So, apparently I should write these things

Disclaimer: I own nothing. And I only wish I could find a way to profit off of all this. 'Fraid not.

This is my first official fabfiction. It'll mostly be first person, a bunch of different POV's. Eventually it'll also be a Pyro-Iceman thing, so any slash haters, turn back now.

And Then There Were Two

Prologue

None of us really knew what to make of it when four months after the... incident at Alcatraz, John Allerdyce, or possibly Pyro appeared once more before the imposing doors of Charles Xavier's mansion. The door was slammed once, and nearly again a second time. There were arguments, loud ones, to which Pyro himself contributed nothing more than a quiet explanation and a strangely defiant look. Threats were uttered through, of course, the noxious cigar of none other than Logan.

When he arrived, he was slightly battered and much the worse for wear, as well as soaked to the bone from the impressive storm that raged outside ("I had nothing to do with it!" protests Storm, guiltily). For the damage and indeed for his continued existence outside of a high security no explanations were forthcoming, although a few theories popped up, most of them cynical and belonging to Logan.

Perhaps it was in the professor's memory. Forgiveness and second chances were his thing, after all, and he wouldn't want one of his students left out in the rain. And so, there was a second chance. (To be completely accurate, it was closer to a third chance, but that's another story altogether.) There were restrictions, of course. One mis-step he'd be out again, for good.

The problem with second chances is that you have to earn it from every person involved in the original mistake. John thought that by now he was probably good with the Professor (and he probably understood already, well before John did). This left him with two people to make amends to, neither of whom he is looking forward to.

Despite his reluctance, John gets his chance very soon after his not-so-triumphant return. Just as he was leaving the infirmary; "Christ, this is unnecessary, I'm fine! And would you get the hell away from me with that needle!" he runs into Bobby Drake, one of the two people lucky enough to warrant an apology.

They both stopped, and they stared for a while, like deer caught in headlights. Finally, Bobby broke his gaze as he closed the remaining distance slowly, looking almost in a daze. John flinched slightly, expecting to be shoved and telling himself not to hit back just this once, and so he was taken by surprise when he was engulfed in a hug. A reluctant, confused hug, but a hug nonetheless, and orders of magnitude better than a punch.

Then suddenly Bobby let go, and seemed to remember something. He started talking, quietly and angrily at first and escalating into loud and angry, and punctuated with shoving.

"What are you doing here? Where the hell were you? Four months! Four damned months, you utter bastard! And what the hell is wrong with you, just leaving, going with Magneto and Mystique? They're dangerous! They're murderous maniacs, they tried to kill us, they tried to kill Marie, why would you leave, with them?"

John had never had a cool head, especially around Bobby, and this was no exception. "Oh yeah, because you really gave a rat's ass about me leaving! I didn't see you asking me to stay! Didn't even leave your perfect little jet, did you? I was doing you a favour, leaving you to your perfect school and your perfect," he hesitates for an instant here, before continuing on a different tack, "I didn't belong here, not with y-them. You're all the same, you're condescending and you think you're oh-so-perfect and virtuous when really it's just stupidly naive and unrealistic."

"Oh, is that what you think of m- us? At least we weren't violent, and unprincipled and completely out of control and reckless."

This all sounded like it was about something big, about the X-Men and the Brotherhood. But it was too late at night for big concepts, and all they were really thinking about was Bobby and John, and about mundane, confusing problems that don't come with simple answers. Both of them knew it. They deflated slightly, torn between being angry at seeing someone who should be an enemy and being relieved at seeing a friend safe after a long separation, and confused and angry about the indecision over what should be simple.

Bobby decided that something should be said, and so, his voice sinking into a hesitant murmur, he confessed, "I should have hated you. I should still hate you, but it's even harder now. I didn't know what I'd do, if I ever did find you again. Would I punch that smirk of yours right off your face? Or hug you like an old friend? I mean- God, I don't know what I mean."

"Yeah," just for a moment, the self-assured smirk slips from his face, allowing his hesitant uncertainty to appear, "I think I know what you mean. It feels wrong, when there's... important people on the other side of a fight." Then, just as mysteriously as it appeared, the sincerity vanishes, although it leaves behind a fair bit of hesitancy for the subject that follows. "Ah, could I... stay, uh, where I used to," referring to the arrangement of two to a room. This is mostly for the benefit of newcomer children who gain the companionship of someone who knows the school. As they got older, students generally used to end up in separate rooms. Recently, though, the X-Men became far more popular, as the 'good guys', and space was becoming a valuable commodity. Almost sheepishly John continued, "It's just, I don't think anyone else really wants to share with me, I sure as hell couldn't stand them, and I hear you're getting low on space in this old heap."

"Well, just to save space. We have some serious shit to talk about later, though." Listening to himself talk, Bobby thought it was almost funny how quickly he had fallen back into his old habits, as if there was a part of him left unchanged, just waiting for John to return. Which is preposterous, of course.

"If you say so."

"Bobby, we're going to start the movie without you, how long could it possibly take you to – oh. What the hell is he doing here?"

Yeah, well, hopefully it'll get better. Sorry about the ending, I couldn't think of any other way to finish it. I'd appreciate any advice you can give me, because I'm not sure how to develop their relationship: should there long-standing affections or is it a new thing? One-sided or mutual? Heck, I'll even read the flames. Then I'll laugh. Snicker perhaps. Come on, you know you want to.

Love, Colvine

I decided to go back and fix up my writing since I can't get to the internet to post anything. So, when I finally get to post, it will be a little better, grammatically, and I will be much happier with the narration itself. I haven't actually changed any major plot events, so re-reading is by no means necessary. Either way, enjoy!