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Part 4: It Wasn't My War Bobby was staring at himself through the mirror hanging right next to his bed, making sure his red tie was on properly and the collars of his nice, white shirt was okay. John watched silently from his own bed with a book lying on his lap, wanting to tell Bobby that the night wouldn’t be as bad as he feared it would be, but he could tell that Bobby was beyond comforting right now. “I think I’m ready,” Bobby said and turned around, fiddling with his tie, “Is this Christmassy enough?” “It’s red,” John commented idly, flipping through his book. “Right. Like Christmas.” John looked up from the book and contemplated before adding, “Like blood.” “John.” “Apples.” “You’re so funny,” Bobby mumbled while searching for his fancy shoes in the closet. John sighed wistfully. “Roses.” “I get it. Go back to your book.” And John did, but was soon disturbed by Bobby throwing out all the content of the closet until he gave up with a frustrated sigh. “Where the hell are they?” John didn’t look up from his book as he asked, “Your Pretty Boy Shoes?” “I can’t find them.” “Under your bed, dimwit,” John called him lovingly with a smirk on his face, enjoying the slightly shocked look Bobby gave him before checking to see under his bed and yup – there they were. “I knew you were gonna use them once your parents got here, so I took them out.” “And just for that,” Bobby said while putting them on, “you get to clean up the closet while I’m gone.” John snorted at that, watching Bobby stand up straight after putting on the shoes and once again inspecting the tie. “You look great, don’t worry.” “I’d believe you if you didn’t sound so sarcastic all of the time.” John bit his lip while Bobby ran his fingers through his hair and put on a nice blazer over his shirt, making him look like he was going to a fancy party. “Sure you’re not overdressed?” “No, my mom specifically told me to wear this,” Bobby replied, “She said we’re going somewhere real nice.” “No, I meant,” John put the book down completely and clarified; “you should take it off. Right now.” Bobby smiled at him, quickly walking over to John’s bed and leaning down to give him a kiss on the mouth. “Can’t now, I have an execution to attend to.” John grabbed his tie, pulling him closer so he could look into Bobby’s eyes. “John,” Bobby warned him. John waited a few seconds before whispering, “kiss me again,” and pulled Bobby forwards until their mouths crashed and Bobby gave out a strangled moan. Bobby pulled away too quickly, leaning his forehead against John’s since his tie was still being used as a leash. “You’re lucky you don’t have to come with me.” “It’s best for everyone if I didn’t. I mean, I’m sure you wouldn’t like me to set your dad’s shirt on fire, right?” “Right.” “Because I think I could without actually burning him. I’m getting better at controlling it.” Bobby snickered relaxed as John held onto his tie; feeling oddly comfortable with being held so close to him. “No, I think you better stay here.” “Whatever you say,” John kissed him between each word, feeling Bobby giving in the more he kissed him – his genius plan was starting to work. “Wait,” kiss, “what time,” kiss, “is it?” John sighed, looking over at the clock by the desk, “Uh,” he stalled, “it’s time for you to stop asking questions.” He wanted Bobby to stay a little longer, just for a few moments – it’s not like his parents would do anything about it if he was five minutes late. “I really can’t be late for this,” Bobby sudden pulled away and was up on his feet again, pacing around the room nervously and back to fiddling with his tie. “This thing is choking me.” “Haven’t you ever heard of being fashionably late?” John tried but Bobby was too wired to even crack a smile at that. “Not when it comes to my parents.” “Too bad, because you already are.” “Shit!” Bobby nearly yelled, looking momentarily lost, until John felt bad enough to say, “I was only joking. You have to loosen up or you’ll be dead by ten o’clock.” “You’re right, I know, but, just –“ Bobby sighed and paused, while John watched him curiously, trying to figure out what he was saying, “You’re right. I have nothing to worry about,” Bobby said mostly to himself, “and tonight is going to be fine. There will be no fighting and everyone will be happy. We’ll smile and we’ll joke and since it’s Christmas, we’ll get to bond and get along. No fighting.” John nodded at Rambling Bobby. “Perfect. Just like The Stepford Wives.” Bobby ignored him, “And then we’ll say goodnight and I won’t have to be put under this kind of pressure for at least a few more months.” “Terrific,” John dryly added. “Okay,” Bobby suddenly smiled; looking like he was forcing the smile out and that it was doing painful things to his jaw, “I feel better. Kind of.” “Glad to hear it.” “Right,” Bobby took one last breath and looking like he wanted to go kiss John goodbye, but hesitated since that goodbye kiss might turn into goodbye sex and he really didn’t have time for that. He settled with a wave instead. “I’ll see you later.” “Good luck, soldier.” John said and watched as Bobby left the room. He waited a few moments before restlessly sitting up; wanting to do something instead of just sitting there like a big lump. He hated knowing that Bobby was going out with his parents in such a nervous state, but it’s not like he actually could do anything about it – and he did offer to tag along, after all. Something needed to be done – and there was only one thing that came to John’s mind. * The danger room wasn’t empty, to John’s disappointment. He had wanted to do some serious damage while Bobby was out with the parents, but found out the room was busy playing a simulation once he got there. He walked in anyway; he wasn’t gonna let someone else get in his way of setting stuff on fire – unless it was Jubilee, and then John would just have to run far, far away the other direction and hope she wouldn’t run after him with tinsel. The large door to the danger room opened and John was instantly met by fire, smoke and what sounded like gunshots all over the place. He saw what looked like a small army of robots – thankfully human sized and not large sentinels, heading towards the other direction, their eyes zooming in on the other person in the room. John couldn’t see who it was, but watched with interest at all the chaos surrounding him; he had his lighter out and ready if it was necessary. And it if wasn’t, well, then he was gonna have to make it necessary. The robots were no more than John’s own size, but they were more than twenty of them so John still couldn’t just attack them randomly when they were so far away. He watched them stomp their metallic feet over to the edge of the room, all gathering around something until there was a huge bang. More than five robots suddenly fell backwards with a loud thud, landing on their backs and their robot limbs tearing up at the bolts. Then Marie burst out from the sea of robots; flew upwards towards the roof with such speed that you could barely see who it was, and John squint his eyes and saw that she was actually holding one of the robots by its neck, twisting it in two while she flew to the other side of the room. She dumped what was left of the robot down on the floor – it came crashing down two feet away from John. “Oh, sorry,” she yelled from the ceiling, “didn’t see ya there!” “Need some help?” John shot back, noticing that a group of robots were now headed his way and their arms started unfolding – they were becoming what looked like shotguns. Okay. Not the kind of simulation John had in mind when he decided to go to the danger room, but he could do this. “Not really,” Marie said and landed next to him – wearing her leather X-men suit with a large ‘X’ right across her chest, “but go ahead.” John gave it a shot, shooting fire at the robots so intensely that he felt Marie back away from the heat, covering eyes at the light. John kept on shooting, making the fire grow and grow until it was large enough to cover half of the room – and no robots came emerging from out of the fire. “Nice Pyro, but,” Marie said when he calmed down the fire, watching the remains of the robots lie down on the ground in a burning, soon completely melted mess, “I was thinking of doing something more original.” John gaped at her, “I just saved your life. Learn to be grateful.” Marie rolled her eyes as he turned towards her, a smirk playing on his lips. She opened her mouth to say something, but caught the sight of a broken robot limping around, aiming his arm at them – “My turn,” she managed to say before hugging John, lifting him up with her as she took flight. Bullets were fired, but they missed them by inches as Marie flew John to the other side of the burnt mass of melting robots before getting heading back to the limping robot. John watched as she easily kicked the head off from the body; he was always amazed by how strong a little girl – okay, woman – like Marie was. Only now she wasn’t Marie; she was Rogue. She clapped her hands in accomplishment after killing the last robot, and the room stilled as the simulation ended. She walked over to John, her hair flying as she bounded to him. “We make a good team.” John nodded briefly, adding, “You hugged me.” “What are you, twelve?” Marie shot back. “Nah. It was nice,” John smirked, pocketing his lighter and feeling slightly disappointed that it didn’t take that much to end all those robots. Marie smiled at his compliment as breathed heavily from the fighting. “So did Bobby already leave for New York City?” “Yeah.” “How’s that going, by the way?” John eyed her. “Me and Bobby?” “You, Bobby and his parents.” John shrugged and crossed his arms; not knowing how to answer. Marie could tell straight away that he was going to be difficult about this, so she decided to answer it for him; “you’re giving him a hard time, aren’t you?” “What?” John was offended, “What makes you say that?” “I don’t know, maybe the fact that you’re you.” “Yeah, well, I’m not. I was perfectly charming to them,” John raised a sarcastic eyebrow, “and they loved the idea that I fuck their son on a regular basis.” Marie’s face was already red from all the work-out, but he was pretty sure she still blushed at what he had said. “This is a huge deal. It wouldn’t kill you to take it seriously.” “I know it’s a big thing.” “This is the first sign coming from his parents that they actually want to know about this side of him,” Marie continued, “that they won’t shut him out for being a mutant. And Bobby deserves this to work out for them.” John grimaced at her angrily and spat out, “Fuck you. You don’t think I know that?” “Geez, there’s no need to get so damn angry about everything, you know. That teenage rebel act got old when you came back from Magneto.” There was a brief moment where John controlled his breathing and looked at everywhere but Marie; he could sense her watching him curiously, studying him. There was no way he was going to talk to her about this. He barely managed to have a personal conversation with Bobby, and only that was when there was a chance that sex might come out of it. “Well, the professor sees this as a huge improvement, anyway,” Marie then said, taking the topic off John for a while, “he said it’s a big step. Fits into that whole ‘making mutants more acceptable in society’ mission.” “Bobby isn’t a part of some mission for Xavier,” John defended Bobby, “and if Xavier is forcing this to happen just so it can set some kind of example –“ “I didn’t say that,” Marie pressed, stepping closer to John and giving him a serious look. “Look. Do you even want to be liked by his parents? Because your behavior suggests that you want them to, you know, kill you.” “Why do you care?” “Because I do, alright?” Marie sighed exasperated but still watched John expectantly, obviously somehow expecting a serious answer. “I don’t care.” John answered her question, watching her in defiance, his eyes daring her to contradict him. “Fine,” Marie crossed her arms. “Let’s say I believe you.” “Let’s.” She waited a few seconds, staring into John’s eyes, but he wouldn’t budge. She then looked over the empty Danger Room and turned to him with a sigh, “want to kick some more robot ass?” John grinned, took out his lighter, and nodded. Marie quickly flew up to the windows that led into the master control room, and signaled something to whoever was in there. A few seconds later, the robots were back, stomping towards them quickly with their guns already drawn out and the surroundings had changed into what looked like the set of Rambo. “Much better,” John grinned at the jungle-like environment, quickly running to take cover behind a large tree when a robot aimed and shot at him. He kissed his lighter quickly before planning on setting every single tree on fire, until there was nothing the robots could hide behind. NEXT PART - Part 5: Obstacle 2 |