-- YOU'VE GOT YOUR BIT PART MOZART [Josh]

[JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE]

He wasn't a very expressive person and Joshua often appeared much less cheerful or excited than he actually was at any given time. He was touched as Carter hugged him excitedly with an exclamation of agreement but the only sign on the surface was a small but content smile. Not a grin, not a laugh, but a smile that nevertheless lightened his expression and made him look a little less menacing than usual. Smiling often made people look a lot more likeable and the fact that he didn't do a whole lot of it might have had a lot to do with people's first judgements on him. At least he seemed to have passed in Carter's book. "You got it, little brother," he said affectionately, ruffling the kids hair. It reminded him of why he wanted to be a father, why he wanted his own family so bad. Kids were cute and so god damn impressionable. He wanted to have one of his own and raise that kid right. I'd make a good father, wouldn't I? It might be years before he found out but Carter's response to him was encouraging, at least.

A spark of interest lit his expression when Lark asked him if he might like to come along, the answer decided before she'd even finished speaking. He stayed silent and allowed her to get all of the words about before he dipped his head. "Are you looking to adopt a shelter dog or are you gonna buy a puppy off someone?" He thought about if for a moment before offering his two cents on the matter. "A shelter means helping out a dog that needs it but if you want a guaranteed shot at a healthy and stable dog... eh, sometimes those shelter pups come with problems, you know? It all depends on what you're wanting to deal with." He preferred shelter adoptions himself simply because he felt bad for the animals that had to suffer without homes and companionship but he knew that a lot of shelter dogs suffered abuse or other kids of conditions that kept them in said shelter. Not a lot of people were willing to take on that kind of challenge. Sometimes you got lucky but he didn't know if Lark would have much chance of adopting a healthy German Shepherd out of a shelter. A lot of people would snap a dog like that up in seconds. He wouldn't blame her if she chose to adopt from a family that could assure her of the dogs conditions. "Either way I'll help you with what I can. What are friends for?" And he knew about caring for German Shepherds because he owned one.

He made an amused sound in his throat but didn't say anything. What he'd wanted to say had already been said and as his best friend, Lark didn't need more than that. You trust I'll be honest with you. I like that. There wasn't a whole lot of guilt regarding the things he had kept from her over the years. He had his reasons.

He laughed, shook his head. "I'm sure your cooking can't get that bad." Maybe if it went down the wrong way and he choked on it he'd be writhing around on the floor but for now Lark was in the clear and he was... well, he was still trying to figure out whether he enjoyed the whole meat deal or not. The textures and tastes and juices and everything else associated with the consumption of meat were all new to him. And nothing really tasted much like duck so he was left confused by all the different kinds of flavours. Does anything taste like duck? Apparently everything tastes like chicken. On the upside he now knew what chicken tasted like so he could understand people when they wrote something off as being similar. He looked entertained as Lark told him about the meats. "I know," he assured her. "Believe me, I had to do a lot of research about the whole vegetarian thing. Red meat's got a lot of iron and B12 so I had to supplement for it and all. I'm just glad I didn't decide to become a vegan." He laughed at himself and took another bite. He didn't think he could live without eating chocolate.

He offered her a genuine smile after they'd ate and gestured at the empty plate with his fork. "I agree. You're a good cook, L." Compliments when they were deserved help to make a person feel good about themselves and he was always willing to tell his friends when they were good at something. Sure, maybe he preferred his mother or his wife's cooking but that was because it was what he was accustomed to. Lark was a fine cook, probably even better than he was. It wasn't that Joshua couldn't cook, he could follow directions in a recipe book well enough, it was that he wasn't willing to branch out and experiment enough to really give the food a distinct flavour. He was a by-the-book kind of guy and sometimes, by the book wasn't the way to go. A glint of mischief kindled in his gray gaze. "Gotcha." That was fine by him.

[LARK MARIE HARPER]

If Carter's eyes could light up anymore, he would probably resemble a set of glowing headlights. He loved to be accepted, just as any child did, and to hear Josh call him brother only excited him even more. The word held meaning, but probably not at the same level of intensity as it would someone who was older and more understanding of what family was, how big of a deal that would be. Like it was for Lark when Josh considered her a sister. She had to blink a couple of times as she watched the scene unfold; Lark was not an overly emotional person but to see people she cared about get along and create a bond was touching. Now she had two brothers, one that made her feel safe and protected, and one she had the opportunity to protect. It was a wonderful feeling that felt warm as it rose up in her chest. Carter giggled and shook his head after it was affectionately ruffled, glancing at his sister before continuing his hug on Josh.

Lark was not actually expecting her friend to ask questions and offer advice on dog adoption, but absorbed the information like a sponge. She waited until he was done explaining to answer his initial question, tilting her head in thought as she did so. "Hmm. Well, I guess if they have a Shepherd at the shelter that I can walk around and spend time with to see if it's okay...then I won't mind giving a shelter dog a shot." They were probably cheaper, right? She was not an expert on dogs but she knew of people who bought dogs from breeders and they did not come with a low price tag. But, as Josh said, they were guaranteed to be healthier than one they rescued from the side of the road. "But I guess I'll have to see. I'm not going to rush into buying a dog. I want to make sure it's the right one." Lark was a patient being and did not need to go out and do things right away to satisfy her needs or wants. In fact, more often than not she understood that running head long into some situations could always have negative outcomes. Other times, if things were just in fun, she did not mind. A dog was a big step for someone just pushing their way out into the real world, though. She smiled at him and gave him a brief nod of thanks, leaving it at that. He was a good friend. Her best friend.

Cooking was certainly an art, something that took a good amount of practice and patience in order to get the dishes you wanted and have them taste the way they were supposed to. With Hawaiian cuisine Lark was faring decently well, though the taste could be better. Perhaps it was the fact that she was eating it here in Canada and not in Hawaii? Some dishes simply tasted better in the place they originated. "God, I hope it doesn't," She replied with a laugh. If it ever got to that point she would give up on cooking altogether and order out every night to avoid certain death. At least he was eating it, and did not seem disgusted by the taste. Carter was digging in rather happily too, his lips smacking together as he ate. Lark blinked. "Oh," There was a hint of surprise in her voice. "I didn't realize you had to take supplements for that. I'm glad I've stuck with..uh, omnivorism. I'd forget to take the vitamins." Especially if she were to convert now after spending years eating meat. Taking vitamins and supplements would be a habit that needed to be created and sometimes those were hard to build up. "I'm glad you didn't either. Don't they refuse to eat eggs, and milk, and cheese?" That seemed overboard for someone like Lark who enjoyed all of the above in some form or another, or at least used it in recipes. She shook her head. "No thank you."

Lark looked a bit sheepish at his complement but it did not last for long. "You're sweet. Feel free to stop by for a meal any time. I'm always up for cooking." It was not her strong suit but it was fun and she would much rather cook for more than one person if the opportunity arose. At least Saturday made for such a chance, with Carter coming to visit. She promptly stood up after everyone had finished and took their plates, dropping them off in the sink. "Alright Carter, grab your jacket and we'll go to the park now." His little legs could not move fast enough and he nearly fell over himself to grab the jacket off the arm of the couch. "Park time! I wanna swing. And play in the sand." He continued babbling about doing all of the things as Lark laughed and glanced at Josh with an amused expression on her face. This kid had so much energy! After they were ready, she opened the front door and let the others pass by before locking it behind them. It turned out to be a nice day and Lark was glad her best friend had had the time to hang out. Carter was happy too.