Scott and Warren: Soulsearching (Backdated to 18/04/15)

[x-cyclops.livejournal.com]

Scott bumps into Warren ouside the mansion, soulsearching occurs under the stars.

Normally, Warren had no problem walking into the Mansion like he owned it.  In fact, in the few months that he'd been there, he'd felt a certain sense of kinship to the inhabitants, a feeling like he belonged.

And yet here he was, outside of the Mansion, leaning against his Jaguar, peering up at the building.  His fingers itched for a cigarette, for no real reason other than he felt strange just standing outside.  Sunglasses on, with his hands in his pocket, he sighed heavily.  The whole sting business was bothering him, and had been for a few days.  While he understood the necessity of it, he hadn't obviously thought it through.  And now he had it on record in one of his offices that he was proud of his worker's non-mutant status. Which then had gone to his father, who was, needless to say, happy to hear that the blood test happened, and not so happy to hear that Internal Affairs had somehow gotten involved.  It had taken a lot of fancy talking for Warren to get out of that situation with his father.  It had ultimately made the older man suspcious, as he'd feared, so Warren would have to figure out how to get back into his father's good graces.

Fuck it.  He pulled out a cigarette and lit it, if only so he could focus on something other than his rambling thoughts.

"You know, we really need to stop meeting like this," Scott noted as the leaned on the balustrade next to Warren, he'd rarely seen the other man looking so troubled, "I don't really have a penny right now but, old spark plug for your thoughts?" he said offering up the spark plug in question. as much as he loved his boke, it always seemed to be taking one part or the other in repairs.

Warren peered down at the item and gave a little scoff. "No, I'm okay.  Simply pondering the world and my role in it."  He gestured to his cigarette. "Smoke? I'm ususally a social smoker, but sometimes it's nice as a focal point."  Lifting the smoke to his mouth, he inhaled deeply, enjoying the burn.  "I know I asked you this before, but how do you do this? The suberfuge, the blurred lines....I mean, I'm no stranger to deceit or witholding information, but that's usually business or money.  Nothing is straightforward there.  But people..." Warren shook his head. "It's a whole other ball game for me."

Scott shook his head, "Thanks but I'm not really much of a smoker," he demurred, "the line huh?" His mind flashed back to a previous conversation he'd had recently, "Where you draw the line depends on each individual. Some people are happy to toe it, to look at the people they save and do whatever it takes. Others don't feel right about the situation infront of them and take each decision as it comes. either way is right but it's a decision you have to make for yourself." He gave Warren a wry smile, "There's no right answer, but I guess you know that, being that you're out here engaging in philosophy under hte stars."

Warren peered up at the night sky and admired the twinkling of the stars. Lucky stars. No role other than to shine. "It's harder than I thought it'd be," he admitted. "Although to be honest, I'm starting to realize I rarely think things through."

"If it were easy," Scott began with a wry smile, "It's not an easy path any of us are on, but you especially are in the public eye. So you can't afford a slip up at all, well you could and we'd help you bit there's still the pressure." He gave the other man a sympathetic look, "I can't even imagine what're you're going through out there, I've pretty much lived my life in Westchester. I can't offer you much more than a safe place and a sympathetic ear." And a covert black ops team but that wasn't said outloud.

Warren found that strange. "Really? Westchester is so boring," he said,a smile tugging on his lips. He took another drag from his cigarette, noting it was almost burning out.   "I am grateful for this place," he continued, not even noticing he'd changed topics. "Sometimes though, it can all get overwhelming, and then I'm very glad I work with XFI. Having that space from here is....necessary."

Scott grinned at Warren, "I've been all over the world Warren, probably more places then you have," he ribbed gently, "but Westchester, I like it here because it's where everyone is. Besides you've been here long enough to know that the mansion is never going to be boring. It's good to have a seperate space," Scott agreed, "somewhere to get away from everything. Sounds like X-factor is that for you

Warren gave a smile. "I didn't think I'd enjoy it as much, but I really like the team, the time we spend together. I can honestly say I trust every member of XFI, and that's a strange feeling for me." His smile.turned into a slight frown. "I think that's what I'm struggling with. The lst file we had...well, normally, I wouldn't have blinked an eye, but I was worried about people, worried how it would all unfold...I'm not a good worrier," he confessed.

Nobody is, I don't think we're supposed to be good worriers, otherwise no-one would get things done," Scott replied, "I'll let you in on a secret," the X-man let his voice drop a little, "I've been doing this all my life, but still. Everytime we go out on a mission, or even respond to an natural emergency all I do is worry. Like you said worry about if it's gonna be ok and what's going to happen. Everytime we step outside these walls ayhing could happen but you've got to trust your people. They're well trained and good at what they do, you can prpare them and give them all the info you need, but in the end they make that decision and you can't second guess it. Although if I could I'd wrap everyone in bubblewrap and cotton wool, could you imagine Logan's face?"

Warren had never officially met Logan, the elusive boogeyman, but he could only imagine it wouldn't end well. "Yes, well. I still don't know how comfortable I am with all this.". There was another stretch of silence while Warren finished his cigarette.  "I'm a solitary person. I'm used to doing things on my own. So strange to have people around."

Scott nodded back ath the mansion, "You say that, but I've seen you interact with Miles and the girls, I think you're a lot more comfortable here than you want to believe," he pointed out, "A lot of people there care abotu you and it seems you care about them, perhaps you're less solitary a perso than you think you are"

Warren's lips quirked at the way Scott said 'the girls'.  "Is this where I get a lecture for the shoddy treatment of females? I'm very aware that I'm not the best person when it comes to relationships."  And even though he didn't owe Scott any explanation, he felt he should give one.  He'd heard some of the rumours about Jean, and he'd never felt right about them. "You know that Jean and I, whatever it is that we had, it was real on her part.  I was entirely to blame for that dissolution.  Who knew that girls got angry about you sleeping with other people, even when you're not sleeping with them," he said, with a cheeky smile. "Although, that's probably why I never slept with Jean. She's too ....naive." Not like Jessica, he thought to himself.

Scott shook his head, "I was talking about Felicia and the others," he noted, "You guys really seemed to hit it off on the journals. And they even managed to get you on Twitter, you must be doing something right if you hve friends who've decided to drag you, kicking and screaming perhaps, into the 21st century." Scott offered Warren a smile, "I heard the shouting at Adrienne's party but well I've been in shouting matches of my own and this one was none of my business. I'm sorry about how things ended up going though."

"Oh."  Warren brushed the comment aside. "I've known Felicia for many years, she's a good friend. One of those that, even if years go by, you're still able to pick up where you left off.  I do agree that I am lucky to have her."  His voice softened a bit at the mention of Felicia.  It was strange to have her back in his life this way, although his mother was thrilled.  "And Twitter has nothing to do with me," Warren confessed. "I have hired Miles as my social media intern because he is too embarassed to know me otherwise.  Don't tell anyone though. He's very proud that he's able to write things and have other think it's me."

"Your secret is safe with me," Scott assured him with a smile, "but that's a pretty neat trick, I wonder who I can get as a social media consultant." he mused jokingly. "People like your friend Felicia, they're hard to come by so I'd say you're a very lucky man Warren."

Warren gave Scott a small smile.  "I guess. You are too, you know." A hand was waved in the general vicinity of the school. "You've known where you belong for years. You have friends, and people that are basically family to you. You have so much even though you've also lost a lot." M-Day was always a sobering thought.  There, but for the grace of God.... "We need to hang out more," Warren said suddenly. "You want to go for a ride? I'll even let you drive.  I just traded in for the newer model."  2016 Jaguar S Coupe.  Convertible seemed tacky.

Scott grinned, Warren would probably end up regretting that offer, "Not a bad little model," he allowed, "A little slow but looks impressive," he told Warren, a teasing smile on his lips.

Warren sputtered. "Excuse me? I didn't pay a fortune for 'a little slow'.". He handed Scott the keys. "Let's cruise. I'll cover any speeding tickets."

Scott grinned and jerked his head towards the garage as he moved around to the drivers seat, "compared to my baby in there, everythign is a ltitle slow Warren," he informed his friend with a only half joking smile as he settled into the drivers seat. "So, let's see what his baby can do."