Scott and Kurt, Friday afternoon

[x-cyclops.livejournal.com]

Scott finds Kurt studying in the library, and they have a little talk about his goals, education-wise, and how he doesn't have to do it alone.


It wasn't that unusual to see Kurt in the library - but he was usually there looking for new texts for his classes, or marking papers, rather than colonising a table with booklets and study guides, muttering to himself.

Scott walked into the library, with the intention of seeking out Tabitha or Shan to talk about the new textbook orders for the fall, but paused as he saw Kurt and his paraphrenalia. "What are you up to?" he asked curiously as he came over.

"They will not let me into any college without proof of some prior education", was the distracted answer. "And I have none. So I must get it."

Scott leaned over his shoulder, frowning. "Your GED?"

"Exactly." He made a note on one of the booklets, in pencil. "I never thought gaining a certificate could be so complicated."

"Kurt, you don't have to do this on your own," Scott said, still frowning slightly as he sat down in one of the chair next to the other man. "A couple of us kicking around here actually have education degrees, remember?" He gave Kurt a crooked smile.

Kurt looked up at him, blinking. "...I did not think of that. And then, as well, everyone has been - is - so busy..." He hadn't wanted to ask, to oblige them, in a typical Kurt move.

"I'm not proposing classes, even informal ones, unless you have something you need some heavy work on." Scott picked up one of the booklets. "But maybe... some guidance on how to make your way through these things, at least?"

"That would be very welcome", Kurt said, not without some relief. "My English is good, you know that, but the language in these..." He didn't speak bureaucratic English as well as the general language.

"Overly complicated and designed to be difficult to penetrate?" Scott asked, leafing through the booklet. "Reminds me of the worst types of aircraft manuals..."

"Exactly", was the wry response. "Was it like this when you were applying for university?"

Scott looked up, blinking. "Damn... you know, it's been forever since I thought about those days. I suppose I was sort of 'study, study, study' all the time, back then... I was so desperate to do Charles proud."

"He is an easy man to feel that way about", Kurt agreed. "It is part of why I am doing this - I know he would never insist on it, but if one parent has a problem with the matter..."

"It'll be good for you, too," Scott pointed out. "I mean, it probably doesn't feel like it right now, what with the... crazy number of pieces of paper you're dealing with right now," he said, waving at the table, "but I think you'll find you enjoy it, once you get properly into it." He made a face. "I've been wanting to take more courses towards my master's degree for a while now."

"Perhaps when I am done with the GED and can move on to further things", Kurt allowed. "I used to wish, sometimes as a child, that I could go to school. The others did, when we were in one place for long enough - in the winter, usually - but that was not for me."

"No image inducers back then," Scott murmured, leaning back in his chair. "I missed... well, a lot of school, between the plane crash and when I wound up here. First because of the hospital, of course." Later, because of other things. Scott continued to leaf idly through the booklet. "Hank used to threaten to throw me in the lake if I didn't leave the books alone, sometimes... hypocrite."

"He obviously was", Kurt said, amused. "Did he ever follow through on it? Though perhaps not, since you seem to have made up for the missed time very well..."

"Twice," Scott said, raising an eyebrow at the memory. "Once in October, and I wound up with a cold. Let's just say I exploited his guilt shamelessly..."

Kurt laughed outright at that. "By making him do your chores, help with homework, or something else?" It was spoken as someone well used to manipulating an older brother.

"I made him do research for a history paper for me - research, mind you, not the writing itself. I knew better. Charles might have missed the fact that I didn't find all those books by myself, but me suddenly using sixty-dollar words like they were spare change would have aroused his suspicions."

"Hank was like that even when you were at school, then?" He wasn't really surprised, but he was oddly wistful.

"Mmm," Scott confirmed, looking at Kurt thoughtfully. "You know, I wrestled for a while, being surrounded by all these people who were several light-years smarter than I was. Charles, Erik, Moira, Jean, Hank... it was hard on the teenaged pride. I figured out, though, that there was a lot to be said for hard work and the ability to make the most of what you have. We don't all have genius intellects, but we're all smart people." He laid the booklet back down on the table.

"We are", Kurt acknowledged. "And my family taught me what they could. So did the priest who brought me into the church. It was not nothing, it was as much as they could give, but..."

"Think of this as learning more about how to learn. At least in the academic sense," Scott suggested. "It's the step you have to get through in order to do what you want."

"That is very true", Kurt said thoughtfully. "And here, I have as good teachers as I am likely to find."