Groovy Tunes, Sunday

[furnaceface]

Right, so today was apparently that maternal holiday here in America, though Jono wasn't terribly concerned about it one way or the other. For one, the honouring-your-mother holiday back where his mother likely still was wasn't anywhere near today. For another, Jono's mother... had been rather terrible at it.

So! The most he was going to concede to that today was maybe playing some Bohemian Rhapsody on the stereo while he sat down and read whatever book fell closest to hand that morning on his way out the door.

... Sure, he'd read that Gaiman/Pratchett collaboration novel. He enjoyed that one, anyway.

[OOC: Late post is late, OCD-free post is OCD-free!]

Comments

[nuclear_snide]

Seeing the lights on, Bob peered in, and seeing Jono inside, he walked through the nearest vertical surface. "You do still work here, then? I'd been wondering. No teaching, though?"

[furnaceface]

//I'm not completely certain what I do generally counts as 'working,'// Jono noted, lowering the book and giving Bob a small nod hello. //But no, I'm afraid I'm not teaching a workshop this term. Last semester was... a bit hellish. I'm taking a break.//

For certain values of the word 'break' that included but was not limited to being tempted to take Logan up on that offer he'd been giving for a part time teaching job back in New York.

[nuclear_snide]

Teaching in another location wasn't exactly a break.

"What, no tropical island paradise?" Bob asked. "Lounging on the sand, enjoying everybody else's margaritas?"

[furnaceface]

Jono's definition of 'break' was not exactly the same as everyone else's definition of the word.

//Black leather and tropical heat don't play nicely together,// Jono replied easily enough. //The last school trip was plenty for me, really. And if I get bitten by more wanderlust, I have a motorbike now. I'll just take advantage of the ice-free roads while I can.//

[nuclear_snide]

"The black leather is removable, you know," Bob pointed out. "And you can never have too much sun, surf, and sexy ladies in skimpy suits."

[furnaceface]

//I can have too much sun, I'm pale and British. And spoken for, much as I enjoy sexy ladies in skimpy suits. Though I suppose the surf is fine enough. It isn't as though I can drown.//

Lucky him? It had been useful in the past, he supposed.

//The black leather stays on, though. Trust me, the sexy ladies don't tend to stay around long anyway, once they notice the skinny bloke on the beach is actually on fire.//

[nuclear_snide]

"Then again, if you're already on fire, why care about the sun on black leather?" Bob pointed out.

[furnaceface]

//Because it only looks like fire,// Jono muttered, shaking his head. //It's raw psionic power. Acts the same, looks the same, does a fair bit less actually burning things, except when I want it to.//

[nuclear_snide]

"Yes, but look, do you even get hot?" Bob shook his head and held up a hand. "Never mind. Look, you really must learn to have fun a bit more often!"

You were dreadfully dull, Jono.

[furnaceface]

//Of course I get--// Jono shook his own head. It probably wasn't worth debating with Bob, at any rate. There was the numb, empty cold, but that was a different thing entirely. //Never mind, indeed. I do have fun, at least. Though I suppose you wouldn't appreciate a motorbike the same way I do anyway, would you?//

[nuclear_snide]

Bob shrugged. "Not really. I mean, I've heard about the thrill of going that fast with the wind in your hair and all, but it wouldn't do me much good."

[furnaceface]

Jono tilted his head at Bob thoughtfully for a moment.

//You know...// He was going to regret this the moment he was finished saying it, he was sure. //I do owe you one.//

He still sort of figured he owed Bob a lot, honestly, after that whole Betelgeuse thing. This wasn't exactly an offer he made lightly, considering his twitchiness about who he shared his headspace with.

[nuclear_snide]

Bob looked Jono over keenly. "You're offering to give me a ride?" Well, two of them technically.

[furnaceface]

Jono shrugged his shoulders.

//If you're interested. I'll have to nerve myself up to it a bit - still not terribly great with people in my head and all - but it's not like it's actually any trouble beyond that. And it's a hell of an experience. I think you'd like it.//

[nuclear_snide]

"I'd have to be insane to say no," Bob said. Then, just as quickly, "Don't say it."

[furnaceface]

//Wouldn't dream of it, mate,// Jono replied, faintly amused. //You'll have to wait a bit for it, of course. I'm working at the moment. But any time I'm not sitting here pretending to be productive is more or less fair game.//

A beat.

//Almost any time I'm not sitting here pretending to be productive.//

[nuclear_snide]

It probably paid to be specific with Bob, yes.

He nodded. "I'll come and find you, then. Here or at the house?"

[furnaceface]

//Either, though it's a fair bet you're less likely to be interrupting something if I'm here,// Jono noted. //What day do you teach? I'll try to keep whatever important things I have to do this week,// which was more or less 'nothing,' which was new and novel for Jonothon, //to whenever that is.//

[nuclear_snide]

"Friday," Bob answered. "I'll try not to interrupt anything fun."

[furnaceface]

//I appreciate that,// Jono replied, honestly enough. //So, how has this semester been treating you thus far? New students aren't being too much of a pain, are they?//

He had some experience with them being literally that already, though at least his hand had been healed up for him. So, there was that.

[nuclear_snide]

"We haven't really done anything yet," Bob said. "One or two need to lighten up, but I think they'll enjoy it." He remembered radio earlier that week. "That one girl, Alluka - you have an interest in her?"

[furnaceface]

//She in your class?// Jono tilted his head at Bob thoughtfully. //I was there when she first arrived on the island. She's a good kid.//

If complicated.

//Little young.//

[nuclear_snide]

"Mm. Yes, I'd noticed that," Bob said. "She said her parents have magic, but she couldn't specify what kind. Any idea?"

[furnaceface]

//Honestly? Not a clue,// Jono admitted with a shrug. //All I can really tell you about them is that they've kept her locked away for a fairly decent chunk of her life thus far, I think. She's a bit sheltered.//

And he would love to pick a bone with them about that, oh yes.

[nuclear_snide]

Bob scowled."One thing I'd rather not have in common with my students. Any idea why? Were they ashamed of her, or worried for her?"

[furnaceface]

Knowing what he did about Nanika, afraid of her, probably. Or using her somehow. Both possibilities seemed to be equally unpleasant in very different ways.

//I've really only met her the once,// Jono confessed, carefully picking at his words. //My best guess is neither, that whatever it is they can do isn't enough to keep their family safe if people have unrestricted access to her. I don't think Alluka fully realizes there's anything the matter with that. And I think, given how young she is, it might be better for her to come into that realization on her own after a bit more growing and a healthy taste of freedom, rather than having somebody sit her down and explain it to her before she's ready.//

There was a hesitant pause before he added, //If Alluka ever becomes... somebody else. If she ever seems to take a shift to the right and becomes endlessly more vast, and she asks something of somebody in your class... do them a favour and don't let them say no.//

[nuclear_snide]

Bob stared at Jono for a moment. "She's two entities? Or possessed? Or a mouthpiece for something?"

Well, magic class was going to be interesting.

[furnaceface]

//My... best guess is the first,// Jono replied. //The second and third are a possibility, I don't pretend to completely understand what Nanika is, but Alluka is so fiercely protective of that other being that I'd be hesitant to paint Nanika with any brush that would suggest she's an invading entity.//