Bobby's lips brush slightly against the other boy's, he is seated next to John but leaning over enough he is basically hovering over him. It is late at night, just them alone in a quiet room. The only thing to be heard is their breathing and the rustling of the covers when they shift. John has his back against the headboard and his hands firm on Bobby's waist. Their lips move together slowly in almost a perfect fashion, but when Bobby's hand makes its way up his arm starting to peek under his sleeve, John jumps pulling away from the kiss. "Wait" Pyro whispers, sounding panicked. As Bobby pulls his hand away he looks at him with a confused expression but also worried. Did he take it too far??
John swallows hard before he takes a deep breath out, It is like he was trying to calm himself down or prepare himself. John never likes physical touch, although it is fine with Bobby. It's the only time he enjoys it but that is only kissing, holding hands, simple touches. Nothing beneath the clothes, a part of him never wants it to go that far. He can’t push it off forever though, well he can, he knows Bobby won’t be mad at him. But it's not that he doesn’t necessarily want it, he is more scared of it. Bobby will see a part of him that no one has, and it's not the part everyone thinks it is.
John leans back in, hesitantly pressing his lips lightly into the other boys. He reaches for Bobby's hand to place it back on his arm, urging him on to continue what he was doing. He is also hesitant for a second as he wasn't sure why John pulled away in the first place but he is too nervous to ask why, so he soon lets his hand keep exploring. Bobby's fingers drag lightly down the boy's arm, dancing along his skin. Pyro shivers under the touch, it is almost ticklish. As their lips go back to that perfect dance Bobby brings his hand back up, slowly sliding underneath John's sleeve.
Pyro tries focusing on his breathing as his fingers creep up higher. Just focus on the kiss he tells himself. Focus on Bobby. But it isn’t long until Bobby's fingertips feel their way over the distinctive markings along his shoulder, and the side of his upper arm. The contact their lips hold breaks abruptly, John looks at the boy as he pulls away. "What are those"? Bobby asks, more curious than anything. His fingers keep feeling around, slowly and gently.
John sits up fully which makes the other boy pull away. "Burns" He finally answers. Bobby is quite confused because with John's mutation he shouldn't be able to get burned by fire, you’d think if you can control fire you are also resistant to it. "I thought you can’t get burned"? His eyes meet John's as he speaks. Pyro is fine answering that question, it is the question that comes after he doesn’t wanna answer. He knows Bobby will leave it alone if he just asks but he might as well get it over with. "That's only when I'm in control of the fire" John answers his question, his tone quiet.
As he speaks he pulls his shirt off over his head, making the rest of his scars visible. They litte his upper arm and shoulder, they aren’t super prominent but still stand out. There are over a dozen circular scars, some noticeably overlapping others. They stain his skin a darker tone, and some dip into his skin like a crater. He always wears sleeves long enough to hide them. Bobby's eyes scan them, his eyebrows burrowing. "Did someone hurt you"? John adjusts uncomfortably as he hears Bobby's question, and can see his eyes intently staring.
He's never shown anyone them, at least not on purpose. And he definitely hasn't told anyone how he got them. He doesn’t want to. John unconsciously brings his hand up, placing it over his shoulder to try and hide the scars. "My dad" Pyro admits. There is a bit of silence between them and John is refusing to make eye contact. "He'd put his cigarettes out on me" He continues, the words feeling odd to speak. He's never once said those words out loud or really ever admitted it to himself. And Bobby doesn’t know what to say, or what to do with the information.
John clears his throat before speaking; "It's whatever now". He goes for his shirt wanting to put it back, he can’t stand thinking about it anymore. "Wait" Bobby blurts out. He places his hand over John's so he can’t put his shirt back on, and brings his other hand to John's cheek. "We don't have to talk about it" He kisses the boy gently. "But you don't have to hide" Bobby continues. "Not from me" his words whisper into the other boy's mouth as their lips meet again. Pyro lets his shirt go so he can bring his hand to Bobby's waist, pulling him in closer. There is a gap between their bodies and John wants to close it.
It is a weird thing to be seen by someone, for someone to understand you. It is unpleasant in some ways, because now this person can see behind your mask there is no hiding again. They've seen the real you. They know what you hide behind tainted smiles and clothing, they peeled back the many layers you built up. But John let him, he let Bobby see and understand the true him. That takes a lot of trust.
His lips wander from Pyro's lips to his cheek, traveling down the curve of his jaw and the length of neck. It isn’t until he feels Bobby's lips press a delicate kiss to a scar that rests on his shoulder, that a breath he is holding in escapes. Coming out in a deep sigh. It isn’t pleasure, it is relief. Like every burden, every memory he is holding on his shoulders finally leaves just for that moment. Oh to be loved in your most ugly places.. Bobby's lips travel tenderly to each mark like he is mapping out where every single one lays. He never passes over one, each one deserves love. And the Body that holds them, the boy that holds them with every memory of how they got there also deserves love.
He can't make them go away, or the memories and pain. But he can teach John that they don't have to be hated or feared, they no longer have to be a burden he carries. Those scars got there in an ugly way, but Bobby presses his lips against them with such gentleness. A gentleness John has never been given. “Bobby” Pyro speaks his name like a vow. The other boy moves upright to catch John’s eyes, giving him a ‘yeah’ expression. John grabs the back of his neck to pull him in, their lips meeting more vigorously than he intends. He softens it out as he tries to hold him as close as possible. John is never able to speak the words so this is his way of saying ‘I love you’. He hopes Bobby gets the message..