St John the Divine: An Arrival

- Chibi Lurrel

---------------------------------------

I didn't expect Bobby to show up at my apartment a month after my life blew up in my face like so many cars set on fire, but there he was, suitcase in hand and no X-Men costume in sight.

'Uh, hi,' he said, other hand rubbing the back of his neck and his eyes not quite meeting mine.

'What the fuck, Drake?' I had a cup of ramen in one hand, spoon sticking out awkwardly.

'Well. After that fight. I mean. I figured. I needed.'

Oh. 'Oh. A place to stay? Your parents finally finish disowning you? What about Rogue's place? Or you got that new slut, that chick who walked through walls.'

'Kitty, and she's not a slut. God, okay, you're still an ass, I just thought that maybe you'd-'

'Whoa tiger. Of course I'm still an ass. Jesus. Just come inside.' Bobby still looks redfaced, but at least he looks a little angry now, less lost, less young.

I close the door behind him and watch as he puts his suitcase on the floor and sits down on my futon, glances around. 'Candles. I bet the landlord really appreciates that.'

I shrug, not really looking for a real fight, not yet. 'Keeps the electric bills down. It ain't like I'm swimming in money here, Drake, or I'd be staying some place with more than two rooms.'

It's true. My place had a little kitchen in the corner and a bathroom. And a futon. That was pretty much it, except for the card table and two folding chairs. I lived out of my suitcase and backpack, and wasn't planning on staying there long.

'It's...cosy.'

I snorted as I sat down in a chair as he slumped onto the couch.

'Okay, well, it's a shithole, but I've got nowhere else to go.' Bobby did look ragged around the edges, I would admit to that. He still looked goddamned hot, though, hotter than he had any right to look sitting on my shitty futon in my dilapidated apartment.

'Your parents might be terrified of you but it ain't like they threw you out on your ass, Drake. I was there, remember?' My lighter's in my hands and I'm flicking it open and closed before I even register the noise.

He shrugs. He looks defeated. 'Look. They don't want me. I got told to go home for a while, clear my head, but that's not going to be a place where I could do that.'

'That don't really sound too much like the Professor. You kill someone in training or something?'

'Xavier's dead.' His voice is too goddamn flat for that sort of news, and I inhale sharply.

'What. I didn't know. Erik, you know, he got depowered so I'm in hiding now. Mystique, she's starting to change back, and says she'll keep us updated but I doubt it. But what the hell happened to make them kick you out?'

'Rogue...Marie, she got the cure, too. And it was great, you know, we could kiss, but she knew she'd have to leave. And she wanted for us to like, get an apartment, get married, or something. Like, be normal people. But I'm not. And I don't. I guess I don't love her anymore, which I guess is pretty horrible to say, like I don't love her now we can finally hook up or whatever, but I don't and I'm young, too young to settle down with some girl. I figured she'd leave and I'd date Kitty or something.'

I snort at that. 'Oh yeah?'

'Yeah. But, the cure doesn't work that well. Rog- Marie's power came back while we were making out, I guess, I don't really remember but I woke up in the medical room and Marie was crying and at first I thought she was upset because she thought she'd killed me, right? But she was upset because she, like, absorbs your thoughts too if she gets enough time and she figured out that I didn't love her like she loved me.'

I can't help but laugh out loud at that pronouncement. 'Jesus.'

'I know, right? And she froze the whole damn room because she was so upset.'

I'm still chuckling and he gives me a sort of watery smile. 'So, Storm figured she had enough on her hands without dealing with all my shit, and then it turns out Rogue turned Kitty against me too, and it was suggested that I be given some leave from the school to 'get my head together.' Only Logan thought it was a dumb idea.'

'Good old Wolverine. It must be like a house of estrogen in the mansion now, huh?'

Bobby did manage to laugh at that. 'Shit, John. I can't believe you even let me in. I figured you hated me.'

I shrug. 'I guess I did. I hated a lot of things. Now my life isn't playing superhero or supervillian and it's back to that stuff I'm used to, like being hungry, poor, and alone.'

That last part came out more bitter than I intend, so I tack on a quick 'Though I guess you're here to fix that last part, huh?'

'What've you been up to, then?' Bobby asks, pointedly ignoring what I'm actually saying. I shrug.

'I've been selling some short stories to magazines, stealing, hustling. The usual. I've been paying the rent on time, and I guess that's what matters.'

Bobby's breath caught on the word 'hustling,' I can tell, his back stiffens and I keep staring at him, can't break eye contact.

'I can pay, you know. Rent. For as long as I stay.' and the timing of it makes me want to laugh again, but I don't.

'Wouldn't expect any less of you.'

---------------------------------------

Author's Note: Hey so I know this chapter is a ridiculous shift in style (and filled with eight thousand sentence fragments!), but it's on purpose, I swear. Basically, take this story as some vignettes with a common plot (I swear there will be intrigue and stuff later). It's sort of going to oscillate between pretty dark and pretty adorkable. :E It's like two stories for the price of one! Pyro's depressing history and then mutants in love!

Also, I see a lot of hits but not so many reviews! Should I have begged for some in the earlier chapters? I guess I forgot the basic tenant of ff.n, which is shameless begging for recognition. It's just a courtesy, man, tell me if you hate it or love it or want me to get on to the sweet sweet lovin' already or whatever dudes. Keep me updated!