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 Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2011 10:21 pm
"It makes sense, there would be quite a fuss if people started to hire fifteen and fourteen year-olds for things requiring manual labor. I do believe that there would be quotes about the child labor laws." Tobias replied, brushing his bangs out of his eyes, only to have them fall back into position hiding half of his face. "And I would enjoy that greatly Naois, I...admit that there is only one person I would trust to help me with this, but she has...not been herself lately." He fell silent, wondering why he was thinking of Seyonne at this moment, and why he was telling this..not so strange, stranger about his concerns for her.
He reached down to pick up his notebook and tucked it away into a small messenger styled bag that had been lying forgotten a few feet away. His cell phone buzzed silently before the lit screen dimmed, showing that he'd gotten a text message. But he ignored it, he knew who it was from and what it was about without having to look at it. "...Naois." He started, before faltering. He wasn't good with things like this, his loneliness ran too deep for him to be good at socializing. But he wanted..he enjoyed this males company even though the encounter had started out poorly. It took a lot for a person to stay around Tobias willingly. He tended to not get very far past the attitude and his appearance.
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Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2011 6:52 pm
"Exactly' Naois replied with a nod of his head. Of course there was more to it then that. The younger teens were not always as responsible as a person hoped for. Nor did they take criticizing as well if they did not do as good a job. Naois did find himself curious with the next comment made by Tobias. Only one other person he trusted? What sort of group of friends must he have had to only have that one to lean on? If this person was acting oddly though...
As Tobias picked up his items, Naois pushed himself to his feet and brushed off his pants of any clinging grass cuttings or dirt. "I know we've only just met. So I won't pry." He offered his hand down towards Tobias. The gesture itself served for two things. One as a offer to help the other stand. Though Tobias clearly wouldn't need it. But it was also a more subtle gesture in both his words and deeds. No, he would not pry, but he would listen if that was something Tobias was looking for. Naois did not know much about the other boy from such a short meeting...but he had spent a great deal of his teen years offering help to so many others. It was just second nature to offer it to this boy as well. It did seem like he had more to say, but that faltering that followed. It could not have been easy for him, whatever it was. So...Naois merely smiled and nodded his head. "Come on...I'll walk you to the community center and show you where they post for volunteers." If Tobias wished to follow through with what he started to say, he was more then welcome to. However, if he wished to let it go without feeling a awkward sense...well that was what Naois hoped he provided with the suggestion to move along. Tobias just struck him as ...well..that notebook of his. There were many pages between the covers, and no clue what they contained. Ripping them open would reveal nothing until the owner decided to part the pages right?
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Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 6:10 pm
A look of surprise was visible in his eyes as he digested Naois's offer. First he was willing to speak with him for a lengthy time, then he refrained from forcing him to explain his comment about Seyonne, then he offered to take him to the center where the jobs he himself chose from was located. He hesitated a moment, the situation felt much like it had all those years ago, before he'd become as jaded as he was now. But he brushed the mixed feelings aside, and with a small smile took Naois's hand and let the other help him up. "I..I thank you." He said, wondering why it was hard to find his voice.
Was it..no. He bit the inside of his lip until it bled and sucked on the wound to make the sting last longer. He was..he was making a friend. His first friend since he was in primary school, since he was labeled 'weird' for his scars and the constant shuffling around due to changes of address. He could feel his apathetic shell crack a bit with the revelation. Perhaps..perhaps Seyonne wasn't as wrong as he'd thought her to be, with the way she'd handled him. She was his rock for so many years but now...now he was finally starting to realize that he was strong enough to stand on his own.
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Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 10:10 pm
Tobias thanked him. All Naois could do, in answer to that thanks, was to smile as he helped Tobias to his feet. This was a good start for the two of them. Clearly he was going to have someone else to talk with now. Ah..well he was getting ahead of himself in this wasn't he? He was already looking forwards to future encounters and he didn't even know Tobias' phone number, or where he went to school...or if he event cared to keep company with him in the future. So then, what should he say now? Oh...he knew...
"Your Welcome." That was what needed to be said. It was all that was required at the moment. With a sense of content, Naois began a slow walk down the grass to the paved pathway. Naois considered if more topics for conversation needed to be brought up. Tobias had been sitting alone and writing in his journal, and he had seemed rather slow to get involved in their conversation, though he had initiated it of sorts. Naois shifted his blue eyes to look at the other as they walked. He supposed he could give him some quiet time...the center was about a twenty minute walk away, and that was if there were no crowds on the walk or busy street's to wait at for crossing. Talking would have been difficult once they got into that busy section anyways...
So...Naois left it be. If Tobias wished to chit chat, he'd be able to easily take up his side of the conversation. Only once they were approaching the center did he initiate on his end. Naois lifted his left hand and waved it at the center located halfway down the block. "There is the center, kinda easy to miss, it's so small in compare to the buildings surrounding it." He explained as he looked at the simple two story structure surrounded by five story ones. He glanced towards Tobias. "Are you thirsty or anything? There is a small cafeteria inside with a drink vending machine."
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 8:44 pm
A small, rusty smile tugged at the corners of Tobia's lips as he heard Naoi's reply to his gratitude. He could sense that the other knew just how rare it was for him to say something like that to a stranger, much less someone that he was trying to become friends with. It was...strange. He who was known for his standoffish ways and the desire to see the world burn, was..actively making a friend. It almost felt as if he was loosing something that had been a part of him for so very long. The need to be alone, to shoulder his burdens by himself with only a grudgingly given small portion going out to the ones who needed to hold them.
He made no small talk as they walked, too lost as he was in a moment of self-reflection to be too good at it. His body strode along on autopilot as they walked, passing by areas that were familiar yet not. This was a path that he'd taken before, yet paid little attention to, which was unusual for him. He took a moment to study the small building, dwarfed as it was by the larger ones on either side of it. "Not particularly." He replied, "Though if you are we could go in and retrieve something."
He wasn't particularly eager to go inside and begin scanning the help requests, but if they were there it would take more effort to return at a later date to do what they could do now. He shifted the weight of his bag a little, as the strap had started to dig into his shoulder. He finally noticed his bodies urge and frowned. "I do however require a restroom." He said, turning his gaze onto the buildings door. They had to have a restroom in there that he could use. If not, well, he hoped that no one would be looking outside when he ah...watered the bushes.
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Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2011 11:07 pm
In the silence that followed, Naois could honestly admit that he did not think about much more then that little bit. It was not until they reached the center, and Tobias made his own personal need known that he found that he had more to give thought to. "A little walk like that is nothing, I'm fine as far as drinks go...they do have a public restroom though." He did not need to tell Tobias to follow him of course, he was no child that needed direction. Naois pushed open the front door to the center, and was welcomed by a blast of chilled air and the scent of faded lemon cleaner. The center was currently quiet due to the fact no programs were planned for that particular time frame.
Naois walked a few feet down the wide hall, then stopped as the hall opened up into a large room. The faded brown rug had seen so many feet pass over it, and a worn path cut through the middle and to the few doors joined to the room area. Naois lifted his hand and pointed to a well marked door with a chipped sign above it. "There is the restroom. The community service board is over here along this wall." His hand slid to point at a rectangular cork-board that had seen better days. Someone had painted over it with thick white paint in an attempt to hide the fact it had so many pin holes in it that it looked more like a air filter then a board. "I'll wait for you there alright?"
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Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2011 8:37 pm
Tobias nodded and followed Naois inside like a reserved puppy, all the while trying not to do the infamous 'pee-pee dance' that young children were inclined to do. He gave the area a cursory glance as they passed by and made a bee-line towards the restroom the moment Naois finished speaking. Inside was worn, but clean and smelled of lemon cleaner like the rest of the building. He quickly did his business and washed his hands, and glanced up to blink at his reflection. He looked as boring as ever with his long bangs falling over one eye, hiding the two toned strangeness. He snorted at himself and dried his hands under the automatic drier before leaving the restroom.
He liked the center, it was cool and quiet at the moment, and held a sense of sereneness that was greatly appealing. It would be nice to work in a place that held a similar air. Slowly he made his way over to the white-washed board to look at the scattered requests tacted up. Gardening, babysitting, stage-hand for a play... Nothing really made to suit his...lack of social skills or low tolerance towards people. Hm, there was one for a library and it flyer proclaimed that they were looking for students willing to work year round, and not just for set amounts of time. Perfect.
He tugged down the flyer and made his way back to Naois. "This one seems promising." He said, and held it out to him, silently asking for an opinion.
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Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 1:06 am
Naois was respectful enough to know that Tobias did not need him to accompany him to the bathroom. They weren't girls after all! The mere thought made him almost smile. There was absolutely nothing girly about Tobias for sure. Naois wandered over to wait by the post board. The silence of the center was clearly notable in compare to the street sounds they had walked in from. Instead of the whir of tires, rumbling of machines, beeps, and muted voices there was just the very soft hum of the air conditioning. It was oddly soothing.
When Tobias returned, he glanced over at the other boy. He could have made some suggestions about which jobs would be good to try. Instead he let the other browse and choose for himself. When he did select one, Naois waited for Tobias to bring the flyer over. Taking it from him, he glanced it over slowly. "Well, your hours may change per week, but it's a nice opportunity. I know the lady that is hiring this position too." Lifting a hand, he gently tapped the name and number in the corner. "She's pretty nice, has a odd habit knitting people things though. Don't be surprised if she makes you weird things. She doesn't make the usual hats, scarfs, and sweaters." With a half smile he handed the flyer back. "Last time I helped clean out the library basement she knitted me a face mask with a cat nose across the mouthpiece."
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Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2011 11:36 pm
"Hours isn't a problem so long as I am not in school or in a counseling session. My AP classes are not so difficult that I cannot afford to exchange a few study hours for volunteering ones." Tobias replied, pulling out a slender cellphone to program in the contact number. The soft tapping paused as Naois spoke of the strange hand made objects but continued a moment later. "So long as they aren't stuffed animals, I think I'll be fine." There was a slight twist to his lips as he thought about what sort of strange gift he might receive upon working at the library. His too vivid imagination gave him a few...disturbing images that he couldn't help but twitch at. There was something fundamentally wrong about thinking of a foot tall giraffe with octopus tentacles for chin hair and a snakes head for a tail.
"Might I have your contact information?" He asked suddenly. "It's nearly time for me to head back to the dorms if I wish to make it in time for dinner."
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Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 12:40 am
"I honestly don't think she has ever made anything as common as a stuffed animal." Naois replied after a moment of thought. What had he seen her make? A television cozy, curtains, booties for chairs....yes. She made the oddest things, but they were usually nice enough. If nothing else his little face mask made a nice token to tuck into a box of memorabilia.
The mention of time caused Naois to lift his eyes to the circular clock posted on the wall. It was getting a little late wasn't it? He needed to head home now if he wanted to take a shower before dinner. Then there would be a hour at least left for study... "Sure." He answered as his eyes dropped down from the clock. He gave his home number to Tobias slowly and looked sheepishly at the other. "I am afraid I don't have a cell phone, or any paper right now to write anything down on. Maybe I could get your number off the caller ID when you give me a call? I can stop at the library tomorrow and give them a heads up about your interest in the job." That should cover it right? Naois reached a hand up and brushed his fingers through his bangs. Pushing them back he ventured to offer Tobias a chance to perhaps get to know each other a little more. "Perhaps we could...just talk or something later. If you want of course, and if you have any questions I am always willing to answer them for you." Naois took a step backwards towards the entrance of the center. He said he had to go, and Naois needed to head on home as well...
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