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Summary: Jono comes to talk to Kenta about James, doesn't get the results he's looking for.
Date: April 30, 2010
Log Title Kids Will Be Kids.
Rating: PG
Xavier Mansion - Music Room
The music room has four levels of tiers that each sit one row in a semi circle. On the floor in the semi circle is grand piano. There is a large closet on either side of the room, one filled with string instruments and the other filled with various wind and brass instruments. There are a few guitars in the back of the room next to a large variety of percussion instruments. All the instruments here are for the students to use provided they take care of them and clean any necessary parts after they use it. The room is sound proof, so once the door is closed, the music being played will not interrupt the other classrooms.
Class has just let out and a whole five students have just left the music room. Kenta isn't cleaning up ye, there is still stuff written on the blackboard, there are still stands and sheet music about , nor is he rushing out for a cigarette like usual. Kenta sits at the piano of all places as he reads a piece of sheet music in front of him, playing a verison of 'More than a Feeling' by Boston for the piano. He's not as good at the piano as he is the guitar but he's trying to get better. He's decent enough, music just comes naturally to Kenta but compaired to his guitar and singing skills, his piano ones just seem average.
Allowing those students to file by, or race by as the case may be, Jonothon enters the room and does nothing to disturb the playing. He does close the door quietly behind him though. Approaching, he leans against the piano, feeling the vibrations through the wood. A hand laid down and he gains a feel for it through his powers too. Not going anything to it, just that idle want to see how things are. Only after some quiet does he say, «You may want to be careful with James. We had a falling out. He's going to assume that DR session is going to be revenge of mine.» Not that it is, but Kenta should be warned before hand. Jono sounds tired, for he is. «Briefly considered leaving being a squad leader, but that won't solve anything.» His gut reaction is always to run away.
Kenta just stops playing at the news, it's kind of abrupt and not a pretty soudning ending, and there's an audible sigh from Kenta. "So we get the drama squad?" He asks as he doesn't know what exactly happened, so he asks. "So what caused this falling out?" He asks looking up wondering serveral things but not really saying much, not yet. "And I think I can handle James a bit, I wasn't quite the terror he was back in High School but I wasn't quite the angel either."
«Seems so.» The drama squad. As for what caused it? «I really don't know. I mean, sure I can list some things, but it doesn't add up. All out of no where I'm suddenly holding him back. I'm not worth the time. Frankly, Kenta, I'm in the dark about this. It's like things that didn't matter before suddenly are so bad he's angry with me.» Jonothon shrugs, turning his hands over to express helplessness. «One day we're good, the next I'm crippling him.»
A pause and a tilt of the head. «I was upset that he asked you after I said no about training, but I didn't confront him with it. I figured that you'd show him why I said no, and didn't think it needed to be talked about, but he found me in the woods.. his attitude was right off the bat strange. Cold, angry. Demanded to know why I was upset, so I told him. He said I was holding him back, and that I didn't matter.» Scratches at his head a little. «Mostly I'm confused what changed.»
Kenta nods slowly looks at Jono. "Okay, I know you're not gonna wanna hear this but James, well we both know he's a teenager. He's -convinced- he's ready for X-Force level training. Nothing will tell him no, he thinks by you telling him no you're holding him back from his potential. Is it accurate, no. Are you, no. It's just James does have a bit of an ego, and is very confident in himself in some aspects, this being one of them. James has regeneration, above average strength, his animal form, he doesn't think he can be defeated easy. Let me ask you this, why were you so upset that he asked me when you said no? And again, I'm not blaming you for anything, just trying to smooth the Paragons out and avoid us going from Team Handi to Team Emotional Handi."
Jonothon doesn't take it badly and nods. He knows James is a kid, and still he can't wrap his head around this. Not anymore. Doesn't say anything about that ego, for all he smirks a bit. «I'm upset because he's sworn up and down since Addison took a look at him that he'd be worthy of my trust. That he wouldn't do stuff like this. It shows me that he didn't mean what he was saying. Suddenly he's a new toy and old promises don't mean anything anymore.» Leaning on the piano again, he shrugs, «He's been doing this to me for months now. Even in spite of him nearly killing me I gave him the benefit of the doubt. Believed in him. Thought we'd made progress. It's part of why I'm confused. This issue was so small. If he wants to try for X-Force, good for him. We should have just talked about it and moved on.»
"I think he's still worthy of your trust Jono. You're upset cause he does something most teenagers do. Correct me if I'm wrong, maybe I don't know the whole story, but him asking you for something, you saying no, then asking someone else? I don't see how he stepped on your trust. Was he supposed to trust to believe you that he's not ready? Cause Jono, we're guys, when we think we have somethign to prove, we don't stop till we've proved it." And the we includes Jono as well. Kenta knows he's done it over time, still would if he felt he has to prove himself. "You gave James the benefit of the doubt about almost killing you, you said it was an accident and he didn't know doing that would gravely injure you. But here you are bringing it up. Let me ask you something, did you talk to him at all about his desire to join X-Force?"
There's a little shake of his head about this. «It's not just the killing me. He's done it time after time. I've let him in too close, Kenta, and I've been hurt. Maybe he can sense that I can't give anymore.» A shrug as Jonothon isn't sure how to explain it all. «Ever have so much in your head that you can't articulate it enough to explain? That's this.» X-Force? There's a not for that. «We did. I approved. I thought it would do him well, let him show that he's changed. Only issue I had was him practicing with Julian. Julian's trying for the X-men. There's no way James could handle sessions that level.» Which Kenta already knows.
"Kinda how I lost Daphne, Jono." Kenta says about the head being so full thing. "Here's part of the problem, you let him in too close, according to you. And you're supposed to be his teacher. As a teacher, your judgement is also a bit clouded for your feelings for him, as a friend. You're also a 26 year old guy trying to see on the same level as a fifteen year old kid, and vice versa, that's tough. And at the same time, you're his friend. He doesn't want a friend who will go easy on him, a friend who will maybe be clouded by judgement to make sure he succeeds. Someone like Julian, Julian's…well he's an ass but he's an over achiver. To a kid like James, Julian must seem like hot shit. The ego, the amibition, the self confidence, no offence Jono, but you don't walk around like your the shit and everyone should know it. To teenager, Julian is this 'awesome guy'. We know better though the kids might not. Who knows James might think that you don't trust -him- to be on that level. Honestly, I think you two need to talk, put it on the table and see if it is really something there or just a misunderstanding. You guys a friends, to me, it seems like a kind of foolish excuse to have a falling out over."
«I wasn't a teach when I befriended him.» Jonothon points out, but he doesn't really argue. And after that he shrugs, «I can't be Julian. I don't be Julian for anyone, not even a friend.» Part of why he's lost several lovers in the past. He wouldn't change for them. Didn't want to. «Doubt talking will help at this time. I'm not apologizing for being me. I know that is stubborn, but that's how I'm reading you. I'm not sure I should apologize for him going behind my back either. Let him learn the hard way he's not ready. It's the only way he will learn. Maybe after he sees why I said no we can talk. At this stage it's not happening.»
"I think it's good that you're not Julian, cause if there were two of you, I'd wanna punch ya both in the face." Kenta says with a smile. "I know you weren't a teacher when you befriended him, but you are. And Jono, you're damn right you're stubborn. You know what, if you want to salvage what relationship you have with a friend, you gotta talk to him. Maybe you gotta suck it up and apologize a little, other wise, you might lose a friend. And you know what, if you say it's not happening, then right now, you're throwing away a friendship just as much as he is. Honestly, I don't know his side of the story, but if you guys don't talk and hash things out then I guess your friendship wasn't worth it."
There's a smirk for that, «I think I'd let you.» If he were another Julian. Jonothon isn't one for that. «Apologize for what, Kenta? Being upset he went behind my back, and doing nothing about it?» He looks puzzled more than upset. «I didn't stop him. I'm not out to sabotage his attempts with X-Force. I really think it's good for him.» Ducking his head, still leaning on the piano, he drags fingers back through his hair. «It's not that I have so much ego I can't apologize. It's that I've no idea what I've done to apologize for. I'm not trying to hold him back. I'm not trying to cripple his advancement. I'm confused.» Very confused.
"That's why you two need to sit down and have a civil conversation Jono. You're confused and hurt, and I bet he doesn't even know why. Right now I am only hearing one half of the story and I don't really understand." Kenta says as he really knows half the story but thinks a lot of it could be solved with a conversation. "I still don't get how he went behind your back. You told him not to train with Julian. He didn't ask to train with me, he didn't ask to train with X-Force. He asked for X-Force level training, so I told him the only way would be /with/ me. Is it you're upset that he didn't ask to train with you?"
If only he could snort. «Christ. No.» Upset that James didn't ask to train with him. Jonothon shakes his head. «I'd be terrified to. Not good enough with my powers yet.» He straightens somewhat, looking over and placing his hands on the piano. «I'm upset because he did something very kid-like. When he asked one teacher, who said no, he went and found another to ask. It's why I didn't confront him about it. He's a kid. It's what kids do. So I went out to vent a little, and he found me. I shouldn't have mentioned it, but I didn't want to lie to him.» Jono shrugs. «I guess I expected more and was hurt by the disappointment. And at this point anything you try and do has been ruined by me. Now that I'm sorry for.»
Kenta stands up and looks at Jono and lightly smacks him upside the head with a smile on his face, to let Jono know it's done in a loving, not mean, way. "Jono, you're hurt be cause James was a kid, being a kid, and you were expecting him to be more mature than he is? Aren't you're expectations a bit to high? It sounds like you want James to act like someone he's not. I know you had it rough at fifteen but the rest of us didn't. You set yourself up for that disappointment there buddy." Kenta says patting him on the shoulder. "Just remember, he's 11 years younger than your, 11 years less of toils and troubles, and that he's still go the maturity level of a green bean. Teenage males, even when we're 31 we have the maturity of a 12 year old."
«Oy!» That's protest for the smacking. Hair ruffled, Jonothon glares for it. «Arse.» Shrugging off that hand, he at least doesn't storm out. «You are not in fact helping.» Said with a muffled ire. «Putting it in perspective, but for all the preaching you haven't suggested a single thing to help.» Grump! «How am I suppose to talk to a kid who thinks I'm purposely holding him back, I'm still controlled by someone, and who I don't trust enough? I should apologize to appease his ego so we can remain friends? What kind of friend is that?»
"Yup, I'm an arse." Kenta says with a chuckle. "You're supposed to sit down and talk to him. Tell him you're not holding him back. I didn't say you have to apologize, I said maybe you gotta, not you have to. I don't know what his side of the story is, and you know what kind of friend that is, someone whose willing to go, 'I wanna keep my friend and be there for them'. You two have to talk Jono. You have to tell him how -you- feel. If not, you're gonna grump about how your feelings are hurt and how you can't trust him. I don't think you ever trusted him enough Jono, and are just using this as a way to excuse your prior distrust. This is how you're supposed to talk to him, go up and say 'James, we gotta talk. Not as teacher to student, but as friends. I need to tell you how I feel and why I feel it and ask you to not interupt me till I'm done'. And you have to let -him- know. Otherwise, the grumping won't end."
In as much as he briefly looks like he ate a lemon, Jonothon does listen. There were reasons for not trusting James, but he doesn't list those here. It'd just come off as more grousing. It has him uncomfortably quiet for long seconds before he manages, «Alright.» No, he doesn't think it will work. That's clear in his tone. Pushes away from the piano, straightening to his full height. Such as it is. And with that he finds he doesn't have anything he feels he should say. Could say lots, but it wouldn't do any good. «Cheers, mate.»
"Stubborn Brit!" Kenta calls as Jono goes to leave, but there's a smile on his face. Maybe he'll try to talk to James later, after all he does have to stop by their room to drop off something for Lucas. "Take Care Jono, and for what it matters, you're not a bad guy. Just someone trying to figure out how to salvage something they feel is falling apart." He leaves Jono with those parting words as he goes back to playing the piano.
