Scott and Angelo, Thursday evening

[x-cyclops.livejournal.com]

On his way back up to the mansion at the end of another very long day, Angelo spots Scott sitting by the lake. They talk a little, but Scott's in an odd mood, and not too much is really said.


It was starting to get dark earlier, Scott thought, sitting on one of the benches by the lake and staring out at the water blankly. The sun had moved a considerable distance towards the horizon since he'd been out here. He'd been zoning out again, though, so it seemed to be moving in fits and starts. His session with Jack hadn't been a whole lot of fun today.

Angelo had got into the habit, on nice nights, of taking the long way back up to the school, and usually sneaking a cigarette on the way. This was one of those nights, as he walked slowly up the path from the boathouse.

He'd brought the dog down with him today, since Rachel was old enough to play with her properly now, and let her off the leash as they headed home. Joyita was the first to notice Scott, racing forward to sniff at his hands.

Scott blinked and looked down at the dog. "Hey there," he said quietly, and realized that Joyita was probably smelling the kitten. She was certainly getting excited. He looked up at Angelo, mustering a slight smile. "Working late again?"

"Do most nights", he agreed easily, dropping to the bench next to him. "Work doesn't stop comin', and it's not like it's a long walk home. What's got you out here so late?"

"Oh, just... getting the last of the sunlight, I guess." Scott's gaze shifted back to the lake. "I still feel better when I'm out in the direct sunlight," he murmured, and wondered, not for the first time, about that. Surely his mutation was properly recharged and back in balance by now. He ought to say something to Moira and Amelia.

"...wouldn't your sun lamp be better than sittin' out here when it's almost dark, then?" Angelo suggested carefully, with a worried glance.

"Fresh air?" Scott ventured unwillingly. Not wanting to tell Angelo that he was still iffy on spending too much time in his suite, kitten or no kitten. Plus he still wasn't focusing particularly well on work. He'd been doing fits and starts of school paperwork, but nothing systematic.

"There is that", the younger man agreed amiably, settling against the back of the bench. "Nice night to be out, anyway."

"Mmm." Scott folded his arms across his chest, slouching a little on the bench. Joyita sat down at Angelo's feet, her tail still thumping on the ground. "I was out seeing Jack Leary again this afternoon," he said after a moment. "I guess I didn't feel up to people when I came back. Hence, sitting out here for this long..."

Angelo patted the dog idly where her head was against his knee. "Yeah, I get that. Gonna start gettin' cold soon, though."

"Oh, I'll wander in when it gets dark," Scott murmured. Not that anyone would miss him, one way or the other, if he stayed out here for another hour or two. People were tending to leave him more or less to himself. He didn't mind. Rather appreciated it, actually.

"Almost there now", Angelo pointed out, drawing on his cigarette and not showing any particular inclination to move.

Scott had forgotten how quietly persistent Angelo could be. "So how have you been?" he asked after what was perhaps too long a pause. "Seems like forever since we've had a chance to catch up..."

"Busy", came the answer after a moment with a shrug. "Elpis gives us all as much to do as we can handle. An' then there's the dog, an' when people keep insistin' I still need a social life..."

"And riding herd on Nathan is in and of itself a full-time job..." Had he just made a joke?

Angelo chuckled slightly. "It really is. Got to be careful with that one, though - he hates feelin' like that's what I'm doin'."

"He's not the type of person who can handle feeling less than capable," Scott said, then smiled very faintly. "I know how he feels. And I don't even have the excuse of burned-out powers and broken bones at the moment..."

"You think he takes that as an excuse?" Angelo asked wryly, with another drag on the cigarette. "Should've seen him when Rahne an' Sooraya got taken."

"With your shield or on it. I suppose those traders are probably lucky he didn't have his powers. Nate gets demonstrative when he's aggravated, I've noticed." Scott rubbed at one wrist. They were almost healed up now. They were almost gone, the bruises were gone... the burn marks were still there, but even they were starting to heal, too. He'd have scars, though. Reminders. "I should get him to introduce me to Sooraya," Scott said somewhat distantly. "Since I don't speak Farsi."

"She's learnin' English", Angelo told him with a smile. "Makin' really good progress, too. Between that an' the bit of Farsi I know, we've managed so far even without Nate there."

"That's good. I'm glad to hear it." He really had to get back to work. This was ridiculous. Well... there was nothing stopping him from getting back to the school-related work, really. He just wasn't having much luck actually doing it just yet. Scott shifted irritably, uncrossing and recrossing his arms. "I've gotten out of touch with everyone, these last few weeks. Need to fix that."

"Well, if anyone ever had an excuse to be a hermit for awhile..."

Scott looked around at him. "How much do you know about what happened?" he asked quietly, not knowing what Nathan would have told him.

"Not much. The stuff that was public, obviously, an' maybe a little bit more. Nothin' that was team business, though."

"Of course not... Nate's discreet." Scott shook his head slightly. "It was not," he said clearly, "a pleasant five days away. I knew something they wanted, something from years ago..."

Angelo looked at him sideways, eyes dark - he could imagine all too well what might have been done during those five days. "Yeah?"

"Yeah. Funny how old ghosts can come back to bite you in the ass. I suppose our lives are a constant demonstration of that." Scott smiled humorlessly, looking back out at the lake. "I sound bitter. I ought to work on that."

"Little bit. But it's... I think most people here'd understand. Most of us've had our own old ghosts show up, after all."

"Hell, it's not like we're short on people who've been kidnapped and/or tortured, even." Joyita started sniffing at his shoe. "This wasn't the first time," Scott said under his breath, "and it probably won't be the last."

"Probably. But we do what we always do... pick up an' carry on."

"Right. Well..." Scott's smile was crooked as he stood up. "Not tonight, at least. I really should probably go in."

"Sounds a good plan", Angelo agreed. "I'll just..." He held up what was left of his latest cigarette, in silent demonstration.

"Nasty habit," Scott chided, more out of obligation than anything else as he turned towards the mansion.