Scott and Catseye (Backdated)

[x-catseye.livejournal.com]

Scott helps Catseye out with some repairs to Deli-cat-essen and they discuss her becoming an X-Man.

Catseye let out a ferocious roar that could be heard throughout the building (and probably out on the street) as a jet of water sprayed her in the face. She shot into a sitting position from underneath the sink to avoid the cold, wet shock, forgetting that she was still underneath the sink and striking her head, which made her shout and curse and roar again. She rolled out from under the sink, hands on her head, dripping water and cursing. Her dress and face were filthy with gunk from the busted plumbing, and her tail slashed through the air angrily as she struggled to clear the stars from her vision and get to her feet. Water was already beginning to pool on the floor from the broken pipe. "Could this day get any better?!" she howled, hoping one of her helpers would hear her and come over to the kitchen to sympathize with her.

"Oh I don't know," came the reply from the one-eyed man leaning on the door frame, Scott had been fitting lights in the main room of the building but when he had heard Catseye yell. "At least you still have 4 walls and a roof," he told her with a smile as he tossed the young woman a towel.

"Yeah, just barely," the catgirl grumbled, nodding her thanks for the towel. "It wouldn't surprise me if the walls started caving in next. It seems like everything else has gone wrong here. Do you know plumbing? Can you help? Pleasepleaseplease?" she begged, gesturing to the growing puddle on the floor as she rubbed her wet head gingerly with the towel.

"Have a little faith," Scott replied and be knelt down to look at the piping, "They build these things to last." The X-man grinned as he knocked on the nearest wall absentmindedly. "On the other hand, you mutant kids working for you, so no bets on anything surviving." He continued with a laugh. "It doesn't look too bad, maybe just a busted pipe somewhere."

"Should I call a plumber? Or do you think you could handle it in exchange for some delicious food?" she suggested, eyebrows raised suggestively. "Are you not taking bets on anything surviving because the mutant kids will have powers accidents, or because a restaurant owned by and employed with mutants would be the target of hate groups?" Catseye asked, sounding worried.

"I don't think you're gonna need a plumber for this," Scott decided poking at the leaking pipes. "Of course that's not to say you won't need to hire a plumber to fix whatever I mess up later though." Sitting back on his heels Scott reached for the toolbox he'd left by the door. "I was thinking more of the kids attracting trouble without meaning to, but I don't think you have to worry about hate groups. They've been quiet in this area and you're more than capable of looking after yourself." The X-man fell silent for a moment, "Perhaps we should set up an alarm linked to the mansion, just in case." he said after a pause.

"Alarm sounds good," Catseye nodded. "And yeah, I think you're right about the kids attracting trouble without meaning to. I'm sure you read the reports we wrote about that field trip to the cave?" she pointed out, wrinkling her nose. "That was crazy." She hadn't actually spoken to any of the senior X-Men about what had happened, maybe because she was still feeling some guilt over leaving Tandy and Sue to go help the others.

"It's always better to have a back up plan in place, just in case." Scott agreed as e turned to face Catseye. "Yeah I read the reports, it sounds like things got a little bit out of hand there. So the Statues just attacked you while Sam and Korvus were trapped outside?"

"Yeah," Catseye nodded again. "Protecting the site, I guess. So then there was just me and the students. I... I tried to protect them, to keep them from fighting and being in danger. But... I'm glad they didn't listen," she admitted. "Does that make me the worst trainee ever?" she asked, and her tone indicated that she'd been thinking about this for quite some time. "To be happy that I had help when the other X-Men couldn't help me?"

"No, definitely not the worst trainee ever," Scott assured Catseye, "would I have preferred not to have them put in danger? Without a doubt. But we train them so they can take care of themselves in a situation like that. And by all accounts they handled themselves pretty well. Things could have, and almost did, end a lot worse, but you managed to bring them all back Sharon, and in the end that's what matters."

"Yes, I guess that's true," Catseye said, preening a little. "So you're not angry with me? You're happy with what I did?" Her tone indicated that she was asking as a prelude to asking him something else, if he answered her with what she wanted to hear.

"Why would I be angry?" Scott asked, "You brought them back alive, and a tleast you were on the inside to help out. Who knows how bad it would have been if you weren't on the inside." Scott smiled at the young woman, "but that's not all you wanted to talk to me about is it?" he guessed.

"Well, it sorta is," the catgirl shrugged, though she smirked at Scott for gleaning the fact that she'd been building up to something else. "It's just... with finishing school, and buying this place... I dunno. It's all made me feel... grown-up. Like... like I'm growing out of who I used to be, going forward with a new chapter in my life. And I've been an X-Man trainee for so long. I was a trainee when I was in high school. Not that I don't like being a trainee, "she added quickly, not wanting Scott to get the wrong idea. "It's just that... I feel like... maybe... maybe I'm ready to... to not be a trainee anymore. That maybe I'm ready to grow out of it and go forward? Would... would that be okay?"

"So maybe you're ready to grow in all aspects of your life?" Scott asked as he followed the young woman's reasoning. "It makes perfect sense to me to feel that way. And it's not like you haven't proven how capable you are time and time again. Both with the team and well," Scott gestured around to the kitchen, "Setting this place up and stepping up as an RA for the kids. I can't think of anyone who could say you haven't earned your spot on the team if you want it." The X-man stood and turned to look at Sharon , "The only thing is have you considered the time it would take? As an X-man you'll have more work to do than a trainee and you're just setting up a business." Scott paused before continuing with a wry grin, "Of course I end up saying that to everyone no matter what they're doing."

"Do you?" Catseye giggled. "Yeah, it seems X-Men like to keep busy, don't they? I mean, look at Nathan... even though he was an alternate on the team," she amended, smiling as she brought up her longtime mentor. "Still, he juggled the team, and Elpis, and his family. You and Jean have teaching, and the team, and your relationship, right? All of that takes time, but you manage! I'm sure I will too."

"Well it is a major commitment, all I really want is to know that they've thought about it you know? I'd rather people came into the X-men with their eyes open instead of coming in and then realizing that they weren't really ready for it ." Scott confided, "All of have found a balance between our lives and the X-men, some of us are just better than others." he admitted with a grin. "Some of us tend to let it take up most of our free time, but apparently it keeps me out of trouble so it's a win win," Scott told Catseye with a wink. "I'm sure you'll do fine, you're already pretty handy at managing your time, with school and training and actually managing to have a life at the same time. This is just one more ball to juggle."

"Exactly," the catgirl grinned, nodding enthusiastically. "So it's all official and stuff? I'm a real X-Man? Do I have to sign something or swear an oath or anything?"

Well we have a secret blood oath you have to swear under a full moon," Scott told her dryly with a completely straight face before he let a smile show. "It's pretty much that simple, I'll talk to Charles when I get back to the mansion and we'll get your paperwork sorted out." He wiped his hand on a clean rag and hel it out to Catseye, "Welcome to the Team Sharon."

"Thank you thank you!" Shaking the offered hand enthusiastically, Catseye failed to suppress a squeal of excitement. "I won't let you down, I promise," she grinned. "And I'm totally up for swearing that secret blood oath," she assured him, sounding serious. "Especially if I have to be naked for it."

"I know you won't," Scott agreed with a smile, the young woman had shown she deserved this time and time again and he didn't expect that to change now she actually had the title, "I don't think there's any need for that, we wouldn't want our newest recruit to end up catching a cold in this weather " he told her with a cough. Whether he was trying to disguise embarrassment or laughter Scott didn't know but he should have seen this coming he acknowledged to himself wryly.