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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Jan 22, 2012 13:17:33 GMT -5
The sound of the rain pattering against the window drew him to it, looking outside to see it coming down in gentle sheets. There were puddles on the ground and he smiled to see that the grass was once again looking green and verdant, the harsh chill of winter and all its heavy snowfall having been driven back by the coming of spring. It was his favourite season, and not just because of his birthday. Joshua had only recently turned twenty and celebrated the end of his teenage years at last. He was not particularly sad nor delighted to see them go. To Josh, he was merely another year older. He did not lament ageing, especially not when it meant being another year closer to his goal of going to medical school and becoming a doctor. He'd practically built his life around his aspirations and even in his patience he was eager. He knew that it would take time—a lot of time—and he was willing to wait, but that didn't rule out his excitement. The day when he recieved his medical certification would be a great one indeed for Josh. He was debating between neurosurgery and cardiology but thought that he might go for the latter. The workings of the mind satisfied him but cardiology was also interesting. He was going into the medical field because it interested him but the large paycheck of a cardiologist was also appealing. He wanted to contribute to the Dale's family fortune, not squander it all by being unemployed or else having a shitty job. No, Josh wanted to do well for himself in life.
He really did feel as if he was doing well, as if he was going somewhere. He was engaged to be married, his relationship with his father was on the mend, and he felt, overall, happy with himself. It was a nice feeling, to be content with who you were and where you were going. Speaking of the engagement, there were still a good deal of people that he had not told. It had been a little over a month since the proposal and he still hadn't told his best friend yet. So he gave Devin a call and left a voice-mail, stating, "Hey, man, I know it's a bit rainy out but do you want to hang out at Timmies or something? It's been a while, we should catch up." He had not purposely been ignoring his best friend and he was sure that Devin had his reasons as well. He'd texted him a few times and he'd said hello whenever they passed one another in the halls at school but they'd not had the chance for a good sit-down. Josh was hardly going to drop the news of the engagement as they met briefly in a school hallway and so he felt that actually meeting up was a more appropriate scenario. He wondered what his friend was going to think of the fact that he'd proposed to Nell, whether he would insist that they were too young or else just be a supportive best friend. Joshua figured that when they eventually tied the knot for good, he'd want Devin as best man. He didn't have a brother but the boy was his best friend. He had people like Ace as well but Devin had been there through it all. Yes, if Devin approved of the marriage Josh thought he might just slip that in, as well.
He went out to his car, not bothering to shield himself from the rain in the short walk from the building to the parking space. He liked the rain—liked the way it felt as it splashed across his skin and the smell of the drenched earth. So maybe it was a bit odd that he was a Fire elemental with a love for the natural occurrence but who was to say what was normal, anyway? He also hated deep water, so it was an ironic contradiction. He loved and hated the element at the same time. The drive to Tim Hortons was short and he parked across the road, ducking into the warm coffee shop and apologizing to a young woman when he nearly hit her with the door. She shot him a brief and slightly awkward smile, then turned her attention back to the menu she'd been surveying. He took a look at it as well, deciding that he'd order some of the white hot chocolate today. It was cold due to the rain and the shop was crowded. He didn't want to risk using his powers to warm himself up right now and so he'd let the drink do it for him. After waiting in line for a bit and receiving his order, he sat down at an empty table and drummed his fingers lightly on its surface as he waited for his friend.
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Post by DEVIN JAMES THATCHER on Jan 24, 2012 14:33:54 GMT -5
Rain. It was the soft thrumming of water on the window pane that lulled you into a state of pure contentment and peacefulness, even when things were at their worst. For Devin, the world was finally finding a small sense of normalcy, but still the blonde found himself looking out of the window in the kitchen to watch the rain plummet to the earth. Some people found it depressing, and others thrived like a flower thirsty for a drink. Devin could lean both ways, he supposed, but today he absorbed it like a sponge. Once satisfied with his momentary lapse in thought, the boy turned and made way into the living room, plopping down on the couch to watch the TV. He figured that a rainy day was a good lazy day--which was odd considering Devin was lazy most of the time to begin with. He was not a heavily motivated person. That was, until he moved in with his step-mom and father a while back. It gave him all the more reason to get the job and make as much money as possible so he could move out and get his own place. Now he had one, and a small smile passed over his features as the images flickered across the screen. Not to mention that the girl of his dreams was sleeping in the next room; the day before, Autumn had come to him seeking shelter and solace from her stalker at school, and of course Devin could not say no. I still need to find a way to get rid of the guy.
Pondering the little fleeting thoughts and emotions that popped up every now and again, he did not hear the vibration of his phone on the kitchen counter. When he got up to go and find himself something to eat, however, he noticed that the little light in the corner was flashing red. "Hmm..." Devin mused as he looked at the phone. Instantly he smiled as he saw the missed call was from Joshua, and placed the phone to his ear to listen to the message. "Can't pass up a time to spend with Josh," He muttered, trying to keep quiet so as not to disturb the silence. Quickly he creeped into his room, slid on a comfortable pair of jeans and a polo shirt, and slid on his favorite tennis shoes. It was best for the rainy weather anyway. Devin smiled softly as he leaned over Autumn and kissed her on the forehead. "Gonna go see Josh, be back later." He was not entirely sure that she heard him, but she would call if she needed him. Once Devin swiped his wallet and phone off of the counter, he quietly left the house and locked the door before making the trek towards Timmies. The rain was steady as it fell, soaking Devin to the bone. He did not mind all too much though; when you did not have a means of transportation there was not much you could do to get places. It's not like I'm going to melt or anything, Devin joked with himself as he trudged onward, jumping into puddles along the way. He had his childish moments.
Once Devin caught sight of the shop, he picked up his pace. By this point the chill was making him shiver, and would much rather be in a warm room. His hand gripped the door handle and pulled it open, his body meeting the dry, warm air of Timmies. It smelled delightful, too, which also reminded him that he had not eaten yet. A French Vanilla Cappucino Supreme sounded absolutely wonderful, along with a ham and swiss sandwich. Once ordered, he grabbed his food and turned to try and find the rather tall fire elemental who he deemed "nearly impossible to miss". Devin's smile widened considerably at the sight of Josh at a nearby table, and made way to sit across from him. "Hey buddy!" Devin chirped cheerfully. His hands wrapped around the warm drink to take the edge off of the chill. "It's been a while, hasn't it? I'm sorry I haven't been extremely social lately." He rubbed the back of his head, looking rather abashed for his actions. "But things have been really hectic, though improving greatly."
After a moment of relishing in the warmth of the drink, he relinquished hold with one hand so he could unwrap the sandwich he was so eager to dig into. "How have you been? Things going okay?" He tilted his head; it was amazing how his demeanor had changed over the past couple of months since seeing Josh last. Although there was still stress and struggles--mostly with Autumn's problem instead of his own--most of his worries were washed away and was slowly returning to his normal self. In fact, he was better than normal. He felt...different.
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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Jan 24, 2012 16:50:53 GMT -5
Though he was not someone who often smiled or otherwise outwardly expressed contentment, this all changed around his friends. Joshua's features split into a broad grin when he caught the eye of his best friend and he jerked his hand in brief greeting. "Hey, man, long time no see." His tone was devoid of anger and his demeanour was relaxed. Josh tended to trust his friends when it came to distance and wouldn't suspect anything unless they stopped answering calls and texts indefinitely. He understood more than anyone what it was like to have a lot going on in your life, too much to even hang around with friends. He merely hoped that Devin had been doing well and that he hadn't missed out on anything too substantial during their brief time apart. It felt good to be in the presence of his best friend again. Natural. "Glad to hear things are going well for you, though. You said you were saving up, right? How's that going for you?" He was proud of his best buddy for wanting to get away from the hell of his stepmother's house. She was a nasty, wretched piece of work and he'd meant what he'd said a while back about intervening if she hurt Devin again. He hated her, despite barely knowing her, and he'd be glad to hear any sort of positive news. "How're Judith and Athena?" he inquired, assuming that the two were still out of the country where Judith had moved. It must have sucked for Devin to be away from them but he seemed to be taking it alright. There hadn't been any significant breakdowns in Josh's presence, at least.
There was an almost mischievous spark in his gray eyes as Devin asked him how he had been doing, though it was gone as quickly as it had appeared. "Great—better than great, really." The grin, which had faded from earlier, returned once more to support the honesty of the words. The absence of his usual 'I'm fine' was a true testament to how happy he really was and how much he trusted Devin. He didn't like to open up around others but this guy had been there through a lot. They knew one another pretty well, even if Joshua hadn't really confided in him about the gang or the trial that Nell had been going through. "I've been really swamped, too, though—planning a proposal is a lot more stressful than you'd think." He allowed only a brief moment for that to sink in, the mischief now clear in his gaze as he threw his friend a brief wink. "Nell and I are engaged," he crowed proudly. There was a sense of immense satisfaction and a touch of gloating in his tone, though he was not the type to brag incessantly. He was merely happy that she'd said yes and that things had gone so well in their relationship. He had never felt for anyone the way he did for Nell and he loved to take any chance possible to tell his friends about their engagement. It was a rare desire to share something with other people that didn't usually possess him. But Nell was a great catch, at least in his eyes, and showing that off was hard to resist. "I would have told you sooner and all, but I figured it was too serious for a phone call."
As usual, though, there was a brief twinge of anticipation while he waited for his best friend's response. Most of the reactions had been positive and he'd recieved a lot of congratulations and well-wishes for him and his fiancée but there had been a few people whom it just didn't sit right with. There were people who outright opposed it as a bad idea, of course, but he mostly ignored them as long as they were not his friends to begin with. The opinions of strangers didn't phase him. But even some of his friends had expressed their concerns about the youth of the happy couple and doubted that things would work out long-term. Well, fuck them. We can handle this. Still, he hoped Devin was not too averse to the idea. After that news had been exchanged, he remembered Devin's own love life and frowned in thought. "How's Autumn?" He had not been keeping up with the pair of lovestruck friends and their romantic endeavours so he had no idea what had happened after they'd both confessed their feelings to him—had they even told each other? "I hope I'm not opening any wounds," he added after a pause, just in case it had gone badly. He didn't like to pry open scars but he was curious about what had been happening with Devin lately. They were best friends, that tended to happen.
[Good Pola  -pets- Not many other people bother, LOL~]
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Post by DEVIN JAMES THATCHER on Jan 24, 2012 18:09:39 GMT -5
Devin took note of the smile on Joshua's face; obviously things were going decently well, otherwise the vibe would have been considerably less cheerful. "It's been too long. I'd think that not seeing your best friend for a certain amount of time would be considered illegal." He shrugged, offering Josh a bit of a chuckle. Relief washed over his heart knowing that his best friend was not upset for the lack of face to face interaction. "Things are definitely going really well," Devin agreed, nodding his head eagerly with a sparkle in his blue eyes. "Well, saving up definitely paid off. I have my own place now. It's not amazing or anything, but it's better than that hell hole with the wicked step-mother." He did not dare tell Josh that she had hit him again a while later, not too long after he turned eighteen when he said he was going to get a job and move out. The witch wanted her personal slave to stay, and tried to scare him into living there longer. Instead it pushed him away. He was tired of being her punching bag. At the mention of Judith and Athena, he felt his lips dip into a slight frown and his finger tapped against the side of his cup.
"They are doing fine. I don't talk to them as often as I would like, but I understand Judith has a lot to do. Athena is doing well in school though, and is in all honors classes." The pride in his eyes glowed brightly at the thought of his little sister excelling, and knowing that Judith was happy with where she was at in her career. It made Devin sad that he could not see them, but their happiness was most important to the boy. As he went to take a bite out of his sandwich, he caught sight of the grin on Joshua's face and Devin returned the smile just as brightly. Joy really was contagious. As he listened, Devin felt himself stunned into near silence at the word 'proposal'. It was not a bad silence, more...thoughtful. At first he did not quite understand what Josh was getting at and appeared slightly confused, but soon the confusion brightened into a completely ecstatic and cheerful state as he broke out into a small bout of laughter. "Are you serious!? Holy shit, Josh...that's awesome! Congrats! Wow..." Devin shook his head a fought back another laugh, the joy evident on his face. Finding out Josh was engaged to be married to one of his closest friends was one of the highlights of his day. "That's the best news I've heard in a long while. I'm glad you didn't tell me over the phone because it would have looked weird me freaking out all by myself." He smiled as he took a sip of the drink, the contents finally cool enough not to scald his tongue. "I'm glad that you two make one another so happy."
Joshua was a difficult shell to crack. He was a very stoic creature that liked to keep his emotions to himself, but to see this side of him made Devin warm from the inside out. He was his best friend; all he wished for the man was his happiness. But, like most friends, they made sure that the conversation was two sided and Devin had a feeling he would ask about Autumn. Instead of hinting sadness or dropping his eyes, Devin leaned on the table and folded his arms, a bit of an unknown gleam in his eyes. "Well, last I saw her she was dozing in my bed peacefully, so..." A smirk tacked itself in the corner of his mouth, before dropping his gaze and passing a silent laugh through his nostrils. "Definitely not opening any wounds." After a moment, the smile faded as his blue gaze met Josh's, and the gleam of happiness was replaced with concern. It was fleeting and quickly Devin leaned back into his chair and took a bit out of his sandwich. He wanted to tell Josh about her stalker, but figured that it was not his job to reveal Autumn's personal life without permission.
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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Jan 26, 2012 15:07:54 GMT -5
The edge of his lips twitched into a brief smile. "Well, I always was a rebel." Though he didn't laugh and the smile did not quite reach its peak, it was mostly in jest. Josh had rebelled against some things in his life but he had definitely muted any sort of action in recent years. Besides, the gang had been less of a rebellion and more of a desperate need for the companionship and acceptance of a group. What few friends he'd had back then, Devin included, had not been enough for Josh. They were enough now. "Really?" The pride and even a soft hint of excitement were easily detectable in his tone as Devin broke the news. "That's great news, DJ. Where's it at? I'll have to drop by some time." He liked the idea of being able to hang around at Devin's place whenever it took their mutual fancy rather than stepping on eggshells around Lauren or, like before, trying to ensure they didn't interfere with Athena and Judith's schedules. "I'm staying with Nell, now," Josh admitted, deciding to take that issue out from under the rug. He'd been keeping the news to himself for a while because he'd always planned to move back into his parents' as soon as the stormy waters calmed but now that things were a little more permanent, his best friend deserved to know. "How is the wicked step-mom? I hope she's having an awful time." His tone was shamelessly sadistic. He hated Lauren, really hated her.
Though sympathetic to the fact that his friend was apart from his family, it was still good to hear that the two of them were doing well. "Sounds like she's smart one." He hoped that Annabel was going to take after him in academics. He wanted his sister to make a good life for herself and he often worried about how little she seemed to focus on school work. He'd once spent a lot of time helping her out when he'd still resided in the mansion but now he had his own life and a whole heap of college classes to keep up with. He couldn't spend every night going over her homework with her and Donovan and Trish were equally busy people. He hoped she'd do alright. His thoughts were sufficiently deterred upon Devin's reaction to the engagement, however, and now he positively grinned at his friend. He took it well. Thank fuck. He kept this relief to himself, not wanting Devin to know that he'd had any doubts in him. Josh doubted almost everyone—it was in his nature—but some didn't understand that and were hurt by the suspicions. "Might've looked weird but I'd probably have enjoyed the mental image," he teased. "I'm glad, too. I was so nervous, man, it was great." He laughed and messed up the back of his dark hair. He normally wouldn't admit weakness to other people but he figured Devin wouldn't hold it against him that he'd been anxious about Nell and her reaction. "We haven't set a date yet, of course, but there's plenty of time for that." They had... well, forever, really, as long as they stuck with one another.
A sly look crept its way into his features at Devin's comment, a teasing spark lighting his gaze. "In your bed, eh?" He grinned and whacked his friend on the arm lightly, taking care not to leave a mark. He knew that sometimes he underestimated how hard he was hitting a person but his aim was to joke around with his friend, not injure him. "Good catch." Even though he was kidding, he did wonder if that was what Devin had implied. It would seem remarkably quick to Josh but he reminded himself that it had only taken so long for him and Nell to move forward in their relationship because of all the extra baggage it contained. Hell, maybe she's got baggage too. I wouldn't know. He was not as close to Autumn as he was to Devin or, indeed, Devin was to the girl herself. He didn't know her secrets or concerns. She did tell me about her feelings, though. Maybe Autumn trusted him more than he gave her credit for. The thought was warming—Joshua liked being trusted, thrived on it. He was a remarkable secret keeper and he'd carry anything told to him to the grave, provided it didn't endanger anyone he loved. "I'm glad you guys are happy with each other, seriously. I hope I didn't interrupt anything?" This was not as much of a double entendre as it sounded; for all he knew, Autumn and Devin could have just been hanging out.
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Post by DEVIN JAMES THATCHER on Jan 27, 2012 16:43:58 GMT -5
"Yep," Devin replied, glancing out of the window in the direction from whence he came. "I live in the downtown area. Not too far from here. I'll just text you the address or something so you'll have it." His eyes trailed back over towards Josh, a smile of contentment gracing his bright features. "Feel free to come by any time you want, Josh. I would be more than happy to have you visit." And Devin meant that. Even though Autumn was staying at the house with him for the time being, there was no reason for Joshua not to visit. Besides, Autumn was decent friends with him too (based on what he knew) so they could always sit around and talk for a while. His eyebrow raised slightly as he watched his friend. "Oh, well that's good. I think you two will make good roommates." Devin teased, winking slightly as he took a sip of his drink. He did not know anything about Joshua and Nell's relationship other than the fact that they were together and they were happy; he was clueless to their lack of sexual interaction or any of the ordeals with Nell and her possible jail time. That would not have mattered to him though. Only their happiness mattered most to Devin. His smile faded a little when Josh mentioned Lauren, but it was not full of malice or intense hatred; Devin, no matter how hard he tried could not hate anyone. "Yeah, I hope she is too. Haven't seen her or my dad since the day I moved out. Well...saw them briefly when I grabbed my things out of their front yard. Courtesy of Lauren." He shrugged as though it were no big deal.
No matter how much Devin wanted to catch up with Joshua, his first instinct was to push the conversation back towards his best friend. The news he shared about the engagement was so uplifting that he would much rather focus on that than his lack of decent family members and the fact that he might not see most--if any--of them again. To see Josh smiling and light hearted warmed Devin to the core. "Anything to entertain you, of course," Devin replied chuckling. "You? Nervous? Now that is something I haven't heard before. You always ooze confidence." Josh was always so stoic and emotionally sturdy, Devin did not really see him as the type to fumble about with anything, even something as special as an engagement. He supposed it would make sense though; having the possibility of the love of your life saying 'no' to you? That would be nerve wracking. I wonder if me and Autumn will last that long... His mind drifted into the future, images of a ring and Autumn's face as she accepted it with a smile--no. Now was not the time to think about that. Not even close to time to think about that. "Yeah, you guys have plenty of time. But whenever you set the date let me know because I want to be there."
The twinkle in Joshua's eyes as he smacked Devin on the shoulder playfully gave the boy the feeling that he read into it the wrong way; however, the thought definitely crossed his mind more than once. Autumn was not like the other girls though, and was worth waiting for. He was actually scared to have sex with her, for fear that it would ruin something. Devin still felt inadequate, but after their conversation a month before he decided not to let that take control of his actions any longer. They almost lost him the girl he loved, and that was not going to happen again. If she doesn't want me, then she will say so. I won't make the decision for her. Devin smirked at Josh. "Thanks, she's quite the catch. I'm glad she gave me a second chance. I would be...empty without her." His eyes glazed over as he thought about Autumn turning her back, but it was brief; she was there, and everything was good. That was all Devin wanted. He shook his head at Joshua's question, the smile still evident. "No, you didn't. We aren't doing anything with one another for a while. Mostly because of me, I think but..." Devin scratched the back of his head, laughing nervously as he glanced at his friend. "I don't want to fuck this up, you know? She's...something else." Once again the boy avoided the conversation about her stalker completely, for Autumn's sake. It was not anyone's business but hers, and Devin would not have felt right speaking of it to anyone, even Josh. If she wanted more help then Devin was sure she would find it. Besides, it would be nice to protect her. Makes feel like I'm worth something.
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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Jan 28, 2012 18:59:32 GMT -5
Joshua wondered what sort of place his friend had managed to score for himself, not forgetting the cramped feel of Nell's apartment and how much of a silent relief it had been when she'd decided to move up. He'd known the entire time that he had no say in where she relocated to and she could have become homeless and lived out of her car for all he could do about it but that didn't mean he hadn't silently celebrated. He missed the mansion and it's glorious creature comforts sometimes. Then he remembered the week or so he'd spent at it when he was helping his parents recover from the shock of Patrick's interferences and always concluded that he would miss Nell more, if he left. A huge room and staff to wait on your needs only counted for so much if you were lonely. It might have made a difference if Nell was impoverished but while her income was modest, it wasn't that modest. "I'll be sure to do that," he said, unable to resist another slight smile. He was giddy on the news of the day and he couldn't help himself from being more relaxed than usual. The presence of a friend and the knowledge that he was engaged was too much for even his pessimism to handle. "In fact, I'll come around so often you'll be sick of the sight of me." His gray eyes twinkled, betraying the fact that he was kidding. He was too busy to devote too much time to pestering his friends, much as it might have made for a funny joke. "We're great roommates," he said slyly. Then, more serious, Josh added, "Bit of a relief, really. A lot of people fall out after they get married and move in with one another." Him and Nell had already lived the experience.
Though the shift and set of his jaw was subtle, the way the humoured light died from his gaze and the hardening of his features was not as easily missed. Joshua hated Lauren more and more with each word spoken about her and his hand tensed more than the rest of him, remembering with satisfaction how good it had felt to strike her. He didn't consider himself to be an abusive person, for he'd never hurt someone like Nell, but it was hard not to enjoy the suffering of a woman that caused the same in your best friend. He had a protectiveness over Devin that not many people beyond Nell could brag. With Joshua, the enemy of his friends were his enemies. It didn't work quite the same with allies, unfortunately. "How charming," he said, sarcasm smouldering in his voice. His eyes narrowed for a moment and he looked away, not wanting to meet his friend's gaze or even look at him. It made the anger worse if he did. After a moment of slow breathing and self-control, he managed to look back at him and was relieved when he didn't feel the overwhelming desire to throttle something. Or someone, specifically Lauren. I'm getting better with this. He was proud of himself for the slow control he was gaining over certain parts of his rage. By the time the subject of the engagement had been brought up, Josh was smiling again and the anger had been washed away entirely. It was much, much easier when he was not directly faced with its cause. If Lauren had been here he guessed he'd have attacked her. "I am confident," he stated simply, not afraid to admit that. "I'm sure about myself, sure about Nell. It was her I worried about." He hadn't been sure of his confidence in him, and her odd behaviour around that time (which he did not mention to Devin) had not soothed his fears.
Josh nodded. "Hell, I want you to be there. As best man, if you'd be willing." He slipped it in subtly but met his gaze as he spoke. The word 'best' said it all for Joshua—this was his best friend. He and Ace were close and he had a couple other guys he considered at least trustworthy, but Devin was someone he'd give his life to. "I mean, provided I don't snap and murder you before then." He joked about his temper because he felt comfortable enough to do so, didn't think that Devin would take it the wrong way. He'd never really been angry enough at his friend to consider killing him, not even when it came to the scars. More than one person had crossed boundaries when it came to the marks that marred his skin and he didn't really hold it against either of his best buddies. Ace had pried too much and joked about it, Devin had merely joked (and not even about the scar) but it had still set him off both times. He was sensitive but not unreasonable. Imagine compromising a friendship over such a thing! "Empty?" He frowned as if actually considering this. "How would you function without your innards, though?" He grinned teasingly. "Not what I meant," he said, when Devin explained. "But that's good. Take it slow if it seems the right thing to do. I'd hate to see this go wrong for you."
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Post by DEVIN JAMES THATCHER on Jan 29, 2012 14:42:59 GMT -5
Devin's smile brightened considerably at Joshua's statement, even if it was meant as a joke; he knew Josh was not the type of person to intrude into other people's lives so excessively unless it was spending time with Nell. Even so it made Devin feel good to see Josh in such high spirits. "You know I wouldn't mind you coming around all the time, right?" Devin questioned, raising an eyebrow with a knowing twinkle in his eyes. "I highly doubt I could ever get sick of you. If I did then obviously we aren't best friends and that just simply wouldn't do." If Josh were not his best friend, then he would not even know what to do with himself. They were there for one another through a lot of shit, even when they were younger. There was a down period where Devin did not see Josh, but he did not dwell on it too much. That was then, this was now, and the boy could not be happier at that point in his lifetime. Josh was happy, Nell was happy, he was happy. Sure, there was the issue with Autumn's stalker but that would be dealt with as soon as humanly possible. Devin smirked a little at his friend's comment, then it faded to a more neutral smile as he listened. "Yeah, it just proves that you and Nell have a good and sturdy relationship. I'm glad for that. You deserve the best." If Devin was anything, it was honest. Sometimes he avoided the truth when it came to hurting someone else, but he hardly ever pushed out a lie.
It took only a moment for the air to churn from light and breathable to nearly suffocating as Devin watched Joshua's features harden at the discussion of Lauren. He did not blame the fire elemental in the least; the last encounter the man had with Lauren ended in him slapping her across the face and threatening her within an inch of her life if she ever laid a hand on Devin once again. Unfortunately she did, but the look in her eyes after that was of pure fear. Lucky for Lauren Devin kept it quiet--he did not want Josh to have anyone's blood on his hands, especially someone not even worth looking at anymore. "I know right? She somehow thought that was going to get a rise out of me. Me, of all people." Devin chuckled and shook his head, clearly amused by the thought of having a temper. Thankfully the subject diverted itself and the atmosphere lightened considerably, allowing Devin to relax again. Seeing Joshua upset always put him on edge. "I know you are confident. Never said you weren't. It's okay to show doubts and insecurities sometimes." Joshua knew this, as did everyone else in the world, but that did not mean they acted upon such basic words of 'comfort'. "There was no need to worry, of course. She loves you. I can see it every time I mention your name." His smile was soft as he looked at his friend.
Devin's smile faltered as he blinked, trying to process the offer. "I uh...wow. Really? I would be incredibly honored. Seriously. To see my friends married and me be standing right there...and I get to wear a suit and tie and look fancy too." Devin joked, trying to fight back the tears that burned in his eyes. Joshua did not know how much it meant to him, and refused to make a scene by sobbing in the middle of Timmies. A small frown formed on his features at Josh's comment, even if he did mean it as a joke. After the encounter he had with Joshua about the scars, he knew what the man was capable of and forced back a nervous glance before pushing forth a smile. "Let's hope that doesn't happen. I'd like to see my own wedding one day." Instantly Autumn flashed into his mind, but as quickly as it appeared it vanished, his heart skipping a beat. Devin's smile became more natural as he laughed and took another bite of his sandwich. "Funny, Josh. Really funny." He said, his eyes glowing. "I'd hate to see it go wrong too. I love her."
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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Feb 4, 2012 14:15:57 GMT -5
It was strange to discuss his relationship and receive compliments about how well it was doing. Joshua was a confident and very self-assured person that did not hesitate to accept the praise of others but it was still a surprise to even the man himself that he was handling the ins and outs of a relationship—and now engagement—so well. He'd assumed in youth that he'd be an unfaithful partner due to his lack of commitment and on top of that, his temper made the prospects even less sunny. He had not been scared to live his life alone, merely expected it. Now it felt like he had as much a chance as anyone at making it through with Nell. His lips twitched at Devin's words, a soft and genuine smile lighting his features. Though he didn't smile often, it gave him a much more pleasant appearance when he did. Even the scar couldn't take that away from him. "You and Autumn'll be the same," he said encouragingly, believing it. He wasn't the type to say something when he didn't think it was the truth. He'd always maintained the belief that Devin was the better person of the pair and so if he could make it with Nell, Devin surely had a chance, right? "I can tell you really care about her, man. Though I have to admit I was a bit worried at first." Friendships could be ruined when romance came into the mix. It had only happened to him once, and he'd been the heart-breaker in that case. He couldn't bring himself to feel guilty, knowing that the girl who'd developed feelings for him would only be kidding herself if he lied and tried to make it work. It wouldn't have been fair to either of them.
Not for me, it isn't, Joshua thought, but did not voice his opinion aloud. He was a secretive and proud person. Voicing his insecurities and admitting his weaknesses was, to Joshua, akin to painting a bullseye on his forehead and dancing through a firing range. It was an invitation to injury. It was also the reason he was so mistrustful of other people, even his close friends. He didn't talk about the scars, he didn't talk about his fears, and the only insecurities he voiced were the ones he felt comfortable with. He was not ashamed of the fact he'd been nervous with Nell, though admittedly Devin was one of the few he'd confessed this to. The smallest of things could seem massive to him at times. "Oh, really?" He gave a devilish smirk. He liked it when he caught Nell off guard and he liked to mess with her when it came to her feelings for him, purely out of affection of course. Still, it amused him to think that their love for one another was apparent to their mutual friends. It felt good. There were enough people that doubted their relationship—hell, one person would be enough for Josh. He hated it when other people tried to get in the way. "Maybe I'll start watching your expression every time I mention Autumn and relaying your reactions to her, hmm?" He gave his friend a gentle shove to signify that he was kidding.
Josh was a bit surprised to see how his friend reacted to the offer but it was not a bad thing. He was touched to know that Devin saw it as such a big deal. It is a big deal, it's my wedding, he reminded himself. He entertained brief thoughts about a ceremony, puzzled over what would be a good time, then put it to the back of his mind and made a note to discuss it with Nell in a few months. They were young and had plenty of time for that sort of thing but having a date in mind wouldn't hurt. "You're more enthusiastic than I am," he joked. Joshua was very excited, he just didn't show it like some people. It was in his eyes, however, in the way that they sparkled. Taking a sip of his drink, Joshua was now finding it hard to stop smiling. It was a rare occurrence for him and his cheeks were starting to hurt a bit, something that he ignored. "Seems a bit mundane to ask after all the engagement and relationship business, but how's school going?" It was typical of Joshua to ask after mundane things such as school, whether you were close to him or not. Not many people considered school to be a personal subject and thus it was both a safe zone and something he was genuinely interested in. He might have been considered a bit of a dork with how much he enjoyed school and learning but Josh was not the type to be phased by any labels or stereotyping.
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Post by DEVIN JAMES THATCHER on Feb 6, 2012 0:37:46 GMT -5
Devin couldn't help but frown a little bit; he knew that Joshua was a very honest man and hardly ever said anything that was not true but he could not help but feel that his statement was a bit far from the truth. Would Autumn want to stick around for that long? Maybe she would grow tired of him and find someone else...stop, Thatcher. Don't insult Autumn like that. It was hard to avoid the insecurities, but Devin was trying as best he could. He loved Autumn, and wanted this to work. "I hope so." Devin replied, mulling over his thoughts as he chewed his food. The sandwich was a decent distraction, but stopped chewing as he looked up at Joshua with a half nod. "You and me both. I almost fucked that one up...luckily she is the most forgiving person, and has not once brought it up since we talked. She was angry...very angry. And it was justified." He felt his jaw locking a little bit, frustrated with himself that he did all of this in the first place. His eyes glazed over a bit with memory. "You know what she did?...I started crying because I was upset and...after all the things I did...she hugged me. Told me not to cry. That's the kind of amazing person she is."
Guilt at away at his heart once again, even though it was past and gone. It made him feel filthy to know he slept with Harley after turning down Autumn, simply because he made assumptions that weren't true. Had Autumn been anyone else, Devin would still be a lonely bachelor, sleeping around with whomever he wanted. But I want to do this right with her. I'll follow her lead, not my own. When Autumn was ready for sex, he would give it to her, but not before then. Mid-sip of his drink, Devin caught the smile on Joshua's face and set the cup down. "Yeah, really. It's not that hard to find." He replied, smiling back and shrugging. It was not easy to get Devin to feel embarrassed, but as Josh made attempts to tease him he felt the heat rise in his face. He swallowed harder than anticipated and caught eyes with his best friend. "I'm sure mine isn't hard to find either man. It's really hard to hide." Just mentioning Autumn's name usually made the boy grin like a Cheshire cat and his heart race a thousand miles a minute. There was no shame in that what-so-ever.
Glad to have the subject switch to a topic that did not involve he and Autumn, Devin took a larger swig of his drink. It was still rather hot and so he winced as it slid down his throat, but expressed nothing more before looking up to see Joshua still smiling. "I may be acting like I'm more enthusiastic, but that grin on your face expresses more than words. You can't hide it, even if you wanted to." Even if Joshua were not smiling, Devin was pretty observant and would have been able to notice the subtle differences in Josh's demeanor. They had been friends for way too long for Devin not to notice. A gleam in the eyes, the way his voice rose and fell, even the way he stood all told the blonde how Josh was feeling. All actions pointed to sheer happiness. Sighing a little, Devin adjusted himself in his seat and took another bite of the sandwich, looking rather thoughtful about Josh's question. "Eh, things are going like they usually do. I'm a lazy ass, you know that. But my grades are good so that's all that matters." Devin explained. "Sometimes I want more of a challenge, but that means I have to work harder. What about you? How is school? And your sister?" It was only fair to ask about his goings on, being as Josh took interest in his.
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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Feb 6, 2012 17:53:56 GMT -5
Unlike Devin, Joshua was quite masterful at hiding his emotions by this point. It was not always apparent whether he was content or complacent, angry or merely concentrating. Devin might have had an edge over other people when it came to reading him, but for the most part Josh preferred to allow people only to see what he wanted them to see. It was easier to manipulate your own outer emotions than to deal with the barrage of questions and concerns that you'd be assaulted with if someone figured out things weren't as well and good as they'd hoped. Right now, however, Josh wasn't even trying to hide the way he was feeling. He was happy, wanted people to know that he was happy. Despite not being a miserable or moping person by default, Josh wasn't truly ecstatic most of the time, either. His moods were usually in the neutral range until someone managed to infuriate him for some reason or another. He had brief bursts of contentment when he hung around his friends but since his engagement, that happiness had been much more constant. An engagement was a promise, a pact for the future. We're going to get married one day. That was what it meant, and so he was ineffably pleased with himself. Still, he didn't want to prattle on about it for hours and so instead he focused on their conversation. "Bit of an oxymoron, isn't it?" Joshua frowned as he thought about it. "You want a challenge but you don't want to work harder? Challenges require that, you know." His lips twitched and he shook his head. There were some things about people he would never understand. Laziness was one of them. He, Joshua, was the polar opposite of lazy.
There was a spark in his gaze when school was mentioned and a smile on his face when he thought of Annabel. So that he didn't try to answer both of the questions at once and muddle his answers, he decided to focus on them one at a time. "Well, college is college," he shrugged. "It's getting rather difficult but I'm managing. I have a research paper for Anatomy and a lab report for Chemistry, as well as a couple things for the other courses—smaller things, at least. And that's just for Biology." His history major was a whole other can of worms but at least he viewed it more like a passion than like school work. He loved biology because it fascinated him but there were still times when the courses felt like a lot of work and even his rigid resolve wore down a bit. At any rate, it took a lot more than stress to force Josh to back down. "I'm doing really well, though. Top of the class." The glint in his gray eyes strengthened and the pride was apparent. "I'm over-qualified for the medical school in the Hollow, which is good. It means I've got a better chance of getting in. That's an entire year and a half away, of course, but if I think ahead..." He trailed off contemplatively for a moment, becoming distant as he started to compare the credentials needed for certain schools. The school in the Hollow was not top of the line, as he would once have preferred—it was no Harvard or even McGill, all the way in Montreal—but having what he needed to get in and them some was almost a security blanket. He didn't know what he'd do if he didn't get in.
Shaking his head to clear it, he recalled that Devin had asked after Annabel and the smile bloomed back across his features. It was so much easier to smile when he was content but damn, did it start to ache after a while. "She's great. I can't believe she starts at the Academy next year." At seven years her senior, most of Joshua's Academy years had passed with his sister starting enviously at him every time he got ready to head back to the school. She'd been weepy as a child but matured as she got older. Unless she doesn't get powers. He tried not to consider that option and how crippling it would be for her self-esteem. Annabel had always loved the idea of coming to the Academy and manipulating the element of her family. Even though she wanted to be Fire like him and their parents, he figured she could adapt if she turned out to be something else. But to lack powers entirely? He hated to consider how heartbroken she would be. So he didn't, for the most part. "She complains sometimes about my living with Nell, since I don't get to see her as often, but it's been months and so she's adjusted." He realised after a moment that he'd just admitted to lying to (or at least avoiding the truth around) Devin about his place of residence, having just admitted to moving in with Nell now. Hopefully his friend wouldn't be too upset. "How'd Athena take it, when she found out... well, you know." Devin's sister didn't attend the Academy, of course, and Josh wondered how she had reacted.
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Post by DEVIN JAMES THATCHER on Feb 7, 2012 22:21:37 GMT -5
Devin was lazy. He was very intelligent, but hardly used his brains to do much of anything useful. Instead, he utilized them to get by without having to lift much of a finger. Schoolwork came easy; he was good at memorization and learning methods quickly, so he only had to spend the bare minimum doing what he needed to do in getting things done. However, it was not something Devin was easily ashamed of, so he passed Joshua a rather small smile and a shrug. "I never said it made much sense," He stated with a laugh, taking another drink of his Cappuccino. "I'm sure it'll come back to bite me in the ass when I hit college but...I'm kinda taking advantage of the easy route for now." Josh did not have to approve of his methods or support them in any way; Devin was going to do whatever he felt was best for him at the time. Besides, he was not even sure what he wanted to do with his life yet and would rather spend more time dwelling on that than easy homework.
He had to admit, though, that he was rather envious of Joshua's drive to excel in school. He had a lot going for him, and Devin knew that his best friend would have no troubles getting the degree he wanted. Devin wanted to have some sort of direction, but had not quite found it. He listened with a content smile, absorbing Josh's words like a sponge. Normally he would have drifted off and found something else to dwell on, but this was his best friend. There was no way he was going to tune out anything he had to say. "Holy shit man, you've got quite a bit on your plate. But it sounds like you've got things pretty balanced out eh?" Devin's eyebrows rose a little, smiling and nodding in congratulations of Josh's achievements. Devin was never top of the class, but it was because he tried not to be. That would mean people taking notice, and that was the last thing he wanted. "You are just too smart for your own good. So smart, in fact, that the medical school might be too intimidated by you and hand you a diploma right then and there." He smirked, obviously joking around. He knew Josh wanted to earn this, and Devin wanted to see him succeed.
"I say you and I need to go and celebrate at some point. Celebrate everything. You and Nell, and your grades, and life. Life is good." He lifted his cup in a one-side cheers and finished off the drink, setting it down as he sighed with contentment. "We can just chill out, or get a few cases of beer and have some fun. Invite a few other guys if you're interested." Devin did not know many of Joshua's other friends, but if they were Earth and Water obviously there wouldn't be much of an issue. It would be a good way to unwind and have guy time. If Nell and Autumn wanted to join he was sure there wouldn't be an issue but...who knew? Sometimes it was nice to have a night for just the guys, and leave the girls to do their own thing. After all, they always went on their shopping days and all that other girly nonsense, so why not a night for some beer pong and acting stupid? Normally Devin would have invited girls to join them, but he was past all of that now and his mind was solely focused on the girl he left back in his bed at the house. A smile graced his lips. "That's awesome! I'm sure she's looking forward to being at school with her big brother."
Athena was not graced with elemental powers like Devin was, and did not take the news all that well when it came time for them to manifest. It did not take long for her to overcome the frustration, and dealt with the fact that she was simply human. Devin often times wondered what it would be like to lack the earth ability, but it was fleeting. It was something incomprehensible. "Oh? Well, I'm sure she'll be fine. Once she starts up school at the academy she'll be busy doing all sorts of things. It'll keep her occupied." A knowing glint in Devin eyes reflected that he caught on to Joshua's slip up; unfortunately for Josh, Devin already had a bit of an inkling that they were already living together. He did not say anything on the matter though because it was not important. Joshua could do whatever the hell he wanted. I wonder why he finds such things a big deal...why would I care? It made him wonder what else Josh kept away from him, but left it alone. The fire elemental's life was his, and his alone. Devin half frowned and tilted his head to meet his shoulder. "Eh, she was upset for a while but got over it. She always tries to see the positive in everything, so after a few days of going through pros and cons she came to terms with it. I'm not sure what I would do without my powers."
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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Feb 8, 2012 21:03:31 GMT -5
Joshua chuckled at his friends words. "That'd be nice," he said, though he was joking as well. He did not mind the long and arduous journey of a medical career because he believed it would be rewarding in the end. He could also pay the tuitions with ease thanks to the wealth of his parents and didn't have to blanch over the incredible costs of medical school. His father had been much the same way, though he'd confessed one night over dinner that his own father had never approved. Thank goodness Dad's a doctor and so he understands. Heck, it was Donovan's fault that Josh was so passionate about medicine. He grew up reading medical dictionaries and listening, wide-eyed, to stories about his work. Donovan had ignited that passion in his son but Josh kept it burning on his own. "Do you have any idea of what you want to do after college?" He'd never really had a serious conversation with his friend about that kind of thing and he was honestly curious. He knew that Devin was intelligent but he didn't know what the guys passions were. As Devin had said himself, he was lazy. Josh couldn't understand why but he'd always just accepted that and not really poked and prodded. He'll graduate this year. Surely he's got some idea? It wasn't a definite thing, though, because Josh had friends about to graduate college that still had no idea what they were doing with their lives. It made him shudder to think of having such uncertainties in his life. Josh thrived off of knowing his purpose.
The idea of celebrating peaked his interest, clear in the way he regarded his friend in consideration. He didn't often take time away from his life to hang out with a group of his guy friends and he thought it might be good fun. "Yeah," he agreed, nodding. "We both deserve some celebrating. I've got Nell, you've got Autumn, things are pretty sweet." Devin had not underlined whether or not he was dating Autumn but Joshua assumed that they were at least on the road to that decision, if not already there. He supported the idea of their relationship, thought that they'd be good together. At the same time, he'd try his best to stay out of it if they ever had some sort of a fight or falling out. He'd seen a lot of friendships ripped apart thanks to relationship drama and he refused to be that awkward third wheel stuck in the middle while two other friends fought. "Just the guys?" he asked, to clarify. He wouldn't mind inviting Nell or Autumn along but he was similarly alright with a guys night out. They could discuss certain things with more ease around the fellows. "I'm up for it either way. When should this go down?" He figured it would need to be the weekend considering they and most of their friends had classes, some people had jobs, others were generally more free on the weekends. "Might ask Ace if he wants to come along," he said, thinking of one of his other best guy friends. "Maybe Andrew, too." He fell silent for a moment, considering the guy friends he was the closest to.
A nod of fervent agreement followed his friend's words and Joshua couldn't begin to fathom a life without his abilities. "I think Dad might have disowned me," he said with a chuckle, though on second thought he considering it might have been a possibility. He was the eldest son and thus the heir to the fortune, the family name. Heck, he was the only son, so his lineage was dependent on him. It didn't really worry Joshua too much, considering he had every desire to have children. What worried him was that he wasn't sure if Nell wanted kids or not. He'd never brought that up because he didn't want to alarm her. "I'm not so sure Annabel would be that mature about it," he mused, shaking his head. She was actually quite responsible and tried to copy her brother, resulting in a slight advancement in maturity, but she was still a young teenager at heart. Finding out that your family's powers had skipped you was rather unfortunate. "At least the snow is finally clearing out a bit," Josh said, glancing out the window of the coffee shop to where stubborn snowbanks were some of the last things to survive in a recent rain. He reckoned it would be gone by April as usual, and good riddance. He would hate to have a snowy birthday. "Got anything planned for the summer? Nell and I are going to Spain." He'd bought the tickets for Christmas but had wanted to wait until they could both secure an adequate time away from school and work.
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Post by DEVIN JAMES THATCHER on Feb 11, 2012 13:46:00 GMT -5
Devin was not a very directional person; he tended to take things day by day instead of focusing solely on the far off future in hopes that life would somehow bring him to that point without any hiccups along the way. Living life in a futuristic mind-set only set him back in the past, and was afraid to do so more than was necessary. Sure, he thought about the things he would be interested in studying and pondered the passions he had to see what uses they would have in the real world. Being a skateboarder with a love of music did not hold much promise, but it was what he enjoyed. His expression was rather thoughtful, but a glint of uncertainty was held in his gaze as he looked at the cup on the table. It was questions like this that put Devin in a mental state he usually tried to avoid. If I look too far into the future, I'll probably trip over the shit that's right in front of me. Instead of offering that answer to Josh, he shrugged and glanced out of the window. "I honestly don't have anything set in stone," Devin admitted, taking a quick look at his friend before shifting back to the window again. "Although a record producer would be really neat. Get artists up on their feet you know? I wouldn't be one of those stuck up ass holes who don't give new musicians a chance either. I'd find new and fresh talent." The more he thought about it, the neater the idea sounded. Maybe thinking into the future was not as painful as he first thought it would be.
Autumn's name brought a smile to Devin's face, though it was not directed at Josh when he said it. "I definitely agree with you. Things looked a little...bleak for a while there, but things are looking way up." He was not sure if or when he would have been able to escape that wretched house with Lauren, nor was he certain Autumn would take him after everything they had gone through. Now he had a place of his own with the girl he loved, and even school was going smoothly. Had he known what Josh and Nell went through with the trial, he might have included his best friend in the 'bleak' comment, but he was none the wiser. Devin was merely content with knowing that they were happy, and that in turn aided in his own happiness. "Yeah, I figure that a guys night would do us some good. Maybe the girls can go and do something together. Then later we can have a night for just us four. Go on a double date." Devin took a bite of his sandwich, glancing up at Josh with his bright blue eyes. "Any time, I suppose. Maybe have a late birthday celebration? We didn't do anything at the time because we were all busy." Devin's birthday was in February, but due to the clashing of schedules and being busy he almost forgot the eventful day himself. Now that he and Josh were sitting with one another and finding time to hang out, might as well add a small cake and some candles into the mix. "Invite whoever you want. I'm definitely not picky."
He was quite sure that anyone Josh invited to their little get together were not questionable people; after he betrayed the fires and thunders there were heavily severed ties and the only friends he knew Josh had were earth, water, and wind. If he had friends on the other side Devin was unaware, but that was of no concern to the boy. Whoever Joshua had as friends were of his business, and his alone. He had learned quite a while ago not to delve too deep into people's personal lives, no matter how badly he wanted to. If Josh wants to talk about it, he can. Devin told himself time and time again, knowing how private his best friend could be. "Yeah, I'm glad it is. I don't mind the winter too much but spring will be glorious." He exclaimed with a smile, an eager spark in his blue eyes. Once things began to warm up he could start running again, and go skateboarding. No one else really shared the interest but it did not hurt to go and do it alone. At the mention of summer, Devin cast his gaze towards Josh, scratching his head. Once again the boy did not have an inclination to jump too far ahead. "Nope no plans. If I had the money I would take Autumn some place like that but..." He shrugged. "I'll probably just stick around the Hollow."
Devin was not used to the finer things in life like Josh, and somewhat envied his abilities to go and do as he wanted without much reprimand. Finances for him were decent but not thriving. To take his girl to Spain...what he would have given to do something like that. Devin rarely pined for having vast wealth but when it came to lavishing nice things on someone he felt worthy of said nice things it bothered him a little more than normal. Pang of jealousy aside, he was happy that Josh was able to go and do things like that with Nell. "I hope you guys have fun though. Sounds like an awesome vacation." A smile graced his face as he finished his sandwich and crumpled up the paper, abandoning it next to his cup.
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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Feb 17, 2012 17:03:12 GMT -5
While Devin preferred to ignore the future, Joshua thrived on thoughts of it. If he did not have the future to look forward to, a lot of his current involvements would feel bleak and meaningless. Not Nell, of course—never Nell—but the deal with so many years of schooling stretching out like a chasm in front of him for sure. If he thought about the massive gap between now and the future, it could be disheartening. It was a long way yet before he'd be working at the hospital, maybe even side by side with his father at some point. He'd like that. So instead of thinking about how long it was going to take to get his doctorate, Joshua thought of how great it was going to be when he did. He also entertained thoughts of Nell and wondered whether they'd be married in a few years time. He tried not to think of children, though, because even though he knew he wanted kids he was not sure of her stance. "That'd be pretty cool. Something I could see you doing. Where d'you work now?" He knew his friend had gotten a job but it occurred to him then that he'd never really asked anything else about it. It was not due to indifference or a lack of interest in his friend's life, it was more due to the fact that their conversations recently had been sporadic and fleeting. That'll need to change, he decided firmly, not wanting to shut his best friend out of his life. Joshua's loyalty was immense, even more prominent than his intelligence (though only slightly). If it came to a choice between his friends and his grades, well, he'd kiss his GPA goodbye. Friends were a lot more valuable.
Joshua laughed, mostly because the idea of double dating amused him. It was never something he'd pictured himself doing before. His 'dates' used to be fairly brief and almost always ended in the bedroom. Sometimes he got their names, sometimes he didn't. Now he had a fiancée and a friend that was also committed. A double date, huh? He thought about it for a moment and decided it might not be as ridiculous as it had seemed at first. The four got along quite nicely and it would be just like a night out with friends, only with two pairs instead of four unattached individuals. "Yeah, sure," he agreed with an easy shrug. "That sounds fine to me." He'd have to clear it up with Nell but he couldn't see why she would object. Unless she and Autumn had a falling out of some sort, which he somehow doubted. The Earthies didn't seem to fight very often. (He was still blissfully ignorant of the deal with Ashton). "Isn't your birthday in February?" He arched an eyebrow. "There's a difference between late and obsolete, man—it's freaking April!" But he was grinning. "Unless we're talking about mine—in which case I didn't do too much, just hung around Nell and the family—or both of ours, in which case... yeah, that's fine, too." He was really up for anything, mainly due to the fact that a night out with friends seemed appealing. He didn't do that a whole lot lately.
He made a face at the idea of anyone not minding winter. "Hate it," he said, gray eyes narrowed to further appreciate his distaste. But he moved on, thankful for the idea of spring and all the joys it brought him. God damn, he loved the spring. No snow, plenty of rain, no freaking snow. "Took Harper's snow tires off, finally. It's nice to have my old wheels." It was more a figure of speech than anything—the wheels were new, but they were the standard wheels that were meant to go with the car and not the heavy duty snow tires to prevent accidents in the winter months. He understood why such things were necessary and so his complaints were mostly pointless. "Meh, you've got plenty of time. Nell and I have been together almost a year now, remember." It didn't change the fact that Devin wasn't incredibly wealthy but he didn't see a reason to rush things. Then again, they've been friends longer. Still, Spain isn't going anywhere. They could save up, couldn't they? "Oh I'm sure we will. She said she'd like to visit so I decided it would be a good Christmas gift to book in advance. I don't have relatives in Spain but it's got a lot of history and, of course, I'll have Nell. It'll be great." Noticing that Devin was finished, he gestured to the wrappers and empty cup. "Ready to go?" Josh had also finished, and had merely been waiting on his friend. Not that he minded—sitting in Timmies with a buddy was a pleasant way to pass the time.
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-pets- Not many other people bother, LOL~]