Alex, Lorna and Shiro- Backdated to the 29th

[x-havok.livejournal.com]

Lorna comes to visit Alex the day after his birthday bearing Tylenol, juice and his birthday present. Everything goes relatively okay...until she happens to hint at something Alex didn't know she knew thanks to the Dream. Shiro arrives as Lorna is leaving and finally explains to Alex what really happened and how Lorna found out about them. Alex freaks out for must of this.


Alex groaned. His head was killing him and whoever was knocking at the door was making it worse with every bang. He had buried his head under his pillow, hoping Shiro would get it soon.

Then he sluggishly remembered Shiro was at training and Alex groaned again.

Somehow, he managed to get up and put some sweat pants on before going to find out who was doing a good job of trying to bang in their door. His hair was sticking out a bit as he yawned and opened the door.

"Oh, hey, sorry, I didn't realize you weren't awake," Lorna lied sweetly and held out a glass of juice. He looked absurd, blond hair a mess and he'd apparently forgotten to put a shirt on. The sweatpants were inside out too. Lorna grinned, "You look like hell. Must have been some birthday."

Alex just glared at her as he took the juice and moved aside for her to come in. "Never let me drink around Scott ever again. He dares me and I can't say no." He took the juice in small sips as he moved to sit on the bed. "Thanks, though you wouldn't happen to have some Tylenol or something would ya?"

She held up her other hand and shook the bottle of aspirin invitingly, "Of course." The plan was, if she kept this up then she wouldn't start thinking about her 21st birthday and how far they'd come in two years. She tipped out a couple of pills and placed them in his hand. "Drink your juice. Dehydration is the worst part of the hangover. Did you have fun?"

Alex wasn't thinking about anything except the pounding in his head. He gladly excepted the pills and downed them as well as about half the juice in a few big gulps. "I did. Now I see why you guys like Harry's so much." He vaguely remembered the last part of the evening and Scott returning him to his room so Shiro could put him to bed, with some messy making out first. Yep, Lorna and Scott never had to know about that part.

"It's a good place to chill out." Lorna nudged him over to the sofa, guiding him easily, second nature really. She hopped up on the arm of the couch, facing him but not touching him. "I'd have gone but I was still pretty whacked out from the dream thing. Shiro too probably, right? It was a lot of crazy stuff." Of course Shiro had told him all that happened. Why wouldn't he? They were best friends and the way Shiro reacted in the dream...but Lorna wasn't going to let Alex see what Shiro had seen. She'd be cheerfully supportive and damn her traitorous heart. Too late to regret it now.

Letting her take care of him was second nature, so he let her, getting comfy as he sat crossed legged on the couch, just as he had on the bed. And since Shiro *hadn't* told him anything about the dream except that his father had been alive, which was why Alex hadn't pressed the matter. "He was really shaken up." He agreed with a small nod.

Lorna half laughed, "Yeah, me too. Not really what I expected to walk in on but, hey, if you're both happy that's cool with me." Lies and lies and lies. Like talking to Jim yesterday. Like she would when Crystal tracked her down for an explanation of the terrible things she'd said. "You can't really control your reactions in dreams, it's all id. But it's good. He's always been there."

"Yeah I be...wait what?" Alex blinked. What were they talking about?

Though a feeling of dread was creeping up in the pit of his stomach and he knew it had nothing to do with alcohol.

Lies and where do they get you? "What do you mean what? Didn't he tell you?" Shiro hadn't told him and now Lorna had no choice. Shit. "I should go. Finish your juice."

Alex reached out and grabbed her wrist before she could go. "Tell me what?" He asked again, the dread growing now and he felt like he was going to throw up. She can't know...she can't! He felt the panic growing already.

Lorna shook her head--let go, let go, before this gets worse--but he was stronger than her will to get away. "Nothing. Forget it. It's nothing." She scrambled with her other hand into the bag hanging on her shoulder and produced a small gift. "I got you a birthday present. Didn't have it wrapped yesterday, sorry it's late."

He took the gift with his other hand, which had set down the glass of juice on the table for its own safety. "Lorna...please. Tell me what?" He was begging but he didn't care. He had to know if she knew.

"Open your present. It's not my place." What if it had just been Shiro's wish, not a reflection of reality? He hadn't ever actually said... "If he didn't tell you then he must not have wanted you to know. So I'm staying out of it. Forget I said anything." She tugged against his grip on her wrist again. "Look, are you happy?"

Alex was really panicky now and so, of course, he didn't let go. "Right now? No! Lorna please...tell me what happened in the dream." He tugged on her wrist for her to come sit on the couch. He wasn't letting ago until she told him.

She stayed on the arm of the sofa instead, keeping the distance for everyone's sakes. She was lightweight, he could move her if he wanted to but she was betting he wouldn't go that far so long as she stopped trying to get away. "In general, Alex. Are you happy? If I hadn't said anything, would you be happy with the way your life is? Because that's all that matters. Not what happened in a dream world. Please let me go."

Both his head and heart were pounding hard and he had to let go to put both hands to his head. After a moment, he looked up again. "I am." He said honestly, though at the moment he hated the truth because he knew it would hurt her. "How did you know?"

She slipped off the couch and out of arm's reach, face pale but composed. "Something happened during the dream. I think you should talk to Shiro about it first though. You know how to find me." She continued backing to the door, using the space like a shield to ward off the look on his face. "It's okay. Really."

The door opened, and Shiro stood behind it, eyebrows raised curiously and heart pounding. He'd heard two familiar voices coming from his room as he'd returned, and had only momentarily hesitated before barging in. "Talk to me about what?" he asked, even though he could tell from the looks of sheer shock (and fear?) on their faces.

Alex looked quickly between Shiro and Lorna, a pained look on his face, and not just from his pounding headache. "What happened in the dream besides your father was alive?" Alex asked of Shiro, while his tone was saying something more along the lines of 'How does she know?'

Lorna looked only at Shiro, not daring to face Alex with Shiro there. "I can't believe you didn't tell him," she whispered, nearly a hiss, "You don't think that's the sort of thing he's got a right to hear from you?"

"I told you this was none of your business," Shiro replied through gritted teeth. "Why did you come here instead of asking me first? Even though I do not have to explain myself to you of all people."

Because I didn't think you would be this stupid? Because he's still my friend? Because I don't need your permission to speak to him and I'll be damned if I let you take him away completely. So many responses but Lorna went with none of them. "Whatever. I was just dropping off his present. You explain it to him and I'll get out of your way." Her gaze flickered over to Alex, hurt and trying to hide it. "Sorry about upsetting you. I hope you like your gift."

"I'm sure you are," Shiro muttered darkly. Shiro had perfected the Evil Eye since coming to America, and he showed off the extent of his skill as he stepped aside so Lorna could pass. And nothing even spontaneously combusted. In retrospect, he could be quite proud of that.

"Lorna!" Alex called afterward, but realized it was too late. He could tell how upset she was as well and that's not at all what he wanted. And he made a note of the glares going between the two. Something had happened and Alex was almost afraid to know what now. He gave a defeated sigh and sank back down onto the couch, cradling his hurting head in his hands.

For Alex's sake, Shiro didn't slam the door on Lorna's ass. He waited until she was clear of the doorway and then shut it closed like a normal person. "Alex?" Shiro took a few tentative steps towards him, his anger at the green-haired witch evaporating and replaced by concern. "Alex, I . . ." He sighed and looked down at his feet. He couldn't bring himself to look at Alex in the eyes yet. "Gomen. I'm sorry. I should have told you."

As if he knew Shiro wouldn't look at him, Alex kept his head cradled in his hands. "What happened in the dream?" he asked as if that would solve everything. "Explain to me what the fuck just happened." His voice was oddly calm. Not angry or upset, just calm.

"It is not that important," Shiro lied, more for his own sake than Alex's. He consciously knew that there was nothing to be ashamed of except for the part where Lorna had caught him, but that did nothing to calm him. And besides, as much as it galled Shiro to admit it, Lorna was right. He owed Alex the truth.

He took a seat next to Alex and placed a hand on his shoulder. "If I had not been a mutant, then my uncle would not have taken such an interest in me as he did. He grew ill and died when I was twelve years old and never murdered my father, so he continued to raise Leyu-chan and me. When I went to university in Tokyo, I met this guy named Gabriel who was studying abroad. We . . ." He gulped. "We became involved. I went with my father to visit a politician in California, who happened to be Gabriel's older brother. And Lorna's fiance. During dinner we snuck away to have sex, and she caught us. And Gabriel, he . . . he looked like you."

Alex listened patiently, as he always did when Shiro was telling him something important. But this boggled his mind. Lorna had basically walked in on Alex and Shiro having sex...and the irony was, Alex and Shiro had never gotten farther then creative groping and oh yeah, Alex hadn't been there. He gave a small bark of upset laughter. "And she put two and two together." He said bitterly, though it was himself he was bitter at. He knew he should have told her, but he was too much of a wuss. Still...she hadn't deserved to find out like this.

"She would have to be dumber than she looks to not have figured it out," Shiro spat. "I suppose you are not very happy anymore." He withdrew his hand from Alex's shoulder slowly and looked down again. If Alex wasn't responding to touch, then he must be really upset.

Sensing that Shiro was upset, Alex finally turned his head and looked at him, his expression still upset, but softened. "Oh Shiro. I'm not unhappy." He reached out and took the hand that had been on his shoulder in between both of his. "Lorna just...She deserved better. To find out because I told her. I owed her that much after everything. I'm mad at myself...not you." His tone was still soft and his normally relaxed body was still very tensed up.

Shiro let out a breath he hadn't realized that he was holding in. (How cliche, he thought.) "Well, no one could have predicted that this would have happened. You are a much bigger man than I." He tried to offer Alex a smile. "Are you going to talk with her about . . . us?"

That Alex very much doubted, as there were many things Alex looked up to Shiro for, mainly the other's boy's strength. Alex didn't know how he would have dealt with the aftermath of the Pele incident and so many others like it without the Japanese boy by his side.

While he was still clearly upset, he managed a smile and squeezed Shiro's hand. "Yeah. I guess I need to now. She deserves to know what's going on, especially if she's going to have to live with us and work with you." He leaned and gave Shiro a soft kiss, since they were in the safety of their own suite. "I'm still yours, don't worry about that. I'm not changing my mind anytime soon." Alex wished he was more confident about that statement, but he did mean it.

Shiro gratefully accepted the kiss, and his whole demeanor visibly relaxed. To him, that was the most important thing. If they couldn't keep people or Lorna from knowing, then at least there's that. "Good. Because I just experienced a terrible romp through the Danger Room and was hoping that I could guilt you into giving me a massage . . ."

Alex laughed, even if it was still strained. "Anything to keep my mind off my headache. Come on."