>>5362477Oh shit. Oh freaking shit.
Biting down on your lip hard, you try to ignore the panic rising in your throat at John's question; but if you don't answer fast enough, or if you answer too fast, John will no-doubt figure out that something's amiss.
Finally, when you think it's just the right in-between moment, you reply to John, "I didn't. I was just playing it by ear."
In fact, the main reason you'd been able to snap John out of his Berserker rage was your own, logical guess-- one that had been based off your previous encounter with his lizard-form. You're not sure if he would've even believed anything else you said, but, in a situation where you're put on the spot, sometimes the easiest thing to do is tell the truth (well, everything but the mutant part of it).
One beat, two beats pass by as you pray that John won't ask the one question you don't want to hear come from his mouth. You thought you had been smart enough by pointedly not telling John the exact tactics you use to manage your own instincts, but John would've questioned anything you did regardless.
The crunch of leaves from behind you tells you that Bernard's come to look for you, and you put a finger to your lip in the universal gesture of 'stay quiet.' While he doesn't see the aforementioned gesture, he's able to see the light of your cell phone against your ear, which is more than enough of a cue for the teleporter to stay back for the time being.
But John has yet to answer, and, when you can't see his face, it's hard to tell what he's thinking.
Still, so long as he hasn't said anything, you don't even dare to breathe. Not until you're sure his suspicion has abated.
"--Elise." John's voice breaks you from your train of thought. "You still there?"
"Yeah, I lost you there for a second." The lie easily falls from your tongue.
"Oh, I was saying I'm just amazed that you were able to think of that." John tells you, though there's something else in his tone that you can't quite make out--something that sounds slightly... disappointed?
'No.' You shake your head. If anything, he's likely disappointed that you didn't have some sort of surefire, method for him to manage his instincts.
>(1/?) 