{Fic} tDZ: Fear (1/1) pre-Bruce/Johnny
Fear
By Clarity Scifiroots
Claim: The Dead Zone - Johnny/Bruce
Prompt: Mistake ( Table)
Word Count: 575
Rating: Fan Rated Teen (mild language)
Summary: Bruce can’t do what Johnny’s asking. (Some dialogue directly from “Finding Rachel”)
Spoilers!: Finding Rachel (season three opener)
---
How could he ask that? What the fuck is John thinking? Jesus, everything was going to hell in a hand basket. Or Johnny was going crazy.
“You have to promise me...”
Not in a million years. Not with a gun pressed against his head; not even if Johnny was the one holding the gun. He wouldn’t-couldn’t do it.
Bruce gripped the steering wheel tightly and let his forehead drop to rest between his hands. A sharp, broken gasp tore through his throat. When was the last time he cried? Damnit. He couldn’t do this, couldn’t listen anymore, not when Johnny was asking the impossible.
“You have to do whatever it takes to stop me.”
Never happening. He didn’t doubt Johnny’s sense of justice, but even if the man started the great fire of destruction... Well, Bruce wouldn’t be far behind. He’d be right there, holding a torch if not Johnny’s hand.
“You don’t understand,” he choked. Johnny didn’t often get visions from him. He used to think that was lucky, that it meant his secret could be safe and wouldn’t make their friendship awkward. Now he wondered if it wouldn’t be better for Johnny to know and understand how this would kill Bruce.
You can’t ask me this. No fucking way I’d do it. He sobbed again, his chest aching with horror the recent conversation had inspired.
---
Johnny knew before the door slammed that he had made a mistake. He didn’t know what else to do. This whole Armageddon thing was tearing away his sanity-he feared the toll it would take in his future. Who else could he ask to watch him? Take care of things if they went too far? No one knew him better than Bruce. He understood that it was a difficult request... but who else? Walt might actually be happy to take care of things, but Johnny couldn’t trust the man to catch him before it was too late.
“Ask me anything else, man, but not this. I gotta go... I can’t... I just... I gotta go...”
He’d ran from the basement like the hounds of hell were at his heels. Johnny slumped against a countertop in exhaustion. What should he do? He didn’t know where to go from here-had no idea what Wey wanted or what Stillson’s next move might be. He wished he didn’t know; didn’t have to know.
“Johnny, I love you, man. I will follow you anywhere.”
With a shudder, Johnny closed his eyes. He shied away from the wash of emotion the echo of those words caused. He refused to analyze what Bruce had meant, if there was something deeper than the close friendship. He told himself he didn’t want anything else and that even if he did, he didn’t need the complications.
---
Later, while Johnny was out in a dark forest lost between visions and a blackout, Bruce called the Smith estate.
“John... look. It’s not gonna happen. You’re better than all that. Don’t let this vision creep mess with your head. I’m not gonna watch you lose it, no way you’re the cause of the end of the world.” A momentary pause and a deep sigh. Bruce continued in a softer tone, “I’m not gonna do it, man. I love you and there’s no way in hell I’d do that. You can’t ask me. Just... take care of yourself, okay? Please... give me a call. You’re not picking up the cell.”
--- Fin ---
By Clarity Scifiroots
Claim: The Dead Zone - Johnny/Bruce
Prompt: Mistake ( Table)
Word Count: 575
Rating: Fan Rated Teen (mild language)
Summary: Bruce can’t do what Johnny’s asking. (Some dialogue directly from “Finding Rachel”)
Spoilers!: Finding Rachel (season three opener)
---
How could he ask that? What the fuck is John thinking? Jesus, everything was going to hell in a hand basket. Or Johnny was going crazy.
“You have to promise me...”
Not in a million years. Not with a gun pressed against his head; not even if Johnny was the one holding the gun. He wouldn’t-couldn’t do it.
Bruce gripped the steering wheel tightly and let his forehead drop to rest between his hands. A sharp, broken gasp tore through his throat. When was the last time he cried? Damnit. He couldn’t do this, couldn’t listen anymore, not when Johnny was asking the impossible.
“You have to do whatever it takes to stop me.”
Never happening. He didn’t doubt Johnny’s sense of justice, but even if the man started the great fire of destruction... Well, Bruce wouldn’t be far behind. He’d be right there, holding a torch if not Johnny’s hand.
“You don’t understand,” he choked. Johnny didn’t often get visions from him. He used to think that was lucky, that it meant his secret could be safe and wouldn’t make their friendship awkward. Now he wondered if it wouldn’t be better for Johnny to know and understand how this would kill Bruce.
You can’t ask me this. No fucking way I’d do it. He sobbed again, his chest aching with horror the recent conversation had inspired.
---
Johnny knew before the door slammed that he had made a mistake. He didn’t know what else to do. This whole Armageddon thing was tearing away his sanity-he feared the toll it would take in his future. Who else could he ask to watch him? Take care of things if they went too far? No one knew him better than Bruce. He understood that it was a difficult request... but who else? Walt might actually be happy to take care of things, but Johnny couldn’t trust the man to catch him before it was too late.
“Ask me anything else, man, but not this. I gotta go... I can’t... I just... I gotta go...”
He’d ran from the basement like the hounds of hell were at his heels. Johnny slumped against a countertop in exhaustion. What should he do? He didn’t know where to go from here-had no idea what Wey wanted or what Stillson’s next move might be. He wished he didn’t know; didn’t have to know.
“Johnny, I love you, man. I will follow you anywhere.”
With a shudder, Johnny closed his eyes. He shied away from the wash of emotion the echo of those words caused. He refused to analyze what Bruce had meant, if there was something deeper than the close friendship. He told himself he didn’t want anything else and that even if he did, he didn’t need the complications.
---
Later, while Johnny was out in a dark forest lost between visions and a blackout, Bruce called the Smith estate.
“John... look. It’s not gonna happen. You’re better than all that. Don’t let this vision creep mess with your head. I’m not gonna watch you lose it, no way you’re the cause of the end of the world.” A momentary pause and a deep sigh. Bruce continued in a softer tone, “I’m not gonna do it, man. I love you and there’s no way in hell I’d do that. You can’t ask me. Just... take care of yourself, okay? Please... give me a call. You’re not picking up the cell.”
--- Fin ---