Thanks for the reviews annon and invis. A Tunny/Johnny/Will friendship story for the annon.

Not sure if this is what you wanted, it just sort of came out

Title: Growing Up

Rating: T for language

Characters: Tunny, Johnny, Will

Pairings: None. Vague Mentions of Will/Heather and Johnny/Whatsername

I don't own Idiot.

"I think you need to calm the fuck down." Because Johnny has already knocked over two tables in the past hour and he's bitching again about how his girl left him and how he's been through so much shit and about how sometimes it's like Jimmy is still screaming in his head and he has to wake himself up in the most painful way possible and how withdrawal still hurts like a bitch and Brad's a cock sucker and his mom is a bitch and how the whole fucking word is out to get him and he really is Jesus because all the world ever does is shit on him and he stands there on his goddamn crucifix and just fucking takes it.

"Yeah, definitely, of course." Because Will's shaking a little and is only drinking water today, so that's a good day for him. Because Heather's ass looks particularly nice today and how could he have let her go and why does everything suck so much and all he wants to do now is be a father to their little girl, but Heather still doesn't trust him as far as she can throw him.

And Tunny? He's sitting here, listening to all of this. He's lost a fucking leg. But he never says anything. Because he's grown up, and he knows the others won't admit it, not just yet, but they've grown up too.

He remembers when Will was just too beyond excited that Heather put out because she had the best ass imaginable-and okay yeah, maybe he's still a little obsessed with Heather's ass, but admittedly, it is nice-and how he used to do things only for him and how he wasn't even allowed to babysit because he picked up Mrs. Jefferson's baby by the ankle and managed to leave it in the oven-and he still remembers that Will's only defense was that "hey, the oven wasn't even turned on, she's got no right to bitch".

And now look at him. Sometimes it still takes Tunny's breath away. What the hell, right? Who'd have ever thought that that "rascal" William Cooper actually could give a damn about that tiny little girl that he and Heather brought into the world? Tunny doesn't say anything, because it would embarrass Will, but he'd make a good dad if he just walked right up to Heather , gave her what was left of his pot and booze and told her that he's done for good. For her. Will could be a manipulative bastard if he wanted. But he's naive in his own way, blinded by the desperation to struggle. He struggled with his decision to stay behind with Heather, he struggled in his relationship with Heather, he struggled with addiction and now he's struggling with turning over a new life. Will really is a good person. And he's a fighter, in a different way than Tunny is and you know what? Tunny's never been more proud to have such a good, kind, fighter of a friend. Because in the end, Will might just come out strongest.

Tunny also remembers Johnny. And ten years ago, it's like they were completely different people. Ten years ago, Johnny was a mopey little gothic kid, like something out of a completely cheesed up punk rock music video, a bad stereotype and you know what? Everyone ate it up, because they were all walking stereotypes too, but it was fine, because they grew together and Johnny made them into what they were supposed to be, real, three dimensional people. They were figments of Johnny's imagination and he controlled them all, and Tunny knows that, would have denied it back then, but now, what's the point?

Now, when Johnny's imagination controls him and he's living and breathing Fight Club and Tunny doesn't know how he's managing to keep clean on his own, when there's no one around, that's when Tunny sees the change in his friend. The addiction, the desire, the lights and the glory and the rock star freedom and the desire for this chick who's name he never even learned...well they're gone. Johnny's been forced to drop his youth at the sidewalk, to go home and pretend like bitching still matters, like anything can matter after that.

Tunny, he's an observant guy, most people don't give him credit for it, but he is.

And there's something about Johnny, like what he's doing, it's all just some big, beautiful parade and it's about to come crashing to an end. And if it were anyone but Johnny, Tunny would be afraid. But he's not. Because Johnny, he will always come out kicking and screaming and bitching about how this isn't good enough and he's got to fight to be more.

And you know what? Tunny respects that. Because Johnny, he's a bigger fighter than Will or Tunny put together, he's a bastard to the core but once you dig away at that bastard, rip it all away, where there used to be a scared little kid who had to thrash at everything, there's a guy that has actually grown up. There is a man.

So that's why Tunny sits back and listens to them bitch and moan. Because through it all, he is proud that his friends have grown the same way he has. And who knows, maybe some day they'll actually do something different, take a step as a group, grow together.

"Fuck, I need a beer. 7-Eleven?"

Then again...maybe not.