There Must Be Some Kind of Way Out of Here
Chapter 40
Author's Note: Same stuff like all the other chapters - stuff in italics are thoughts and I love you all.
Disclaimer: Don't own any of this - Marvel and Kid's WB do, except my original character, John, but he's so dull that no one would want to steal him. Oh, and this has infrequent cuss words, so there's your warning.
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I did the right thing, breaking it off with Amara. I think.
I think it was for the best, even if we/I don't get to see her in black leather.
Are you thinking what I'm thinking?
Of course I am! We're the same person.
Oh right. Sorry.
But yeah. It's a damn shame, too. You/I should have broken up after you saw her in the leather.
Well, I could always try Jean. And let Scott kill me.
Or Kitty. But Lance would probably kill me.
And Rogue? She'd kick my ass.
Well...what about that other girl...? That Boom Boom one.
I dunno. I've never seen her before. Gonna have to get someone to point her out to me.
Pfft. Like you'd ask her? What happened to your whole 'stay out of trouble' decision?
Shut up.
John soiled bed-sheets were safely in the rinse cycle at the moment, and in an hour, all evidence of his...dream would be gone.
Hmm. Which would I rather have? Wet dreams that cause me grief, or weird dreams involving death and love?
The answer to that was pretty obvious to John. He nodded his head in agreement and quietly strolled out of the laundry room.
His looked down at his arms and frowned. Not because they could fall off. But because he lacked any real control over them.
John was gradually coming to terms with his mutation. If he didn't, he was sure it was have consumed him from the inside. It was something that happened, and he would just have to suck it up and move along in life.
Oh sure, they didn't just fall off at the drop of a hat. If they did, he wouldn't have been able to go anywhere in public. The risk would be too great.
The thing that really bummed him about his arms were...well, it was rather simple for them to become detached. Too much weight being supported on them would cause them to fall off. Too much pressed applied where the limb met the shoulder could make them fall off. If someone tugged too hard on his arms, foomph, off it goes.
And I bet the Professor's whole theory on my mutation coming so late means that I'll never have any control over how they fall off. That is, if I were ever capable of controlling that.
But...it was something he'd just have to take in stride. It just meant he could probably never lift anything too heavy.
At about that time, little Jamie Madrox came sauntering into the room, hands in his pockets, and grinning like a Cheshire cat.
John arched and eyebrow and cracked a smile. "And what have you been up to, Private?"
"Nothing really..."
And then John noticed the white that crept it's way around the wrist of one of Jamie's hands.
"Oh no. Don't tell me you brought..."
At a speed that had to have broken the speed of light, a white sock with two drawn-on eyes were staring John in the face.
"Hey, hey, Mr. Gimpy! It's me, Mister Happy Happ-rmph.."
John squeezed his hand tighter around Jamie's sock-covered hand, causing the younger boy to yelp in pain.
Eyebrow arched again, John coolly regarded Jamie. "No," he said simply.
Jamie nodded numbly.
Releasing his grip, John watched with amusement as Jamie yanked off the sock and gingerly touched his hand, wincing softly.
"You're no fun," Jamie complained.
"Not true," John said, holding up a hand. "I just don't want to talk to a sock."
Jamie stuck his tongue out at him. "I'm bored. Let's go do something."
"Me too. Wanna go furdgnoming?"
"Huh? Furd-what?"
"I said basketball. Let's go play basketball."
**********
"So...what was it like?"
"What was what like?"
"When it first happened," Jamie said, tossing the ball to John.
"When what happened?" He took a shot...and missed. He never claimed to be very good. Hell, he didn't even know why he was playing. He was no good, and didn't have a particular liking for the sport.
"When your powers first came out."
"Oh." John bent over and picked up the ball, but held it in his hands.
"John?"
"I'm still here," he said softly, studying the ball. Well, he wasn't really. He was looking at it, but he seemed to see through it, looking at something far away.
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want." Jamie walked up next to him and see a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
John looked up and smiled weakly. "Thanks, but it's ok. It wasn't anything particularly awful. It's just..." He took a deep breath. "It isn't every day that you have a car accident, lose an arm, then it grows back, and you find out you can repeat the process again, as many times as you want."
"It was hard, huh?"
"Hard... Hard is an understatement. There's no guidebook for amputees, telling them what to do when your limb comes back, with the ability to fall off again." He spoke a little more harshly than he intended. He looked up to Jamie and ruffled the boy's hair. "Sorry. I'm sure the last thing you want is to listen to me complain."
Jamie shook his head. "It's ok. I think that's why I like you so much. You're...so much more different than the rest of us." John was somewhat taken aback. As young as the boy was, he was speaking like someone three times his elder. "I think that's why the others act the way they do around you. No one here has a power like yours... And I think that makes you a better person."
John arched an eyebrow. "If you say so."
Snatching the ball from his hands, Jamie nodded. "It's true. Dangit," he added a second later, when his shot missed.
"Hey Jamie?"
The younger mutant looked back at John, who was still standing in the spot that he had retrieved the ball from, minutes ago. "Yeah?"
"How do you do it?"
"How do I do what?"
"Manage to go to school and keep your power in check? I mean, all you have to do is fall over, and wam, you've got your own hockey team."
Jamie laughed long at that, and John probably guessed it was from the boy daydreaming about he and his Multiples being their own sports team. He eventually walked back over to John and held out his arm. "This is how I do it."
"Um. I don't see anything. I see...skin...a shirt sleeve...and a watch."
"It's the watch."
"Huh?"
"It's the watch."
"Uh. The watch keeps your power under control?"
The boy nodded.
"But how?"
"You got me. I just know that I put it on, push a button, and faster than you can say 'Watanabe,' my powers are...under control. Ooh, that reminds me. He pushed a button on the watch and slid it off his wrist." Upon seeing John's questioning look, he held it up to him. "It takes a while to recharge, so I'm only supposed to wear it at school."
John nodded approvingly. "That's...pretty nifty. Where can I get me one of those?"
"Ask the Professor. He can get Forge to make you one."
"Uh. Forge?"
Jamie grinned. "He's another mutant like us, but he doesn't like here. He's super-smart, and talks weird. The Professor will tell you." He handed John the ball. "You're up."
**********
"If you won't tell me how you do it, will you at least tell me what it's like?"
"What's what like?"
"You know...making a new arm."
John gave a start and looked over at Jamie, who was looking back him, patiently awaiting an answer. The two had come back inside and staked out a spot in front of the television in the living room.
"Er...well...I don't know how to explain it. I just kind of do it."
Jamie wasn't very pleased with the answer, as proven by his foul expression.
"Alright, fine. It's...weird. It's like...trying to clench a fist you don't have."
"Huh?"
"It's... It's like... Oh! I got it!" Of course, I think I may regret saying this... "I think the best way to describe it is...it's like going to the bathroom."
Jamie stared at him with a blank look for a moment. And then realization set in.
Five minutes, many tears, and a few painful coughs later, Jamie had finally stopped laughing. Meanwhile, John stared down at his lap, trying to ignore the intense heat in his face.
"H..hey John?"
John grunted in response.
"Uh. If it's like...going to the bathroom, then uh...hehehe...what's to stop you from...y'know, doing it when you make the arm come back?"
If John had been embarrassed before, that didn't come close to matching how he now felt.
"Jamie..." he finally croaked out. "I really don't want to think about that..." The thought had never really occurred to him. But now that Jamie mentioned it... It sent a shiver down his spine.
Of course, that brought on a new onslaught of laughter from Jamie.
John shook his head and left the room.
"Hey, wait for me!"
**********
The remainder of the evening was rather anti-climactic, considering John's day. Jamie helped him put his clean sheets back onto the bed. If he suspected anything, he didn't let on. Of course, the rational voice in John's head told him that there was no way he, or anyone, could have known, but he was paranoid, regardless. It was part of the package when living in such a place.
Dinner was rather uneventful. Scott and Jean were there, but sat apart, and said nothing. No one tried to press them into speaking. John managed to stay out of the limelight of the mealtime conversation, but he found mild enjoyment in the awkward glances that Jubilee shot in his direction. There was only one real problem for him during the whole meal, and that was trying to not imagine what the half the girls looked like in black leather. It wasn't the first time that he cursed living with not one, but two telepaths. Life could play sick jokes on you like that, sometimes.
After dinner, John spoke with the Professor about getting something similar to Jamie's watch, and he approved of the idea, and seemed a little surprised that John had thought of the idea. Or maybe it was because he hadn't thought of the idea, himself. John tried to talk about not participating in anymore Danger Room sessions, but the Professor merely told him that they'd discuss it on a later date. Which, when translated from the adult language, it meant the equivalent of 'not bloody likely.'
John finally managed to convince Jamie to leave him be, that he was tired and wanted sleep. As he slowly drifted off to sleep, John found himself smiling in spite of everything that happened during that day. He couldn't quite explain it to himself, and he didn't try to. When life gives you lemons, you've just got to make lemonade, and roll with the punches when they come flying at you.
Besides, tomorrow is another day, a clean slate. Here's to hoping it'll be normal, for once.
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Chapter 40
Author's Note: Same stuff like all the other chapters - stuff in italics are thoughts and I love you all.
Disclaimer: Don't own any of this - Marvel and Kid's WB do, except my original character, John, but he's so dull that no one would want to steal him. Oh, and this has infrequent cuss words, so there's your warning.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I did the right thing, breaking it off with Amara. I think.
I think it was for the best, even if we/I don't get to see her in black leather.
Are you thinking what I'm thinking?
Of course I am! We're the same person.
Oh right. Sorry.
But yeah. It's a damn shame, too. You/I should have broken up after you saw her in the leather.
Well, I could always try Jean. And let Scott kill me.
Or Kitty. But Lance would probably kill me.
And Rogue? She'd kick my ass.
Well...what about that other girl...? That Boom Boom one.
I dunno. I've never seen her before. Gonna have to get someone to point her out to me.
Pfft. Like you'd ask her? What happened to your whole 'stay out of trouble' decision?
Shut up.
John soiled bed-sheets were safely in the rinse cycle at the moment, and in an hour, all evidence of his...dream would be gone.
Hmm. Which would I rather have? Wet dreams that cause me grief, or weird dreams involving death and love?
The answer to that was pretty obvious to John. He nodded his head in agreement and quietly strolled out of the laundry room.
His looked down at his arms and frowned. Not because they could fall off. But because he lacked any real control over them.
John was gradually coming to terms with his mutation. If he didn't, he was sure it was have consumed him from the inside. It was something that happened, and he would just have to suck it up and move along in life.
Oh sure, they didn't just fall off at the drop of a hat. If they did, he wouldn't have been able to go anywhere in public. The risk would be too great.
The thing that really bummed him about his arms were...well, it was rather simple for them to become detached. Too much weight being supported on them would cause them to fall off. Too much pressed applied where the limb met the shoulder could make them fall off. If someone tugged too hard on his arms, foomph, off it goes.
And I bet the Professor's whole theory on my mutation coming so late means that I'll never have any control over how they fall off. That is, if I were ever capable of controlling that.
But...it was something he'd just have to take in stride. It just meant he could probably never lift anything too heavy.
At about that time, little Jamie Madrox came sauntering into the room, hands in his pockets, and grinning like a Cheshire cat.
John arched and eyebrow and cracked a smile. "And what have you been up to, Private?"
"Nothing really..."
And then John noticed the white that crept it's way around the wrist of one of Jamie's hands.
"Oh no. Don't tell me you brought..."
At a speed that had to have broken the speed of light, a white sock with two drawn-on eyes were staring John in the face.
"Hey, hey, Mr. Gimpy! It's me, Mister Happy Happ-rmph.."
John squeezed his hand tighter around Jamie's sock-covered hand, causing the younger boy to yelp in pain.
Eyebrow arched again, John coolly regarded Jamie. "No," he said simply.
Jamie nodded numbly.
Releasing his grip, John watched with amusement as Jamie yanked off the sock and gingerly touched his hand, wincing softly.
"You're no fun," Jamie complained.
"Not true," John said, holding up a hand. "I just don't want to talk to a sock."
Jamie stuck his tongue out at him. "I'm bored. Let's go do something."
"Me too. Wanna go furdgnoming?"
"Huh? Furd-what?"
"I said basketball. Let's go play basketball."
**********
"So...what was it like?"
"What was what like?"
"When it first happened," Jamie said, tossing the ball to John.
"When what happened?" He took a shot...and missed. He never claimed to be very good. Hell, he didn't even know why he was playing. He was no good, and didn't have a particular liking for the sport.
"When your powers first came out."
"Oh." John bent over and picked up the ball, but held it in his hands.
"John?"
"I'm still here," he said softly, studying the ball. Well, he wasn't really. He was looking at it, but he seemed to see through it, looking at something far away.
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want." Jamie walked up next to him and see a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
John looked up and smiled weakly. "Thanks, but it's ok. It wasn't anything particularly awful. It's just..." He took a deep breath. "It isn't every day that you have a car accident, lose an arm, then it grows back, and you find out you can repeat the process again, as many times as you want."
"It was hard, huh?"
"Hard... Hard is an understatement. There's no guidebook for amputees, telling them what to do when your limb comes back, with the ability to fall off again." He spoke a little more harshly than he intended. He looked up to Jamie and ruffled the boy's hair. "Sorry. I'm sure the last thing you want is to listen to me complain."
Jamie shook his head. "It's ok. I think that's why I like you so much. You're...so much more different than the rest of us." John was somewhat taken aback. As young as the boy was, he was speaking like someone three times his elder. "I think that's why the others act the way they do around you. No one here has a power like yours... And I think that makes you a better person."
John arched an eyebrow. "If you say so."
Snatching the ball from his hands, Jamie nodded. "It's true. Dangit," he added a second later, when his shot missed.
"Hey Jamie?"
The younger mutant looked back at John, who was still standing in the spot that he had retrieved the ball from, minutes ago. "Yeah?"
"How do you do it?"
"How do I do what?"
"Manage to go to school and keep your power in check? I mean, all you have to do is fall over, and wam, you've got your own hockey team."
Jamie laughed long at that, and John probably guessed it was from the boy daydreaming about he and his Multiples being their own sports team. He eventually walked back over to John and held out his arm. "This is how I do it."
"Um. I don't see anything. I see...skin...a shirt sleeve...and a watch."
"It's the watch."
"Huh?"
"It's the watch."
"Uh. The watch keeps your power under control?"
The boy nodded.
"But how?"
"You got me. I just know that I put it on, push a button, and faster than you can say 'Watanabe,' my powers are...under control. Ooh, that reminds me. He pushed a button on the watch and slid it off his wrist." Upon seeing John's questioning look, he held it up to him. "It takes a while to recharge, so I'm only supposed to wear it at school."
John nodded approvingly. "That's...pretty nifty. Where can I get me one of those?"
"Ask the Professor. He can get Forge to make you one."
"Uh. Forge?"
Jamie grinned. "He's another mutant like us, but he doesn't like here. He's super-smart, and talks weird. The Professor will tell you." He handed John the ball. "You're up."
**********
"If you won't tell me how you do it, will you at least tell me what it's like?"
"What's what like?"
"You know...making a new arm."
John gave a start and looked over at Jamie, who was looking back him, patiently awaiting an answer. The two had come back inside and staked out a spot in front of the television in the living room.
"Er...well...I don't know how to explain it. I just kind of do it."
Jamie wasn't very pleased with the answer, as proven by his foul expression.
"Alright, fine. It's...weird. It's like...trying to clench a fist you don't have."
"Huh?"
"It's... It's like... Oh! I got it!" Of course, I think I may regret saying this... "I think the best way to describe it is...it's like going to the bathroom."
Jamie stared at him with a blank look for a moment. And then realization set in.
Five minutes, many tears, and a few painful coughs later, Jamie had finally stopped laughing. Meanwhile, John stared down at his lap, trying to ignore the intense heat in his face.
"H..hey John?"
John grunted in response.
"Uh. If it's like...going to the bathroom, then uh...hehehe...what's to stop you from...y'know, doing it when you make the arm come back?"
If John had been embarrassed before, that didn't come close to matching how he now felt.
"Jamie..." he finally croaked out. "I really don't want to think about that..." The thought had never really occurred to him. But now that Jamie mentioned it... It sent a shiver down his spine.
Of course, that brought on a new onslaught of laughter from Jamie.
John shook his head and left the room.
"Hey, wait for me!"
**********
The remainder of the evening was rather anti-climactic, considering John's day. Jamie helped him put his clean sheets back onto the bed. If he suspected anything, he didn't let on. Of course, the rational voice in John's head told him that there was no way he, or anyone, could have known, but he was paranoid, regardless. It was part of the package when living in such a place.
Dinner was rather uneventful. Scott and Jean were there, but sat apart, and said nothing. No one tried to press them into speaking. John managed to stay out of the limelight of the mealtime conversation, but he found mild enjoyment in the awkward glances that Jubilee shot in his direction. There was only one real problem for him during the whole meal, and that was trying to not imagine what the half the girls looked like in black leather. It wasn't the first time that he cursed living with not one, but two telepaths. Life could play sick jokes on you like that, sometimes.
After dinner, John spoke with the Professor about getting something similar to Jamie's watch, and he approved of the idea, and seemed a little surprised that John had thought of the idea. Or maybe it was because he hadn't thought of the idea, himself. John tried to talk about not participating in anymore Danger Room sessions, but the Professor merely told him that they'd discuss it on a later date. Which, when translated from the adult language, it meant the equivalent of 'not bloody likely.'
John finally managed to convince Jamie to leave him be, that he was tired and wanted sleep. As he slowly drifted off to sleep, John found himself smiling in spite of everything that happened during that day. He couldn't quite explain it to himself, and he didn't try to. When life gives you lemons, you've just got to make lemonade, and roll with the punches when they come flying at you.
Besides, tomorrow is another day, a clean slate. Here's to hoping it'll be normal, for once.
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