Who: John Wick johnwick and Violet Parr violetparr What: Spending time together When: Friday, April 10, afternoon Where: Hope Springs Apartments -> Test City Rating: General Audiences Warnings: John musing about his wife and former job. Status: Closed/Completed GDoc
~*~
Violet liked that her apartment was just for her, but it was really quiet. She’d always had people around, even if she was usually the quiet one of the bunch. Her family members all had strong personalities and then college was full of them. Staying with John, even being mute, had felt more ‘at home’ than staying in her old home. Knowing that he was here meant she was safe, and that was one of her favorite feelings. It was second only to the relief she felt when she discovered that while others didn’t remember their time at Composite City, John did.
Violet also knew he didn’t like sharing his space. It was a good thing he didn’t have a roommate, but the fact that there was a bedroom there? That left it open and Violet worried about it, for him and whoever landed in the room with him. They’d been fine together in his house, even if it was a little awkward with her trying very hard not to end up on his wife’s side of the bed. She would feel better being in the same apartment as him, however it shook out. Violet knew she’d get around to asking, but for now, it would do them both good to get out and see where they’d landed this time. He’d apparently been here before, but Violet only knew the cursory of it. She wanted to know more.
Finding his apartment was a bit of a trick, but Violet was resourceful. This time, she knocked on his door with a grin on her face. She’d promised not to break in again, and she was keeping her word. When he opened the door, Violet asked, “Want to go look around? See if we can find ourselves something else to wear? I’m glad I’ve got a change of clothes, but I like at least a week’s worth of clothes. Makes it easier to do laundry less.” She tilted her head to the side just slightly. “What do you think?”
--------------------------------------------
Places never changed. People did, sometimes they changed because of the way they were affected by places, but the places themselves? They never changed. It was a myth people wanted to believe in---that they changed the places they lived in. John Wick had never planned on being in any place long enough to leave an impression of himself.
He was not arrogant enough to believe the world would remember him when he was gone.
Death came for every man the same way: a lonesome walk down an invisible highway.
John had sent plenty of men walking down that highway. For a while, he'd felt as if the only hand which would ever hold his was that of Death because Death was grateful to him for doing His work. There was likely no God, but there was certainly a Death. Thinking otherwise was ignorance in action.
"I think it's unlikely I'll find a suitable tailor in the mall here. I also think I won't have enough cash on the card they provided me with to pay for a week's worth of clothing for myself in the style to which I am accustomed. I do think I can walk with you while you find yourself something to wear. I'll need some basic necessities. I can find something useful. I'm sure."
He had everything in his pockets. There was nothing in the apartment to identify him. All the devices were the same as the ones designated for every other person in Test City. They were all nondescript rats in their little cages, running the same wheels, heading the same direction, going nowhere fast.
John didn't bother to lock the door behind him.
"Let's go to the mall. You can see if you can find something you like and I'll---carry things for you. Be your pack mule."
It sounded reasonable to him. John didn't bother doing more than walking at Violet's side. She was a lovely young woman. She'd turn heads. He would make sure that was all she turned. People couldn't be trusted with young, beautiful girls. People couldn't be trusted with beautiful things. People were inherently ugly.
"C'mon. I'll look out for you. Stay close."
~*~
Violet rolled her eyes at him. “You could try wearing something other than a suit, you know,” she replied, careful not to tease too much or sound disapproving. He was always dressed impeccably, which she appreciated, but she couldn’t help thinking that maybe he was so buttoned up for a different reason. His closet in his house hadn’t had anything casual except for pajamas, really. It bothered her for reasons she couldn’t quite put her finger on. “But yea, basic necessities and all. Maybe we can find a dry cleaner’s, too.”
She stepped back so that he could close his door behind him. It was odd that he didn’t lock his door, but seeing as they hadn’t had any of their stuff brought with them, it wasn’t like there was anything in there for people to steal. Still. John liked his space and protected it. Why would he leave it unlocked? He distracted her by offering to carry her bags. “Only the heavy ones. Maybe.” Violet glanced at him as they walked out of Hope Springs, toward the main street of Test City. “You don’t have to, you know.” She bumped her shoulder against his upper arm, the height difference making it hard for her to bump against him shoulder to shoulder. She liked that, too.
John had been looking out for her since almost the first day they’d started talking on the network, back in Composite City. They walked together easily enough, the quiet comfortable between them as they made their way toward the mall that was just a few blocks away from Hope Springs. A storefront caught Violet’s eye though, The Corner Bookstore, and she grabbed his hand to tug him along as she went to investigate. It looked like it had some good variety, a mix between newer books and older ones. There was a small display outside the door, books they were selling for a quarter, which could be deposited into a cute little piggy bank on top of the shelf. She only had bills, but if she bought four books, she could put a dollar in.
Still, she hadn’t let go of his hand.
“Help me pick out four books? I don’t have any change. If we can’t find four books between the two of us, I’ll just put my dollar in, incase anyone comes who wants a book, but can’t afford it.” That seemed fair, to her.
~*~*~*~
Books. John smiled at the sight of them. He didn't mind holding Violet's hand. Hers was petite, smaller than his wife's had been, but every bit as warm. It was comforting to hold a warm hand again. Helen had lost circulation toward the end, her hands and feet had been cold all the time, right up until the end. There was nothing comforting about the thought of his wife's cold hands becoming colder in death. John Wick was very comforted by the warm hand of Violet Parr.
He had never cared for reading until Helen. She had read. Often. All sorts of things. John had only been used to reading the labels of his food or license plates, sometimes driver's licenses in the event he might have hit someone who hadn't been paid for---Helen had taught him how to enjoy reading. It was one of the many ways John Wick was a better man because he'd been privileged enough to know and love Helen.
"I have coins. They're worth a lot more than a dollar though so I think we'll go with your plan. Four for a dollar. What do you like to read? Classics? Science Fiction? Fantasy? Romance?"
John lightly bumped the girl to tease her. He'd not hurt her. Not for the world.
"I'm a fan of general fiction. Stories of lives different from my own. No thrillers. No murder mysteries. No murders or unnatural deaths at all to be honest. I've already seen the worst of life. I am the worst of most people's lives. I prefer to read about better stories than mine. I like books with a female point-of-view. You ever read Bridget Jones's Diary? It's funny. I really like George Bernard Shaw, too. Heartbreak House made Helen laugh and laugh. I did the voices for her. It's---it's a play. You can read it though. It's well-written."
The smile faded from his face as he realized he'd never do that again: read a play for Helen. He'd never do all the voices. He'd never struggle to remember how each character had sounded before to make it just right for her. She would never laugh with her mouth open wide as he stumbled over the female roles. It was hard. Every time he realized he would never be doing one more thing with his wife, it was hard.
John squeezed Violet's hand, grateful for her warmth, her life.
"Let me know what you like and I'll see if I can find you enough for a whole dollar."
~*~
John’s smile meant he was happy, or at least amused, and Violet would happily take either one. Books were firmly in the ‘good’ column, which she’d remember later, along with his preference for general fiction with no murder or death. She gave his hand a squeeze when he added that he was the worst of many people’s lives, and that he’d seen the worst of life already. Violet hadn’t asked what he’d done for a living before being taken to Fake Vegas, and she wasn’t going to ask now. It wasn’t her business, mostly, and she didn’t want whatever it was to impact how she viewed him. John Wick was a good man with a kind heart, who kept her safe.
“I like happy endings. Happily Ever Afters, I think my English teacher called them. I’ve never read any of those books, but we were supposed to read Pygmalion for my English Lit class this semester. George Bernard Shaw wrote that one, I think?” Violet thought so, but she was never very good with remembering authors and works. “I’ll try anything once, provided it’s got a happy ending. The last book I was reading was Pride and Prejudice, but I was only halfway through.” She considered the books for a moment before grinning. “Maybe they’ve got it here.”
Violet crouched down a bit, since the shelf only came up a little higher than her belly button, and started thumbing through the options. “Oh, they’ve got The Giver. I’ve heard it’s really good. Dash had to read it in middle school, but it was added in after I’d already started high school.” She let go of his hand to pull the book out and show it to him. “And I’ve found Pride and Prejudice. Nice. You’re my good luck charm today, John,” Violet teased lightly. “See anything you like?”
~*~
Many of the books were among those John had read before. He searched through them for things he thought he could enjoy or something for Violet. One of them struck him as being amusing so he had pulled it; he found another which he had read with his wife to show to Violet. He hoped it was one she would like to read.
Holding up the first, he smiled, "This one has been on my list for a while. It's The Ask by Sam Lipsyte. Talks about a lot of the world I'm familiar with in a way supposed to be funny. I like to laugh. This one I've read, but it's interesting. It's not a romance the way you might have read, but it has a happy ending. My wife wanted to read it for the title. Like Water for Chocolate. I read it in Spanish. This is the English. I thought you might want to read it. Or---"
He stopped. There was no reason to offer something so stupid to a young woman who was clearly too old to ask for it yet too young to think it was a fine way to spend an evening. His cheeks pinked slightly though John forced his breathing to slow, his heart rate lowering thanks to the way he calmed his nerves. He was not going to embarrass himself in front of Violet of all people.
Age was only a number in some circles, but it was a lot more than that in others. John Wick was proud of every year of his life. He'd had to fight for them. Violet Parr spoke of fighting crime in her world. She was a "Super" with gifts he'd never possess. John Wick was a man who hadn't graduated high school yet had become one of the most important men in New York thanks to nothing more than a particular subset of skils.
"Nothing. I'm sorry. I let myself get carried away for a moment. Read the back. It might be something you want to try. If not? We'll keep looking. Gotta spend the whole dollar, right?"
It seemed absurd to buy four books for a dollar. What was a dollar worth these days? Four entire novels? John remembered how much books cost clearly. His wife was always saying they couldn't budget for more than one each a week. Helen had known his life had been different before her. She had some ideas about his money. She had also refused to use the wealth he'd accumulated for more than a modest living.
He could have bought her a library and all she'd allowed them had been one book each for a week.
John had thought it was foolish at the time.
Now she was gone, he realized Helen hadn't done it to be frugal. She'd done it to ensure he savored every word in each work. Thanks to her, John hadn't bought a bag of books he'd only read one out of the lot. He'd chosen his selection carefully after much research. It had mattered which book had been brought up to the counter.
Helen had made it matter. John wondered if Violet wouldn't do the same.
~*~
Violet half wondered about maybe reading the first book he’d picked out once he’d finished, so that she could have a peek at what sort of man he’d been before they’d been taken to Fake Vegas and then Test City. There was a small part of her that didn’t want to know, simply because she didn’t want there to be any possibility it might change the way she thought of him. John was special; he was more than anything she ever could have imagined in terms of finding such a good person to attach herself to. And there was no doubt that she was attached.
“I’d like to read it,” she agreed, without even looking at the back cover the way she normally would. That was four books right there, and a wonderful place to start. Violet fished a dollar from her pocket and stuck it in the piggy bank, before taking one of the branded plastic bags to put their purchases in. With a cheeky smile, she handed the bag over to him and hooked her arm in his, instead of reaching for his hand again. She liked being close to him, and he had promised to carry her bags for her. Violet just pulled him along as they continued on their journey.
She knew he liked the quiet, and after the forced silence from losing their voices had accustomed her to it. It helped that he could read lips, but for the most part, they just enjoyed each other’s company. “I’m glad you’re here,” Violet said softly, leaning her head in to lean against his arm for a few steps. She thought he knew that, that he knew how much she appreciated him, but it never hurt to tell him that. Taking the people in her life for granted wasn’t something she wanted to repeat. “We both know I don’t do so well on my own,” she added, a bit ruefully, “but I don’t think there’s anyone I trust more than I trust you.” Violet hoped she wasn’t a burden to him, and she didn’t quite think she was, but this place was different and their situations were much different now.
~*~
"I'm glad you're here, too."
Touching was something still unusual for John Wick. People avoided touching him. They were afraid of offending him. His people were afraid of him. His enemies were afraid of him. Even his best friend had been afraid of him, but Violet Parr could lean her head on his shoulder without fear.
She trusted him.
John wasn't certain what he felt about that. All he knew was he didn't want to betray that trust. He'd take care of her, protect her, do his very best by her. It would be a hard, cold day before someone or something made John Wick fall back on his word to someone he chose to show his loyalty to, to make his family.
Being his family wasn't something many would want. John had more enemies than friends. He had more downsides than ups. All he knew out of the gate was he had the ability to ensure someone was safe. Protection was something he could do for another person. It was almost all he could do which was good and right and pure.
Carefully, he wrapped an arm around Violet's back to let his hand rest gently at her waist, guiding her along as they moved through this new world they were in.
"You're safe, Violet. I promise."
A promise from John Wick might as well be written in blood and notarized by both God and The Devil Himself.
He'd heard that once.
It made him smile slightly as they walked along enjoying the sun.
This could be a good thing. This new place. It could be.