xp_logs | Scott and Marius, Thursday morning

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Scott gets to do the headmasterly thing again. It's even less of a lecture than the one Forge got, but ultimately, it's just as futile.

Scott wondered somewhat absently if students ever got paranoid when their headmaster stalked them. He seemed to do it a lot, when simply calling them to his office wasn't appropriate, for whatever reason. In this case, certainly, the less traditional methods were necessary.

It was another clear day, and he took a deep breath as he stepped out onto the porch. His stomach was bothering him, again, but at least the pain was at a dull roar. Scott stepped forward to the porch railing, leaning on it a bit more heavily than he might have usually as he watched the trail that led back out of the woods. He'd checked the security cameras, and judging by the speed at which he'd been jogging and the trail he was on, if he hadn't stopped Marius should be coming into view right about - Scott paused to glance at his watch - now.

Marius was already slowing as he came out of the woods, though he'd barely even worked up a sweat. But then, the idea wasn't to exhaust himself before he got back to the infirmary -- this was supposed to be a break. He'd just needed to move, that was all. Dropping his exercise regime cold made him feel ill. And right now, he'd take anything that reminded him there was a world outside those powers.

He noticed the man on the porch as he was raising his waterbottle for a quick drink. It was Scott. Ah, bugger.

With a mental shrug, Marius kept walking. Well, it'd been bound to happen sooner or later. Might as well get it over with.

"Marius," Scott said with a faint smile as the boy drew nearer. "Got a few minutes before you head back inside?"

Marius retwisted the bottlecap with a shrug. "Sure, runnin' a bit ahead of time anyway. And if it's the headmaster, I don't think they'll so much mind." He sauntered up the porch steps and leaned himself against the wall, arms crossed. He blew a strand of hair out of his face and eyed Scott calmly. "What's up, then?"

Scott eyed him right back. "I imagine you think I'm here to read you the riot act," he said after a moment. "About what happened with Masque last night."

Again the noncommital shrug. "Figured it'd be about that, but so far as the specifics -- don't know, and don't particularly care. Bit of a waste of time if you do, though. Already got it memorized."

"You're not a mindreader," Scott reminded him, no edge to his voice, "and you shouldn't be so sure that you've got a situation figured. However often you've heard similar lectures. Because I don't have any intention of giving you one. I want to ask you something."

"Please yourself. Ask away."

"Can you keep doing this?" Scott asked as Marius came up the steps. "There are alternatives. Worse alternatives, for the telepaths who'd have to facilitate them. But the telepaths, unlike you, are mostly team members, or at least more experienced in situations like this." Scott straightened, keeping the wince off his features by an act of sheer will. "You've done a hell of a job thus far. But you don't have to keep doing it, not if you can't handle it."

Marius frowned at the insinuation. "I can handle it fine. Bloke just made me bloody ropeable. In case you didn't hear, he caved in half my sodding face. An' he's done worse." He snorted and raised his gloved hands behind his head, holding the waterbottle between them. "Well, no worries on that account. If I've got to do another powers-pickup Moira'll have the wanker sedated. Can't say I'll be bawlin' into my brekkie about it."

"I know what happened." Scott was silent for a second, trying to think... why couldn't he find the right things to say to any of these kids? What good was he? "You could have killed him by accident," he finally said, more quietly. "Would you have had his powers for long enough to fix everyone else?"

"Not how it works," Marius replied promptly. "Organs move around to accomodate. Instinctive-like. Most vics wouldn't have survived if it was any different." He'd been working and living inside these powers since Monday. He knew this for a fact. The blow Marius had given him wouldn't have done him any serious harm.

The consequences of having his nose and throat abruptly closed off, on the other hand . . .

"Then why was Moira so angry with you?"

The boy snorted. "Likely because she wanted to hit the wanker first." Which wasn't sarcasm. He'd seen the way she looked at Masque, had seen how angry she'd been after his suitemates had been attacked. And Cain hadn't seemed too broken up about his little incident, either. What's the problem? I only did what everyone else was thinking.

Scott didn't answer for another long moment. "Entirely possible," he finally said, his voice still low. "Look... just remember what I said. There are options, if this is too much. If that was just... something that happened, because the bastard started it, okay." He hadn't just said that. Scott grimaced and turned towards the door. "But if it happens again," he said over his shoulder, "or anything similar to it happens... we'll be looking at those other options. And not for his sake."