[The hit startles him enough that he stumbles back a couple of steps, holds a hand up to his face - but then he's smiling more broadly than ever. Because that just hit a nerve goldmine, and Petre's never made it so obvious before. They're finally on the same level in a way that he can recognise and appreciate rather than resenting. All that perfect control shredded to ribbons until Petre couldn't do anything but lash out like John would.
It's almost childish glee on his face, like he just tricked Petre with a joy buzzer or a whoopie cushion rather than a deep emotional wound. Gotcha.
But then his mind is pleasantly blank again, and rather than gloating, he's just getting up to leave. It'll be rather interesting when they meet back up in their room, if they do - John has used Ryan's fake suspicions of stress exhaustion to sneak into the infirmary for the night more than once, and even gotten a legitimate diagnosis because of the strain this war has taken on him.
Where will it go now? He doesn't know, but that's one battle he knows he won.]
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It's almost childish glee on his face, like he just tricked Petre with a joy buzzer or a whoopie cushion rather than a deep emotional wound. Gotcha.
But then his mind is pleasantly blank again, and rather than gloating, he's just getting up to leave. It'll be rather interesting when they meet back up in their room, if they do - John has used Ryan's fake suspicions of stress exhaustion to sneak into the infirmary for the night more than once, and even gotten a legitimate diagnosis because of the strain this war has taken on him.
Where will it go now? He doesn't know, but that's one battle he knows he won.]