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One week. That struck Johnny as being the right amount of time to allow things to breathe on their own before taking any kind of action.
Week's up.
Johnny should be in class right now, but he is not. Family Things are going to win over classes on his list of priorities every single time, and this is definitely no exception. Clad in his uniform, he makes his way into the hangar, craning his neck as he tries to see past the Fantasticar for any sign of his quarry.
"Reeeeeeeed? You in here, buddy?"
*
Reed is. Working, of course. On what? who can say. Whatever it is is up near the ceiling. Possibly something in regards to the roof, since he makes his entrance by dropping down from above. Well… sort of. It's more like streeeeeeetches down from above, staying at normal porportions excepting his waist. It's kind of not unlike goop oozing down. Kind of. If goop wore dark goggles or carried odd tools in hand.
Reed pushes his goggles up— or down, depending. He would argue that the Theory of Relativity— never mind. Reference frames. "Johnny. I thought you had class. What's up," he replies, frowning slightly. Has he lost track of time, schedules, or all of the above again? Could be. Hmmm.
*
Ah, there he is. Johnny waits patiently for the top half of Reed to drooooooooop down to his eye level, then offers him a tight smile. "Besides you? Taking a day off. Not learning anything new anyway," he says with a shrug and a dismissive wave of a hand — which he then turns to crook a pair of fingers at him. "C'mon down for a minute. We're due to have a conversation."
*
Reed frowns thinly, but nods. Okay, that's fair. Reed has an inkling why and what about and considers it… superfluous? But necessary. Lots of things are like that in life. He hands Johnny the tool— which is clearly some kind of welding head without all the other gear— and then vaishes ceilingward… for a couple seconds before his feet come back down first.
Reed snags a shop towel to wipe his hands on. "Alright. So. Conversation."
*
Johnny accepts the tool without complaint, glancing at it briefly before he clasps his hands behind his back and… waits.
Once Reed is looking less like saltwater taffy and more like himself, Johnny nods once and takes a breath. Right. Conversation. "Since I can actually see her, I'm going to assume things are… you know…" He gestures between himself and Reed, one eye squinting. "…going well. Which is good."
*
Reed manages to keep an idiot smile from showing at the question. Much. It's a valiant attempt and under the circumstances, reasonably considerate. And he gets past it quickly, just giving a nod. "So it seems. An overdue conversation was had, she seems pleased with the results," Reed summarizes.
He gives the towel a toss pack onto the workbench it started out on. "I'll… assume you have the exact opposite of interest in any actual detail." There is an extent past with it's no longer Johnny's business anyway.
*
Johnny can't entirely help but narrow his eyes and behind his back, his fingers begin to drum against the tool Reed passed him. The insinuation is that there are details to leave out. "That is… probably accurate."
He takes a moment to gather his thoughts before he lets out an exasperated sigh. "Look. I know you're a good guy," Johnny says, watching Reed carefully. "I wouldn't have agreed to…to go with just anybody. Not even for Seo. I need you to understand that I know this."
*
"I had a hunch," Reed allows, and reaches to place a hand on Johnny's shoulder. "Joon, I know what your sister means to you. And believe me, it hasn't escaped my notice— or admiration— that you've been… restrained about this." A light pat, and a slight quirk of a smile. "So just say what you need to; I understand where it's coming from."
*
After a moment's thought, Johnny just nods once and brings one of his own hands up to mirror the gesture, resting it on Reed's shoulder. He even meets his eyes and mirrors the smile.
"I know you think you know what she means to me, Reed, but you really don't," Johnny says, and his tone is… not unkind, the smile still in place. "Not for lack of trying, or for wanting to. You just can't. But I get what you mean."
How to phrase this. Johnny casts a thoughtful look towards the ceiling, pursing his lips. Then, he looks back to Reed and laughs. "This really isn't fair, though. Most guys taking my sister out, I could just threaten to punch or set on fire."
*
Reed chuckles a little sheepishly, and nods. "Yes. Well. I'm sure given some time to think about how to carry it out, a smart guy like you can manage, so don't worry too much about the details," Reed suggests. "Anyway, the best threats are vague and left to the imagination of the threaten-ee."
*
"You're probably right. So, how 'bout this." Still smiling, Johnny drops his hand from Reed's shoulder to give him a light pat pat on the chest. All the warmth on his face, however, is absolutely gone from his voice. "You break her heart? And I will break yours." Now the smile is gone, too, replaced by two very expectantly-raised eyebrows. "We understand one another?"
*
Reed does not have to try as hard as one might expect to look serious and a little uncomfortable. Well done. He clears his throat. "Perfectly, yes." Well done.
*
"Good." Johnny takes one step back and gives the tool a light toss back to Reed. "I'll let you get back to it. The conference is this weekend," he notes dryly, spinning on his heel to start back inside. "No pressure."
*
Reed catches it, tilts his head. and taps his chin. "Oh, we're good for that. I think. Are we…?" Johnny leaves him puzzling over lists. So much for whatever he was actually up here to do.