but it ain't far to fall | yuki

[JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE]

The mood in the medical wing was rather morose that day, with not much talking and a lot of jobs to do. The early spring rains had frozen overnight into dangerous sheets of ice that lurked on the paths, waiting to trip up an unsuspecting student. So with the combination of illness, injury and general complaints, the staff had been kept busy. The gray skies and lashing rain outside the windows was not helping to better anyone's spirits. It would melt the remainder of the snow and ice but it made the ground muddy and soaked through clothing in a matter of seconds. As a Fire elemental, he was more than happy to help out his shivering and soaking coworkers with a wave of his hand and a pulse of heat but it sapped at his stamina and made work a more tiring ordeal than usual.

When all was said and done, he found himself eager to grab his coat from where it hung in the small closet and head out of the medical wing. The place was far too tense for his liking and since his shift was over and his energy drained, he needed a break. I could use a coffee. He considered the idea of stopping at Tim Hortons on his way home but decided that he would much rather stay inside until the rain let up a little. He was not a bad driver but he didn't exactly trust everyone else not to be a little careless about the wet and icy roads. The mess hall had closed after dinner and so he headed for the faculty lounge instead, twitching his lip in greeting when he noticed that there were already a couple of others milling about. None of the faces were of people he was well-acquainted with and so he decided against starting any conversation just yet and went over to the coffee maker.

God, I love that smell. He breathed deep and revelled in the dry warmth of the room as he poured himself a cup and threw in some sugar cubes. As he drank his coffee black, he ignored the milk and went to sit down on the couch. The mood seemed considerably lighter in the staff room, if a bit less hectic. No doctors darting between rooms with grim expressions, just some teachers discussing a problem student within his hearing range and a couple of randoms doing their own thing. He exhaled in a sigh, dragging a hand through his dark hair and setting the cup down on the coffee table. As someone else sat down alone nearby, he turned to them with a tired half-smile. "I hope your day wasn't as long as mine." It was friendly, tinged with a bit of dry amusement. Hours of medical school followed by a few hours in the medical wing could take a lot out of anyone.

[You can decide whether or not they'd be acquainted already, I left it vague on purpose <3]

[YUKI ROZU AKIYAMA]

"Hey Josh. Yeah its been a bit intense today. Seems like somethings in the air." she agreed as she relaxed back with her coffee. She wore a red business suit and had opted for shoes with traction on them, "Sorry for the semi causal but I don't relish falling down in that mess." she chuckled as she relaxed and let the warmth of her cocoa sooth her.

Her arguments with Hiro still stung her pride and made her into a bit of a workaholic. She'd done her best to forget how he could rile her. It actually improved her students a lot more as she focused on making them the best they could be. Some would never be fantastic but that would come with time and confidence.

The drawback was long hours. She was tired and it showed in slight dark circles under her eyes. Putting her cup to her lips her sleeve moved enough to show a bracelet with the breast cancer awareness emblem on it. moving her hand back it quickly disappeared with a hint of silver sparkle.

"So what have you been up to?" she asked as a group of medics helped a student get settled in a waiting room, "Lots of slipping and sliding today." she sighed as she bit her lip. She stretched lightly and shifted in the chair that she occupied. "They need to hire a masseuse for the school." she said half jokingly.

[JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE]

It seemed that he was not the only one to feel the tension in the air that day and he dipped his head once in silent agreement. He was not overly talkative and if he could answer without words, it was common that he would do so. That did not mean he was anti-social, however, and so he did have a response for what she said next. "That's your semi-casual? Do you ever dress down?" He chuckled. There was no smile upon his lips but it was fairly easy to sense that he was in a decent mood thanks to his relaxed posture and tone.

He wore the typical scrubs of the medical wing staff himself underneath the beige jacket that he'd shrugged on as he'd headed out the door. He looked forward to heading home and changing into something a little less professional. He dressed well and in expensive clothing, this somewhat evident even in uniform by the gold watch that adorned his wrist. Wealth had always been kind to him.

He took a long sip of the steaming coffee before responding, enjoying the feeling as it scalded its way down his throat. It could not give him the same feeling of penetrative warmth that whiskey did but this was a true warmth instead of the false comfort the alcohol gave as blood rushed to protect his extremities. "I had classes earlier in the day and came straight here afterwards. Been working ever since. It's awful busy in the wing, a lot of students coming down with something or another. A lot of accidents due to the ice, as well. Some poor girl even broke her leg, we had to call for an ambulance to send her off to the hospital in the Hollow." He shook his head, looking grim for a moment. Most of the doctors that worked in the medical wing were not specialists and so while they could treat a wide range of things, surgeries were always left to the hands of the large hospital in the city. Another sip of coffee. "Needless to say, I'm glad for the break." He liked his job but he had his limits to how much he could deal with in a single day. Medical school did enough of a number on him.

An amused huff was coaxed from him. "That'd be nice. I could do with a massage." Being on his feet for the better part of the evening had not left him in a very comfortable state. "Feels like I could sink right into the couch if I tried. How were your students?" He knew that she was a professor and so he figured that she might have something to say about her classes for the day.

[This is set in the staff room, not the medical wing! Sorry for any confusion ^^]

[/quote]

[YUKI ROZU AKIYAMA]

Laughing softly, Yuki felt the tension in her shoulders relax, "I do at home but even that's a bit dressier than most. Family tends to spring things on me at the last moment." a rare admission for her but non the less true for all that. She couldn't even recall the last time she had worn jeans. She usually had a set of clothes for working in the garden but that was it.

"That sounds pretty bad alright. I was just kind of waiting till it got a little less chilly. I can heat the car with my remote but I didn't want to actually walk out until I'd gotten some warmth inside me." She was having a case of the sleepies hit her and her eyes were going half lidded as she struggled to stay awake and not just nap in the lounge like some did on their break. Not that she had anything against it, it would just make it harder to move later on.

"Sounds like an evening with pot roast and a nice warm house is in order." she nodded in agreement. At least that was what she had planned. She stretched slightly, a grimace of pain crossing her features at the small stab of pain she felt from her back muscles. Going to have to hit the tread mill before dinner.

A soft sigh escaped her and she lounged back in her chair, "Antsy as usual on a day like this. The heaters had everyone wanting to sleep and I can't say I really blame them. We did get some of the shyer students to come out of their shells though which was nice. This week I have them looking at where their parents work and seeing how to apply all the theory I've been shoving down their throats into real world application. I refuse to let them graduate without knowing what they can do with their gifts. Mastery being only one part of the bigger picture." she blushed as she realized she had gotten her educator mojo on. "Sorry, Still winding down." she said sheepishly as she blushed about the lecture. So how are you doing?" she said as she shifted her focus to him, her dark eyes taking in his movements silently as they spoke. He looked drained. "I think there are some chips left from the small staff party the other day. Would you like me to get you some? You look like you could use the energy boost and its a carbohydrate so you won't have the crash factor kicking in five minutes later like with a candy bar."

It gave her an excuse to get off her butt as she went to the cupboard and pulled down a small bowl and the chips, pouring a few in it for the both of them to share. Putting the clip back on the bag, she put it away and closed the cupboard door before she picked up the bowl and placed it between them.


[No problem I just got kind of confused ]

[JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE]

"I know the feeling." He liked to look good and come across as professional. A confident man, Joshua was nevertheless determined to make a good impression on those that counted. His superiors, his colleagues, his professors at the university. Coming across as an arrogant and disinterested youth was never his impression. When most of those that he worked with were older than him he had to work hard to prove himself.

He had never been able to truly relate to those that complained about the chill in the air, at least not for a long time. There had been a time before his powers existed in his life but as almost a decade had passed, it was distant indeed. "I guess I'm lucky in that aspect." Fire flickered at his fingertips, a silent demonstration of what he meant. The heat that he could command saved him from having to brace himself before he stepped out of a door in wintertime. "I came up for the coffee. I thought about stopping by Tim Hortons on my way home but I figured I'd relax before the drive." He didn't live far but after being on his feet for hours he had needed to sit down. The man had a lot of energy but he wasn't without limits!

Yuki certainly seemed passionate as she went on about her day, Josh listening in polite silence. He'd once thought about what it would be like to come back to the Academy as a teacher when considering what to do with his History major but in the end, he knew that working two jobs would not be good for him. Medicine was his passion, first and foremost. "Never a bad idea. I feel like some of the Fires need to realise that not all of us have to be firemen in order to apply ourselves." He chuckled at the thought. He used his own powers by helping heal burns in the medical wing. Not all Earths became gardeners, either. Heck, some people didn't use their powers in their career at all. His mother was a member of parliament and she certainly didn't respond to her opponents by setting them alight, funny as that might be. He waved his hand dismissively at the apology. "It's all right." He didn't mind. The conversation was a nice change from the fast pace of the day.

Josh stretched slightly, pressing his hand against the back of his neck and tilting his head back. His muscles felt stiff from all of the exertion. "I'm fine," he replied, his stock answer to any question about his well being, then added, "Tired, mostly." He looked forward to heading home. The mansion was one of his favourite places in the world. Because he was polite, and also because he was curious, he returned, "And you?"

As someone who cared about his health and paid attention to details, Josh found himself entertained. "You know your stuff, huh? Sure, that doesn't sound so bad." He couldn't deny that the energy was needed. He felt sore and devoid of the juice that he'd started the day with. "Thanks," he told Yuki when she returned with the chips, taking one and popping it into his mouth. Swallowing, he said, "There was a staff party? I must have missed it. How was it?" He'd never been to a lot of 'grown up' parties in his life, at least not ones that weren't hosted by his parents. It was mostly college parties that involved a lot of drinking and idiocy.

[that's totally fine :D]

[YUKI ROZU AKIYAMA]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,10,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true] ★ LYRICS LINES ★ [atrb=style,width: 415px; background-image:URL('http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s445/welshling/nebula_rcw49_04lrg.jpg'); border: dotted 6px #A17FA3; true;] ✯ JOSHUA ✯ “Relaxing is always good especially if you're a professor or teacher. Seems to me like we go from sitting in desks in school to standing on our feet all day if we pursue education for a career.” she said with a soft smile at him as she felt warmth finally seep into her bones. She didn't know any fires that were good friends so it was hard to find a way to keep truly warm in the depths of winter. She'd just settle for a warm home at the moment. Turning to look at him, Yuki nodded enthusiastically. “Exactly! Its all in how you look at your abilities and not limiting your options. I have a family member who works in the hospital with cardo patients and another who helps with physical therapy.” she stopped from going on and blushed as she realized that she needed to get out of teacher mode, "I'm glad I got my plants covered. " she added as she watched the weather a moment. It looked like it was going to be a wet and frozen night. "I'm alright. Been looking after my grandmother since she became ill. I can't say I've ever been much of a social butterfly unless it was one of those parties my parents threw. And that's more an arrive because its expected sort of thing." she admitted with a grin and shrug, then she waved her hand nonchalantly at him, Oh you know how it goes. Plenty of reminiscing and "Can you believe what my student did?" stories followed by cake and more leftovers. Its a good way to unwind but its not ever going to be the most exciting thing ever." she took a chip delicately and nibbled on it politely before swallowing and continuing, "I'm sure you'll be around for the next one. They seem to have them every 2 months or so unless its like a big birthday month." ★ LYRIC LINES ★ template by rach

[JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE]

Though he did not go as far as to laugh, Josh looked amused at her comment. "Ah, I feel you on the standing issue. I feel like I could fall right to sleep on this couch." The medical wing meant being on your feet for most of the day, with no desk to sit behind and observe the patients. He took advantage of breaks when he could and always sat down while talking to patients about their illnesses so that he was not dead on his feet when it came time for the actual treatment.

It seemed they were agreement and he nodded, seeming interested as she spoke of family members in the medical field. He was passionate about his field and thus it was always a safe topic of conversation. "Cardio? My father's a cardiologist," he said. One could say that Donovan dealt with matters of the heart. Though he'd been the one to inspire Josh in terms of a career path, the Fire elemental did not think he would take after his father in every aspect. Cardiology did not speak strongly to him. "Ah, you garden? My wife's rather good at that but I've never had the talent." His tone was fond as he spoke of Nell, the wedding band on his finger saying it all. He admired her green thumb.

He always got awkward when tragedies were mentioned in conversations. He wasn't good at being consoling and never knew what to say. So he moved on, addressing a different part of the comment. "The good old days of parental parties. I remember them well." He could practically hear Patricia and Donovan now. "Adjust your shirt, you look scruffy!" or "Don't you dare embarrass this family!" In all fairness, his parents had brought him up fairly well. He turned out all right in the end.

"Hell, I'd show up just for the cake." That wasn't even a joke. Joshua was a sucker for anything sweet. Great, I want cake now. Perhaps he would stop by the bakery on his way home and pick up something from the bakery for dessert, his little (selfish) surprise. "Perhaps. I'm busy with school a lot so I guess I'll need to wait and see!" Thinking back on it as he took another chip, school was probably the reason he'd missed this one, too. He missed a lot of things for school. Education was important to him.

[YUKI ROZU AKIYAMA]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,10,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true] ★ Sometimes you picture me ★ [atrb=style,width: 415px; background-image:URL('http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s445/welshling/nebula_rcw49_04lrg.jpg'); border: dotted 6px #A17FA3; true;] ✯ Joshua ✯ “There is a reason I have a good working relationship with my salon.” she smiled and wiggled her feet. It was girly but it did feel good to get her feet massaged after a long week. She needed it. She considered it a work expense. Tilting her head his way she beamed, “I'd love to meet her. Gardening isn't my specialty being a thunder and all but to know someone who really knows what they are doing would be good. I do it more out of love than talent.” she admitted with a good natured laugh. Whatever came from this chat it had been worth it. Josh seemed like a nice guy and it helped to know some genuinely nice folks. She was beginning to think she was a jerk magnet or something. Truth was, she was lonely. Now that she was older and not as busy she noticed it more. "I can always save a few slices for you and your wife considering I make them too. I'll make you a smaller version to take home next time. Consider it payment if you're wife is willing to talk gardens with me." she said. She didn't want him thinking she was making a play, "Its rare for me to have visitors." ★ I'm walking too far ahead ★ template by rach

[JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE]

He chuckled at the comment, unable to relate but amused all the same. It made sense to have some down time for yourself every now and again and he wouldn't hold it against her for a minute. Sometimes it felt like he should take more time out of his own schedule to attend to personal needs but work and education always came first. He didn't know how to relax.

He grinned. "Ah, yeah, she definitely knows her stuff. I could introduce you!" As a married couple, Joshua and Nell often found their social circles overlapping. There were times when they did not always share views on certain people but they never allowed such things to interfere with their relationship and so he was comfortable with the idea of networking. "I'm sure she'd be glad to have another gardener around," he joked. "I've got the opposite of a green thumb." His power tended to destroy plants as opposed to letting them flourish. His mother, also a Fire, had been a wonderful gardener but she hadn't passed the talent down to her eldest son. Ah well. You win some, you lose some. Nell's garden was impressive but he didn't find himself envious, having never been an aspiring green thumb himself.

Not thinking in the direction of a play at all, Josh was more than eager to accept the offer. "You'd do that? Hey, that sounds great!" There were a lot of decent people working at the Academy. He had some people with bad blood around, too, but he was glad that he got along with some of them. Yuki seemed like a pretty nice woman. And hell, she was offering him cake. No way he could turn down cake.

[YUKI ROZU AKIYAMA]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,10,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true] ★ I KNEW YOU WERE TROUBLE WHEN YOU WALKED IN ★ [atrb=style,width: 415px; background-image:URL('http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s445/welshling/nebula_rcw49_04lrg.jpg'); border: dotted 6px #A17FA3; true;] ✯ HIRO ✯ “That would be great. My plants will thank you tremendously” she said softly as she looked over at him with a bright smile. She settled herself a bit more and relaxed as she talked with Josh. Listening to him she nodded and sat up a little straighter, "I'd like that. It would be nice to have advice on my grandmother's garden." she said softly as she looked down at her bracelet absently. She shook off how she felt grinned at him. She heard a beep on her watch and glanced down, "I'm going to have to head out soon. I've got to head over to my grandmother's and help with dinner but I will totally make that cake for you and your wife." she promised as she rose and straightened the lounge a bit more. Her eyes taking in what needed to be tossed in the trash, washed and straightened. She'd been raised to leave a place cleaner than she had found it. She was just happy to have met someone who was nice. It made her feel like she fit in more. She bit her lip and shook her head gently as a chuckle escaped her and she brushed her hair over her shoulder. Eventually she'd feel more at home here but for this moment she could relax knowing that she hadn't offended someone like Hiro tended to imply she did all the time. This was a good start. ★ NOW YOU PUT ME DOWN ★ template by rach