-- RAINBOW COALITION && [devin]

[JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE]

Of all the diners and restaurants in Maple Hollow, none was more prestigious and flashy than Northern Lights. It had a calming atmosphere, great food, and helpful servers. Unfortunately, this meant that it was rather expensive and hard to get into. Joshua pulled his Lamborghini into the parking lot with the firm intentions of getting in. He offered the receptionist a smile. She was one he didn't recognise, something that bothered him. What if she refused his request? "Hello. May I speak to your manager?" He said it pleasantly enough and tried not to sound hostile, though he could tell by the faltering in her expression that she was worried. "If you have a problem with our service, we can always discuss ways to compromise." He shook his head and waved a hand. "It's nothing to do with the establishment, no worries. Would you mind if I...?" She still looked uncertain but after a moment she regained her smile and started toward a side door. "Tell her it's Joshua Dale," he added, and she paused for a moment and then nodded, opening the door and going in. As it clicked shut behind her, Joshua took a seat on one of the comfortable couches laid out in the waiting area, picking up a magazine from the end table. Macleans was emblazoned across the front cover and he read an article on one of the pages while he waited.

After only a few minutes the door opened again and he found himself smiling at the manager, who beckoned him into the room. Which actually turned out to be a hallway, containing doors that apparently led to the employees bathrooms, a supply closet, a few offices for the higher ups. She didn't bother with any of the doors, instead pausing in the hall itself. "Joshua, how are you? Your mother?" She did not ask after Donovan, for it was Patricia through whom the two had met. His mother was a well-connected woman in Maple Hollow and she'd pulled a few strings to get the manager her early promotion. "We're good, we're both excellent, thank you." They exchanged pleasantries for a moment, as was typical of polite conversation, and then the woman cleared her throat. "So, I don't imagine you're here just to chat?" He smiled almost apologetically. He really didn't stop by unless he wanted anything, did he? Not that he utilized connections on a highly regular basis. Manipulation was his mother's game, not his. He merely wanted to provide for a friend. "I was wondering if you could make an exception on the whole reservation deal? See, my friend's got some family coming into town from out of the country and we wanted to make an impression." After working out a few details like the number of people they'd need to be seating, she gave him a smile. "Sure thing, we can work that out." He nodded. "Thanks."

Satisfied, Josh returned to the waiting room with it's comfy couches and dim lighting, pulling out his cellphone to send a text to his friend. "Hey, man. Guess who got us a table at Northern?" He'd told Devin he would try to swing for a spot at the fancy establishment but that his friend should not expect stellar results. He didn't always get his way, it all depended on who was working and how busy the place was. They were in luck, as a family had cancelled. There had been other people on the waiting list for a possible slot but Joshua's connections had moved them to the top of the list. He would need to give his mother a nice hug the next time he saw her.

[DEVIN JAMES THATCHER]

The house was bursting to life that day, with incessant chatter and laughter resounding off of the plain white walls. It was normally so empty--aside from visits by Autumn--so the company was most welcomed. The company meant more to Devin than just a random visitor stopping by to say hello; for in the kitchen sat Judith and Athena with bright smiles on their faces as they chatted with the blonde Earth student. "So how is school going DJ?" The younger female asked, turning her stunning blue gaze onto her brother. Devin shrugged and nodded a bit. "It's going. Can't wait to graduate and start something different though." The boy was smiling, as was Athena. It had been way too long since he crossed paths with his family, and wished that their stay did not have to be so short. "Well, I'm glad I was able to get away from work to come and visit my favorite nephew. We've really missed you." Judith said softly, finishing off her glass of water. Devin chuckled and shook his head; the woman really was like a mother to him. "Aunt Judith, I'm your only nephew." The woman just laughed--a trilling chirp of sorts that signified she was truly happy with life. Devin fed off of this and laughed as well. "Even if I had other nephews, you'd still be my favorite Dev."

The chatter went on for quite a while, Devin keeping track of his phone beneath the table as they did so. Joshua was planning on spending dinner with them, and said he was going to try and pull some strings to get a table at Northern Lights. The place was expensive and required reservations; sometimes just going by the place made Devin feel homeless and poor. Athena was ecstatic to hear that the Fire graduate would be joining them for the evening, as was Judith who really admired Devin's best friend. She had always told him that Josh was like a guardian angel of sorts, watching over her nephew while she was gone. After all, the boy was not going to do much for himself in means of protection. Little did Judith know that Joshua had taken a back hand to Lauren. The blonde was not going to share that with her any time soon, either, because he refused to make his aunt feel any sort of guilt for leaving to the states. It was out of her hands. As soon as he received the text message, Devin's face lit up. "What's got you grinning like a little schoolgirl?" Athena inquired, smirking. Devin glanced up from his phone and merely shrugged, trying to act like nothing big was going on.

"We should probably get going so we can meet Josh for dinner." He said, straightening out his polo and adjusting his dark blue jeans. He had never been to Northern Lights before and was not quite sure what the attire was going to be, so dressed up enough not to look like a hobo. Athena and Judith always managed to wear nice clothing--he supposed it was a girl thing--and ushered them out of the front door with eagerness. "Where are we going? I need to know." Devin waved Judith off and wiggled his fingers to request for the keys in her hand. She eyed him, dropping the keys into his palm. "I'll get us there." They loaded up into the car and left for the restaurant, only hearing gasps of surprise as he pulled into the parking lot. He could not help but smirk; he was not even sure if either of them had been to Northern either, so this would be a treat for all of them. "You brought us here?" Judith remarked with wide eyes. Devin nodded as they got out of the car. "Yep, it's a special occasion so I figured why not?" Once inside, Devin caught sight of his best friend and the family approached him. Athena quickly shuffled her feet over to Josh and wrapped him up in a hug as she always did, not ashamed to display her affections to the man. "It's so good to see you! I'm glad you're joining us for dinner!" Athena pulled away, Judith still standing and opening her arms towards Josh as she looked him up and down. "Have you actually gotten taller, or am I shrinking? I feel like it's been too long." Devin watched Joshua with a gleam of appreciation in his eyes and nodded, allowing Judith and Athena their moment.

[JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE]

Having lived the high life since childhood, dressing up was not a problem for someone like Joshua. Northern Lights was fancy but not so fancy that he couldn't get away with the beige cargo pants he was wearing, coupled with a white dress shirt with its sleeves rolled up. Classy enough that he would not be shot on sight but not so stiff that it looked like he was trying. He'd only wear something really formal if it was important. He had his sunglasses, too—for when did he leave them at home?—but they were tucked into the pocket of his shirt due to the fact that he was inside. He refused to be that guy. He knew it would take several minutes to drive from Devin's apartment to the fancy establishment and so he went back to the magazine while he waited, flicking the pages with a contented smile. He was not the only one in the waiting area, now—a family of four sat while the receptionist searched for their reservation on the computer. He must have looked rather lonely waiting by himself but he would not be for long. He was quite proud of himself for managing to score a reservation. It meant a lot to Josh when he could do something for his friends and Devin was his best buddy, more a brother to him than his own ever had been. He looked up each time the door opened and about the third time, he was rewarded with the sight of his friend and his family. He stood up with a bright and friendly smile, as glad to see them as they were to see him.

He embraced Athena when she hugged him, smile still in place. "It's good to see you, too, Athena. I wouldn't miss this chance." He laughed and hugged Judith as well, relieved that they both seemed to be doing alright, looking happy. "It definitely has been too long." It probably felt the same way for Devin, and he met the Earth student's gaze for a moment. He returned the nod and then, once the reunion had been kicked off, punched his friend lightly on the shoulder in greeting. "Sup, DJ?" He was more casual with his friend because they spent so much time together that it came naturally to him. He had known Devin for years—before the gang, during the gang, in all the years after. Devin was the guy he'd known the longest and their friendship had stood the test of time. It had been hard at school when Josh had to ignore him because of alliances but he'd always been willing to meet up after school and hang out in their respective houses. "I was going to find our table but I decided to wait for you guys to get here." He approached the receptionist and gave his name, to which she nodded and beckoned them into the main dining area. He loved the atmosphere of Northern Lights with its dimly lit room and the fireplaces that crackled along the walls and gave it atmosphere. There was a huge fish tank along one wall, in the waters of which swam an array of colourful specimens. The restaurant got its name, however, from the ceiling that swam with soft and multicoloured lights, named and designed after the Aurora Borealis, the Northern Lights. He'd been here many times but never quite got over how nice it was.

Once they were seated and handed the menus, Joshua took the time to address his company. They'd come here to catch up, after all. It wouldn't do any good to eat in silence. "How's your job coming along, Judith?" It was the reason why she'd left, of course, so he hoped it was going well for her. He didn't blame Judith any more than Devin did. He blamed Lauren for being such a heartless bitch and Devin's father for not doing a better job of caring for his son. Some parents disgusted him. "And Athena, how's school?" It was so incredibly easy to converse with them. They felt like extended family thanks to how often he'd seen them in his earlier childhood and his teenage years. It was a shame that they'd had to leave but at least they were here now. That was all that mattered, right? He glanced at the menu, overwhelmed as usual by the sheer selection. It took him a while to comb through the options and find the vegetarian ones that appealed to him. He chose a vegetable medley with some sort of creamy sauce whose name he could not pronounce, roasted garlic potatoes, the cheese bread he almost always had to have when he was here. He also ordered a tall glass of water for while he waited. "The food here is excellent," he said lightly, having been enough times before that he could be confident of it. "What're you guys getting?"

[DEVIN JAMES THATCHER]

Devin smiled brightly as Athena embraced Josh, who returned the hug without hesitation. Not every person dealt well with the girl invading their personal space, but his best friend took it in stride. "Good, because I would have been really upset if you did not hang out with us at least once while we're here." Athena pouted a bit, being overly dramatic as always. Devin laughed. He and his sister were quite a bit alike, though he was not as forward as she was with personal life and had more respect for other people's space bubble. Judith was next in line to hug him, her arms almost wrapping around his waist from the difference in height. Judith was not incredibly short, but compared to Josh she was practically a midget. "Well, at least we get you all to ourselves tonight so we can catch up and enjoy a good meal." Devin was good about straying away from the spotlight when he knew that it was not necessary for him to be there, so he merely hung back as the three conversed, only responding when Joshua addressed him. "Not much, just starving," He teased lightly, patting the taller male on the shoulder affectionately. Nodding to his friend, the family followed Josh towards the receptionist and then out into the dining area. Upon entering the room all three of them looked up and stared awe-struck at the ceiling above, the colors mesmerizing and calming. Athena's eyes flitted over towards the fish tank, eyes glittering with child-like wonder.

"This place is stunning," Judith pointed out quietly so as to not disturb the serene atmosphere of the room. They were all handed their menus and after they were comfortably seated, Devin popping his open and scanning over the items. He blinked a few times, stunned by the selection; he could feel his mouth watering just at reading the descriptions. While Devin searched for his meal of choice, Judith looked up from her menu and smiled at Josh from across the table. "Well, it's a job at least. I miss being here with both of you, though. How about you dear? Have a job going for you?" The woman lifted a thin eyebrow, her features very similar to that of the blonde Earth student buried in his menu. Athena, absorbed in staring at the fish tank behind her, whipped her head around to look at Josh as well. It was obvious the girl admired him. "It's going well! Have a play coming up in a week, and the dance in a few months. And I have good grades of course. My boyfriend is a bit of a study-holic and helps me out." Devin's eyes peered over the menu, staring at Athena with a questioning gaze. Boyfriend? So, she'll tell Josh all about her life but not him? That's because you get overly protective and she doesn't want you breathing down her neck. Athena stared back at him for a moment before both relented and went back to what they were doing.

Judith toyed with her hair for a moment, looking thoughtful as she looked over a page on the menu before her. "Hmm...I don't know." She mused aloud. Athena, forever knowing what she wanted, stated with conviction, "I want shrimp." Devin set the menu down flat on the table and continued to observe the items available to him, obviously stuck. He was incredibly indecisive when it came to things like this; hell, he would probably drive someone up the wall with the whole 'I dunno, what do you want?' banter, because he would do it all day until someone else made the decision for him. "That's a good question. I might be in the mood for steak. I'm about to just...close my eyes and randomly pick something." That was an effective way to solve your indecisiveness problems. Worked in the past, and was sure to work now, right? The blonde stole a glance at Josh with a sheepish grin before sticking out his tongue, closing his eyes, and thumping his index finger onto a random place in the menu. Eager to see what he picked, Devin leaned over and looked at his choice with an approving nod. "This will do. Lobster tail and scallops. Boy, does my subconscious have expensive taste."

[JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE]

He laughed softly, his expression affectionate as he said, "Does that sound like something I would do? Nah." Missing out on seeing the two of them when they were in Canada was to Josh like missing a friend's birthday or some other important event. The people who'd made enough of an impression on him were always people he would do his best to spend time with, Athena and Judith included. Joshua was used to his best friend stepping back from the limelight and so he spoke to him in order to acknowledge the fact that he was there. This was as much a night to spend with his buddy as any. "You and me both, man. You and me both." Whenever he knew that he was going to be eating somewhere expensive he made sure to skip meals for the day so that he was properly hungry and able to consume as much as possible. It might not have been the best tactic but it allowed him to full enjoy a lot that the fancy restaurant had to offer. He might not have ate meat or seafood but even leaving out those choices didn't seem to limit his decisions. They had an entire vegetarian selection that he was able to peruse as he liked. "Isn't it?" He certainly agreed with Judith there. It was definitely the nicest restaurant in the hollow. The water from the fishtank cast strange, swirling patterns along the floor just below it, similar to the swirling ceiling but a light bluish colour instead of having multiple hues.

He did not blame her for missing her family while she was away from Maple Hollow and it was nice to know that he, too, was missed. He admired Judith in a lot of ways, not that he'd ever openly admit admiration. She'd done a lot for Devin without being obligated to and he respected that. "Oh, yeah," he said, having forgotten that she wouldn't know about his employment. He'd told most people that he knew but of course Judith had been in another country at the time. "I got a job at the retirement home helping out with first aid and all that." Though he did his best to sound modest, the croon of pride in his voice was not easy to miss. Josh was glad that he finally had somewhere he could actually use some semblance of skill and be recognized for it in the form of a paycheck. "It's nothing too extreme, I'm no doctor yet, but it's nice." He knew a lot about first aid from having learned a lot of things over the years. From his father, from the hospital, from the medical wing at the Academy. He tried to pick up on anything and everything that he could so that his knowledge was as broad as possible by the time he hit medical school. "A play, huh? Did you get a good role?" He definitely didn't miss the remark about her boyfriend and his lips twitched in amusement, noticing the way the siblings locked eyes. It would be exactly like that with him and Annabel, he was sure. He didn't know if she had a boyfriend yet but he was sure she wouldn't stay single forever.

A soft sound of amusement rose in his throat when Devin picked one of the priciest things on the menu in his first go. "You sure you didn't plan that?" He was only teasing, of course. It was ironic that Josh, rich as he was, often came out at the end of the night with the least expensive bill. The meats tended to be higher priced, seafood especially, and being that he didn't touch them he couldn't jack up the price with as much ease. Sometimes this shifted when he decided to order alcohol with his food but he refrained this time around. "I can't speak from personal experience but I've heard their seafood is as good as any. Maybe better." His mother loved the seafood and always ordered tons of it when they went to Northern for dinner. He was actually planning a night out with his family in the near future since they all lived apart now and wanted to get together every once and a while to talk and catch up. "How's the summer going so far?" The question was mainly aimed at the two women, seeing as he and Devin had already had their summer. "Oh, hey, DJ, did you talk to your boss?" He remembered their last conversation and wondered if his buddy had acted on his urge to cut back on how often he worked. The school year was back in session, after all.

[DEVIN JAMES THATCHER]

Athena and Judith had always considered Joshua family; after all, the two boys grew up together and spent a lot of time with the families. Judith appreciated Joshua's presence in Devin's life, and never hesitated to state this to him or anyone else. She knew that he was a good influence, especially in the area of school. Devin was lazy, and needed someone that was the opposite. The woman smiled fondly at the Fire elemental. "Oh? That's wonderful Josh! I'm glad you found something that's in your field of interest." Devin's smile was also bright as he looked at his friend, clearly just as fond of him as Judith was. They had known for a long time that Josh wanted to become a doctor, so to hear that he was moving in that direction was pleasant to hear. Athena lifted her glass a little bit in a toast for the job, then set it back down. "Yeah, we're actually doing Pride and Prejudice. I get to be Jane." Although the character was older than the main, her blonde hair and features resembled Jane more than Elizabeth. They used that, topped with her acting skills to make the choice. Devin had already heard of this over the phone a week or so before, but still listened and looked at his sister with a gleam of pride. I'm still gonna bring up this boyfriend ordeal later.

Devin laughed a bit as he looked at the price of the meal he had randomly chosen, shaking his head with a smile. "Oh yes, that was completely intentional. Although I have noticed this happens a lot when I go and buy clothes too." When the blonde would peruse a store and look for a new shirt or a pair of jeans, he would always wind up trying them on before checking the price. They would fit perfectly, feel comfortable, and then the price tag popped up and nearly made the boy choke. It was always the eighty dollar pair of jeans or forty-five dollar shirt. He learned to be more watchful when buying things now. Judith continued to scan her menu before glancing at Josh, the praise over the seafood clearly making an impact on her decision. "I think I'll go for some grilled Tilapia, then. That sounds delicious." The waiter came by and took their drink orders before disappearing again, promising to return to get their food orders for the evening. Athena hummed a little to herself as she listened in to the conversations around her, only to look at Josh when he spoke. "It's going well! I've spent half of my time rehearsing and running around, but it's been really good." Athena enjoyed staying busy and staying involved, something Devin did not find pleasure in. If she was not doing plays at school or in the local theater, she was playing soccer. If not soccer she was out horseback riding. Busy, busy, busy. Judith closed her menu, having decided what she wanted.

"I don't really get much of a summer, but the time I do get to relax it is nice. I saved up my vacation days to come here." Devin flashed his aunt a smile of appreciation; she passed up quite a few vacation opportunities just so she could visit her nephew. The woman inclined her head a little, listening in as the two boys took to talking. She was content to watch them with a smile. "Yeah, I did. They are gonna cut back on the weekdays, but they still need me on the weekends. At least I won't be so tired all the time." Although his face was bright, the rings under his eyes were obvious to those who took a moment to pay attention. Judith frowned, clearly unaware of Devin's tiring work schedule. "Why didn't you tell me you were struggling? I would have sent you the money to help you out. You need to do well in school." Devin was stubborn in that aspect; it bothered him to ask for for help, especially with finances. Judith had had enough on her plate without tossing the boy money every time he needed it. "I'm doing fine. It's no big deal, really." The Earth tried to brush it off. The waiter returned with all of their drinks, then proceeded to take their order. Judith did not look very convinced by Devin's statement but left it alone for now. Instead, she turned to Joshua again. "Are you still dating Nell? I would ask Devin when we talk but I figured it would be better to hear from you."

[JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE]

As he was close enough to Devin that the boy might as well be a brother, Athena was also like a sister to Josh. "Congrats. I'm sure you'll do well." He did not know what Athena was like as an actress but if she'd gotten into the play he assumed she was good enough for the part. "Maybe it's not subconscious," he said to Devin, winking. "Maybe it's just you." Like his friend, Josh had quite the expensive taste in fashion. Far wealthier than the Earth, he wore designer jeans and expensive jackets, sunglasses by the real Versace rather than the cheap knock-offs some people wore. He was not ashamed of his taste in fashion despite the fact that he did not flaunt it. It didn't make him feminine. He liked to look nice. One of the waitresses brought a basket of fresh, warm rolls to satisfy them until their meal was ready and Josh took one, buttering it. He would need to be careful not to gorge himself too much, as tantalizing as the bread was, for he knew he had a lot of food to finish. Being six foot three and a high-energy person, Josh burned through food quickly and needed to eat quite a lot. It always entertained him that Nell ate as much as he did with her tiny stature.

He chuckled when Judith spoke of her summer. "Neither did I. I took the last week for vacation and worked the rest of the time." He was not as bummed about the loss of freedom as Devin probably had been upon securing a job. He had the feeling that he would have driven himself up the wall if he'd not gotten the job, seeing as Nell worked two jobs herself and they were both absent a lot. "That's great," he said warmly. "Still, it's good you'll have some extra rest." He couldn't imagine what Devin's schedule was like if he was constantly dragging himself out to work in the evenings and getting little sleep. Josh's shifts were worked mostly during the day unless he offered to cover for one of his coworkers at the retirement home and so he had a fairly normal schedule. It was sweet that Judith would have been so willing to help Devin. She's a good woman. He was proud himself and he understood Devin's need to do things on his own. Heck, he probably had more pride than the Earth, or at least he was more pushy about his pride. Fires tended to be that way. When they returned with the drinks Joshua made sure to sip slowly, as careful about filling himself up with water as he was about bread. Annabel often made that mistake when they dined out.

A certain spark entered his gray gaze when she asked about Nell and he shot Devin a knowing look, smirking softly. Turning his attention back to Judith, he dipped his head. "We're engaged now, so yes, I'd say that counted as 'still dating'." Though he was not one for ecstatic outbursts, the fierce joy gleamed in his eyes. Still beating the odds. They had quite a lot of those against them but Josh was never the type to rely on statistics. There were always people filling that point one percentile. He and Nell were good to each other and it was that that kept them going, not a number on a page full of bullshit statistics. Most facts are made up, anyway. He didn't believe a fact until it was proven for real and indefinitely. It was why Josh had such a hard time with religions and superstitions. Smiling slightly from the after-effect of thoughts of Nell, Joshua took another sip of his water. "What about you, DJ? How's Autumn?" He hadn't asked his friend about the girl for a while and he wondered how the progression of their relationship was going. She was a sweet girl and he felt his best friend deserved her after pining after her for so long. Josh had been selfish and jumped straight into the relationship with Nell as soon as he realised a possibility but Devin had been the nice guy and paced it.

[DEVIN JAMES THATCHER]

“Thanks Josh!” The young girl chirped, smiling brightly at the older male with a bright glow in her eyes. Devin knew how highly Athena thought of Josh, so for him to praise her meant a great deal. Oh, how Devin wished they had longer than a week to visit, but beggars could not be choosers. He would take whatever family time he was given, even if it seemed very brief. The blonde smiled at his friend. “Oh yeah, it’s allll me.” He loved the bond he shared with Josh, despite the few bumps along their relationship. Ever since their rather strange confrontation in front of the mess hall, things smoothed out and Devin was more aware of his words. He knew Josh was sensitive about the scars. The rolls graced the table with their presence, the scent drawing in all three family members towards the basket. Athena tore hers in half and ate rather slowly as she always did, while Judith cut into the bread and inserted a small wedge of butter. Devin just bit right in, clearly as hungry as he said he was. The boy had a fairly high metabolism and could potentially eat everything in sight if given the chance.

Judith smiled and chuckled a bit at Josh, waiting to finish chewing her bite of bread before trying to speak. Devin took a moment to unroll the silverware and place the napkin in his lap while they chatted. “Ah, the pains of growing up. There’s always less and less time for other things. Doesn’t mean we don’t enjoy our jobs, but a little down time is nice every once in a while.” Judith was not a workaholic by any means, but liked what she did and found joy in it. The only downside was their moving to the states, leaving Devin here without his family. He loved his dad no matter how little he stood up for his son, but that was not a family bond he desired on a daily basis. Devin took another roll and slowed down his eating process, but not by much. Athena glanced at him from across the table with a knowing smile. “Yeah, I’ll take any extra rest I can get,” Devin replied, taking a sip of his soda. The hours were definitely improving, but being who he was the whole job ordeal was tiring in and of itself. Although, it was either that or have Judith help him out, and he did not want her to feel obligated to care for him when she was not even living in the Hollow.

All three of them could see the happiness on Joshua’s face, Athena being the first to clap her hands together and bounce up and down in her seat as quietly as possible. Devin laughed, and Judith went around the table to hug his neck. “Congratulations! Oh, this is wonderful! I’m so happy for you two.” As she went back to sit down, Athena was grinning from ear to ear. She was a lot like Devin in the fact that she fed off of other people’s emotions, happiness being the most powerful of all. “Please send Nell my congratulations too,” The girl added with a brief nod. They did not really know Nell all that well, but they knew enough from Devin and Josh. Devin treated the Earth girl like a sister, so they often heard of his fondness for her. It was a miracle Devin did not spill the news out to his family beforehand. The smile on his face gleamed for a few more moments before it drastically fell, a deep frown scoring his lips. Autumn. The boy shook his head and picked at the prongs on his silver fork, bright blue eyes clouded with sadness and glistening with tears. “I broke it off with her.” The words were sluggish and sullen, laced with upset. “I…don’t know. Communication was difficult, and the relationship felt very one sided. So, guess things are going back to the way they were.” Devin had loved Autumn, so this was a bigger hit than it normally would have been. He did not want to tell Josh about it, but since he asked there was no need to lie to his best friend. Only the Fire graduate knew what Devin might have meant by ‘going back to the way things were’; it was all too painful to deal with a relationship. The one-night stands always did him better in the end, it seemed.

[JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE]

As usual, the engagement lifted his spirits and brought a smile to his face. "Thank you," he said softly when both women congratulated him. "I'll make sure and do that." He would definitely mention it, though he did not know how much Nell knew about Athena or if she and the girl had ever met. Joshua had known Devin's aunt and sister almost as long as he'd known the boy himself so he had to keep that in mind. His light mood faltered when he saw the smile on Devin's face do the same. Shit, thought Josh, having assumed it was a safe subject thanks to how passionate the Earth boy seemed to be about Autumn. Forbidden waters? It seemed so, for a moment later Devin confessed to having broken it off with Autumn. When he thought about it, Joshua realised that it had been a fair amount of time since he'd seen Autumn, too. People often drifted apart from one another for reasons unknown but it still sucked to see it happen to his best friend, especially with his relationship. "Damn, man, that bites. Wouldn't have brought it up if I'd known." He didn't apologise because, of course, this was Joshua. Instead he reached out and placed a hand on Devin's shoulder in a brief comforting gesture before letting it drop. He felt bad for having mentioned Autumn seeing as the relationship had taken a nosedive but he figured he'd have found out eventually.

The way things were before. Joshua's gray eyes had gleamed with a subtle recognition when Devin spoke these words, though he did not say anything aloud to acknowledge his realisation. Judith and Athena did not need to know Devin's habits. He did not know how much they knew about Devin's uncommitted ways, but as his best friend Josh had seen his friend go through a lot of girls, relationships and otherwise. It had been something they almost had in common, though Josh was pretty sure Devin was the better guy out of the pair. At least he had some relationships. What was the point, though, if they all ended like the one with Autumn had? Josh recalled something Devin had said about one of his other girls: "That ship has sailed." He took for granted sometimes the fact that his first relationship had gone so well. He hoped for his sake that it didn't crash and burn. "You handling it alright?" He made a note to invite Devin to his house for a drink at some point. Rather than celebrating their birthdays and the health of their relationship they could drink to help Devin forget. It wasn't fail safe but it was often effective. He also would not resort to bashing Autumn and cutting her up, knowing that in the event of a break-up this was not always a good idea.

Deciding that, since it was he who had brought up the elephant in the room, he should switch the conversation, Joshua said, "What's the place you've got in the States like? Is it nice?" He addressed Judith, not wanting to make Devin speak immediately after admitting (eyes watering) that he'd lost Autumn. Break-ups were hard. He'd seen Harley through one, he'd seen Devin through a few, and countless other friends. He was not usually as empathetic as this but Devin was his best friend. This was the kid he'd grown up with, back when the popular belief was that girls had cooties and that kissing was gross. "At least it's not too different from Canada. Better than moving to India or Japan." Moving to a country with an entirely different country and languages that were not your own could be a frightening experience. Countries like the United States and Canada were similar enough that one could travel between them and not feel too out of place. He imagined someone from Quebec would see it a little differently but he was not from Quebec and so did not have that problem.

[DEVIN JAMES THATCHER]

Devin felt his mood significantly drop despite the pleasant company in his midst; he had been attempting to repress the feelings waging war in his heart, but now that this was all out in the open it was a bit harder to contain. Judith was frowning, and Athena took it upon herself to go around the table and hug her brother as tightly as she could. Devin’s eyes burned. This was exactly why he had not told anyone, and now he feared that his sudden dip in mood would ruin the evening. He passed a glance at Josh and nodded. “It’s fine. I was going to tell you anyway.” Maybe not while they were all sitting in a fancy restaurant with family they had not seen in months, but he supposed everything had its way of coming out into the open on its own. Life was funny like that. Devin picked at the bread crumbs on his plate, no longer feeling very hungry. He would eat for the sake of those present, but nothing more. Joshua had not meant to scratch at the very fresh scab on his wound, but it had happened and now he had to cope with it. Had he been alone with Josh, who knew how that would have gone. Probably would have cried like a baby. Devin could be tough, but certain things were definitely more sensitive.

“I’m…handling it as well as I can.” Devin stated softly, glancing between his aunt and sister who both took to chatting with one another while the boys talked. He was glad that they were respectful of the situation, even though they were the guests here. “A good night out with my best buddy might help me out though.” The smile was faint but real. He thought maybe spending some time with Josh would help take his mind off of things, no matter what they did. Since the break-up, Devin had resorted to sucking himself into video games more than usual, because killing something virtual was actually kind of medicinal. Outside of a night out with Josh, a few parties definitely couldn’t hurt. He refused to sit around and leave himself sexless, since there was no point now. It actually upset him that he was so patient with Autumn, wanted to wait until she was comfortable to prove to her that he was not just going to go off and sleep with other random girls, only to have this happen. Well fuck it. I’m just gonna go do whatever I want. A twinge of rebellion fluctuated in his veins, and it felt pretty good. The pain he felt leaving Autumn was there, and probably would be for a while, but he could use other people to help him escape.

Exhaling a little, a new topic had been taken up at the table and Devin could finally sit back and soak up the atmosphere without feeling like the spotlight was on him. That normally would not be an issue if the discussion were not so negative. Judith finally turned herself into the conversation, letting Devin blend in with the atmosphere. “Oh, it’s lovely. It’s just a townhome, nothing big. Definitely nothing like Maple Hollow.” Being as it was just the woman and her niece there was no reason for anything larger. It was still expensive, but her employer aided her since they requested her to make the move in the first place. A smile formed on Judith’s lips, one that seemed…mischievous. Like she knew something that everyone else at the table did not. “That’s very true. I’m not sure I could handle moving halfway across the world. Fortunately I don’t have to miss Canada for too much longer.” Athena, mid-bite on her bread roll, stopped and stared at her aunt in shock. Apparently, she did not know of this either. “What do you mean Aunt Judith?” Devin was now leaning forward in his chair, the sullen expression now that of curiosity and possible excitement. Did she mean what he thought she meant? The woman looked between Athena, Devin, and Josh before clapping her hands together once. “We’ll be moving back to Canada at the beginning of next year! We’ll be back in Maple Hollow.” Devin could not even find the words to speak, and Athena dropped her bread on the plate with a muffled clink.

[JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE]

Joshua nodded to show he'd heard but still felt a prickle of guilt assaulting his stomach. This was another one of the reasons he was often careful with his questions. They could be dangerous if you pressed the wrong button, opened up the wrong dam. He hated to see his best friend's eyes water, the pain in them partially his own fault for bringing it up in the first place. Guilt wasn't something Josh dealt with well. He was going to tell you anyway. He used this reminder to shove that guilt away and put it under lock and key. Joshua could be selfish enough that he'd take the easy way out if only so that he didn't have to feel miserable about something. "It'll be like old times," he said. "Forget about everything and have fun." He was going to say 'and get drunk', though he once again thought better of it. He respected the fact that Judith and Athena were giving the two boys their space in conversation. If there was something Joshua hated, it was people nosing into a conversation and making things worse. They had every right to inquire about Devin's life, being family, but Josh was glad they didn't grill him too much. Autumn was good for him. Sucks it had to end. He tried to never consider the idea of him and Nell ending up like that some day. Joshua wouldn't let pessimism or doubt wreck his certainty about the girl. He also was going to avoid mentioning Nell tonight if he could help it, to save Devin the pain.

He had only been inside a few townhomes for parties and the like but most of them were at least nicer than apartments. Nell's second one had been in a good area but her first and the one he'd lived in when he'd first met her were less than stellar in terms of living conditions. A lot of the problem for Josh had been the space. It was hard to adapt to tiny quarters when your bedroom was about the size of the entire new living space. "That's good," he said warmly, glad that Devin no longer had to be the centre of attention in their discussion. Sorry, man. The guilt had filtered away with his careful influence but that didn't mean there was no regret for bringing it up. He also felt a spark of anger toward Autumn. How dare she play with his head like that? He'd liked the girl but you did not fuck with his best friend. "Are your neighbours any decent?" Josh's own neighbours were far enough away that he could avoid the annoyances of loud music (or... other things) but they were still good people. Then there was Nell's father, who lived closer than Josh would have liked. It was good for her, he guessed, but not so much for him. There was the old Woods' mansion which had since come under new ownership. He blinked when she made the off-hand comment, catching onto the fact that the words had a double meaning. Oh?

He looked at Devin for a moment to gauge his friend's reaction, a slight smile tugging his lips when he saw his expression. Athena seemed shocked and Josh couldn't tell what she was thinking. He turned his attention back to Judith and her mischievous smile. So, does that mean...? Sure enough, she spoke the words and stunned the table with them. Joshua's gray gaze flicked reflexively toward Athena's plate when the girl dropped her roll, but he looked back at Judith after a moment. Devin seemed to be at a loss for words and so Josh chuckled, smiling. "That's great!" His voice had its usual quiet tone but there was a slight hint of excitement behind it. He was happy for Devin, knowing that his friend really needed family back in his life again. You were so upset when they were leaving. Then there had been Lauren, and Josh would be happy if he never had to hear of that bitch again. "I'm happy for you guys, really." He lifted his glass for a moment in a sign of congratulations, smiling. He wondered what Athena was thinking, or better yet, what was on Devin's mind. He looked at his friend again, gaze curious but not too probing.

[DEVIN JAMES THATCHER]

Forgetting about everything sounded glorious. Devin figured he was able to pick up what Josh was putting down without them actually discussing it in front of his family; Judith and Athena were not privy to a lot of his past with girls and parties, though they knew he did like to drink. Beyond that, he intentionally left dark gaps in his discussions with them. It was not something he was entirely proud of, but why do anything else? The rest only left heartache. He did not do well with heartache. You could beat up on someone all day, bruise their face and beat them down until they could barely walk, but walking away from someone you loved was infinitely more painful. That was harder to heal. Devin was sure Josh could understand at least a bit of that; if he ever had to walk away from Nell…Devin did not even want to think about what would become of his best friend. I don’t think that will happen though. They are perfect for one another. At least the boy could cherish the relationship Joshua had since he could not manage to keep one of his own, right? It made him feel a little better, and that was something. The blonde smiled to Josh and nodded, sighing quietly before setting chin in hand. “Yeah, that sounds like a plan to me. I could actually use a couple of those nights, whenever you aren’t busy.”

Judith’s expression was unreadable, but she felt for her nephew and what he dealt with in regards to Autumn. He had talked about the girl quite a bit, rambling about how he thought she was so sweet and caring. He had told her ‘I want to do this right.’ Too bad that his attempt was all for naught, and left him an emotional heap at the dinner table. The woman did focus on Josh though, both seeming to understand that it was best to leave it all be for now. “Oh, we have very nice neighbors,” Judith replied with a smile. “A few of their kids are Athena’s age, so that makes things simpler I suppose. She has plenty of friends to keep her occupied.” Athena smiled and nodded, agreeing to this. She was a socialite like Devin, and enjoyed the company of others. She probably enjoyed it more than Devin did. However, the chatty group fell into silence at Judith’s announcement, but Josh seemed to grasp it all and speak up. The woman smiled and chuckled, lacing her fingers together and setting them on the table. “Isn’t it? I’m so incredibly excited about coming home.” Athena stared at her for another moment before blinking back a few tears. “We get to be with Dev? I get to come home? Yes!” The girl did a half fist pump, keeping her voice calm despite her excitement. She started humming to herself, now in an inexplicably good mood.

Devin still had a difficult time finding anything to say, but his features were glowing. The smile was small, a faint twitch, and then slowly it reached up towards his eyes as he looked at his aunt. “You’re serious? You’ll be moving back?” Judith nodded at Devin, reaching over and placing a hand on his. “Yes dear. Come January, Athena and I will be back in the Hollow.” Devin started to laugh, the joy evident in his eyes and posture. Once his chuckling died down, he looked to Josh with the smile plastered on his face. Judith cleared her throat. “And, if you’d like, you can stay with me and your sister.” Holy hell. He could live with them again? Sure he wanted to be independent, but with the hours at work and trying to manage school it was difficult. This would be a chance to try and balance things out. Devin nodded fervently, now regaining the hunger that was lost to him at the mention of his ex-girlfriend. “Yes, yes I would like that. In fact you guys could move in with me if you wanted. It’s got decent space. Unless you had something else in mind?” The boy lifted an eyebrow, now eager for the year to end so he could be with his family again. Oh, how he missed them. Judith seemed to think on this for a moment. “I think we could do that, and then maybe get something bigger later on. We need to work on you getting a car too.” This day had turned out perfect. He looked to his best friend as the waiter brought out their food, setting it on the table. “One of those nights out, Josh, we should celebrate this too.”

[JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE]

Joshua could remember the many years he'd spent trying to forget things. Drinking had become his escape, alcohol his medication for something that pills couldn't fix. If he fought with his parents, he drank. If he had a bad day at school, he drank. If anything at all was troubling him, he turned to whiskey for the cure. It was a good thing he had not been born with an addictive personality, else Josh may well have ended up an alcoholic. He'd gotten over the rough patch of his teenage years but he still understood that alcohol worked quite well for drowning sorrows. It isn't the best way to go, but sometimes it's the only way. Heartbreak was a hard heal indeed. "Sure, man, I'll give you a call." He most certainly would. If his friends were in trouble, be it emotional, physical, or in some other shape or form, it was just like Josh to devote his time to trying to help them out. He hardly ever extended a helping hand to a stranger but if a friend was in a bind he was always the first one to jump to their aid. "Having good neighbours is always a plus," said Josh with a light twitch of his lips, his signature half-smile. "I'm not shocked you found new friends, Athena. You'd befriend a wall if it'd talk back." His tone was light, teasing, and the half-smile broadened into a much larger grin for a moment as he directed his gray gaze toward her. The purpose of the subject had been to turn attention away from Devin but he invested himself in the conversation nonetheless.

Coming home. Though Judith and Athena had a new house in the United States, it seemed that they called Maple Hollow their home even still. "Canada will be lucky to have you back." Devin would be lucky to have them, too. It seemed such perfect timing that they announced their news when Devin was recovering from the break-up with Autumn. Joshua was glad that the positive news had managed to stop Devin's sadness from spoiling the dinner for him. It wasn't every day someone got to eat at Northern with close relatives and friends, after all. Not even the Dale family were reckless enough spenders to dine at the establishment that often. I wonder what Athena will think about leaving her friends for a second time? Her new boyfriend? He did not ask, though, for the question was both personal and potentially upsetting. Joshua did not want to wreck the cheery mood so soon after it had lifted. Maybe she realises that family is more important. Joshua had made a different choice when it had come to his family or Nell but that was... different. "We'll definitely take a night to celebrate," he agreed. "I'm sure we can find a way." Drinking again, probably (for when was it a bad idea?) but at least this time it would be in good spirits and for a good reason. The time for grieving on Devin's part could come another time.

The food arrived at that point to interrupt the good news, though it was a welcome interruption in Joshua's opinion. The mixture of tantalizing smells from each of the plates was enough to make one's mouth water and his gray eyes gleamed as he examined his plates. Looks as good as it always does. He had good table manners thanks to his strict upbringing and so he ate slowly and carefully rather than shovelling the food into his mouth like he was tempted to do. Besides, eating too fast could bring on a stomach ache. The potatoes were crisp and hot, the vegetables steamed to perfection. He'd never disliked vegetables and so he didn't hesitate to dig into them, too. Swallowing a bite down with some of the water he had remained, Josh set his fork down for a moment to speak. "So how'd you manage to arrange moving back?" He was curious to know what sort of situation Judith had with her job now that would allow her to return. Not that it mattered to Josh. All that he cared about was how great this was going to be for Devin. Still, it made a good topic of conversation and he did want to know, whether it mattered or not. "Oh, hey, Dev, you still up for paintball? I've got time this weekend, most likely." He recalled their making of plans during the summer and though it was a good month later, he was still interested in getting together for some fun. It would be a good time to hang out with his buddy. They could go out to the bar afterwards and Devin could medicate himself, Josh figured.

[DEVIN JAMES THATCHER]

Devin nodded and smiled at his best friend, grateful for his willingness to join him in a drinking escapade or two. It most certainly was not the wisest thing to do, but why should he care? It was not like it failed him before. The parties, the girls, the one-night stands...it never let the boy down. It was sad that the one thing he never thought he'd find, he found, and then felt screwed ten times over. He never struggled with that sort of thing before all of that. Girlfriends came and went, sure, but none of them were like Autumn. A brief scowl crossed his features, but reverted to a neutral state as he listened to his family talk to Josh. Right now, Devin wanted to curl up inside of himself and mope around. Judith took notice of her nephews' silence and allowed it to remain so for his sake. She always knew when to pry and when to leave well enough alone. Athena saw this, too, and focused her attention solely on the Fire graduate. "Hey!" The girl pouted, acting offended. Then, she appeared thoughtful and tapped her chin with a chuckle. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Walls can make good friends if you find the right ones." Athena shared in Devin's quirky attitude and sense of humor at times; it was those moments that proved they were related.

"Aw, thank you Joshua," Judith chimed, smiling at him. "It'll be good to be back. I've missed you both so much." Athena nodded eagerly. Although the girl had a boyfriend and new friends in the states, she had always pined for home--the Hollow--and though it would be another uprooting at least the roots could find themselves back in their original place. The soil was already soft and ready to take them back, to allow the network to start up again and become stronger than ever. Though Devin appeared rather mopey, there was still a smile on his face as he looked between the three at the table. Autumn caused him a lot of turmoil, but having his family return to him was the brightest ray of sunshine amid a cloudy day. His bright blue eyes flicked over to Joshua and he nodded again. "Sounds good to me man. Sounds good to me." Devin took a drink of his soda, knowing that they would probably celebrate with alcohol. What better way? And with just he and Josh, nothing could really go wrong. Nell could join in if she wanted to though, because she was Nell. Devin thought of her like another sister, and would never exclude her from anything.

As they ate happily, all with their delicious smelling food, the conversation continued. It was difficult to eat in silence when you had not seen someone in quite some time. Devin was grateful that Josh was making conversation, because although he was ecstatic for his family's return his mind was a bit frayed at the current moment. Judith smiled. "Oh, well the position was able to be more...remote. And when they told me I could work from anywhere in the world because of this, I requested I come home to Maple Hollow." Athena was still smiling brightly, a hum in her throat as she ate. "I'm so excited! I'll have to leave everyone behind but...honestly it is so worth it this time." At hearing those words, Judith smiled softly. It was nice to know that Athena would not have another one of her outbursts like last time. Devin, now having a question tossed in his direction, tuned into the conversation with a smile. He took a bite of his food before attempting a reply--what could he say? The boy was hungry. "Paintball this weekend sounds like a great idea! Have anyone we're bringing along? Or are we just gonna join up with random people?" He was becoming a little more chatty now that the conversation had moved along, and the good news of his family coming home had been announced. "But yeah, definitely up for paintball." Any time with Josh he would take, and anything to distract himself from everything else was a perk too.