xp_logs | Alex & Scott, Early this Morning (Reply)

Alex has something important to talk to Scott about and it goes MUCH better then he ever imagined.

There was something about today. Like he'd known today was the day
when he'd woken up this morning. Had thought about what he was going
to say while he'd been out jogging with Crush. Had talked himself out
of last minute jitters in the car on the way over to the mansion. Alex
had no idea why today felt so right for what he wanted to do but
something in him just knew that if he was serious about this, it had
to happen now.

Which was how he found himself standing outside the door of Scott and
Jean's suite, taking a deep breath before knocking. "Yo bro? Got a
sec?"

The door was open, and Scott, sprawled on the couch with a book open
on his lap, looked up at the sound of his brother's voice. "Hey," he
said. "I have several seconds, actually." He was taking a few hours
before girding himself to face his very last Parent's Day as
headmaster. Maybe that was cheating, but he hadn't slept very well the
last couple of weeks, and was feeling weary and generally undutiful -
at least regarding the duties he was going to be free of, after
tomorrow.

Ironically, Alex was still bouncing with energy from last month's
crisis. It had felt...good to use his powers in a productive way. And
not even just his powers. It was nice to be useful for his knowledge
and skills...instead of being the one needing rescuing. Which had
spurred him to this decision and thus this conversation. He walked
into the suite and moved to sit on the arm of the couch by Scott's
feet, giving him a pointed look. "Good book?" he asked in a more
amused tone.

"Not a clue," Scott said amiably, not sitting up. "It's not really
registering. How are you?" He looked... restless. Something was
clearly up.

Of course, restless Alex wasn't usually much different then normal
Alex, if you knew better to look past the laid back surfer, which of
course Scott did. It was just... he really hadn't expected it to feel
like this. Afterwards. "I'm doing awesome dude. In fact, that's kinda
what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Mm-hmm," Scott said, eyeing him with very well-disguised amusement.
"You showed up with a purpose? That's never a good sign."

Alex just rolled his eyes and actually rested the urge to stick his
tongue out at his brother. "Yeah yeah. Laugh it up. Okay, so
seriously...going on that mission to help the others against those
Masters guys? Felt really good...more kinda right, ya know?" He hoped
this was coming out right because he wasn't sure if it was sounding
like he wanted or meant it too.

Scott sat up, swinging his legs over the edge of the couch and yawning
as he set his book on the coffee table. "Actually, I do," he said
dryly. "I mean, it's only a feeling I've had for about the last ten
years..."

Now Alex gave into the brotherly urge and punched Scott in the arm.
"So I'm a little slow I get it. I think it's the sun, goes with the
blond and tan." Kidding aside, he bit his lip for a moment before he
ventured. "I kinda wanna do it again."

Scott smiled, but only after a moment, and the expression was maybe
the tiniest bit conflicted. "I can't say as though I'm particularly
surprised," he said. "I think I've been seeing you leaning in this
direction for a while now."

Now /that/ made Alex pause for a second. "Really?" That...wasn't the
reaction he'd been expecting.

Scott raised an eyebrow. "Really," he said. "I mean, it's not like you
didn't take to the training we've been doing like a fish does to
water. You handled getting caught up in that mess with the psis well."
And Alex wouldn't be the first X-Man to follow that particular
personal arc from victim to someone who made his own fate. "Why do you
think I was in favor of you being involved in this?"

After pausing for a few moments, with a couple open mouthed
expressions as he tried to find something to say, Alex just settled on
shaking his head and laughing. "It figures you'd know my own mind
before I did. And honestly? It all happened so fast, I didn't even
realize you were in favor of it. But now I'm kinda glad because this
conversation? SO going better then I thought it would." He grinned
cheekily for a moment before it faded to a more honest expression.
"So...what do you say? Can I start training for the big leagues?"

Scott's smile turned more natural. "I won't lie to you," he said, "I
am going to worry. Probably incessantly. But I've been going into the
field beside Jean for years - I'm not exactly a stranger to that sort
of worry. And if this is what you want," he went on, "then I want it for you, too."

"We can call it pay back for all the times you and Lorna made me
worry." Alex replied cheekily in pure little brother fashion before
standing so he could move over to give his brother a hug. "This is
what I want. Thanks Scott."

"Don't thank me," Scott said, "you haven't seen what actual X-Men
training is like yet." He smiled, perhaps too brightly. "You thought I
ran you ragged up until now."

Alex just grinned. "You also forget that I have dated two X-Men.
There's a reason I took those expert masseuse classes. And they both
used some very colorful language when they described what you did to
them. It's how I know cuss words in French and Japanese. You are
probably going to be very familiar with Hawaiian ones very soon
yourself but I think I'm ready for the challenge."

"We'll see. And wait until you get a load of Ororo. I'm sadistic,"
Scott said, "but she's creative." The twinkle in his real eye
somewhat belied the dour tone.

It was the twinkle that made Alex laugh. "Your going to enjoy this aren't you?"

"Oh yes. Thoroughly. And you have no idea how funny it is to actually
be able to say that," Scott said wryly. "I call that growing as a
person."

"Really? I see it as catching up on your big brother duties." Alex
teased before elbowing him. "Just don't enjoy it too much, bro. Then
I'd have to worry!"