Spiral: Chapter 7

[lux_apollo]

Title: Spiral
Author: lux_apollo
Rating: R for violence.
Pairings: Bobby/John, some minor Kitty/Piotr, Scott/Jean and Remy/Rogue seen in this chapter.
Summary: John arrives back at the Brotherhood Base. X-men meeting. Poker night for Bobby and friends. Bobby and Justin have a talk.

Notes: Thanks to sarahlu81 and miss_bushido for beta. This fic is cross posted at x_slash and

Comments

[anonymous]

Ah yes... well, that is something that isn't explained well. There are four youngsters in the Brotherhood right now: John, Wanda, Pietro and Dominic. John is going on 19, Wanda and Pietro are both a year older; and Dominic is about the same age as John. About six months younger, we'll say.

John isn't the strongest guy, no, but that doesn't mean he isn't scrappy and that doesn't mean he doesn't get physically violent. He won't shrink from a fist fight. He knows how to make someone feel intimidated.

I envision that Dominic and John would have a very antagonistic relationship, but John has the upper hand only because his powers actually hurt flesh directly and because he's been around the Brotherhood longer and therefore has more 'rank' or 'seniority', or something like that.

Anyway... with respect to that scene in particular, Avalanche brings up one of the things that John hates the most about his life. It is one of the only moments in his life where he has any sort of hate or regret or angst about his powers. John's coming into the base, intent on sleeping and worried about what Magneto's going to do since he screwed up another mission (sort of). Being greeted by Dominic when Pyro is in a bad mood is in and of itself something that could provoke a reaction, but to bring up the deaths of his parents... That would drive John mad. Regardless of powers, I would imagine the first reaction would be a physical one, lashing out.

Perhaps Avalanche has never used that particular insult on Pyro before. His reaction suggests he didn't anticipate or expect John to get that violent. He just knew he was pissing John off and then pushed it farther, underestimating how furious it would make John. When you are taken by suprise like that, even someone not quite as strong (like John is compared to Dom) can momentarily get the upper hand. That moment of surprise is all John needed to click open his lighter and ensure Dominic's co-operation

Does that make sense?

I dunno. I just feel like the shoving, choking, etc. is so much more of a visceral reaction that it just fits in with how deeply those words cut at John. John isn't cold and unfeeling; rather, I think that he's wildly passionate, but he hides that under a mask of indifference and bitter sarcasm most of the time because emotions hurt and make him feel weak. This reaction, I assume, stems back to his childhood relationship with his parents (most specifically with his father), who were definitely of the 'boys don't cry' type of people and would have raised him in such a way as to develop these poor coping mechanisms.

Eh... okay, this essay is finished. Sorry about the rant. I just can't explain myself adequately with concision. Cause I suck at being concise.

[lux_apollo]

^^^

That was me.

[talktooloose]

Oh, I totally got the insult-basis for the fight.

And (you good writer, you) you had the mystery explained to us later in the chapter by another character in another context. Clever.

I just thought that someone holding a little zippo flame to my crotch is not really as threatening as someone holding a knife and I would just shove them away.

[lux_apollo]

Not if you know how quickly that flame would incinerate your balls, if you tried anything.

*grins*

[talktooloose]

*click* *FWOOSH*

YOOOOWWWWWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm delirious. I just spent ALL DAY rewriting Chapter 4 after my beta's comments.

It's 9800 fucking words now!

*dies*

[lux_apollo]

Lol crazy! I can't wait to see it!