Scott and Haroun, Monday evening

[x-cyclops.livejournal.com]

Scott goes to get Haroun's view on what happened at the sparring session with Alison. The conversation doesn't answer his questions, but it does give him a few ideas. Oh, and he and Haroun make a sparring date of their own.



He really wasn't sure why he was doing this. Obviously, an issue with a member of the team was a team issue, even if you had some suspicion that what was going on had very little to do with the team at all. Still. Scott shook his head quizzically and knocked on Haroun's door. Couldn't not poke at Haroun to get his view on whatever had happened, anyway.

Haroun said ~Enter!~ in Arabic, sighed, and then repeated himself in English. "Door's open." he called out to his visitor, whoever that might happen to be.

Scott came in, smiling wryly at the sight of Haroun marking. "Hey," he said. "Tear you away for a minute or two?"

Haroun nodded. "Give me a minute to get this thought down, and then sure." he said. His fountain pen scratched some additional words with a flowing script, and after a few minutes he carefully cleaned his pen, put it away, and stood up. "What's on your mind, Scott?" he asked as he stepped out from behind his desk. "Please, sit down. Make yourself comfortable." The room was utilitarian, almost bare in its austerity. A television, DVD player, a few chairs, and his desk. That was just about it.

Scott lowered himself into one of the chairs with a sigh. "I'm concerned about Alison," he said, without preamble. He was too tired to beat around the bush. "I talked to her today and she seemed disturbed by that sparring session the two of you had. Was she, at the time?"

Haroun sat in his other guest chair and faced Scott. "I got the feeling that something about it bothered her, but I couldn't tell you what it was. I tagged her, yes, but that shouldn't have been enough to make her lose all interest in things. I almost got the feeling that she's wrestling with something."

Scott rubbed at his jaw. "I know she's wrestling with something," he said. "I just don't think she knows what it is." He stopped, remembering who she'd come up with when he'd asked her if she sparred with anyone else. "I'm tempted to say it's a trust issue - trusting herself, rather."

Haroun hrmmed at that. "Maybe. She's got a family now, and she was injured fairly badly in that subterranean run the team made a while back." he said, steepling his fingers together absently as he thought. "It's possible that she's focusing on Miles and is no longer willing to risk her life for her people."

"There is that. Miles, I mean... although the mission in the tunnels..." Scott stopped, his jaw tightening a little as he shook his head. "I pointed out to her that it had been a hell of a summer, and no one would begrudge it if she needed a little time to think things over."

"Probably a good idea, although I seem to recall something about some sort of deranged lunatic out there with a gun and a grudge? Someone who wants her dead? If we really want to help her to have the space she needs, I think we could do worse than to track that guy down." he said.

"Easier said than done," Scott pointed out. "I mean, the relevant authorities are still working on the case. But there's not much to go on, and well, we're not the relevant authorities."

"True." Haroun admitted. "I still have an urge to ventilate the guy every now and then, but I usually keep it under control."

Scott leaned back in the chair, his mind turning over the possibilities. "There are times I would give my right arm to be a telepath," he said with another sigh. "I feel like I'm watching her spin her wheels, and I don't know why... I suppose I could suggest she talk to Charles."

Haroun nodded. "If you thought she'd actually go, anyway." he said with a grin. "I haven't known her that long, but our little songbird's got a stubborn streak."

"That would be putting it mildly," Scott said dryly. "Look, if she comes back to you to spar again, keep an eye on her, okay? Let me know how it goes..."

Haroun grinned. "She's not the only one with a stubborn streak. I'll invite her to another session - run it a little softer, see if she likes that better. Going three-quarters seemed to spook her pretty badly."

"Good. Sounds like a plan." Scott was silent for a moment, studying Haroun. "And you? Doing all right? You've had a couple of misadventures lately... I'm waiting for the pestilence, to be honest."

Haroun barked out a laugh at that. "I'm basically OK." he said. "I don't think I'll be doing any more powers-work until they perfect the Mutant Bubble or I fnd a way to encase myself in super-oxygenated fireproof foam. That floats."

Scott couldn't help a smile. "Nothing wrong with the occasional misstep," he said, stressing the 'occasional'. "You didn't do yourself permanent damage either time, so you can look on it as a learning experience."

"I think that my harem has informed me that I can expect a rousing round of freezing-cold instruments if I so much as _think_ about getting hurt for a while." he laughed. "And I think I've got two classic elements to go."

"Completionist tendencies are all well and good, but don't go to extremes," Scott said, then embarassed himself with a yawn. "Gah... sorry," he said, waving apologetically at Haroun.

"Get some sack time." Haroun said to Scott. "If you're falling asleep in my chair, you're obviously pushing too hard during a non-crisis time. Save it for when you need it, Chief."

"Easier said than done," Scott said wryly, pushing himself up out of the chair. "So... tell me how it goes with Ali, if you two decide on a round two." He paused for a moment. "Actually, you and I should made a sparring date," he said after a moment. "If you wouldn't mind. Might give me some kind of what Alison's reacting to, and hell, we should probably do it anyway."

Haroun grinned. "You just made my day, Chief. Agreed. How can I possibly pass up an opportunity to step onto the mat with our Fearless Leader? You keep your optic blasts to yourself, I'll stay on the ground, and we'll throw each other around the mat a few times."

"See? Everyone wins." Scott managed to cover the yawn this time. "But, you know, later. Tomorrow if you want," he said as he turned towards the door.

"Sounds like a plan. Bring your own medkit."

"Now that," Scott said, looking back over his shoulder and grinning, "sounds like a challenge. Good night, Haroun."