[ACE] Devil's duty

[aerin 'ace' colt endsley]

Ace tried on the pair of jeans, then walked over to Derek. He looked down at them, then back up at him. "Yeah? No?"

[derek chandler ralston]

Derek made the 'spin-around-so-I-can-see' motion with his finger, reaching hesitantly to check that the waist wasn't too big. "They fit good, look nice. So, yeah." He smiled.

[aerin 'ace' colt endsley]

Ace turned around, that lump in his throat as he felt his jeans being tugged. He bit his lip, walking slowly back to his dressing room to change back into his old jeans. He grabbed another of the same type and made his way over to the shirts, looking them over slowly. He didn't know what he liked. They all looked the same to him.

[derek chandler ralston]

Derek helped Chantel finish, then wandered over to the shirts with Ace, picking one up and holding it out thoughtfully, then putting it back down. He caught sight of another and held it a few inches from Ace, smiled. "Brings out your eyes."

[aerin 'ace' colt endsley]

Ace took it from him, but he refused to try it on. Not if there was going to be more tugging involved. He mumbled a thanks, but figured he was missing something because this shirt looked just like the last one he'd picked up. His mom had always told him he got his colors wrong, but he hadn't been to school for them to pick it up. So he just assumed he was stupid.

[derek chandler ralston]

Derek's lips quirked up just slightly, his eyes hopeful that maybe he was being a little more accepted. Helping him pick another shirt out, he glanced around, then gently took the clothes from his arms, as well as Chantel's skirt as he spotted the check out stand.

[aerin 'ace' colt endsley]

Ace followed him slowly, his hands in his pockets. He looked down at the ground, watching his feet. He couldn't help but smile when a little girl came and walked over, turning her head up so she could see him.

"Hi." She said, and he reached down, patting her head.

"Hi." He said quietly, then she toddled back to her mom and he looked up, chewing on his lip.

[derek chandler ralston]

'You'll never amount to anything.'
'Shopping doesn't make you a father or anything.'
'I bet he could care less what you do for him.'
This time Satan wasn't the problem. He wasn't even there. Derek drew in soft breaths as he paid and took their bag of stuff, heading back towards the mall. His heart felt like it was in his throat, the arguing in his head leaving it pounding to where he felt sick, couldn't think. And then he was on the ground on his knees, gripping at the sides of his head as he bared his teeth helplessly despite the fact that they were in public.
It was probably stress induced, he knew. But it didn't shut them up, knowing that.

[aerin 'ace' colt endsley]

Chantel got down on her knees next to him, wrapping her arms tightly around him. "Shh, Derek.." She breathed, gently rubbing his back. Ace warily walked over to him, chewing on his lip. He squatted down, carefully running his fingers through his hair in an act of compassion he never saw near enough.

"Why don't we go home, okay?" Ace suggested.

[derek chandler ralston]

Derek drew in a careful breath, pleading for silence. He eased up as one by one they faded to nothing more than the occasional dull murmured/He opened his eyes, glaring coldly at the couple that was just standing and staring. Dusting his knees off, he stood and started leading them the way they had come in, not uttering a word.

[aerin 'ace' colt endsley]

Ace followed him quietly, picking absently at his arm. He looked down, listening to Chantel worrying over Derek, asking him if he was okay. He was tempted to say he wanted to go back to California, that he wanted to leave. He felt so out of place, like he was intruding on a family that was already made and happy and didn't need another freak to add to their circus.

[derek chandler ralston]

"I'm fine Chantel," He breathed. "It's okay..." He felt terrible for today, didn't want Ace to think this was all that ever happened. He wanted to gain his trust, help him, and he didn't know why. Naturally he was independent, and didn't care for anyone but himself and Chantel. He looked over at Ace helplessly before getting in, taking a swallow of his water.

[aerin 'ace' colt endsley]

Ace held the seat for Chantel to get in before he climbed in, pulling his seat belt on. He propped his head against his arm, looking out the window with that same blank look he seemed to always have. He almost hated living like this, having to wonder when he would get his next hair cut, if he would be taken away, if he would make it even one day without being scared of someone or being raped. But he'd never even thought of suicide.

[derek chandler ralston]

Derek leaned back after calming his nerves some. "Anybody need anything else at all before we head back?" He breathed, tapping his fingers absently. He cast Ace a sidelong glance, and sighed softly. He didn't know what he was doing, what he had been thinking. But after everything he'd told him, he knew he couldn't just give up on the boy now, give him more broken promises and more reason to never trust. He didn't want that.

[aerin 'ace' colt endsley]

Ace shook his head, heard Chantel in the backseat say she didn't need anything else. He just closed his eyes, wrapping his free arm around him self as he settled back into his seat. He messed with the hole in his shirt, honestly not remembering how long he'd had it on, or the last time it or his jeans had been washed.