xp_logs | Scott and Alex- Sunday afternoon in the kitchen

Scott talks to Alex about choices he made in Wakanda...and has a surprise for him.

"So, I have to know," Scott said, having found Alex raiding the fridge
in the main kitchen. "Having just read your mission report," he went
on, reaching around his little brother to grab a bottle of water.
"Precisely where did you get the idea? It's not something we've
practiced..." He trailed off, expectantly.

Alex had to reach up and removed the celery stalk hanging out of his
mouth to give his brother a cheeky grin. "Would you believe it just
kinda came to me?" He said as he finally grabbed a jar of jelly to add
to the carrots and celery he was already holding. He took a step back
and added them to the pineapple, peanut butter and bread he already
had set out on the counter.

Scott gave the array of food a mildly alarmed look, then told himself
to focus. "Well, we have been encouraging the creative thinking -
risky, though,' he said, and his expression was suddenly more serious.
"I didn't know you were ready to take that sort of a chance with your
powers. It's a pretty major step."

Alex just munched on his celery stalk as he started spreading peanut
butter on the bread. He tried to ignore the look on Scott's face but
he took everything his brother said personally so it was difficult.
"She was an energy absorber. I couldn't use my powers or make her
stronger. Even hitting her with rocks was making her stronger. And we
both know touch makes it easier to drain me so hand to hand was out. I
had to do something and seeing the scorch marks made me think of fire
and oxygen and I did what I did." He hated how his voice fell slightly
as he defended himself but Scott's opinion was everything. Oh, he'd do
it again in heart beat, Scott's approval be damned, but it meant alot
to him.

One of Scott's eyebrows went up. "You look like you're expecting me to
kick you," he said, his voice steady. "I think you misunderstand,
Alex." He sat down on one of the kitchen stools, taking a moment to
mentally compose what he was about to say. "Powers like ours - they're
so damned destructive. But you either use them, or don't. There's no
halfway - you have to be utterly confident, or you're worse than
useless."

There was a click as Alex pointedly put down the knife he was using
and looked at Scott. "I don't think I'm following you? I mean I know
that, but I'm not following where you're going with this..."

"I want to know that you don't regret your choice of tactics," Scott
said simply. Watching Alex very carefully.

Alex gave Scott a firm look. "If you mean do I regret what I did? No,
I don't. And I'd do it again too."

Scott gazed at him for a moment longer, then smiled slightly. "Okay,"
he said. "I believe you. Now, close your eyes."

Frowning slightly and lifting his eyebrows, Alex closed his eyes
warily. It didn't help when he felt Scott doing something to his
hoodie. When he felt Scott step away, he lifted his hand to where his
brother had done something at his collar and opened his eyes wide when
he felt what was there. "Dude, no way!"

"Dude, way," Scott said with a deadpan look, setting the second X-Men
pin down on the counter between them. He was still smiling.
"Surprised?"

"Ya think?" Alex said with a big grin and practically tackled Scott in a hug.

"Oof - ribs, brat," Scott said. It was mostly a joke. He ruffled
Alex's hair briefly. "Just promise me you'll get rid of the damned
trainee name. I nearly crack up every time I say it, and that is
not conducive to my longevity."

Alex burst out laughing. "Admit it, the other COs made you promote me
so they wouldn't have to call out Squirt anymore. I saw Jennie's face
every time she had to say it. I nearly laughed myself." He only had to
think for a moment. "I think I want to take back Havok." It was
reminder of how far he'd come...from Selene to an X-man.

"I've heard worse ideas." Scott squeezed his brother's shoulders
lightly before releasing him. "Just... remember what you managed in
Wakanda. It's what's up here-" He tapped Alex's forehead with a
finger. "-that got you those, in the end. Not your powers."

"So, just keep thinking, 'What would Scott do?' and I'll be fine."
Alex kidded before he grinned at Scott. "Thanks Bro."

"I'll buy you one of those bracelets. WWSD," was his brother's parting
shot as he turned to go. "Also - you get to break the news to
our grandparents."

"NO FAIR!" Was Alex's retort. "I have to tell Lorna! Isn't that bad enough?" He stuck out his tongue at his brother back as he picked up the other pin on the counter. He found he couldn't stop smiling.