xmutanthigh | [a day in the life] of pyro. the resident terrorist.

[It doesn't take a genius to realize from Jono's tone that John's coming across as the jackass he is. However, now this guy has a poker face. Rogue should take notes.

And John should... back off or whatever. He breaks his curious, steady gaze, putting on a near smile. But it's not really much of one. John has the uncanny ability to smile and still be as unsettling as fuck. Jono's not someone he hates, or even has an opinion of. He's one of Kevin's buddies.]

I don't. I'll play.

[At that, Jono gives him a grin. Sometimes Jono's smiles are a little forced, since he's still kind of getting the hang of facial expressions again, but some of them are automatic, like this one. He's kind of hoping right now that John might become another friend to have some guy time with -- Jono already can tell that John's not the touchy-feely, share-your-feelings type, and that is exactly why he'd be perfect for "guy time." He tosses John the extra controller.]

Great. I've got loads of co-op games that are just boring playing them on your own.

Sure, whatever. [Yeah, how's that for not the touchy-feely, share-your-feelings type type of guy? John catches the controller, walks around the couch to sit down. He doesn't really understand what's with Jono's interest in him or inviting him to play, but whatever. That's John's motto. "Whatever."] So how's this work?

[Jono takes a moment to explain the controls to John, and then they're off. Soon they're in the game, and Jono thinks John might be having a good time... well, he guesses. At the very least there's a couple of exclamations of "Yeah!" or "All right!" when one of them makes a good shot.]

You play much? You're pretty good.

Nah. We didn't necessarily have XBOX at the Brotherhood. But I have plenty of practice rotting my brain with this shit. [John says this ultra casual and super sarcastic, smashing some button to throw a grenade and blow some idiots sky high. Yeah, he doesn't talk to many people, but he realizes in this moment that when he does? He'll name drop Brotherhood shit. Maybe it'll keep people out of his business, get them scared shitless enough not to ask more.]

No XBOX in the Brotherhood? [There's a fake expression of shock on Jono's face. It looks really fake.] Then what did you do? Play Pictionary?

[Jono's not really one to be intimidated too easily. Being the size of a small tree gets you through school without being bullied, and people generally stepping out of your way. If Jono were to let his brain do a little bit more work and actually think about it, he'd tell himself that terrorists are not the same thing as schoolyard bullies. But right now, John just looks like a kid - kind of a sad and lonely-looking one at that, when he's not trying to put up a tough front - and Jono's not sure whether to take his tough act seriously or not.]

[Jono gets a glance over for that ridiculously fake tone and then? Congratulations, Jonothan Starsmore: John smiles. A real "yeah, that was actually fucking funny" smile before looking back to the screen. Clearly scaring Jono away isn't an option.]

Yep. Marco Polo. Seven up. That kind of shit. Good times, man.

[If Jono could know just how rare it is for John to smile a real smile - not one of those smirking, spiteful ones accompanying an insult or two - he'd be pretty pleased with himself. But he just lets out a "heh" and goes back to button mashing.]

Yeah, man. Sounds like a party. I'd never leave. [There's a knowing wink from Jono, who's starting to wonder if joking about staying in versus leaving the Brotherhood is all that wise, but -- oh well. Too late now.]

Yeah, it was a tough fucking decision. [Yeah, John will joke about this. Why the hell not? No skin off his back. Maybe he's got enough bitterness to go all around, too.] Seven up or XBOX. XBOX or seven up.

Hey... [Suddenly Jono turns to John with an all-too-real serious expression on his face.]

We could still play Seven Up here.

[Congratulations again, Jonothan Starsmore! You have been awarded an actual chuckle. John looks over at Jono's face and lets out that chuckle before turning back to the game.]

You'd do that for me? Wow, I'm so lucky.

[Jono laughs in response, and then they turn their attention back to the video game for awhile. Fortunately, it's not really an awkward silence, since there's plenty of gunshots and shouts from the game.]

Hey, I stopped by your room earlier looking for Kevin. He wasn't there. Has he come back home yet?

[Did he go somewhere? John doesn't even know. That's the beauty of having a roommate and friend who doesn't really keep tabs. There's no tab-keeping. So John looks a little confused and contemplative for a minute.]

I saw him at lunch. Was he going somewhere?

He's just been hard to pin down these days. And sulky. Like, more than usual. I'm kind of worried about him. I wanted to talk to him. Or something.

Yeah, he's been more doom and gloom, fuck the world and everything in it the past few weeks. [The "ever since he ran into Mortis" goes unspoken. So much for name dropping the Brotherhood. Still, John says this casually, but maybe there's a hint of concern there, too.]

[a day in the life] of pyro. the resident terrorist.

LOL POOR JONO. IMPOSED LACK OF EXPRESSIONS.

I really, really love that "one of Kevin's buddies" is a good note in John's book

KEVIN'S DECENT TO JOHN. EMO BUDDIES.

Re: KEVIN'S DECENT TO JOHN. EMO BUDDIES.

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