Warning: Lots of fluff. …le gag.
Shake, Rattle and Roll a.k.a. Trouble In Paradise
Stray particles of dust floated through heavy air to land in John's right nostril, making him slap a groggy hand to his face to swiftly kill the creeping tickle. Lying halfway on top of his mattress, with his legs sprawled out on the cluttered floor, he stretched a wide yawn and rubbed some sleep out of his eyes. Glancing around, he noticed – with a small grin – the other body that had curled up a few inches away on the same bedding. She had managed to yank some of his shredded covers around herself and appeared to be lost in a comfortable slumber.
Remembering the events of their morning together (and taking a mental note to save several copies on his brain's hardrive), his grin widened as he crawled closer to her, poking her arm until she stirred. Watching her crack open her eyes and peer at him from underneath a confused frown, he distantly wondered how many guys before him had seen the same thing. But when her confused frown turned to a rather irritated one, and she aimlessly swatted at his face with her hand, he pushed all thoughts of other guys from his mind.
Because he really had to be a complete idiot to think of other men when a close-to naked girl was lying within the reach of his arm.
"Okay, ow," John said with a slight laugh as her finger hit him square in the eye.
"Serves you right for waking me," she mumbled.
But instead of turning away from him, she scooted closer to steal his arm and lay her head down on it. Feeling the warmth of her body so close to his, John's stupid grin was well on its way to reaching silly proportions.
"You're naked," she suddenly murmured, her breath brushing against the indeed naked skin of is arm.
Glancing down, John noticed that more of him than just his arm was being exposed to the world. Not finding any suitable clothes within his reach, he grabbed the closest book, opened it and used it to cover his private parts.
"Better?" he asked, peering down at the face that rested on his bicep.
"Much," she answered sleepily whilst snuggling closer and giving John a small idea of what heaven would be like in the process.
"You know," he said as he ran his fingertips up and down the slender arm that now laid across his chest, "This morning was really ow! Eddie!"
John gingerly rubbed his left man-boob after she'd given it a hard pinch. Glaring down at her, he watched as she shifted to meet his befuddled stare.
"Seriously John?" she said, giving him an incredulous look, "Pillow talk? Are you kidding me? What kind of a nancy boy are you?"
"I wasn't--!" John tried to protest but quickly realized that oh God, he had made a rather lame attempt at pillow talk. But that still didn't take away the stinging pain that lingered from her brutality.
"Alright I'm sorry. But Jesus, Eden. I don't know if I can keep this up if you're going to be so violent about everything."
The auburn-haired girl snorted at his childish whining.
"Who said we were going to go at it again?" she mocked with a cockily raised brow, "And don't pretend you don't like it rough. I heard you this morning, Mr Bite Me Again."
"I did not--!"
"Nancy boy," she sing-songed, immediately making him swallow what was left of his bruised pride.
"I don't like you," he muttered in reply, however still pressing his lips to her forehead.
"I don't like you either," she answered, hugging him closer.
First Day in EdenHe knew that she knew. He didn't know how, but she did. And now he was making a point out of avoiding her. Not as easy as it may sound, when the person in question could walk through walls and knew all of your not-so-secret hide-outs.
"John!"
And now had refrained from quietly tailing after you, to loudly hollering your name.
John felt like smacking a palm to his forehead.
"Not now Kitty!" he shouted back at her, quickening his pace as he passed the fountain that he initially had aimed for.
"Stop running like a little girl, I just want to talk to you!"
John had turned on her so fast that the petite brunette actually gave a strangled half-scream of shock. Towering over her, breathing like some kind of ferocious beast (okay, asthmatic cow), he stared her down before thrusting a hard finger into her face.
"I do not run like a girl!" he growled through gritted teeth, only absently aware of the fact that Kitty had absolutely no idea why that particular comment had rubbed him the wrong way.
The girl stared up at him in silence, slowly nodding and taking a careful step backwards before he got any clever ideas of getting physically aggressive.
"I just want to talk." Kitty spoke very slowly, holding her hands up in defence.
"Well I don't," John snapped, ignoring the way his words sounded as if they came more from a hormonally imbalanced woman than a manly young man like himself.
"Come on, John. Please?" Kitty's brown eyes grew rounder and more begging.
When he didn't answer and instead picked up his pace again, Kitty unsurprisingly decided to tail after him, forcing her single-handedly chosen topic of conversation onto him.
"Gabriel said –" she paused to jog to keep up with his long strides, "Gabriel said, that something happened between you and Eden."
John could hear it, in the tone of her voice, that she meant something good. Yes, something good had happened. It was, however, not so good that other people – namely GabrielandKitty – knew of the event in question.
Seriously, how close could a brother and sister get?
"I think it's nice. I know," Kitty paused awkwardly, "I know it's none of my business."
"Yet here you are, talking about it," John added flatly.
"I know," the brunette emphasised, "But can't you at least share my high here? I mean, we've had it pretty bad for a while. You, more than anyone. And me as well, having to deal with your moody ass…"
"Look," John interjected. "If you're looking for a thank you, or a fucking high-five – you're in the wrong place. If you find out things about me from your boyfriend, be a doll and keep it to yourself, alright? Because as clever as it may seem to share the gossip about me with me, it's really not. So just," – he gestured meaningfully for her to discard herself – "go away."
But she didn't go away. Not immediately. First she had to give him a rather patient, and slightly patronizing look. The kind you give to children who seem a little daft. Those who ask stupid questions. And eat boogers between meals.
"She really likes you, you know. Don't fuck it up," Kitty told him calmly, even smiling a little before pausing to take a small step backwards, "Or you'll have us all killed."
Second Day in Eden"What are we doing?"
John looked up at the sound of the familiarly smooth hoarseness of her voice.
"I'm getting acquainted with a new feeling," he answered her, motioning for her to sit with him on the couch in the downstairs lounge.
Eden grimaced at his comment, and John knew that she was thinking along the lines of bowels being filled with butterflies, increased heart rate and sweaty palms. Snorting softly at how easily he could read distaste in her delicate features, he lazily gestured towards the foosball table that stood on the other side of the jointed rec room.
There, by the abandoned game, stood Bobby and Marie, engrossed in what seemed to be the most complicated make-out session in the history of mankind. John, had he been the more eloquent and chatty person, would have described it as Bobby literally trying to bat around Marie's ovaries with his tongue. Even tilting his head to the side, John couldn't quite figure out how – or more importantly why – anyone would like to delve so deeply into someone else's mouth.
Don't get him wrong, he enjoyed slipping girls the tongue, too. But at the end of the day, he preferred having it back as well.
"I call it 'gross fascination'," John explained after Eden had realized what was going on.
"It doesn't seem very comfortable," she admitted, wrinkling her nose at the ongoing scene.
John only tensed slightly when Eden leaned back in her seat to rest against his side.
"Wouldn't imagine it to be very hygienic either," he murmured with a light chuckle.
A warm hand slipped to lay on the top of his thigh.
"Oh that doesn't seem very – that wasn—Oi…bad move."
Eden sniggered at Bobby's brave attempt of nibbling Marie's bottom lip.
"Amateurs," John scoffed.
The hand squeezed slightly.
"Where were you yesterday?" she asked suddenly.
She'd changed the topic. Without warning. John had learned that she often did that. He didn't mind, really. Because it was a pretty smart way of getting the most frank answer out of whoever she was talking to.
"I was avoiding people. Didn't go too well," he answered simply. "Why? You miss me?"
He could afford to be a little cocky.
Eden sniffed in obvious amusement. Shiny strands of lighter auburn hair – the ones right at the very front of her head – had fallen from being tucked behind her ears. Watching them just barely touching her cheek, he gave in to the urge of brushing them away. It was a casual move, a comfortable gesture. One that said 'Hey, I think you're pretty swell. Let me show you how much I like hanging out with you by removing these pesky strands of hair from your face.' John was silently glad that gestures saved him from actually having to utter such sentimental nonsense.
"It does the heart good to miss someone sometimes," she answered, not at all sounding like herself. Not like the one who had grimaced at the misinterpretation just moments earlier.
"Excuse me?" John voiced his bewilderment.
"I'm not going soft on you, idiot. I'm just sharing the wisdom. Now come on before I go blind from seeing that sucking disaster."
The hand on his thigh slipped away to grab a firm hold of his forearm, pulling him off the couch, through the lounge, the kitchen, the entrance, up the stairs and into his room.
Third Day in Eden"John."
"No."
"No, seriously-"
"No."
"Come on, just say—"
"Gabby, no. Stop. Just leave it."
"No, you stop," Gabriel said more forcefully, snapping head up from his bed to point an accusing finger at him.
"I don't want to!" John protested loudly in his armchair.
"Don't be such a baby. Just admit it. You've fallen in love with my sister. It's alright. You have the Gabriel McKenna stamp of approval. Honestly, I'd rather it be you than that Ricky Silverstone—"
"What Ricky Silverstone?"
Suddenly, John was all ears, attention on max and lighter ready to flambé.
Gabriel gave him a flat look.
"Nothing. Just sit your arse back down and relax. He's a loser. Some bloke Eddie met though counselling."
John frowned at his friend.
"Counselling? I didn't know Eddie'd had counselling."
"The way you screwed her up? And with me being a fucking cripple? Of course she needed counselling. But anyway, back to what we were talking about."
"You know what, I think there's somewhere else I need to be."
John rose from his seat, dusting off the frost that hung to the stiffened creases of his jeans.
"Right. Off to sex my sister. Fine, see you later then," Gabriel said casually, although still gaining the desired effect when John's face contorted in a deeply displeased expression.
"What the---?! I can't… You are one sick family, you know that? Fucking disgusting!"
Fourth Day in Eden"Eddie?"
"Mm?"
John stilled the fingers that had drawn spirals and circles up and down the soft curve of her waist and hip. Her skin was impossibly soft there. It was, of course, wonderful all over, but he'd taken a strange liking to that place, often noticing how his hands strayed to settle or gently caress there. Meanwhile, Eden had found the nape of his neck particularly fascinating. He never bothered to ask why.
"There's something I need to talk to you about."
She lifted her head from his chest, her cheek making a soft sucking sound when it left his warm skin. Giving him a half-questioning half-warning look, she silently asked him if he was going to make another attempt at lame post-romp conversation.
Shaking his head, he gave her hip a small squeeze of reassurance.
"No. I'd just like to ask if you could please not share every detail of our private activities with your brother. You know, the guy who happens to double as my best friend, in case it slipped your mind."
Eden gave a short laugh, her warm breath setting a patch of his naked chest on fire (a/n: not literally. He's not that awesome).
"I don't tell him everything, John," Eden began to explain, laying her head back down, "He's my twin brother. He just knows. I'm not as good at the silent reading as he is, but we do share some kind of weird…you know." She gestured flimsily in the air to fill in the words she couldn't find.
"Supernatural powers," John joked.
"Nah, I only use those on you," Eden quickly retorted, earning herself the hard jab of a finger in her side.
Fifth Day in EdenEinstein was back. But only for the night.
Kitty was spending some so-called "quality time" with John.
They both knew that it was only because Kitty was feeling out of it, because something was going on with Gabriel, which required him asking her if Eden could take her slot in the visiting schedule, which evidently pointed to something big. Because no-one ever switched around in the schedule. No supposed emergency had thus far required a switch. Not even the time Kitty had actually openly announced her need for some "sexual healing" (causing John to nearly gag on his own damn tongue).
But there she was, sitting on John's bedroom floor, hugging her pillow featuring Albert Einstein to her chest. And looking mightily disoriented while doing so.
"It's been a while since we did this. Talked…sat…" Kitty murmured absently, half of her face buried in the pillow.
"Yeah…" John stretched the syllables until his breath ran out and there was only a tense sort of silence left.
"It's about what Dr. McCoy and Storm have been doing," Kitty suddenly said in a rush. As if pulling off a band aid.
John looked at her searchingly, from sitting strangely properly on the edge of his bed.
"The whole…cure, thing," Kitty continued, not looking at him. "I think he's scared. He won't talk to me about it, but I can tell that he's starting to feel the pressure. I mean, it is a pretty big thing. Right? …right, John?"
Blinking, he refocused on her tiny frame, seeing her wide and expecting eyes as if for the first time.
"Yeah…right."
He didn't want to discuss it with her. He didn't want to discuss it with anyone. His past was littered with empty syringes of that poison – The Cure. And he liked keeping the mess there, behind him. He was in a good place now and so far denial had done the job nicely. If he only concentrated on Eden, on getting comfortable and familiar with the feeling of not being alone – everything would be alright.
It would be just fine.
Sixth Day in Eden"John!" Eden shrieked, slapping him on the arm, causing a spattering of extra water to hit them both in the face.
"I was getting water in my mouth, you sadist!"
"Well you spat it all over me!"
"You're already wet! What difference does it make?!"
Standing in the heavy downpour, several hours after everyone else's curfew, John felt that there was far too much arguing and far too little lip action for his liking. They had been "exploring the grounds" when suddenly the ominously grey sky had torn apart and promptly decided to shower them with a steady rain. Wearing already heavy jackets, they were by now several pounds heavier when soaked completely through. But neither of them seemed to care when lips met and tongues began to slide past rows of chattering teeth.
Well, Eden obviously minded when John had to save himself from nearly drowning, by emptying his mouth on her.
"It contained your spit!" she argued, walking ahead towards the mansion.
"Oh come on! Like you haven't had worse on you," John retorted, immediately regretting it, even as the words were in the process of leaving his mouth.
Whipping her head around, and almost comically slapping herself in the face with her long hair, she gave him a hard glare.
"You are in no position to speak. You should just shut up and…and shut up!"
Right.
Forcing himself into silence, he obediently followed her up the muddy pathway and through the front door where they proceeded to leave a sloppily wet trail after themselves.
John didn't want to be the kind of guy who openly assumed things like these, but he was privately willing to put good money that Eden's red week was just around the bend. Sure, she was more or less a fucking nuisance anyway. But to explode in a distinctly childish and utterly ridiculous fit, that had to be more than business as usual. There were some serious hormonal imbalances going on, and they all shared the same capital-lettered roof called PMS.
"I want you back here in an hour," Eden ordered as she stood in the open doorway of his room.
"Oh hey, you're back," Kitty popped her head out of Jubilee's room a few doors down.
"Wait, what? Eddie, that's my room," John pointed out, choosing to ignore Kitty for the moment, and being careful not to raise his voice. Not for the sake of his neighbours, but for the preservation of his life.
"Yeah, well that's what you get for spitting on me," Eden replied snippily.
"Uh, okay, I don't want to know," Kitty interjected with a grimace, but went on to say, "But actually, now that you're kicked out, Gabriel said he wanted to talk to you. It was important."
"Yeah," Eden said coolly, "Go visit my brother."
"I'm fucking soaked, I'll freeze to death!" John exclaimed, finally throwing caution to the wind thanks to the growing frustration caused by the two present females.
Watching as Eden pursed her lips and disappeared into his room, he soon got a bundle of clothes chucked at his head, followed by the slamming of his own door in his own goddamned face.
After throwing a half-assed fireball at Kitty and then literally changing into dry clothes in the staircase, he grumpily made his way down to the sublevel chambers.
When he arrived to Gabriel's room, the black-haired young man was sitting wide awake on his bed, despite it being well after midnight. His face was hard and serious, his hands running repeatedly over the closely cropped hair on his head. Shown to his usual seat, John felt an uncomfortable swelling in the pit of his stomach.
It was never a good sign when Gabriel didn't say a lot.
So when he finally spoke, John almost wished he would have had the chance to prepare himself more.
"Tell me what you said that day, John. When you got so angry with me – with Storm. I need to know. I need you to tell me everything; what you've seen, what you've heard, what you feel. I…I need to know my options," Gabriel said, his voice so levelled and controlled that John found it horribly clashing with the troubled expression that had stuck to the other boy's handsome features.
"John, I want you to tell me about the cure."
Six. He lasted six days with Eden.
Six days before all hell broke loose.