Author Note:
This is a little spin-off one shot from my story: "Where do we go from here". If you haven't read it, I'm sure you'll be okay. You just need to know at least two things: First, the Acolytes and Botherhood formed together with the X-men and so they all live at the mansion now. Secondly, Amara and John just started talking, you can read chapter 6 to see how it happened.
Another thing, John "Pyro" isn't really my best characters only because I don't know his personality very well, so I apologize if he is out of character.
I don't have a beta so don't shoot me or blame me for any grammar or spelling errors. I try my best to catch them but I'm an amateur writer so don't be too harsh. Thoughts are going to be italic in the story.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the comic or cartoon show X-men.
Setting off Fireworks
Amara sighed as she stepped out of Kitty's room. She had gone to see her friend in hopes to make some plans with her only to find out Kitty already had dinner arrangements with none other than Pietro Maximoff.
She smirked to herself at the how just years ago when the Brotherhood and X-men hated were against one another. It was Kitty and Pietro who always had some kind of rivalry with the snappy come backs, the glares, the banter it; they were always at each other's throat. Now they were sticking each other's tongues down their throats instead.
She laughed to herself as she thought about the couple. Who would have guessed that not only the coming of the different mutant groups would also mean the coming of many different couples that wouldn't have happened if they didn't come to the mansion. Shaking her head Amara walked down the empty hallway disappointed.
What am I to do now? Amara was out of her mind bored and so badly wanting to do something. Kitty was busy and Amara already knew that Jubilee had plans for the evening. Bobby had that special make-up plan he had for planned for Jubilee.
Amara sighed; guess I'm spending another night alone. I really do need to get out more or something. Turning the corner she jumped back a little in surprise as she almost walked into someone.
"I'm so sorry." Amara quickly apologized without even seeing the face of the person she almost walked right into. "I wasn't paying attention."
"No problem. I guess we're even now."
The voice and the laugh sent blood rushing to Amara's checks and it burned red, "John." She stammered.
John smirked, "Looks like we just keep running to each other huh?"
Amara nodded her head, "Looks like it." And she felt her voice caught in her throat at the way he stared at her with a smirk that made her wonder what he was thinking.
Laughing John peered down at her, "So where you heading to?"
"No where in particular." Amara confessed as she played with her hands, god he's so hot.
"Really?" John said with a smile, "Would you like to join me then?"
Her eyes lit up and Amara became very thankful at her two friend's busy-ness that it had left her open with this wonderful opportunity to spend with John. It would be another given time for her to spend with her kindled crush. "I'd love to!"
- - -
Amara followed John out of the mansion, the cool night air blew against her skin and she pulled her jacket tighter around her body. "Sorry to make you wait." She had met him outside after grabbing a jacket. John waited patiently for her with a wagon in his hand.
Giving her a reassuring smile John ran a hand through his hair. I'd wait forever for you. The voice inside his head caused him to panic and a frown presented on his face. Amara caught sight of this and looked at him strangely a part of her pained that he seemed to be bothered.
John laughed nervously when he caught her change in emotion. Retuning his reassuring smile, he waved his hand in the air. "No problem. I didn't mind waiting for you." This comment earned a smile from Amara.
"Let's go." She stated as she smiled at him and began to walk away from the mansion, her eyes on the clear early evening sky. Amara sighed softly at the sight in front of her and began to wish she'd appreciate just how amazing the night looked outside more. She'd definitely have to spend some more time outside.
The sound of the wagon John pulled could be heard as he began to walk beside Amara. His pace a little faster so he could catch up and lead the way.
Looking curiously at the boxes in the wagon, Amara raised her eyebrow in question, "So where we going?"
John continued to walk and Amara followed silently after, waiting for his answer. The wagon still trailing after him, boxes stacked to the very top almost at a danger from falling over.
Turning to look at her, John's eyes lit with some excitement as he answered her and it reminded her of the same look he had always had in his eyes whenever he fought, "We're going to light some fireworks."
Her eyes widen, "We're going to what? With fireworks?" Amara slowed in her walk suddenly becoming weary about whether or not her choice of spending her evening with John would was a good one.
"We're going to light them!" John said his voice filled with excitement at the mere thought of being able to play with what he loved most, fire. Not to mention his natural ability to create fire. He let out a laugh just at the thought of it.
Amara once again looked at the wagon that John pulled and it became clear what was inside the boxes, it was the fireworks.
They reached the small lake that was located at the far end of the mansion and John stopped to peer up at the sky above them, his laugh was long gone. Amara watched as his eyes stopped at a hilltop that glowed from the moon's light. "I think we should be good here." John said out loud.
She watched as John bended down and pulled out a blanket that sat on the side of the wagon and flew it open before lying on the grass. "Have a seat." He said with a laugh as plopped himself down.
Amara sat down slowly, still cautious at to what John had up his sleeves. A mischievous smile still played on his face as he looked off at the distance into the night's sky. The sun had just barely gone down and the night sky glowed slightly. The light fell on John's face and Amara's eyes looked at every curve and inch of his masculine features.
He's so damn hot. Amara smiled to herself at the though, John remained quiet his eyes still off in the distance. Clearing her throat her eyes fell back to the wagon which remained a few away from them. "What are you doing with fireworks?" her voice filled with curiousity.
Her voice brought John away from his thoughts and he turned to look at the beautiful young woman that accompanied him. He took a moment to admire her beauty, the light graced her face. John held in the urge to suck in a breath just by looking at her, she always captured his eye in a way that no other girl did in the mansion. She's beyond gorgeous.
Heat filled her cheeks and Amara was sure that she was blushing now. The intensity of John's stare was quite obvious and it almost seemed like his eyes danced with fire.
John smirked realizing he had just been caught staring and had brought in a small embarrassment to her. He coughed and ran a hand through his thick bright dirty orange hair (author note: anyone knows his color hair?) "I got it from Bobby." He shared.
"Bobby?" Amara repeated as she peered over the handsome guy sitting in front of her. The same sly smile played on his face, "Why would Bobby give you fireworks." She leaned forward to listen, anxious and very curious into why Bobby their x-men leader would give Pyro fireworks.
Leaning back Pyro laughed at Amara's curiosity, but stopped for a brief moment realizing that if he were her he'd wondered too. They weren't exactly 'friends', he and Bobby. "Well I'm assuming you know that he's with Jubilee right now since from what I've noticed you two are almost always together."
Amara nodded her head, his observations correct. Amara probably spent the most time with Jubilee than anyone else in the mansion. She silently hoped that John would soon be the next person she spent the most time with.
"Well," John continued after seeing her nod her head, "I owe the guy a favor; he asked me if I could light these fireworks for him later tonight … something about some picnic for Jubilee. Since I owed him and since it involved me lighting things up I couldn't say no."
It began to make sense and a small relief washed over her knowing that John didn't have any plans that would lead them getting into trouble. Her face soon lit up at the thought of her best friend being surprised by a firework show just for her. It was times like these she often wondered how Bobby and Jubilee never got together or fell for one another. They were both blind.
John inched closer to Amara and looked at her curiously; she had a smile on her face and her eyes showed she was deep in thought, "What you smiling about?" he inquired.
Her smile grew a little larger at John's observation and just by knowing that he had been watching her. She giggled, "Nothing, just thinking about Jubilee and Bobby."
He nodded his head; his eyes remained focused on hers, "Humph. Care to tell me what's going on with those two?"
Amara's eyes widen at his question, "What do you mean?" she asked a little confused at what and why he was asking.
Shrugging his shoulders John looked off to the hilltop where Bobby had told him that they would be. His eyes squinted and he could now see what seemed like torches lighting an area. "If Jubilee isn't with you she's with him. Since I've come to this mansion I've always seen them together and they're awfully close. Now, he's doing this evening picnic with a firework show … something like that tells me there has got to be something going on."
She was impressed she had never known St. John Allerdyce was so observant. But yet it made a little sense, he was quiet often times off to himself. He seemed quite different since he moved to the mansion, not at all the hot shot that she had known before when they were once enemies.
Still, he still held the bad boy impression often one the dangerous risk takers of the x-men. But there was something that had changed and she often on many times wondered why.
Watching as he silently waited Amara cleared her throat, "They're exactly what they say they are. They're best friends."
John scoffed stopping Amara from even added to the rest of her sentence, "Best friends. Yeah right …"
Amara laughed at John's instant disbelief adding him to the almost never ending list of believers from the mansion that the two best friends had to be something more. "Seriously, they are. I guess I wouldn't believe it either but I know Jubilee like she's my own sister she'd tell me if they were more."
Nodding his head John shrugged his shoulders, from the corner of his eyes he eyed where the x-men leader and his alleged 'best friend' were. John grunted as his eyes fell back at Amara, crossing his arms he spoke, "Well if you ask me. A guy goes through that much trouble for a girl, best friend or not, he has to like her."
"Hey you don't have to convince me. I'm with you on that." Amara said as she lifted her hands in the air. She didn't know what to do, smack Jubilee for being so blind or Bobby for not stepping up. Or could it be what they claim it was, they were just strictly friends? She sighed exasperated just by thinking of it.
Uncrossing his arms John leaned forward, "Ok enough on those two. Let me ask you something." Seeing Amara nod, John continued, "What about you … any boyfriend?" from his sources they all claimed that Amara was definitely single. He however wanted to make sure they were all right. With the mansion being filled with hormonal jealous gossiping teens who knew was the truth or not.
A smile graced Amara face at the realization that question John just asked could only mean one thing. He's interested! She held back the urge to squeal in delight and decided she would do so when she was telling Jubilee. Raising an eyebrow she allowed her eyes to batter a little to flirt as she leaned forward.
"Curious?" Amara teased, which gained John to roll his eyes. Letting out a small laugh she shook her head, "Nope. No man."
"Perfect." John said with a laugh his face drawing closer to hers.
Amara could feel her heart pick up speed at the closeness of John's face. Closing her eyes for a brief second she tried to calm herself at the longing desire that he would just kiss her. Letting out a soft sigh, she locked eyes with him. "So what about you? Girlfriend?" Although she knew for a fact that John was a single man.
It was now John's turn to smile, if he didn't know it before he knew it now. She is definitely interested. Running a hand through his thick hair he spoke, "No girlfriend."
Following his same suite she leaned a little closer, "Perfect." Amara whispered their lips only inches apart.
Her heart was pounded as she watched John slowly close in the little space left between them. Closing her eyes, she held her breath as she waited for the moment their lips made contact.
A beeping noise filled the air and Amara opened one eye when she realized that John's lips never met hers. She found John's head turned around and a frown fell on her face. What the hell? What perfect timing.
John searched the blanket for the cursed device that ruined the perfect opportunity to kiss Amara. Finding it he held it in the air, ready to fling it out and not ever wanting to find it. His hand however lowered when he realized the reason.
Dropping the cell on the ground, his eyes turned back to see a very disappointed and slightly angered Amara. Uh-oh. Trouble. Pushing his self off the ground. As he quickly explained, "Sorry. It's my alarm. I need to set the fireworks off soon." He watched carefully to see if she was still bothered but relieved to see that she nodded her head in understanding.
"Well, you can rest right there and I'll set the fireworks." John said as he began to walk towards the wagon filled of fireworks waiting to go off.
Amara quickly stood up and dusted off any grass that had may caught onto her pants. She followed and a small laugh escaped her lips, "Haha, and let you have all the fun setting of these explosives. I don't think so. You're not the only thing that likes setting things off."
The statement left John bewildered and he remained motionless as he watched Amara grab the fireworks that were in his hands and walk off. A smirk filled his face as he watched her hips sway as she walked off to position the aerial a few feet away. She is definitely my kind of girl. Grabbing another box he quickly followed.
- - -
"Okay first x-men to beat your butt." Amara asked with a laugh as she positioned another aerial on the ground.
Opening the last box, John looked up as he tried to recall the painful memory. Despite being an X-man now, no former Acolyte would be proud to state who he had once lost in a battle with. But yet there he was playing a game of questions with Amara as they set up the fireworks so that they could light them off all at around the same time, again Amara's idea.
Amara laughed as she looked at his pained face, she wondered if he'd even share or admit to losing. But in some way it was a test to see just how much he would tell her. "Come on I'm still waiting Pyro." She sang his name with a teasing tone.
John scoffed and he was shocked to find himself in this position never in a million years would he have guessed he'd be setting fireworks and telling things he would never even share to Remy, who was his closest confidant. A mutant so girly they couldn't believe she was an X-man.
Yet there he was, in fact with her, Amara, the once said 'princess of the mansion'. He was smitten by her, the flirty attitude, the way she braved herself to ask questions no other girl would probably ask. John was definitely captivated and willing to pursue. Groaning he spoke, "Okay okay. It was Iceman."
"Bobby?" Amara repeated, as she tried to recall a mission in which Bobby ever faced John.
Nodding his head, "Yes yes Bobby. It wasn't an official mission but somehow we ran into each other not too long after we formed the Acolytes. A small exchange of words we of course being the men we are decided to end it with a small brawl. And unfortunately for me because of the lack of preparation, I did not realize what his mutant powers were. I was too cocky in the beginning and I found myself on my ass within 5 minutes."
Amara laughed, which gained her a glare from John. She quickly stopped and gave him an apologetic smile.
"So tell me, what about you? First Acolyte to beat your behind." John asked with a laugh as he placed the last firework in place.
Smiling Amara walked to where John stood. She stopped inches away from him and looked up as she straightened her posture. "I'll have you know. No Acolyte was able to beat my behind."
His eyebrows raised and John smirked as he crossed his arms, "Really? I feel that's a little challenge, considering the fact that we never fought one another."
Laughing Amara stuck her tongue out, "But you're not an Acolyte Pyro. Need I remind you? You-are-a-X-man."
John laughed at the way she spoke to him, amused once more at her shining personality. "I know I know. But let this former Acolyte request a challenge."
Biting her lip Amara pretended to think as she looked up. "Well … maybe. But not here and not right now."
"Of course." John said with all seriousness but again there was a flint of burning excitement and mischief. It had something to do with the way they were flirting as they talked. He smirked, "If we did it here, with both our powers I think we'd blow each other up with all these fireworks surrounding us."
Amara's laughed filled the night air loudly, at the fact that John had made a somewhat joke. She couldn't believe it.
John watched as she laughed to a point where she couldn't breathe and he couldn't help but feel something in his heart fill just by knowing he had been able to make her laugh. Waiting until Amara gained her breath, he spoke. "Okay okay. Most embarrassing moment when out with the X-men?"
Her mouth quickly closed shut and Amara looked up at John's random question. "Wait what?" She asked her hands waved in the air, "No it's MY turn for the question."
John's trademark laughed filled the air, "But I didn't like your answer, it wasn't as exciting or entertaining as mines. So I asked a new one."
Mumbling to herself, she knelt down at one of the fireworks. "Fine. But shouldn't we start lighting these?"
"You right." John agreed and the fire of excitement filled his eyes. He formed a flame and soon lit a nearby fuse. "But you still got to answer the question."
"Yeah yeah." Amara whined as she followed his action and lit the firework that was in front of her.
Standing up she watched as John's firework shot up towards the sky exploding into an enormous explosion of colors. She would have to tell Bobby what wonderful fireworks he had purchased, they were breathtaking. Returning to lighting the rest nearby she spoke, "Okay it was within the first time I got onto the year. Unfortunately for me, it was a time in which my princess attitude was still somewhat intact."
John stopped in his actions to look at Amara, surprise and more so curious to hear about her princess attitude past. Amara rolled her eyes when she caught his surprise look and continued on.
"Well lucky me I got paired up to fight with Toad." Toad's name caused John break into a fit of laughter already amused and getting a good idea of what the story would maybe entail now. Amara shot John a shut up stare and he quickly quieted but muffled laughter could still be heard by the magma controlling mutant.
Ignoring Johns laughs only because she could laugh about it too, now no longer horrified but still very embarrassed. "Continuing on … we both are aware of Toad's impeccable lack of hygiene. So you can imagine how extremely disgusted I was when we fought. Let's just say it wasn't much of a fight because in the end I called it quits afraid he'd touch me with his hands or tongue and I ran off. I think leaving Ray to take of it."
The laughter that John had been trying to hold in during her story, released. John laughed hard, grabbing his stomach he imagined how Magma had been at that particular fight. An x-man running away. It was hilarious, he slightly wish he could have been there.
His laughter was contagious and Amara's pursed lips broke and she soon joined him laughing. Shaking her head she continued on, lighting the fuse and fireworks lit the sky.
"Okay, first x-man to make an impression on you?" Amara asked as she took the moment to look up at the amazing colors of fireworks that exploding in the air.
"Impression?" John repeated as he looked at with question. They were almost near done setting off all the fireworks. "Positive or negative?"
Amara paused as she thought, she hadn't thought about it. Shrugging her shoulders she looked up at him, "Either. Just an impression that you always remembered I guess."
John smirked at her curiosity and ruffled his hair with his hand as he tried to think of the first x-man that had made a deep impression on him that he could not forget. A larger grin soon filled his face as he recalled a particular moment that even until this very day impacted. "You."
She was busy lighting another fuse, when John's soft but strong word filled the air. 'You'. Amara almost fell over as she tried to decide whether or not she heard him correctly over the booming fireworks. "What?" she asked as she quickly stood and turned around to face him.
A gasp escaped her lips as she found herself an inch away from John, his orange eyes staring deeply at her. "You." He repeated with a sly smile.
Her heart pounded at the intensity of his stare and at the fact they were an inch away from touching. Amara discretely tried to slow her breathing and smiled slightly hoping to hide any nervousness she was feeling at the moment. She spoke hoping her voice wouldn't deceive her, "Really is that a good thing or bad thing?" She asked trying to sound playful and not scared.
John's eyes never left hers and licked his lips before speaking. "Well at first I was entertained by the fact that there was another mutant who could control fire, well in your case fire and magma. It truly left me with the desire to see whose powers were hotter. However, I think after a fight I saw you power down to help one of your injured comrades. And as cliché as it sounds, one look at you and all I could think was how amazingly hot you look, no beautiful."
Amara stopped breathing as John's words processed in her head. He thought I looked amazing. She wanted to jump at the new fact that John had thought she was beautiful even when they were enemies. It was a different kind of flattery that she never ever gone from the tons of boys that chased her.
She was speechless as she tried to formulate the words to say. But the ideas and words that had been thought about were soon swiped away when she watched as John's face leaned towards hers as he licked his lips once more. He's going to kiss me!
Her heart picked up speed as she closed her eyes, his lips only a centimeter away that she could feel his breath. John's lips finally touched hers and Amara couldn't help but feel a skip in her heart at how hot the kiss the felt. She wanted to melt into him as she felt his arms surround her drawing her closer into his body.
The kiss was amazing as she let out a soft moan, giving John the opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth. Amara wanted to soar at the sensation that the kiss, it was as if it set off fireworks at the passion of it.
Fireworks. Amara opened one eye to peek at the fireworks that were lighting the sky one by one. Closing it she shook her head slightly as she wrapped her arms around John's neck. I guess tonight we set off more than one kind of firework.
END!
Author Note: Ahaha. I think the ending line was a little dorky but I left it because I wanted to. Haha. So there we have it for those of you who read 'Where do we go from here' that is John and Amara's side of what happened during the fireworks. I want to apologize because after completing this one-shot I went back to read other story, I found out Amara talked about another kiss with her and John in chapter 11. I thought about removing the kiss from this story to fit 'Where do we go from here' storyline but iliked how it played into this plot. So let's just say this was their first kiss .. and Amara never got around to telling Jubilee about this one, so she ended up only talking about the one in Chapter11. Haha. Hope it works for you!
Hmm so again as I mentioned above that I am not at all a good John writer only because I don't know his character too much. I hope I wasn't too out of character even for Amara. But if it was, I just hope you all thought this story was at least nicely written if not good. Hehe.
Well leave me a review let me know what you think! I'd appreciate it; it'll especially boost my confidence in writing John and Amara's characters. Ahah.
Thanks for reading! Jubilee and Bobby fans keep a look out for a new story! Hopefully it'll be soon.