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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Mar 22, 2012 19:15:03 GMT -5
 DO ME A FAVOUR & ASK IF YOU NEED SOME HELP SHE SAID_________ DO ME A FAVOUR & STOP flattering yourself & TO TEAR APART THE TIES THAT BIND The melodic chime of the doorbell distracted Joshua from his studies, the Fire graduate glancing up as his concentration was broken. Who could that be? He speculated as he stood up and made his way toward the front door. It couldn't be Nell, for she wouldn't need to ring the bell to enter her own home. Annabel was gone for the rest of the weekend. One of his friends, perhaps? Joshua yawned and dragged a lazy hand through his dark hair before he reached out and pulled the door open, fixing his guest with a curious stare. He then blinked and promptly slammed the door in the man's face—or he would have, if the intruder had not foreseen his reaction and stuck his foot in the way. "Joshua, wait." The request was soft and almost pleading but Josh was having none of it. "Get off my property," he said firmly. "Five more seconds and I'm calling the cops. One, two—"
He broke off as the door was pushed open roughly, an iron grip closing around his wrist. Joshua's immediate reaction was to pull back and raise his fist in preparation to punch his assailant but the grip vanished instantly, the younger male in front of him backing off a step and lifting his hands. "Sorry, sorry," he said quickly. "Five minutes, Josh, please. I want to talk to you." His tone seemed to leak sincerity but the graduate was not at all reassured. "Funny," he said, and his voice was shaking with anger. "The last time you wanted to talk, we both ended up in the hospital." Something seemed to flash in the dark blue eyes of the other man but it was gone too quickly for Josh to decide what it had been. "This is different." Several seconds passed when neither spoke a word, staring each other down as if their silence held all the answers. "In the living room," said Joshua, jerking his head to indicate that the shorter boy go first. "The kitchen is closer." His lips pressed into a hard line, hands trembling slightly. "Living room." It was remarkable how quickly the sight of the boy had managed to incense him. Stormy blue eyes flashed as if there would be argument but in the end the younger male shook his head and started toward the family room as requested.
"Sit there." Joshua indicated one of the chairs in the room and took a seat in another one a reasonable distance away. "It's all changed. It's almost like being in a different place." Joshua watched him intensely, not replying until they were both seated. "Make it quick," he said sharply. "My fiancée will be home soon and its best she not know you ever existed." The smaller boy flinched as if not expecting such a harsh welcome but only said, "Fiancée? You're engaged?" He sounded absolutely baffled by the news but Joshua ignored this. "Your point, Bryce." It was the first time he'd used the name in years and it tasted bitter on his tongue. It was not a name he'd ever thought he'd be using again. "There's no need to be so hostile, Josh," he said quietly. "I only wanted to say hello." Josh did not believe it. It must have shown in his expression, for Bryce said, "They let me out, you know. They said I was doing better. I stayed in Nova Scotia until now." Joshua's jaw worked furiously as he held in all of the possible responses. "So what are you doing here?" It took several seconds for Bryce to answer, several seconds in which Joshua remained tense and rigid, barely moving except to blink and breathe. "They want me to go to the Academy." It certainly was not the news he wanted to hear, but Joshua remained steady. "So why am I hearing from you here and not at school?"
Bryce picked at the arm of the chair. Joshua almost wanted to snap at him, tell him to stop, but he dared not break the silence that had settled once again between them. "I need a place to stay," he admitted. Josh's reaction was immediate, his voice louder than usual as he said, "Absolutely not, Bryce. No. You're not—this house—no." He found himself breathing hard, shaking his head. "Why aren't you in Nova Scotia, huh? What the fuck did you do there that was so bad you had to—" He cut himself off, closing his hand into a fist and taking a deep breath. Bryce looked almost surprised, though he did not speak. "If you're that desperate, go talk to our parents. I want nothing to do with you." He had not spoken to his brother in four years. He'd never planned to again. "Now get out of my house." He was not expecting his younger brother to comply and so he stood up, taking a threatening stance and offering a glare. Bryce stood more slowly, keeping his hands raised and his blue gaze wary. "Give me a chance, Joshua. Mum and Dad wouldn't even talk to me. You gave me that at least. Please."
Five minutes later and they sat stiffly at the kitchen island, neither speaking to the other as they waited for Nell's return home. One night. That was all Joshua had promised. One night for Bryce to search for a place to stay or to sort things out at the Academy and then he was gone. "You're lucky I'm giving you that." His voice was rough around the edges, filled with an anger that only his brother could coax from him so easily. "And that's if Nell agrees." He didn't think he would tell Nell about what had happened. It wasn't necessary to frighten her, he thought. One night. He'd lived with the younger boy for thirteen years before things had crashed and burned, he could live with one night. "I know," said Bryce, and they lapsed back into silence. - - - - -perhaps "fuck off" [/i][/div] MIGHT BE TOO KIND [/center] |
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Post by NELL DOE DALE on Mar 23, 2012 20:47:28 GMT -5
 PREPARE MYSELF FOR A WAR & I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M DOING THIS FOR TRYING TO LET IT ALL GO but how can i when you still don't know? The Expo marker squeaked against glass as Nell drew out an equation against a canvas of blacktop playground, dry skeletons that used to be shrubs, and cream-white Datsuns and silver Buicks. Air blew up through the slots as she sat pretzel-legged on the radiator, and it toyed with her shirt, lifted up her hair. She felt like it was made of snakes, imagined she could turn the passing man wearing slacks hemmed too short to stone. She finished the equation, wrote the answer in a notebook on her knee. Numbers felt rigid as she copied them down, she wondered how her father worked with them all day. She'd come with him to his lab a few times. It shocked her to see the cluttered space, three inch centimeter tubes, comically over-sized syringes, old iMac 3G's. She'd expected something sleek and metallic, like Harrison Bergeron, something Vonnegut would dream up. "How do you not suffocate?" she had asked. He didn't understand her concern. León knew nothing about her. He let her use the centrifuge, look at strains of lyme disease through a microscope, join in conversations about in vitro research. She could never be a scientist, she decided, unless there was a hole in the ceiling she could open with a lever for Frankenstein's monster.
"Why do you do that?" Stacey asked as Nell wiped the glass down with Windex. She sat at her desk which looked just as small as the tables around it. "It helps me think. Plus I have a lot of problems, and limited notebook space. The professor didn't ask for work." The only thing that made math in chemistry better was thinking of it as art, like Kandinsky would with his arcs and his circles, plotting music on planes. At least balancing equations was easy, which meant the professor liked to add on as many compounds as possible. Finished now with the work, she started tracing the tarmac parking lot, cars and chain link fences. Stacey continued to put things away in her desk and talk about the day's events. She swore the glue would never come out of her hair, she started her exasperation over the fact that Aaron had kept asking for the snacks his mother had packed for him. Nell liked it, the constant nagging. Maybe it was her patience, she didn't really think about it. When she saw the fresh, eager faces she couldn't help but juxtapose them to the other girls she worked with. These children didn't know pain yet. It was something they'd heard of but never seen, like electricity, or India.
The girls at the home, they didn't only know it, they wore it with pride in scars like badges. They wanted to show everyone how defected they were, they didn't hide. It scared Nell that she could identify with them and she wondered how fate could have brought her there. Could she have been the girl who murmured obscenities while staring at the floral patterns on the walls, or the one girl who reopened wounds to make sure they scarred over right. Lexi had shown her a letter from her father in prison, and Nell felt like it was an intentional jab at her over-eager efforts. "Don't expect anyone to understand you. The best you can hope for is to understand yourself." Sometimes she wondered about the honesty and bluntness in those girls. Kids at school, ones who had two parents, an allowance, regular dentist appointments--they were like daycare children, confident, self-assured. Nell often found herself looking at the arms and legs of her children in their summer clothes, searching for bruises. They could so easily become a name in a folder of a jaded caseworker.
Once Stacey was finished up, they headed to their cars, still talking. Her mind was focused in many places at once, which brought the next consideration into her head. "Did you know that turtles sometimes bury their eggs in alligator nests, because the mothers protect them so well?" Stacey gave her a blank look before saying, "Go home, Nell." She waved goodbye to the older woman, glad that she had spent some extra time with her after work. She really liked her, and it scared her that she sometimes considered the fact that their may be a possibility that she'd become her step-mother. Would her father ever marry again? It was too strange to think about. She walked through the door and kicked her shoes off, like she would do at her friends' houses out of politeness. The first room to be her destination was of course the kitchen, and she blinked at the unfamiliar--and somehow familiar--face. "Hi stranger," she greeted amiably, before pulling open the fridge to grab a water bottle. She leaned against it after closing it and said in a joking tone, "Going to introduce us, Josh?"
[/justify] --------wrap myself in a bag I'M ALL WRAPPED UP IN PRAGUE I'M ALL WRAPPED UP IN YOU I'M ALL WRAPPED UP IN HIM TOO |
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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Mar 23, 2012 21:22:55 GMT -5
DO ME A FAVOUR & ASK IF YOU NEED SOME HELP SHE SAID_________ DO ME A FAVOUR & STOP flattering yourself & TO TEAR APART THE TIES THAT BIND The tension in the air could have been cut with one of the knives that rested in their wooden holders, the backs of their silver blades poking out and long black handles waiting, ready for use. Joshua kept these knives in his peripheral vision at all times, his steely eyes fixed upon his younger brother and lips set in a scowl. Bryce looked uncomfortable and Joshua found himself glad of this fact. I hope I make you squirm, asshole. He knew he should not be allowing his younger sibling to stay in a place that also housed their younger sister and Joshua's fiancée but it didn't feel right to throw him out on the streets. They were family. "How's Annabel?" Joshua narrowed his eyes. "Don't pretend like you care." He wondered what Annabel would think if she saw her brother again. He was glad she wouldn't have to. "I do care!" Bryce protested. "She's my sister! She's our sister!" Like family loyalty stopped you before. Joshua clenched his jaw, bit his tongue, anything to stop him from spitting the insults that lurked in his mind. Self control. A few years ago and he would have already lunged for Bryce but he'd since gained better control over himself. He wondered if the same could be said in return.
"No, really," said Bryce. "How is she? I want to know." Joshua considered him, still glaring as if looks could kill. They could, he supposed, if he let his anger get the better of him and his powers 'slip'. Only it wouldn't be an accident. He was a graduate, his control over his power supreme. "She's fine, a teenager now. You missed a lot." Bryce sighed and looked away. Joshua followed his gaze for a moment to the floor-length windows before he fixed his attention back to his brother and the knives in the background. "I know. I missed a lot with you, too. Engaged, Joshua? I thought you'd never get a girlfriend." The Fire graduate blinked at his younger brother. "Are you suggesting something, Bryce?" The elder brother thought he could hear the sound of a car coming up the drive. "No, just... congratulations, I guess. What's her name again?" Josh had already mentioned it once or twice and almost refrained from answering out of spite. After a moment, he said, "It's Nell, and here she comes now." As if on cue the front door opened and Josh leaned sideways so that he could see out the arch that led into the kitchen, lifting his hand in a wave when Nell approached.
At first he was almost offended by how amiably she treated his brother, then reminded himself that Nell knew nothing of the events that had occurred four years ago. She didn't even know he had another sibling. Hell, he didn't tell anyone that he had another sibling. He wondered if she would be offended by the fact he'd never filled her in, that he'd allowed her to believe that the thin scar on his side was another relic of the gang's presence in his life. "I'm Bryce," said the blue-eyed brother before Joshua could introduce them as requested. "Joshua's brother. Your name's Nell, right?" Josh kept himself composed, not wanting his fiancée to see how uncomfortable Bryce made him. Or how angry, for he tensed internally when Bryce took the lead in the conversation. That's right, make yourself look good, he thought scathingly. "Yes, my brother," he said, resisting the urge to shoot said brother a glare. "He came all the way out from Nova Scotia for the Academy. I'd have introduced you sooner but it's been years since he's dropped by for a visit." Mainly because he wasn't allowed out of the house. "He wanted to know if he could stay the night while he searches for more... permanent lodgings, and I said I'd need to take it up with you." - - - - -perhaps "fuck off" [/i][/div] MIGHT BE TOO KIND [/center] |
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Post by NELL DOE DALE on Mar 24, 2012 16:04:28 GMT -5
PREPARE MYSELF FOR A WAR & I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M DOING THIS FOR TRYING TO LET IT ALL GO but how can i when you still don't know? Nell didn't know what to expect from introductions. Maybe a friend, even a relative, they did look similar to each other. But that could have just been in her mind, imagined. Which is why she lifted her eyebrows and canted her head when he introduced himself as Bryce, Josh's brother. "Well," she started, her voice as surprised as she felt, "nice to meet you." And why haven't I even heard of you before? She would be lying if she convinced herself that it didn't bother her. "I guess I don't have to introduce myself, huh." He already knew her name, so she supposed Josh told him that he had a fiancée. It was the kind of feeling when you're walking outside and a bee suddenly flies by your ear, leaving you stunned momentarily. Her features were smooth, water without a disruptive breeze.
She looked at Josh when he spoke, explaining that he had been in Nova Scotia. Was that common? Siblings living in other states, provinces, countries, worlds apart? She had family all over the place, so she guessed it was possible. A cousin in Detroit, an uncle in Columbia, great aunts in Italy. They didn't send her postcards ("Greetings from Milan!"), but she knew their whereabouts, blood scattered all over the globe. Nova Scotia seemed very far for a brother. Her fingers played with the bottle cap, screwing and unscrewing. "What grade are you in?" she questioned Bryce. He would certainly be attending the Academy late, she could tell by looking at him. It didn't feel like her place to say whether or not Bryce could be allowed to stay in this house. It wasn't her house, and it wasn't her brother, but she shrugged easily, and smiled. "I have no problem with it." She didn't mind people at all, and this was Josh's brother. Never mind that she had no idea he even existed before coming home that day.
It seemed rather pointless to give her two sense in considering that Josh could just override it and she had no room to complain. She didn't really like the feeling of powerlessness, so she tried hard not to focus on that. "So why were you in Nova Scotia?" She wondered if it was just something rich people did, sent their children off to different provinces for whatever reasons. But it was odd that they kept Josh and Annabel around. There didn't seem to be any reason for the boy to have been living there, unless for studies or something like that. But for how long? It almost seemed comical to her, someone who grew up in a place where you were stuck. She realized that a little too late, it would have been handy information had she spoken to one of the people in her neighborhood. They could have told her that you never escape.
[/justify] --------wrap myself in a bag I'M ALL WRAPPED UP IN PRAGUE I'M ALL WRAPPED UP IN YOU I'M ALL WRAPPED UP IN HIM TOO |
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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Mar 24, 2012 17:03:14 GMT -5
DO ME A FAVOUR & ASK IF YOU NEED SOME HELP SHE SAID_________ DO ME A FAVOUR & STOP flattering yourself & TO TEAR APART THE TIES THAT BIND Joshua noticed the surprise in his fiancée's tone, his stomach squirming with guilt and discomfort. He felt bad for lying to her, though in his own head he was still trying to justify it. Circumstances are important. It wasn't like their last meeting had been an afternoon tea with pleasant conversation. "My brother mentioned you," Bryce confirmed, smiling amiably. Josh still felt the overwhelming urge to punch him as well as a fierce protective instinct when it came to the Earth elemental in the room with them. "I'm supposed to be a in college," he said. "I might be in senior year since I've been gone for so long, though." Josh knew that Bryce had a private tutor for his powers during the time he'd been in Nova Scotia. They hadn't wanted his volatile personality to end in him burning anything down. No training was as good as the Academy's, of course, but they hadn't wanted him at the school given those circumstances that Josh was mulling over in his mind. There was still a lot of tension but he was surprised to see how friendly his younger brother was being toward Nell. Maybe he had changed. Bryce seemed genuinely pleased when Nell voiced no objections. "Thanks, Nell."
Her question made Joshua feel even less comfortable and he glanced at Bryce, who was looking to him as if wondering whether he should answer this or not. Sighing, Joshua stood up from the counter and jerked his head toward the archway leading from the room. "Nell, hallway?" He did not only lead the way into the hall but all the way down it to the end where the garden was visible through the hall windows and the only thing nearby was a bathroom and the room that used to house Donovan's office. He did not know yet what he was planning to do with the room. It was a part of his childhood, the place he'd always run to when he wanted his father's help. "Look, before I say anything, I'm sorry I didn't tell you this sooner. I never expected you'd ever need to meet my brother." He knew how bad this sounded as the words left his lips and he did not try to hide it. "I figured it was best that you hear this from me because... I'm not sure what he'd have told you." He could not predict his brother, never had been able to. When they were kids and Bryce was being nice to him, it was often hard to tell if the younger boy was faking or whether it was a genuine attempt at a sibling connection.
Exhaling, obviously not very happy with their situation, Joshua said, "Bryce went to Nova Scotia to be as far from our family as possible without sending him out of the country." There were the islands, of course, Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick, but they did not have family there. They had family in Nova Scotia who had understood the situation and offered to keep an eye on him, visit often. "My parents, they... they had him committed because of issues he was having at home." He spoke carefully, not wanting to underline the specific incident that had decided his brother's fate. "We had a bit of a falling out before he left. I didn't intend to speak to him after that. He just sort of... showed up at the door." He felt a little better knowing that he was telling Nell the truth now and not trying to deceive her. He left out the specifics because he didn't want to scare her. "He gets angry, like I do, but it's worse. He said he's gotten better but I wanted to make sure you know what's wrong before you agree to anything. He hasn't sorted a dormitory out in the Academy yet so it's either here or a hotel room for the right." Nice as the hotels in Maple Hollow were, they cost money. Money Bryce didn't have. Joshua would give him it if Nell said no, however. - - - - -perhaps "fuck off" [/i][/div] MIGHT BE TOO KIND [/center] |
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Post by NELL DOE DALE on Mar 25, 2012 3:12:28 GMT -5
PREPARE MYSELF FOR A WAR & I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M DOING THIS FOR TRYING TO LET IT ALL GO but how can i when you still don't know? Bryce was friendly, or maybe it was just Nell and her love for believing anything someone presented to her on a platter. Funny, because your brother never mentioned you. She almost laughed out loud at that, but didn't say it. That would be a little bitter, wouldn't it? She didn't really know, and she wasn't going to test it out. It was nice to keep things to herself. "Guess you've got a lot of catching up to do," she noted. She could sympathize, of course. Her Velcro was already sticking to him, in the way that she attached to anyone who smiled and gave her the time of day. "Are you a Fire elemental, then?" She knew most of the Dale family to be of the element, but it was always possible for a black sheep to emerge. He seemed grateful about her go ahead, and she nodded, took a sip of the water. "'Course," she said. Didn't seem like it was even worth getting her opinion on. No matter what she'd say yes, welcome to a home that isn't really mine, the more the merrier!
She saw the two men exchange looks, and she felt like she said something wrong, but she couldn't figure out what. She pursed her lips and looked around, as if waiting for them to come up with a suitable response. When Josh mentioned the hallway, she followed even though she was confused. She figured Josh would explain to her why it was necessary to traverse the hallway and apparently get away from Bryce. Nell tilted her head. No, I guess I'd never need to know. She rolled her shoulders, shrugged, eyebrows arched. "It's fine." And the way she said it, as if him saying something about it was unnecessary, certainly made it fine. As he continued to speak, her eyebrows stayed arched, expectant. Her lips unsmiling, she didn't look pleasant, but not entirely unpleasant either. She didn't understand why it would be necessary for him to tell her first, but she'd hear him out.
She waited for him to dish out the information, hands folded in front of her, patient. Not that the story really mattered, and it turned out that it didn't in the end. So he was the family secret, The Hunchback of Notre Dame. "Committed?" she echoed. She didn't immediately think "crazy" when she heard about institutionalization. Mental illness wasn't like that. It wasn't something bad, it just meant that your brain didn't work write. Purely science. Schizophrenia was a deficiency in acid, an excess in dopamine, there was some form of explanation. What's wrong with him, then? She let Josh continue, insinuating some kind of issues regarding a temper problem. "Your brother's not staying in a hotel, Josh," she said, again as if it were unnecessary to even ask. If she knew what had happened, she'd have been singing to a different tune. If it was what Josh wanted, then she had no room to say go ahead or stop. "Just because he's been committed doesn't mean he can't stay in a guest room." It wouldn't have ever changed her answer about the matter, what Josh said.
[/justify] --------wrap myself in a bag I'M ALL WRAPPED UP IN PRAGUE I'M ALL WRAPPED UP IN YOU I'M ALL WRAPPED UP IN HIM TOO |
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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Mar 26, 2012 0:15:32 GMT -5
DO ME A FAVOUR & ASK IF YOU NEED SOME HELP SHE SAID_________ DO ME A FAVOUR & STOP flattering yourself & TO TEAR APART THE TIES THAT BIND It made Josh uncomfortable to see how easily Bryce was making Nell feel at ease with him. She doesn't know. He had to keep reminding himself. His thoughts and feelings about the situation of four years ago were so deeply ingrained that it was hard to grasp why anyone didn't resent Bryce as much as he did. He forced himself not to say anything sarcastic until he had Nell alone, not wanting to upset his brother too much. He was unpredictable, dangerous, volatile. "I am," Bryce agreed. Josh remembered how Bryce had gotten his powers, how lucky he'd been that he was older and that he could stop the burst of fire from hurting him. I wonder how much his power has grown? It worried him to think about it and so he tried to focus on his fiancée. He asked her out into the hall when he could take the unbearable tension in the room no longer. The question was, were Bryce and Nell uncomfortable or was it only Joshua who felt the severity of the situation? "Are you sure?" He always worried when something happened between him and Nell, always worried something would. He couldn't stand to go through losing her. "I wish I'd known he was coming so I could have warned you sooner."
Warned her, because his little brother was dangerous and Nell didn't seem to recognise the severity of this. "Yeah, committed." To an asylum. The loony bin. The nuthouse. He'd heard several words applied to the places over the years and it had been an effort not to think of his brother. He'd nearly succeeded in shutting Bryce's existence out completely and then the boy had shown up at the door like he'd never left. It was not very kind to disown family, he knew that from experience, but what else had he been expected to do? He sighed his frustration when she seemed to dismiss the commitment issue. "Don't you get it, Nell? I've got issues with my temper and it's not like my parents shipped me off to Nova Scotia." There was a bit of a snarl to his tone and he winced when he realised it, dragging a hand through his hair as if trying to diffuse some of his tension. "I'm sorry," he said, rubbing the back of his neck before allowing his hand to drop back to his side. "We just... we really didn't get along. I shouldn't take that out on you." He hated his anger, hated the way it flared so easily. Bryce's was worse, though, and even Josh acknowledged that. Josh loved his fiancée and he wouldn't lay a hand on her no matter how angry he got. Bryce? He did whatever he could to vent rage, violence included.
Damn it, this day was not going well at all. The longer he left Bryce in the kitchen the more antsy he became. Maybe he should have stuck around and kept an eye on him? "He attacked me, Nell. That's why we didn't want him anywhere near the family. My parents won't even talk to him. Hell, I shouldn't have fucking spoke to him." His curiosity had become his weakness, wanting to know what the hell it was that he wanted. He'd given in when Bryce all but begged to let him stay but now he realised that was as much of a mistake as letting him in had been. "Look, I don't want to put you in any danger. Maybe I should just... give him the money and tell him not to come back." Bryce had been written out of any rights to the family fortune but Joshua wasn't going to deny him the cash for a hotel room. He hated his brother but there was a very slight sympathy that came with the knowledge that Bryce probably couldn't control the issues that he had. The idea of anyone who couldn't control everything about their minds frightened him. He didn't understand it and Josh feared things that he could not understand. "He won't be happy about it, but, well, I don't want to take any risks." - - - - -perhaps "fuck off" [/i][/div] MIGHT BE TOO KIND [/center] |
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Post by NELL DOE DALE on Mar 26, 2012 17:17:20 GMT -5
PREPARE MYSELF FOR A WAR & I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M DOING THIS FOR TRYING TO LET IT ALL GO but how can i when you still don't know? It seemed Josh needed reassurance on the matter, so she nodded her head. "It's fine," she repeated, more certainly as if to make it concrete. She didn't say anything to his next statement, however, because it was a little late for that and he'd said that he hadn't expected Bryce to come. Nell accepted that the guy had been committed with ease. Stranger things had happened, even to affluent families. People went crazy, or disappeared into the night, or died without warning. It happened, and you ended up institutionalizing family members. She merely blinked when Josh got frustrated with her and her nonchalance with the matter. But you don't have mental issues, do you? She didn't say it out loud, knew better than to fuel the flames of his temper. She shrugged when he apologized and said that he and Bryce did not get along. She'd dealt with worse than Josh's anger. She was used to being a punching bag anyways. In any case, the fact that they didn't get along was news to her. Well, everything was news to her.
The fact that the two did not get along helped in the confusion that came with the explanation, along with the anger. She kept her mouth closed, though, wondering why he let Bryce into the house. Nell didn't want him there, of course not. She believed in second chances, but that was when it came to crimes against her. Anyone else, and she was not so forgiving. But as Josh continued, she realized it wasn't her place to say anything about the matter she knew so little about. Especially because she didn't want to make a wrong decision if he was holding out any more information from her. She hadn't known the extent of his brother's issues, still didn't really know, and Josh already snapped at her once because of her ignorance to the family's best kept secret. She didn't want to make a mistake by influencing a decision about this mystery brother she'd just been introduced to.
Besides, Josh already stated his feelings on the matter and on Bryce himself. It should be left up to him, not her. This wasn't her family, she didn't overstep boundaries. And she wanted whatever Josh wanted. He clearly was having doubts about this. "Do whatever you think is best." Nell didn't want Bryce around, however, and would gladly kick him out herself if Josh didn't have any say in it. So she was relieved when he said that he'd give money instead for a hotel. She just nodded, not voicing her approval. He could have come to the decision all his own, it seemed unnecessary to pull her away from the kitchen and the guest that not even he wanted, apparently.
[/justify] --------wrap myself in a bag I'M ALL WRAPPED UP IN PRAGUE I'M ALL WRAPPED UP IN YOU I'M ALL WRAPPED UP IN HIM TOO |
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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Mar 27, 2012 22:18:55 GMT -5
DO ME A FAVOUR & ASK IF YOU NEED SOME HELP SHE SAID_________ DO ME A FAVOUR & STOP flattering yourself & TO TEAR APART THE TIES THAT BIND Concerned as he was that his fiancée seemed awfully quiet, Joshua dipped his head at her words. "I don't want him here." He said it with much more conviction than before, wanting her to know that he was not doing it only because she was here but because his quarrels with his brother were too deeply ingrained to be easily forgotten. "Annabel may not be home but you are, I am, I wouldn't trust him to stay in the house." There was the fact that they'd lived together for fourteen years of his life but that was not the point. The point was that their last minutes together before today had been spent grappling for control over a very deadly knife that had very nearly taken his life. He was lucky his parents had heard the fighting. "I'll handle it." He gave her an apologetic look and rested his hand on her shoulder for a moment. It had been a big thing to lie about but his guilt was not too strong, given that he'd had every intention of never talking to his brother again after the incident. The guilt was mostly for letting Bryce into the house in the first place, for not turning him away immediately and for ever involving Nell with the younger boy. He needs to leave. It was no longer an option in his mind. He patted his pocket to make sure he had his wallet on him and then started with purpose toward the kitchen.
Bryce looked up as his brother re-entered the kitchen, craning his neck as if trying to look behind him. "Where's Nell?" Joshua got the impression that the Fire elemental was rather fond of his fiancée, probably because she'd been so pleasant, and this bothered him immensely. "Never mind that," he said, tone sharp. "You can't stay here, Bryce. I'll give you the money for a hotel, but—" He never got to finish this sentence. "What did you tell her?" The snarl easily carried down the hall thanks to the fact that there was no door to the kitchen. "What did you say to her, huh?" His brother stood up suddenly and Josh took a step back, gray gaze wary. He backed against a counter, closing his hand around the handle of a knife. "I told her the truth, Bryce. You need to leave." The sound of stainless steel scraping against the counter-top filled the awkward silence as he dropped the hand holding the weapon to his side. He had no intentions of using it unless necessary. He was almost sure that his little brother would argue, would shove him, would try to find some way around this new development. In the end Bryce just snarled his frustration and stormed toward the front door. "You're as bad as our parents!" The door slammed and Joshua watched from the kitchen window as he went down the long drive and off the property.
Releasing a breath he'd barely been aware he was holding, Joshua shook his head and placed the knife back on the counter. The comment might have stung if he hadn't known it was bullshit. His parents had not been the ones Bryce had hurt. Oh, he'd definitely taken a hand to his mother a few times and even his father if he'd thought he could get away with it but it had never been quite so violent. Making his way back to Nell, Joshua's tension and discomfort was evident in the fact that his hands were trembling. His brother coaxed out an anger in him that was rare even for the volatile Fire graduate. "He left." She'd probably heard the door slam, though he wasn't quite sure where she'd been when he was dealing with his brother. "So what do you want to do now? Did you have anything planned?" He tried to restore its tone to its usual light air but it was difficult given the situation. He hoped Nell wasn't upset. He still wasn't sure why she'd been so quiet, not knowing that she had a problem with voicing her opinions. "I never really paid much attention when you came home. How'd the day go?" It was a question he usually asked but that he'd refrained from bringing up around his asshole of a sibling. - - - - -perhaps "fuck off" [/i][/div] MIGHT BE TOO KIND [/center] |
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Post by NELL DOE DALE on Mar 28, 2012 19:31:09 GMT -5
PREPARE MYSELF FOR A WAR & I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M DOING THIS FOR TRYING TO LET IT ALL GO but how can i when you still don't know? Nell'd stated her opinion, and that had been rendered invalid, so she let Josh decide for himself. The part of her that empathized with every creature who had a heartbeat--and even those that didn't--pitied Bryce. She was beginning to learn about the world and the people in it. There were too many things out of human control, and that included the brain. It was a problem that couldn't be solved, she wouldn't be able to balance the equation by carrying over elements and compounds. And she had to question sometimes whether or not she was losing it in the way she could miss her mother, the way glass objects made her uneasy, the way she grew nostalgic for things she couldn't remember. But those feelings were rather easily forgotten. Nell gestured with her hand. Go ahead, it said. She flashed him a smile when he put a hand on her shoulder before going back to the kitchen.
Nell decided to head to the bathroom and wash her face, fatigue evident in the sunken eyes. She tried not to think of where else she'd seen that expression. She looked like a Freud painting. Children were not nearly as exhausting as a bunch of damaged girls stuffed into a house and forgotten until a case worker came along. Wonderful environment. She heard Bryce and wondered if she should check on them now that she knew about the situation. It's none of your business, Nell. Josh made that clear by not telling it to her before, not that she held it against him for what had happened. She tried not to wander too far. Not only did she want to avoid getting lost, but she didn't want to disturb anything with her presence. Nell found herself in the game room by chance, playing pool by herself. Not so fun being both solids and stripes.
Nell looked up from her work when Josh came back. She simply nodded at his words, having heard the door slam. Instead of answering his questions, Nell touched a hand to his cheek and said, "You alright?" Nell didn't have plans anyway. Not that she was always tired after work, even though it was a normal thing to happen. She just didn't plan things she was going to do. She dropped her hand and if she were anyone else, she may have been hurt that he hadn't been paying attention, but she understood. "Good," she responded. "Did you know that turtles can bury their eggs in alligators' nests? Because the alligator mothers would protect them like their own. Ms. Kustack didn't find it too interesting." She wrinkled her nose when she shot a solid off the corner pocket, but it dropped anyway. "How was your day?" Other than, you know, Bryce, were the unspoken words.
[/justify] --------wrap myself in a bag I'M ALL WRAPPED UP IN PRAGUE I'M ALL WRAPPED UP IN YOU I'M ALL WRAPPED UP IN HIM TOO |
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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Mar 29, 2012 0:05:20 GMT -5
DO ME A FAVOUR & ASK IF YOU NEED SOME HELP SHE SAID_________ DO ME A FAVOUR & STOP flattering yourself & TO TEAR APART THE TIES THAT BIND He caught Nell's wrist when she touched her hand to his cheek and smiled slightly, brushing his lips against her fingers before letting go. His breath trembled as it left his lips, the only sign apart from the shaking that he was not as alright as he seemed. Though perhaps, knowing him so well, Nell would be able to tell by the look in his eyes that something was off. There was no question as to what it was, for she surely knew. "I will be." There was no sense in lying to her. He did not feel alright. He felt violated in some way, his little brother walking so easily back into his life after all those years. You're not supposed to be here. He did not know what had made him step back from the room, invite the man into the living room. Or, well, order him in. Shock, maybe. Sheer stupidity. He was intelligent in terms of booksmarts but his decisions were not always the best ones. "I'm just... glad he's gone." Their rivalry had been an intense one. He wished he could describe in words how much he and his brother had hated one another. Siblings were not supposed to hate. It had not really been hatred, he supposed, not really, not until Bryce tried to end the rivalry permanently. That had severed whatever was left of their already frayed bond.
He was glad to hear her day had been good despite the fact that his had taken such a nosedive. Joshua was never the type to take pleasure in the fact that others suffered alongside him. He wasn't sadistic or selfish enough for it. "I didn't know that, actually. Thanks for the information." He managed a laugh. It was a tad strained but genuine enough. He would never force something past his lips if not absolutely necessary. "Probably a good thing. Turtles are terrible mothers." They laid their eggs and then abandoned them with no other commitment. He supposed there wasn't such a turtle could do to defend or care for its young but it was still bad parenting. Wordlessly, figuring that she would not mind, Joshua took one of the pool cues and strode around the table until he had a good shot at the cue ball. "Solids or stripes?" It was seamless, easy. He'd had a rough time with his brother but Nell relaxed him. Being here with her, spending time with her, it was therapeutic. Any of his friends would have had a similar effect but with Nell it was stronger. You're always happier with those you love. "Well, Ms. Kustack is a joykill. You can inform me of these things whenever you like." A soft spark lit his gray gaze and his lips twitched slightly.
Understanding what she meant, Josh did not offer a snide comment. "Long, though it went reasonably well." He could look past the blotch on the day that had been his younger brother and admit that it had not been at all miserable up until that point. "I had the day off work so I spent some time studying and watched the news. Did you hear about the shooting downtown?" It always disturbed him when shootings came up on the television or appeared in the papers. Stabbings, domestic violence, car accidents... nothing else had as much effect as lethal gunshot wounds. He knew it was because of the shooting he'd witnessed. He was mostly over it and the stories did not make him quake, merely reminded him of the fact that he could have been that unnamed young offender in the day's paper who had been arrested for murder. "I'm hungry, though. Are you?" It was always easier when they ate together, it simplified the need to cook multiple meals. He'd finally given in to the fact that he and Nell were busy people and hired a cook so that Annabel wouldn't have to constantly rely on the college students but he figured they could get away with making their own food when they were home. - - - - -perhaps "fuck off" [/i][/div] MIGHT BE TOO KIND [/center] |
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Post by NELL DOE DALE on Mar 29, 2012 21:41:36 GMT -5
PREPARE MYSELF FOR A WAR & I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M DOING THIS FOR TRYING TO LET IT ALL GO but how can i when you still don't know? Nell searched his eyes when he kissed her fingers. One of the worst things in life was watching someone get hurt and having nothing in your power to stop it. She couldn't have stopped Bryce from coming back, but it still was an unsettling feeling seeing Josh like this. He was her rock, rocks weren't supposed to move. But everyone was human, she understood that. "Okay," she said, wishing she had something better to give him instead of simple acceptance of it. So she just smiled her best everything's okay smile. Meanwhile she could languish in the powerlessness of the situation. She tried not to think too hard on it. He was gone now, it was all right, all Josh needed was a little bit of time to recover. Well, she hoped. He was strong, she didn't think anything could really uproot him too much.
Nell nodded authoritatively when he thanked her, looking at the pool table and wondering if she could apply game theory. It was more for games like poker, and for sociology, but one didn't find solutions, one made solutions. She usually got by on her own terms, anyway. What do people think of humans as a collective in terms of parenting? Would they be good or bad? She'd seen all kinds of parenting, all kinds of people, and it was hard to pigeonhole anyone into any sort of group. Even with elementals, everyone had such distinct personalities, different shades. "Don't encourage me," she said flatly. "Solids. Four ball, corner pocket." She ricocheted the ball of the side and it dropped down with a satisfying clank. Nell smirked. "Did you know I'm totally boss? Fun fact number two." She switched the cue to her other hand.
She shook her head at his question, glad that Bryce was the only bad thing in his day. "Pablo took a few sections of the newspaper to sleep on." For some reason newspaper was very comfortable for cats, and they never stopped absolutely amazing her with their strangeness. "I'm afraid I am socially unaware for today." She liked to keep up and up on the goings on in the world. After all, it belonged to her now. She could read about these things without wondering what it was actually like, to be out there, to be somewhere that she isn't. She had her freedom, and she could now cherish it without fear of anyone taking it away from her. The only power anyone had over her was the power she gave them. Nell looked at him, blinked. "Sometimes I wonder about you..." It wasn't like she was hungry all the time, but nine times out of ten she'd be up for food. Hell, even if she wasn't hungry. "I could cook." She liked cooking, it was one of the skills she learned when she was younger. Of course, she had to adapt to Josh's tastes if she were to cook, but it wasn't too hard.
[/justify] --------wrap myself in a bag I'M ALL WRAPPED UP IN PRAGUE I'M ALL WRAPPED UP IN YOU I'M ALL WRAPPED UP IN HIM TOO |
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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Mar 30, 2012 20:28:24 GMT -5
DO ME A FAVOUR & ASK IF YOU NEED SOME HELP SHE SAID_________ DO ME A FAVOUR & STOP flattering yourself & TO TEAR APART THE TIES THAT BIND His lips twitched. "Oh, I am. Feel my encouragement." Gray eyes twinkled, the only thing offsetting his otherwise serious expression. He watched as Nell took aim at the purple ball and sank it, nodding in silent approval. Nice shot. "Eleven, center right." He narrowed his eyes in concentration and hit the cue ball fairly hard, knowing that the black eight ball nestled next to the red-striped one would slow it's movements. The predicted shot made, Joshua hissed in a breath when the eight ball shot off toward one of the corner pockets and stopped precariously close to the edge. He exhaled when it did not drop down. That was a risky shot. What was life without a little risk? "What ones did you pocket already?" He didn't really care about winning or losing. Pool was a distraction, a wonderful one that he could share with his fiancée. Out of sight, out of mind. Out of mind and I don't have to think about him any more. He'd be like the red-striped ball, disappearing into a dark hole in Joshua's brain, only to be retrieved at the end of the game. Josh leaned against the column supporting the long ceiling as he waited for Nell to make her move. The trembling had stopped. He was strong. He got over things quickly by shutting them out.
Cats were such odd and lazy creatures. On top of that, they found rest in the strangest of places. He'd found Eris asleep on top of a full box of puzzle pieces, once, and he could not understand how she'd ever deemed it comfortable enough to doze off. "You didn't miss much apart from that. Gas prices are up, the dollar is down, the weather is hot. Usual stuff." It was a good thing that Maple Hollow was not a place with a very high crime rate. There was crime—for in what place could you escape it?—but it was nowhere near the extremes. It hadn't stopped him from getting caught up in it. "How were the kids?" Josh liked children and so he did not mind hearing about Nell's work. Sometimes it reminded him of the fact he'd never asked if she wanted kids but he quickly shut that thought down whenever it occurred to him. No use making things awkward. "I almost wish I'd had work. You can only study for so long before it stops making sense." He left out the unspoken thought. If he'd been at work, Bryce's knock would have been ignored. There was truth in his words regardless. Studying too hard did more harm than good. He lifted the chalk from the corner of the table and threw it up lightly, catching it again. He did it again after chalking the tip and then set it back down.
Joshua smiled. "Had to be sure." You're always hungry. The thought was affectionate. After the depression that had compromised Nell's appetite, Joshua was always more comforted if she was hungry than if she wasn't. Even Nell couldn't be hungry all the time, though, so he asked to be sure. Forcing food onto her was not his style. "Sure. I'll help, it'll get done faster." She probably had more flair for it than he did but Josh knew how to wield a knife, toss a salad, flip bacon—the things that did not require a 'special touch', or at least the touch of someone who truly loved food and adding their own edges to a meal. He had an ulterior motive. Like pool, cooking was a distraction. "We can finish up first, though." He nodded to the pool table and took his next shot. He ended up losing, though this did not bother him. "Good game." Heading downstairs, Joshua's thoughts went to the liquor cabinet in the living room. Maybe later. The day's still young. He didn't like getting drunk too early. "So what are we having?" He was fine with anything, really, as long as it wasn't meat. - - - - -perhaps "fuck off" [/i][/div] MIGHT BE TOO KIND [/center] |
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Post by NELL DOE DALE on Apr 1, 2012 0:23:09 GMT -5
PREPARE MYSELF FOR A WAR & I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M DOING THIS FOR TRYING TO LET IT ALL GO but how can i when you still don't know? Nell rolled her eyes, fingernails tapping against the cue as she held it in front of her. She tried not to think of how much of a blow to her pride it was that a stick was taller than her. "I feel it," she sighed. "But I'll space it out." She kept her eyes on the table, trying to find a path between the balls like a connect the dots game. Nell groaned when the eight didn't drop, even though she'd much rather get her own balls by herself. "One, four, and thirteen are gone," she told him. When playing alone, it didn't matter which ones were sunk. "You're welcome for thirteen." She didn't speak as she chose the five ball, again using the sides to ricochet the cue ball, trying to get the trajectory right so that it would meet the ball halfway. It dropped into the side pocket rather loudly, and she guessed she may have overshot that one a little. Nell liked to refrain from shooting so hard that it flew off the table, but sometimes she underestimated herself.
She pursed her lips when he spoke, both her hands on the pool cue, before nodding sagely. "Looks like I'm not going to be reading the paper anymore, I'll just ask you," she said. No matter what, she'd always read a paper, because one didn't shake off conditioning from youth. Habits could be worked through, but when they were things you didn't think of as habits, they were easily ignored. "Lovely," she said about the rugrats. "Ms. Kustack apparently is never going to let them use glue again. It's really hard to get out of hair." They would have to take everything away from the kids, considering anything in the hands of young children could become dangerous. Luckily she managed to avoid getting in the range of any ill-meaning children. "Maybe you're doing it wrong, you're supposed to remember things by studying," she teased.
She really didn't have a lot to eat today by her standards, which usually happened when she worked. Not like she could sit down in one of the tiny plastic chairs and eat some chips while the kids did whatever they wanted. "I don't need your help," she said in a joking tone. She didn't mind cooking with other people. That's how it used to be, when she was learning how to cook. Then she was doing it by herself, when most kids were warned away from the stove for fear of them getting burned. She returned the pool cue when they were done, trying not to think of how weird it still was that she, in essence, had a pool table. "How about I surprise you and you go...do a puzzle or something." She waved her hands as if to spirit him away. "It'll be done in half an hour."
[/justify] --------wrap myself in a bag I'M ALL WRAPPED UP IN PRAGUE I'M ALL WRAPPED UP IN YOU I'M ALL WRAPPED UP IN HIM TOO |
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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Apr 1, 2012 2:10:42 GMT -5
DO ME A FAVOUR & ASK IF YOU NEED SOME HELP SHE SAID_________ DO ME A FAVOUR & STOP flattering yourself & TO TEAR APART THE TIES THAT BIND Joshua nodded when she named off the balls, smirking. "Who said you were getting any thanks?" He took aim at twelve and knocked it hard into fifteen, which was only about an inch away. The latter shot straight into the pocket they were both close to and the former followed more slowly, dropping in with a soft clunk. Now we're even. It wouldn't stay that way for long. Nothing lasted forever. "Did any of them try to eat it?" It was a childhood stereotype, kids eating glue and getting gum stuck in their hair. He had never been the sort of kid that would get into things like that. Instead he nosed into books and conversations, pestered adults with questions that they really could not be bothered to answer. All kids were annoying in their own way and he had been no exception. "My GPA would beg to differ." Though this was true, he said it lightly. He was not modest but he also didn't like to be a braggart. Those who boasted about their accomplishments only set themselves up for failure. He didn't believe in jinxing but bragging was asking for it.
Though he'd originally wanted to accompany her in the kitchen so that he could take his mind off things, Josh gave in easily enough, smiling. "A puzzle? I don't want to laze about when you're being so productive!" He laughed and shook his head in amusement. He did like surprises and he trusted Nell enough that he didn't think she'd burn the house down. I'll let her do her thing. He kissed her cheek and then headed downstairs and through the back door into the garden. His lips twitched as he saw the half-completed maze, pausing for a moment to take in the view. His fiancée was talented when it came to her powers. Sometimes he wished his fire could make something that lasted like this but the thoughts were usually fleeting. He preferred his own, as most did. Joshua went through the gate and onto the stone walkway that allowed one to skip past the maze and head further into the backyard. He paused at the top of the sloping hill that would take him down to the lake, enjoying the sun and the view. All of this is mine, he thought, and it was still taking some getting used to. He'd grown up in the house but inheriting it was a different story. I wonder what Nell's making. What should I—
His thoughts stopped there, gray eyes narrowing as he spotted someone at the door to the guest house. This was immediately suspicious for two reasons: one, there was no one staying there, and two, the figure looked uncannily like his little brother. "Hey!" he yelled quite loudly, wanting his voice to carry. The figure froze. "The fuck do you think you're doing?" He went down the hill in a jog, slowing as he neared the porch of the house and glaring into the deep blue eyes of Bryce. His brother glared back and Joshua felt a wave of anger consume him. "Are you trying to break in?" He did not need an answer and pressed on immediately, "I told you to get the fuck off this property, Bryce. I gave you my answer. Leave." He could not believe the nerve of this kid. Alright, so at eighteen Bryce wasn't a kid any more, but he'd always be the little brother. "No." The voice of the other was rough, angry. Joshua recognised the frustrated tone and felt wary. "Get away from that door or I'm calling the fucking cops."
He took a step back as Bryce pulled a knife on him, not having expected his brother to be armed. He recognised it as one of the knives from the kitchen and immediately regretted ever leaving Bryce alone in the room. "Just go, Bryce," he said, and his voice was softer now. "I don't want to fight you." He could see the blazing anger in the dark eyes. "I don't care what you want!" Bryce snarled. "It's always about what you want! They never sent you away!" He knew that 'they' were his parents. I never tried to fucking kill you. He refrained from saying this biting comment aloud, keeping his eyes on the weapon. I should have kept my own on me. The switchblade was usually on his person but currently resided on the bedside table. He'd removed it from his jeans before tossing them into the laundry. Bad idea, clearly. "I gave you the money for a hotel." He wondered what his brother would do with that money if not spending it on a hotel. That train of thought quickly vanished as Bryce took a threatening step forward. "You live in a fucking mansion, you selfish fucking prick! Why do you always get what you want? Oh, Joshy's in a gang but we're not going to send him off to a fucking asylum! Bryce fights back and he gets sent to the nuthouse!"
"That's because I'm not insane!" He knew it was bad the moment the words left his lips but at mention of the gang, hitting below the belt, it was too much for him to take. Bryce stepped forward and slashed at his throat, so close that Josh actually felt the wind from the blade tickle his neck. He held his breath as he jerked his head back, then ducked when Bryce swung again. Fuck! He grabbed his brother's wrist and allowed heat to flow to his palm, burning Bryce as much as he could. Bryce hissed but did not drop the blade as Josh had been hoping, instead using his other hand to direct a blast of flame straight at Josh. With his grip still on Bryce's arm, Josh did not have a hope of dodging in time. Distracted by the flames as he put them out before they could do too much damage, it was all too easy for Bryce to aim a hard kick to his shin and make him falter. The younger boy yanked his hand back and aimed another burst of flame, Josh countering this one as well. This continued back and forth for several minutes, and it was not until Joshua realised how tired he was that he caught onto what Bryce was doing. By forcing Josh to disperse his attacks, he was making it so that Josh could not get the edge over him with his powers.
Joshua got a couple good hits in, noticing with satisfaction when Bryce staggered that he was spitting blood from his mouth. Bryce had tossed the knife down but was guarding it so that Josh could not grab it and turn the fight around, now taking advantage of his brother's weakness to feint and punch him several times. Fuck. This was bad. Bryce sneered at him and Joshua was pretty sure he'd never hated him more. "I know how you fight, asshole." It was true. Bryce and Joshua had fought often enough that they'd learned each others tricks over the years. I shouldn't have let myself forget. For had it not always been Bryce's style to strike him at his worst moments? His brother punched him in the jaw and then jabbed him sharply in the gut when he was distracted, a combination that allowed him to get the best of his older brother and take him down against the side of the porch. There was a slight cracking sound, though the wood rail did not give way to their combined weight. The next thing Josh knew there was a knife at his neck. He's going to fucking kill me. The thought was surprisingly calm, probably because it hadn't fully registered yet. Bryce was enjoying his victory, though, dragging it out like a cat with a mouse. "I'm better than you, Josh." Cause that's what you always wanted, isn't it? Josh hadn't given up quite yet and didn't respond verbally, his hand on Bryce's wrist again, trying to hold it away from his throat. It was hard when his arms felt like lead and he'd have liked nothing more than to sleep. "Fuck you, Bryce," he growled. Bryce retaliated by using his other hand to punch him again, no longer laughing but looking determined as he put his weight into it. - - - - -perhaps "fuck off" [/i][/div] MIGHT BE TOO KIND [/center] |
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