Playing and Winning, a Halo fic

[cortana]

Author’s note: Takes place during “The Fall of Reach”…oh Eric Nylund, what would I do without your awesome Halo novels? Written for the LJ fanfic100  challenge, prompt 001: Beginnings

 

John twirled the coin the stranger gave him during recess between his fingers. School was almost out for the day, which meant John could finally play with his friends without the watchful eyes of the teachers making sure he played fair.

When he got home, he knew his mom would be angry with him for ruining another pair of pants and getting cracked lip again, but John always did what it took to win.

The teacher turned her back to the class, pointing to the display screen in the front of the room, when one of his classmates looked at John with a pout. “It’s not fair. How come you got the coin?” the little girl whispered.

“Because I’m the best,” he said with a proud smile, the small gap in his teeth showing.

The girl stuck her tongue out before turning back towards the front of the room.

John flipped the coin over as his teacher kept talking about the history of the Eridanus colonies; he didn’t pay much attention to her though. He already read the chapter earlier this week when he was benched for playing too rough with the other kids.

Instead, he turned his attention to the object in his hand and looked at the man’s face on the front of the coin, wondering who it was. John thought his name was Liberty; after all, that was what was written on the front. The man looked kind of boring, John thought, but he did like the man’s long hair. Maybe his mom would let him grow his hair like that. Probably not, he thought sadly.

He closed his palm around the coin and looked out the window where he met the unfamiliar woman, wondering why she had been there in the first place. It was obvious she was watching him; he noticed her as soon as she and the man with her stepped onto the school grounds. Still, that hadn’t stopped him from playing. And winning.

After thinking about it for a few seconds, John decided it didn’t really matter why she was there. She was nicer than most of the grownups that were around him. They scolded him and told him to be nice to the other kids. The lady with the straw hat played a game with him and even let him keep his prize. He got the coin and all he had to do was guess which side it would land on.

It was almost as easy as grav ball.

With a flick of his thumb, John spun the circular coin in the air. He called the side in his head.

Heads.

Expertly, he caught the coin in his palm.

The man with the long hair faced up.

Though he had flipped the coin over a dozen times, he had yet to lose the game.

Maybe, John thought with a grin, if he was this lucky he would see the lady again and she would have another prize for him.

 

Comments

[scorcher1262.livejournal.com]

I like! I've always wanted to read more fics about the younger Spartans :) John's so cute!

[yappichick]

Thanks so much!

I'm working on a few stories (instead of working on my Halo Big Bang story--eek!)...I'm trying to write one with John and Kelly after Sam's death, but I'm having trouble making it stay in character *sigh*

But, I should totally have a few more young Spartan stories if I actually go through the craziness and finish this 100 fic challenge, LOL