Chapter Text
John was seven when he started having nightmares and the matron at the orphanage taught him to light a candle to ‘chase away bad dreams.’ He’d never seen any truth in it but the thought was comforting.
John was nine when candles started to blow themselves out around him and fireplaces seemed to call his name in the dead of night.
He was ten when he awoke from a nightmare, glanced over at the candle beside his bed and watched the flame suddenly grow into a full fire that eventually engulfed the entire orphanage. It had never managed to touch him, he was one of only six survivors, the only one to escape completely unscathed.
John was eleven when he had been living on the streets alone for over a year. One night, he was perched in an alleyway, scrounging for food when he saw a beautiful woman with hair whiter than snow. She had looked extremely distressed and after being surprised by the sudden appearance of a cat, had caused a bolt of lightning to strike a cardboard box and set it alight. John couldn’t bear to see how worried the woman had become, so he came out of his hiding place and used his mutation intentionally for the first time to kill the flames. The woman had taken him for food before introducing him to the mutant gene and Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters.
John was twelve when he learned that he wasn’t made for friends and was clearly better off as a loner. With each new roommate he cycled through, something would inevitably drive them away within a few weeks (although he had occasionally antagonised them purposefully.)
It was when John was thirteen that his life truly began.
———
John was sat on his bed, pen in hand, staring down at his Physics homework in utter confusion. Normally, he wouldn’t even bother doing the work, but it was for Professor Summers who totally hated him so the punishment would be severe.
Suddenly, there was a gentle knock on his door.
“Come in!” John yelled with an eye roll, there was never a moment of peace at that stupid school.
The door opened to reveal Professor Xavier, followed by a blonde boy who looked around John’s age. He immediately knew what this meant.
“That’s right John, it’s exactly what you think it is.” The professor said with a knowing smirk that irritated John to no end. “This is Bobby Drake, your new roommate. I trust you’ll make him feel welcome.”
John scoffed as the Professor wheeled out the room, leaving the two teenagers alone.
“Hi, I’m Bobby.” The boy greeted with a smile.
John didn’t respond, only gave the boy a quick look up and down before returning to his homework. For a few moments, he stared down at the paper, really just pretending to read as he remained hyper-focussed on the fact that Bobby was still stood in the doorway, having yet to make any move into the room.
John sighed and looked up, “What?”
Bobby cleared his throat, “Sorry, I just- John, right?”
“Uh huh.” John said simply, already disliking this boy more than any of his previous roommates.
“It’s nice to meet you.” Bobby smiled, finally taking another step into the room, his hand awkwardly outstretched.
John glanced at it, then back up at Bobby’s face. “What can you do?” He questioned, deciding he might as well learn something of real substance about this boy.
Bobby kept his hand out, despite John’s silent refusal to shake it, “If you take my hand, I’ll show you.”
John squinted at him in distrust, almost offended at the response. Still, he found himself taking Bobby’s hand apprehensively. The first thing John became aware of was how cold they were, the minute his hand met Bobby’s, goosebumps spread up his arm and a shiver slipped down his spine.
Just as John was about to pull his hand back for fear of pneumonia, Bobby closed his eyes, seemingly in concentration, and their intertwined hands were suddenly sealed together by a layer of ice.
“Shit.” John shivered, trying to pull his hand away, to no avail.
“Sorry,” Bobby said immediately, not taking his startling blue eyes off of the ice cube that was once their hands. “I’m not great at controlling it.”
John sighed, a realisation coming over him. “Lucky for you, Iceboy, I think there’s a reason you’re my roommate.” He used his free hand to reach into his desk drawer and take out the box of matches that he kept in there.
Bobby frowned at him, “What are you-“
“Shut it, Iceboy.” John scolded, lighting the match and using his mutation to grow the flame and hover it directly over their frozen handshake.
Soon enough, they were able to separate themselves and John was very relieved, despite how cold and wet his left hand now was, and quickly quenched the flame.
“Thanks.” Bobby muttered, moving away from John and towards the bed that was now his (not for long, John presumed.)
They remained in silence for the rest of the evening until they both eventually fell asleep.
———
Throughout the coming days, John surprised himself by not completing despising his new roommate.
Bobby was annoyingly smart and immediately popular which would ordinarily have John lighting his bed on fire by now, but for whatever reason, John was giving this one a chance.
Maybe it was because Bobby didn’t seem to hate him. No how many buttons John pushed, Bobby would come back, angry but never enough to push back. No one had ever tolerated John in that way and he wasn’t exactly sure how to react.
This lasted a few years.