Baptism of Fire

[Toni Craft]

Toni left the Professor's office, scratching her head. Mentoring huh?

It had been the Professor's idea. A test, so to speak, to see if she was reading for the teacher role. Not that she was going to be a real teacher, just a student teacher, lending a hand to Ms. Grey in her chemistry classes. But he wanted to be sure that she'd be ready, so he had given her a little...job, in the meantime.

Toni glanced down at the paper in her hand as she navigates her way through the halls.

John Alderdyce, eh? That was supposed to be the kid that she had to quote unquote 'mentor.' Toni had never tried that sort of thing before, but if it meant she could actually try teaching, then hell, she was going to do it. And do a damn good job at it too.

The Professor had given her the teen's room number and had informed her that John was in his room, which struck her as odd with it being a Saturday and all. Toni was sure she'd seen the kid around before, but she was exceptionally good at forgetting faces. There were simply too many people to meet and she had only been there for five weeks.

The Professor had also given her some sound advice. John was apparently one of the more 'active' students. And she knew that by active, the old man hadn't meant 'active in sports' or 'active in his school work.' Nooooo...she figured she had been given the kid with ADHD, whom she'd have to restrain as he tried to bound off the walls.

But then again, maybe she had been given John because she was the only one who could keep up with him. The thought amused her to no end.

She all but bounded up the stairs, eager to get started on her 'initiation challenge.' After checking her paper again, Toni looked up at the appropriate door and knocked, awaiting to see who, exactly, this John Alderdyce really was.

[Pyro]

A glorious Saturday stretching out in front of them, any normal, functional student would have been out taking advantage of it, right?

Then again, the pyromaniac formally known as St. John Allerdyce, now ‘just John’, was never going to be normal / functional, and had since arriving at the Institute back in the spring of ’99 spent the majority of his time and energy proving exactly how dysfunctional he was to anyone who’d pay attention (and, let’s face it, his little *gift* was one hell of a way to grab that).

And besides, he was already taking full advantage of this particular Saturday, thank you very much – because it gave him time to get away from Bobby fucking golden-boy Drake, the new roomie. Time when he could turn the heating up as hot as he liked (which was very, very hot… hot enough that someone with his lizard-like body temperature demands could wander around in just pajama bottoms… another thing which seemed to be an issue around the new kid, sigh, like he’d never seen boyflesh before). Time when he didn’t have to listen to the Boy Scout trying to be sociable (because love him (or in John’s case, erm, not) he did try), rattling off the most stupid inane little facts about his home and trying to get John to *open up*.

Most importantly, it was time when he could exercise his, erm, unique talents without worrying that he’d spook Bobby and have his Zippo frozen… which, granted, had only happened three times so far, but waiting for it to unfreeze had been hell, and John could tell that despite his best efforts the balance was shifting away from being terrified of the psychotic older kid and towards being prepared to make some sort of stand… which wasn’t good.

So obviously being distracted from *me-time* was not going to go down well.

”Fuck the hell off!”

[Toni Craft]

”Fuck the hell off!”

"Wow, some social bug you are." Toni mutters to herself. She was only left to assume that the harsh male voice emanating from the door was Mr. Allerdyce himself. With a grin she knocks again. "John, pleased to finally...uh...talk to you I guess." She scratches her head and stares at the sealed door.

"M'name's Toni. The old man sent me up to talk to you. How's about you open up?" She didn't know why she was even bothering the 'Hi how are ya?' tactic. After his first curt response, she was sure that he didn't want to engage himself in a friendly chat.

She grasps the doorknob and tries to turn it. Damn. Locked.

Well, she muses, could always knock the door down if it comes to that.

No wonder the Professor had assigned John to her. He was obviously anti-social and no doubt rude, and it had suddenly fallen upon Toni to smooth him out.

"This is going to be one fucking wonderful time." She hisses and knocks again.

[Pyro]

... oh shit, a teacher?

He should probably have re-thought the stock greeting now, huh? Then again, maybe not. If it was anyone he needed to listen to they’d have tried the lock before knocking... and he’d still have given the same answer, more than likely, ‘social bug’ that he was.

The mention of talking merits something which starts a wince and matures into something nearer a dark, mildly demented grin. Because *the old man* is pretty damn big on talking, isn’t he? All So, tell me about yourself and Where does this issue spring from? and How does that make you feel? Luckily John’s pretty damn good at deflecting that, and those lovely ethics Chuck insists on clinging to mean he can’t get the answers without them (at least John likes to think he can’t… and he’s sticking to that argument, thanks). This is a new tactic, but nothing he can’t handle.

John’s reply is a pitch perfect imitation of the fake-friendly she has going on which somehow manages to be both accurate and hugely mocking. ”How about you go tell The Old Man that I don’t need to talk about my past, my family or my so-called issues any more than I did last time, and will not be opening up to you any more than I have him?”

[Toni Craft]

"I don’t need to talk about my past, my family or my so-called issues any more than I did last time, and will not be opening up to you any more than I have him?”

Whatever little patience Toni had at the beginning of this short-lived conversation quickly disappated with that comment. Her head neared a little closer to the door in an effort from attracting attention to herself.

"What makes you think I give a flying rat's ass about your past, eh?" She grasps the doorknob again. "I'm just here because I have to be, not because I want to be." Toni presses her forehead against the door and grins as an idea crosses her thoughts.

"Fine, you don't have to open up the door. I can just talk to you through it. And you can sit in there and listen to me ramble on like your great aunt Wilma or you can let me in and we can get this done and over with. Either way, you're stuck with me my like honey to your ass." With a wide smile, Toni turns around and pushes her back against the wall as she sinks to the floors. She tilts her head back and leans it against wood.

"So, John. I don't think we've ever met before, but in any case, I'm Toni. I'm from New Jersey and I've only been here at the school for about a month. How about you? How long have you been here." She asked through the door, knowing full well that she would probably drive John insane in a matter of minutes.

[Pyro]

”If you don’t want to be then just bugger off. Tell The Old Man you tried, but the pyromaniac is just too much for poor little whoever the hell you are”

Welcome to logic, John style. If you don’t want to do it, don’t. Simple. Things work that way. Or at least they have so far...

... though it seems this woman hasn’t got the memo. Well, fine. He can put up with that. He’s scared off bigger, tougher mentor-types before, ‘ been doing it almost as long as he can remember... what’s she got that’s so different?

John versus Chuck-lackey, Round One. Bring it on, bitch.

”Like honey to my ass? Sounds kinky. Bet Chuck’ll be thrilled to know you’re molesting your charge already” he scowls at the wood, shifting round on the bed so that instead of lying on his back he’s now on his stomach, legs folded up backwards, head propped on one hand while the other works the Zippo in its customary rhythm. Switching deftly from smartass back to imitation, annoyingly perky and overly friendly, so you can just tell he’s grinning, the dark smirk which means he’s chalking up a win without actually doing anything, he replies ”Well, hi, Lady-with-a-dude’s-name, I’m John and I’ve been here too fucking long for the “My name is John and I’m a gene-freak” thing to work on me. Didn’t Wheels give you a file or something?”

[Toni Craft]

Oh...this was going to be good. A battle of wits if you will. After dealing with Caine, her doctor, for over six years, she had verbal dueling down to a science.

Bring it on, you socially deprived brat. Toni smirks and draws her knees up as she gets comfortable.

"Tell The Old Man you tried, but the pyromaniac is just too much for poor little whoever the hell you are.”

"Pyromaniac? So your that John, huh? Can't say I haven't heard the wonderful fire-related praise. And by praise, I mean all the shit you've blown up." She smiles and tugs on the seam of her shirt, trying to get a stray thread. "And you, my teenaged friend, seem to be underestimating me. Try living in a family that consists of over 100 Italians. You think you're too much for me? Try having at least 2 cousins in the mafia, and then listening to their mother's wailing non-stop. Oh god." Toni shudders momentarily as she tries to supress the memory.

”Like honey to my ass? Sounds kinky. Bet Chuck’ll be thrilled to know you’re molesting your charge already”

"You think honey on your ass is kinky? Oh baby, just wait until I get going. Ever consider what else blueberry pie filling can be used for? It's not just an amazingly tasty gooey substance."

”Well, hi, Lady-with-a-dude’s-name, I’m John and I’ve been here too fucking long for the “My name is John and I’m a gene-freak” thing to work on me. Didn’t Wheels give you a file or something?”

"Lady-with-a-dude's-name? How do you know I'm not really a dude? As far as you know, you're talking to a door. I bet you I've got a bigger dick than you though." A passing student shoots her a confused and utterly traumatized look before scurrying away. "But for the record, my name's spelt with an 'i', not a 'y.' And as for that file? No, sounds like the boss wanted to royally screw me over and left me flyin' solo. But what about you, Johnny-poo? Why are you unaccompanied on an otherwise beauti-fucking-ful day?"

[Pyro]

”Yeah, I’m that John” He tries to sound nonchalant, but it’s bloody difficult to suppress the pride which thinking about that illustrious list of achievements sparks off. ”Though all the shit you’ve blown up is a fucking insulting understatement…”

< You think honey on your ass is kinky?
Evidently Chuck hasn’t filled her in on all that, then, if she’s still pushing the *unconventional sexual tactics* line (because even though he’s never admitted to it, he’s sure The Professor *knows* - there’s something annoyingly like pity lurking in those eyes). And tempting though it is to out-do her with what exactly he does think kinky slipping into the role of *Molested Kid* would just be far too simple (how, exactly, *Token Badboy* is any less simple, or clichéd, is something of a mystery… but whatever). ”Toni, honey, I’m a teenager with a working dick. I can look at anything and think sex. And get away with it. Whereas one word to Scooter about your preoccupation with gooey substances and my ass…”

Hell yeah, he’s holding the cards here, and she’s making it too easy. He’s met her type before, just like he’s met every other; preliminary reading says she’s one of the ones who’ll try and be on his level… unless she genuinely is around that level… ooh, that would just be too damn delicious. Student teachers were always so much fun to chew into. He shakes that idea off pretty sharply – they’d never be mad enough to send him someone green, would they?

(He smacks himself once the word *green* sets off a series of images as to what her mutation might be, because he’s no idea, has he? But he doesn’t care. Right. Moving on.)

< I bet you I’ve got a bigger dick than you though”[/i]
”Ah, shut up. If you were any sort of man you’d be in here comparing by now. You’re a girlie. Wheels has sent you because he thinks the *soft touch* might make some sort of impact.” It’s taking a lot of control to stay at the semi-good-natured-banter stage once size comes into the question. Not that short-ass John Allerdyce has issues regarding it, of course. But…

Yeah, not good.

< Why are you unaccompanied on an otherwise beauty-fucking-ful day?
The fact that an adult – and an Institute sponsored one at that – is dropping the f-bomb that casually floors him enough for something as stale as ”How do you know I’m alone?” to slip through before he can formulate a proper response.

”Me? I’m grabbing some alone-time without Wheels’ other present… yeah, you can write him a nice little Thanks for Fucking Nothing note from me. If I hadn’t run out of places to hide the bodies we’d be having a nice little Bob-be-que…” He pauses, flicking the Zippo shut… open… shut… open… ”And Toni-kins? Call me Johnny-poo again and you get to be the next entry on the list of praiseworthy shit. It’s John. Just John. No fancy or cutesy bits. ‘kay?”

[Toni Craft]

"Though all the shit you’ve blown up is a fucking insulting understatement…”

"Heh, I beg to differ. Until you've matched my record, you'll still be an amateur in my eyes." Toni beams and examines her nails, knowing that she probably caught the teen off guard with that remark.

"One word to Scooter about your preoccupation with gooey substances and my ass…” She listens through the door as he trails off, leaving her to assume the outcome of such a scenario.

"Why Mr. Allerdyce," Toni says calmly, adding a hint of insult to her tone while she butchers the pronunciation of his name, "Are you threatening me?" Then she starts to laugh, letting her head hit John's door with a heavy thump. "In case you haven't noticed yet, I think you're full of shit. It's not your style to go around and be a little tattle-tale, is it? You're secluded and like to be that way. Ratting out on a student-teacher-wannabe probably wouldn't help that, now would it?" Toni figures she's right with that analysis as she drapes her arms over her knees. "Besides, that'd involve coming out of your room, and something tells me you'd melt or smolder or sizzle if you do." She smirks and tilts her head to the side ever so slightly as she listens for his movements. "But let's suppose you do decide to follow through. What's the worse that's going to happen? I'll get booted out of 'Chuck's' school so fast that I'd have a con-trail following my ass, and you'd probably feel awfully bad about that, wouldn't you? There'd be tears for me I bet. True-blue crocodile tears, just for me."

"Wheels has sent you because he thinks the *soft touch* might make some sort of impact.”

"Soft touch?!" Another genuine laugh escapes her as she continues to sit on the floor. "Do you have any idea who you're talking to? I'm Toni 'Iron-woman' Craft. If the Prof had wanted to send someone with your so-called 'soft touch' he'd have sent Jean...or some other chick with a pussy for a boyfriend. Honestly, what's with that Scott guy? How far did that telephone pole get shoved up his ass? But I'm rambling. Yeah, soft touch? Tempt me enough and you'll see me use my 'soft touch' on your door."

"If I hadn’t run out of places to hide the bodies we’d be having a nice little Bob-be-que…”

"Not a fan of Mr. Drake I see. Fire and Ice. How appropriate. I bet you have the best hot tub parties. You know, those Icelandic ones where you soak and then run around and roll in the snow? Fuckin' Icelanders, bored out of their fuckin' minds, they must be. Up there, all alone on that island out in the cold...reminds me of a Simon and Garfunkel song, and I'd sing it for you, but I'm worried you might gouge your ears our or something."

”And Toni-kins? Call me Johnny-poo again and you get to be the next entry on the list of praiseworthy shit. It’s John. Just John. No fancy or cutesy bits. ‘kay?”

"Not a fan of nicknames, eh Johnny?" Toni uses a little bit of emphasis on his name, to let him know that she wasn't biting. John wasn't the only one trying to get a rise out of his verbal combatant. "Too bad, I have a whole list I can whip out at a moments notice. I've got everything from Llama-breath to Snookims', however classic that sounds."

[Pyro]

< Until you’ve matched my record, you’ll still be an amateur in my eyes[/color]
”And I guess I’m meant to be impressed by that?” John yawns, stretches, examines his Zippo, his tone emphasizing exactly how unimpressed he is. Still, it sounds like a challenge… and heck, next time he gets caught setting fire to stuff he can blame it on her. But Mr. Summers, Toni told me to blow stuff up… Okay, it might not work, but the image is pretty entertaining.

< Why, Mr. Allerdyce. Are you threatening me?[/color]
”Someone should’a warned y’love. John Allerdyce” – he’s careful to sound it out precisely, far more so than he usually does (almost, god help him, with the rigid formality Dad the man used to… though obviously it’s just a stock formality, because none of that life was real) to emphasize how much she’s mangled it without making any obvious comment which would lead her to chalk that up as a victory – ”does not make threats. He’s a man of his word, so he is.”

< It’s not your style… is it? You’re secluded and like to be that way
Fuck… they’ve sent another psychic. Brilliant.

… Or not. He’s just being paranoid, that’s all. It’s standard teacher behavior, after all, the neatly patronizing I know where you’re coming from attitude… except that Toni’s a hard one to read. She – and he beats this thought to death fairly quickly afterwards because it’s stupid, though it keeps popping up, zombie-like, to bug him – seems almost genuine, which is a pretty scary thought, one of these ‘teacher who’s not really a teacher’ types… It certainly seems easy to bounce off her, none of the awkwardness of talking to an *adult* who’s trying too hard – or more importantly one who’ll punish your sorry ass if you take things too far – which is odd, but he’s not going to take that as a sign of anything other than his innate skill at this game.

< True-blue crocodile tears, just for me[/color]
”You’re kidding. I’d be a fucking hero, saving all the mini-muties from a sex-crazed teacher.” and I’d hate that but that’s besides the point. ”You’d be another point on the John-versus-the-combined-forces-of-adulthood score card with all the other teachers and therapists and social workers…” Okay, giving away a little too much there, but it makes the point.

< Besides, that’d involve coming out of your room
Ahah, now that’s a tactic he recognizes. ”Ten out of ten for effort, Toni. Couple of bonus points for style. But minus a few million for good thinking… It’s bloody insulting, implying I’d make it that easy on you.”

< I’m Toni *Iron-Woman* Craft[/color]
Ooh… a clue to her powers? Possibly. She doesn’t seem staid or, conversely, *butch* enough for it to be solely a comment on her personality. This means she could probably take the door out if she wanted… which is an annoying detail, since it raises the question as to why she hasn’t. Protocols, he decides. Obviously. Not wanting to get into trouble with Him Upstairs, because Baldy’s probably got all sorts of neat little rules about ‘respect’ and ‘treating the students like adults’. Nothing to do with any sort of respect for him, or anything. Mm-hmm.

< How far did that telephone pole get shoved up his ass?[/color]
Ach, idiot, don’t laugh! He cuts himself off mid-flow, though it’s hardly a neat break, mini-spurts fighting their way through…

Shit… she didn’t actually just say that?

No. Couldn’t have. It’s easier that way, ignoring the last few moments, because to admit that she shares his opinion of ‘Scooter’ Summers means a re-evaluation is in order, and that’s not going to happen.

< I bet you have the best hot tub parties
… yeah, just when he thought he had the laughter under control. Though this time it’s justifiable as a piss-take on poor lil’ Drakey and not as any sort of complicity between the two of them. ”Drake? In a hot tub? You’re fucking kidding me. He makes Scooter look lackadaisical”

Lackadaisical? What the fuck? Okay, we don’t use words like that outside our head, remember? Because John of course never admits to any academic bent… still, it might work out, show her she’s playing with something a little more than the average *Problem Kid*

… and she’s still rambling.

”Look” he sighs, burying his head for a second before looking back up, scowling at the door with an intensity which should have burned a hole straight through it. All the while the Zippo clicks in its regular, habitual rhythm. ”What do I have to do to get you to go away? Because I was enjoying my Saturday and, if you don’t mind, Toni, I’ve got stuff to be getting on with.”

[Toni Craft]

”And I guess I’m meant to be impressed by that?”

"Absol-fucking-lutely. You should have seen the size of the whole I blew through my university's lab's wall." And the size of the damage bill, Toni thinks smugly. Annnnddd...to boot, I never got caught for it.

"He’s a man of his word, so he is.”

"I'm going to hold you to it, you know. I'd hate to see you backing out on me." Time to call his bluff.

”You’d be another point on the John-versus-the-combined-forces-of-adulthood score card with all the other teachers and therapists and social workers…”

Right, Mr. Dysfunctional. Like Toni hadn't noticed already. Probably something to do with foster homes and abusive parents...or maybe just the abusive parents...or a runaway...or something. Not that it changed anything.

"Oh come on! I think you'd like me! I young, I'm hip and I'm not half bad looking if I do say so myself. Kind of like Demi Moore, only younger...and with the red hair, obviously...how do you pronounce her name? Is it Demee, or Deemi? I never know." All this conversation was great, and maybe Toni was actually getting through to him, but it was getting repetitive. She figured she was widdling away at him, but John seemed to consist of multiple layers. The moment she drilled her way through one, she was confronted with another. The kid was obviously used to people prodding him for information.

But her comment about Summers had obviously struck something. For several moments she heard nothing coming from room...except for a sound much like supressed laughter. Heh, come on kid, almost got ya.

"He makes Scooter look lackadaisical.”

"Odd, I've only heard good things about the boy. I could probably get quite the tan around Bobby, what with all the sunshine coming out of his ass." Toni smirks and pulls out her mental dictionary. "But perhaps I shouldn't be believing your floccinaucinihilipilification of poor little Bobby. Gossip just isn't my thing." Touche, John. You're not the only one with an impressive vocabulary.

”What do I have to do to get you to go away? Because I was enjoying my Saturday and, if you don’t mind, Toni, I’ve got stuff to be getting on with.”

"I'm crushed, Johnny, honestly. You don't think I'm fun? And here I thought I was a barrel full of piranhas at feeding time and then some." She adds a little bit of distress to her voice, but doesn't make the effort to sound believable. "You've ruined me. There's no purpose for me to live anymore. Please excuse me while I go hang myself...do you know where they keep the two-inch titanium cable? I need something sturdy."

Then, discarding her suicidal tone, Toni stands and faces the door. "And you know what, I'd love to know what's more important than making a new friend? Wouldn't it be nice to have a shoulder you can cry on? Someone to hold your hair while you puke your guts out after they've spent fifty bucks on alcohol for you? Hell, even a friend with benefits...assuming you're hunky." She levels an even stare at the wood panelling, trying to visualize the pyro behind it. "Now open up, Johnny. I'm about as irritable as an anorexic Elasmobranchii, and I'd hate to explain to the Professor why I had to bust down your door."

[Pyro]

< ”But perhaps I shouldn’t be believing your floccinaucinihilipilification of poor Bobby[/color]
John’s best totally withering sidelong glare is wasted on the wood, but whatever. ”Cute… Don’t use long words, Ton, because you can’t pull it off… it just shows up how stupid everything else you say sounds.”

Yeah, that was John for you. Charming and sociable and all other nice things… why the hell doesn’t she just give up already? This is taking a hell of a lot more effort than it should. He slides off the bed, wanders over to the shelves to retrieve some syrupy caffeinated concoction, cracking the can open and draining a deep draught of it.

< There’s no purpose for me to live any more[/color]
She’s… joking, right?

Not that he cares whether she is or not, of course. It’s just a hell of a lot easier to punch the air and shout ”Score!” when she’s not actually planning on hanging herself…

… okay, guess not (and no, that’s not a sigh of relief, but of.. resignation. No, even that’s to much. It’s an oh no, here she goes again kind of sigh), because she moves on to talking about friendship. And if that’s her bent then there’s no way he’s going to dissuade her, sigh.

Well fine, if that’s how she wants to play it. Time to switch tactics. If he can’t scare her off, then maybe the worryingly charming line will work, freak her out and get her to leave him the hell alone… Besides, the mention of alcohol has him intrigued and though he knows she’ll try and back out of it, being a teacher and all (because there’s no way that the teacher she’s pretending to be, let alone the teacher she probably is, can get away with feeding a 16 year old’s bourbon habits) he’s damn well going to hold her to it. And yes, that’s all there is to the surrender. Nothing else. Because nothing she says hits home; he’s never needed any of that before, and doesn’t need it now, thanks.

”Fine, it’s your funeral” John contemplates briefly whether he should dress suitably for receiving visitors… and, predictably, decides against it. Screw it. Her own fault for disturbing him… she can take what she gets. The door clicks open just wide enough to reveal a slither of the lithe, diminutive firestarter behind it, features set in an expression of total boredom and indifference, hand not on the handle holding an open Zippo at waist level.

[Toni Craft]

”Fine, it’s your funeral." Success! Toni actually got the kid to open the door! She smiles at her own victory as the doorknob clicks, turns and releases the door.

Her moment of celebration is momentarily put on hold as she catches sight of John, not wearing much at all. But hell, she's seen worse.

"Huh..." An eyebrow rises as she looks him up and down. "Somehow, I imagined you'd be shorter. But I suppose this works too." Toni shrugs it off casually. "Nice pants, by the way. Makes you look that much more manly. Maybe this 'friends with benefits' thing'll actually work out." She gives John another slow look-over and lets loose a low wolf-whistle. "Hot damn."

After another few seconds of admiration she stares past him into the room. "So, this is how the Johnny Allerdyce," She screws up the pronunciation again, this time on purpose, "Decides to spend his sunny Saturdays? In the sweltering heat? Jeez....maybe Hector should live with you, if you don't mind having your socks stolen. With this temperature, I'm sure he'd be happier than a geek doin' Jeri Ryan."

"Now, can I come in? And feel free to leave the shirt off." She winks at him and places a hand on the door, just to make sure he wouldn't close it on her.

[Pyro]

He cocks an eyebrow and looks at her sidelong as if to say yeah, and? as she runs her eyes over him, fully expecting that she’ll be disappointed in what she finds (simultaneously scoping her out... wow, she wasn’t lying about… erm, being a redhead. The rest of her claims he’s not commenting on), so her eventual reaction stumps him for a second or two… before raising a dark grin. He knows full well he looks good, all half-naked and charmingly debauched and stuff, and the comments about height and manliness can’t not go down well, can they?

… though the fact that it’s a teacher sends something of a chill southwards, because while seducing an older woman has its twisted appeal it’s… kinda ick, actually (and no, that would not be a flashback… predatory women, shudder). Fuck, he’d only been joking about the molestation thing…

< Maybe this ‘friends with benefits’ thing will actually work out
”Don’t hold your breath… we’d have to actually be friends first. And fuck-buddies just doesn’t have the same mystique, does it?” He edges the door open, stands aside to let her in, resuming the clicking. Once she’s in he clicks the door shut and strolls over, then springs onto, his bed, sitting cross-legged on-top of the covers… without breaking rhythm once. It’s like a heartbeat, the constant background pulse, tuned just loud enough to be irritating. ”What the hell is a Hector anyway?”

[Toni Craft]

Toni tries to keep her contentment locked up inside as John pauses. Looks like she surprised him there too. Boo yah, score one for the hugely intimidating metal chick!

Not that Toni had lied about finding the teen attractive. Nosiree. The kid was built in all the right places in all the right ways. The ideal image of an adolescent his age. Now if only all the kids around here looked like that.

"We’d have to actually be friends first. And fuck-buddies just doesn’t have the same mystique, does it?”

"What? Not up for the occasional one night stand there, Johnny? You prefer an actual relationship before engaging yourself in premartial...stuff? You're certainly no fun. Way to ruin a perfectly good bunny-suit filled fantasy." Toni adds a dreamy and frustrated sigh as she steps into the room, trying to ignore the heat.

As John closes the door behind her, she manages to steal a look at the boy's cloth covered bottom. Damn, if only I were a few years younger. Toni smirks at the thought.

She would have followed John's lead and plopped down onto one of the beds, but she quickly remembers that her bed is reinforced, and more likely than not, these ones are not. Instead she opts to stand, taking the moment to gaze around the half-clean, half-dirty room.

Toni had noticed the clicking earlier and had decided to ignore it, but as it continued, she felt it working itself into her brain, where she was sure it would cause permanent damage if not stopped soon.

”What the hell is a Hector anyway?” Ah yes, sweet distraction from that god-awful lighter.

"Hector, I'll have you know, would be insulted to hear that you called him a thing. Hector is my baby. He's my trained-to-eat-children boa constrictor. And unless you want to see how far I can shove that lighter up your nostrils and into your brain, I suggest to treat him with respect." Toni manages to come off angry, but the emotion quickly fades into mischief and she grins. "Nah, Hector's a cutie, just like yourself. But he does have this fasination with socks..."