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Post by DEVIN JAMES THATCHER on Nov 7, 2011 22:04:23 GMT -5
Devin could only laugh aloud at Joshua’s comment; did his best friend, after all these years, honestly think that Devin was capable of actually trying to get to know the guy that probably spends time wondering when he can get into Athena’s pants, and then somehow let the guy know—in his passive manner—that he was going to be keeping an eye on Jackson? That was rich. There was no way in hell Devin could pull that off effectively without faltering somewhere along the way. Not to mention that would take a lot of effort, and if he had to exert that kind of energy it was most likely not necessary. That, and the fact that Athena was a very smart girl, and he did not want to insult her integrity or intelligence by verbally attacking every guy she dated. The blonde glanced at his friend with his smile still intact, a chuckle edging his words. “You’re funny Josh. You know I’m not capable of doing that. I always wind up the one getting hurt.” It was like being on a really aggressive see-saw ride. He would try and hold down his end the best he could, but eventually he would get thrown off. Laughter would normally ensue, but being as this was merely a random train of thought Devin shrugged it off. “Now, you on the other hand could scare the shit out of him…and that would be funny.”
Joshua did not scare Devin of course; they had been friends for a long time, and most everything Josh did could be taken humorously unless otherwise stated by the fire elemental. Devin did know that Josh had a very bad temper if riled up enough, and his quiet demeanor could be quite intimidating to one who knew nothing about him. That might scare Jackson enough to run for the hills…then again, Athena deserved to be happy and if the guy made her happy well…who was he to stop her? Ah, the battles of the heart. He was drawn out of his inward banter to hear Josh speak to him—Devin could only smile and shake his head. His humor was so aggressive, but Devin could appreciate it a lot more than other people could. It made Josh who he was, and the blonde would not have it any other way. If that were the case, then he would have to change, and there was no way he was gonna waste time doing something like that. “Yeah I know…my face is made of steel and diamond. Gorgeous to behold but a very dangerous weapon.” Devin smirked.
He led the way into the house of course, and after greeting his ever friendly aunt Devin entered the kitchen and glanced around at what Judith had come up with tonight. Around him, however, the kitchen was quite attractive in both size and color; Devin enjoyed sitting in the bay window to do homework—whenever he felt the urge to do it. The walls of the room were a pale yellow color, like that of a soft daffodil, and along the middle of the wall was a broad strip of dark green to accent the rest of the room. Pots and pans hung carelessly over the stove on the island, their silver sheen reflecting off of the spotlights in the ceiling. Behind the island was Judith, stirring a pot with a hum in her throat. Devin heaved a sigh of relief as he meandered to the kitchen table and sat down, allowing Joshua to make himself comfortable. They were best friends, and Devin could only hope that Josh felt comfortable enough to make himself at home without feeling too awkward. He was a polite guy, but the blonde did not want him to hesitate if he needed something. Judith cleared her throat and looked at Josh.
“How are things going for you Josh? Busy with college? And I’m assuming you are still with uhm…oh my…what was her name…” Judith fumbled around for a moment to try and search for the name, which apparently was on the tip of her tongue. Devin caught her quickly with a smile. “Her name is Nell.” Judith’s eyes brightened as she looked at Josh again, a toothy grin on her pale features. “Oh, well, I’m guessing by Devin’s reaction that you two are at least still together. I hope things are doing well.”
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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Nov 7, 2011 22:39:18 GMT -5
When Devin started to laugh and Joshua considered it more seriously he concluded that his best friend was probably right. Someone more sneaky and subtle might be able to pull it off but the Earth elemental... nah, probably not. Joshua wouldn't even try. He didn't care about subtlety and cordial behaviour when it came to matters of his little sis. He didn't care if some guy dated her as long as it was an innocent relationship but he was male, after all, he understood that 'innocence' was not usually on the mind when getting oneself into those things. Athena's probably getting more lucky that I am, lately, he thought dryly but kindly spared his friend of this internal dialogue. Not only was Devin blissfully unaware of how straight-edge he and Nell were keeping it he also didn't want to remind his friend of Jackson's likely ever-present question to bed his sister. He did grin when Devin brought him into the picture. "Oh, yeah," he agreed with a mischievous light in his gray eyes. "Tell him I just got out of jail for assault and battery, that'll get a reaction." Sadly enough, people would probably believe that sort of thing if he told them. Josh looked like the type that would wind up in jail. Scars can be misleading, he thought. It was slightly bitter but he didn't bring that up, either.
Joshua snorted. "Nah, I was more worried about smearing your blood on its gorgeous paint job," he said, patting the car as if it were a living and breathing thing. He didn't actual treat his car like that but he liked to joke around about it sometimes for kicks. "That shit's hard to get out." That was true at least, blood was one of the more difficult things to clean. Of course when you had almost endless amounts of money to spend on special dry-cleaning it wasn't a concern either way but for the sake of carrying out the joke he disregarded this. He took for granted the fact that his friend didn't mind his sometimes morbid sense of humour because he'd just known Devin for so long that he didn't think about things like that any more. Joshua didn't stand around and consider how lucky he was to have a friend that could tolerate him as well as Dev did. He still had frequent moments of confusion when it came to Nell and her acceptance of him but he'd grown so used to Devin's companionship that it was like having a brother of sorts. No matter what the guy does to you at the end of the day you've still got to put up with him because he's family and he'll have your back some day. That was how he looked at it, anyway.
Judith's kitchen was rather nice--not as big as his mothers but about as familiar. He'd been over at Devin's more times than he could count and it was not uncommmon that they used to crash at Josh's sometimes, too. He sat down beside his friend without hesitation, not feeling too awkward at all. When going over to someone's house for the first time and being around their family that you barely knew, it was often an uncomfortable experience. Once you'd been around for long enough the parents (or other relatives, like an aunt in Devin's case) got used to you and vice versa. "Yeah, this year's been real busy," he replied easily as she inquired about college. When you had a double major, every year was going to be busy. He didn't mind. He liked to be kept working. He couldn't imagine how he'd handle himself if he had more time on his hands. The boy had friends, sure, but they weren't in large numbers. He liked his life the way it was. He even missed his volunteer job at the hospital sometimes. He opened his mouth to offer Nell's name when Devin answered for him. Josh shot a grin at his friend and then nodded. "Yep, still together," he confirmed. "How have you been?" It was an honest inquiry because he liked Judith. He'd already asked Devin about her but it was only polite to ask the woman herself, as well.
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Post by DEVIN JAMES THATCHER on Nov 8, 2011 20:26:41 GMT -5
“Oh man, that would be the best. I’ll have to keep that in mind if he tries anything funny.” Devin would most likely tell Jackson off for trying anything with Athena, but he was unsure of how to go about it. Would he tell him to fuck off and try to chase him out of the house with a lamp? Or would this be a really subtle approach where it involves a really creepy grin and an evil chuckle? Hmm…one of those would have to do; being as Devin could not really think of much else that would make him all that intimidating. Hell, he was probably the least intimidating person on the planet. Devin knew he was lucky to be alive today. Partially he thanked Josh, even if he was not the same as he was way back when. It was still reassuring to have such a loyal friend by his side none the less. He chuckled at Josh’s comment—clearly Devin knew his friend was kidding, but you learn after so many years of being around him. “You would be lucky to grace your car with my blood. It would be a work of art.”
As they sat in the kitchen waiting for dinner to be done, he heard the front door creak open and slam shut. Devin knew there was only one person it could possibly be, and judging by the silence she was alone. No Jackson. With a sigh of relief Athena walked into the kitchen, chin lifted as she scented the aroma of chicken and vegetable stir fry. “That smells delicious Aunt Judith! What are you—oh, hey Josh!” Athena’s smile widened at seeing Devin’s long time friend, running over to give him a huge hug. Devin watched with great amusement as his sister latched onto Josh’s neck briefly before letting go and skipping off into the back of the house to do whatever it was Athena did before they ate dinner. Devin shook his head and glanced at his best friend. “The child is so overzealous! I’m surprised she didn’t break your neck doing that.” At that, Judith laughed a little at Devin’s comment; anyone who was hugged by Athena and survived was highly revered around that house. She was a very affectionate person like Devin was, even in the hugging category. After a few moments of silence, Judith finished up the chicken and was now waiting for the vegetables. She smiled in Josh’s direction.
“I’m sorry, but as long as you’re doing well, that’s all that matters.” Judith waved the wooden spoon around a few times to emphasize her sentence before placing it back into the black frying pan. “That’s wonderful. I’m so glad you’ve found someone so sweet.” The quiet overtook them again after Joshua inquired about how his Aunt had been—it put Devin on edge and subconsciously he shifted in his seat to ease the tension. Did he miss something? Judith tapped the spoon on the side of the pan and lifted the hot Teflon to place dump the vegetables into a rather delightful looking serving bowl. The woman was forever putting their dinners into fancy bowls, even if it was just the three of them. Devin never understood why, but as long as he got food that was all that mattered. Once the food was in the bowls, Judith let out a sigh and turned to the sink. “Well, it has been going well.” She stated shortly, rinsing out the pan before drying her hands and turning to them. Devin searched her face—what the hell was happening? Judith set her hands on the countertop and looked directly at her nephew. “It’s been going so well, in fact…that they have asked to relocate me to the states.”
A little known fact about Devin: when placed into a situation where he is unsure how to respond, he merely stares at them until there is an explanation given or feels satisfied with an answer. Now, most people have a way of doing exactly as he did, but the difference is…Devin is not a quiet person. He loved to chat and make light of situations, but what how in the hell were you supposed to make light of this? Relocation? What did that mean? What was going to happen? With another sigh, Judith walked over to the table and sat down, giving Josh an apologetic glance. She had not intended for him to be visiting, and was thus caught off guard. Judith had quite the way of acting as though nothing was wrong—possibly where Devin acquired that specific trait. She placed a hand on Devin’s shoulder, his eyes wide and unblinking. “I’m sorry Dev. I have no choice if I want to keep my job.” The blonde shook his head after a moment, reality hitting him full force. “But…but what about me and Athena? What about school? I don’t want to leave…”
It was in that instant that every emotion Devin could have retained over the years spilled out over his facial features. Fear. Uncertainty. Sadness. Anger. Confusion. They meshed into one large snowball and ran his ass over without any warning. Judith rubbed her temples and shut her eyes for a moment, obviously still thinking of a solution that particular issue. “I want you two to stay here. I’m considering leaving you the house…but without me I’m not sure what your dad and step-mother will do. It could be dangerous.” Devin shook his head and ran a hand through his short hair, sorting out his thoughts. For once he could not even force a smile—it was as though he were a completely different person. “I can handle it I think. I just…I can’t leave. I have too much here. I can work it out. Please…” Judith continued to mull it over, looking between Devin and Josh with a lost, saddened expression. I can’t walk away from Josh, or Nell, or Autumn, or Harley…I just can’t. Marianna had not even crossed his mind.
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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Nov 8, 2011 22:59:08 GMT -5
Joshua had pretty sharp hearing and as the opening of the door was not exactly subtle, the graduate immediately glanced toward the sound. He, too, figured that it must have been his friend's sister. Unless Judith had a man around the house now? Devin certainly hadn't mentioned anything about that and so it would be news to Josh if she did. A moment later, however, his suspicions were deemed correct as the fourteen year old rounded the corner. Joshua's gray eyes were lightly and certainly friendly enough as she caught sight of and greeted him, jerking his left hand in an airy sort of wave. "Hello Athena -- oh!" He had not expected the hug but handled it well enough, reacting in time to return it quickly before she let go and he was able to let the shock settle in. Unlike his friend, Joshua was not someone big on physical affection. Unless it was with his girlfriend, of course, but that contact was usually in the form of kissing and all the other stuff that couples do on a regular basis. Still, he had known the girl long enough that he had not stiffened instinctively or shoved her away which was a definite improvement on what he would have done to someone else that might have tried that. "I've had training in the form of little Annabel Lynne," he chuckled. His sister definitely was a hugger, though Athena had a much tighter grip. Maybe it was the age difference.
The silence following his question made Joshua nervous, uncertain of whether or not he should have asked at all. Devin had said that his aunt was doing well when they'd been driving over here and so the Fire elemental had just figured it was a safe thing to go with. He shot his best friend a confused look when Judith was still busying herself with the food but did not say anything. What's going on? he wondered. Still, Josh was not a pushy person. She had chosen to avoid answering for whatever reason and even though it made him a little uncomfortable, like he might have crossed some sort of boundary, Josh was okay with that. He did this to a lot of people--ignored their questions, that is--and so he supposed that it was to be expected. He wasn't thinking that she would choose to answer at all and so when she finished spooning out the food and then spoke (to the sink) he blinked a little in surprise. Joshua was not jumpy and thus the flicker of uncertainly that passed through his gray eyes and a very brief twitching of his lips into a minute frown were the only other indications that he was caught off guard. He wanted to look at his friend again but felt that it might be too awkward. That's good, right? he thought uncertainly when she said that things were going well. Then she continued.
Oh. Oh. Well, this was not what he was expecting. He caught the apologetic glance and took it for what it was, though the Fire respectfully stayed quiet so that she could address her nephew instead. He didn't want to impede on family business for whatever reason and right now he seriously felt like he was intruding on something. It was always less awkward around Devin's house and DJ's family because he knew them so well but that didn't change the fact that he was necessarily an outsider looking in. He supposed he should have felt bad for bringing all this to the table--quite literally, too--but he didn't feel it was his fault. Judith probably would have brought it up to Devin even if he hadn't asked or if he wasn't here. He was not someone easily pushed into feelings of uncertainty and responsibility. He did feel bad for Devin. Knowing his friend so well it was hard to miss the blank stare. He could tell that Dev was going through a lot in his mind and a part of him, the part responsible for his loyalty and protectiveness over any and all friends he had, wished there was something he could do.
But there wasn't, unfortunately. It wasn't like he, as an outsider, could convince Judith otherwise. Not only that, but it was her job. He remembered how Trish had discussed with the family how she might have to move to the capitol and that they'd all need to come with her. That had been a few years ago and thankfully it had never happened but as he'd been underage at the time he'd had no choice in it. Of course, he also hadn't been as attached to the Academy and the people in it as Devin was. He felt bad for his friend. It was not until Dev's aunt mentioned leaving him the house that Josh furrowed his brow. "Is that allowed?" he asked uncertainly. He knew that Nell had her own apartment but as she was not emancipated she was living illegally. Her entire life was illegal, though, so that was one hell of a different situation. He was also wary at the mention of Devin's step-mother. That woman is a witch, he thought strongly. He could sympathise with the both of them, really. Normally he would have offered to let Devin crash with him until he turned eighteen but the guy also had a sister and Josh didn't have his house to offer up any more. What's going to happen? He didn't want to lose his best friend, either. God, this year had been awful for drama.
[Sorry he didn't say much xD]
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Post by DEVIN JAMES THATCHER on Nov 9, 2011 12:18:45 GMT -5
Normally in a tense situation, Devin would shrug his shoulders and smile his worries away, pushing them into the recesses of his mind. It was in the boy's nature to be rid of negative emotions--he hated placing his anger and stress on other people, especially those that did not deserve it. Like Josh, Judith, and Athena. Devin tried to coax a smile onto his face, but to no avail. Gravity pulled down on the edges of his mouth. Devin was actually frowning, and his eyes were glazed over with tears. This could not be happening! It was all a dream, and he would wake up...and everything would be okay. What was he supposed to do? If Judith had to leave she had to leave but...what happened from there? When Josh voiced his question about his staying at the house, Devin remembered that he was under age. There was no possible way he could stay here without putting his aunt into some sort of legal trouble, and he refused to put that on the woman who saved he and his sister from such an awful place.
"I don't know Josh," Judith replied solemnly, still rubbing the sides of her head. "Probably not. I just want Devin to stick with what he has here, but I also can't lose my job. Otherwise I can't support us." Suddenly the blonde felt this large wave of guilt wash over him--it was his fault that Judith was place in this situation. If he and Athena were not living under her roof, she would not have the stress of making this decision and life would be simple. As it was, that wasn't the case and there she sat, making this choice between losing her finances or losing Devin and Athena. He could not help place a hand over his eyes to shield himself, a sigh escaping his lips. "I have an idea...but promise me that if you agree to it, you'll stick with it."
The thoughts ran through Devin's head faster than a bullet train--if he went with Judith, he would lose everything he held dear (aside from losing his aunt), but if he stayed he would either be placed into foster care or have to move back in with his dad and step-mother. He did think to ask Josh if he could stay with him until he was of legal age; it was less than a year away and he would have attempted to be as little of a burden as possible, and he could do things to help out and make himself useful. But that was not in his nature, and he refused to burden someone else's family for his own selfish wants and needs. It was then that he came up with an idea that may put him in hell at home, but he could stay here and finish up what needed to be done. Devin ran another hand through his hair and looked from Josh to Judith. He knew Josh was not going to like what was to be said.
"Take Athena with you...she will be upset but it will be for the best. I'll move back in with dad." Unbeknownst to the group in the kitchen, Athena was listening to the entire conversation from the hallway. With a darkened glare she turned the corner and glared at her brother with as much anger as the little girl could possibly muster. "I don't want to leave either! I have a lot going for me at school...and Jackson. I'm not going to walk away from all of it." Judith turned her head, shocked at Athena's presence but did not say anything. It was between Devin and his little sister now--she knew Devin was old enough to make his own decisions. Devin glanced at his sister, putting his hands in his lap. "You would go back to dad and Lauren? Really? I don't think that's wise for you--" Athena began to cry, sheer sadness seeping off of her. Devin flinched at the sight and looked at Josh with a hopeless expression. I feel stuck... Judith popped in at last after a few moments of silence.
"Athena, I think you should go with me, dear. I think you're too young to deal with this again. Devin is almost an adult and can make these decisions, but you can't. I'm sorry." You could tell it was hard for Judith to say what she did, and also pulled back as Athena screamed and ran back down the hall to her room. Judith looked back at Devin, sorrow worn heavily on her aging features. "Devin...you sure about this? This could be dangerous." The blonde looked over at Josh, then back towards his aunt, expression resolute. That was his final decision. It shattered his heart to know that his sister would be so far away from him, and Judith, but this was what he wanted. "I'm sure. Josh is my best friend. I'm not walking away from him."
With that, Judith nodded. "Okay then...well, I guess we should eat before this food gets cold. Come and help yourselves, and Josh you get first dibs on the veggies." Devin dropped his chin and tilted his gaze towards his best friend, blue eyes dull and nearly lifeless. "I'm sorry you were dragged into this man...but hey, I get to stay, right?"
[It's all good. XD Sorry for the excessive dialogue. This is the last post with all of the in-between. <3]
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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Nov 9, 2011 16:47:08 GMT -5
Sure enough, alarm flashed through Joshua's gray eyes when his friend mentioned moving back in with his father. As a close friend Josh had been there through what happened with his stepmother and so he knew just how bad this could be for Devin. A part of him almost wished that Judith would insist that his friend stay with her; Joshua didn't want to lose Dev as a friend but it would be better than the idea of him throwing himself into the fire to remain here. A part of him acknowledged that he was a bit of a hypocrite considering he'd actually taken the heat of being disowned in order to stay with Nell but that was different, that hadn't been physically dangerous to him. The initial fight with his father had been bad but they had both attacked one another, there were injuries on both sides even if Josh got the worst of it. He was a fighter, he didn't take stuff lying down but he doubted that Devin would attack his stepmother. At the same time, he knew that his friend could make his own decisions and that he could hardly argue against this. He was not the only reason Devin was staying. He had a girlfriend and a bunch of other friends as well. I'd have done it for Nell, a small part of him acknowledged.
When Athena turned the corner Joshua silently wondered whether she had just happened upon the scene or whether she'd been listening around the corner. He wouldn't have been all that surprised if it was the latter for he had done a lot of that himself in youth. Whenever his parents were having an argument, especially if it involved him, he'd hide behind things or down hallways and listen in to make sure that they didn't decide to do anything drastic. He'd always hated to see them fight over him. He had worried a lot about divorce in his youth and then taken to worrying about the thought that Donovan might strike his mother. At least Judith is the only one that has to make her decisions. Not that Donovan had ever done anything to his wife. No, it was Josh that got the physical violence. He didn't blame the man for he knew why--he fought back. He was the angry one, the violent one. A part of Josh sympathised with Athena as well. It did suck when other people told you what you would be doing with your life but he also understood why they wanted her to go. He couldn't think of what to say as this was a family matter so he kept quiet and merely blinked sadly as she burst into tears.
His lips twitched into a sort of half-smile when Devin looked at him. He wanted to support his friend in his decision but he couldn't really think of the words. If he were to be honest he was feeling guilty about the fact that he couldn't do anything more to help. Normally he would have offered that Devin stay with him in a heartbeat. Mum and Dad wouldn't have minded, they liked him. They liked anyone that could simultaneously handle Joshua's volatile personality for long periods of time and be a good influence on him. They hadn't approved of a lot of his less straight-edge friends and who could have blamed them? They were wary of people that would turn out like the gang had, turn on him. If he hadn't gone and fucked things up with his father... maybe things could have been different. Maybe he wouldn't have to watch his friend get hurt. It wasn't my fault Dad found out about Nell, he reminded himself. It didn't really help. What if the thought had crossed his friend's mind? What if Dev was wondering why Josh wasn't doing anything more to help? He felt a need to defend his position on the matter but he certainly wasn't going to say anything in front of Judith. Not because he didn't like the woman but because it was a very personal subject.
"Don't worry about it," he told his friend when Devin apologised. "I've got your back." He might not have been able to help out as literally as he would have liked but at very least he was going to support Devin through this. If that witch of a woman tried to hurt him again Josh couldn't promise he wouldn't have something to say about it. He was a rather violent and reckless guy when it came to his friends being hurt. He'd probably have to convince himself not to go down there and pay her back tenfold for whatever she did to Devin. "Thanks again for dinner, Judith," he said with a slight smile when he'd finished eating. He didn't hold it against her that she wanted to keep her job and so he wasn't going to give his friend's aunt the cold shoulder or anything like that. He was, however, somewhat anxious to get Devin alone so that he could tell him something that was prickling at the back of his mind.
Turning to the Earth boy, he said, "Why don't we go play video games or something?" Judith may not have noticed anything amiss about that but the look he gave his best friend as well as the words he'd used were a surefire giveaway. Joshua didn't usually ask to play video games, he usually just tagged along when other people felt like it as they weren't really his thing. The moment they were out of earshot of other people he turned his gray eyes on his friend and tried to think of what to say. "I'm... sorry I couldn't help you out back there," he decided at last, the genuine apology a clear sign of just how much he valued Devin's friendship. "I'd offer to let you stay with us--" He didn't feel the need to specify that he meant his family, so he did not, "-- but... well, truth is, Dev, I'm not staying with my family either." He sighed heavily. He'd not admitted this to anyone but Nell and that had only been because she'd confronted him about it. He wasn't going to go into detail but it was still a lot more than he'd usually tell to anyone. "Things are tense right now at home so I'm staying with Nell. I wish there was something I could do for you, but..." He trailed off, shrugging. But there isn't.
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Post by DEVIN JAMES THATCHER on Nov 10, 2011 0:20:03 GMT -5
Devin felt cold as he turned and smiled a little at Josh. “Thanks man. I appreciate it.” Since when was stuff like this supposed to happen to him? It was out of the blue and unexpected, which he only liked if it was something positive. This was most definitely not positive, and the boy was in inward turmoil. He got up and grabbed a plate of food, his movements rather mechanic. They’ll be gone…and I have to live with dad. Over and over Devin tried to find the positives in the situation, but due to the severity it was becoming difficult to find any. Josh was one positive, and Nell, Autumn, and Harley…but living under a roof with Lauren was ever increasing the shadows lurking in the recesses of his mind. The once bright and happy blonde was now staring at his plate and eating the food sparingly. It took him a few minutes to finish—he had a hard time swallowing from the stress—and finally put the dish in the sink. Judith leaned over and pulled him into a side hug, not even offering any words because even she knew they would not do any good. Suddenly Josh requested a round of video games, and Devin could not help but raise his eyebrows in question. Since when did Josh ever ask to do something like video—oh. The look on his friend’s face gave him a clear indication that it was not just about video games. “Oh, y-yeah, video games sound good.” Judith patted the boy on the shoulder as he wandered off, calling after Josh with a “You’re welcome dear…”
Once they were down the hall and away from his aunt, Josh turned towards him and offered up a very sincere apology. Devin’s eyes searched his friend’s face, confused. Joshua was not a man of many words and very few apologies, so to hear the words ‘I’m sorry’ pass the guy’s lips was a bit of a shocker. Sure Devin heard him offer apologies every now and again but…this sounded different. It felt different. Suddenly the boy felt incredibly guilty; Josh should not be apologizing for something that was out of his control! This was not his fault in any way. In fact, in Devin’s eyes, this was no one’s fault. That’s how life was sometimes, and occasionally it liked to take its fist and punch you square in the face. Devin did not expect his friend to do anything to solve this situation, not now and not ever. “Dude, don’t apologize,” He started before Josh continued, explaining the situation to him in a little more detail. Devin could not help but blink and stare at his best friend with concern in his baby blue eyes. “Oh…God I’m sorry Josh. I didn’t know…” Of course he didn’t. Was that a shock? Josh was a very private person and did not make it a habit to reveal weakness to others, especially when it came to family. Honestly, if Devin had been in this situation when Josh was not around, he may not have told his friend about it until a later date. It was unlike the blonde to burden others with his problems, especially a guy with burdens and stresses of his own. Devin frowned, the worries of his own situation dissipating in order to help console Josh. He placed a supportive hand on his best friend’s shoulder. “I’m always around for you too. I’ve always got your back. Even if I’m over at dad’s house…” Devin did not realize that Josh was staying with Nell, but maybe that was better for him if he was on negative terms with his parents.
Devin glanced down the hall for a moment to hear the clanging of pans and the running of water; obviously Judith was working on cleaning up the kitchen in silence, which would be expected after such a surprising discussion. Then, with a smile he nudged Josh and entered his room, which was pretty average looking save for a few skateboards hung up on the wall over his bed. “Let’s go and chill out for a while. Later we’ll grab some snacks and do whatever.” Devin was sincere in his statement, but one could tell that he was not completely there in his focus. Maybe some video games would do him some good; it was a distraction. And though Josh was not a big fan of the games, maybe it would help him too.
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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Nov 10, 2011 2:18:56 GMT -5
Had their situation been a lot less serious, Joshua might have laughed at how Devin only caught on at the last minute. In light of what had just happened, however, even Josh managed to keep his insensitivity from acting up and causing problems between them. Devin was his best friend, he'd earned the more respectful treatment that the Fire gave him now. With acquaintances and even people who were just on their way to becoming his friends, Joshua wasn't always as considerate. He tended to put himself first and just disregard the fact that someone else had feelings about things, too. He also wasn't a good shoulder to cry on unless he trusted you. He didn't do very well with crying and when his friends got too upset it made him flustered and uncertain. Thankfully DJ was both a friend and someone who didn't burst into tears a whole lot so Josh found that he could handle situations like this rather well. He had a certain bit of tolerance for his friends.
Devin started to insist against the apology but Joshua raised his hand slightly in a warning to let him continue. He was rather assertive in personality and thus when he made up his mind that he would do or say something to someone it was generally difficult to dissuade him. It made him slightly uncomfortable to admit the fact that he was no longer living in the lavish mansion with the rich 'rents but this was his best friend and he needed Dev to know why he wasn't trying to do more. Anyone that had ever befriended the dark-haired Fire graduate on a serious level would be able to tell how good he was to his friends. He was a dick to people in the beginning so in a way it was sort of like a consolation prize for the fact that you'd put up with him for long enough to earn his trust. Not only that, but Josh wanted to keep whatever small social circle he had. "Don't worry about me, I'm fine," he said easily, shrugging off the fact that Devin was being supportive. It wasn't a situation that really could be supported unless the blonde knew the full story anyway. Much as Josh trusted him, it was not enough to get that out of him. Secretive people stayed that way.
However, he'd also mentioned his father's house which brought the whole issue of Judith's relocation back to the table. Josh did not like the idea of his friend living with that man and his wife. Sure, Dev's father might have been half decent but the woman he had chosen to make his new life with was not. As someone who had no qualms about expressing hatred and malice Josh could genuinely admit that he hated her guts. Wrong him and he'd never forget it, wrong his friends and it was like committing the ultimate crime. Especially when that friend was someone like Devin. His less kind-hearted friends were a little different in that sometimes they brought harm upon themselves but someone like Dev or Nell... no, that was not alright with him. Earth students were all a bunch of softies, in his honest opinion. "What will you do about your step-mum?" he wondered in concern, frowning. He normally wouldn't ask something like that, but he was honestly worried about Devin and his choice to move in with the bitch. At least Athena would be safe but putting Devin in harms way didn't appeal to him, either.
He definitely was not a video games guy. They had gaming systems back at his parents house but they were mostly for the sake of owning them and for friends, honestly. Trish found them boring, Donovan was always busy and they could never hold Josh's attention for long enough. As reading was one of his favourite past-times, it was not a shock that things like mass-amounts of television and button mashing didn't appeal to him. However, they were something that Devin liked and as Devin needed a distraction it was Joshua who said, "What games have you been playing lately? You'll kick my ass but I'll try anyway." He grinned a little. Well, at least he was honest about it. There were a few games he was decent at from playing drunk but he was only decent... well, drunk. Why? Because everyone else tended to be pissed drunk as well. It was a lot easier to get kills when the person next to you was choking on their beer. Sober... well, not so much.
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Post by DEVIN JAMES THATCHER on Nov 12, 2011 23:41:15 GMT -5
Devin took a moment to glance around his room--it was simple and really lacking in anything entertaining except for video games. Guilt nipped at Devin's heart, because he knew full well that Joshua was not a big fan of gaming, yet the guy offered to do so anyway. It was those moments the blonde realized how good and true a friend he had in Josh. That was why he took the time to worry about his best friend, who obviously was not in a good place with his family. Josh could pretend it did not bother him all he wanted but Devin was no fool. Chipper and happy he may be, but above anything he was a realist. It was okay to look at the cup half full, but he knew that no matter how many times someone said they were okay, if they were not actually okay then their statement meant nothing. With this thinking Devin knew that he would not alter the concerns for Josh. It was not happening any time soon. "I'm always going to worry for you buddy," Devin finally said, shrugging his shoulders as he sat on one of the two bean bags in the room. "And nothing you say will change that."
Now, Josh's inquiry put Devin into quite the state of confusion. What was he going to do about his step-mother? That witch of a woman brought on so much pain and agony into his life (and Athena's) that it was hard to even look her in the face without a scowl present on his normally placid features. Devin was laid back and rarely ever let much in this world upset him but Lauren...that bitch did more to him than anyone could ever know. Only Josh knew what she was capable of doing. He almost lifted a hand to rub his face but refrained from doing so in front of his friend. "I'm not...really sure Josh." Devin finally admitted in a quiet voice. "At least Athena is going with Judith. That's all that matters. I can handle Lauren for a little while. I'm not too far from eighteen." Always trying to be positive, even when deep down Devin was drowning in darkness. Luckily, Josh quickly yanked him from those shadowy recesses and back into a place that he could easily distract himself.
Again, he knew Josh was not a big fan of video games, so to hear his friend ask about them...well, it was obvious that Josh was feeling incredibly bad about Devin's current situation. Devin, on the other hand, did not want the guy to feel bad for him. In fact, Devin decided that this challenge--no matter how scary it was--needed to be taken head on. There was no way in hell he would confront Lauren, but he was going to try his best to avoid any arguments or at least stand up for himself every once in a while. Maybe dad changed, and he would be quick to protect his son. Devin would not know until it came to that point. Sighing, he looked over at Josh and offered the other bean bag with an open hand. "I recently got Skyrim, and have of course been playing my Modern Warfare games on and off. We don't have to play games though..." It made Devin feel guilty to have Josh do something he did not enjoy, so of course he wanted to make sure this was alright by him. "It's all up to you. Because I will kick your ass so..." It was time to lighten the mood again. Not enough time in the day to sulk around, right? Besides, Josh did not need it either after what he had been dealing with at his own home.
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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Nov 13, 2011 0:37:26 GMT -5
It worried Joshua that Devin had no clue how he was going to handle his step-mother and his new situation. The way that he'd spoken with conviction to Judith had made Josh think that perhaps his friend had some sort of a plan for this but apparently he had been wrong. As a loyal friend and someone that hated to see their loved ones and close friends suffer for any reason whatsoever this did not sit right in his stomach. "Dude, are you sure about this?" he asked, even less convinced that it was a good idea than he had been earlier. Any mention of that woman, the one who'd made his friend's life a living hell, it set Joshua's teeth on edge. It provoked a certain desire to hit something in the Fire graduate that was a combination of his temperamental nature and his desire to protect. "You could always move back here after your birthday." It sounded like a better plan to Josh than suffering Lauren for the several months. It was not quite close enough to his birth month for his best friend's liking. Hell, two weeks would have seemed like a long time to him.
It was true that his sister being with Judith and away from the potential abuse was a good thing but it still put him straight in the line of fire. Joshua didn't give a damn how old Devin was, he worried a lot about his best buddy. They'd known one another for years, Josh had seen some of the marks. He worried that the Earth elemental wouldn't lift a hand to defend himself and instead just take it again and again until he finally turned eighteen and was allowed to move back into his aunt's house. At the same time, he also knew that his friend could make his own choices. Sighing heavily, he said, "Just take care of yourself, DJ." He didn't know what he'd do if something really bad happened to his friend. What if the woman snapped and really hurt him? He'll make his own decisions. He had to constantly remind himself that he had little to no say in this. I guess we'll just need to hope for the best. It seemed like a pipe dream for Lauren to have calmed down enough to live civilly with the Earth boy and Josh didn't even entertain the hopeful possibility. "Do you think your sister'll be okay?" It must have been hard for her as well and it was perhaps Joshua's older brother complex that made him worry about Athena's stand in all this.
The video games had names that were familiar to him thanks to the fact that his best friend loved to play but he was not altogether fond of them. He'd never played Skyrim and the Modern Warfare series... well, Josh wasn't a gamer. He didn't understand why it got some people all excited, so excited that they'd stay up all night on their respective gaming systems trying to earn achievements or levels or kill counts or whatever it was that ranked them up in their gamer statuses. In truth he would rather have done something else but when Devin suggested that they didn't have to play it made him hesitate. "If you want to, I'm fine with it," he said evasively. He didn't want to be Dan the Downer when Devin had just heard such bad news from his aunt. Normally he would have tried to find something else that they could both enjoy but he wanted to take Dev's mind off his stepmother and the imminent move. "Yeah," he shrugged seriously in response to the humour. "I can whoop you at chess, though, so we're even." Josh was fine with his 'games' consisting of logic games, especially since he was good at them.
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Post by DEVIN JAMES THATCHER on Nov 13, 2011 19:07:31 GMT -5
Devin mulled over the question for a minute or two, his hands running over the fabric of the bean bag in a circular motion. Was he sure about this? Hell no. What was there to be sure about? He was moving back in with Lauren and his dad—the two people who practically abandoned him for who he was. It was a cruel thing to do to a child, even Devin knew that. He tried his best to forgive and forget, but when you are put in a situation where you spend every waking moment feeling like some sort of tumor it was slightly difficult. Some days Devin forgot all about his past troubles and the world was in a perfect state of balance. On other days, bitterness settled into the blonde boy’s heart and it was difficult to let go. The only reason he was able to let go at all was because of his current life. He lived happily with Athena and Judith; there were no fights or disputes or physical aggression. It was peaceful. Sighing, Devin ran a hand through his blonde tresses, the hair standing up in his fingers’ wake. “Nope, I’m not sure.” He looked up at Josh, then smiled. “But I’m going to make the best of it. I wasn’t going to be able to run away from it forever anyway.” The smile was there to reassure his best friend, but in his eyes there was sadness.
His birthday was quite a ways away from now, so Devin had not even taken the time to dwell on such a small detail. All he wanted to focus on was today and then take every day afterwards individually. Life was too short to fuss over something so far into the future that it was a mere blur. Nothing was set in stone. Realistically speaking there was no guarantee for tomorrow, and Devin thought that pushing towards next year was a bit of a jump. Either way, Joshua asked the question and it lingered in his mind like a post-it note. Only difference was he could not peel it away and toss it in the trash. “I don’t want to think that far ahead Josh,” Devin replied with a distant expression on his face. “I’ll deal with that hill when I get to it. Besides…I don’t want Judith to hold on to this house if she needs to sell it. If she’s taking Athena and I can’t stay here what is the point of paying a mortgage on a house that’s empty?” It was a thought that hit Devin at the very last moment—even if he wanted to escape his father’s house after turning eighteen, he would not allow Judith to keep ties in the Hollow if it could be avoided. That was unnecessary and it would make Devin feel incredibly guilty for placing that on his aunt. He tore his gaze away from whatever it was he was staring at and met Josh’s gaze, his smile gentle but evident. “I’m going to be fine. Don’t worry about it. I may not be physically aggressive but I have decided that I won’t let her verbally attack me. I’m going to try and stand up for myself.” You have enough on your plate as it is Josh…focus on your problems, not mine.
Devin blinked and looked towards the TV as Josh continued to drag out this conversation; it was stressing out the earth boy and he was not sure how to end it without sounding like an ass hole. Josh was only concerned for the well-being of him and Athena. He was grateful for that. “Well, it’s better than her being with Lauren again,” Devin stated matter-of-factly while staring at his reflection on the dark screen. “She’ll get over it soon enough. Jackson will not be happy but…” Suddenly he realized how important the relationship must have been for Athena. Maybe hating on the poor guy was not called for. What if he was nice, and respectful? Athena was going to lose that, all because of this mess. Guilt ate away at his insides, but instead of allowing it to show he glanced at Josh with another grin. “Everything’s good! Let’s not talk about it anymore, okay? It’s just a waste of energy.” Devin pushed himself off of the bean bag and went to his closet, tossing out random articles of clothing and a few stray shoes before he found what it was that he was looking for. He removed himself from the depths of the closet and turned to show Joshua an old wooden box—it was real redwood, and in mint condition save for a small layer of dust over the top. Devin blew the dust off and shined it up real quick before setting it next to his best friend, his eyes glowing with happiness.
“Why don’t we play that instead, then?” Devin suggested slyly, pointing at the box before taking a seat in his bean bag again. It made a loud shoosh sound from the impact of his body. “I was going to give it to you at Christmas but…I think this is a good enough occasion for me. It’s an antique, actually. Belonged to my grandfather, who had it passed down to him…blah blah blah.” Devin smiled; he loved giving other people gifts—seeing their smiles and sparkling eyes was more than enough of a present for him in return. It warmed Devin up from the inside out to see his friends smiling and happy.
[It’s an old chess set, by the way. <33 Just so Devin didn’t have to give it away in the post.]
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Post by JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE on Nov 13, 2011 20:47:27 GMT -5
He still wasn't altogether certain about his best friend moving in with Lauren and his father but when Devin told him that he didn't want to talk about it he was respectful enough to nod and hold his tongue against any further questions. As his friend, Dev was probably well aware of Joshua's hesitance to ask any sort of questions at all. It was rare that he liked and trusted someone enough that he would ask them about their private lives and so when they deflected his questions or requested an end to the subject he could honour that. He was still incredibly worried for him but he did understand. I wonder if Jackson would do long-distance? It reminded him of Nell and the possibility of Josh being forced into an awkward situation if she was put into jail. He hoped that Athena's boyfriend was a good guy enough to understand but he could also get why long distance might not work out. Poor girl. "Alright," he said. "For the record I don't think anything concerning you is a waste of energy, DJ, but I'll let it go." It was a mark of his respect for Devin and the strength of their friendship that he actually admitted these sorts of things aloud to the other boy. Otherwise he might just have nodded and shrugged it off.
Joshua arched at eyebrow at Devin's form and watched as he went to the closet and started tossing things out. If he had been anyone else Joshua might have asked what he was doing but he trusted that his best friend had a reason for the impromptu closet raid. He stifled a yawn against the back of his hand--he hadn't gotten much sleep, as per usual. Josh was good at fighting back fatigue, though, working through it. He also didn't want to be rude to his friend by cutting their visit short and so he shoved it to the back of his mind. He allowed his mind to wander again and tried to keep it away from thoughts of the trial, Devin's upcoming move, his parents... basically anything grim. Instead he settled on schoolwork, which might have been boring to anyone else but was good enough of a distraction as his friend rifled through the closet. I'll need to fit in some studying at Nell's. He was mulling over a good time to leave that would still give him time to chill with Devin when his friend emerged from the closet. Heh. The whole 'coming out of the closet' thing did not skip his mind but he didn't say it aloud. "What have you got there?" he wondered curiously.
When his friend got closer, though, Joshua identified the object without needing any confirmation. His gray eyes were lit with a sort of intrigue--he had a few chess boards at home, he liked the old ones because they had a history. "Damn, Devin, this thing is awesome," he said, managing quite well in containing his excitement. It was etched into his expression but he was rather calm otherwise. The only time he'd ever really lost his composure over something was when he'd seen the Aventador parked in front of the house and had been handed the keys for it. There had been a moment to fanboy as he recieved his dream car, sure, but that was a one-time thing. He was about to ask where his friend had gotten it when he was treated to an explanation. "Give it to me?" he repeated, surprised. "Why would you give something like this away?" It seemed absurd to him to give away something so awesome but of course with his love of chess he was rather biased. He traced his finger along the wood for a moment as if inspecting it. "Too right it's an antique," he agreed, still amazed by it.
He remembered that his friend had suggested playing it, however, and that made him pause. "I'll kick your ass, though," he pointed out again. Chess was something he was very good at, he'd learned to play when he was young and had recieved lots of practice. He wasn't a professional or anything but it was one of his talents. "Hmm... okay, how about this," he compromised, wanting to be fair about it. "We can play a game of chess and then once I've whooped your ass you can get me back in one of those games you like so much." He was not so stubborn in his distaste toward video games that he could not tolerate them. Besides, if Dev was willing to go against him in chess he'd be willing to try his hand at video games (and subsequently lose in the process).
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Post by DEVIN JAMES THATCHER on Nov 14, 2011 15:53:14 GMT -5
“Thanks Josh,” Devin replied with a grateful tone in his voice. When Joshua stated how he felt about something, it was a rather big deal. The fire elemental was quite closed off and did not usually reveal his feelings or emotions towards anyone (except Nell, and most of the time Devin) so having him take the time to tell Devin that he was not a waste of energy in entirety, it made the blonde smile. “Duly noted.”
After he dug through the closet to find what it was he needed, Josh questioned about the box he held in his hands with a firm grip. If it dropped, then it would surely break. Age and years of usage made the hinges and glue a lot less impervious to being dropped than it might have been years before. Devin could only shrug and grin at Josh, waiting for his best friend to find out on his own without revealing the secret. Obviously his good friend knew what it was without even attempting to open the wooden box, and it was more than apparent that Josh was enjoying his gift already. Devin loved to give gifts for this very reason—even the most stoic of people exerted some sort of excitement or happiness at receiving a present, just as Josh was doing now. If you did not know him it might be hard to tell, but Devin was accustomed to the guy and so this response elicited a very broad grin on Devin’s face. “I’m glad you like it! I got it a while back and kept thinking of you every time I saw it...” Devin half smiled, scrunching his nose a little. "It was kinda freaking me out so...you know..." Of course it was all in jest. Although Josh always lived in the lap of luxury, he was always grateful to others and never took people for granted; at least, he did not take his best friend for granted. If he did, Devin was completely unaware, but it did not matter. Josh was the brightest thing in his world. He was the reason he pushed on with his life after the ordeal with Lauren, and the reason he was staying here now. Sure he had his share of girls to distract him every once in a while, but they were nothing like your best buddy.
Josh seemed to examine the box, clearly surprised. This made the blonde very happy, and could not help but lean back in the bean back with a content sigh. He glanced over at Josh, however, when he asked about giving it away. It made Devin chuckle; he was not just giving it away—that made it sound like he was handing it off to some random guy sitting in an alley simply because he did not want it. No, it was a gift. It was a display of gratitude, affection, or any other positive emotion he felt about his friend. Josh deserved good things. “I’m not just giving it away, Josh,” Devin smirked, teasing him with a shameful shake of the head. “You deserve it. I know you are capable of taking good care of it, and will put it to good use.” Devin clapped a hand on Josh’s shoulder briefly to reassure him before placing said hand on his stomach. His blue eyes continued to look at Josh, eyebrows raised as the fire elemental challenged him. There was no way he was going to back down from that. Not only would it be fun, but it would be the perfect distraction from the days’ events. Devin tapped his chin thoughtfully, humming in his throat.
“An ass whooping for an ass whooping. It sounds like a fair trade to me, man.” Devin finally replied with a smile, adjusting himself on the bean bag to play a good game of chess. Little did Josh know that he used to play with his grandfather years back, and was not unaccustomed to the game. Would he lose? Yes, of course he would. This was Josh for an opponent; it was imminent. Would he at least make his mark? Devin thought so. It was amazing how a best friend could turn you entire day around, and rescue you from figuratively drowning in your own self-pity and depression. This only solidified his choice to stay in the Hollow.
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