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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Nov 3, 2011 17:17:58 GMT -5
[What an awkward place for a thread, yay  HAHA they can leave like, right away, I just wanted the thread in a board where no one makes threads so it won't get buried, LOL.]
A low curse hissed through Joshua's clenched teeth as he clutched his bleeding hand in the other. "Coward," he spat under his breath, glaring in the direction of the retreating Thunder. There had been a disagreement between the two when the other elemental had confronted him and started yelling about treachery and the like, sneering at Josh and trying to shove him around. This had not gone down well with the temperamental Fire, of course, and the simple argument had turned into a full-blown fight, powers and all. For the better part of the fight Josh had gained the upper hand with his elemental advantage and fended off the electric blows with nothing more than an electrical burn on his right shoulder to show for it but then the idiot had pulled out a knife and taken a blind slash at him. Inspecting it now with his jaw clenched tight he determined that whilst it was quite long, extending from just behind his thumb across the back of his hand toward the protruding bone in his wrist, it was not deep. That did not stop it from smarting like a bitch, however.
A good part of him wanted to chase after the Thunder elemental and give him a piece of his mind. He had his own switch-blade in his pocket and for a moment his left hand closed around it as if he might bring it out and do just that. Common sense won out in the end, however, and he relaxed his grip on the weapon and retracted his hand. Breathe, he advised himself. He was breathing, of course, panting hard from the exertion of the fight with sweat dripping down his face from the sweltering heat he himself had produced. However, in order to force himself not to pursue his opponent he worked on deepening and slowing these breaths as he walked in the general direction of the guys bathrooms on this floor. He didn't come up here a whole lot and so it took him a moment to map out where he was but he managed to locate the desired room quick enough after he passed a familiar turn in the hall down to a place where he'd had classes as a high-school junior.
A hiss of pain rang out through the emptiness and silence of the bathrooms as he ran water over the cut, the burning pain at the forefront of his mind. The literal burn on his shoulder was smarting but as the cut was pouring blood (it was all over his nice, white shirt, what a shame) it commanded his attention right now. He wondered for a moment why the place was so empty and then recalled the area of the building he was in--the juniors would still have their classes right now. Good, he thought a little bitterly. He didn't like people to see any sign of weakness in him. At least he wasn't in the Medical Wing. Despite his aspirations to be a doctor, Joshua wasn't the type of person to readily accept help from anyone else for the most part. His father had been an exception and he'd always went to Donovan with a myriad of injuries and sicknesses he'd acquired over his nineteen years but now he was not on speaking terms with the man and certainly would not make up for the sake of such a menial injury. It was like a papercut--it hurt like a bitch and it bled a lot, but he had a high pain threshold. He could handle it.
Retracting his hand from the flow of water, he inspected the cut again even as a thin line of blood replaced what had already been washed off. The skin around the injury was red and irritated from the blood that had rushed to it but it didn't look bad at all now that most of the blood was gone. He could have gone to the Wing at least to get something to wrap it up--they knew him there and likely wouldn't ask questions. This being Josh, he did not. Instead he tugged at his shirt to get a better look at the red stains that stood out brilliantly against the pure white colour, scowling. This shirt cost me quite a bit, he complained internally. He didn't know which shirt of his it was in particular, he had a lot of these dress-shirt style apparels, but he felt it was safe to make an assumption thanks to his expensive style. Oh well. Maybe a good drycleaners could save it, and if not he would just toss it out. He didn't have too many qualms about spending the money to replace it, after all. He blinked and glanced instinctively toward the sound as he heard the clanging of the bell in the tower--his gaze was met with a mirror and thus his own scowling features. The high-schoolers would be getting out of their classes, now. Josh busied himself with zipping up his sweater (something he rarely ever did) in order to cover up the bloodstains just in case anyone dropped in after class.
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Post by DEVIN JAMES THATCHER on Nov 3, 2011 21:26:45 GMT -5
 The classroom was oddly quiet as pencils and pens scribbled across paper, the teacher busying about at her desk catching up on whatever it was teachers caught up on during this time. He was supposed to be working on some sort of assignment--it was not even due at the end of class, but their teacher allowed time to begin work on it anyway. Devin James Thatcher was not the kind of guy to spend possible free time in class working on something that wasn't, at least in his mind, important. Well, it was definitely important, and he knew that, but right now he would much rather text his girlfriend. She was a nice girl, a water elemental. At least she was interesting, funny, and was not bad looking to boot. Life was always so much better when you had a significant other to spend it with, even if you were stuck in class.
A few text messages later the bell went off, signaling the end of classes for the day. Finally. I've had to pee for the past thirty minutes. The boy had a bad habit of drinking soda, and while it was bad for him the metabolism in his seventeen year old body had not quite caught up to him yet. He would enjoy it while he could, even if it did make his bladder irritable towards him. As soon as he shoved the papers into his bag, Devin slung it over his shoulder and ushered himself out of the classroom, happy to be done for the day. He would go and find something fun to do, and possibly do some of that paper later on in the evening, if Marianna was not up for spending some time. Sadly, Devin had a horrible habit of putting his relationships before school. They always ended for one reason or another, and each time he told himself that his studies would come before the girl, but it never happened. Never.
His shoulders bumped into a few of his classmates as he moved down the hall towards the bathroom, ready to relieve himself. There was an altercation somewhere down the hall--he could hear the shouting and cursing before he could even see who it was that was fighting. Not that it mattered; he was not the type of guy to nose into arguments, let alone be involved in them. If anything Devin would turn a blind eye to the situation and continue his trek towards the bathroom without so much as a second glance. It saved him from many fights with the fires and thunders, which he was grateful for. He was a horrible fighter.
The bathroom finally came into view, and with picked up pace he made his way through the door and into the open area where the sinks were lined up against the wall, their mirrors reflecting not one...but two faces. Devin nearly jumped out of his skin at the sight, but when he recognized the second face to be none other than his best friend, his guard instantaneously dropped. "Josh," He started, smiling a bit at the fire elemental. "Well, wasn't expecting to run into you here, but...well, I guess I did. What brings you to the bathroom?" It was such a stupid and dorky question, but it was just like Devin to ask the obvious to ease the tension in the room and allow the other to offer some sort of initiation to a conversation. Josh could easily be a man of few words, so sometimes Devin had to make the first leap into exchanging words.
Nodding to Josh, he took off to the urinal, sighing with relief. It may have been awkward to have someone strike up conversation and then excuse themselves to go to the bathroom, but when you gotta go, you gotta go, and the Earthie was no exception.
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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Nov 3, 2011 22:06:55 GMT -5
Joshua was not the type of guy to get awkward and shy if someone else came into the bathroom, even if they were in here to take a piss rather than to inspect a wound as he was. Hell, most of the guys would be coming in here for bathroom breaks after the hours of classes and so if he'd really been that concerned about it he would have rushed for the door. Whatever he'd been expecting when he heard the door open and glanced toward it, his best friend had not been the end result. Dark brows arched in surprise for a moment but he managed a friendly smile in greeting. He was not someone who smiled a lot lately but it always came easier around Devin--the boy had known him as that awkward, shy, smaller-than-his-peers kid who'd sat quietly in corners reading books for a few years. He had known him before Joshua had came into both height and confidence so he was never quite so guarded with him. "Hey, DJ," he returned with mild amusement when the other boy instantly struck up conversation. His friendliness was another reason that Josh liked him so much and got along with him so well. Being that he wasn't a chatterbox or very good at conversation it was always nice to have a friend capable of picking up the slack.
Things rarely got awkward, not even when Devin excused himself suddenly to relieve his bladder. Having expected this, Joshua didn't bat an eyelash. Instead he leaned against the counter and inspected the cut that Devin had brought his attention to once again by asking why he was here. Had he been anyone else, Josh would have made some sort of excuse and quickly left, but this was his friend. His best friend, actually. So once the boy had gotten his relief he held up the injured hand with the back of it facing his friend and wiggled his fingers for added effect. "Ah, the casualties of war," Josh said dramatically as if in some state of serious woe and regret. "Alas, the back of my hand may never be the same again." He added an exaggerated sigh and shook his head before breaking the composure with a grin. He barely joked around and showed any semblance of humour whatsoever... until you got to know him. Really got to know him. He had plenty of friends he was still unsure around in terms of his sense of humour but Devin was not one of them. When someone had been there through it all, it was a lot harder to be wary around them.
The sad thing was that Devin probably didn't notice how much of an impact his friendship had on Joshua's life, for Josh had never told him. He'd never explained about his years in the gang and how much he regretted pushing him aside for a little while. Things with DJ's stepmother had patched that up but even the brief period of time when Joshua wasn't paying as much attention as he should have was noted by the Fire graduate. He'd also been a part of the reason that Josh had wanted to rid himself of the poisonous lifestyle. The boy had realised that he truly did have friends that didn't expect him to break into places, steal from stores, or even steal from his own parents to look cool. He just hadn't been able to pull away from them. And what a fat lot of good it had done him, in the end. So he was grateful internally to Devin for not getting sick of his changing behaviour and leaving. Best friends usually put up with a lot for each other but he commended his friend for his patience. Not that he was going to let him know any time soon.
He would, however, make plans to hang out with Devin. No time spent hanging around his friend was time wasted and so he wouldn't mind a break from studying for a little while. The guy was good company. Almost as good as Nell, though he hoped Dev understood she topped the charts. Hell, his friend put a lot into his own relationships so he probably did, Josh had never asked. He also wondered sometimes what Devin had thought when Joshua finally settled down with a girl. He'd been a charmer and a flirt with no solid relationships for his entire stay at the Academy, he'd built a reputation for it, and now he had Nell. It amused him sometimes how he and his friend were different. "Besides from the obvious," he said with a smirk, indicating the need to relieve his bladder, "what have you got planned? Hanging out with your lady friend, or...?" He left the question open and gestured vaguely to invite his friend to say as much or as little as he wished. If he were free then Josh would be up for pretty much anything. He hadn't planned anything with Nell and so it would be a fun way to kill time.
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Post by DEVIN JAMES THATCHER on Nov 4, 2011 14:01:55 GMT -5
Devin could not help but smile to himself at Josh's greeting--although other people called him DJ from time to time, it was never much of a heartfelt nickname unless it came from someone like his best friend. The nickname actually held meaning. Sighing with relief, he finished his business and turned to face Josh. The man was holding an injured hand in front of his face, shuffling his fingers around in a dramatic fashion. So Josh had been attacked? Devin groaned inwardly; it was luck that put him in class at the time, and the blonde could not help but wonder what might have happened had he been there during the scuffle. Obviously it was not merely an unfriendly exchanging of words. There was a hesitance in his step as Devin moved forward to look at the hand, raising a quizzical eyebrow. "You poor baby," He cooed jokingly, stuffing his hands in his pockets with a casual air. "I mean, we might have to amputate. I'll have to start calling you McStubbs."
The boy had a very awkward sense of humor, but more often than not someone appreciated his desire to lighten the mood. Luckily for him, Joshua had grown comfortable enough in his presence to respond to the humor with some humor of his own, which Devin knew to be very rare for someone like him. It helped that they lived most of their lives around one another, and they were consistently supportive of their life struggles. He did recall when Josh disappeared for a year or two, off doing who knew what; Devin never tried to question him about it, because it was not his business and questioning Josh would only push him away. Besides, their friendship was strong enough without having to tell one another every tiny detail of their lives. He reappeared around the time Devin's step-mother took after him with her fists, which really helped pull the blonde out of a possible depression. Devin had to admit that part of this reason he chased after girls so frequently was an attempt to hide his insecurities and erase the past from his mind. It didn't always help, though.
"Well, hey, people can come to the bathroom for more than just relieving their bladder." He had more than his fair share of girls in the bathroom, but that did not need to be said. He flashed a smirk; hopefully that was hint enough. Although Josh was settled down with Nell, he knew Josh's past all too well. Honestly Devin was a bit shocked at his friend's turnaround, but hey, he was happy and that was all he could wish for his good friend. Maybe he'll find himself a girl like that and turn away from his current mannerisms, but until then he would just keep on doing what he was doing. Devin shrugged at Josh's inquiry. "But I have no other plans for the day. Marianna is doing some homework so I'm free for the afternoon if you wanna chill out." Should he be doing homework? Probably. But this was his best friend! There had to be some sort of legitimate excuse for that. If there wasn't, then Devin was determined to remedy said issue and ensure that an excuse could be conjured (at least this once). "Is there anything you're interested in doing? You know me; I'm pretty easy going about these sorts of things."
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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Nov 4, 2011 15:42:15 GMT -5
Joshua grinned at his friend's sense of humour, glad that Devin of all people didn't give him a strange look and ignore the attempt at joking around. That happened a lot with Josh when he was trying to lighten the mood seeing as people did not understand he even had the capacity to laugh but he knew he could always count on his best friend to understand things. DJ might not have known everything about him but after years and years of friendship you learned the mannerisms and habits of other people well enough that you could adapt to their personality. At least, it had taken a couple years with him and Devin. He'd learned Nell's behaviours very quickly but love was a strange thing. He didn't question it very often. "Better watch," he warned, "or I'll cut off yours to match." Though his tone was entirely grave and serious there was a light in his gray eyes to continue the joking. Besides, both boys obviously knew that the shallow cut was not detrimental. Of course, infection could always set in but having grown up with a doctor for a father meant that Joshua was always very careful about things like that. Just because he was too proud to go to a professional didn't mean he was an idiot.
Though Joshua's reasons for his loose romantic history were different than Devin's, he still definitely had his reasons. He had inadvertently told Nell why, though not in a way that she'd probably picked up on. He had gotten drunk at a party at a rather young age, something to do with spiked soda, and he'd lost his virginity to a girl whose name he didn't even know. All he knew was that she was hot, she was blonde, and that he couldn't remember a single detail of it. After that, sex hadn't really mattered to him much. He'd lied a lot when people had asked him what it was like, making up stories--some good, some bad--so that he wouldn't have to admit it. But he'd never treated it like something to be wary of. He at least had the decency to let a girl know that he was not in it for commitment and if she'd still sleep with him then, well, he would go for it. He hadn't tried to hide it, either. The school knew and that often made him uncomfortable for Nell. He'd answered all of the questions she'd asked of him in the library without hesitating but he still wondered about it sometimes. Perhaps the most ironic thing of it all was that he wasn't sleeping with Nell. I wonder if Devin knows that? he thought to himself, then shrugged it off. Maybe he'd figured it out but Joshua had never told him.
The Fire graduate smirked a little. "I can attest to that," he said. He'd definitely been in here a few times for much the same reasons as Devin. Bathrooms weren't exactly the most flattering places to hang around with girls but hey, when in Rome. Marianna, that's right, that was his best friend's current flame. I knew it started with an M, he mused to himself. "But you were alone," he pointed out. "Unless you had a date with your hand," he teased, grinning again. It was so easily to smile around his best friend because he wasn't as guarded around him. He was glad they were both free that afternoon and could hang around for a while because he didn't really have much else that he wanted to do. There was always studying but he was all caught up on the things he was supposed to be doing and even Joshua would much rather spend the day with a friend than reading over things for no reason at all. He had a good retention of information, his memory didn't need too much exercise. Josh was confident he could do good on all his up and coming assignments with the information he'd gathered so a day off it would be. "Nah, not really," he shrugged. He hadn't thought of anything either. "We could find something at school or head out to the Hollow. I have my car in the lot." He loved his precious Lamborghini, the gift from the father that had now disowned him. Another thing Devin didn't know. Sometimes he felt bad for keeping secrets but the rest of the time he felt it was for the best.
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Post by DEVIN JAMES THATCHER on Nov 4, 2011 16:16:02 GMT -5
With a light smirk on his face, Devin lifted his own hand to examine it thoughtfully, wondering what it would be like to have a stub for a hand. Weird. Very weird. When he lowered it he gave Joshua an incredulous look and flipped his hand down in what most would consider a "homosexual" way, rolling his eyes in a joking way. "Look, if you wanted to match, all you had to do was say so." Devin was incredibly glad no one else was in the bathroom with them at the time; how awkward would it have been to be discussing matching hand stubs with another guy in the bathroom? He nearly chuckled aloud at the thought--this kid had the strangest sense of humor, but he knew it to be better than no humor at all. At least Joshua could appreciate most of it, and if he didn't at least he played along well.
A few moments after some silence, another student entered the bathroom--an Earthie--so Devin did not feel the least bit threatened. He did not know the guy's name but wandering the halls and dorms the face was indeed quite familiar to the blonde. Devin had to admit that, though a lazy ass, he was good with remembering facts and faces. It was something he prided himself in. With a nod, he silently greeted the other guy before he took to the stall. If Devin were anyone else he would have gotten very defensive, if not embarrassed, by Joshua's next statement. There was now another presence in the bathroom...but since when did he give a flying flip about that? Probably never. He was very insecure when it came to upsetting people, but he was secure in his looks and attracting the females so the statement rolled off of his shoulders like water on a duck's back. "Not today," Devin replied with a laugh. "Lucky for you I was just here to use the bathroom. I don't think I could have a date with my hand in front of other people anyway..." From the stall, he could hear the kid cough and make some weird noise; possibly to make sure the two friends knew he was there. Devin laughed again.
"Well, if you wanna stick around school we can do that." He did not mind lingering around the school too much--he was a social person and enjoyed the company of others. With Athena busy with drama club at the high school, he was sure that he would go home to an empty house with no food and absolutely nothing to do anyway, so anything outside of the house was infinitely better. When Josh suggested going to the hollow, Devin could not help but groan and roll his eyes drastically, emphasizing his dislike for said suggestion. "But it's so cooollllddd..." He whined as he walked to the bathroom door, pulling it open for them to leave. "But I like your caaar so...what the hell?" He grinned from ear to ear, childish antics left behind as though they never happened. Another student entered the bathroom at that point, passing an odd stare at Devin as he passed by. He cupped his hand to the side of his face and leaned over towards Josh slightly, smirking. "He's just jealous."
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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Nov 4, 2011 17:39:25 GMT -5
It clearly didn't phase Joshua in the least that there was someone else in the room with him as he released his more crude sense of humour into the air. He, too, had recognised the Earth elemental that had come to share the space with them for a while though he had not greeted him due to not knowing him personally. Josh had stayed with the Earthies for a while during the first war so he knew a lot of them like their own kind knew one another. He was not shy and awkward when making jokes like this and it didn't occur to him that Devin might not be so blasé, especially not since his friend replied to him rather than just giving him a weird look. "True, true," he concluded, then laughed loudly when he heard the boy in the stall cough, letting him know he was fully aware of his presence. Are all of your kind prudes, Devin? he thought, though it was good-natured in his own head and he didn't say it aloud because that would be a bit cruel. Instead he just allowed things to continue on as they were. Unlike Devin with his insecurities, Joshua was very confident in both his sexuality and himself. It was a little amusing to think that the small, shy boy had grown up to be so self-confident but hell, people changed. Devin had been around for that change, gradual as it had been.
Joshua rolled his eyes with an indignant snort. His friend was whining about the cold? Really? Really? "I am quite frankly offended," he said, placing a hand over his heart as if this offence caused him some sort of physical pain in his chest. It didn't really, of course--Joshua was playing up the dramatics as he tended to do when he was joking around someone that he trusted. It was remarkable how easy it was to be himself around Devin sometimes. He knew it was a result of the length their friendship had endured but it still baffled him at times. "I'm a Fire elemental, Dev. If anyone can fix the cold, it's me." As if to prove it, he opened the door and send a shimmering heat wave down the hallway. A couple of the students in range reacted as it hit and turned to see the cause of it, though it was nothing detrimental or enough to cause a burn. He ignored them and acted as if nothing had happened, allowing the door to fall shut again. "You have no excuse." Besides, Josh liked his car too. He liked his car even more than his friend did, though he was not as creepy and obsessive as some guys could be. It was just a nice, expensive vehicle. He didn't call it his baby (only when he was joking around) or love it more than his girlfriend.
A chuckle brushed past his lips as his friend spoke into his ear. "Come on, we can find something to do in town." Having grown up in the Hollow, they were both well aware of the things there were to do but it didn't always make them less fun. Joshua enjoyed drinking sometimes but his friend wasn't legal anyway. He remembered as they walked toward the parking lot that his ideas of 'fun' had once enjoyed breaking into places and petty theft. Best not suggest anything like that, he thought coldly to himself. He was ashamed of his past but it tended to pop into his head every now and again, completely unannounced. The gleaming white Aventador stood out quite impressively amongst the other cars and Joshua was conscious as usual of this. He hated leaving his car at school, he didn't trust the people who hated him, but so far nothing bad had happened. Once they'd reached the Hollow itself, Joshua unconsciously pressed his foot on the gas and sped up past the hospital, not realising what he was doing. It was an internal desire to get away from any place that had things to do with his father. "I'd suggest crashing my place and finding something to do but my sister's sick so I don't want to risk infecting you." The lie and the grin that accompanied it came easily. They could have played video games or found something else to do in the huge mansion... if he still lived there. Seeing as he hadn't told Devin he didn't, Josh was just covering his bases. Once he slowed down again to match the speed limit and they hit a red light, Josh rolled his eyes at the offending object and spoke to his friend. "Anything new with you?" he asked. They spoke often and so the chances weren't too likely, but hey, a lot could happen in the space of a few days.
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Post by DEVIN JAMES THATCHER on Nov 4, 2011 20:49:08 GMT -5
Devin smirked, eyes alight with amusement as Josh feigned emotional injury. When his friend wanted to be a dramatic comedian, he did not have to try insanely hard. Maybe that was just in front of Devin, being as their bond was a lot tighter knit than with many of his other friends and acquaintances--aside from Nell, of course. That went without saying though. "Oh, I'm sorry I hurt your feewings," Devin jested. "Would you like a band-aid for your boo-boo?" The blonde could be sure that if Josh were anyone else, the fire elemental would have either taken a fist to his face or stalked away at his comment; sometimes Devin was not always sure when went far enough or if someone took more offense than he intended. It was in his nature to make light of every situation, even at the worst of times. It was a curse and a blessing. Lucky for the Earthie, Josh was his best friend, and thus he was rarely ever fearful of pushing the envelope.
"I know you can fix the cold, doofus." He stated lightly with a smile. It was not uncommon knowledge that Josh was a fire elemental, and had the ability to control flame and heat at will. Although Devin loved his powers to control earth, he did wonder what it would be like to have a different ability...like fire. If it came with the nasty attitudes and short tempers then Devin could definitely do without it, but hey, one could have a random desire to change elements every now and again. All he could do afterwards was emit a stifled laugh as the students in the hallway glanced around. They were confused as to where the heat wave came from, and with Josh's stoic expression they did not even give him a once over to see if the man was the culprit. If only Devin had the capability to keep a straight face after pulling something like that--he would be the most capable prankster in the entire school, hands down. However that was not the case and he could not help but breaking into a smile or cackling aloud when doing something he shouldn't. "Fine fine, no excuses. You can lead the way then." Devin threw his hands up playfully and followed.
After a few minutes of walking, they approached the car. It was indeed a gorgeous creature--if it were human, Devin would be sure to chase it around like a puppy dog. He was not highly knowledgeable with cars, but he knew a beautiful thing when he saw it. The scenery flew by them at a rather quick pace, the car a smooth and comfortable ride. It better be, for how much it is worth--at least how much it thought it was worth. If Josh owned it, you could be sure that it was not some cheap Matchbox car. When they reached the hospital, Devin could feel the luxury vehicle pick up slight speed. Being who he was, Devin was unaware as to why it happened; all he knew was that it did. Instead he turned his attention to Josh as he spoke. "Aw, that sucks man...send her my best wishes." Devin had no idea that it was not a true statement, in fact, his features creased with worry as he looked at his best friend. "I'll have to bring her some soup or something one day. That'll cheer her up."
Devin allowed his mind to drift to his house--the boy had enough video games to last them for hours. "If there's nothing of interest in the Hollow, we can always go to my place. Athena's busy with drama team after school now, so we can load up on soda, junk food, and video games. So whatever you wanna do. I'm just goin' with the flow." Devin flattened his hands, palms down and made a wave like motion, a smirk plastered on his face. It was true; if anyone was laid back and dealt with whatever came at them like it was a ride on the wind, it was Devin. The world was his oyster, and made due with whatever it tossed at him.
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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Nov 4, 2011 22:17:18 GMT -5
It was true, if anyone else had spoken such a comment Joshua certainly would not have been amused. As this was Devin, however, the graduate grinned and punched him lightly on the arm. Joshua was not exactly gentle but it did not pack the same sort of force it would have if they hadn't gotten along so well. Was it enough to hurt a bit? Well, probably. Not bad, but enough. "How about I give you a couple?" he shot back, though it was accompanied by an easy grin. "You'd need some serious patching up afterwards." The ironic thing was that this statement was true. Joshua generally fought hard if you pulled him into a confrontation and it was a good thing that he and Devin were friends and not enemies, else the poor Earth boy might have been a target of Joshua's anger. Or, then again, perhaps not. He was not too petty and generally didn't go looking for fights. For years he'd somewhat looked down on the Earthies (not Devin) for their pacifism but he'd never given them too much trouble because they'd never given him a reason to. He'd eased up now, though. He had several friends and a girlfriend in Earth. They were nice people, even if they did take notice of his differences. It would have been hard not to.
"Then don't complain." It was said simply and with a shrug but it was not serious. He was reverting back into the state where it was hard to tell whether or not he was joking thanks to his lack of laughter and smiling but he trusted that someone who'd known him for as long as DJ had that he wouldn't take it too seriously. Though it was true that Joshua got annoyed when people complained on a regular basis he was tolerant with friends and assumed that Devin had put a lot of it on for show anyway. Maybe not. Joshua might have known his friend well but he couldn't be right about everything. At any rate, he was not annoyed. When Devin told him to lead the way Joshua wordlessly pushed open the bathroom door and headed in the direction that would mean the shortest path to the front doors. It was a nice day out, he noted as he passed by one of the windows, but probably cold. November days without snow could be misleading with the sunshine until you stepped outside and froze your ass off. "Speaking of cold," he muttered, "I heard we'll have snow by the end of the week."
Josh figured Dev of all people would understand his hatred of the snow. Like Fire elementals, Earths had a much more difficult time with their powers in the colder months. Where it was hard to generate enough heat and energy for a flame for his own kind, the Earthies had trouble because of the frost covering the ground and choking their plants to death. There were a few rare Fire and Earths that could tolerate this enough to enjoy the winter but Joshua was not one of them. "I'll do that," he lied again, nodding. He really wished that he could talk to his sister and pass on messages like this, even though she was probably in perfect health. Probably, because he hadn't seen Annabel since he'd been kicked out. It caused physical pain to think that this might be another Christmas he'd be spending without his baby sister. This did not show on his face as he said, "With my parents doting on her? She'll be better in no time!" A laugh coloured the air for the moment though Joshua's eyes were still fixed carefully on the road. He was a cautious driver, he'd never been into any accidents and didn't want to start, especially since that meant damaging his precious Aventador. It was true, at least. With Donny being a doctor and Trish being motherly as she was, illnesses never stayed for long.
Catching his friend's 'flowing' motion out the corner of his eye, Joshua snorted in exasperated amusement. "Your place it is," he shrugged, deciding that it was better than nothing. Video games were something he was not all too good at. He wasn't awful, just... not very good. He preferred to spend his days reading or something like that. Joshua was definitely the dorkier of the pair, much as he let that go unsaid. Not that he was ashamed of it, he'd just never chosen to point it out. The light changed to green and instead of going straight as he'd planned he turned right down a street that would mean the quickest route to Devin's house. "What about your aunt? Is she home?" Joshua definitely didn't have any problems with the woman, he was merely curious. He was actually glad that his best friend had been saved from the hell that was life with his stepmother. Now she was a woman that Joshua wouldn't mind meeting in a dark alley. She'd caused Devin a lot of hell and no one that hurt his friends was okay with him.
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Post by DEVIN JAMES THATCHER on Nov 5, 2011 0:33:28 GMT -5
Devin always took Josh's threats as nothing more than empty words, unless the man directly said "I mean it". In which case, Devin would take to cowering a corner and sobbing like a wee little baby, begging for mercy. Josh was a tough mother fucker, and there was no denying that, but luckily Devin had no reason to fear his best friend. That was not necessary. The blonde chuckled and waved off Josh's offer--there was no way in hell he would survive in a fight with the Fire elemental. "Oh, come on...you couldn't hurt this face. Besides if you did, what else would I use to attract the ladies? My personality is pretty shoddy, if I do say so myself." Only with Josh did Devin outwardly bash himself, because his long time friend was the only person he felt remotely comfortable in confiding his insecurities without feeling judged. Josh may have something different to say about Devin, but sometimes the encouraging words of others did not hold much water. He would never tell Josh that, because it would insult him. None of it was personal--that was how Devin was wired to function.
"You know I don't like the cold all that much," He muttered, half to himself as he leaned back in the seat, arms folded neatly behind his head. This car could put anyone to sleep, even the nightly insomniac (like Devin). At the mention of snow the boy instinctively shivered to rid himself of the feeling; it was a beautiful sight, the snow. A white blanket of shimmering powder that matched the brightness of the sun on a clear day. No matter to the Earthie, it was still a sign of freezing temperatures and bitter wind, which Devin was not particularly fond of. He would much rather have Spring and Summer--hell, even Fall--than Winter any day. "Yay snow," Devin had a bit of a sarcastic air to his tone, not the least bit excited about the upcoming wintry weather. "You know that I've spent every waking moment waiting for snow? I was thinking to myself how miserable I've been without it." Sheer sarcasm seeped off of his words, but they were not aimed at Josh in any way. Devin was merely talking to himself, and his best friend just so happened to be sitting in the seat next to him.
Fortunately for Devin, the subject changed to Josh's sister Annabel, and the boy quickly snatched up the opportunity. "Good. I know they are just words but hey...they might help some. Hopefully with your parents she can recover soon." Devin was a kind hearted soul by default, and no matter how hard he wanted to be a hard ass, there was just not an ounce of aggression or toughness to the boy in any way. The tone of his voice was hardly harsh or aloof, and his actions were equally so. If a fight broke out, Devin would be the first to toss in the towel and walk away to avoid further confrontation. It made him an easy target--Altair was a bit of a painful reminder of that--and no matter how hard Devin tried there was just no escaping who he was. He quickly dismissed the thought, however, knowing that who he was landed him with some good, reliable friends and unbreakable bonds. Not many could safely say that any more.
The car took a turn down a road splitting off of the main; it was a quick route to Devin's house, and he could not help but smile at the memories that flashed before his mind's eye. So many fun days as kids, running around on the streets without a care in the world. Sure he had his step-mother lurking in the corner, ready to pounce like a mountain lion attacking prey, but when he was hanging out with friends all worries were forgotten for that moment. It was almost blissful. Now, at seventeen years old Devin knew that the world was not as bright as he assumed it to be. There was a lot of darkness, and a lot of horrible people, like his step-mother. The day she hit him was the day reality stared him in the face. He could hope and dream all he wanted, but that did not change facts. Never did. Athena always stated how lucky Devin was to be as happy go lucky as he was given their history, but Devin never gave it much thought. If he did, then history may catch up and bite him in the ass. That simply would not do. Devin shrugged at his friends inquiry, clearly focused on reminiscing. "I actually have no idea. If she is, then we'll have dinner waiting for us. Hope you're hungry." Devin tilted his head to catch Josh's face, now smiling. Judith was an excellent cook, so there was no way he would pass up dinner if she was home.
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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Nov 5, 2011 2:28:42 GMT -5
Joshua was well aware of the fact that he could best Devin easily in a fight. Over the years, the Fire graduate had toughened up and became quite a formidable opponent if you crossed him but his best friend had nothing to fear. He had known the graduate before he possessed such thick skin. He'd known him when Joshua was too slight of frame and short of stature to be intimidating to much of anyone. They went so far back that Josh couldn't even consider hurting him--not unless DJ did something serious to cross him or set off his temper. Even friends could get on his bad side if they committed some sort of treachery and his temper... well, it was as unpredictable as ever. Thankfully, the Earth wasn't a very irritating guy, which was why Josh snorted at his words. "Because my personality is so much more admirable," he said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. Though it was in good humour the statement was entirely true. Josh was still baffled to this day that Nell could stand to be around him for more than five minutes at a time. He didn't give himself enough credit sometimes--Joshua was a great friend to have, he was just... well, he didn't think that he was really the 'type' for someone as nice as Nell. Not that he'd consider ending their relationship. Nah, he was too selfish to give up a good thing because it might have been 'right'.
Spending a good deal of his time cooped up in libraries, Joshua was both quiet of tone and sharp of ear. He picked up on the muttered comment and might have raised an eyebrow at Devin if he had not been staring at the road ahead. He was focused on the back of the red car in front of him, easing up on the gas as the other driver did in order to avoid getting too close. Whilst still concentrating on driving, he said, "I know." At least his car was warm, and that wasn't even with his own influence. He didn't want to tire himself out with keeping the air warm when he could just use the heater in the car itself. Being a very high-end, flashy sports car, it had a ton of add-ons--both included and optional. It had been a very thoughtful gift from the father who wanted nothing to do with him now. For the sake of how much he enjoyed the car, he tried not to associate it too much with the man. "I know, eh?" he responded seamlessly to the sarcasm, though his own tone was entirely serious. "All of this time without winter has left me in utter despair." He was so good at being serious that anyone who did not know him might have thought he was. However, Josh loathed the cold. Possibly even as much or more than his friend in the car beside him.
The earnest and caring attitude which Devin displayed toward his little sister almost made Joshua feel guilty for lying to his friend. Almost. Joshua was not someone often plagued by guilt or regret because he was not, by nature, a compassionate and empathetic person. You had to earn his empathy and even though Devin had, that didn't mean Josh would always feel bad for doing something selfish like lying. Keeping secrets was something Josh did from almost everyone, even his own mother. It really wasn't something anyone should be offended by. Not that Devin knew he was keeping secrets to be offended, anyway. "She's made of tough shit," Josh said. "She'll pull through." Even though this was all lies for the sake of covering, he really did think highly of his little sister. He doted on her like nothing else. Part of the reason he respected Dev so much was his own caring for Athena. Plus, the girl had a kick-ass name. "How's your sister, by the way?" As he had grown up around Devin they'd gotten to know the siblings of the other over the years, as was to be expected of close friends. There were a few of Dev's family members Joshua regretted knowing of, his stepmum being the most prominent of course. "And your aunt, how's she?"
As they were not heading to his friend's place to do shifty things that parents wouldn't approve of (smoking weed, drinking beer, breaking things) he did not mind the idea of Devin's aunt being there when they got in. Especially not if she was making food, for Joshua only now recalled that he hadn't eaten all day. He had the habit of forgetting meals sometimes when he had a busy schedule and usually made up for it by eating large portions of the next meal he remembered to indulge on. He was a good house guest to have for dinner, too, as he'd been raised in a mansion and taught proper etiquette and manners along the way. "Sounds great, I haven't ate since yesterday." Best not tell Nell that when I get home, he thought, almost smirking to himself but stopping so that he didn't confuse Devin with inappropriate, misplaced gestures. Sometimes he reacted visibly to his train of thought and confused people more than usual by smirking or scowling for no reason. He was sure a lot of people did that, though. It was only surprising in Joshua because he didn't smile much to begin with. "As long as it isn't too bad in terms of my diet." He was not referring to watching his weight but rather the exclusion of meat, being that he was vegetarian. If he were ever at the house of another he would be polite and just take whatever wasn't made from formerly living flesh. He'd told Devin he was vegetarian ages ago, of course. Josh himself had found out when he was six.
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Post by DEVIN JAMES THATCHER on Nov 5, 2011 15:34:55 GMT -5
Devin hardly saw the faults in others, especially the faults of friends. Even if the fault was blatantly obvious, the blonde never took the time to focus on the negatives of others. Instead, he would much rather dwell on their positive traits and enjoy them, because that was most important. That being said, Devin wore a baffled expression on his face when Josh spoke, the sarcasm evident in his voice. Devin turned his head towards Josh, blinking a few times. "Your personality is admirable." Some would call him naive or ignorant to the truth--Josh was a bit of a hard ass, and some have said he can be hard to get along with--but Devin only saw the devoted and loyal friend who always took time to talk to him. That meant more than anything, and that was all that mattered. The car slowed a little as it approached a red car in front of them.
As Devin steered his attention back onto the road, he saw the windows tinged with frost. The warmth of the car on the inside fought with the chill outside, bringing a chill up Devin's spine. He instinctively brought his brown leather coat closer to his body despite the warm. "I mean, I have no idea what I would do without it. All year I'm unable to function, waiting and hoping for the bitter cold." His voice became slightly distant as Devin placed an elbow on the door hand cupping his chin as blue eyes watched the world go by. Devin will still in a really good mood--his thought just so happened to wander for a few minutes. These random musings often times pulled him away from conversations, even if they are intriguing or eventful. Josh would understand.
"That's good, I'm glad." Athena was a very important person in Devin's life, and he was sure that Josh felt the same about Annabel. After the rough past Devin shared with his poor sister in dealing with their awful step-mother Lauren, he was more than eager to protect Athena from the dangers of the world. They shared a common ground with their younger siblings. "Athena is doing really well. Drama team at the school, treasurer for her class...and dating a guy named Jackson." The name rolled off of Devin's tongue with a faint hiss; the guy was decent, but Devin did not like any guy being around his baby sister for any length of time, especially alone. The past few nights Jackson came over to spend time with Athena, Devin had to walk out of the house to do his own thing. If he caught that guy so much as trying to kiss her, there might be a few choice words. The blonde would avoid a fight, but that would not prevent him from saying something. "And my aunt is doing really well. Her business is picking up and of course she's ever caring about me and Athena. I couldn't be more grateful."
As soon as Devin's mind drifted to food, he could feel his mouth begin to water. The mess hall was not quite to his liking, and for that reason Devin attempted to avoid eating at the hall. Besides, his aunt's food was top notch and the blonde would much prefer her cooking to theirs any day. Devin knew that Josh had a preference for the fruits and veggies--luckily for his fire friend his Aunt never made a meal without them. Devin smiled. "No worries there, Josh. I think she's doing some grilled chicken tonight, but she'll toss in some squash and zucchini for sure. Just tell her what you want! She'll make it for you." Devin patted Josh on the shoulder gently as he saw the house come into view.
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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Nov 5, 2011 16:15:39 GMT -5
Joshua regarded his friend for a moment as if seeing him for the first time, apparently quite surprised by his words. He was not self-conscious and his self esteem was actually pretty decent but the honesty with which his friend spoke had caught the Fire elemental off guard. He was forced to look away and back to the road quickly before his shock caused them to get in an accident but it remained lingering in his mind. He didn't really see his personality as admirable. He didn't care about the fact that he was a jerk sometimes, Joshua knew that and embraced it. It was part of his personality. He didn't like when his anger got out of hand around his friends but it wasn't like he was ashamed of himself because of it, he was too stubborn for that. At the same time, he'd never really had someone say that before. Well, Nell was fond of him but he figured that was just the whole 'love is blind' thing kicking in. He didn't like thinking about her faults, either. In the end he just accepted the statement silently, not entirely sure how to respond. Why would he think that? Devin surely knew that Josh had caused many a people harm. He might not have known about the gang but he knew about other things. He'd probably be a lot slower to judge if he did know about them, the Fire thought grimly. It was part of the reason he never brought it up.
He understood as the conversation died a little. As a quiet person, Josh was prone to silence and slipping into his own thoughts so he wasn't the sort of person that questioned when it happened to other people. Instead, he just focused on the route to his best friends house and let things remain the way they were. It was only when his thoughts drifted back to family did Joshua inquire after Devin's. He actually cared about the lives of his friends, stoic as he was in personality, so there was genuine interest behind the words. It was good to hear that Athena was doing well but there was an instant wariness at the mention of a boy called Jackson. "Oh?" he said, his voice revealing nothing. "What's he like?" As he was intensely protective over his own little sister and would likely scare off any guy that thought about going near her Joshua also felt a bit of a protectiveness over his friend's sibling, as well. It came from growing up around them, he supposed. He would keep his distance--it was Devin's place to pass judgement--but if the boy hurt his friends little sis in any way, Josh would have something to say.
He gave a brief but genuine smile as Devin spoke of his aunt. He could hear the gratitude in his friends voice and he was glad that the woman had been able to get him away from the witch of a stepmother he'd had to deal with. "Good to hear," he said honestly. "She deserves to do well." His own parents had been climbing the ladder as well over the past few years but he did not offer this information to Devin. As a quiet and private person it sometimes didn't occur to him to speak of his own life with his friends. It wasn't that he thought he should hide his parents' occupations, Devin had known for ages what sort of background Josh was from, it was just force of habit that kept him quiet. He was actually quite proud of his mother--she was holding down a high position in the government, like she'd always wanted.
Though Joshua could tolerate the food from the mess hall, he did often miss the elaborate meals he could get at his own home. As his mother was a very busy woman who often had to fly out to the capitol for her job she could not always be around to cook, but the chef was more than equipped to stand in her place. He could cater to Joshua's own specific needs as well, which was silently appreciated by the boy. Good vegetarian food was sometimes hard to come by. He had faith in Devin's aunt, however, and he nodded when his friend spoke. "I don't want to be too much trouble," he said, "so I'll just have whatever she's making minus the meat." Sometimes it could be almost comical how polite and cordial the Fire student could be. It depended on who you were and how you knew him, really. Spotting the familiar house, Joshua parked the car and made sure that everything was off or in place before getting out and pushing the scissored door down into place. For the hell of it he pressed the button to make them lift automatically again, grinning a little. "Gets me every time." He shut them again and pocketed the 'keys'.
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Post by DEVIN JAMES THATCHER on Nov 6, 2011 19:22:14 GMT -5
Devin wished that Josh would not inquire about Athena's new romantic interest; in fact, Devin wished that he had not brought it up at all. That was his baby sister! Having some strange guy touch her in any way other than a handshake was just...just...well, not approved of by the blonde. If only he were more aggressive, then something could be done, but alas there was nothing the passive Earthie could do to remedy said situation without taking on the attitude of a fire student for about five minutes. Devin sighed and rubbed his temple. "I haven't taken any time to get to know the guy...though I probably should. My hope is that she stays single forever but that's not gonna happen. I could probably force her to become a nun..."
If that were possible, then Devin probably would put her into a nun's outfit and parade her around just so no guy would ever come near her. He dreaded the day she would lose her virginity to a guy...oh God...she hadn't lost it yet, had she!? Lost in thought for a moment his reply to Josh's comment was distant and albeit a bit uncaring without intending to be. "Yeah, she does."
Soon the car halted in the driveway, and the familiar white washed paneling put Devin at ease. How good it felt to be home, after sifting through the halls at school. They were so full of tension and hatred right now, and that was not something he was entirely interested in on a daily basis. The door swung open and Devin got out of the car, watching with amusement as Josh made sure to do it a second time with a satisfied grin on his face. Devin couldn't help but shake his head at his best friend. "Way to rub that in my face man, way to rub it in my face." Of course Devin was joking--he knew Josh's family had money, but Devin was not so bad off himself. Sure he did not have this gorgeous car, but he had enough to be completely content with life.
Sighing with a grin, the blonde made way to the front door and pushed the door open, a sweet aroma pushing past his face and making his mouth water. "I guess my aunt is home, then. Dinner is already well on its way." From the kitchen, you could hear the clanging of dinner ware and pans, and a light humming reached his ears among the loud noises. "Hey Aunt Judith, I'm home! I brought some company." After a few more clacking noises a brunette woman popped her head from around the corner with a large smile on her face. "Oh, hey there Dev. And hello to you too, Josh. You staying for dinner? I have plenty of vegetables tonight so you don't need to worry." With that, she pulled away from the corner and vanished into the kitchen once again. Devin turned to look at Josh with a nod before making his way to the source of the delicious aroma.
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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Nov 6, 2011 19:59:20 GMT -5
Joshua could relate to Devin's feelings due to his own being mirrored onto Annabel but he did not realise that it was such a sensitive subject or else he might have avoided it for the sake of his friend's discomfort. His intentions had not been to make his best friend grieve over the fact that his little sister was growing up and bringing boys around the house. Luckily for Josh, Annabel had not yet hit that phase but he supposed it would only be a matter of time before she was the one that they had to be worried about. No man comes around my little sister without my approval. He was a frightening guy to face when you were dating a new girl but Josh didn't care. Let them be scared off, it would be all the better for him. "You should," he nodded, not to the comment on Athena becoming a nun but to the bit about getting to know her boyfriend. "Let him know you're watching out for her." Athena might get mad at Devin as little sisters often did but hey, if it saved them from going too far too fast, why not?
Admittedly Joshua was a little bit of a hypocrite. He'd lost it when he was rather young, probably a little younger than his sister was now. Of course, it was a bit different for guys ("It's not like we can get pregnant!") but the same principles applied. That did not matter to Josh. He was still the older sibling and so he was still going to frighten the life out of any guy that came near her. His thoughts were also going fuzzy as he reminisced and so he barely noticed the disinterested tone Devin had used with him. Even if he had, Josh wasn't likely to care. He didn't make conversation for the sake of pleasing other people. He'd been making conversation with Dev because they were best friends and thus he didn't always feel the need to lapse into his stoic silences but if Devin didn't want to talk that was also completely alright with Joshua.
A smirk crossed his features. "I'd rub it in literally but I don't want to hurt the car," he said. It was a really good thing that they were friends and Devin was likely used to his brand of humour by now because he said it with such perfect seriousness and an impassive expression. He had never actually hurt his best friend before, though, at least not physically. A small part of him acknowledged that the little while he'd pulled away and started to become cold and distant toward Devin had probably hurt. He didn't think about that small part because guilt was not an emotion Josh was comfortable feeling. He didn't want guilt and thus he always either converted into some sort of other emotion (usually anger, this being Josh) or ignored it altogether. His selfish personality was beneficial to him at times. "Lead the way," he offered as he gestured toward the house, seeing as Devin was the one who lived here.
He also smelled the food when they entered the house and thought he could detect the scent of the chicken that Devin had mentioned. The smell of meat from fast food places when it was thick and heavy made his stomach curl but as he was the only vegetarian in his family and Nell, whom he currently lived with, ate meat as well he was alright with it when it was home cooked. The smell, at least. "Hello, Judith," he said politely with a smile when she greeted him. "Thanks," he added when she reassured him about dinner. Catching the fact that his friend was looking at him, Joshua turned his attention to Devin for a moment to return the nod, following after him. Whenever he was at someone else's house he usually just stuck with whatever they were doing or felt like doing at the time out of politeness.
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HAHA they can leave like, right away, I just wanted the thread in a board where no one makes threads so it won't get buried, LOL.]
