InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "yeah, baby"

John Connor (johnbaum) wrote in omega_reality,
@ 2013-04-21 22:08:00

Entry tags:

*complete, 2013 04, character: claudia donovan, character: john connor

RP: John and Claudia
Who: John Connor and Claudia Donovan
Where: Trailer Park Rec Room
When: Sunday, April 21, 2013 -- just before 11ish
Summary: John goes looking for Claudia before the barbeque.

It had been a very weird two years. In just twenty-six months, John had gone from being the loner weird kid to being the guy helping Savannah come up with ways to bring people together. If she were there, his mom might barely recognize him. But, the barbeques were a good idea, getting back to something simple, reminders of life and what the point of survival was. John really wanted to see how Derek dealt with them, too, something he probably hadn't experienced in twenty-plus years.

But, John was also keeping an eye out to make sure the new people and his own group of friends were coming along. Even if they weren't mandatory, they were good for everyone. So, when he noticed Claudia wasn't with the group getting ready to head to the park, he went looking for her. Finding her in the rec room at the lone arcade game, a machine so ancient it probably had been purchased when he was a little kid in his own time, he moved to lean against it. "Hey you," he said with a smile. "You've gotten lost in gaming. We're all getting ready to go to the barbeque in a little bit. You coming?"

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	_claudia_d 2013-04-25 01:12 pm UTC (link)
	"Yes, I am attending the event," Claudia said. She gave John a melancholy smile. "Nick and I normally played this game for a few hours on the weekends. I've developed a case of miss-him-itis." The last wasn't spoken properly at all, and she mentally cursed herself and crossed her fingers that no one was listening but John. (Reply to this) (Thread)

johnbaum
2013-04-26 05:50 pm UTC (link)

"You are attending the event," John repeated, trying not to laugh because that just sounded so strangely stiff and formal, especially coming from Claudia. Miss-him-itis sounded so much more natural and only only partially because it was more of who she was. Luckily, he young and laid back in his own appearance, even if too serious for his age. So, no one else would think twice about him telling her to lighten up, even if what he was really doing was helping her with her cover by telling her was to dial it back a little. These things took getting used to, after all. "It's a casual thing with friends at a park, not a state dinner. Relax."

Putting an arm around her shoulders, he squeezed gently. Losing people never got easier and, like Savannah had said, there weren't a lot of people who'd really tried to get closer to Nick because of his differences and the fact he was incapable of returning affection or emotion the way they expected and were able to understand. "It sucks." And was probably worse for her not having a sympathetic household to go home to at night when it would be harder to stop remembering dead friends. "You know I'm here if you need a shoulder or an ear, right? Any time. Whenever."

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_claudia_d
2013-05-02 01:30 pm UTC (link)

"One of my sources of relaxation is down to three people, two of whom participate in only scheduled fun." Claudia slumped, letting herself lose the game, since she was leaving anyway.

She leaned into John when he put his arm around her. "Yes. It's a terrible thing, especially since there were so few of us who liked him. For everyone else, he's merely a shrug. It's depressing."

There had been a lot of folks aggrieved by Eric and Jenna's death. So far as Claudia knew, it was her, Savannah, and John that were saddened by Nick's death. Maybe a little Sheldon, since it effected game night. She'd been quiet since Nick's death, putting on the necessary appearances in public but remaining at the Barrish/Hammond house otherwise.

"The outing will be nice, today. A change of scenery will do good," she said. "I have not heard from Troy about the next much-watch sport. I'd like to participate in his gatherings again, though I don't see you enough since you tend to be very busy with that boyfriend of yours." She gave him a nudge and a wink.

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johnbaum
2013-05-12 06:42 pm UTC (link)

Putting his other arm around her when she leaned against him, he hugged her tightly. "I wouldn't say he's only a shrug to them. They're...normal people. He was different. Most of them tried. But, it's hard for many people to connect with people who are different. The fact he never really would be able to make that connection at all...it just made it more difficult for them to know how to deal with him. It's not that they don't care. They just never had that connection and didn't understand a lot of the things he did."

Laughing, he squeezed her once and then let go. "Guilty as charged. I do spend a lot of time with Brian." Ever since his birthday, John had been making an effort to spend more time with Brian and less time on his computer if he didn't have to be working. There was still a lot of work to do. But, he wasn't losing that connection between them again if he could help it. "But, I don't have to spend all my time with just him. I mean, I suck at most games and I won't play any of those shooter games that fuck with my aim. But, you could bring the console over and spend an evening with you and Brian laughing at how badly I play, if you wanted. I'm pretty sure once college basketball is over Troy's out of 'must watch'. But, I'm sure you could ask him about hanging out sometime. You've got plenty of friends here who'd be happy to keep you company, Claudia."

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_claudia_d
2013-05-14 01:36 pm UTC (link)

"My wonderfulness attracts friends like flies to a bug zapper," Claudia joked, giving him a smile. "And you're on, buddy. You'll be a gamer in no time, and Brian will have to figure out how to tear you away from two types of computers."

She was glad John had sought her out. It had lifted her from the douldrums and reminded her that, having to speak funnily or not, she should hang out with her still living friends while they were still alive to hang out with, which hopefully would be a long time.

"Come on, let's go to the barbeque and 'chill', as you would say."

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