere she would learn to keep her mouth shut and finally be alone. Not get trapped into trusting people again. She didn't know where the hell that was, but she knew it wasn't in the small minded ass town she would be leaving behind her with every mile her Grand Cherokee could pick up. In her daydream she had no clue where she was going. Twenty-one years old and she had never been passed the east coast back in the states. If only dreams came true.
”Really? No regrets?” God Nell was having more of an effect on him than she had first realized. Rachael almost didn’t feel as bad now with losing Josh. If this was the sad excuse of what she could have had in a friend, maybe it was better to have no regrets like him. ”Must be wonderful to be so sound of mind.” Honestly though, who was this guy sitting before her? The Josh she knew had a pretty volatile temper when he was provoked. He seemed like a God damn wimp now. Rachael decided to go in for a bit of a jab. ”So when you go to sleep at night you don’t stay up thinking about all the people you screwed over?” She pulled out a clean dishtowel and reached over for one of his empty shot glasses. As she wiped out the whiskey residue and tossed it into the wash pile she gave Josh a rather unnerving sort of smirk. ”I hope you will honor my curiosity with a honest answer. You’re still an honest guy right?”
|
|
|
|
Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Nov 14, 2012 9:48:17 GMT -5
He was not offended by her words and the gaze that watched her was cool and unwavering. Did she think that it would hurt? It was hard sometimes for a man of his loyalty to get over the loss of a friendship but the more she talked, the more he was reminded of how the Fires and Thunders had treated him after his treachery. It had been a split second decision that had ended in a permanent change. He had tried in the beginning to go back to his element but it had been made clear to him that not only was he not welcome, he no longer belonged. He was in love with an Earth elemental and no matter how much some of his friends might have wanted him to give her up and come back to their circle, he had not been able to bring himself to it. They didn't know what Nell had done for him when they had been practically strangers. They didn't know about the gang. Perhaps it really wasn't their fault, the lack of understanding pardoning them from most of the guilt. All the same, he did not forgive and he was starting to bridge the gap over the last of his regret.
He wondered what she was thinking with the answer but did not ask. Instead, the Fire graduate took the second shot and downed it like the first. God, I love whiskey. The burn was a comforting and welcome presence. Gone were the days when he'd almost relied on alcohol like a crutch to avoid the clutches of depression. He could now enjoy alcohol for what it was without leaning on it.
He narrowed his eyes, not trusting Rachael with her words but not positive what sort of thoughts she might be masking. He did not believe that she truly held no animosity for she'd proved as much herself with the not-so-subtle jabs but what was it that she wasn't saying? He couldn't tell. "You know me. I've never been the type for regret." His confidence was steady and strong. It was a little white lie in that there were some things that he missed about his old friends and the camaraderie of the Fire elementals but it was easily brushed aside when he thought of his wife. She anchored him to his choice. He blinked at Rachael and shot back smoothly, "No, I'm generally thinking of my wife when I'm in bed, not you. Shame, isn't it?" Oh, he understood the potentially sexual overtones and they were entirely intentional. He was being a dick now and it was giving him a sense of justice. He couldn't leap across the counter and whack her upside the head but at least he could be a right asshole about everything.
He smirked back. "What, that wasn't honest enough for you?" His tone dripped with feigned innocence and it was obvious he knew exactly what she was talking about. He had always been honest when it came to his opinion. Did she think that had changed? I don't have to justify myself to her. He was content to leave his answer the way it had been. He had never tried to disguise his loyalty to Nell and that was the strongest defence he had against all those who attacked him for it. He had switched sides and he had stuck by Nell fiercely. He had continued to hang around her even after the war had ended and he had gone "back" to the Fires. They hadn't approved. He had made his decision then, the choice to switch sides for good. There were things he missed but Rachael was helping those regrets fade faster than an entire whiskey bottle could have.
|
|
|
|
Post by RACHAEL MARIE CALLAHAN on Nov 15, 2012 17:25:07 GMT -5
”I would hope so,” she shot back, referring the lack of thoughts of her at night. Ugh, too much information, Rachael wrinkled her nose in disgust at the mere mental image. Nell in her mind was a murder, taking stock in the rumors about her involvement with the old Thunder leader. It was fitting that a traitor keeps company with someone like that. Underneath her warm personality that people seemed so drawn to, surrounded a lot of mystery. She heard no stories about Nell before arriving to the Academy. She must have kept her past and her secrets close to heart. Odd though, Nell certainly didn’t seem like that sort of person on the outside. Something about Nell didn’t add up. Everyone has secrets and it’s just a matter of finding out what they are. Hers eyes narrowed and her lips purse with restrained contempt. ”She’s rubbing off on you,” she let the awkward hang before correcting herself, ”In all the wrong ways.”
A sudden silence over takes the area. Rachael paused for a moment, for once in her life at a loss for words when she needed them most. Her eyes locked with his as she searched for some sort of sign. No regrets…it undoubtedly showed in his eyes. So that was that. Straight from the horse’s mouth, Josh had no interest what so ever returning to his old life. She pursed her lips in aggravation as the harsh smell of whiskey interrupted her musings. A deep yelled wished to burst from her chest as she tried to settle the burning sensation that had settled in her stomach. ”As honest as I can remember and that was a long time ago,” she replied. Her hands shook, just itching to ignite from all the anger she was trying to keep at bay.
”Well then, I hope you enjoy your life with Nell,” Her gaze was as hard as stone. She wanted to punch the guy in the face right where they stood. The bartender cursed her luck. ’Dumb, morality. Can't hurt people because of you,’ ”Her and all of her baggage,” she hinted at. Rachael didn’t know what the baggage was, bit she was going to find out what some of it was. She was far too pissed out and vindictive to let it go now. Rachael straightened her posture, turned on her heel and went back towards the men she was serving earlier. If only she could escape from him permanently. Rachael was in a visibly foul mood now and it was affected her work. She could feel the people stare at her curiously, and she glared at them whenever one would meet her eyes. ”Screw this; I'm not a fucking people person,” ”Can I get you anything else?” she asked curtly. Rachael sighed again, and tried to calm down. Her nerves at being in a furious state were getting to her and she couldn't allow that to happen. Not when so many people were around. Normally she would just work it off by smoking. It was a habit that appeared whenever she got tense or nervous. She chuckled suddenly at what the people's reaction would be if she did that. Probably some self-righteous scream in amusing terror of second hand smoke, she thought with a smile.
Sorry, not quite sure where to take this. Rachael still doesn’t know about Nell’s Mama Drama yet (though in time she will lol) Unless Josh has something to say to the irate Rachael lol |
|
|
|
Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Nov 16, 2012 10:00:38 GMT -5
The smirk remained fixed on his lips when Joshua watched Rachael wrinkle her nose. 'Too much information' had been precisely what he was going for, aiming to make her uncomfortable and disgusted. If she had not been an enemy he might have honoured her with a more serious response but she had asked for honesty and honesty she had been given—a bit too much honesty. He had no shame and no problem with bringing his sex life into things to wig Rachael out. He wondered if she thought he'd be offended by her contempt. "So what if she is? I certainly don't care but it's sweet how you're so concerned about it." Nell had changed him, he would not deny that even to himself. She'd brought out his ability to trust another human being with his life, his secrets, the concerns he was used to keeping locked away. He was still closed off around others, he still had a volatile temper than even Nell got to witness at times, he was still the poker-faced and serious joker with strong work ethic. He was both the same person and a different one entirely. The main change had been his treachery and he had to take amusement in the fact that all of his old allies acted like he'd done a one-eighty in personality because of it.
It really has been a long time, hasn't it? Three years, almost. Three years since he'd met the girl he had went on to marry. Almost that same amount of time had gone by since he'd turned his back on the Thunders and Fires. It was clear that they still had not gotten over his betrayal. Perhaps they never would. He would not be able to forget the friendships he'd once cherished but he tried his best not to lament the losses. They were not losses when they were with people like Rachael who hated Nell and hated Joshua for choosing her. That was not a friend but an enemy. That was how he moved on.
His gaze was as rigid as hers, eyes the colour of ash steady and unflinching. "Oh, I will." He almost wished he had chosen to stay at home with Nell instead of heading out to the bar. He had a bottle of whiskey in the liquor cabinet that would have worked just as well as what he was drinking, downing the third and final shot as Rachael spoke. He lowered the glass slowly with a cold glare, suspicion and anger kindling in his eyes. "Don't insult my wife, Rachael." It might not have been a direct insult such as calling Nell a pussy or a bitch but it was enough to spark rage in her husband. He was a protective person, something all of his friends and close relatives knew well. His words were a warning. Unlike Rachael, Joshua's morals did not stop him from decking anyone in the face if he saw fit. He would not attack her here, he was not a fool, but if she thought it was a good idea to toss out jabs at Nell then she was going to have Josh to deal with in the future.
Having finished the wings throughout the course of the strained conversation and having down the final shot, Joshua stood up and gave a wry smirk as he shook his head. He wanted to get out of here before he lost his grip on his temper (he could feel that he was coming close) and did more than toss out a few barbed comments. "I'm going to get back home now. I'll tell Nell you said hello." A cold laugh followed the words and he waved his hand as if in dismissal of whatever passing words he might have otherwise said before he went for the door.
[Figured they were both done talking to one another xD It was fun though! <3 You can post back if you want or this can be the closing post?]
|
|
