xp_logs | [Paul, Betsy] (Tuesday afternoon) "All I wanted was for him to relax."

Betsy takes Paul up on his offer of a cup of tea. It doesn't fix everything. That's a lot to ask of anyone or anything, especially some boiled leaves.

"He's doing a bad job of balancing."

Betsy scowled at the computer screen. "Disgusted?" Well. Her scowled deepend. She scribbled a note for Scott and placed it on her side of the bed. Betsy leaned in and gave him a kiss on the forehead, before leaving her quarters and heading to Paul and Hank's rooms. She needed a distraction before she hurt someone, badly.

Paul hummed quietly to himself as he made sure the tea wasn't over-steeped, and he rummaged around in the cupboard for some vegan cookies from the bakery. Delphine hopped up on the counter, mewing at him, and he gave her a sugar cookie. She took it and bolted for the couch. When he heard the stacatto of Betsy's footsteps coming down the hall, he went and opened the door. Hands in his pockets and a smile on his face, he looked remarkably relaxed for a man in the middle of his own personal crisis.

Betsy looked up at the open door and smiled, making her way into the room, thumping Paul in the chest as she moved passed him. "You can't fool me with that grin, Vega," she said, jokingly. She stopped to look around the room, her smile as hollow as her good mood. "And I'm sorry to intrude on you but I needed....." Betsy paused, not really sure how to continue.

"A little adult company to whom you don't owe a facade?" he finished for her. "I'll pour the tea. Have a seat."

She plopped down on the offered chair and sank her head in her hands. Her hands were trembling slightly. "I should've kept an eye on him instead of falling asleep," she added lamely. "I don't know what he's going to do after he reads all this?"

"If he's smart, he'll tell them to all blow off or he'll put them on the baby filter," Paul said dryly, fixing her tea. "I've never seen a place where people needed to simultaneously smarten up and loosen up quite so badly."

"What about the Professor, the others, I've mucked it all up." Betsy said, looking at Paul through the gap in her fingers. "All I wanted was for him to relax."

Paul laughed and shook his head. "So he's human. The Professor knows that. Who cares? Really?" He brought over the tea and put the plate of cookies down where she could reach them. "Just take away his net access next time. That's what I did. The problem is, he needs to say some of that stuff, like "Don't call me Captain Fuckwad" when he's sober."

"Really?" She looked up at Paul and shook her head, nervously. Betsy leaned back into her seat, sighing heavily. "One can only hope. I had no idea that he'd had some of that building up in him for so long. I knew he was brooding, but I didn't want to pry."

"He's doing a bad job of balancing." Paul got his own tea and slumped into the couch. "He thinks he has to be together all the time. And the truth is, he's damned either way. He's uptight when he's together and he's a failure when he's not, to some people. He's just got to be a man he can live with."

"I haven't helped with that much either, I'm afraid." She reached over for her own cup of tea. "But, he can't help but be the man that he is. But, I've never seen him as a failure because of it. I've never seen anyone so dedicated to their goals. God!" she exclaimed. "I should've just let it be."

"You love him." Paul shrugged. "Who says you're doing the wrong thing? In the end, who cares? Let him tell you when to let it be. Scott's the furthest thing from a failure around here. I wouldn't work for him if I didn't think well of him. He needs to own what he is, that's all."

"Right," Betsy said in-between sips. She giggled a little at the thought of the post. "No matter how far gone he was, he was right about one thing."

"What's that?" Paul said, looked at her over the rim of his cup.

"We definitely need more beaches in our lives," she said, wistfully. Her lips curled upward slightly and she felt her stomach flutter. "I can't help but love him," she said happily.

"Oh, I agree with you there. I'm thinking of taking Hank down to Baja with me," Paul said thoughtfully. "I know a very nice mutant-friendly resort down there. I'm glad the two of you are getting some time together. It's good for you both."

"That sounds nice, I think Hank deserves a hiatus." She took another long sip and relished the warmth slowly making it's way to her belly. "You know," she said almost to herself. "In all his drunken glory, Scott still wanted to help me. Even with what I was offering him, he still wanted to make sure I was....alright."

"He's like that," Paul said, frowning a little. He was going to have to talk to Scott soon. "And are you?"

"I know," Betsy said, alittle fettered. She took another gratuitous sip from her cup. Avoid the question. "It's something I still haven't gotten use to and harder to accept."

"Are you okay?" Paul persisted. As usual, he wasn't sure he cared and knew he couldn't fix it. He just didn't like being blown off and the information was important. Maybe he cared a little, but it was for practical reasons.

Betsy's eyes snapped up from studying the swirls within her tea and looking into Paul's eyes. She felt a bit cornered and resisted the urge to leave. "Yes," Betsy replied.

Paul nodded and let it drop. She wasn't and she knew it. That was enough for him. "Just curious. I know it's been a hard time for everyone lately. Getting settled in for a new semester is always rocky, it seems."

Betsy realized how lame she sounded and before Paul could pry, she felt the change in him. He'd lost interest. Betsy visibly relaxed. She didn't feel the need to go into her daily routine anymore than he wanted to know. "Understatement of the millenia, my dear. Though, I quite prefer the little ones."

"Little kids make me nervous," Paul said, frowning at his tea. "They're so fragile, all over. I'm worried that I'll fuck one up. I'm best left to those who are tougher, because I don't think I'm very good at being politic and sensitive."

"They're more resilent than you give them credit for, Paul." Betsy set down her cup, as she'd sadly emptied it of its' contents already. "Besides, they're the only ones I haven't truly managed to alienate just yet." I'm sure it's only a matter of time though, she thought to herself.

"Haven't alienated me," Paul said, giving her a rather scampish grin, though he knew that wasn't what she was talking about at all.

Betsy turned her head away from him, the back of her hand running along her face. "well, I'm certainly glad I have something to look forward to in the future," she said, trying to keep the tone light.

"It's hard for pretty people to alienate me," Paul said blithely. "I'm shallow that way."

"That's good to know," Betsy said rather hoarsely. She cleared her throat, trying to regain her composure, before facing him. "I think I might go now. You know, damage control, if I can manage it. If not, I might have to go and do something ugly."

"Well, if you need to choose someone to aim at, I have a list." Paul's smile was like pretty knife. "Go on, I need to go talk to Shinobi anyway. Don't let me keep you." He stood up and collected her cup along with his.

"Don't worry," Betsy said, standing up with him. "I've been told that I should work on my imagination and I think this might be a lovely exercise, don't you?" Betsy leaned in and gave Paul a peck on both sides of his the cheek before heading for the door. "Thank you for the tea. It was lovely."

"Any time, Betsy." Paul walked her to the door. "Good luck with the damage control."

Betsy stopped, in the middle of the doorway. "Oh and do tell Hank I popped in. I did promise to visit the two of you. But, somehow I still manage to miss him. Good day, Paul. Tell Shinobi I said hello." And with a smile, she was out the door and heading back to her quarters.