"John, what the hell?"
The smaller mutant's head swiveled towards Bobby. He looked so relaxed as he sat on one of the benches by the soccer field, basking cat-like in the sun, a cigarette between his lips.
"What?" he asked, smoke billowing from his mouth.
"What do you mean, 'what'?" growled Bobby.
"Hey, you're the ice mutant here. Chill, Robert."
Another puff of smoke set Bobby off. He froze the cigarette before snatching it from John's half-gloves-covered hand, crushing it easily.
"What the hell, Bobby?" yelled John, standing up. Bobby said nothing. "Fine, be that way." John's voice was frostier than the morning's ground, and that was pretty bad. "I'll see ya later."
The brunette stood on the bench and jumped over the back, walking back to the mansion with his hands in his jacket pockets.
Bobby didn't see John for the rest of the day. Even when the whole school was silent except for snores and mumbled conversations, John wasn't in their room. When the fire mutant did appear, it was 2:30 on Sunday morning.
"Well, that took you long enough," Bobby said as a greeting.
"Good morning to you, too, Bobby."
Nothing was said as John changed into his pajamas.
"Y'know," John said conversationally, "Professor X cleared me for smoking. Apparently, it benefits a fire mutant to smoke when it's cold."
Bobby frowned. "I don't believe you."
"Well, you can ask him tomorrow…wait, later, then. Night."
Bobby felt horrible when it turned out that John was telling the truth. He wanted to say sorry to his boyfriend, but once again, he couldn't find him. Then he went back to the bench.
"Hey, John," he said, taking a seat next to the fire mutant, who was smoking again.
"Guess you talked to Wheels, then?"
"Yeah. Sorry 'bout that."
"Don't worry about it; Logan was the only one who didn't get onto me about it."
"I would let us kiss and make up, but I don't like tobacco."
"Too bad!"