first floor dorm lobby

[apocalypsesoon.livejournal.com]

John is puttering around with the minigolf course in the lobby of the dorms.

Comments

[kawalsky.livejournal.com]

Kawalsky was headed to the stairs when he saw Connor. He stopped and looked around. "Whatcha doin?"

[apocalypsesoon.livejournal.com]

"I'm playing golf indoors. What're you doing?"

[kawalsky.livejournal.com]

"Just went for a walk.. now I'm watching you play golf indoors. Got an extra putter?"

[apocalypsesoon.livejournal.com]

"But of course. But," he says, as he hands over another putter, "it'll cost ya."

[kawalsky.livejournal.com]

Charlie took the putter and hefted the weight in his hands. "What've you got in mind? Cash, cheque or a can of cheese spray?"

[apocalypsesoon.livejournal.com]

John stops moving at that last one. "that's not a bad idea. Hrm. No, actually," he said as he lined up for the 2 hole, "I was wondering how Carter was doing. I got in a fight with her the other day. Shop class. And... I was wondering about stuff." John doesn't look at Kawalsky, as he's concentrating. Totally concentrating.

[kawalsky.livejournal.com]

"Everyone fights with Sam at some stage.. and most of the time we lose." Kawalsky leaned on his putter. "She's fine. Don't worry, she's a lot more thick-skinned than anyone would think. What other stuff were you wonderin' about?"

[apocalypsesoon.livejournal.com]

"Well," John said, getting a hole in one... in a different part of the course than what he was aiming, "I was wondering... who... she was... interested in, y'know?"

[kawalsky.livejournal.com]

"You hadn't heard about them on the radio? Where she was most of the time for the past month?" He putted the ball, but missed the hole.

[apocalypsesoon.livejournal.com]

"That's what I was asking about. I dunno... we hit it off, then we damn near hit each other, and I've been staying away. An' I dunno if it's she's got a new guy or she's pissed at me, but we can't seem to talk."

John bounces his off the back of Chair slash Hole 3 and lands in the potted plant... which has a hole in it, which spits the ball out into the cup. Score!

[kawalsky.livejournal.com]

"Do you like her?" He was asking an obvious question.

[apocalypsesoon.livejournal.com]

John missed the putt and leaned on the putter. "Dude. I was a complete ass and dragged her to work on a freakin' car instead of a romantic type date. And she enjoyed the hell out of it. And then there was the making out, followed by the kinky sex. Damn, I'm still bowlegged And she's smart, from what I can tell. Firey. And," he picked the putter up again, "very interested in someone else, from what I can tell. I dunno. Maybe I should pursue other options. That chick that Marty's dating, she's pretty cute. Wonder what a few years and an AK-47'll do for her."

[kawalsky.livejournal.com]

"Sam's not your average gal. If you like her, if you think she's worth the effort of chasing her, then do it. Go give her a peace offering. Be up front with her. If you screw around, you're only gonna mess yourself up. If you want a straight answer, ask her. Just.. remember she's a chick, and you're the guy and as guys we're always wrong. She *is* interested in someone else, but that doesn't mean she can't change her mind or be interested in more than one person. I'm not saying she is, or will, but you've gotta ask yourself the question of whether you want a straight answer or you just want to torture yourself over her."

[apocalypsesoon.livejournal.com]

"Well, hell, I don't even know what I want. I do know that if anything goes down, I want someone like her at my back. She'd probably MacGuyver something better'n I could, y'know?"

John sinks a long bank putt.

"I dunno. Right now, I'm not sure if I want a happy answer or the right answer, y'know? I think I'll stick to the torture, f'now. I mean, dude she likes is in the clinic, i'nt he?"

[kawalsky.livejournal.com]

"Not anymore. He's out. And.." He lined up his next shot. "If anything 'goes down', you'd want him at your back too. He's saved my ass more times than I can count."

[apocalypsesoon.livejournal.com]

John sighed and leaned on his putter again, not looking at Kawalsky. "What's it like? People you can depend on, always got ya back? Knowing there's a whole group you can turn to when things turn to shit?"

[kawalsky.livejournal.com]

Kawalsky looked at Connor. From their chats, he assumed John always had his mom, but he hadn't thought about what it was like for someone - especially for someone like John, knowing what he knew, to not have anyone to rely on. In high school Kawalsky had his friends. In the military, he had his team mates. He thought about it for a few moments. "Makes life easier. Makes it worthwhile. It lets you push yourself harder knowing that someone's got your back."

[apocalypsesoon.livejournal.com]

John was silent for a while. "It's not like I'm always alone. I've done training camps. Military ops, capture the flag, kill the zombie cyborg, grunt stuff and command stuff, but it's just... not real, y'know? At the end of the day, they go their way, I go mine. No bond, camraderie. I've seen you and the others, the little things. Like you've been together for years, decades. It kinda hurts, y'know? All this 'lead from afar' bullshit, since I never know what's fucking next. Just me 'n me mum, and half the time we're a family and half the time she's a general."

John takes the putter and thwacks the ball harder than necessary. It still goes in.

[kawalsky.livejournal.com]

"Some folks have it easy. We - us guys from Colorado? - we've got it easy. We got thrown together, didn't have to do the hard work. Starting your own group, gathering your own guys.. that's hard work, pal. But now, here? Good as time and place as any to get started."

[apocalypsesoon.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, I'm part of some groups. Dunno if they're the right ones, solid groups. I just dunno any more."

John sinks a putt.

"And I'm not sure if the people I want would be ready for it."

(ooc: bedtime! If ya want, we can slowplay this later, or have it end here-ish)

[kawalsky.livejournal.com]

"Some people are never ready until they're forced to face it. Sink or swim, my friend. Sink," he putted the ball. It swung around the hole and bounced off. "Or swim."