-- BIRTHDAY INK [Josh]

When it came to birthdays and holidays, Joshua was one person that could generally be relied upon to give good gifts. He did not have very many close friends whom he could dote upon and he had plenty of money to spare and so it was almost an exciting thing for him. Many people, Joshua included, would not accept gifts when it was not their birthday. Some people wouldn't even accept them on their birthday. Lark was one of those people and Josh had a plan for how he was going to try and persuade her. "Ooh, that's nice," said his sister as he handled the guitar, drawing up close to him. "Can I see?" He held it up properly so that she could catch a glimpse but pulled it out of her reach when she tried to actually handle the instrument. "I don't think so, Belle," he warned. "It's not mine." She gave him a strange look and so he confessed, "It's a gift for a friend of mine. Lark. I'm hanging out with her today." His sister let out an 'oh' of recognition and stopped trying to take it off him, having enough respect for the property of others, just not her own brother. They were siblings and that was how it worked with them. He trusted her enough not to handle it while he was out, either, and so he didn't bother trying to hide it from her when he got the text. His lips twitched into a smile, completely unaware of the fact that his friend's birthday had gotten off to a less than pleasant start with the unhappy news. Ignorance was bliss.

'On my way,' he texted back, using perfect punctuation and capital letters like one would when writing a formal letter of some kind. He'd never been one for chat-speak. 'Be there soon.' He'd taken the day off work, thankful for the fact that he'd never called in sick or otherwise missed a day before. His boss let him off the hook rather easily with a, 'Sure, sure, that's fine.' He often volunteered to work a longer shift when it was busy just like he did when working at the hospital (though he got paid for it at the retirement home, which was great) and he thought this might be a subtle reward for doing so. At any rate, it left him free to spend the whole day with one of his best friends rather than a short half-day. When he'd heard that Lark was planning on getting a tattoo and piercing he'd almost immediately volunteered to tag along. He didn't trust a lot of establishments, seeing as he'd worked in one and knew what they could be like, and apart from that wanted to be there as a sort of support (and also to hold conversation so she didn't get too bored). Tattoo artists could be chatty at times but they could also be invasive with some of their questions. When he'd gotten the tattoo of the family crest on his wrist he'd found the woman giving him the ink to be a little too nosy. Not that she'd been unpleasant, he merely preferred to keep his personal life personal. They called it such for a reason.

The parlour seemed to be one of the legitimate ones and he was not uncomfortable as he pushed open the door and made his way into the lobby and waiting area. The walls were decorated with designs from each of the artists to give customers a feel for each one's individual style and he paused near the door to admire a few of them before he made his way over to his friend. "Hey, Lark, happy birthday," he greeted with a grin. "I'd punch you but I don't want to be kicked out for domestic abuse." He winked, clearly joking as he nudged her arm with a hand. It would be clear to anyone that knew him well that Joshua was in a light and easy mood today by how easily and freely he was smiling and joking around. It usually took him a while to warm up to company before he started pulling legs and making an ass of himself in good humour but today he was feeling cheerful enough to start right in on the gentle ribbing. Speaking of ribs... "How are you?" To anyone else the question might have sounded general but Josh was wondering about her overall well being, her health both physical and mental. He was honestly concerned about any friend that he had, the type of person who did not always feel for strangers but had a lot of sensitivity for his closest pals and loved ones. "What are you getting, by the way? You never said." He knew it would be a tattoo but didn't know what it was of.

He definitely had not meant anything negative by the comment and he was glad that Lark realised as much. He had always been prone to making jokes like that before he'd found out about her father and so sometimes when he was in a good mood it did slip his mind to monitor his words a little more carefully. He never forgot about what he'd found out, of course, just forgot that certain jokes and comments might be more sensitive than he'd once believed. Still, Lark didn't glare at him or make any comments so Joshua moved on quickly from the original greeting. He was relieved to hear the word 'surviving', for though it was not the best of news it at least meant that she was not doing that much worse. "Glad to hear it," he said sincerely. Joshua honoured her privacy by dropping it there, knowing enough to understand she was alright and not wanting to pry into the details. They were likely significant ones thanks to the fact that her father wasn't the greatest guy in the world but Josh didn't share his entire life with Lark and he didn't expect her to do the same in return. He mimicked her smile with his own, his easy mood remaining. If Lark had told him that her ribs were getting worse or that she was developing an illness he would have been too worried to remain relaxed but he believed her when she said she was surviving.

He examined and admired the artwork that she indicated, working to imagine what it would look like when it was on her arm. He wasn't a huge fan of tribal tattoos when it came to his own skin but he could understand why some others saw the appeal. Josh sometimes thought about getting another tattoo but at present there was only the family crest marking the inside of his wrist, easily hidden by wearing a long-sleeved shirt. It bore the coat of arms and motto of his family and though he'd fought often with his father over the years it still instilled in him a sense of pride. He wondered what the tribal tattoo meant to Lark, or the dragon, though he refrained from asking for the time being. "That's pretty neat." He nodded at the tribal tattoo to indicate it. "Did they give you an estimate of how long it would take?" He could guess himself but a lot depended on the amount of detail and the skill of the artist. It was better for a tattoo to take ages and turn out beautifully than for it to be rushed only to end up tacky. He flicked his gray gaze to the tattoo artist when the man spoke, having been paying too much attention to Lark and their conversation to notice him immediately. He caught Lark's glance when she looked back at him and followed without question considering this was what he'd agreed to in the first place.

He sat down and grinned at Lark when she thanked him, shaking his head. "It's your birthday, you deserve my company." It might have been a tad boring if she wasn't going to talk but he didn't think he'd have too much of an issue. He could always have brought along a book but that defeated the point of coming here in order to hang out with Lark. He wasn't too worried about her freaking out from the pain, either, because she'd clearly already been through it before. "I figure we can hang out at my house for a bit once it's done? " He said it as a suggestion, leaving it open for rejection if his friend had other plans. He wouldn't be offended and figured he'd just figure out some other way to give her the present. He was going to give it to her, whether wanted him to or not. He was quite fond of guitars and probably could have used it himself but he was fine with the collection he did have. "Annabel's home but she won't be too much trouble. Nell's probably at work." He said 'probably' because he was not entirely sure, seeing as he hadn't run into the girl that morning. It did not bother him when he didn't know where she was at all hours of the day. He could get jealous when he caught other guys looking at her but Joshua was relaxed and not possessive in a relationship. If he got worried, he'd call.

Joshua nodded, familiar with the fact that tattoos were generally a lengthy process. His own had a lot of detail and colouring as well so despite its small size it had taken quite a chunk of time out of his day. His parents had offered to accompany him but Josh had gone alone and allowed the artist to suffice as his company. He hadn't realised that she would be so talkative but he hadn't given anything important away and so it wasn't like he could say he regretted the experience. Sometimes he wondered if he should have rethought where he was putting the tattoo and had even contemplated its removal a few times but he wasn't going to get into all that with Lark. She already had a tattoo and he didn't know where she wanted to work, anyway. Thankfully the hospital where he worked didn't have a policy against tattoos as long as they weren't vulgar and the employees weren't covered in them but he didn't know if that would change in the future. Working as a doctor was important to him—more important than a little ink on his forearm. He was lucky in that he had more than enough money to pay for the procedures if he actually wanted them done. "It's a good thing I took the day off work, then," he said. Realising he'd never told Lark he had an actual job, he said with a hint of pride, "I got a job as a medical aide over the summer. It's a retirement home, yeah, but it's a job." He was glad that he'd have some experience on his medical school application that did not have ties to his family.

He noticed Lark's tone with mild surprise, though he was certainly glad to hear the apparent cheerfulness in her voice. It was impossible for him to tell that she'd had such a bad start to the day and so Josh was glad that she seemed happy in his company. Part of it might have been the tattoo, as well. He might have regretted it now but he had been happy to get his ink at the time. He was glad that, of all the stupid things he'd done drunk, tattoos and piercings were not one of them. The tattoo had been acquired when he was completely sober and knowledgeable of its existence. He had a friend—a male friend—who'd gotten a tattoo in the precise area that was known as the 'tramp stamp' and the guy had never been able to live it down. Even Joshua was the type to rib him about it on occasion, though he did relax his teasing when he noticed that it really bothered him. Joshua's gray eyes went wide when Lark mentioned Nell, not having expected his fiancée to be brought into the conversation. "You did?" He waited for Lark to elaborate, figuring that she would, and he was not disappointed. Nor was he upset about the words, for apparently the meeting had gone well. He smiled, the gesture reaching his eyes with ease and giving an overall appearance of glee and relief. "That's great," he said. "I'm glad you like her."

Then he paused, his expression faltering. Originally the news of Nell and Lark getting along had cheered him enough that he'd completely missed the undertone of the sentence but he caught onto it now. "Football?" he repeated. They were in the room with a stranger and so Joshua wasn't going to get into everything that had happened at the hospital but he definitely had an opinion on it. "Sounds rough. There's a lot of potential for injury in football, isn't there?" His gaze was piercing as he lifted his eyebrows at her. He wasn't her mother but he was her best friend and he'd seen the state that she was in when they'd bumped into one another at the hospital. "Are you alright?" He asked it lightly as if he was only inquiring if she'd bumped her head but he figured that Lark would understand he was wondering if she had managed to damage her ribs. He was not so eager to subject jump but he did understand that Lark could make her own decisions, even if they weren't the smartest ones. "Sounds like you talked about quite a bit," he said. "You should be careful, though. We're all in enough trouble at school." He felt protective of both Nell and Lark. He didn't want the alliances to go after them. He figured it would be alright since it had been during the summer, though. He was just making sure. "All the same, I'm glad you two hit it off. It would have been awkward otherwise."

[Tell me about it xD Josh tells me he wants RID of his and I'm like "... You're going to make me do research, aren't you?"]

The fact that Lark was feeling amiable and chatty was a good thing for Joshua, as well, for it meant he wasn't likely to become bored with the situation. He nodded in response to her question, not seeing any reason to lie to her about liking his new job. They said that many people hated their first jobs and he was no exception (there was some irony in the fact it had been at a tattoo parlour) but this one was doing something that he loved. Something he was passionate about. Josh didn't think it would be possible to hate it. "It's really great. It feels good to do things hands-on." He was an advanced volunteer at the hospital and Lark had seen herself that he was sometimes entrusted with lower level medical duties but the job as a medical aide meant that he had a lot more trust placed in him. Granted, the problems he had to deal with were usually a lot less unpredictable. Still, he liked the job and he liked the environment. He had a strange respect for the elderly owing to the very woman who'd saved him from the gang the first time around. She'd only been on her way to pick up some cat food but her destination didn't matter to Josh. It was the fact she'd stopped to phone an ambulance for the obvious gang member in the alleyway that had touched him. A lot of people thought badly of gangs and wouldn't have done a thing. "It's mostly for my medical school application but it's nice actually getting paid for once." He didn't need the money but it was still satisfying to know that it was something he'd earned and not funds from his parents' bank account.

Sweet. Calming. Joshua's expression hinted at the fact he agreed with Lark's words about Nell. He remembered how strange he'd thought she was when she offered to keep him company during lunch in the mess hall. He hadn't been an awkward loser with no friends but he'd been a solitary loner and his previous treatment of her had led him to believe that Nell's only attachment to him was as a study partner. She'd treated him more like a friend. He'd never really told her how much it meant. "Just be careful with that stubbornness," he suggested with a sigh, relenting. He wasn't going to try to tell her what to do but he did hope she remembered his advice in the future. I don't want to see you in the hospital again. He did not say this aloud so that he could save her dignity around the tattoo artist but Josh did his best to convey this message through the simple gesture of meeting her gaze. His lips twitched slightly when she teased him. "If you get a random urge to confess your undying love for me, do try to hold it in," he remarked, also able to smell the strong sharpee scent. "I doubt Nell would approve." Josh was joking of course, even though he sounded perfectly serious when he said it. He trusted that Lark's knowledge of his personality and their friendship would guide her to understand his classic humour.

He, too, looked slightly disheartened when she mentioned their pretend rivalry. It made him feel like a bad friend when he saw her in the hallway and narrowed his eyes in a glare, spitting insults through his teeth. It was what the Fires, the Earths, the Thunders and Waters—it was what everyone expected them to do. So they did. It was tiring, however, and he often found himself longing for the way things used to be. He also longed for the companionship of his element at times, in moments of weakness. He tried his best to fight back these feelings and usually succeeded by bringing Nell to the forefront of his mind. Visible surprise flashed through his gaze and altered his expression when Ashton was mentioned. Once he would have asked 'the Earth leader?' in order to clarify but there was no need to ask now. He was almost positive that it was indeed who Lark referred to. "Are you sure about what you're planning?" He recalled the discussion about the alliances that they'd had. He figured that Lark was planning to switch sides. What would she do about her other friends? Gaze solemn, he said, "Do you think he'll be willing to meet with you?" Josh had found Ashton to be relatively open and accepting, even understanding, the few times they'd spoken. But those times had been few, and they'd been due to the war when Josh took shelter with the Earths. He did not know the Earth well at all.

Strangely enough, Joshua found that he truly enjoyed helping other people. He wasn't sure whether or not he would when he started out, having been fascinated by medicine rather than the genuine desire to save lives. It was the field and not the people that had drawn him in. It seemed he'd found his niche, however, his calling. Whenever someone thanked him for helping them, even if it was with something as insignificant as a bump or scrape, there was a twinge of pride and satisfaction. He loved that. A spark of interest lit his gaze when Lark mentioned job hunting, though the double meaning to the sentence made him cringe internally. He worried about her and the things she suffered at that house but Joshua did not ask again if she would be alright. There was a difference between concern and being a mother hen. He did not want to cross that line. She'd told him that she was doing alright and he would trust her on that for now. "Do you know what kind of job you want?" Josh understood how lucky he was in having entered his dream field so soon. Many people had tons of horrible jobs and experiences before they figured out their lot in life and became happy with it. He hoped for Lark's sake that things went well for her. "I'm sure the cash couldn't hurt either, eh?" What teenager didn't like a little extra cash fattening their wallet? Hell, what human being didn't like a little bit of money to themselves?

He laughed and rolled his eyes, smiling in a good-natured way. Like Lark, he did not believe they'd ever had a chance at a relationship. They were more like siblings than romantic interests, though Joshua did not consider all of his friends to be in that 'friend zone'. Or at least, he hadn't before Nell had come along. After all, hadn't Nell been his best friend before he'd asked her out? One of his best friends, anyway. The person who knew the most about him despite only being acquainted for a short period of time. Looking back, he was not surprised that he'd fallen for her. That sense of trust and familiarity had helped him develop feelings along the way. He trusted Lark, too, despite that he didn't act on this trust very often. Sometimes he wondered whether the Fire girl would settle down into a relationship or whether she was content to remain single. Heck, maybe she'd had boyfriends that he didn't know about. Joshua did not claim to be privy to every aspect of his friends' lives. His humoured posture and expression faded slowly as the subject did, changing to alliances and pastures that were certainly not greener. Still, he kept up a false pretence of being at ease for the sake of the tattoo artist. "It would be nice to be able to hang out more often." It sounded like a normal comment, betraying nothing about element or alliances. He trusted Lark to understand what he meant. "If you're sure, I won't try to talk you down. You've probably thought hard on this, haven't you?" It was her choice in the end. He could only be there and support her.

He nodded slowly, contemplating the possible outcomes of a meeting with the Earth leader. "He was nice enough to me. I think you should be alright if you explain." Joshua had approached both the male and female leader of the Earth element last year during the war in order to talk about his exile from the Fire element and the possibility of taking the side of Earth. They'd been wary but understanding and ultimately had granted him his wish. He hoped that it went as well for Lark as it had for him. He had Nell to back him up, a solid reason to switch sides. Josh almost offered to vouch for her but then realised what that would mean—he'd need to admit that he was going behind the back of the alliance that had been kind enough to take him in. Understanding as the Earths were, he didn't want to risk saying anything until he was sure they approved of Lark's side-switching. He had a lot more to lose than just Nell if they kicked him out. Becoming disgraced by both alliances was like painting a target on your head and asking to become a total outcast. No one would associate with you then. "Might be best to keep it a secret from anyone but him until you're sure of his answer." If the Earths wouldn't take her to their side, she could still remain in league with the Fires provided they didn't find out. It wasn't the best outcome but it was better than total rejection, at least.

He was surprised to hear that Lark had never sung in public, mainly since she was such a proud person that he'd assume her confident enough to do so. Maybe it wasn't her style? Joshua knew Lark well but there were still things he was finding out about her. "You should," he encouraged. "You'd be good at it." He knew she played guitar, obviously. It was the entire reason for the gift that was waiting for them at his house. He did hope that she approved. Josh put a lot of thought into what he would get his friends for holidays and their respective birthdays and it always felt good when something was warmly recieved. "Make sure you tell me if you score a gig," he said. "I'll show up." He'd probably bring whatever friends he could, too, to support Lark and to spread the word. He was fond of his best friend and he wanted her to succeed so he'd definitely try his hardest to help in any way he could. He laughed when she mentioned Timmies, somehow unable to imagine her brewing coffee or making bagels. It was likely because he'd known her for so long and the job didn't seem to fit. He was sure people would think it weird if he suddenly got employment at Burger King so maybe it was a personality thing. "Good luck, whatever you decide to do." He meant that sincerely. Whether she ended up as a rockstar or she landed a job in a coffee shop, he wished her the best.

Nell had been the reason for Joshua to switch sides but he was still a little surprised to hear that she was a key part in Lark's decision to betray her alliance. It had taken Josh a few months of knowing the girl before he'd thrown aside his elemental family in her favour. Then again, I had no other reason to switch sides. Lark had him and Nell. He hoped that everything worked out for the best. "They're a good bunch. If they let me in, who's to say they won't let you?" He was looking on the bright side of things, trying to find a reasonable way to cling to hope. He was a realist, trying to see things as logically and sensibly as possible. This also meant that he was a pessimist a great deal of time, as life had a funny habit of not going the way you wanted it to, but there were moments when he could accept the good in a situation. He had been a lot more vicious to the Earths and Waters than Lark in the past because he'd been at the school longer and had been a leader at one point. He'd had more time and more power to make his mark with them. They'd still accepted him in the end. This'll go well. I really, really hope it does well. When the tattoo artist finally finished up, Joshua gave his friend a thumbs up and a smile. "That looks great, Lark. How's the pain?" This time he was really wondering about how much the tattoo and piercing had hurt, not any other kind of pain. She'd showed some signs of discomfort with the piercing but it seemed like she'd handled it well.

"I'm actually thinking of getting this removed," he said conversationally, holding up his wrist as he walked toward where he'd parked his car a few streets away. Downtown could be irritating with its lack of parking spots but he didn't much mind the walk. The tattoo was getting to be more of an annoyance than meaningful artwork lately, mainly because of how people saw tattoos. The hospital didn't care and the retirement home didn't as long as he kept it covered but he'd prefer to wear light, short sleeved shirts, especially during the summer. Josh hated bulky clothing. "It'll take a good year or so and it'll hurt like a bitch but I think it would be worth it. It's not easy to get work with visible tattoos." All he needed to do was find a good place to get the treatments that wasn't a ridiculous distance and he was almost sure he'd follow through. He pulled up to the house and got out of the car, flicking on the lights when he walked in the door. Sometimes he wondered what it would be like to be a Thunder student. You could clap on your lights like they did in the movies. "Want anything to drink?" He had liquor, too, liquor he wouldn't mind sharing, but right now he was generalizing. If they had it in the house, he'd get it. "It's a pretty hot day out. Jesus. Thank god we're Fire elementals or we'd probably be dying." Oh, August. Such a pain.

He nodded and gave his friend the most genuine smile that he could muster, which was quite an impressive one seeing as he was serious. He really did think that Lark would succeed if it was something that she loved. The one thing about passions were that they were difficult to give up on. Josh knew he'd try again if he were rejected from medical school—the sting of failure would hurt, but it would not make him give up on his dream. He wanted to be a doctor. He was going to be a doctor, no matter what stood in his way. "Hell, I can be your sound board if you want to practice," offered Josh. He wouldn't mind listening to her sing if she felt more comfortable around him than she did other people. Friends were different than strangers and they'd known one another since before they'd come to the Academy. "I'm no professional but you could trust me to be honest with you." If her tune was a little off he'd let her know, because it was better to hear it from a friend than from a crowd of people you didn't know if you scored a gig and fucked it up somehow. Josh didn't know how great Lark was at singing and so there was a chance she was really good at it and she had nothing to worry about. It was strange to think that in all their time knowing one another, he didn't know as much about her passion in music as would be expected. Then again, he didn't talk much about his own passions, either. Maybe it was a common thing.

He lifted an eyebrow when she said that she liked the pain but didn't comment on it. Joshua had never really been the type to enjoy pain. He had a high tolerance for it but it had never been something that brought him comfort or satisfaction. He accepted his friends for who they were and so this new development didn't bother him. "That's another up side to a career in music," he pointed out. "You can have all the tattoos you want. Hell, it's even considered a good thing there." Joshua did not have the luxury of a pro-ink field and so he was willing to sacrifice the ink on his body for the credibility that he wanted. It was a little stupid that people automatically assumed gang affiliation and he wished that it wasn't so but he would not chance rebelling. "I already took a bit of heat from my boss about it. She didn't know until after they'd already hired me, apparently, because they didn't ask in the interview so I sort of... never pointed it out." He'd almost been fired and he'd blanched at the though, promising that he would keep the tattoo hidden when at work. It was a pain considered its placing. He definitely wanted it gone. There was some irony in that he had been involved with a gang but the tattoo actually had no connection to them. They'd been an insignificant bunch of guys that thought they were thugs, not a large and functional gang that spanned across several cities or provinces. They weren't big enough for tattoos and insignia.

Joshua nodded and grabbed two bottles of water from the fridge, tossing one to Lark and taking the second for himself. He drank half of it in one go, gasping softly when he finished and shaking his head. It was freezing cold after the heat of the day but that was welcomed. He screwed the cap back on and set it on the kitchen island in front of him. "I know, right? I don't know how anyone else stands it—especially the Waters." Earths were slightly weaker in the summer due to the heat but it was Waters who really suffered, just as they thrived in winter while the Fires shuddered and struggled to make their gifts respond with the same ease as usual. "Well," he said, with a bit of a smirk, "I do have a bit of a plan." He jerked his head toward the upstairs and led the way to his room, where he'd put the guitar for safekeeping. As he was unlocking the door (he'd made a habit of locking it so Annabel couldn't snoop around) he said, "Now, I know you don't like gifts, but I am not taking no for an answer, okay?" He gave his best friend a knowing smile. He understood the whole pride thing but Josh was also stubborn and dead-set on his plans. Showing her the guitar, he said, "I saw it when I was getting my new one and I remembered you saying something about this guitar so I figured hey, why not?" He used his good memory to aid him in gift-giving. It really was useful.