2/25/2014 A/N: Hey everybody, sorry for the wait! I got a little distracted by a variety of things in life...First it was a minor case of writer's block, then it was the discovery of the Girl Genius comic online, and then it was the discovery of Megashare A.K.A a website that actually lets you watch movies online for free without having to create an account or do a survey! FINALLY! Lol! Anyway, here's Chapter 4, it's a little short this time and probably not perfect...I didn't want to continue the chapter after the little bit of dialogue at the end, because I thought it would undermine the mood...Ah well, a short chapter is better than no chapter at all, right?...Right?
Chapter 4
"Here, try this one on."
Joseph, with a rather exasperated look on his face, took the yellow dress shirt that David held out in his general direction. They had been standing in David's room for over half an hour now, with David playing wardrobe consultant and Joseph feeling very much like a dressmaker's dummy, amidst the whirl of clothing pressed upon him at David's insistence. Two large suitcases were laying open on the bed, and one of them was already overflowing with casual shirts and denim jeans and miscellaneous articles of other clothing.
Joseph sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time, and reluctantly put on David's dress shirt over the white undershirt and taupe dress slacks he was wearing, also one of David's. He finished buttoning it up, and David turned away from the closet long enough to appraise Joseph with a critical eye.
"Ugh, what was I thinking? No offense mate, but you look awful in that color," David muttered, and turned back to the closet. As he rummaged through the clothing that was on the hangers, Joseph finally got up the nerve to say what had been bothering him the whole time they had been doing this.
"David, you know that I can't pay you for all this…" Joseph pointed out the inevitable.
At Joseph's words, David cast a quizzical look over his shoulder at the grey haired man.
"Is that what's bothering you?" He asked, almost incredulously. Joseph couldn't help feeling somewhat annoyed at David's inquiry. It was a valid point that needed to be considered, so why was he treating it so lightly? David turned away from the closet to face Joseph, a mint green shirt in hand. He studied Joseph for a moment before speaking again.
"I don't want you to pay me for any of this stuff. I want you to keep everything that will fit in those two suitcases, free of charge." David stated.
"But why?" Joseph couldn't help blurting out, his lingering frustration and sense of fairness getting the better of him.
David's answer was frank and without hesitation.
"Because you're my friend."
Joseph was silent. There it was again, that underlying offer to help...he honestly didn't think he deserved it, yet he couldn't outright refuse because it was something he needed. Stuck between a rock and a hard place, Joseph wasn't sure what to say to make David understand. His face must have displayed his feelings, because David spoke up again.
"Joseph, I understand if you don't want to take unreasonable advantage of someone's offer to help, but you shouldn't shut out everyone, either. Sometimes, other people will want to help you just because they are your friends, and you're their friend. You want to learn more about your 'gift', don't you?" David asked.
Joseph nodded wordlessly.
"Well, going to Xavier's Institute is the only way you can do that," David went on. "As your friend, I want you to have as good a start as you can get, and since I'm no more experienced with teaching stuff like that than you are, this-" David motioned at the clothing and suitcases on the bed, "Is the best way I can help you out at the moment."
Joseph could feel himself deflating under David's words. He averted his gaze, absently studying a large privacy screen standing in the corner as he tried to figure out what to say. He still wanted to do something for David in return for the clothing; it wouldn't have been an unusual thing for the two of them. Joseph had often helped David with work around the house and yard before, sometimes on a daily basis...after the work was done, David would pay him with a hot shower and a good meal, and whatever money he had in his pocket at the time. Emma wouldn't allow anything more than that, and had told them both so more than once.
It wasn't just the money or food, either. David had met Joseph completely by chance, while taking a shortcut through a back alley on his way home after a night on the town. It was there, behind the St. Joseph's Orphanage, that David had found the grey haired man laying face down in the dirt and gravel, unconscious and clad in little more than his underwear. David could have simply dropped him off at the hospital or police station and been on his merry way, but he didn't. Instead, he stayed by the hapless man's side through the whole police investigation, short though it was, and lurked about the hospital corridors practically night and day until he was deemed fit to be discharged.
It was on the day he was allowed to leave the hospital, that David had given him a brand new set of clothing and started calling him "Joseph." Joseph, for his part, couldn't think of any better name, so it stuck...along with all the subsequent gestures of kindness that few people would have done.
Joseph pulled himself out of his memories and looked back up at David, who was still studying him. He sighed.
"I'm sorry, David...I just don't like not being able to do anything for myself."
David shook his head at that.
"I can't say I blame you, mate. But if you want to get out of this rut you're in, then you'll just have to live with it until you're able to take care of yourself."
"...All right." Joseph agreed reluctantly.
David, without further ado, thrust the mint green shirt at him.
"Now, try this one and let's see how it looks on you."
Joseph began unbuttoning the yellow shirt to make way for the green one, and David turned back to the closet, searching. After a few moments David turned back to appraise him again, a chocolate brown suit jacket and dress slacks in hand.
"Now that is a much better color for you," David pronounced with approval. Joseph glanced down at the green shirt he now wore, somewhat puzzled.
"How do you even know what would look good and what wouldn't? Isn't this something a woman could do a lot better?" Joseph asked, both to distract himself from his lingering doubts and from genuine curiosity.
David smiled wryly at Joseph's inquiry.
"Yeah, usually. Emma used to lay out my clothes for me, but when I started college she insisted that I learn how to do things like this for myself, so she wouldn't have to keep doing it like I was still a little kid. She's always been kind of uppity like that."
Joseph couldn't help giving a wry smile of his own at that understatement. David grinned in response, plainly relieved that his friend was relaxing a bit.
"Now, I bet this would look really sharp with that shirt." David handed Joseph the suit jacket and dress slacks. Joseph accepted them and stepped behind the privacy screen in the corner, his growing smile matching the lightness rising in his heart.
E:AA
A short while later, David had clicked shut the last suitcase and surveyed them with an air of approval.
"Well, I think you're just about all set." He said to Joseph standing near the foot of the bed.
"Finally. I don't think I could have taken being a model much longer." Joseph muttered, feeling rather uncomfortable in the stiffly new dark blue jeans and deep red T-shirt he now wore. He had discarded his old hoodie and jeans at David's insistence; David would have given him new shoes as well, but none of his fit Joseph properly.
"Now then, let's go!" David picked up the suitcases and left the room, leaving Joseph to retrieve his now bulging backpack, which had been pressed into service as a toiletry case and general carry-all for whatever random items wouldn't fit in the suitcases. He picked it up and followed David downstairs to the living room, where Professor Xavier, Ororo, Scott, and Emma were waiting. Everyone was in the same places as before; the only difference was the coffee table, which now held a tea tray with a teapot and cups and saucers, and a plate of cookies, presumably brought in by Emma.
"Alright, most of the stuff is packed and Joe's almost ready to go!" David announced to the others; he didn't put down the suitcases. Miss Munroe and Scott looked happy to hear that they could leave soon, probably to get away from Emma's frigid presence as much as anything else, Joseph guessed. Emma herself looked coolly pleased at the thought of Joseph getting away from her house and her brother for an indefinite period of time.
"Well, Joseph, we can go whenever you're ready," Professor Xavier said pleasantly. David shook his head.
"I'll bring Joseph by, later," David explained. "We just need to get a few more things in town, first."
Emma looked rather disapproving of this plan, probably guessing what David meant to do. Joseph guessed it, too.
"David, you've already done more than enough…" Joseph's declination was cut off by David, again.
"Don't be like that, mate! You need better shoes than what you have right now! You'll be needing at least one coat for the cold weather too, when it comes…"
Joseph sighed, resignedly, as David walked out the door, still going over a list of other things Joseph would need. With little choice in the matter, and not wanting to stay under Emma's cold gaze any longer than necessary, Joseph shouldered his backpack and followed David out the door.
It was after almost two and a half hours of shoe shopping, lunch, and coat shopping (all paid for by David, of course) that Joseph had his first glimpse of the Xavier Institute. The property was in a fairly upperclass residential area, somewhat apart from the rest of Bayville and quite close to the sea. The front of the property was faced with a high brick wall with a wide metal gate at the beginning of the driveway, and topped with black decorative fencing. The house itself, which was separated from the street by a spacious lawn, was three stories high and all red brick, looking very stately and affluent. There was a large fountain on the front lawn and lush flower beds along the foundations of the building itself.
Joseph caught a glimpse of a forested area in the back of the property from the front seat of David's car. David pulled up the drive and parked before the front steps, the engine guttering to a stop as he switched off the ignition. Joseph got out of the car and stood on the asphalt for a moment. The house looked even larger up close, and it made him feel more than a little insignificant.
"You're not having second thoughts, are you?" David spoke up from the back of the car as he retrieved the suitcases from the trunk. Joseph managed a wan smile.
"I'm not really sure about this, either way," Joseph admitted. David snapped the trunk door shut before picking up the suitcases at his feet.
"Well, if you turn back now you'll never know, will you?"
Joseph glanced at David, startled by the words that would have been heavy with meaning in a more serious time and place. But David merely flashed his usual grin and moved up the front steps to the door. Joseph followed more slowly, trying not to be unsettled about the whole situation and failing.