xp_logs | Alex, Scott- Backdated to Sunday Afternoon (Reply)

Alex goes to find Scott to talk powers, but finds a very moping big brother hiding in a back corner of the library. They talk about both powers and Betsy but not after showing each other thier stubborn streaks.

Cute of the Summers variety. You have been warned.

Why when he wanted to find his brother, Scott was so hard to find? Alex had asked all the teachers and older students, no one seemed to have seem him. Then someone had mentioned in passing they had seen Scott enter the library. Taking an exasperated breath, Alex turned around and headed to the library, his last hope of finding Scott.

Scott had found the very darkest corner of the library and had settled down in one of the study carrels with one of the books Shan had recommended. Why he hadn't just locked himself in his room, he didn't know - or maybe he did. New as the suite was, it still had a few too many memories in it. The library at least didn't.

Alex looked over every square inch of the library and wouldn't it figure that Scott was in the very last place he looked. Frowning slightly as to why Scott had decided to shelter himself back here, Alex made his way forward and stood next to Scott's chair. "Hey," he said softly, hoping not to startle him.

Scott hadn't been paying too much attention to the book, so he had been aware that someone was creeping up on him. He looked up, smiling a little at Alex. "Hey yourself. What's up?"

"I was looking for you to have that power conversation but it can wait...what are you doing back here?" he cocked his head to the side, worried about his older brother. "Why aren't you the happy bouncy ball you've been all week?"

Scott shrugged. "I was getting tired of the strobing," he lied with a faint smile. "People kept looking at me like they expected me to blow up. And I should have hunted you down to have that powers conversation sooner - want to fill me in?"

"No I don't...I know your lying, people complaining is the last thing that would bother you." He pulled up a chair, sitting on it backwards so he could rest his arms on the back. "You tell me what's wrong and then I'll tell you what happened with Shiro."

Scott snorted softly. "Uh-uh, brat. Business first - what happened with Shiro?"

Alex cocked his head to the side. "Wouldn't you like to know? Spill."

Scott set the book down, folding his arms across his chest and giving Alex a steady look.

Alex only grinned, his head still cocked to the side.

"I have more patience than you do," Scott pointed out. "Or at least, a more highly developed attention span."

That caused Alex to bit his bottom lip before responding. "I'm not letting you get caught up in business and not tell me what's bothering you because I know you will."

Scott gazed at him for a long moment. "All right," he said quietly. "But if I tell you, no questions, or discussion. At least not until after we've talked about whatever's coming up with your powers."

Alex nodded. "I'll accept that. So spill."
"Betsy and I have decided that our relationship isn't going to work," Scott said, very levelly. "We went for a drive last night and she removed the link."

Opening his mouth to ask a question he quickly shut it again as he remembered his promise. then he nodded and said his piece. "I'm leaking. When Shiro didn't have his powers, he got sick when we left for Hawaii and got them back when we returned. My theory was that his body was leeching off mine and when i left his body went into withdrawal, then my sudden presence again kicked started his powers. I proved this by going out with Shiro so he could show off his new trick. By touching him, he could drain power from me. I think it's an after effect of Her draining and I won't be able to control it properly until I can control the leakage."

Scott opened his mouth, then closed it again, in an eerie echo of Alex's own gesture. "Huh," he said rather unhelpfully, then shook his head. "We're going to have to schedule you for some tests, I think. We may not have time to do much before we leave for Alaska, but definitely when we get back..."

Alex nodded again. "Alright, though I will give you one more thing to think about. Shiro suggested asking Forge's help to make something like he made for Alison to block out sound, except this time keep my power mostly in. Now your turn. Details bro."

Some sort of containment device? Scott frowned thoughtfully, rubbing at his jaw as he considered the problem. He'd definitely need to talk to Charles, Moira and Hank... possibly Maddie, as well. She'd been talking about doing a study of energy-projectors, after all.

Noticing the expression on Scott's face, Alex groaned and rolled his eyes. "Earth to Scott!"

Scott blinked. "What?"

"Your. Turn." Alex again rolled his eyes annoyingly. "tell me what happened with betsy."

Oh. Scott sighed. "Not much to tell," he said calmly. "It needed doing. She needs time to process everything that's happened to her, and she didn't need me pressuring her about anything."

Alex tried to look thoughtful he really did. "And what about you?"

"It's for the best. It's what she needs," Scott said.

That was it. Alex leaned forward and smacked him upside the head. "I didn't ask about Betsy, and frankly I don't care at the moment. I was asking about you, Scott Summers, my older brother."

Scott actually rocked in his chair. There'd been a little bit of force behind the smack, and he gave Alex an incredulous look. "You could have knocked my glasses off."

"I was careful." Alex couldn't help the smug look that came over him. "Now stop avoiding the question."

Scott sighed, shaking his head - and raising a hand to rub at it. "What do you want me to say? That I'm happy? Well, I'm not. It was the right thing to do, and I haven't been a whole hell of a lot of help to her this year."

"I shouldn't allow you that self pitying but I will. Frankly, I just wanted you to admit you weren't okay with all this, ya know, doing your bottling up thing..." he paused for a moment, eyes darting down to the floor. "Did you love her Scott?"

"I did," Scott said very quietly. "I still do. But that's not enough."

"And what is enough then?" Alex asked rhetorically.

Scott shook his head at him. "How did we get off the subject here?" he asked good-humoredly. "This was supposed to be a conversation about your powers... how did you feel when Shiro drained power from you?"

Alex gave him a look that said this conversation was *not* finished before answering. "Just as if I was touching him and it didn't really feel any different. My hands itched, just like they do whenever I've used my powers."
“Interesting..." There was some literature about energy-projectors being able to serve as batteries for others with similar mutations. "I've got some stuff I need to reread," he said thoughtfully.

"Well if you find anything, I sure would like to know. Let me know immediately alright?" Alex bit the inside of his lip, thinking about the anniversary that fell on Tuesday.

"We'll sort it out," Scott said very firmly. "This may not have anything to do with what happened to you, you realize. It might be an... evolution of your power."

Alex couldn't help but raise a skeptic eyebrow. "I highly doubt that, but you may be right...just let me know what you find alright?" he stood, trying to hide his shutter. If he was evolving into a battery, he...he didn't know what he would do.

Scott got up, hugging Alex before he could get away. "Try not to worry," he murmured. "Whatever it is, we'll handle it."

Closing his eyes for a moment, Alex returned the hug. "I...okay."

Scott didn't let him go for a moment, and made sure he was smiling when he did. "You hunted up sufficient winter clothing for Alaska?" he asked lightly. "Or do I need to take you shopping."

Trying to match Scott’s smile, he snorted softly. "Don't worry Lorna's already taken care of that. She jumped at the chance to go shopping."

"Good. I know I have a parka around here somewhere - need to find it myself."

"If not, I'm sure Lorna will gladly lend you her shopping service." Alex couldn't help the tease.

"Anything but that," Scott said in mock horror.

Alex smiled gently, genuinely this time. "Don't tempt me."

Scott took a step back, squeezing Alex's shoulder once more before letting go. "Let me just grab my book," he said. "I ought to go look up those articles I was thinking of..."

: Nodding, Alex backed up a step. "I probably need to go find Lorna anyway. And umm...if you need to talk about the Betsy thing...don't keep it bottled up alright?"

Scott nodded, managing a brief smile. "I need to get you something to do on the plane," he said. "Or, you know, just drug you beforehand..."

Alex opened his mouth in outrage but he couldn't stop the giggled that escaped. "I don't trust anyone in this mansion with drugs, thank you very much!"

Scott gave him his best approximation of an innocent look. "It'd be for your own good... okay, so it'd be for mine. Maybe I'll just get you a Gameboy or something."

That made Alex's eyes light up, being the perpetual five year old Shiro often accused him of being. "That might work. Heaven forbid I try one of those dusty books you enjoy." He teased, taking a few steps back to avoid retaliation.

"You'll notice I'm not swatting you," Scott said. "I am an adult, after all..."

"And no fun!"