[log] John & Marie: So, I was in your closet... and you weren't there!

[x-rogue.livejournal.com]

During the day on Saturday, Marie takes the time to run down and see John and smuggle him a couple things. They talk, she assures him that Angelo's condition is not his fault, and later, some haggling over favours and forgiveness ensues.


Satisfied that everyone else was busy at the moment, Marie made a quick dash to John's room and unearthed his collection of 'geek novels' she knew he kept in the closet. Some boys hid porn, John hid Star Trek and things like that. With an obviously unread paperback in hand, she filled his favourite mug with coffee and fixed it for him before going down to his room in the medlab.

"Hey, you sleeping?" she called in a low voice, not wanting to aggravate his head if it were still bad.

"Yes." was the reply, before John turned over slowly and looked in her direction. Trying not to wince as his left arm cramped up, he sat up slightly and motioned for her to come in.

"I can see that... and here I wasn't sure you could look worse than you do the morning after exams." Marie came in and offered him the mug. "Coffee?"

"It is, yeah... And I look that good, huh?" He waited until his arm relaxed before reaching for the mug, and taking a sip.

Thanks... So, what exciting things did I mi-" Wincing at the sudden cramp in his whole leg, John just tensed up and squeezed his eyes shut until the muscles relaxed and he could slump once again.

Marie put a hand out to keep him from spilling coffee on himself and waited for the pain to pass. "What did you miss? Well, it was a lot like last time, only less actual being kidnapped and much less flying to rescue people. More with live ammunition, too. Now it's all about the home maintenance and pretending life is normal. Did you want specifics about anyone?"

Nodding, he sat up a bit straighter and looked at her. "uhm... Yeah... Bobby said..." He paused and rubbed at his eyes, before continuing, "...he said Angelo got burnt... And Blue-n-Fuzzy out there won't tell me how he is... so... " Trailing off, John just stared into his mug of coffee and watched a small bubble spin round before taking another drink.

"I haven't seen him yet, but Paige isn't completely freaking out and there's that look in people's eyes that... well, you probably know what I mean." Marie put the book down and sat on the edge of the bed. Reaching out she pushed some hair back from his forehead. "It's not your fault, John."

He just looked at her, before shaking his head "I...I don't even know what happened...One minute, I was... these guys, they had some of the kids with them, and they were going to take the kids and I was stopping them..." Pausing, he reached round and started rubbing at his forearm, trying to work a cramp out. "...next thing, I'm here...and Angelo's burnt... and I don't know... "

"I've seen what happens to your fires when you get knocked out, John. Heh, it was my own damn fault, but I've been stuck in one. You don't screw up with the fire, John, so someone much have nailed you with something," Marie suggested, reaching and rubbing his arm for him with soft, velvet-clad fingers. "They had all kinds of equipment. Did Hank give you a reason for these cramps?"

"Yeah... 'Random Electrical Impulses are darting willy-nilly through your body, Mr Allerdyce, no doubt a residue from whatever nefarious device was used against you'" He shrugged at that, and took another drink of coffee.

Marie stifled a giggle. "Well, there you go. Look, you cranky bastard," she said tartly. "I don't believe for a second that what happened to Angelo was your fault. You're too damn perfectionistic and you'd have aimed for someone significantly less nice than Angelo. If anyone's got the stupid notion to blame you, I'll set them straight. If people are going to dislike you, they might as well do it for your personality and not something you didn't do."

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with my personality, and you know it!" Smirking at that, he took another mouthful of coffee, before sobering up once more. "I didn't have anything to do with those people. I know that's what some people are thinking, ...shit....ow..." Sitting forward to rub the cramp out of his foot, he rested his aching head against his knee. "...can't blame them, I know, with my track record... but I didn't. I'm being a Good Boy."

Marie stroked his head gently, soothing. "I know you are. Track record or not, John, you wouldn't do something like that. And we know where they came from. They were here for Pete. It had nothing to do with you. Pete's 'fessed up to the whole deal."

"Oh... okay." he sat up at that, and lay back against his pillows. "After Pete, huh?...ugh. I've just realised, I must sound like such a whining little shit. Feel free to smack me and stop the whining... or actually, no, no smacking... I'll stop anyway... yeah..."

"Sure. Take away my fun." Marie made a face at him. "And I was expecting the whining. I've known you long enough to realize that you missed the science lesson about the world not revolving around you."

"Oh, it does really. I just bribe the scientists to make up lies and pass them off as truths. Think you missed that paper in all the science journals..."

Marie laughed. "You're so cute when you're deluded, John." She ruffled his hair lightly. "Do you need anything while I'm down here? I should get back upstairs and check on some things."

Glancing up, as if he could see the mess she'd made of his hair, he put his mug down on the bedside cabinet and started trying to fix his hair, but stopped when his right hand cramped up. "Fuck... getting really bored with this now..." Rubbing the cramp out of each finger in turn, he tried to think of anything he needed. "...I think I'm good for now, thanks... Hey, what's with the book?" Looking closer, he realised it was one of his that he hadn't read yet. "...How... that... "

"Well, I've hung around your room enough when I was going out with Bobby," Marie said. "And it's not like you're that good at hiding them when you read them where people can see you sometimes and also yell at people who innocently go looking for something in your closet... or not so innocently, okay, but I wasn't looking for those when you yelled at me that one time."

"...what were you looking for, Nancy Drew?"

"Well, when I found them the first time, I was looking for something to blackmail you with so I could get /thirty seconds/ alone with my boyfriend at the time," Marie said with a wry smile. "I figured I'd put the information to good use this time. ...man. It's been a long, weird road, hasn't it?"

"The FIRST TIME?...ow...owowow... not so loud, John... ow..." Wincing, he reached up and rubbed at his temples until the headache calmed down somewhat. "Long and weird and a bit fucked in the head at times, but hey, it's Mutant High, remember? Wouldn't be us if Aliens didn't invade every third Sunday or something equally as normal..."

"I'm familiar with the innards of your closet," Marie confessed. "Damnit, John, I needed ammunition. It was war time then between us, kind of... I'm glad it's over. Forgive me now?" She gave him a cute, hopeful smile.

"...oooh, I dunno... I mean, you go through my stuff, looking for Blackmail Opportunities...and now you want forgiveness? What's in it for me? hmm?" he grinned at her, absently rubbing out a cramp in his forearm again.

"Aside from the pleasure of my goodwill and friendship and a promise to visit you every day while you're stuck here? Hmm..." Marie looked at him, narrowing her eyes slightly. "What do you /want/?" she asked. She watched him intently, waiting for the answer.

"Ooh, all those are good... put Coffee in with the visit, as well... and what do I want? Right now, I want no-more-headache-or-cramps, but I don't think you could sort that out... hmm... Maybe I want to get familiar with your closet's innards as well... or... how about... I get a favor out of you, whenever, no questions asked...how's that?"

Marie crossed her arms and her expression grew calculating. "No felonies, no nudity, no lewd acts, and no, I will not have your babies. Aside from that, I think we're good."

"Aww, no lewdness or babies? Can't beat a bit of early-morning Lewd..." Smirking at her, he decided to derail that train of thought. "Yeah, okay. You get Forgiveness, I get a favor ...no chance of even a bit of Nakedness? Naked Lewdness! how about that?"

Marie patted him on the knee and stood up. "Well, I think someone other than me might have an objection to me giving you Naked Lewdness or I'd consider it," she said with mock sadness and a dramatic sigh. "Yes, oh obnoxious one, you can have a favour. I'll come see you tomorrow, bearing coffee."

"Okay, cool... " He watched as she lifted his empty mug and walked over to the door. "Marie? uhm ...Thanks."

She stopped in the doorway and turned to give him a smile. "No problem, John. I'm just glad you're okay. Really. I hope you can sleep so you get better soon."

He smiled back at her and nodded, and watched as she left the room, before picking up his book and settling down to read it.