Log: Lil and Johnny

[x-diamondlil.livejournal.com]

Johnny heads to the garage to see Lil's bike and ends up seeing a bit more of the blonde giantess than expected.


With all the riding she'd done, Lil wasn't surprised at how fast her bike was beginning to lose its shine. Rain, gravel, bugs, green-haired girls looking at it wrong - her baby was losing its polish and the giantess simply couldn't allow such a travesty. Not yet, at least. With a forecast of clear skies, she'd set up shop in the driveway, amusing herself by dressing like an ad straight out of a magazine: cropped denim shorts and deep green bikini top with a pair of flipflops. Her skin wouldn't be offended by the cleaning agents or grease but her clothes certainly would which gave Lil the perfect excuse for her antics and kept a smile on her face as she started to fill a nearby bucket. Now, if only Logan would stop by...

Lil would find herself with company soon enough...though not at all the company she had in mind.

The knowledge that a motorcycle was sitting in their garage and Johnny had yet to even see it in person had become intolerable to the curious teen over the last day or so. His classes complete for the afternoon, he decided to concede to this whim and went in search of the woman and her beloved machine. He headed out of the mansion with a quick pace, silently hoping that she might have the bike out already. Surely she wouldn't oppose to an audience while she worked, right?

He spotted the bike first, propped proudly in the driveway, and smiled to himself, calling to the rider he assumed wouldn't be far off, "Hey Lil, mind if I--" The sight of the barely-dressed woman bent and filling a plastic bucket in preparation for her work threw a rather obvious fumbling into his words. "If I...u-um..."

The blonde woman lifted her head, tossing her hair over one shoulder as she straightened up and shot a smile in his direction. "Heya, Johnny," Lil greeted, going so far as to give the boy a small wave with her free hand. She hadn't had much time to talk with him but with all the gossip about Jean-Paul still flying around the mansion and Johnny still new to the place, she figured the white-haired teen may be a little down. "Come to look at the bike?" The hose was turned on her motorcycle, giving the vehicle a quick rinse before starting on any heavier cleaning. "She's a beauty, eh?"

Come to see the bike? The question reminded him that, in fact, he had. Johnny smiled back, clearing his throat and silently informing his feet that they were not cemented to the ground, then moved forward as the wave of cold water ran down the metal frame of the bike. He nodded, finally giving the machine a proper inspection, "Definitely." He looked briefly to Lil again. She was too. "D-...do you need any help?"

"Sure, why not. Put some of the cleaner in the bucket," she instructed, eyes glued to her bike while hosing it down. Wasn't much to do, really; didn't need any heavy degreasing yet but there were some bugs that needed to be removed and then waxing after the wash. Not really a lot to do but it was better than standing out there and doing it without any company. "So, you like motorcycles?" Lil asked. "This one's my first. I rode Logan's for awhile but I never had the means to get my own 'til now."

The teen nodded, seeming to take his simple task seriously as he fetched the cleaner in question and turned it over in his hands, glancing over the labels affixed to the container for some indication of how much to add. He dropped down by the bucket, resting on his haunches as he put in what he hoped was the appropriate amount. He grinned sheepishly at the question, "So far as I know. I've never actually been on one unless you count those jerky chunks of plastic at the arcade." Not that those jerky chunks of plastic weren't worth some amount of enjoyment. "You got a cool one, though. Was it worth the wait?"

"Definitely." Lil stopped herself from making a comment about most first being worth waiting for; no use getting in trouble with Scott for being a bad influence on the minors. Any more than she already was, of course. "If you do a good job, maybe I'll take you out on it as payment," the Amazon offered, flashing another grin. "Plenty of helmets around. And if you're done your homework, I'm sure a quick ride won't upset anyone."

Johnny's features lit up inadvertently at the possibility, "Really?"

"Sure," she told him, lifting one shoulder in a casual shrug. "Don't see why not." Lil turned to smile at grin at him but cursed instead when she realized the hose was splashing down her leg instead of over the bike. "Sorry." A little laugh and the Amazon put it down. "I forget to watch my mouth sometimes."

"I'll do my best, then! Not that I...wouldn't have before, I mean..." The grateful, fumbling comment was cut off by soft laughter at the swearing and the quick readjustment of the hose and Johnny shook his head, "I don't mind. Don't watch it on my account."

Lil laughed again, shaking out her head. "Sweetie, trust me: I need to cut back or Jean-Paul's gonna hang me off one of the balconies by my tongue. And I appreciate the help." A little wink and the blonde picked up one dry sponge then tossed him a second. "Just gonna wash her down. I'll take you out after that before giving her another quick wash then wax."

The fatal combination of the term 'sweetie' and the playful wink from the older mutant proved almost distracting enough to prevent the white-haired boy from catching the sponge, but he managed. Johnny nodded, his gratitude and eagerness for the upcoming ride helping to combat this embarrassment, and smiled, "Thanks Lil. Sure it won't defeat the purpose or anything?" He moved to dunk the the sponge in the soapy water and began the work, kneeling to get the lower parts of the vehicle.

"Bike's only a week old. She's not that dirty yet." Get the bugs and dirt off, add some sparkle back to the body. There was time for a ride in between. Besides, it made the kid smile. Lil started on the other end, wiping down the front of the motorcycle while keeping an eye on Johnny. "Things settling for you anymore? With classes and all?" Get him talking; it's what Jean-Paul would do.

This seemed enough to convince Johnny, who nodded again, continuing to carefully wipe down the chrome with the full, dripping sponge. He seemed determined to do a good job. "Everything's...settled, I think," he replied after a thoughtful moment that clearly encompassed less about the 'classes' and more about the 'all'.

Tossing her hair over her shoulder, Lil chuckled. "Think? Sweetie, it's okay if it's not. New place. Weird people. Lots goes on around here so it's really okay if things haven't settled yet." Lord knew not everything had settled for her. "You making friends at least? Besides me and Speedy, of course," she added with a playful wink. "Not a lotta kids around but surely you're getting on with some of the others?"

Maybe not everything was settled, but compared to the previous weeks it certainly seemed close. For now, at least, that was enough for Johnny. Opting not to push the point, though, the teen smiled and nodded as he continued his work, "Oh, yeah, we get along fine for the most part." Though a few blond exceptions came to mind. He was quiet for a moment before adding, "We're...not little kids, you know. I mean...I'll be sixteen in September and..." It was a label he was frequently defensive about, but when it came to Lil he found himself wanting to shrug it off for different, less understood reasons.

"Johnny, I'm twenty-three and I'm still 'kid' to some of the people in the mansion." One in particular but that hardly seemed worth mentioning. "And I never called you or anyone else around here 'little' even though I'm taller than just about all of you and the adults to boot." Lil chuckled again after making her point. "Wanna switch? Let me handle the body for a bit and you take care of the headlights?"

"Guess it's a matter of perspective, huh?" Johnny relented, smiling some. That didn't mean he had to like the moniker, though. He raised his head at the question, gaze met squarely with her own...'headlights' as she was still bent over the bike tending to her task. He cleared his throat, doing his best not to stammer as he pulled himself up, "S-sure."

"Thanks," Lil replied with a smile for the boy before moving off to dunk the rag in the bucket again the start on the body. "I really appreciate the help, Johnny. And you're doing great." He seemed like a good kid; eager to help and pleasant enough.

Johnny followed suit, dipping the sponge into the soapy water again and moving to the front of the bike, grateful for an excuse to duck his head and focus on the machine and hide any awkward tells that might be lingering on his features. He liked being around Lil, he didn't want to have to explain something like that. "What are friends for? Besides, it's cool to see something like this so close up...even if it does involve a little elbow grease."

She laughed and nodded in agreement. Definitely a good kid. Shame about his situation. Lil wasn't really one of the maternal types but she knew he was close to Jean-Paul, and considering everything that had happened lately, he could use a few smiles. "Absolutely. And it doesn't hurt that you're getting a pretty sweet reward in the end, does it?"

"Not a bit," the teen concurred, smiling. "How far can we go?"

That caught her attention. The Amazon's head lifted again, a confused grin on her lips. "What do you mean?" Surely he wasn't... flirting with her?

Lil's confusion only seemed to confuse him and Johnny tilted his head faintly as he raised his eyes to her, looking hesitant, "...On the ride. How far can we go?"

"Figure fifteen minutes out, fifteen minutes back," she replied, feeling the little knot that had formed in her stomach loosen slightly. That would have been awkward. "Still need to wax her and you probably have homework to do."

The origin of the woman's uncertain expression remained a mystery, but Johnny seemed to relax as Lil did. He nodded, grinning and adding playfully, "And even if I don't do it, nobody can blame that on a thirty-minute motorcycle ride."

"Gotta do your homework," Lil told him, pointing a finger in his direction sternly. "Know it sucks but you gotta do it, understand me? Or else no more bike rides if I hear from Jean-Paul that your grades are slacking."

This variety of lecture was unexpected from the Lil and left the boy frowning almost immediately and cursing himself silently for having earned it. "I know, I know...I'll do it."

"Good," she said, reaching over to ruffle his hair with her dry hand. "Wouldn't want you flunking out of the mansion, eh? Who'd help me take care of washing the bike?" Fuck, this teacher/mentor shit was contagious. She'd have to punch Jean-Paul later for making her catch some of it.

Johnny's smile was quick to return with this light touch and the suggested possibility of getting to help her again. Even if it meant he'd have to stay on top of all of his homework. He wiped one wet hand upon his jeans so he could smooth his hair, left only slightly more unkempt than usual by the ruffling, and ventured hopefully, "So...I can help next time too?"

Lil nodded and gave him an even bigger smile. "Sure. I'm not one to turn down free labor,' she laughed before tossing her rag into the bucket. A black band from around her wrist was used to twist the long, golden curls up into a ponytail. "Think that should do for now. Let's hit the road."

"Free apart from very meager gasoline costs," the boy quipped happily as he followed her example, tossing the sopping sponge into the discolored water. It didn't take them long to track down an extra helmet or for Lil to situate herself upon the striking machine. Only at that moment it occurred to Johnny where he would be expected to sit and how he would be expected to hold on and he was suddenly grateful for the cover of the helmet. He joined her on the bike. "Ready when you are."