Movie Night (Bob, John, Toni, Josh)

[Bobby Drake]

> " 'Case you haven't noticed, I'm not exactly the queen of subtley. I mean, have you ever tried playing hide-and-seek with me? I lose, every single fuckin' time. "

"Oh? I hadn’t noticed you were anything less than svelte and graceful." Bobby smirks. "But seriously, I was thinking of you more in a tree-topping/tank-division capacity. I mean, even if they figure out they’re being attacked, all we actually need to keep them from knowing is that we pulled a successful snatch. Misdirection is the name of the game, here."

> " Bobby... if you're having Storm whip up some weather, how is John going to come along? "

He shrugs. "Hadn’t planned on telling her, to be honest, but even if she does find out… I’m the one running this op. She wants to take it outta my hands, that’s her right, but unless she does I’m picking the team, and John’s on it." …and dammit, John deserves to be in on this, those assholes did more to him than any of us. he thinks out loud in Josh’s direction. Besides, how bad can it be to get him back in the habit of fighting with us, instead of, you know, fighting with us?

> " .is this on Alcatraz? Like...the island Alcatraz? The one that was in that Clint Eastwood film? The one that you guys duked it out on a few months back? "
> " The location that we've discovered is nowhere near the coast. "

Bobby can’t help but tense up at the “duked it out” reference… that’s not exactly what he wants to remember right now, or what he wants John to remember. But he keeps his focus on the mission planning. "Yeah, what Josh said. Not going up against Alcatraz itself; target’s a government data storage facility in the middle of nowhere. All about security through obscurity, which works about as well against my man Sheppard – when he finally gets off his ass, anyway – as a bank vault against God, here."

[Toni Craft]

"Sorry if there are any feathers in there..."

"Sphincter says what? Why would there be feathers in th--" Toni's jaw drops and she stares at Josh for several long seconds. Finally, she downs the remainder of her second Mooseheads and drops her head as she tosses the can into the garbage. "I'm so far out of the fuckin' loop. Are there any guys left for me any more? I swear, if Peter runs off and hooks up with Kurt or something, I'm gonna cry." Then with a second thought and another beer in hand, she adds, "But you an' Warren, eh? That's too cool. Hey! Can I have a feather? I've been trying to get one off of him, but he keeps squirming whenever I try to pull one out. Apparently," She waves her hands around extravagantly, "he needs them for flying, but pffft, I want one!"

"Misdirection is the name of the game, here."

"And while my middle name isn't Misdirection (it's actually Benton), it might as well be. Best thing is, I don't even have to be all powerful looking or intimidating," She smirks to herself. "Words can work wonders. Especially when you throw in words like infundibulum and absquatulate!"

"You know, I run experiments on our DNA daily. It's not like you're big-boned... you've got iron in everything!"

"Absol-fucking-lutely! Isn't great! Sure, I may go through sneakers as fast as raisins through a baby, but whatever. I do love my iron so!" Toni grins happily, a dreamy look on her face.

"The location that we've discovered is nowhere near the coast. So I wouldn't worry."

Toni's expression lights up considerably and she smiles wide before pulling Josh to her in a sideways hug. "That's the best thing I've heard all day! And that's why I love you, Josh," she gives him an enthusiastic kiss on the cheek, "You never bring me bad news." As she releases him, Toni ruffles his hair playfully. "I'd give you a kiss too, Bobby, but something tells me that John might try to fry my ass or something." Toni winks at the iceman and his newly announced boyfriend as she takes another drink.

"...as a bank vault against God, here."

"And that bank vault never knew what hit it. According to the Danger Room sim, I can bust through 3 feet of reinforced steel in about thirty seconds. Woooo! Go me!" The third beer disappears ten seconds later.

[Pyro]

< how is John going to come along?
Trust Josh to just put the issue out there when he’s been trying to be discreet, to just trust that Bobby knows what he’s doing. It’s a question that really needs to be asked, though, and now that Bobby won’t be able to brush off the question as John being paranoid or looking for an escape route… he’s a little nervous, to tell the truth. Bob’s reply would just be just about canceling that out, though, because he’s so certain and… wow. This can’t just be about his usefulness to the mission – plenty of mutants out there can blow shit up, and most of them (though it pains him to admit it) are a hell of a lot better at it than he is – and so there’s something else, something which is both humbling and somehow simultaneously manages to make him feel like the most important person in the world, immensely proud that he’s got something someone like Bobby values. And that’s just… beyond words. Definitely beyond what the whispered ”Thanks” he mumbles through a quick, casual kiss planted on Bobby’s neck as he repositions himself again can hope to convey. Just wow.

< Sorry if there are any feathers in there
”Feathers?” John cocks an eyebrow, shoots Bobby a quizzical what the hell sort of look before letting it drop. Doesn’t matter – harsh though it may sound, Josh’s sex life doesn’t really interest him all that much, though he is sort of weirdly glad that the kid seems to have found someone who, if that blush is anything to go on, keeps him both happy and busy.

< You an’ Warren?
Okay, maybe he’s a little bit intrigued. (Toni goes on to babble about asses – and he resists the urge to comment – and words which can’t really be words, can they? Whatever. He’s not really paying attention) Maybe he can find out later, introduce Bobby to the joys of the 10 Questions game (since he’s not going to be playing with its creator for, oh, until forever. Definitely no room for that now) though leathers and all only makes about 5…

< The one that you guys duked it out on a few months back?[/color]
… and that’s not an image he needs just now. John tenses, and feels Bobby do the same, and knows he’s thinking exactly the same thing… and can’t help but admire how well he covers it, though he can still feel the tension, and huddles in just a little bit closer in some semi-subconscious attempt at making that go away, letting Bobby know he’s here and not about to launch a re-run.

< I’d give you a kiss too, Bobby, but something tells me John might try to fry my ass or something
”Hey!” he scowls, mock offended (though really it’s relief which dominates, now the conversation seems to be drifting back into… not familiar territory, admittedly, but territory he’d like to get to know). ”I can share, Toni. Just as long as I get mine first” And he takes it before anyone can protest, and before Bobby can worry that he’s being serious, brushing Bobby’s fringe back and planting first a small kiss at the edge of his lips, and then a deeper fuller one because no, that first isn’t enough. And damn, it feels good. Not just the kiss which is, as always, awesome, but being able to do this, not having to hide it. It’s still just a little awkward – Rogue’s evident discomfort stabs just a little – but still… He pulls back, eventually, and has a wow… yeah I know. Wow. moment of eye contact with Bobby before breaking into a grin and turning to the others. ”Okay. I’m done. Anyone else?”

[Bobby Drake]

Bobby’s head drops back onto his pillow, astonished. Wow. He’s been aware of John’s physical reactions for a while, and doing his increasingly-difficult best to keep his focus on planning the op, but John’s kiss just blew any hope of that out of the water. And it’s not so much the kiss itself, really (though, actually, it so is) as the fact that it happened here, with people around, like (and this has become something of a theme for the evening) they’re a normal couple.

And even with a twinge of guilt about Marie, it still feels better than Bobby knows how to express, but as he smiles up into John’s eyes for a second he tries to express it anyway, and he’s pretty sure it got across, which feels even better.

> " Okay. I’m done. Anyone else? "

" Hey, now, wait a second…" He tries to sound irritated, but his overriding sense of good humor and enthusiasm makes that an impossible task, "… since when did I become a publicly-traded commodity? Let me be perfectly clear here: I’m armoring up on the mission, so any viewings of my leather-clad ass will happen afterwards, and by invitation only. And anybody else wanting in on the Kissing Bobby action can damn well take a number! " He grabs John’s head in both hands and pulls him into another kiss, slow and careful and deep, before pulling back and regaining control of the remote.

"Besides which, " he adds gleefully as he hits “Play” again, " We’re all here to see a movie, right?"

[Josh Dalton Worthington]

> Besides, how bad can it be to get him back in the habit of fighting with us, instead of, you know, fighting with us?

Bobby shoots Josh a look, and Bobby-voice floats through his head. He suppresses a snort at the very earnest tone, but replies with:

<Hey, I barely recognize him right now. Whatever you're doing, it's working.>

And it really seemed to be. Cuddly, flirty John was not an incarnation he'd ever seen before. Maybe too much alcohol tended to bring out flirty John, but he had never thought of John as boyfriend material for, well... anyone.

> "But you an' Warren, eh? That's too cool. [...] And that's why I love you, Josh.

"Yeah. Yeah, it really is." A genuine smile spreads across Josh's face at this, and he seems lost in his thoughts for a few moments. "I miss him. He's gone just until tommorrow, but when he's too far away I can't feel him in the back of my mind. Maybe it sounds silly, but it's like there's a bit of my brain missing when's he's not around. That's why I've been working on my telepathic range..." He suddenly realizes how much he just shared and gives a sheepish smile. "Sorry. Maybe that's little too out there for you guys."

He blushes fiercely at Toni's attention, laughing a little. "Well, I do try. When are you planning this for, Bobby?"

When Bobby starts kissing John, he sends little mental gagging noises telepathically to Toni. "Jeez Bobby. Get a room. Warren and I have never made out in front of you..." He smiles though, making sure Bobby knows he's joking.

[Toni Craft]

"...it's like there's a bit of my brain missing when he's not around."

"Oh to be in love. I'm sure I'd have someone if Matty didn't keep pulling a Godfather and stuffing horse heads in all my boyfriends' beds." Toni allows a smug grin to creep across her face and turns to look back up at the cuddling couple occupying on the bed. "I always told Mom that Antonio and Adamo were bad influences, what being in the mafia and all, but nooooo, she never listens..." Toni takes another drink as she rambles.

She blinks repeatedly as Bobby pulls John into another kiss before moving her gaze back to the paused screen. "Oi vey, who'd a thunk it? Bobs and Johnny...feels like it was just yesterday I was changing their diapers..." She sighs and presses the cold can against her cheek. "My little boys have all grown up." Toni sniffles a little and pretends to wipe her eyes.

"When are you planning this for, Bobby?"

"Yeah, Bobs? Just remember that I've got a couple of chem classes I have to schedule around. Grading two classes worth of lab papers is hard enough as it is without running around and saving the world. I'm often left to wonder how all these superheroes manage to run normal lives, secret lives and still end up with the girl..." Toni scrunches her lips to the side and stares into the golden fluid that fills her can, contemplating her upcoming schedule. "Hmmm....maybe I'll just reschedule that huge-ass pop test that I'm having next week..." She looks up and notes that two of her students are still in the room, "Oh uh...you didn't here that from me." Toni tries to mirror Josh's mock-innocent look and succeeds to a certain extent.

But then she gets repeated disgusted signals from Josh and can't help but snicker at Bobby and John.

"Ditto. Guys, get a room before I have to pull you two apart. You're just servin' to make the rest of us painfully aware of our lack of partners...unless...Josh, ya know, we could always give them a run for their money." Toni winks at Josh and makes sure he catches several images of Warren beating her with a crowbar. "But then again, that's something I could get fired for, and no one wants to see me go. There would be riots and burnings at the stakes in my honour, I'm sure."

"We’re all here to see a movie, right?"

"Damn skimminy! Press play already! Let's drink some more booze and watch this masked fucker do his noble deeds! Woooo!" Toni waves around her beer cheerfully as the movie restarts from the beginning.

[Rogue]

_{[Finally posting this, woot! I can't think, so it's a little sucky, though, but...at least things can keep moving.}

Someone passes her a drink, and she opens it and takes a sip. Not bad – definitely better than beer. Good, now hopefully it’s strong enough to do something – or at least to snap her out of the daze she’s managed to fall into from the time she got in here. Her math homework is totally forgotten by now.

"…Our heavy hitters use a handful of trees to smash one side of the building open, so it looks like wind.”

"Oh good, so I might actually come in handy after all...Guess it's up to you two and I. A regular tag-team we're gonna be. Hoo-rah!"

Toni bumps fists with Josh and herself, and she’s a little hesitant, but doesn’t spoil the action by withdrawing skittishly. She’s gloved, so no worries, right? It’s fine. She then sits back, looking around at the others as they talk, staying silent herself.

"Muahahahaha! But by your tank division...is that just me? Or have you perfected the art of bulletproof vest-ness too, Rogue?"

“S’far’s I know, yeah. S’long’s it don’t wear off at a bad momen’, an’way.” She responds with a shrug and a smile.

"Sure, Rogue, go ahead. Sorry if there are any feathers in there...Aaaaah, forget I just said that, okay guys?"

She glances down at the bed absently. “…’Kay…I didn’ need th’mental images tha’ came with tha’, thanks.”

No feathers, as far as she can see, so that’s a good thing. She tucks her legs up underneath her, setting her notebook beside her, and fiddling absently with the bottle in her hands. It’s not like her to feel uncomfortable around them – specifically John, Josh, and Bobby, because they’ve always been friends, always used to hang out together. This should feel something like normal. It doesn’t, not at all, and that, in and of itself, is unsettling.

"I'd give you a kiss too, Bobby, but something tells me that John might try to fry my ass or something."

”Hey! I can share, Toni. Just as long as I get mine first”

Rogue’s eyes shift away from the two as John kisses Bobby, dropping to the drink in her hand, because it’s a convenient attention-displacement. There’s no reason she should be acting like this – she’s got no right to be jealous – nor can she even understand that.

It’s not like they don’t deserve to touch, just because she can’t.

”Okay. I’m done. Anyone else?”

" Hey, now, wait a second… […] And anybody else wanting in on the Kissing Bobby action can damn well take a number!”

This time it’s Bobby that initiates it, and again, the lemonade bottle in her gloved hands is oh so interesting, as she sets to reading the label, again, though there’s not much to read, and so she instead takes a long drink from it.

"…..You're just servin' to make the rest of us painfully aware of our lack of partners.”

Or, y’know, lack of touch. she thinks, but doesn’t say, because that’s just selfish, and she’s not, really. At least, not usually. All the same, she’s relieved when they finally kinda-separate, and Bobby grabs the remote again.

"Besides which…We’re all here to see a movie, right?"

Toni returns with a typically colorful answer, which draws a smile from Rogue, though she doesn’t respond, herself, turning her eyes to the television. She’s never seen the movie, so hopefully that will draw enough of her attention away from thinking too hard.

[Bobby Drake]

> " When are you planning this for, Bobby? "
> " Yeah, Bobs? [..] I'm often left to wonder how all these superheroes manage to run normal lives, secret lives and still end up with the girl... "

"Their October inspection scheduled for the 22nd, I figure we go in on the 24th… enough time that it’s not obviously related, but gives us a few weeks to work with the info before they notice it’s gone."

> <Hey, I barely recognize him right now. Whatever you're doing, it's working.>

Bobby can’t suppress the smugness that spikes in response to that; he doesn’t want to. Glad you noticed… he replies, his own momentary complacence coloring the thought. After a moment, he adds more thoughtfully: And… hey, I’m sorry I was such a dick at Warren’s party. It’s just… I never thought this was possible, y’know? I was jealous. Anyway… I’m sorry.

> " Jeez Bobby. Get a room. Warren and I have never made out in front of you..."
> " Ditto. Guys, get a room before I have to pull you two apart. "

Bobby grins back at Josh. "That’s what you think. You remember Warren's birthday party? Not to mention that not everybody keeps their eyes on the ground all the time around here, flyboy... and just for the record, this is my room!" He laughs from sheer delight, wondering when the last time he did that was. It’s like a heavy weight is slowly being lifted off his chest, like the sun has finally come out after one of those endless cloudy winters in Boston… he hadn’t realized just how grey the world had gotten before now, and gives John’s shoulders an affectionate squeeze.

He also can’t help but notice that, while Josh and Toni are the ones playfully teasing him about his public display of affection, it’s Marie who seems most bothered by it, sitting on Josh’s bed pretending to study her bottle. He’s irritated for a moment – did she expect him to be alone for the rest of his life, once they’d split up? – but suppresses it, in part because he’s feeling too damned good right now to be annoyed at anyone, but mostly because he realizes it’s mostly his guilt over not having told her about John.

It’s probably freaking her out, he thinks to himself. The truth is, he can sympathize… their whole relationship feels like a thunderbolt to him, and he was there for the whole thing. Hell, it’s not like I ever expected to be making out with John, either… or any other guy for that matter. But there it is, and I don’t intend to apologize for it.

He contemplates re-introducing John back in Boston as his boyfriend, and shies away from the idea… he’s had enough rejection from his family over what he is, he doesn’t need more. At least with the mutant thing, he can cut them some slack – everyone’s still getting used to the whole idea of super-powered mutants in the world. But they’d probably react the same way to a same-sex relationship, like he was some kind of freak… or Mom would, anyway. Probably quote the Bible at him. Ever heard of ‘judge not lest ye be judged,’ mom?

He lets it go with an effort, not wanting to ruin what has become a really nice evening, and lays his head back on John’s shoulder as he returns his attention to the movie already in progress.

[Josh Dalton Worthington]

> "Oh uh...you didn't here that from me."

Hm, that's something to catalogue for later. Toni's pop quizzes tended to kill him - at least in chemistry. Her advanced cellular biology class - which was really just him - was much more fun.

He nearly spits up his lemonade when a mental image of Warren clubbing Toni pokes its way into his brain.

"We could... I don't think you're my type, though, Toni. There are things Warren has that you just do not." Leave everyone to fill in their own conclusions. Bobby probably knew more about him and Warren than everyone here combined...

> <I was jealous. Anyway… I’m sorry.>

<It's okay. I couldn't hide my feelings for Warren if I tried, so I don't have a clue how you did it.> A moment passes. <And the two of you are obnoxiously cute together, by the way.> He grins at that.

> "Not to mention that not everybody keeps their eyes on the ground all the time around here"

"Wow, I didn't know we had a voyeur on our hands! John, that's something to keep in mind..." Josh sends a wicked look in John's direction, and a mental rejoinder to Bobby. <Is it my fault Warren flies around shirtless all the time? I think not.> It was indeed hard to keep his hands off of Warren when the two of were alone. When they thought they were alone, anyway... oops. And hey - Warren's jumped me plenty of times in the hallway, it goes both ways.

Life is good. Between Warren, the X-Men, their experiments in the lab, and things working out between Bobby and John, he couldn't ask for much more.

[Bobby Drake]

(( OOC: Seems like a decent place to end this? ))