fandomhigh | Library [01-31]

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Library [01-31]

Ugh.

A whole lot of ugh.

Jono wasn't being particularly productive today, no. Mostly because, in spite of his best efforts (he'd even hopped into the shower back at the dorms, clothing and all), he still reeked of fudge. His turtleneck had fortunately been black to start with, so he didn't have to worry about it staining, but yesterday's adventure in the dunk tank meant that his eyes were now open to his desperate need to expand his wardrobe.

And so he'd brought a bedsheet with him to cut into strips once his actual duties around here were finished.

... Look, have you ever tried to find enough leather to wrap yourself from waist to nostrils with? It was both decidedly not easy, and decidedly not cheap. He'd make do with dark cotton until something better came around.

[Open!]

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For what that first statement was worth, Jono nearly smiled. He wasn't going to admit it, but anyone who didn't automatically shrink away from the sight of him tended to get firmly and solidly tacked into the list of people that he didn't hate.

It was a short list.

//Advice?// He made certain that his voice now was just for her to hear. //Yer don't seem to be runnin' from it. There's a start.// A pause, while he gestured to another chair behind the desk. //Take a seat?//

She did, awkwardly crossing her ankles and folding her hands in her lap. << I don't see the point in running from it. It's a thing I have to live with now. I might as well try and get some use out of it, you know? >> she admitted.

//Well, then yer already makin' more sensible choices about it than I ever did,// Jono replied. //Mine terrified th'livin' shite out of me. Hidin' from it just meant that I did more harm than good, for a while.//

<< I mean, don't get me wrong, it's scary and I keep thinking I'm gonna zap someone without meaning to. But I've always been weird. This is just a new weirdness, >> she said with a little shrug. << What happened with you, if you don't mind me, um, asking? >>

//I don't mind yer asking,// he stated, furrowing his eyebrows a little and turning his gaze toward the desk. //Just, it isn't exactly a pleasant story, either. My powers didn't wait until they'd prove to be useful before blowin' a hole in me from nose to navel.//

In fact, on a scale of one to ten, one being the best timing, and ten being exceptionally bad, Jono was going to have to rate this particular experience somewhere firmly in the realm of thirty-two.

... Which could have been slight exaggeration. This was Jonothon, after all.

<< I think most 'How I Turned Out to Be Just That Special' stories aren't very pleasant >> Sookie offered, biting her lower lip lightly. << 'Least in my experience. >>

Jono nodded faintly, closing his eyes for a moment in order to work on sorting out his words. Words, sometimes, were difficult beasts to grasp at.

//It... wasn't much of a surprise, finding out that I was a mutant. It's a hereditary condition, and me granddad was one. A fire-breather, actually. Being a mutant was somethin' I figured I could handle since I was little. But yer can't really prepare yerself for this.// He lifted a hand, gesturing to his face. //I wasn't the only one to get hurt, when this happened.//

And that prompted a deep ache in Sookie -- something sort of like pity, but more sympathetic. << How old were you? >> was the question she finally settled upon.

//Seventeen,// Jono replied. His shoulders lifted slightly, as though he was attempting to brush it off, only this was something that never really did just drift away, no matter how many times he tried to shake it. //It's been maybe... about a year, now. Enough time to accept that this is my life. Not nearly enough time to be used to it.//

<< I'm not sure we ever get used to this stuff >> she offered. << I've been telepathic since I was born, and sixteen years later I'm still not sure I'd ever choose this. But I think -- I hope -- that over time things get become more acceptable and less strange and invasive, at least to those of us dealing with it. >>

//Honestly, I'd almost settle for all th'messy little pieces bein' picked up, at this point.// He tilted his head a little sideways, glancing at her. //I've spent more time runnin' since this happened than actually dealing with any of it. I can't bring myself to go back to London after this. And th'one who I hurt... Well. There aren't even words, really.//

'Sorry' would have been a good start, perhaps.

Sookie was hesitant to say anything at all, but she ventured, << They have to understand it wasn't your fault, don't they? >>

[sigh, I must be off to work. SP is made of rainbows and sunshine, though?]

//In an ideal world? Sure.// He glanced up at her. //And I want to think Gayle is better than th'rest of them. That she knows better than to think I'd ever hurt her on purpose. Only... then I ran away.//

Which pretty much won him the 'selfish ass of the year' award, and he knew it.

//I have no idea what she thinks. I can't imagine I'm terribly deserving of her understanding, either.//

[SP is sunshine and rainbows and sparkly happy things!]

<< Well, of course you ran, >> Sookie replied, raising an eyebrow. << That's natural. Have you tried contacting her? >>

Edited 2010-02-01 02:04 (UTC)

Right about there, that would be where Jono attempted to see just how far he could sink into his turtleneck without actually looking as though he was trying to hide in his turtleneck.

//I haven't. I keep trying to write, but there aren't words. There never are.//

Sookie offered a small, small smile. << It's not my place, but whenever you find those words, you ought to give it a shot. At least you'll have tried. >>

//At least I'll have tried,// he agreed, bunching his shoulders a little in spite of his efforts to the contrary. //See, yer on th'right track already, luv. Haven't gone and hurt anybody. Yer've been workin' with that new power, presumably with people who know their way around it. If there's any one place to be where there's liable to be a solid support network, it's here. And, yer more or less in one piece...//

He could probably continue with this checklist of 'how this could be worse' all day.

<< I'm doing okay, >> she agreed, actually smiling now. << And I worked a little with one person who knows a bit about something a little different, but so far I haven't hurt anyone. 'Cept some gremlins. And yeah, I'd bet that if there's a place to manifest, this has got to be it. Plenty of people to make us feel okay. >>

Edited 2010-02-01 02:33 (UTC)

//Plenty who have been in yer shoes before, themselves,// Jono agreed, looking up for a moment, attempting something close to a smile as well. //Yer know... If you need anything at all, gel, I'm not difficult to find. For talking, or for training. I haven't been doing near enough training, myself.//

It was so much easier to wrap his face and pretend that his powers were a nonissue entirely, after all.

Sookie was so surprised she actually spoke out loud. "Really? You'd be up for training with me?"

Because yeah, she was sure Jaina would do it again, but it had seemed like there was a little bit of a history there.

A blink and a moment's pause was all it took for Jono to get his head around the jump from telepathy to actual vocal communication again, fortunately.

//I wouldn't be entirely opposed to it,// he agreed. //So long as yer don't mind that training happens someplace where people aren't terribly likely to stumble over us. I'm a horribly vain creature, really. Wouldn't want people to see me workin' up a sweat.//

Or with bad hair after a heavy training session. The horror. The horror.

<< I wouldn't want to zap anyone, anyway, >> she replied, switching back as she beamed.

//Out in th'preserve, then? There's more than enough cover in there to keep us from drawin' a crowd.// He tapped his finger against the table a few times, thoughtfully. //Are there any days in particular that work better for you for somethin' like this?//

<< Wednesdays are pretty good. Really, any day but Tuesday -- that's the only time I have classes, >> Sookie mused.

//And Tuesday, I work at th'Groovy Tunes,// Jono replied. //That works out nicely, then. I don't have class on Wednesdays, either.//

That seemed almost like a plan, didn't it?

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Library [01-31]

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