Chapter Text
John let out a sigh, some kids were playing in the snow, happily throwing snowball at each other while laughing, a sweet chocalate sense is flotting in the air, along with voice singing joyful chrismas song. Everything is so bright, so noisy, yet John felt so empty, when is last time he felt happy again ? Not sure he remember...
- Watch out !
Before he even has time to react, something, or someone, he is not very sure, bump into his side and send him right on the floor, ass in the snow.
- Ah sorry ! Are you alright ?
John frowned, he's pretty sure he know that voice, and it doesn't bring happy memories... The other man land him an hand and John looks at him... he surly has changed a little but John hadn't forgot thoses sharp golden eyes and this messy red hair.
- Blyke ?...
The redhead seems as surprised as him, he blink twice before finaly open his mouth.
- John ?!
He frown and John is pretty sure he has seen a hint of anger in his eyes, but however, his hand still outstretched. John isn't angry against Blyke anymore, it's been a long time since his anger vanished, now he's just... tired.
- Come on dude ! You're not gonna ignore me like this ! complained the lazer boy, or more like lazer man now.
John hesitate a little before taking his hand. Blyke help him to get up on his feet before dusting off his jacket covered with snow and picking up the bags he dropped during the jostling.
- So... Uh... It's been a long time... Funny to see you again... Begin ackwardly the red haired man in a poor attempt to start a conversation.
- Yeah...
Blyke scrub the back of his head with an embarassed face and the akward silence which settle down between them is very uncomfortable. John know he's not making thing easier but honestly he doesn't really know how is supposed to react.
- Uhm... So... Are you busy right now ?
- No... Not really...
- Then do you want to have a drink ?... With me I mean...
***
This is akward... This is so akward... Last time he interacted with the red-head, he smashed his head on the ground, he was pretty sure that the red-hair -understandbly- hated him, yet, here they are, sitting face to face in a little pub, chatting like if nothing happended... Well acctully, it was more like Blyke trying to have a conversation and John responding in monosyllable. John sipped his mulled wine to give himself some composure, it's been years he didn't see the other boy, however Blyke didn't changed that much, he was a little bit taller and a little bit more muscular -still smaller than him thought- but his face was still almost the same, maybe something about the eyes, they seemed duller than in his memories and maybe a little bit... sad ?
- Uhm... So you're really not going to talk ?... Asked the red-haired man, embarassed.
- Why did you invited me ?
The former Jake of Wellston stayed silent, suprised by the sudden question. He looked at him with a confused gaze before begin to anwser.
- Well... I mean... I know we never had the best relationsphip but it was ages ago and...
- You're not anwsering my question. Cut John.
- I don't know... It's Christmas eve, you looked lonely and kinda depressed, I though I could help... I guess ?...
So it was pity, John wasn't even surprised, he fronwed remembering why he disliked Blyke so much. His fucking habit to act like a know-it-all, his stupid self-righteousness, with the hindsight John has now, he knows that Blyke had never been the worst out of the Wellston student, if he was being honest with himself -and god known how much he hated that- John could even said that Blyke was a quite decent guy -well, as decent as can be a Wellston student at least-, however, he still was the one John hated the most, cause each time he talked to him, he was felling like shit.
- I don't need your pity. Growled John. Like you said, it's Christmas Eve, you don't have anything better to do ?! I don't know, why don't you go hanging around with your two buddies Remi and Isen ?!
John sighted internally, he really thought he succeded into getting ride of his anger, but finaly seems like he was still bitter after all. He waited for Blyke to snap and tell him who much of an ass he was and who much he havn't changed but nothing come, Blyke just looked away like a sad puppy. For some reason, John anger dropped a little, he was suprised, that was unexpected.
- No need to be so angry, I'm not here to start a fight, I was just trying to be nice ok... I've never been very good at it, it's more... Remi's thing... By the way, I doubt that you care but it's been like years I didn't talked with Remi and Isen...
Even more unexpected... The golden trio had been divided, not that he cared about them but... Seems like friendship was just an idealistic bullshit after all, not that he doubted that anyway.
- Then where were you rushing like that with all those bag full of christmas stuff ?
- I was heading to Grasshill, to help out some... friends ?
Grasshill ?... Wasn't that a low ranker district ? Like if Blyke could genuinly be friends with low rankers, he was helping them out of pity for sure.
- So you're still doing that ? Sighted John.
- Doing what ?
- Pretending to help low rankers to make yourself looking like some saint savior.
If Blyke could shot lazer from his eyes -Can he ?- John would most likely be dead right now, red-haired dude was clearly angry, here was the Blyke he remembered.
- What's your fucking problem ?! Why are you always so aggresive ?! Is that so difficult to accecpt that sometimes people just want to help ? That not everyone is a piece of shit ?!
- Because everyone is a piece of shit, you can try as hard as you want, reality will came back for, that's how it work.
Blyke sighted again, finishing his drink with a disappointed look. The silence took place once again while the two man where just staring at the ceiling.
- ... Why did you accept to have a drink with me if you still think I'm a piece of shit ?... Whispered Blyke.
- ... I don't know...
That was a good question, why did he came here in a first place, what was he expecting ?
- Dude you're fucking depressing...
- And you're fucking dumb for expecting something from me.
- Fair enough... Answered Blyke with a smirk.
John felt even more drained than before he entered in this pub, honestly he was tired of fighting, and he was pretty sure the redhead was feeling the same.
- Why did you seperate yourself from Remi and Isen ?
Once again John had no idea why he asked that, he couldn't care less about the trio. Blyke had a bitter laugh.
- Honestly that's very stupid...
John raised an eyebrow to encourage him to continue.
- Uhm... How to say that... Remi and I had been dating a while after we graduated... And... Uh... Let's say it didn't ended very well... He explained with a bitter grin.
- She ditched you. Concluded John.
- No that's not like that !
- So you ditched her ? Asked John a little bit surprised.
He had allways seen Blyke as some Remi's simp -he still remember about that beam how nearly blown up his head- so hard to imagine him ditched his precious pinky queen.
- No it's not what I mean... I mean yes ... She... She did ditched me, but saying like that it seems like she some evil heartbreaker and she isn't.
Ok so he was even worse than what John thought, the guy got didtched by his girlfriend but he was still defending her ? What a desperate case.
- If she's so great why don't you talk with her anymore ?
The red haired man sighted again, his gaze lost in the void.
- I don't know... When we broke up, I felt so miserable, I hated how she looked at me why her guilty sad puppy eyes and I hated to see the pity in Isen eyes. I just wanted to take some distance, I thought that if I could keep myself buisy enough I would stop thinking about it and before I even notice, I ended up pushing everyone away...
He slumped on the table.
- I destroyed our friendship because for the stupidest reason, I'm the worst friend ever !
- Quit being so dramatic. Sniggered John. Don't flatter yourself, I'm pretty sure I hold the title of "the worst friend ever".
The former Jack chuckled.
- You're surely difficult to dethrone.
The silence felt again as the two boys were lost in their thought. Sera appeared in John's mind, he wondered what she was doing right now, certainly not pitifully sitting in a stupid pub with her ex-enemy.
- Did you ever tried to talk again with Seraphina ? Asked Blyke.
Was he a mind reader or something ?
- ... No... Not after what happend in Wellston. Are you stupid or something ? Replyied John, frowning.
- But you never wanted to ? She was your best friend after all.
John didn't respond, did he want to talk with Sera again ? Maybe... He was surely nostalgic of the time when the two of them where carefreely hanging out at the Woaba Boba... But was it even possible, they left each other with too much hate, too much damage.
- She really cared about you, you know... Even after what happend.
John glared at him.
- She hate me.
- No she don't.
- And how would you know about that ! Yelled John.
- Cause that was so fucking obvious but you were too busy taking out your anger on every body to notice it !
- Shut the fuck up ! Don't talk like if you know everything !
Without thinking, John stood up, staring at Blyke with a threatening glare.
- Yeah you two ! No fighting in my establishment ! Intervene the pub boss.
Cooled down, John slumped in his chair with a sight.
- I shouldn't have followed you...
- I think we're doing great, we're talking for almost an hour and we aren't at each other throat yet ! A new record !
John smirked.
- Yeah you're right, that's a true achievement for us, I think we deserve an award.
- Yeah the "not-as-much-a-jerk-as-you-could-have-been" award ! Chuckled Blyke.
- Avatar the last airbender ?
- You get the reference !
- Yeah great show, love Zuko, can relate with him to a spiritual level.
- Honestly, not that much surprising. Sniggered Blyke. Zuko is pretty great, but I was more team Katara.
- Of course you would be team mom friend.
- Hey ! What's that supposed to mean ?
- That you're a self-rightious prick, but at least you do have good taste in T.V show.
- Better than nothing I guess ? Shurged Blyke. Man I thought I was the only one who liked it, Isen was always making fun of me and my tastes for "kid shows".
- Not surprising, Isen has shitty taste, I mean did you see his hair ?
Blyke chuckled again and the silence felt again but this time it wasn't tense or akward, it was just calming.
- ... Let's make a deal, you go to talk with Seraphina and I go to talk with Remi and Isen.
- I think you've drink too much wine.
- Come on dude, you want to see your friend, I want to see my friends, we're both too much of a coward to do something by ourself, let's give each other a hand !
- Sounds like the crappy plot of a stupid christmas tv movie...
- Well, it's christmas eve today...
John sighted again, in what did he get himself dragged into ?
- Fine... Let's do this...