[ACE] Devil's duty

[derek chandler ralston]

Derek grinned faintly again, something he really wasn't used to doing. "We don't need tapes, but you're right." He turned the corner towards the house and pulled up slowly before taking the keys and getting out. As usual he rounded the front of it and opened the other side, offering a hand to help Ace out.

[aerin 'ace' colt endsley]

Ace watched him open the door, and undid his seat belt. He turned a bit, letting his legs hang off the seat and out the door. He held out his hand, watching the blood drip slowly from his thumb to his palm. "Fix it.." He mumbled, his blue eyes looking up to meet Derek's. "Blood makes me sick.."

[derek chandler ralston]

Derek looked down at him, briefly caught off guard as their eyes met. "Ah, right..." He murmured as he cleared his throat. He looked under his seat and in the glove compartment until he found a small first aid kit and pulled out a band aid. A gentle hand tool Ace's, working the little bandage over the bleeding thumb. "There.. All better." He breathed, smiling at his as he raised his head.

[aerin 'ace' colt endsley]

Ace watched him carefully, obviously mesmerized when his hand wasn't bleeding anymore. "Like water." He said quietly, turning his hand over to look at it. "Thank you." He said, smiling over at him. He carefully climbed out of the truck, his hand on Derek's arm for balance. "It doesn't bother you having a kid now? Well, not really a kid so much as a broken teenager.. Same concept, right?"

[derek chandler ralston]

Derek smiled back at him. "Yeah, kind of like that." He helped him find his balance, and locked up the truck with a shake of his head. "Why would that bother me? I wouldn't have signed the papers if I didn't want to take you." He patted his shoulder gently, then opened the door and stepped aside for Ace.

[aerin 'ace' colt endsley]

"I dunno.. I've spent my entire life being told I'm stupid.. It's just weird knowing someone wants you around." He mumbled, walking inside. He messed with his hair a moment before he walked over to the sofa, curling up at the end. "I had a foster father one time.. He forbade me from going near any water.. He liked me better when I couldn't speak or walk.. I.. Please don't hurt me. I like you.." He said brokenly, looking down into his lap.

[derek chandler ralston]

Derek wandered in after him. "I guess we're both experiencing something new then," He murmured with a shrug, dropping onto the sofa and reaching for the remote. As he listened ti Ace, however, his smile fell and he set it back down, looking him over.
He patted the spot next to him, eyes searching the boy's face. "Ace...never, ever will I intentionally hurt you.. I want you happy, I want to tape together all those broken pieces everybody has made you into.. It's different this time okay..?" His eyebrows furrowed and he pushed Ace's hair back tenderly. "I promise.."

[aerin 'ace' colt endsley]

Ace looked over at him, hesitant about moving closer to him. But he moved to his side anyways, drawing his knees up to Derek's side as he laid his head on his shoulder. He closed his eyes, wrapping his arm around his knees. "I really want this to be different.. You're so nice to me. A-and you shared a bed with me last night and you didn't hurt me.. That counts for something, right?" He said quietly, looking up at him. He chewed on his lip, his eyes slowly wandering his face before they found Derek's again.

[derek chandler ralston]

Derek hesitated, terrified of scaring him away. So he tried not to touch him too much, except of course where Ace was leaning against him. "It is different this time Ace, you're safe now..have a real home and good care." He shifted his weight carefully. "And I would hope last night counts for something...because I'm never going to force you to do anything you don't want, know matter what it is."

[aerin 'ace' colt endsley]

Ace nodded, looking him over. He couldn't help thinking he should trust him. Derek had been nothing but nice to him. He'd saved him from what Ace thought he had no way out of. He was literally his saving grace. "Of course it counts for something.. And when everyone else was looking at me like I was my dad or something, you never looked at me funny.." He gently pulled Derek's hand into his lap, playing slowly with his fingers. "It's like you don't see Aerin.. You see Ace."

[derek chandler ralston]

Derek smiled at him tenderly. "I can relate to being looked at funny," He said, running the fingers of his free hand slowly through Ace's hair. "And I'm willing to see you however you wish to be seen, okay? As long as it's not something wrong, I'm not going to tell you no, either."

[aerin 'ace' colt endsley]

Ace relaxed as Derek ran his hand through his hair. He moved a little closer, playing slowly with Derek's fingers. "Maybe it's because I'm weird too.. But I don't see anything wrong with you.. Your teeth are a teeny bit sharp, but-" He shrugged, looking up at him. His eyes were far happier, the fact someone didn't hate him being enough to finally make everything a little more okay.

[derek chandler ralston]

He chuckled softly. "Ah. That." He teased, running a tongue over his teeth. "Just a teeny bit?" Another smile towards Ace as he patted his shoulder before looking down at their hands. "You're not weird though, Ace. Just a bit troubled."

[aerin 'ace' colt endsley]

Ace smiled, holding up his fingers in a 'yes, just a teeny bit' gesture. "Maybe to humans you're scary. But I've seen the monsters of the gods. And compared to them, you're a walk in the park." He said quietly. He had only seen them in dreams, but he knew they had to exist somewhere. Gods didn't just get rid of their monsters. They put them into hiding until they needed them. "Maybe.." He mumbled, trailing off. He slowly ran his index finger against Derek's, his eyes wandering over his face.

[derek chandler ralston]

Derek searched his face slowly, feeling like there was nothing he needed to say. Ace seemed far happier than he had earlier, at least. "I guess we've both been helping each other then, huh?"