xp_logs | Scott & Alex, Monday evening, post Energy Projection class

x-cyclops.livejournal.com posting in

Setting the scene: Alex wanders down to watch the tail end of Scott's energy projection class/training. Maybe to talk to his brother, or maybe to watch a pretty green-haired lady who happens to be in the class...

x_cyclops: Scott dismisses his class, and walks over to where Alex is watching.

x_cyclops: "How long before you think you'll be ready to try this?"

x_havok: *Shrugs and puts his hands up* "When I can get something to actually come out of these on command."

x_cyclops: "The control class isn't just for those who can do it on command." *grins* "Sure, it helps, but we also use focusing techniques."

x_cyclops: "Plus, research on the particular abilities. Do you know what causes the build-up of energy?"

x_havok: *frowns, thinking about what he had read in the Physics books* I'm not really sure yet, though I'm starting to get a small clue. It's like, I'm absorbing kinetic energy from things and storing it inside my body. But dude, after that, the science terms went totally over my head.

x_cyclops: *smiles* "Well, this /is/ a school. And we have people to help with the strange science terms. You could even ask Kitty, if Hank's too busy. Though she might be as hard to understand in the explanation as he is."

x_cyclops: *then* "Kinetic energy? So, physical force?"

x_havok: *nods* "I think, but don't quote me on that. I'm taking Hank's physics class next term, so hopefully I can figure this all out for myself" *smiles*

x_cyclops: "Good." *pauses, unsure of himself for a moment, then* "How are you doing, Alex? I mean...really. It...it was such a shock to see you again, there on that beach."

x_havok: *notices Scott's sudden unease and bites his lip* "Well, mostly just trying to get used to life here. It's so different from the life I lived before..." *pauses for a moment* "I didn't even think it was you until you said my name...to tell you the truth, I thought you were dead."

x_cyclops: *nods, a bit curt* "I...well, I thought I was too. I was in a coma for a long time. When I came out of it ... well, let's just say it wasn't easy to place me. I knew you'd been placed, with a good family."

x_cyclops: *turns away, starts to take off his gloves from the training class*

x_havok: *feels suddenly awkward, but shakes his head and takes a step toward his brother, placing a hand on Scott's arm* "Tell me about it?"

x_cyclops: *takes a breath* "It was a long time ago. My mutation wasn't consistent at that time. It would come and go, but it was becoming more and more frequent. I moved from foster home to foster home, maybe a month at a time."

x_havok: *winces at the thought, but lets his brother talk*

x_cyclops: "Until I was old enough to go out on my own. I was lucky, though." *turns back to Alex, smiling slightly, "The Professor found me not long after that. He took me in, helped me design the visor," *points to the visor he is wearing for the training sessions* "and the glasses, figure out what would stop the force."

x_cyclops: "I'm sorry. I thought you'd be better off without ..." *lets it hang, doesn't finish the sentence*

x_havok: *smiles* "without a mutant for a brother? Don't be sorry, I understand. And plus it doesn't matter much any more. I'm here now, right? And just as mutantish as you" *laughs at his made up word*

x_cyclops: *manages a weak smile* "Possibly. The Professor and Hank and I think that my mutation is based on solar energy, or radiation. I soak up ambient energy though; it's not like I recharge by sunbathing." *smiles more fully at that*

x_cyclops: "So, tell me about your family," *tries to change the topic*

x_havok: *thinks then smiles* "They were really nice. They'd actually lost a son about my age in a car accident, so they were prepared for me. Though, I don't think they understood my fascination with skateboards. I think deep down, they wanted me to be a football player like their son."

x_havok: "Best of all, they were totally okay with the fact I was a mutant, even after I blew up their living room.Offered to get me help and everything." *his smiles fades a bit* "The neighbors were why I had to leave."

x_cyclops: *this time, he puts his hand on Alex's arm* "Where were you then? Where'd you grow up?"

x_havok: "I was in Nevada with my foster family for about 4 years, then I moved on to Hawaii...How long have you been here, with Xavier?"

x_cyclops: "Forever." *smiles* "No, it only seems that way." *pauses, as he thinks* "About 10 years, or close to it. Though I went to college, I stayed here at the mansion."

x_havok: *nods and looks around* "It's a nice place here...don't blame you for sticking around." *gives Scott a playful smile*

x_cyclops: *frowns, gets a serious look, almost angry* "It was...until just over a month ago. Stryker's attack..." *balls up his fists in frustration*

x_havok: *swallows, he'd been warned about bring this up with Scott* No one's really told me what happened...please?

x_cyclops: *laughs, bitterly* "You should ask Piotr. Or Logan. Or Bobby or Rogue." *stalks away from Alex, then stops and turns to him* "I wasn't *here*."

x_havok: *gives Scott a hurt look, then asks a question no one could give him an answer too* "Fine then, answer another question for me. Scott...whose Jean?"

x_cyclops: *cringes at that, visibly winces, all anger vanishing into sadness* "She ... she was my life."

x_cyclops: *drops down onto his knees, knuckles hitting the floor as he presses his fists into it.* "I loved her and I couldn't save her. She sacrificed herself for the rest of us, so we could get away."

x_havok: *watches Scott, suddenly feeling awful* Oh Scott...*walks over and kneels next to Scott, wrapping his arms around his brother's shoulders.* I'm sorry...I shouldn't have asked...

x_cyclops: "It's worse, Alex. Much worse." *pushes him away so he can look at him, so he can finish it.* "/I/ caused the dam to rupture. Stryker had me, under some control, and I /attacked/ Jean. She defended herself against me, and one of my blasts started the dam's breaking."

x_cyclops: "I broke out of his control. I didn't hurt her...much. She would have lived. But ... oh, Jean." *he closes his eyes and drops his head down toward the ground for a moment, before looking back up at Alex* "I think she caused the Blackbird to malfunction."

x_havok: *wraps his arms around his knees, letting Scott talk, having the feeling that his brother had held this in too long*

x_cyclops: "Her mutation...it had been spiking ... before. I told her to talk to the Professor about it, but she shrugged it off. I was going to talk to him about it, whether she liked it or not, that night. The night we saw Magneto. The night Stryker got us."

x_cyclops: *regaining control of himself as he repeats the words he'd spoken to Ororo a few weeks past* "Her mutation, her telekinesis or telepathy or something /new/, shut off the jet's engines. They were responding, not perfectly, but we were working on it. Then they all shut down. She...Jean left the jet. Stopped me from following."

x_cyclops: "She kept the water from the dam from herself and the jet long enough to lift it above the waters, and for us to get the engines back online."

x_cyclops: *holds Alex's arms, breath slightly hitching, but his voice under control* "Then the water took her."

x_havok: *swallows, not sure what to do or what to say, but his heart is breaking for his brother* "Oh Scott..." *brings Scott into a tight hug, feeling like it's the only right things to do*

x_cyclops: *hugs him back, but is maintaining an emotional distance. He broke down once, he won't do it again*

x_havok: *bites his lip* "You've held that in for a long time haven't you?" *says softly*

x_cyclops: *grins, a bit grimly* "Some of it. I told Ororo the part about Jean and the plane, and her mutation." *quieter* "But I hadn't told anyone about my fight with Jean."

x_havok: "Your secret is safe with me." *smiles slightly*

x_havok: "And if you can't trust family, who can you trust?"

x_cyclops: "It's not a secret..." *pauses* "...more a shame. I know there was nothing I could do to fight off Stryker's influence...but I still feel guilty."

x_cyclops: *then grins at the 'trust' line* "Not many." *sighs, but a bit lighter, not so heavy* "So, any skeletons in your closet, little brother?"

x_havok: *smiles grimly, looking at his hands* "Unfortunately"

x_cyclops: *takes Alex's hands in his, a warm, comforting grip* "We'll get this sorted out. Promise." *manages not to wince at saying that word* "If not me, the Professor will."

x_havok: *smiles, warmly this time* "Thanks bro. I certainly hope so..."

x_cyclops: *pats Alex on the shoulder, then reaches out and musses up his hair* "So, Lorna, hmm?"

x_havok: *blushes* "I guess you heard about that..."

x_cyclops: "Hard not to notice how her concentration was ... lacking when you came to watch."

x_havok: *winces* "Maybe I should have waited until class was over...It's not fair to distract her"

x_cyclops: "No, distractions are good. I'm going to have to arrange for some more, for other people, too."

x_cyclops: *stands up* "So, it seems to be reciprocal. How long before you ask her out?"

x_havok: *blushes again* "Umm...I don't know."

x_havok: "She still seems a bit distracted when I talk to her, though she calms down after a while. It's kind of awkward." *makes a face*

x_cyclops: "So, talk to her more, then. Alex, if there's one thing I've learned, one bit of wisdom I can give you, it's Carpe Diem. You don't know when ... your life may change. If you don't take the chance when it's there, you'll only regret it."

x_havok: *smiles* "I'll try to remember that tid bit of olderly brother wisdom...And I will try to talk to her more...it just feels like she's avoiding me. It was obvious that Alison tricked her into finding me Saturday night..."*shrugs*

x_cyclops: "Alison, hmm?" *thoughtful*

x_havok: *laughs* "Who else would enjoy meddling in other people's love lives?"

x_cyclops: "True. I think she likes to live vicariously through the rest of us."

x_havok: *snorts* "No kidding..."

x_cyclops: "Schedule some time to see Hank, Alex. At least try to get a baseline for information about your ... mutation." *shakes his head, looks at Alex* "It's still so hard to say that. Maybe if I saw it someday, it might finally sink in."

x_havok: *smiles* "Get used to it. I'm here to stay and make up for all the years I missed to annoy you."

x_cyclops: "Oh, joy." *said flatly, but the smile belies the words*

x_havok: *punches Scott playfully on the shoulder* "Someone needs to make sure your not so stiff all the time...I still get a kick of hearing other students talk about rigid, work obsessed Professor Summers

x_cyclops: *nods* "That would be me. No denying it."

x_havok: *smiles impishly* Well, we'll have to work on that...

x_cyclops: "I am. But you have to understand, my main concern is making sure all of you stay alive. If that means, as Logan said once, I'm a dick, then so be it."

x_havok: *snorts at the dick comment* you can make sure we stay alive and still have a little fun, without being a hodad

x_cyclops: *looks confused, then* "Ah, surfer talk."

x_havok: *blushes as he realizes what he said* Sorry, surfer talk is hard to suppress!

x_havok: I meant without being a dick basically *grins*

x_havok: "Yes, Lorna loves it!"

x_cyclops: "Ah. I'll have to remember that one. So, other than Lorna ... how are you finding the school, and New York?"

x_havok: "It's a very...tight knit community...but I think it's all right. New York is nice, but to tell you the truth, I miss the beach." *gets a wistful look*

x_cyclops: "No, not a lot of beach here. And much less sun year-round, though you haven't experienced a winter here yet."

x_havok: *shivers* "Yes so I've heard, it gets colder here...But Marie was telling me about snowboarding...that would be worth trying, despite the freezing, sub zero cold."

x_cyclops: "I'm sure you'll get used to it. It'll just take some time." *pause* "You are planning on staying for some time, right? Even if ... well, okay, this is coming out wrong. Let me start again."

x_havok: *gives Scott a curious look but let's him finish*

x_cyclops: "You know about the other purpose of the school? The X-Men, as the term was coined by some students, I believe?"

x_havok: *nods* "Sure, I heard some of the students talking about it...what about it?"

x_cyclops: "We try to use our abilities, our powers, to help people. Other mutants, but also non-mutants."

x_havok: *nods* "I understand that...makes sense." *smiles* "I was a lifeguard, I understand the part about using your strengths to help people. But what does the X-men have to do with me staying?"

x_cyclops: "There are others, who want to control people. The world. Mutants who want to use their powers to make the world as they wish."

x_cyclops: "Magneto is leading that side. He ... he almost succeeded, too. Almost got rid of all non-mutants."

x_havok: *eyes go wide* "That's terrible...but, I guess can understand him too...though the reasons are stupid, no matter how you look at them. I still don't see what this has to do with me staying or not..."

x_cyclops: *smiles* "We need more people on our side. More people willing to fight. If you can learn to control your powers, and if you want to, we could use you, Alex."

x_cyclops: "Think about it."

x_havok: *looks away, thinking, then back at Scott* I will

x_havok: "And Scott...I'm not going anywhere anytime soon" *smiles*

x_cyclops: *claps him on the shoulder* "It's all I can ask. Now, how about a drink? Non-alcoholic, I don't need to get more dehydrated. After that class..." *shakes his head*

x_cyclops: *nods, then quietly* "Good."

x_havok: *laughs* You look a bit worn out. Can't let any of the students see their professor looking whooped. Would ruin your rep

x_cyclops: "They've seen me in worse shape, but not for a while."

x_cyclops: *starts to head to the kitchen*