Around the Island, Thursday Morning

[furnaceface]

Because of the summer heat over the past little while, Jono had refrained from going on his morning runs, mostly because there wasn't a whole hell of a lot he could do if he happened to overheat in the process. Sure, he was full of something not unlike flame, but the burn scars around the edges of it were testament enough to the fact that he wasn't actually heat-proof. And, while he had a water bottle with him, it was more for dumping cold water on the back of his neck than it was for drinking, for obvious reasons.

He'd managed to catch a good part of the morning today, and was taking an extra long run around the island to make up for lost time, spending extra laps navigating the stairs and heading to traverse the trails at the park whenever he needed something resembling a break. It still wasn't half as intense as his training in New York would've been, but at least it would get Jubes off his case if she asked him when the last time he'd done cardio (ha) was.

He'd never admit it, but he had kind of missed this.

And it was better than brooding, Iris.

[OOC: Open streets are open! Man on fire is on fire!]

Comments

[deaddadsclub]

"Seriously?"

Cristina wasn't so much walking Mrs. Rodriguez as idling slowly around while he sniffed things.

And staring at Guy on Fire as he went running by.

"Seriously."

[furnaceface]

//... Seriously?//

Yes, Guy on Fire was pausing and glancing at Cristina at that, jogging in place and raising an eyebrow.

//Never see a jogger before?//

In Seattle?

[deaddadsclub]

Cristina gave him a Look.

"It's just barely not a million degrees out here anymore. I know you don't have any thoracic organs to overheat, but you still have a brain, don't you?"

[furnaceface]

//Usually.//

Look, there had been this one time that...

Nevermind.

//That's why I'm out in th'morning, before the heat of the day really catches up. And if I do get too hot, I'll find the shade and douse myself.// He waved his water bottle around. //I know th'drill.//

This summer was going to be defined by fighting types doing training outdoors and being judged for it, wasn't it?

[deaddadsclub]

That was what happened when you had an actual doctor around who didn't want to have to take care of your ass unless you were surgical.

"Doesn't this place have a gym?"

[furnaceface]

//Yes,// Jono replied, //and I've got one at home. But it seemed like a good morning for the fresh air.//

He shrugged.

//I know my limit, Doctor Yang. Spent plenty of time figuring it out, and I'm careful to not cross it.//

For example, he was wearing a white t-shirt and track pants today, instead of... leather over leather with leather accents.

[deaddadsclub]

"You don't even breathe."

Rude, Cristina. But hey, at least she wasn't asking about what kind of fumes he was or was not putting into the air with his weird chest fire?

[furnaceface]

//And here you're worried I'll overheat,// Jono countered. //Most people assume I'm fireproof.//

Which would be nice, admittedly.

[deaddadsclub]

"I mean. You are on fire. I feel like that's not an unreasonable assumption."

But heatstroke and being on fire were two different problems, medically. And having, you know, touched his chest when she learned he didn't have organs, she knew the fire didn't put out a traditional sort of heat.

[spectre_alenko]

Kaidan was also out for a run. Catching sight of a familiar flame, he caught up and matched pace. "Hey, Jono. How's it going?"

[furnaceface]

//Can't complain,// Jono replied, glancing Kaidan's way and giving a little nod. //Been too long since it was cool enough t'do much of this, I'm trying to make up for lost time now. Yourself?//

[spectre_alenko]

"I run even in the heat," Kaidan said with a wry smile, "Otherwise, I get too restless during the day. It's a nice morning, though. The breeze off the ocean is good. How's your class going? I heard you got voluntold for one, on the radio."

[furnaceface]

//I have fewer ways to cool down,// Jono replied, shaking his head a little. //Otherwise I'd be right out there running with you. I understand restlessness.//

Which was why he kept going back to teach at that bloody school in New York even though it was clearly bad for his health.

//And... god... don't get me started on the class,// he muttered with a roll of his eyes. //I won't stop.//

He wouldn't.

[spectre_alenko]

Kaidan glanced Jono over for a second, because the whole lack of ability to, y'know, drink anything, hadn't really occurred to him. "Yeah, I guess you wouldn't. You could get one of those neck things, maybe; the kind you soak in water and hang around your neck? Unless, uh, you couldn't tie it in front. Could maybe clip it to the neck of your shirt and stop at your collarbone?"

He stopped that suggestion. It was just getting awkward.

"I'm a good ear if you need to vent," Kaidan offered instead.

[furnaceface]

An ice bandanna? Jono was briefly tempted. And then his sense of style ruled it out, because it was great fashion if you were a golden retriever, maybe...

//I'll figure something out,// he decided, giving Kaidan an amused look. //Have you heard what that class is?//

[spectre_alenko]

You could get one in black leather with a terrycloth interior. Just sayin'. Except not really saying.

"No?" Kaidan asked, catching the look and raising a brow, "Who named it? I take it, not you?"

[furnaceface]

//Not me,// Jono muttered. //I wanted to teach a music class. Instead, it's Brooding for Dummies, courtesy of Iris. She's lucky I don't evict her or something, but I'm not quite that spiteful.//

[doesnotkneel]

It was a hungover Edward - but then, when wasn't he? - who ambled up to the prow of the Jackdaw sometime that morning to squint at the island and curse being awake.

... and then paused.

"Morning, mr. Starsmore," he called.

Right. Fandom.

[furnaceface]

And it took Jono a moment because, well, he suspected it had been a fair bit more time for Edward than it had been for himself. He blinked that way, and then course-corrected and jogged on over.

//Morning, mate,// he greeted, coming to a stop not far off. //And a good one, I hope?//

[doesnotkneel]

"I've had better, I've had worse," Edward said. He lifted his chin. "Though none so horrid or so wonderful that I'd get up and run about at this hour."

To be fair, 'this hour' could be anywhere up to noon.

[furnaceface]

//Well, it's either this hour or th'next one,// Jono replied, amused. //I'm not going running in the afternoon if I can help it.//

Because it would be miserable and he would be miserable, and the island didn't need that much misery all at once.

[doesnotkneel]

"Why run at all?" Edward asked practically, leaning on the railing.

[furnaceface]

//Because if I don't run now, it'll be that much harder to th'next time something tries to take my head off,// Jono replied easily, tilting his head a little. //And it gets me out of th'house.//

[doesnotkneel]

"Seems like borrowing trouble to me," Edward said, unaware just how much this encounter would prepare him for meeting James Kidd but months from now. "Come on up here, have a drink, man. You'll wind up dead at this rate."

[furnaceface]

//Can't drink,// Jono noted, //but I won't say no to a break and some company for a bit, why the hell not?//

Maybe he secretly always kind of wanted to board a pirate ship, okay?