Post by Nightingale on Sept 7, 2006 20:34:55 GMT -5
Python's assessment that John's strop would pass over in a short time period was accurate, because less than an hour later, he was coming back inside from his daily walk outside, laughing over something he was reading. He headed for his office, thinking he should probably attempt a *little* work, and then immediately got caught up in it.
There he was two hours later, eyes bright and eager, making notes and scribbling figures down.
After making all the arrangements with Aurora, Angie had gone off to get changed and ready. She was supposed to be meeting the other two out at the plane soon, and she patted down her pockets to make sure she was all organised. Wallet, phone, gloves, she seemed all organised. She was wearing a thin white long sleeved top over her usual jeans, and had left her jackets in her room since they were going back to the US, where it was summer.
With a distinct feeling that she'd forgotten something, Angie headed off through the base, wandering through the halls toward the back - or what she thought of as the back - exit. She had to pass John's office on the way, though she told herself that she wasn't trying to see if he was less annoyed than before. It didn't really work, but then Angie tried to reassure herself that she didn't even know if John would be there.
Peeking in the door curiously as she passed, she realised that he was. Don't say anything, don't say anything...
"Ow!"
So much for not saying anything. She'd managed to walk into the door frame. She gave him a sheepish grin.
He looked up at her exclamation and flashed a quick, sheepish smile. "Hey," he said, sounding decidedly apologetic. "Are you guys heading off already?"
The young man shuffled a few papers around.
"Look, um...I'm sorry about losing my temper back there."
"Yeah, soon. Figure we might as well get it over and done with, right?" Gill had given Python all of the information they needed, and it seemed that they'd arrive not too long before the meeting Gill had set up. Angie looked down at her feet for a second, not sure how to respond to the second part.
"It's all good. I'm sure it's no fun being cooped up." She didn't press the point that it was the best thing for the Brotherhood at that point, though.
"That's for sure," he said laughing softly. "Reminds me of being a kid all over again. Used to live in a children's home. Never got out of there much."
He brushed his hand over his jaw, which she couldn't help noticing was stubbled again. Such a difference from the previously obsessively clean-shaven Pyro he'd been before Baltimore - not that she knew that.
"Not that you needed to know that. One of those 'too much information' scenarios."
"I like hearing about you."
I'm such a tool.
"But, uh, you know..." Angie smiled rather weakly. "You don't have to... Er..."
Well, this wasn't going particularly well, was it?
"I guess I should get going soon, so I'm not late." She chewed her lip for a moment. "Oh, but that stuff you had to do in New York, I can take care of that if you like."
Feeling rather awkward, Angie wondered if it would be best for her to just leave before she killed herself. Death by embarrassment, that seemed to be where she was heading right now.
He laughed. "I don't think you could sort this particular issue out very well for me," he said. "It's something I'm gonna have to iron out in my own time. Need to put something - someone - behind me and move forward. To be honest, I'd rather do it in person."
A hesitation.
"I feel like I owe her that much."
"Oh." The only person - the only 'her' - that Angie knew John had history with was Mystique, so she naturally assumed it was the blue shapeshifter he was talking about. Obviously, though, Angie didn't know much about John's past, so while she hoped that John was moving on from the older woman - who made Angie feel like a petulant child - she couldn't be sure.
"Well, you know, if there is anything I can do to help, just let me know. You've got my new phone number, right? I had to get a new sim card, couldn't buy a top-up for my Australian one." She was babbling, and she knew it.
John was a smart guy. Though he appeared outwardly oblivious to Angie's feelings for him, she couldn't help but wonder if he'd registered them on some level. Still, it wasn't like she was trying to seduce him or anything. Quite the opposite, really, Angie knew that she had no chance and was trying to squash her feelings down. It wasn't working.
"Angie..."
She was right. John had finally registered the girl's feelings towards him, but remained bemused and baffled that she would be interested in him, particularly given what Python had told him of the way he'd treated her whilst he'd been 'unwell'.
He got up and crossed over to her. Rather awkwardly, he put his arms around her and hugged her briefly. Initiating physical contact remained anathema to him and it was a particularly hard thing for him to do.
"Stay safe, OK?"
When John put his arms around her, Angie felt her heart beat a little bit faster. After a fraction of a second, she hugged him back, pressing her face against his shoulder. Leaning back to look at him, she smiled.
"We'll be fine. What's the worst that could happen?"
Famous last words if she'd ever heard them, so she quickly replaced the thought. Her smile widened into a grin.
"Didn't want me to go pick up an Xbox or anything while we're there, do you?"
She was rewarded with a bright, happy expression. "I'd LOVE one! And Halo. And Halo 2. And anything else you reckon would appeal to me. Thank you. Python handles the cash, he'll probably let me have THAT much fun, at least."
"I'm sure he'd be happy for you to have something to do. You know, other than practicing your aim." Angie gave him a cheeky grin.
"If Python says no, I've got some cash anyway, cleaned out my mum's account just before NovaTeX. I'll make sure to get you something good." She patted the pocket where her wallet was hidden. Better get going if there were going to have time for shopping before they met this new recruit, but she didn't want to drag herself away. Still, there were more important things to be doing than standing there talking to Pyro, even if it was much more fun than sitting in a plane. Angie didn't really like planes much.
"Guess I should get going, though." She didn't manage to sound as upbeat as she was trying to.
"You'll be fine," he said, squeezing her shoulder. "When you get back, we'll talk more. I'll tell you some of the stuff from my Dark Distant Past if you're interested."
Angie's a good person to talk to.
He rubbed his nose.
Smiling at him again - she was beginning to feel like an idiot, the amount she smiled at him - Angie nodded.
"Yeah, I'd like that. Don't cause too much trouble while we're gone." With another cheeky grin, she looked down at her watch and realised that she was running late.
"Well, I better go, but I'll see you later, I promise!" With another bright smile, she was gone.
"Yeah," he murmured after her. "I'm not going anywhere."
There he was two hours later, eyes bright and eager, making notes and scribbling figures down.
After making all the arrangements with Aurora, Angie had gone off to get changed and ready. She was supposed to be meeting the other two out at the plane soon, and she patted down her pockets to make sure she was all organised. Wallet, phone, gloves, she seemed all organised. She was wearing a thin white long sleeved top over her usual jeans, and had left her jackets in her room since they were going back to the US, where it was summer.
With a distinct feeling that she'd forgotten something, Angie headed off through the base, wandering through the halls toward the back - or what she thought of as the back - exit. She had to pass John's office on the way, though she told herself that she wasn't trying to see if he was less annoyed than before. It didn't really work, but then Angie tried to reassure herself that she didn't even know if John would be there.
Peeking in the door curiously as she passed, she realised that he was. Don't say anything, don't say anything...
"Ow!"
So much for not saying anything. She'd managed to walk into the door frame. She gave him a sheepish grin.
He looked up at her exclamation and flashed a quick, sheepish smile. "Hey," he said, sounding decidedly apologetic. "Are you guys heading off already?"
The young man shuffled a few papers around.
"Look, um...I'm sorry about losing my temper back there."
"Yeah, soon. Figure we might as well get it over and done with, right?" Gill had given Python all of the information they needed, and it seemed that they'd arrive not too long before the meeting Gill had set up. Angie looked down at her feet for a second, not sure how to respond to the second part.
"It's all good. I'm sure it's no fun being cooped up." She didn't press the point that it was the best thing for the Brotherhood at that point, though.
"That's for sure," he said laughing softly. "Reminds me of being a kid all over again. Used to live in a children's home. Never got out of there much."
He brushed his hand over his jaw, which she couldn't help noticing was stubbled again. Such a difference from the previously obsessively clean-shaven Pyro he'd been before Baltimore - not that she knew that.
"Not that you needed to know that. One of those 'too much information' scenarios."
"I like hearing about you."
I'm such a tool.
"But, uh, you know..." Angie smiled rather weakly. "You don't have to... Er..."
Well, this wasn't going particularly well, was it?
"I guess I should get going soon, so I'm not late." She chewed her lip for a moment. "Oh, but that stuff you had to do in New York, I can take care of that if you like."
Feeling rather awkward, Angie wondered if it would be best for her to just leave before she killed herself. Death by embarrassment, that seemed to be where she was heading right now.
He laughed. "I don't think you could sort this particular issue out very well for me," he said. "It's something I'm gonna have to iron out in my own time. Need to put something - someone - behind me and move forward. To be honest, I'd rather do it in person."
A hesitation.
"I feel like I owe her that much."
"Oh." The only person - the only 'her' - that Angie knew John had history with was Mystique, so she naturally assumed it was the blue shapeshifter he was talking about. Obviously, though, Angie didn't know much about John's past, so while she hoped that John was moving on from the older woman - who made Angie feel like a petulant child - she couldn't be sure.
"Well, you know, if there is anything I can do to help, just let me know. You've got my new phone number, right? I had to get a new sim card, couldn't buy a top-up for my Australian one." She was babbling, and she knew it.
John was a smart guy. Though he appeared outwardly oblivious to Angie's feelings for him, she couldn't help but wonder if he'd registered them on some level. Still, it wasn't like she was trying to seduce him or anything. Quite the opposite, really, Angie knew that she had no chance and was trying to squash her feelings down. It wasn't working.
"Angie..."
She was right. John had finally registered the girl's feelings towards him, but remained bemused and baffled that she would be interested in him, particularly given what Python had told him of the way he'd treated her whilst he'd been 'unwell'.
He got up and crossed over to her. Rather awkwardly, he put his arms around her and hugged her briefly. Initiating physical contact remained anathema to him and it was a particularly hard thing for him to do.
"Stay safe, OK?"
When John put his arms around her, Angie felt her heart beat a little bit faster. After a fraction of a second, she hugged him back, pressing her face against his shoulder. Leaning back to look at him, she smiled.
"We'll be fine. What's the worst that could happen?"
Famous last words if she'd ever heard them, so she quickly replaced the thought. Her smile widened into a grin.
"Didn't want me to go pick up an Xbox or anything while we're there, do you?"
She was rewarded with a bright, happy expression. "I'd LOVE one! And Halo. And Halo 2. And anything else you reckon would appeal to me. Thank you. Python handles the cash, he'll probably let me have THAT much fun, at least."
"I'm sure he'd be happy for you to have something to do. You know, other than practicing your aim." Angie gave him a cheeky grin.
"If Python says no, I've got some cash anyway, cleaned out my mum's account just before NovaTeX. I'll make sure to get you something good." She patted the pocket where her wallet was hidden. Better get going if there were going to have time for shopping before they met this new recruit, but she didn't want to drag herself away. Still, there were more important things to be doing than standing there talking to Pyro, even if it was much more fun than sitting in a plane. Angie didn't really like planes much.
"Guess I should get going, though." She didn't manage to sound as upbeat as she was trying to.
"You'll be fine," he said, squeezing her shoulder. "When you get back, we'll talk more. I'll tell you some of the stuff from my Dark Distant Past if you're interested."
Angie's a good person to talk to.
He rubbed his nose.
Smiling at him again - she was beginning to feel like an idiot, the amount she smiled at him - Angie nodded.
"Yeah, I'd like that. Don't cause too much trouble while we're gone." With another cheeky grin, she looked down at her watch and realised that she was running late.
"Well, I better go, but I'll see you later, I promise!" With another bright smile, she was gone.
"Yeah," he murmured after her. "I'm not going anywhere."