"What do you mean by that?" Seraphina asked, she was confused. This sparked her interest, she wanted to know, why?
John glanced up at her, before looking away, "Because, EMBER isn't some shitty community you know... People there work-- to pay for their family's expenses." He said, turning back to Seraphina with a pained look. "They're low tiers, sure, but they have so much potential! They aren't some mindless idiot who wasted their lives drinking their sorrow away!"
"But, they're selling illegal drugs, John. That's not acceptable."
John wanted to shout at her, that she's not right. "But...! But what do you expect them to do?" He muttered. "Jobs won't accpet them, because they aren't-- high tiers. Do you just expect them to figure something out? No! Not all of them are lucky enough! Especially in a society like this!"
He wanted Seraphina to understand, they're more or less forced to do this. He wanted Seraphina to know how this organization isn't all about the outside, it's more on the inside. Seraphina doesn't understand, how kind everyone was to eachother.
"Listen John, the law doesn't allow this, because these are illegal. You can't have these meth productions, weed productions, they're ruining everyones lives." Seraphina explained calmly. "You must realize why they're illegal. Especially the ability-enhancing ones."
John shot a glare, "Why? Because you're afraid that they'll be more powerful than you?"
"No-- it's not that--"
"Then you tell me Seraphina, why are you guys so afraid of it?" He leaned glared at her. This was making her a little uncomfortable.
She cleared her throat, because the stare was getting to her. "John, calm down. Please don't give me that stare--"
John slammed his hands into the table so hard, it stung, "THEN TELL ME!" He snapped. Arlo flinched at his outburst. "Fucking tell me!" He shouted.
Seraphina looked towards Arlo for help. Arlo wipped his hands before he rushed over to John, "John, stop." He calmly said, taking a seat beside him. "Maybe you should take a cold shower okay? Clear your head?" He asked, urging him towards the bathroom before he could object.
John sighed, "Okay." He muttered before heading to his room to pick out his clothes.
Arlo got back to cooking, and Seraphina helped since she had nothing to do. John leaned against the bathroom wall, this was the first outburst in a really long time, he didn't know if it even felt good or not.
He stripped his clothes off and stepped into the shower. He turned on the nob, and the cold water hit him, causing him to flinch. It was so, so cold. It reminded him of the night when the rain couldn't stop pouring. It was as if the sky was crying with John.
He closed his eyes and let out a deep exhale, maybe he shouldn't have shouted at Seraphina like that. It wasn't very, nice of him. He sighed, maybe Seraphina was right, because EMBER has been doing some, not very good things.
So, he decides to smile. To forget everything, and push it to the back of his head. Yes, smile.
He finished and walks out into the kitchen with the brightest smile on his face. "Is dinner finished yet?" He asks Arlo who smiled back at him. That made everything a whole lot brighter, for John. He chuckles.
Arlo drys his hand with a towel near by, and pats the top of John's head. He grins.
Seraphina tips her head, because, she's confused. Wasn't John shouting at her a while ago? She expected for John to glare at her but he keeps giving her a gentle look. He even smiled at her. She found that as odd, was he pretending or what?
Actually, he's not. Arlo eraces all that.
"What's wrong, Seraphina?" Arlo asks, giving her a smile. That snapped her out of her thoughts. "John's still waiting for us to finish up." He laughs, and Seraphina nods.
"Yeah-- okay." She said, preparing the meat. They're cooking other foods than just a lasagna.
John wants to help them, but they kitchen would be too crowded if he tried. "So," He starts, "Seraphina, you're famous now?" Giving a contagious chuckle.
Seraphina couldn't help but smile as well, "Yeah. Because I took over my mother's company. Remember?"
John nods, "Do you want to stay over for dinner?"
Seraphina hums, before nodding. "Yep! My mom probably expects me back by 8." She shrugs.
There was a few moments were the three of them were silent, before Arlo spoke. "So, Seraphina. Where's Remi and Blyke?" He asks, since Seraphina escaped, that means that Remi and Blyke are okay too, right?
Seraphina looks at Arlo sadly, "No, I don't think so. I never saw them again." She stares down at the meat sizzling on the pan. She doesn't want to say anymore because she's afraid that John might be mad at something.
John sighs, "Well... I'm sorry."
Seraphina perks up, "For what?" She questions.
"Yelling at you. I feel kind of guilt now." He laughs, with a smile on his face. He really knows how to control his facial expression, just not his emotions.
Seraphina lets out a small sigh, and smiles at him too. "It's okay, I understand why you feel that way, since you've lived with EMBER a lot of your life. And they've influenced you as well, it's only logical."
John blinks, "Um-- what?"
Arlo also gives a look, because John never told him any of this, since he was too young to remember. Seraphina's face turns a little red, "Um, actually, it is because I did research. When the police forces captured EMBER staff, I asked them about you." She gulped.
"Seriously?" John rolled his eyes, "They just gave you my information just like that?"
Seraphina laughed at that, "No, it took a little while, and most of them didn't even know about you. It took some time." She scratched at her head.
"Mhm." John hummed, "Arlllo." John whined, "Is the lasagna done yett?"
Arlo glanced at John with a smile, "Almost, give it some more time--" John's stomach growled.
"'Kayyy." He muttered, walking over to his room. There, he flopped onto the bed and let out an exausted groan. Oh boy, he was bored. Life was too boring, so he pulled out his phone. Arlo was right, it wasn't long before the lasagna was finished.
He hurried out and was greeted by a very good smell. That brought a smile to his face! "Oh my god! Yay!" He grinned as Arlo placed the lasagna onto the trivet. Seraphina brought over the meet and John reached for the plates!
John couldn't wait to enjoy his lasagna! The dinner wasn't bad, Seraphina complimented on Arlo's cooking skills and John felt proud of his boyfriend. Arlo smiled back at Seraphina.
Seraphina said her goodbyes and arranged a time to meet John again, when he was ready to explain everything to her. She promised not to persue after EMBER since John got mad at her, but instead, find a way for low tiers to earn money, and not join groups like EMBER.
John agreed at Seraphina's idea and wished her a good night. As soon as she left, his smile fell.
He wasn't happy at all, he was too tired to muster a smile. Arlo noticed this and patted John on the back, "You good?" He laughed, waiting for confirmation.
John pouted, "Not exactly." He sighed, pulling Arlo into his room. He sat on Arlo's bed as Arlo changed.
Arlo chuckled, "Tired?" John laid onto his bed, burying his face in Arlo's pillow.
He hummed, "Probably." He said, although it was a little muffled.
Arlo patted his head, "Get some rest. You can stay here if you'd like." And John hummed in agreement. "Read a book or something okay?" He smiled at John, but he was too busy burying his face in Arlo's pillow.
"No. That's boring." He rolled over, he poked at the sides of Arlo's stomach. He wasn't very happy when Arlo just stared at him. "You're not ticklish?"
"I'm not," Arlo chuckled, "But you are." He said, reaching his hand over. John jerk upward when Arlo ticked his abdomen.
John bursted out laughing, "Wait-- wait!" He shouted between laughs, "Wa-- wait! Arlo!" He continued to shout. "Stop!" He laughed. A little out of breath, he rolled around the bed, but Arlo didn't stop there.
He didn't just John any rest until he fell off the bed, exausted.
"I told you to wait!" John snapped, gasping for breath.
Arlo giggled, "No. You didn't seem happy, so I... thought you'd smile more." He grinned at John, and he could feel his heart leap. He can't stay mad at Arlo like this...!
He felt his face burn a little, "Okay fine." He muttered, crawling his way back onto the bed. "Do you want to sleep now?" John asked.
"Yeah, stay in my room this time." Arlo smiled and let the two of them into the bathroom where they got ready for bed. John slept beside Arlo, and snuggled right next to Arlo.
But he had his back turned to John. "Arlo...?" He quietly asked, to see if he was awake. He didn't reply, so John pulled at Arlo's arm lay him onto his back. John clung onto Arlo's chest.
Arlo turned and wrapped his arm around John, he was sleepy, but made sure that John was comfortable. "Love you." He whispered before dozing back off.
That made John's heart leap, "You too...!" He whispered, with a bright smile on his face.
END
(Hahahahhahahaahahaahhaa Continuous days. Two, weeks +
Oh my fucking god--)