Title : Not the Same Inside

Fandom : Dark Angel

Character : Joshua p.o.v of Alec

Rating : PG

Written for the prompt : Dark Angel, Alec and Joshua, Joshua sees more than people think, including how people casually hurt Alec thinking it will roll off him like rain

Disclaimer : All characters belong to the owners and creators of Dark Angel and no gain is being made out of this endeavor and no offense is intended.


Not the Same Inside

Joshua knows that people underestimate him, think he's a little slow and naïve and in truth he probably is to some extent, not so worldly-wise as his friends for sure. But in other ways, he really isn't. He's perceptive. He sees a lot more in people than anyone gives him credit for.

He loves Max; she's a sister, a protector but he's not blind. He sees her faults as well, her shortcomings. She can be stubborn and short-sighted, fixed in her opinions when there is more to see and more to understand.

He likes Logan too. The man has done an amazing amount for the Transgenics, sacrificed a lot of his own life, but he isn't without fault.

Joshua watches them both with Alec, knows that neither of them sees the real Alec, neither of them understands who Alec is in his heart. Of course, he also sees how Alec really doesn't help matters. Alec with his loud-mouth, his brash attitudes and the way words tumble from his mouth like raindrops from the clouds. Joshua understand though, that it is all just layers, like an onion skin that you peel away to reveal something more below. If you peeled away the layers of Alec, he's sure that you would peel away the bitter cynicism and the harsh words.

He tried to explain it to Max once, the outside of Alec, all pretty colors, tricks and treats but inside it is dark and lonely. He knows she didn't understand, wonders if perhaps she misunderstood and took it to mean that inside Alec is dark and evil. Joshua doesn't believe that's true. Inside Alec is a frightened little boy in a world he doesn't understand with no one to really look after him.

Alec is trying to make it on his own, trying to learn and adapt but he has years of one track training to overcome; years of being a soldier in all the worst ways and now he's been abandoned, full of experiences he has no reference for.

Alec hides it well. Joshua is sure he's the only one to see through the mask, to see how the words of others needle their way into the cracks in the veneer and hurt the little boy inside, but he doesn't know how to stop it happening. He doesn't know how to make Max and Logan see the frightened little boy when all Alec shows them is the hard don't care exterior that is so far from the truth.

Joshua is left doing the best he can, being there for Alec, offering support and an ear to listen to his exploits and all that he has learned and trying to bridge the gap until Max and Logan see all that Alec is, all that he could be if someone cared enough to show him how.