Nothing Gold Can Stay
V-day fic for verde_speaks. I haven't read the Outsiders is so long so I had to sparknote it. Wonder where my copy went...Oh well, anyway, this will probably be better if you've actually read "The Outsiders" but it's not required. You could always sparknote it. XD
Prompt 1: A gen story describing why John dyed his hair blond, referencing The Outsiders, Ponyboy, Robert Frost (possibly with references to Bobby, there), and talks of staying Gold and Johnny and the irony of dying from burns and John's new line of business. No, really. I am all about the gen.
His first copy is an old, battered one that he found in a trash can. He's six and looting the trash can for food when it catches his eyes, the title still legible despite the torn cover: The Outsiders.
Despite the fact that he's never really been to school, St. John Allerdyce is not stupid. He's taught himself to read, eyes always hungrily devouring words because his stomach isn't digesting food and his heart isn't drowning in love. So with one hand, he snatches up the book and with the other he picks up the thrown leftovers of chinese takeout and heads home.
Home is nothing more than a trashed apartment about to rip apart at the seams. It houses his drunkard father and junkie mother and not much else. John opens the door (without a key because the lock has long since been broken, like everything else) and quietly puts his day's find on the floor (because the table is missing one leg and nothing will stay on it). His father is passed out on the couch, which is a relief because that means he'll get no more bruises to add to his collection today. So he scampers off to his room, leans halfway out of his window in order to get enough light from the street light, and begins to read.
He doesn't quite understand the poem, though there's something niggling in the back of his brain, telling him it's important. And despite the fact that there's a character with almost his name (Johnny isn't quite St. John but some might say it's close enough) and almost his life (the same drunkard father but an indifferent mother instead of a junkie one), John finds himself hating Johnny. He thinks Johnny is weak and stupid, dead because he saved some nameless kid from some dumbass fire. Yes, Johnny is weak and stupid, timid to the point where John thinks he could be blown away by the smallest breeze.
But Johnny is also loved, by Ponyboy and his brothers, by the rest of the greaser crew, and so much by Dally that when he dies Dally commits suicide. Johnny is loved, perceived as a hero for rescuing that kid, and strong enough to kill someone when it counts. John, is none of these things and for all that he tells himself that he refuses to be some wuss, maybe Johnny is who he really wants to be.
*
His second copy is in perfect condition, fresh from the store, and even gift wrapped. "What's with this, Drake?" John asks, glancing down at the gift being thrust in his face.
Bobby's grin is shy and charming, not that John will ever admit it, as he says, "You never told me your birthday, so I picked one for you."
John snorts but takes the gift anyway. "And what's so special about today?"
Bobby winces and glances around to make sure there's no one else there. Finally, he takes a deep breath and warns, "You'd better not call me a sissy or anything or I'll freeze every damn thing you own," before admitting, "Today's the first day we met."
The first day they met was not a pleasant one. Contrary to popular belief, Bobby was not the first at the mansion, John was. The day the professor told him someone else was coming, John vowed to hate whoever the newcomer was because the mansion was supposed to be his, not shared with other people. In truth, he'd worried that the professor would like this newcomer more than John and then where would John be? Back on the streets? So the first time they met, John scowled and sneered and then punched a young Bobby Drake in the face when he mistakenly called John Johnny.
John remembers this and laughs, "Drake, you're such a girl." The punch he receives for that comment is not girly at all. Despite the burning pain in his upper arm, John unwraps his gift and inhales sharply when he sees it. "Drake?" he asks uncertainly, not quite sure how to feel.
Bobby, nervous about his gift, babbles, "Is it all right, Johnny? I know you like to read and all and you told me once you liked this book. I mean if I'm wrong and it's not all right we can return the book and I'll get you somethi-"
"Bobby, shut up. It's fine." John says, tucking the book away in the top drawer of his dresser, along with his spare lighters and emergency money. "Come on, let's go to dinner."
It's been a year and two months and John's given up trying to get Bobby to call him something besides Johnny (Bobby is as stubborn as anything and ever since the first punch he's refused to back down). For Bobby, St. John Allerdyce can be Johnny, maybe even wants to be. But if anyone else dares call him that it's still a punch in the face and a fist full of flames, that is, until Bobby freezes it.
*
His third copy is one he buys for himself from a second hand shop along with a bottle of bleach to dye his hair with, being a wanted terrorist means making sacrifices and changing appearances is one of them. Besides, blond isn't such a bad color. This copy is a little worn around the edges with a few dog-eared pages here and there, but overall still in pretty good condition.
John goes home to his apartment, a modest one that isn't in the city ghetto but not in the rich areas either, and proceeds to dye his hair. While he's waiting for the bleach to set, he opens up the book and starts reading from the beginning again.
It's been two years and five months since Alkatraz. John's a little older and he'd like to think a little wiser. Magneto's gotten his powers back and so has Mystique. They came looking for him three months ago but John declined to join up again. He's made a decent living for himself, starting up a business on ebay (with the internet, anyone can make money, even wanted terrorists) and carving out a nice, quiet life for himself. He's not as brash as he was in his youth; he's not an activist anymore, but neither is he a hero. They weren't quite happy with his answer, Mystique in particular, hissing out "Someday you'll see you can't hide forever. Someday you'll be sorry you didn't come back."
"Maybe," John agrees, "but for now, this is my life."
Another month and a half passes by and one day there's a knock on his door. The delivery man doesn't say much besides the customary "Sign here please," before handing John the package and walking away. Curious, John closes the door and heads back to the couch. After marking his page in his book (he's gotten to the part where Johnny's dying again), John sets it aside and opens the box. Inside, there's another book in the same condition as he last saw it. There's a post it note attached to the front with familiar scrawl on it. Happy Birthday, Johnny.
With a laugh John leans back and opens the cover only to find that there's more written on the cover page. "Hah, you're still such a girl, Drake.
Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.
Robert Frost
-
His first copy burned up when he discovered his mutant powers by accident and inadverdantly torched his apartment.
His second copy was left behind when he left without really planning to in a spur of the moment decision.
His last copy was sold back to the book store with one page still dog-eared.
Prompt 1: A gen story describing why John dyed his hair blond, referencing The Outsiders, Ponyboy, Robert Frost (possibly with references to Bobby, there), and talks of staying Gold and Johnny and the irony of dying from burns and John's new line of business. No, really. I am all about the gen.
His first copy is an old, battered one that he found in a trash can. He's six and looting the trash can for food when it catches his eyes, the title still legible despite the torn cover: The Outsiders.
Despite the fact that he's never really been to school, St. John Allerdyce is not stupid. He's taught himself to read, eyes always hungrily devouring words because his stomach isn't digesting food and his heart isn't drowning in love. So with one hand, he snatches up the book and with the other he picks up the thrown leftovers of chinese takeout and heads home.
Home is nothing more than a trashed apartment about to rip apart at the seams. It houses his drunkard father and junkie mother and not much else. John opens the door (without a key because the lock has long since been broken, like everything else) and quietly puts his day's find on the floor (because the table is missing one leg and nothing will stay on it). His father is passed out on the couch, which is a relief because that means he'll get no more bruises to add to his collection today. So he scampers off to his room, leans halfway out of his window in order to get enough light from the street light, and begins to read.
He doesn't quite understand the poem, though there's something niggling in the back of his brain, telling him it's important. And despite the fact that there's a character with almost his name (Johnny isn't quite St. John but some might say it's close enough) and almost his life (the same drunkard father but an indifferent mother instead of a junkie one), John finds himself hating Johnny. He thinks Johnny is weak and stupid, dead because he saved some nameless kid from some dumbass fire. Yes, Johnny is weak and stupid, timid to the point where John thinks he could be blown away by the smallest breeze.
But Johnny is also loved, by Ponyboy and his brothers, by the rest of the greaser crew, and so much by Dally that when he dies Dally commits suicide. Johnny is loved, perceived as a hero for rescuing that kid, and strong enough to kill someone when it counts. John, is none of these things and for all that he tells himself that he refuses to be some wuss, maybe Johnny is who he really wants to be.
*
His second copy is in perfect condition, fresh from the store, and even gift wrapped. "What's with this, Drake?" John asks, glancing down at the gift being thrust in his face.
Bobby's grin is shy and charming, not that John will ever admit it, as he says, "You never told me your birthday, so I picked one for you."
John snorts but takes the gift anyway. "And what's so special about today?"
Bobby winces and glances around to make sure there's no one else there. Finally, he takes a deep breath and warns, "You'd better not call me a sissy or anything or I'll freeze every damn thing you own," before admitting, "Today's the first day we met."
The first day they met was not a pleasant one. Contrary to popular belief, Bobby was not the first at the mansion, John was. The day the professor told him someone else was coming, John vowed to hate whoever the newcomer was because the mansion was supposed to be his, not shared with other people. In truth, he'd worried that the professor would like this newcomer more than John and then where would John be? Back on the streets? So the first time they met, John scowled and sneered and then punched a young Bobby Drake in the face when he mistakenly called John Johnny.
John remembers this and laughs, "Drake, you're such a girl." The punch he receives for that comment is not girly at all. Despite the burning pain in his upper arm, John unwraps his gift and inhales sharply when he sees it. "Drake?" he asks uncertainly, not quite sure how to feel.
Bobby, nervous about his gift, babbles, "Is it all right, Johnny? I know you like to read and all and you told me once you liked this book. I mean if I'm wrong and it's not all right we can return the book and I'll get you somethi-"
"Bobby, shut up. It's fine." John says, tucking the book away in the top drawer of his dresser, along with his spare lighters and emergency money. "Come on, let's go to dinner."
It's been a year and two months and John's given up trying to get Bobby to call him something besides Johnny (Bobby is as stubborn as anything and ever since the first punch he's refused to back down). For Bobby, St. John Allerdyce can be Johnny, maybe even wants to be. But if anyone else dares call him that it's still a punch in the face and a fist full of flames, that is, until Bobby freezes it.
*
His third copy is one he buys for himself from a second hand shop along with a bottle of bleach to dye his hair with, being a wanted terrorist means making sacrifices and changing appearances is one of them. Besides, blond isn't such a bad color. This copy is a little worn around the edges with a few dog-eared pages here and there, but overall still in pretty good condition.
John goes home to his apartment, a modest one that isn't in the city ghetto but not in the rich areas either, and proceeds to dye his hair. While he's waiting for the bleach to set, he opens up the book and starts reading from the beginning again.
It's been two years and five months since Alkatraz. John's a little older and he'd like to think a little wiser. Magneto's gotten his powers back and so has Mystique. They came looking for him three months ago but John declined to join up again. He's made a decent living for himself, starting up a business on ebay (with the internet, anyone can make money, even wanted terrorists) and carving out a nice, quiet life for himself. He's not as brash as he was in his youth; he's not an activist anymore, but neither is he a hero. They weren't quite happy with his answer, Mystique in particular, hissing out "Someday you'll see you can't hide forever. Someday you'll be sorry you didn't come back."
"Maybe," John agrees, "but for now, this is my life."
Another month and a half passes by and one day there's a knock on his door. The delivery man doesn't say much besides the customary "Sign here please," before handing John the package and walking away. Curious, John closes the door and heads back to the couch. After marking his page in his book (he's gotten to the part where Johnny's dying again), John sets it aside and opens the box. Inside, there's another book in the same condition as he last saw it. There's a post it note attached to the front with familiar scrawl on it. Happy Birthday, Johnny.
With a laugh John leans back and opens the cover only to find that there's more written on the cover page. "Hah, you're still such a girl, Drake.
Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.
Robert Frost
-
His first copy burned up when he discovered his mutant powers by accident and inadverdantly torched his apartment.
His second copy was left behind when he left without really planning to in a spur of the moment decision.
His last copy was sold back to the book store with one page still dog-eared.