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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Mar 9, 2012 18:36:19 GMT -5
 FIENDISH WONDER IN A CARNIVAL'S WAKE DULL CARESSES ONCE AGAIN IRRITATE * tread softly, stranger , MOVE OVER TOWARD THE DANGER THAT YOU SEEK Though a light rain had interrupted the clear summer skies, Joshua did not so much as don a jacket as he stepped outside of the mansion. He paused on the porch and inhaled deeply, savouring the scent of the rain for a moment before considering the garage. He could go for a drive, yes, but that would ruin the point of going outside to clear his thoughts. Instead Joshua stepped back inside for a moment to manually unlock and open the front gates and walked down the driveway at a leisurely pace, the rain too soft to be a bother as it pattered against the exposed skin of his arms and face. The road on which the most impressive mansions of Maple Hollow were situated was a long one and he looked upon the homes of his neighbours as he walked, smirking slightly when he passed the one where he knew Nell's father lived. He passed the mansion that used to belong to the Woods family and wondered where his old friend was now. By the time he reached the Hollow's centre, where the majority of its population seemed to converge, even the lightest of rains had managed to soak through his clothing and cause him some discomfort. He glanced surreptitiously around the soaked streets and then slipped into an alleyway, taking care to ensure he was alone before he waved his hand and allowed heat and warmth to engulf him, drying his clothes almost instantly.
That's better, thought Joshua as he re-emerged. It would not look too suspicious if the other townsfolk merely assumed he'd parked a vehicle nearby in order to conduct his business in the heart of the place. He stuck close the the buildings where the awnings could shield him from the rain as it started to fall heavier. He didn't mind the rain but he'd had enough of being soaked for one day. As he walked, Josh wondered where he could go to pass the time for a while. He hadn't really kept an objective in mind when he'd exited the house and he was now realising why he was usually the type to plan ahead. I should have at least checked the forecast. A glance at the sky suggested the rain wouldn't be letting up for a while and so he wanted to get inside before he was caught in a storm. He wasn't afraid of them but he didn't have his car and he didn't want to get sick by walking all the way home drenched to the bone. His power could stave off the worst of it but he figured it was better to stay inside until it wore off than to drain his energy slowly for the simple task of getting back to the mansion. Perhaps this wasn't such a good idea after all. His sanctuary came in the form of a Tim Hortons that he often stopped in at on the way to school, and Joshua skirted a few other people as he ducked inside.
It was rather busy, something Joshua attributed to the conditions outside. He surely wasn't the one one escaping the weather. The mortals couldn't even dry off as easily as he could! Despite the rain, the weather had remained quite humid and warm and so he did not need to warm himself up as he stepped inside and got into the line. He was patient and so spent the time waiting on eyeing the menu and deciding what he would spend his money on today. He ended up with a large iced cappuccino and a box of a dozen donuts. His sweet tooth could not be sated easily, though he doubted he would eat them all in one go. He loved all things sugary and delicious but he was not stupid enough to think they were good for him. Joshua kept himself in good health with a carefully monitored (and vegetarian diet) but that didn't mean he could eat pounds of candy each day and get away with it. He selected a powdered donut filled with blueberry jelly and polished it off, removing the powder from his fingers with a napkin and taking a sip of the iced coffee. He didn't have any company and so this felt a bit boring but it was at least better than the alternative. Suppressing a sigh, he took a second donut from the box (Boston Cream, he identified) and set to work on it.
[Oh and Josh doesn't have a ring, btw, just Nell <3]
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Post by lucy on Mar 9, 2012 21:48:29 GMT -5
i cannot put my finger on it now the child is grown the dream is gone  i have become comfortably numb Rain... it was probably one of Lucy's most favorite things in the world, though she never seemed to count it as such. When she was standing in the rain, as she was now, Lucy adored it, but the idea of rain wasn't something she was too fond of. The people who walked past her probably thought Lucy was insane, standing on the sidewalk with her head tilted towards the sky, her eyes closed as the raindrops slid down her cheeks. She was smiling contentedly. Rain was cleansing, refreshing, and Lucy was oblivious to the odd looks she was receiving from passerbys. Quite simply, she didn't care.
A wind blew past, and Lucy opened her eyes as it chilled her to the bone. It had been warmer when she had left home that morning, the tee and shorts she donned were more than enough to keep her warm, though not necessarily dry. She shivered, making eye contact with an elderly woman who took one look at the drenched girl before her and harumphed. With a surprised smile, Lucy poked her tongue out at the lady's back and turned to make her way towards the town's main street, which was thankfully in the complete opposite direction to where the snooty old lady was going.
Lucy was craving entertainment, but the town was quiet. No doubt the weather was keeping most people indoors and out of the rain. Crossing her arms across her chest to keep herself warm, Lucy walked down the street, peering into shop windows as she walked past them. Apart from the people in the stores, and the odd person that hurried past her, the town was fairly empty. It seemed like there was nothing here that would hold Lucy's attention for longer than five seconds...
It was then that her nose caught a scent. Inhaling deeply, Lucy couldn't help but to be reminded of home. She had never understood her home city's absolute obsession with coffee, but Lucy did drink it from time to time. It just wasn't the staple part of her diet that other New Yorkers made it out to be. Then again, Lucy was only fourteen, and her experience with the bitter beverage was limited. Nevertheless, a cafe or something similar seemed like a good place to at least shelter from the weather. Following her nose, Lucy ended up outside Tim Hortons. She took a moment to peek in the window, taking note that it was very busy. Undoubtedly because of the weather. But Lucy could feel the warmth inside the building through the class, and she wandered in. Her feet took her to the counter, where she ordered a mochachino and handed over the money to the cashier.
Looking for a place to sit, mocha now in hand, Lucy scanned the room for a place to sit. At first glance, every table was full, but then she spotted a table with a spare seat. Approaching the lone figure that was sitted there, Lucy was shocked to realize that she recognized him. Perfect, she thought as she slid into the seat opposite him, placing her hot beverage on the table, and giving him a look for a few moments before speaking. "It's... Joshua, right?" Lucy questioned, tilting her head to the side. It was unnecessary, really, considering she knew exactly who he was. Without waiting for an answer, Lucy took a sip from her drink, savoring the heat as it warmed her from the inside out. Tim Hortons might just hold more entertainment than she had thought...
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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Mar 9, 2012 22:51:42 GMT -5
FIENDISH WONDER IN A CARNIVAL'S WAKE DULL CARESSES ONCE AGAIN IRRITATE * tread softly, stranger , MOVE OVER TOWARD THE DANGER THAT YOU SEEK Josh sipped the frigid drink slowly, really not in the mood for brain freeze that rainy summer afternoon. He kept his gaze on the window as he sat, watching those that walked by with mild interest. People watching was something he did often when he was alone, mostly because other people were a lot more interesting than simple scenery. Watching a tree wouldn't give you much variety but if you kept your gaze to the population, they could surprise you. He finished his second donut and put the box aside for now, deciding that he would demolish the rest later, or perhaps in another few minutes if he could not resist temptation. Some people had been smart enough to bring umbrellas with them while others looked irritated or otherwise indifferent about the weather. Though he didn't care much about getting drenched himself, Joshua could understand how some people lamented it ruining their make-up or wrinkling their clothing. As a guy he didn't need to worry about make-up and Joshua was not too fussy about his clothes. He dressed neatly, fashionably—designer, to be specific—but he also understood that it was simple as going home and changing if something went wrong. He was not exactly low maintenance but he wasn't a very high maintenance guy, either.
A distraction came in the form of a sound, the chair across from him scraping slightly against the floor as someone slid into it. He turned his attention away from the window and blinked slate-gray eyes at his intruder, a mild frown tugging at his lips. He had not been expecting some stranger to impose upon his company without even so much as asking if they could sit. It turned out that she was not as much of a stranger as he'd thought, though his expression did not clear immediately. He regarded her for a long moment and then dipped his head in confirmation of his name. "Lucy," he replied. Nell's cousin, Josh recalled. They were not incredibly well acquainted but he knew who she was and that was enough. He was not entirely sure what his opinion on the Water elemental was yet. Her mother had certainly made a damning impression by nearly taking him out in one hit when he'd stepped to defend Nell in the parking lot. Good thing she doesn't know that. He did not like thinking about Jane and how easily she could have kicked his ass if she'd wanted to. Not that it would have stopped Josh from doing his best to protect his then-girlfriend. He was very fierce when it came to his loved ones. Fierce to the point of blind recklessness.
The window having lost its appeal thanks to his new-found company, Joshua did not look back at it, instead folding his arms on the table in front of him and considering what he might say to her. "It seems you've invited yourself to sit with me," he said dryly, arching a dark eyebrow at her. "I don't mind, not that you asked." He gave her a bit of a smirk and leaned back in the chair, unfolding his arms and relaxing his posture. While he still hadn't solidified his opinions on the girl—hadn't known her long enough to form many—Joshua did not really mind her presence at the moment. He was bored anyway. "Are you here to escape the rain? I would have thought your kind thrived in this weather." He did not say this sarcastically but simply, stating a fact. He did not know the Water elementals all that well as a group, for he'd only started mixing with them around a year ago. He'd hung around Thunders and Fires much longer than that and knew their many ins and outs, though of course individuals had their own quirks and traits that set them apart from one another. Not every Fire would sacrifice everything for a loved one as Josh did, for example, and their tempers varied in severity. Josh had one of the more explosive ones, as dangerous as it was unpredictable.
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Post by lucy on Mar 11, 2012 5:03:20 GMT -5
i cannot put my finger on it now the child is grown the dream is gone i have become comfortably numb Intruding was just one of those things that Lucy did well. Whether it had been her mother, nanny, stepfather or some complete stranger on the street, Lucy liked to mess with people. Finding out what made people tick was a hobby of hers. An immature one, perhaps, but a hobby, nonetheless. Either way, Lucy hoped she wouldn't grow out of it. It was far too entertaining for her to ever get bored of it, she was sure.
Lucy raised her eyebrows as she saw Joshua frown at her, an amused expression sliding onto her face. In truth, she didn't know him that well, the only link between them being Nell. And seeing as Lucy had spotted Nell wearing a decent sized rock on her finger, she could only assume they were now engaged. Which meant Josh was almost her... cousin-in-law? Lucy didn't know if the title existed, but it'd be fun to throw in Joshua's face every now and again. Just for kicks. Lucy felt the corner of her lips tug up into a self-satisfied smirk when Josh recalled her name. Well, she was memorable, at least.
"Seems like it, doesn't it?"
[/color] Lucy responded, sarcasm dripping from every word and mirroring Josh's expression by raising her own eyebrow. She was surprised to find that he didn't mind her sitting there, and fought hard to keep it from showing. Thankfully, she managed to succeed. Barely. She took another gulp of her drink, and after swallowing, gave Josh a rather incredulous look. She resented being referred to as 'your kind', but she let it lie. For now. "I think it's a little late for me to be escaping the rain."[/color] she stated, motioning to her soaked clothing. "Don't you think?"[/color] She rolled her eyes, not bothering to disguise it. "Anyway, shouldn't your kind be holed up inside? You're not meant to like water."[/color] She gave him a toned down glare and turned back to her drink, stirring it absent mindedly with her pinky finger. Her eyes downcast, Lucy finally noticed the box of donuts on the table next to Josh. She wasn't a huge fan of them (another New York obsession she didn't quite understand), but Lucy found herself wanting one all the same. "Can I have one?"[/color] Lucy asked, her eyes widening before she leaned over and took one without waiting for Josh's response. She took a bite, delighted to find it was a Jelly filled donut. Her mouth full of donut, Lucy's eyes wandered to Josh's drink. "Why the hell'd you buy a cold drink?[/color] she asked, pushing the food in her mouth to the side of her cheek as she spoke. Thankfully (for Josh's sake, at least), she managed to not spit any food out at him. To emphasize her point, Lucy leaned across with her free hand to flick the container gently. "What is it?"[/color] Lucy raised her eyes to Josh's, genuinely curious about what it was he was drinking. ((gahhh~ this is terrible. they will get better, i promise! <3 ))[/size][/justify][/blockquote][/blockquote] |
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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Mar 11, 2012 7:19:33 GMT -5
FIENDISH WONDER IN A CARNIVAL'S WAKE DULL CARESSES ONCE AGAIN IRRITATE * tread softly, stranger , MOVE OVER TOWARD THE DANGER THAT YOU SEEK Irritating. That was the first word that came to mind as her sarcasm grated upon his ears, though it barely touched his unwavering patience. He had a little sister, he was used to being pestered. Annabel was family, however, and so he was much more lenient and tolerant of her. She didn't reply to his comment about not minding and so he assumed she'd taken it upon herself to figure that he wouldn't. He did not realise that she'd done it specifically to annoy him, knowing nothing about the girl beyond her element, name, and who she happened to be related to. It was for the sake of his fiancée that he was giving this girl a chance rather than being a complete jerk. Well, that and the fact that some Waters could be decent once you got past their outer layers. It was surviving long enough to do this that often became his problem. He thought of Ethan and almost frowned, though he managed to keep his expression placid.
He blinked at her soaked clothing, giving a shrug. "For all I knew you'd grown bored of it." It was usual for people to get sick of the rain after a while when the wetness became uncomfortable and the water started to chill you to the bone. Perhaps it was different for Water elementals, and if so he was glad that he wasn't one. Joshua could not imagine what it was like to have a genuine love for all kinds of water, even though he loved Fire as much as any of his elemental kin. It was the fear of drowning that did it, he knew, but apart from the rain (which he mostly liked for its scent, anyway) he loathed water. Smirking at her rain-drenched appearance, he said, "Would you like me to help you with that, or do you genuinely enjoy looking like a wet dog?" The insult was meant to be a pain in her backside, rebuttal for the roll of her eyes and her sarcasm when she'd shot back at him. Two could play this game. Lucy was rather lucky she was not meeting the Joshua of a year and a half ago, for he had been much less tolerant and a lot more keen for violence back then. He had Nell to blame for the fact he'd calmed.
He gave a half-scoff, half-chuckle when she stressed the words 'your kind', recognising a repeat of his earlier term. It was common among elementals but she apparently saw it as something insulting by the way she used it. "I delight in the fact you've already pigeon-holed me with the rest of my brethren," he said with a touch of dryness to his tone. He used to take great pride in being referred to as a 'typical' Fire elemental but now felt indifferent and sometimes even offended by it. In switching sides and seeing how vile his kind could be toward their enemies he was not so fond of the comparison. It was not all that evident as he spoke to Lucy, though made slightly known by his lack of amusement. "I like the rain," he told her, wondering what she'd think of that or if she'd believe him. "As for being meant to like it, well, I've never been content to do as I'm told." He smirked and picked up one of his donuts, turning it over in his fingers for a moment before taking a bite.
He was still chewing when she asked if she could have one and so hadn't gotten so much as the chance to swallow and open his mouth before she was indulging herself. Where taking the empty seat for granted had merely surprised him, Joshua felt a prickle of anger at this bold action. Those were his. It did not matter that he had loads of money and could buy thousands of boxes if he wished, it was the fact that she'd taken them without asking—well, without waiting for an answer—that bothered him. "I can hardly imagine your restraint if I'd said no," he said with heavy and evident sarcasm, scowling softly. He resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose when she started talking with her mouth full. This girl. Were all fourteen year olds this annoying? He couldn't remember what he'd been like at her age, only that he'd had far better manners thanks to his strict upbringing, and so he concluded that maybe she was oblivious to how much of a pain she was and let it slide. For now.
Her flicking of the drink didn't bug him half as much as the donut spectacle and so he made no comment on it and his expression did not shift other than to fade back into its careful neutrality. "Because it's summer," he said, shaking his head. He was an ice-cream-in-winter kind of guy anyway and wouldn't be opposed to hot chocolate on a blazing August afternoon but her question didn't make much sense to him. Why the fuck was the sky blue? (Of course, with all his knowledge Josh knew the scientific answer to that.) "And because I felt like one. Is that so hard to believe?" He gave her an incredulous look when she asked him what it was. "It's an iced capp," he said in an odd tone, as if this should explain everything. "I've honestly never met a Canadian that doesn't—" He stopped there, lifting his chin and appearing enlightened as it dawned on him. "Right, you're American. Tim Hortons isn't popular there." Deciding to humour her, he gestured to the television screen that frequently flashed ads for different beverages and confectioneries and which was now displaying the very drink he had in front of him. "Iced cappuccino. Plain."
[OMG she's so great I can't—. Sorry it's so long, btw xD I had muse~]
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