x-men movieverse, night one

[schmerica]

molly36 told me I had to write her fic Friday night, and gave me an opening paragraph, and prodded me a bunch. Then bexless helped me figure out what I was doing.

X2 fic, with mild spoilers for that movie. John/Bobby/Rogue-ish, in a vague way.

Night One

*****

In the dark, on the first night of some life that doesn't seem to resemble his anymore, it's really not so different from before. The lights are off and his breathing is slow and even, and John's thoughts are on *them*.

Not really different at all. Even if this bed is soft, sinking beneath his weight as he shifts. Even if he knows Bobby's not there in the next bed down, like he always is. Or always was, before things changed.

It's hard to believe it hasn't even been two days since the school was attacked. Bobby fell asleep on his shoulder somewhere around the New York border, and John thinks he may have drifted off too at some point, because he can remember opening his eyes and seeing Rogue looking back from the front seat at him, at them. He couldn't figure out her expression, but then, John's never had any clue what the fuck's going on in her head.

It hurt that morning, when she touched him on the porch. Not a sharp, tingling pain, or a dull ache, but something different. She was draining him. Taking part of him away for herself.

Nothing new for her.

John is Bobby's best friend. Bobby told him things at night, when they were not quite asleep. John knew when Bobby was going to ask Rogue out, and he knew when she got scared and said no, and he knew every step Bobby took till she said yes. He knew every detail about their dates and their hand holding and every fucking thing they did.

They haven't kissed yet. Or they hadn't. John's out of the loop now.

It's funny how that hadn't really sunk in till just now. Magneto had led him to the room, hand firm on John's elbow, guiding him along. Magneto's grip wasn't even that strong on him, but that didn't matter when John didn't want to get away. After he left, John had just stripped and slipped into bed.

And it's different and not different at the same time.

Bobby told him everything about him and Rogue, and then he would go to sleep. And John would think about them.

There are plenty of things you can do without kissing. If you're creative, at least.

But this was Bobby and Rogue, the good kids, the ones who don't bother to look at anything -- because if they did, if they looked at the big picture and didn't just take what people told them, they'd be here with John now, wouldn't they?

When Bobby and John were young, when Bobby had been brand new at the school and John had only been there a bit longer, sometimes John would wake up in the middle of the night in Bobby's bed, or with Bobby in his bed. It was comforting then.

This bed is bigger than the ones at school, big enough for another body beside him, cool to the touch, for another one, soft and covered, there too.

It's weird. John didn't expect to miss any of it. He made the choice and stepped out of his old life, into his new life ("You're a very brave young man, Pyro," Magneto told him as he helped him into the helicopter. "Quite extraordinary," and that made John's stomach feel odd, because he's been a freak and he's been another mutant among all the rest, but this is something different; he's never been a god). And he's glad he did, but they were his best friends.

And here in the dark it's all very close.

His lighter is on the nightstand beside the bed, and he doesn't realize he's reached for it till the tiny flame appears. He makes it bigger, lets it rise to the center, and the room is lit around him with just a soft glow. It's not very much, but it's something different, and he thinks he can fall asleep like this, no ghosts, just the clear shining glow of his future all around.

****

Comments

[bexless.livejournal.com]

*sigh*

Still love this. Still creepy and beautiful and achey and sad.

Pyro! Woobie!

*weeps*

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

*snugs bex* I really did appreciate all your help, my dear.

[meret.livejournal.com]

Awww! wonderful story. You did a terrific job with the creating the perfect mood. :)

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'm glad you liked it.

[mollita.livejournal.com]

Ahem. A list for the public record.

Things You Cause In My Heart Of Hearts:

1. Utter joy.
2. A peaceful sense of bliss.
3. Intense jealousy 'cause dammit, why can't I do things like this?
4. Big urges to hunt you down and hug you.
5. Lots and lots of internal squealing.
6. Outright determination to demand things from you more often.


I. Heart. You. Muchly. Yes. Absolutely. No doubt. Endlessly. Eee!

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

3. Intense jealousy 'cause dammit, why can't I do things like this?

You are SO full of crap, my darling. But I love you to pieces nonetheless. And I am so happy you like! Yay!

*blows Molly kisses*

[sharpest_rose.livejournal.com]

This is gorgeous. It's well-paced and nicely formed, and it's lovely and sad and gorgeous and melikeyveddymush. Can I pretty pretty please have it for the archive?

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

Can I pretty pretty please have it for the archive?

Certainly!

I am very pleased that you liked.

Re:

[sharpest_rose.livejournal.com]

yay! *glees*

[happyminion.livejournal.com]

You know, one of the things I thought so much about after seeing the movie was what his first night must have been like, away from the school. It's such a threshhold for him to have crossed, and he really must no there will never be any going back.

I like how he seems so thoughtful and dreamy in this piece. Like the reality of it still hasn't set in. God help him in the morning, when he wakes.

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

It's kind of odd, because that wasn't one of the things that came to my mind (I may have been distracted by the dirty wrong Magneto thoughts. It's hard to say). But then Molly threw me the opening here, and ... yes. It's a big thing: you make this huge meaningful leap, yes, and then -- then you have to deal with the consquences, all the stuff that comes next.

[gaski.livejournal.com]

I read this while listening to Stray by Calexico, and that mix right there was pretty perfect. And I'd say something sensible, but I don't think I can, I'll just sit here and... not say anything.

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

Heh. Thanks. I appreciate the comment, even with the not-saying-of-things. I know how that goes, I think.

[princessrandom.livejournal.com]

*sniffs*
So pretty and mellow
heheh "But this was Bobby and Rogue, the good kids"
hehe, yeah....
anyway. Lovely :D

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much!

[dreamiflame.livejournal.com]

Your icon is gorgeous. This story is amazing, too. It fits, you know, the unreality when everything hasn't quite sunk in yet and your sort of wrapped in a veil. Lovely job.

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

The icon was made for me by the lovely taraljc.

Thank you for your comments!

[ambyr.livejournal.com]

::hugs John::

But why do I get the feeling that pure glow of his future is going to be tarnished, pretty soon?

Lovely fic. Write more.

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

*snicker* You don't think life with Mystique and Magneto is sweetness and light?

I'm glad you liked it.

[kattiya.livejournal.com]

Love the dreamy quality - the shifts from a hazy present to a distant past to "the clear shining glow of his future." I'd ask for more (I've been ODing on John/Bobby fic) but the ending of this is just so perfect. *g*

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

Yay! Thanks very much.

[andrealyn]

Firstly: I'm much in love with your icon.

Secondly: ohhh, that was deliciously nummy Pyro ficcage. I love the way you write him, and it's just utterly nummy! And I simply adore the image of Bobby and him in the backseat, all worn out, and eee. :)

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much!

[maelwaedd.livejournal.com]

Very pretty.

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[moonwhip.livejournal.com]

This is just lovely, especially the image at the end with John and his lighter, reaching for it like a security blanket. Really well done.

[pearl-o.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much! I was having a bunch of trouble with the ending, actually -- it just wanted to, you know, end. Suddenly. It took a really long time to figure out an organic stopping place.