Johnny flinches back at the little shift, nearly imperceptible, did he imagine it, did he, he never fucking knows he never knows what's real does he, that's his whole problem, always been, always will be.

"The fuck," he hisses, and he feels a little twinge as Nova jerks reflexively beneath her captor's claws. Johnny swallows dry and rust-flavored. "Maybe I don't want someone like you having something like this."