JAMES/ back at your door

[DEVYN JENINA HORTON]

you're something beautiful

a contradiction

TAG EDGE // OUTFIT HERE // WORDS: 335.

Dev wasn't much for apologies, unless she knew she royally fucked up and the person she crossed just happened to matter a little too much more than she cared to admit. Okay, maybe cooking breakfast was going overboard. But it was her fault, and the guy's been ignoring her for days. She thought maybe she could return the bicycle, but then maybe that would piss him off even more. She didn't even know how to cook for shits. So she opted for making a bacon and egg sandwich and coffee. Men liked bacon and James was as manly as they go, so this wouldn't miss. At least, she hoped it won't.

She reached the flat James shared with a mother and her two kids, hoping she didn't miss him or anything, or she'd look pretty silly walking back home with a breakfast tray. Pacing back and forth, she practiced the words in her head. I brought you breakfast...I hope you like bacons. Fuck no. I'm sorry. Have some eggs? Argh. How do you say sorry? She should have asked John to prep him up a bit, or asked him to do her a favor and deliver the food himself.

Taking a deep breath, she just plunged into it and knocked thrice, the first one with much hesitation it was barely audible. She knocked again before pressing her ear against the door to check if she could catch some sounds from the other side, careful not to spill the coffee on her shirt.

Time seemed to move painfully slow when you're nervous as hell. After a while, there still wasn't an answer. She set down the tray by the short staircase a few steps beside the door and sat down. Dev took a cigarette from the pack and lit it, anxious to be rid of the jitters. "What am I doing. This isn't like me at all," she sighed, and blew the smoke into the air. Rubbing her shoulders, she stared ahead. She'd give it 2 minutes, right about the time she'd be done with the stick.

i wanna play the game i want the friction

TEMPLATE BY: THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE MIKEY ! @ CAUTION.

[JAMES ANDREW MICHAELS]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb= style, width: 420px; background-color: 888888; border: 10px solid #343138; padding: 2 2 2 2px;] WORD COUNT: 336 | TAGGED: Devyn | OUTFIT Feel the bile rising from your guilty past It'd been a couple days since their amazing, yet terrible run in at one of the downtown department stores, and James and Devyn still hadn't spoken with one another. It was a little beyond awkward, just thinking about the next time they'd end up running into one another, which was bound to happen in a small town like Mater. Since then he'd stuck to doing the things he'd always done; his usual workouts, picking up a few things from outside mater, and helping with whatever he could in town. He wasn't even sure how he and Devyn had managed to stay away from one another for so long. As much as he wanted to see her, he appreciated the time it had given him to think about things. Then finally he saw her on his doorstep. He had taken a quick stroll down to the police station to see if they needed any help today but was turned away, and now here she was. He stopped for a moment, considering to turn back around, and wait for her to leave, but he'd missed hanging out with her, even if only as friends. He made his way over to her, flashing that pearly white smile of his. 'Well this is an unexpected visit,' he said, looking at Devyn from head to toe. Yeah, he'd missed her alright. He was still not entirely sure why they ended up fighting before, but he didn't want to start things off by picking up at that conversation. 'To what do I owe this little visit?' He saw the tray in her hands and without even asking snatched the sandwich up taking a bite and sitting down next to her. 'Not too bad. You make this yourself?' Even if the sandwich wasn't for him he figured she owed him at least that much for what had happened before. He flashed another smile before taking a second bite. You better run like hell You better run all day template created by brooke!

[DEVYN JENINA HORTON]

you're something beautiful

a contradiction

TAG EDGE // OUTFIT HERE // WORDS: 309.

Dev didn't notice James approaching, lost in her thoughts about how she's going to get a hold of any sort of information regarding the whereabouts of a certain person. She's often wondered if there'd been a way to contact other survivors still finding their way into Mater, and if maybe she could somehow gain access to it. Taking another drag off of her cigarette, Dev almost jumped at the sudden interruption, causing the stick to slip from her fingers and roll on the ground. "Aw, shoot." Swiftly she stood up and stubbed it out with her shoe before addressing James finally, her hands slipping into her pockets.

"Hey." She spoke with a wry smile. Nodding to his question, she clenched her teeth and frowned, went on to pick up the entire tray to hand to James. "It's all yours," she said, eyes meeting his but still with a rather blank expression, "make sure you finish everything. I don't wanna have to carry anything back." Her voice came off too strict even when she meant to be funny. She got too caught-up with her thoughts that she must have forgotten why she came to visit the guy in the first place. Catching James' smile, she let out a little laugh and scratched her eyes back to wakefulness. She clearly disappeared for a good while there. Chuckling nervously as she made gestures with her hand, "Forgive me. It was silly of me. The last time. I was upset, and, and I went completely bonkers and I made you a sandwich to make up for it, and I..am blabbering. Yeah. There." she grinned, barely making sense in broken sentences. "Now if we could maybe, get past that. I need to ask you a favor."

i wanna play the game i want the friction

TEMPLATE BY: THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE MIKEY ! @ CAUTION.

[JAMES ANDREW MICHAELS]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb= style, width: 420px; background-color: 888888; border: 10px solid #343138; padding: 2 2 2 2px;] WORD COUNT: 404 | TAGGED: Devyn | OUTFIT Feel the bile rising from your guilty past Taking another bite of the breakfast sandwich, James nodded his head, his mouth too full for her to understand if he'd given a verbal response to her stern warning for him to finish everything. Of course he was going to finish it, he was growing tired of the crappy pancakes he'd been making for himself lately, so having someone else cook for him was a bit refreshing. They shared a laugh, and that let him know she'd been thinking about him, as much as he'd been thinking about her, though his pride had told him to wait for her to come to him, and he'd been right to do so. It got him breakfast and apparently she needed him for something. Then again, looking at things from a different perspective, perhaps she was only apologizing because she needed him, otherwise she would have stayed away. It was a thought he pushed to the back of his mind, knowing that they'd been friends before and that he wanted them to at least remain so. He listened as she gave her apology and honestly he enjoyed every second of it. She wasn't used to saying sorry, that much he could tell by her rambling. What she didn't know was that he'd already forgiven her. He wasn't the type to hold a grudge, and there was still a lot that needed explaining between them so it was really good to see her again. 'So you came crawling back to little ol' James as soon as you needed him for something huh?' He smiled, hoping she'd see that he was just trying to rile her up. 'Alright, I'll accept your apology and help you with this favor on one condition....' He swallowed another bite of the sandwich before setting it back on the tray, that smile of his creeping back onto his face. You could see it in his crystal blue eyes that he was up to something. 'Actually two conditions. You have to let me take you on a date, and I want another kiss.' he waited to hear her reaction. Her words from the other day still rang in his head. I like you too. She'd left him confused as hell so this was his way of seeing if she was being honest when she'd said that. You better run like hell You better run all day template created by brooke!

[DEVYN JENINA HORTON]

you're something beautiful

a contradiction

TAG EDGE // OUTFIT HERE // WORDS: 732.

It must have been pretty harsh to have gone spilling it so casually like that. It definitely came out too fast. The guy might think the breakfast was a bribe or that she was the kind of girl that used people. Maybe a part of her did want James to think that way, for the time being; all for good measure while she's secretly tangled in knots with the past that may already be completely lost even before it could fully realize itself. Or maybe she was deluded into thinking there was any hope to begin with. In any case, she had to know. If anything should ever feel right doing in the present, she had to give the past another chance. And she was going to chase it, to kill it or set it aflame. It had to be done; and only through James completely unaware of the whole picture. Unless it willingly reveals itself in time.

She was glad to see James again, even if she wasn't too anxious to show it. The guy already had too big of an ego he's probably conjured up some intricate assumption over her simple gesture; obvious enough from his dramatic grin and imposing tone. Still, it has always been somewhat endearing, and now that she knew he has the hots for her, it just made him look even more dorky. "I wouldn't call it crawling just yet. But you are adorable, and I do need you for something. Consider it an honor to serve your princess." a pretty wink at his direction, and a flip of the hair to complete the effect.

She was delighted to be back on speaking terms with him. His easy ways made it all seem so silly now. He does have a way of making things seem so trivial. She decided it was a bad thing back then, but it worked well just now. And she was grateful, genuinely, that her mind allowed her sobriety that morning to not go off like a crazy timebomb. Her lid should stay on.

"A date?" She cocked a brow in thought. It was perfect. "A little persistent, are we?" she was enjoying the attention, perhaps even more than usual because it came with an opportunity. The very prospect of leaving town all by itself caused her spirit to leap for joy. More importantly, leaving town meant driving around, which then meant searching, more than simply covering ground, more than simply being with James; it was the realization of a plan. She meant to look for Berry.

James was being so very thoughtful. It was unfair, cruel almost, that none of her first thoughts even involved what was obvious enough for the one who invited--quality time together. Wasn't the purpose of the plan for the sake of James, ultimately? For what it's worth, Dev tried her best to get on with the program. She snatched the leftover sandwich on the tray, and took a bite and tore off a little piece to throw at James. "That was disgusting. I said no leftovers, cracknuts!" She was leading him on, but in her defense, she never did mention anything conclusive. She could vaguely remember her motivations for telling James she liked him, too. It was true, at the time that she said it, and what are we but slaves of the present. Walking towards him, she made a conscious effort to compliment his shirt. A white one that hugged him in all the right places. As always. Gently she laid her hands upon the curve of his neck, thumb brushing against his collar bone. A glint of innocence eclipsed by another much stronger nameless emotion danced in her eyes before her lids obliged to protect her secret. Guiding his face to get closer to hers, she kissed him full on the lips, lingering for a bit before smiling against the warmth and ultimately breaking into sweet-sounding laughter. "I missed you!" She said between chuckles, covering her mouth shyly with a slim hand.

She was doing things right, so effortlessly, so incredibly smooth at times even she could fool herself into believing. Many times she let the feeling linger, as long as it took to consume her completely. Only to grow weak at the image of James being replaced by that of her missing best friend smiling at first until the flesh would rot away and fall off of his face.

i wanna play the game i want the friction

TEMPLATE BY: THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE MIKEY ! @ CAUTION.

[JAMES ANDREW MICHAELS]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb= style, width: 420px; background-color: 888888; border: 10px solid #343138; padding: 2 2 2 2px;] WORD COUNT: 697 | TAGGED: Devyn | OUTFIT Feel the bile rising from your guilty past It was a little strange, the way James had grown feelings so quickly for Devyn. He remembered meeting her upon his arrival in Mater. Sure, he was attracted to her, and why shouldn't he be? The girl was gorgeous, but that attraction soon grew into him wanting to know more about her. It was an odd feeling, not like love, but perhaps just a strong infatuation. Their last run-in had given him the idea that he'd pushed too quickly and had scared her off, but here she was again causing another flood of thoughts to rise up in his clueless mind. He wished their was a way he could tell what she was thinking. I suppose that's why he wanted to take her out of Mater where they could be alone, and just talk. There were so many distractions in the small town. If there wasn't anything between them he didn't want to take the risk of screwing up their friendship. Even if they weren't together, Devyn was still one of few people who could put a smile on his face, something rare in times like these. 'Serve? I don't think I agreed to anything just yet. You know what they say, don't count the chickens with the eggs...or, yeah you know what I mean.' He offered a shrug and a light laugh before taking a sip of the coffee she'd brought for him. There it was again. Just being around her, he always found himself in such a good mood, smiling, laughing, and finally able to let go of the past, even if only in that moment. When he'd given his first condition of his forgiveness he saw her eyes light up, but her words played tried to hide the excitement. Maybe she hadn't been lying before and she was just as into him, as he was into her after all. Then again it had always been difficult to tell what Devyn was thinking so jumping to conclusions was problem foolish. As usual the optimist in James wouldn't allow him to think like that though. 'You didn't think I was going to give up that easily did you? When I want something I get it Dev.' He returned a wink in her direction, his retort to the wink and hair flip she'd given earlier. James leaned to the side, to try and avoid the small piece of sandwich that ended up sailing into the side of his face anyways. He reached and grabbed the sandwich back from her and shaking his head no. 'That's mine thank you very much. I never said I was done did I?' He sat the sandwich back on the tray and put it to his side, taking away her source of ammunition. First shoes, and now food, she always seemed to be throwing things at him. He moved towards him, and he felt himself tense up a little bit, her her soft hands around his neck quickly fixed that issue. He slid his hands up her back. Finally her eyes closed shut and his own followed suit as he leaned down, pressing his lips against hers. He hadn't stopped thinking about the kiss, or kisses they'd shared back in the department store since it had happened. He wanted to kiss her again, not only to see if she truly did feel the same as he did, but he wanted to see if the kiss would feel the same as it did the first time. It did. With blood rushing south once again, he felt a bit relieved when the kiss broke. I missed you! He almost answered back but stopped himself. So far she'd been the only one playing hard to get. It was his turn. He was always the one sharing how he felt with her taking her time to respond. Now was his turn to flip the script. 'Well I'm not surprised. I've been told once or twice how charming I can be.' He offered her that gentle smile once again, before quickly changing the subject. 'So what is it exactly that you need my help with?' You better run like hell You better run all day template created by brooke!

[DEVYN JENINA HORTON]

you're something beautiful

a contradiction

TAG EDGE // OUTFIT HERE // WORDS: 506.

A smile spread across her face when he misquoted a popular saying. Don't count your chickens before they're hatched. Why the hell not? Turning to James, she cupped her cheeks in her hand, and smiled widely as she shook her head. "No, I don't know what you mean. All I know is you're taking me along with you on your missions and I don't care if you have to sneak me in," she demanded resolutely as she crossed her arms in front of her, not taking her eyes off of James. She wasn’t asking too much. After all, she was old enough to take care of herself. There are rangers out there much younger than she was. It couldn’t be so bad, right? Still it was a long shot. James would definitely disagree if he was in his right mind, but Dev knew James also had a crazy streak and as good friends, he could never turn her down. "Wouldn't that be fun?" She teased, throwing a wolfish smile at his direction. "Oh, and you seem to be enjoying your coffee. You know what they say, don't drink anything you didn't mix yourself." She needed him to be hooked. It wasn’t just for Berry. She wanted out of town. Maybe spending more time with James will bring her to her senses. Whatever that meant; she was counting on any change.

She returned a pout to his wink. "Tough luck. So do I." That’s when she started throwing pieces of bread his way, and as always James being his agile self, dodged every attack. She was happy to have him as company and she didn’t say it enough. "As charming as a pig on a skewer!" she joked impishly as she reached into her pocket for another stick. Offering the pack to James , she brought out her lighter and lit the cigarette perched between her lips, gaze lowering towards the floor and then back at James, now with a more sombre light. "I don't want to say. You'll laugh. And I’m not quite sure. I think I’ll call it off for now." She shook her head and scratched her temple nervously.

It wasn’t the breakfast that did the trick. Although it did help a bit, it was ultimately inconsequential in attaining James’ forgiveness. The guy was simply inherently nice and she was clearly taking advantage of it.

They were on very good terms. Good enough indeed, that she was going to risk ruining it again in hopes of making it better, eventually. Maybe. It was a winner takes all kind of deal, and it made her so nervous she couldn't decide whether or not to push through with it and involve the one person who's probably going to get the most devastated when shit starts to fly. But it had to be done if there was to be any progress between them. Clearly she's been considering it, otherwise the risk wouldn't be worth it at all. There was another thing however, and it was if she was worth all the trouble she was going to be putting James through. Wedged in her private contemplation, she shot a meaningful look at James, and managed a tight-lipped smile as her thoughts gave into her creeping self-doubts.

___
//notes: i think you're really good at playing james. made these! first & second <3

i wanna play the game i want the friction

TEMPLATE BY: THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE MIKEY ! @ CAUTION.

[JAMES ANDREW MICHAELS]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb= style, width: 420px; background-color: 888888; border: 10px solid #343138; padding: 2 2 2 2px;] WORD COUNT: too lazy to count | TAGGED: Devyn | OUTFIT Feel the bile rising from your guilty past What on earth did Devyn want outside of Mater? James wanted to say no, especially after her first run in with a walker had gone absolutely terrible. His ranger outings usually involved killing walker's though there had been times when he'd avoided them altogether. Those times were rare though. The issue was the fact that he'd just asked her out on a date, in which he'd be taking her outside of the town anyways, so would saying no make him a hypocrite? Sure the circumstances would be different. He didn't plan on getting her anywhere near walkers on their date, assuming things would go according to plan. If she went with him on a mission, it was almost inevitable that she would have to fight. 'If I let you come with me you have to do exactly what I say out there.' For once he was completely serious. There was no smile or joke to follow. The last thing he needed was for Devyn to get her, and especially with him being responsible. His lip curled into a smirk after she replied with her own saying, though she actually got her right. He tilted his head back and downed the rest of the coffee and gently placing the cup down on the tray. Tough luck. So do I. That was the mystery here. What exactly was it that Devyn wanted? James wasn't stupid. He knew she was up to something, and she was probably right. He was a bit of a sucker when it came to her, and she would probably end up getting exactly what she wanted, no matter how hard he tried to resist. He took the pack of cigarette's from her, pulling one out of the box, and quickly lighting it with her lighter. He hadn't been a smoker before the walker's had ruined his life, but since then he'd learned that the little sticks offered a small amount of comfort. 'I'll probably laugh at you whether you tel me or not.' Seeing the nervous look in her eyes, James made an attempt to put her at ease again, hoping t see that smile pop back up on her face. 'And you know I'm dumb enough to go along with whatever scheme you're cooking up so no need to worry that pretty little head of yours.' James released a cloud of smoke into the air, waiting for Devyn to reveal whatever her little plan was. _________ ooc: wow! thanks lol, one for my sig and the other in my post template? You better run like hell You better run all day template created by brooke!

[DEVYN JENINA HORTON]

you're something beautiful

a contradiction

TAG EDGE // OUTFIT HERE // WORDS: 560.

She was way too young to be broken. And yet she was. Clinging on desperately to the thinnest threads of affection showered upon her by unsuspecting victims, she would assert herself blindly, trusting their confessions held water. Why did it have to be James? Why must it be one of her bestfriends. Again. James and Berry were so painfully different, and yet so similar in that they both seemed to genuinely care for her; for reasons that still remained a mystery to her. Why would James bother to go to any length just to please her? She didn't think she was in any way special. People always had to have reasons when they bothered to get involved with her. What was his?

But despite whatever self-doubt crept through her didn't mean she wasn't allowed to be ruthless. It was awful how she'd change into a completely different person when cornered with emotions from another person. She certainly considered James' feelings her responsibility, and perhaps that's where she went wrong. There was no helping it. He was agreeing to her request, and they'd go on a date before that. Then again, all trips following the main date would be considered much like one anyway. It would prep her up perhaps, if they'll ever run into another walker. With a naughty smile she answered like the perfect little girl, nodding aptly. "Of course I'll come with you. And I'll do exactly as you say."

She chuckled nervously but thought she'd just go for it. It's silly even in her head, and surely it will never pass for a good enough reason to be leaving town and risking both their lives, but it was one of those things too crazy to not pass off as truth. "I thought so. Well, you see...", she began, looking at James briefly as if to test the waters, "I need to be occupied," she smiled and fiddled with her fingers when she realized something sounded wrong with that wording. Recovering quickly, she held James' arm and smiled up at him. "No, I mean, aren't you tired of soup and jello every single day? And John has a monstrous appetite! We need variety! You. Especially you. You go out there, get all worked up and come home exhausted all the time. You need proper nourishment! I can't date you when you're all tiny. I'll feed you...nice things." It was easy enough to be enthusiastic. It was partly the truth. She did want something to occupy her time, and feel not so useless. Besides, men loved to be cooked for. The breakfast being a case in point. Or maybe James was just such a sucker for her. She didn't even need to explain herself. She was grateful, but it was a regrettable thing. She wished hard things would turn out for the best, or he'll raise the hell out of her.

Getting more confident now, she defended her case with chin lifted high. "So, uh...I need cookbooks." She tiptoed, and pointed a finger into the air. "Lots of 'em. Oh and ingredients, of course. All sorts." Her eyes stayed on James, as if to command him to say yes.

// notes: no, actually. they're just something to look at. i had nothing better to do. haha. sorry for the long wait. =( i don't know what's wrong with me lately.

i wanna play the game i want the friction

TEMPLATE BY: THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE MIKEY ! @ CAUTION.

[JAMES ANDREW MICHAELS]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb= style, width: 420px; background-color: 888888; border: 10px solid #343138; padding: 2 2 2 2px;] WORD COUNT: too lazy to count | TAGGED: Devyn | OUTFIT Feel the bile rising from your guilty past Women have always been strange creatures to James. They'll say one thing but mean the complete opposite. They expect you to read their minds and somehow know exactly what they're thinking because telling you would be so difficult, but despite all this James usually handled himself pretty damn well around them, no matter how attractive he found them. Devyn seemed to have him under some sort of spell though. Half of what she said got his blood pumping, and I mean in a good way; or bad depending on how you look at it I suppose. He was trying to be as serious as he could be when he told her she'd have to listen to everything he told her if he was to take her on one of his ranger outings, but her response got him going again, as his mind flipped her words into a sexual nature. The words that followed lead to a similar response, but this time he simply chuckled and shook his head. 'So you're trying to tell me, that you're willing to run into those walkers, the same walkers that lead to you puking all over me just so you can get some cook books and food?' The girl was right out of her mind. He was sort of expecting something more along the lines of, Hey I'm on my period. Help., but he should have known better, this was Devyn after all. She was right about one thing though, he wasn't sure how many more bites of jello he could take before he'd go absolutely insane. The idea of having someone cook real food for him did sound good. There could definitely be a lot of upside to this, the alone time with Devyn being the main one in his mind though. 'You know your insane right? Which would probably make me even more insane because I'm the one dumb enough to occupy you.' He winked at her again after taking her words and using them against her. _____________ ooc: don't worry about it! I've been slow too! You better run like hell You better run all day template created by brooke!

[DEVYN JENINA HORTON]

you're something beautiful

a contradiction

TAG EDGE // OUTFIT HERE // WORDS: 545.

Dev always had the bad habit of siding with the extremes. Over or under-estimating the gravity of situations, for example. As far as she was concerned, the world had already been infested with much fearsome monsters even before the zombies took over, and if she survived the old order of things, this one would be much like a video game. She was lucky James was there to back her up the first time, and she's been thinking a lot since then about how she'd carry herself should they run into another encounter. One strategy could be to imagine the zombie as Atticus. Oh, how she'd love to swing her bat against that big head.

She raised her brows and glared at James for bringing up the worst part of whatever else transpired in the department store a few days ago. "Yeah, pile up my sins now why don't you. I'll be sure to bring extra shirts in case I dirty you up again.", she said, voice dripping in sarcasm. "Look, you saved my ass back there, and I might not have thanked you adequately, but...thank you." Her voice was much quieter this time, and she offered a small smile his way. "And If you teach me some tricks maybe I'll get to save your life, too. If I'd want to." She joked, laughing towards the end. John was being slow with his offer to train her with gun-handling. In fact, she hasn't seen the guy since their little breakfast. She frowned, and was about to ask James about him when the boy suddenly spoke again.

"Dumb enough to occupy me? Really? You hurt me so." She narrowed her eyes and did a biting face at him. "Think about all the time we'll spend together! You know I'm crazy about you." This time she was batting her eyes at him, playing around. Oh, how she loved to mess with his head. It wasn't malicious or anything this time, she was just having fun with her friend. It was nice to finally be able to joke around about it. It being his confession back in that dark musty corner of the shop. It made things much easier to handle for Dev. Somehow it didn't seem so heavy a load anymore, or something so serious to rack her brain over. Even if she probably should. James always made things easy for her to deal with. And she loved him for it, though she wouldn't admit it openly.

It was still early, but perhaps they've been standing there long enough. Although it was certainly a enjoyable smoke break, Dev noticed they've both been talking standing up. She sniffed at her collar to check if she rank of cigarette smoke, and then did a fanning motion with her hand to clear the air a bit. She turned and looked at the door, and then back at James. "Aren't you gonna invite me in?"

The early morning sun dabbed on her skin gloriously. The warmth was pleasant, but as noon slowly crept in, it wasn't long before the heat would be scorching again. Better enjoy it while it lasts.

"Oh! If you're not busy, we can grab some treats at the resto and bring your housemates something."

i wanna play the game i want the friction

TEMPLATE BY: THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE MIKEY ! @ CAUTION.

[JAMES ANDREW MICHAELS]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb= style, width: 420px; background-color: 888888; border: 10px solid #343138; padding: 2 2 2 2px;] WORD COUNT: too lazy to count | TAGGED: Devyn | OUTFIT Feel the bile rising from your guilty past James was glad to see she was now able joke about what had happened back in the store. He'd half expected her to avoid the topic altogether but listening to her sarcasm about the whole thing made him strangely happy. He didn't want any of it to be a big deal. The throw up was disgusting but he wouldn't hold that against her. Who could blame her, the walkers made him want to puke from time to time. He also didn't consider it too big of a deal that he'd saved her life either. He killed walker's for a living, if you could call it that, so it was just another day at the office for him. He could hear, by the tone of her voice, how genuine her thank you was. The ranger's were often looked at as heroes to some of the Mater civilians, but it wasn't often that they actually gave him a simple thank you. 'Something tells me that won't be the last time I save your ass, but no need to thank me. Besides, now you owe me so it was worth the investment.' The flirtation continued going back and forth between them, with Devyn batting her gorgeous eyes at him, and taunting him with her words. He found himself staring into her eyes for just a moment, but shook himself quickly back into reality, hoping she hadn't noticed. 'Oh! Yeah, sorry. You can come inside, its sort of messy with those boys running around all the time, but my room isn't too bad...' She quickly cut him, changing the subject. Their mother hated when he brought them treats. He'd often find things on his missions that he'd bring back for them, and she'd complain that he was spoiling them. 'Actually, you should come inside, you can help me clean up the place.' Taking out his key he opened the door and stepped aside so she could walk in first. Sure they weren't his kids, but he'd sort of gotten attached to them. They could be annoying, but he cared for them. Same with Mary, their mother. He was sure it'd make her happy to see the place clean when she got back. 'You don't mind do you? Actually it doesn't really matter, you owe me remember?' He nudged her a little giving her a push through the door, also giving himself a chance to check out her ass; leading to another of those smirks creeping up on his face. _________ ooc: totally forgot the name I gave for their mom lol You better run like hell You better run all day template created by brooke!

[DEVYN JENINA HORTON]

you're something beautiful

a contradiction

TAG EDGE // OUTFIT HERE // WORDS: 543.

Dev couldn't help but roll her eyes at James. Doesn't friendship content itself with thank yous and welcomes anymore? Or maybe James was taking his being a ranger to heart a bit too much. Sure, it was a give and take deal, but that's all it was going to be, a deal. So far they've been going back and forth with each other in terms of gifts in kind. She supposed it was healthy, but in many ways it was quite alarming. Why must everything come at a price or seem like some sort of trade? Dev was concerned about how a relationship with James would turn out if he constantly subscribed to that kind of system. As though favors between friends were economic in nature. It just didn't sound right.

"Yeah, a good investment." She said mechanically, a thoughtful expression forming on her face. And almost too abruptly, she continued, "But come on, James. Don't insult yourself. We don't have to keep playing the you-owe-me game. It's never going to end well. If it ends at all." Biting her lip, she looked at James with her head slightly angling to the side, curious as to why her friend seemed to be just looking right through her. A soft blush blossomed on her cheeks when she realized what he was doing. It was rather sweet of him, but she was trying to make a point and shall not be distracted. Breaking the eye contact, she narrowed her eyes at the bright blue sky and wrinkled her nose at it, still addressing her friend. "A simple 'you're welcome', would have sufficed. Or, 'anything for you, sweetcheeks'." And then she smiled roguishly, turning back at him, realized that maybe the guy just wasn't as high and mighty as he made himself seem to be, especially around her. "Man, you're really clueless about this thing, aren't you?" She was teasing him, referring to his seemingly gross inability to be a lying gentleman to the apple of his eye, but really she just wanted an honest answer. There was nothing sexier than a man who could bravely admit their weakness. Then again, it never does stop there. And the standard sadly does not apply to everyone.

It would be such a disappointment if James turned out to be the kind of person who thought of human relationships as nothing but temporary transactions. Much like how she was before Mater. There had always been a genuine sincerity in James' eyes, and his actions often validated that truth. Devyn admired that, and perhaps had been hoping it wasn't just a facade. After all, try as she might to believe in what she sees, based on past experiences, often she would be wrong with her impressions of people.

"Your room isn't too bad. Uh-huh. Right." She smiled knowingly, but went along with whatever it was he was planning; certain she'd never fall for it. They were going inside the apartment to chat and clean, maybe make-out. She was definitely making too many assumptions. She hated how much James managed to provoke such bad habits in her. She felt silly, though somewhat ecstatic about the whole thing. It felt like seeing and being with her first crush all over again it was grossing her out a little for feeling so stupidly happy. "Sure, I could use some exercise. And there you go again. Knock it off. You're embarrassing me."

i wanna play the game i want the friction

TEMPLATE BY: THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE MIKEY ! @ CAUTION.

[JAMES ANDREW MICHAELS]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb= style, width: 420px; background-color: 888888; border: 10px solid #343138; padding: 2 2 2 2px;] WORD COUNT: too lazy to count | TAGGED: Devyn | OUTFIT Feel the bile rising from your guilty past 'Sweetcheecks? I'm sorry but pet names are strictly limited to my girlfriend, so until then tough luck!' His teasing towards her was insistent, and he was enjoying every second of it. Watching cheeks turn a rosy pink he realized she'd caught him in the act of staring blankly at her. How big of a loser did he want her to think he was? Then again why did he care if she thought he was a loser or not? Why was he trying so hard to impress her, when she seemed so coy with each obvious signal that he sent out. Then again, she was now walking into his empty apartment. Maybe things were going better than he thought. 'How am I supposed to help myself,' he said giving her backside another glance over before strolling inside following after. He made sure to shut and lock the door behind himself before gently placing his keys down on the small table beside the door. 'This is it, cozy huh?' It was strange that she'd never been in his apartment before, nor he in hers. They were friends if nothing more so why not? John had been in and out plenty of times. It was likely his own fault for never inviting her. It just seemed too forward at other times, but with recent events it was clear that things were changing between them. 'We can start in my room and work out way out to the rest of the place, it's just down that little hallway there.' He took the lead now walking back towards his room. What in the hell was he doing? Cleaning up was probably the last thing on his mind, and Devyn wasn't stupid, she knew what he was thinking, and maybe she was thinking the same thing since she was going along with it all. There was only one way for him to find out. You better run like hell You better run all day template created by brooke!

[DEVYN JENINA HORTON]

you're something beautiful

a contradiction

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"Your girlfriend, huh. I don't think 'sweetcheeks' would be the right choice for me. What do you think?" Maybe things were getting much better with them than she originally thought. If it were up to James, they'd probably already covered all the bases. But he was taking his time, letting her hold the ball. Points for being a perfect gentleman, then. Not to mention he never really did strike her as the type to fuss over some petty hormonal tantrum, maybe that's why she knew she could get away with it and he'd understand. Or maybe he didn't and she was just a special case. Amazing how she didn't think of bringing breakfast much sooner. Then maybe they'd be carrying on with much more stuff on their plates. But what's the deal about cleaning? He wasn't serious, was he? Of course not. She could definitely feel his eyes on her, and though she wouldn't say, she enjoyed the attention and wouldn't mind taking advantage of it. All those thoughts about Berry and finding him was taking its toll on her. It wouldn't hurt to stop for a minute and just smell the roses, right? She hasn't even told James about the other guy. He'll be devastated. But right now he was blissfully ignorant of it all, and try as she might, she wished she could be too.

Devyn closed her eyes briefly, taking short, slow breaths as she made her way to the center of the room, just in time to turn and see James lock the door behind him. "Aren't you gonna draw the curtains, too?" She smirked, and watched him as he walked towards the direction of his room. She simply stood there, one hand on her waist, because to follow wouldn't be too lady-like, would it? Besides, she virtually didn't have any reason to, just yet. They both knew why they were there, and broomsticks and vacuums had nothing to do with it. Looking around the room, Devyn's eyes lit up upon spotting a stray bottle of scotch on the kitchen counter, about halfway done. For whatever reason it was in a house with two kids running around currently didn't matter. Taking a few steps, she picked it up and displayed it to James. "Where are your manners? Won't you pour your guest a drink?"

i wanna play the game i want the friction

TEMPLATE BY: THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE MIKEY ! @ CAUTION.