[ACE] Devil's duty

[derek chandler ralston]

Derek rubbed warily at his face and waited for Chantel, helping her into the back bench seat before waving Ace in silently. He climbed in, elbows on the steering wheel as he waited for them, head in his hands. He didn't know what he was doing, what he had done. Didn't know how to fix someone just as broken, if not more broken than himself.

[aerin 'ace' colt endsley]

Ace climbed in when he was told to, looking down into his lap. He messed with his fingers, listening to the girl talking in the back about getting something to eat. He didn't want food anymore. He didn't even want to leave. He just wanted to run away, to never be found again. But this guy wasn't human, right? He'd have no trouble finding him.

[derek chandler ralston]

'You're just a fuck up.'
'failure.'
'Monster, of course he doesn't like you. Nobody does.'
'Killer, look how many lives you've taken. YOU KILLED YOU PARENTS!'
'Do you really deserve to raise somebody?'
'I think not, he fucked Chantel up, right?'
'You can't even raise a grown girl.'
'You'll never amount to anything, Derek,' Satan's voice joined with the others, andhe trembled.
He hadn't heard anything Chantel said.
"what?" He whispered hoarsely. But when he raised his head to glance at both of them, tears streaked his face. Derek never cried. Ever.

[aerin 'ace' colt endsley]

"I said- what's wrong?" She asked, climbing over the seat to sit in his lap and hug him, gently wiping the tears from his cheeks. Ace looked away, had never been show any affection besides little kids looking at him. He pulled a leg up into his seat, propping his head up on his hand. He chewed absently on his lip.

[derek chandler ralston]

Derek tried to pull his face away. "Nothing.." He insisted. "Just-..tired of not being- of-..I just...want to help somebody who doesn't want help." He rubbed angrily at his face, gently helping her into the back again. And, not bothering with even a seat belt, he pulled out of the drive, reaching up occasionally to wipe at his face as the mocking started back up in his head again.

[aerin 'ace' colt endsley]

She pouted in the back seat, Ace wincing as an inhuman whine came from her throat. He pulled his legs up into his seat, a sigh passing his lips. "I never said I didn't want help.." He said quietly, looking out at the passing scenery.

[derek chandler ralston]

Derek drew in a breath, thinking over his words. It was hard with the shouts and laughs in his head, the insults being thrown at him. "But you act like it..." He glanced over at him. "I...I'm not asking to be your friend, or your father, or whatever you don't want me as, okay? I know it's hard for you to trust, Ace... I can't imagine living the life you have... I haven't hurt you yet, have I? All I'm asking for is a chance, okay..? For me to prove that it really is different this time.." He fell quiet. And, hoping the boy would give him that, cleared his throat. "so..what kinds of food do you like? We'll get Chantel her hot dog. You want something different?"

[aerin 'ace' colt endsley]

"I'll try.." Ace said quietly. He couldn't make any promises, because flinching away from people came as second nature now. Not trusting people came as second nature, too. He couldn't just stop that on a dime. "I eat anything.. But I'm allergic to peanuts." He mumbled. That was always something they'd failed to tell his foster parents, and it had landed him in the hospital plenty of times.

[derek chandler ralston]

Derek looked over at him, searched his face. "That's all I ask," He murmured with a smile, nodded at the comment. "I'll remember that," He breathed absently, deciding they would stop at a stand by the park for hotdogs where it would be less crowded than the food court at the mall. Ace wasn't the only one who didn't like big crowds.

[aerin 'ace' colt endsley]

Ace looked back at the girl, who was watching the trees pass intently, laying down on her stomach in the back seat. He glanced back out the window, feeling more out of place than anything. But at least he wasn't entirely scared, which was a welcome change.

[derek chandler ralston]

Derek pulled to a stop and got out, opening the door for Ace before letting the seat fold forward so Chantel could get out as well. He patted her head gently. leading the two towards the stand to order three hot dogs, letting them choose what to put on them before he glanced their way. "Quick walk in the park while we eat?"

[aerin 'ace' colt endsley]

Ace got out of the car slowly, following him to get food. He took his hot dog from him with a thanks, taking a bite out of it. He nodded, watching Chantel bounce along beside him as he walked. He moved a little closer to Derek, eyeing her warily. "Do you feed her straight sugar?"

[derek chandler ralston]

Derek bit into his hot dog carefully. When he was younger it had taken him forever to grasp eating since his mouth was different from a humans. He smirked at Ace, shook his head. "I don't. I promise. She's just crazy." But his words were laced with hidden affection and he reached out to ruffle her hair, baring his teeth at her in a playful canine fashion that only a werewolf would understand.

[aerin 'ace' colt endsley]

She growled, her eyes growing bright yellow. She moved closer to him, looking over at Ace. He stopped with his hot dog half to his mouth, raising an eyebrow at her. "What?"

"You have pretty eyes. And you smell like a fish." She said, and he shrugged. He took a bite out of his hot dog, looking around at the people around them.

[derek chandler ralston]

Derek nearly choked on his bite of hot dog, and swallowed carefully. "She means that as a compliment," He murmured, would explain to the boy when he...trusted him enough to sit and listen. They passed a group of males in their teens and twenties rough-housing, and Derek grew serious again, quiet.