xp_logs | Friday Night- Scott and Alex (Reply)

Friday night, Scott bring Alex his brithday presents. They sit, talk and share Grandmother's cookies, the topics varying from silly to serious. A Summers log at it's best.

Adjusting the package tucked in the crook of his arm, Scott knocked on Alex's door. "Open up, brat," he called cheerfully. "I come bearing gifts."

Rolling his eyes, Alex jumped up off the bed and over to the door. "Come on in ole' fogie, Lorna's off somewhere." Hiding his curiosity, he went back and sat cross legged on the bed. "So whatcha bring?

"Your birthday present." Scott smiled at the look Alex gave him. "What, you didn't think I was going to forget your birthday, did you?" He sat down on the bed beside him and handed over the package. "I know you're not into making a big deal of it, but I was feeling all... brotherly, and stuff."

Alex just shook his head as he opened it. "I just didn't feel like announcing it to the whole mansion. I mean, I wasn't here last year for it so I doubt anyone even knows when it is. No biggie." Not wanting to make it look like he was ungrateful for Scott remembering, he finished opening the box and pulled out the two surfing videos, a smile spreading on his face. "Dude! These are Awesome Scott!"

"I have to admit, I was kind of interested by the one about the Canadian surfers," Scott said with a chuckle. "You don't usually think of Canada as a big surfing locale." He slid his arm around Alex's shoulders, hugging him briefly. "Happy birthday."

Alex scanned the back of each before dropping them into his lap, turning so he could give Scott a real hug. "Thanks big bro. These are totally awesome. I can't wait to check them out." Then he smirked. "And come on, you just wanna look at the srufer chicks."

"Would I be that shallow?" Scott bantered back. "Just because I suck at the sport myself doesn't mean I don't appreciate it. And not just from the aesthetic standpoint."

"Riiight...I'll remember that when I catch you drooling." Rolling his eyes playfully, Alex moved the videos to the side table and gave his brother a curious look, complete with cocked head. "So, what have you been up too lately big bro? Beside chasing your turtle around?"

"Oh, classes, training." Scott laid back on the bed with a sigh, staring up at the ceiling. "Not sleeping enough. The usual."

"Scott, Scott, Scott...Your not overworking yourself again are you?" Alex may have sounded teasing but he was serious. He really did not want to see his brother that stressed out again.

Scott chuckled. "Overworking myself, possibly. Trying to pretend the weight of the world is on my shoulders, no."

"Well it's a start I guess..." Alex laid down on his side next to him, leaning his head on his hand. "Have you done anything fun lately? That didn't involved training?"

"Uhhh..." Scott blinked, giving that some serious thought. And then some more. "What do you mean by lately?"

Alex again rolled his eyes to stop himself from saying something he'd regret. "You know since you got back from Alaska maybe?"

"Oh, that long ago? I've done fun things," Scott said a bit vaguely. "I had a snowball fight with Hank," he said more rapidly, remembering.

"Whew!" Alex practically sighed with relief. "you had me worried there bro."

Scott reached out and poked at him. "You worry too much. That's my job, remember?" Snorting, he sat up - and stopped, wincing at the sudden stab of pain behind his eyes.

Flinching away, Alex turned back in time to see Scott's expression. "Scott? You alright bro?" He sat up on his knees next to Scott, looking at him concerned, "What's wrong?"

"Head's at it again," Scott said with a sigh, rubbing at his temples. Now, this was frustrating. If they were psychosomatic, what in that conversation had triggered one?

Alex licked his lips, remembering the one Scott had had in Alaska. A thought flashed through his head and he glanced down at his hands for a moment, before looking back at him. "Have you figured out the trigger yet?" No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't hide the slight fright in his voice.

"No," Scott said, mustering a faint smile that he hoped would be reassuring. His head was throbbing, but not quite pounding. "Charles is still trying to figure it out. Don't worry, though."

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Alex nodded, but still shifting uncomfortably. "Can I get you anything?"

Scott closed his eyes, concentrating on breathing deeply for a minute. "It's all right," he finally said, soothingly, and opened his eyes to look at Alex, managing a slightly more convincing smile. It didn't seem to be getting any worse. Alex was looking so worried, though. "This is scaring you," Scott said quietly. "I know that."

Alex looked away slightly and nodded. "Yeah it is...I mean, we both know my control is shot and I'm freakin' leaking...I'm just afraid it's affecting you somehow...And great, now I'm rambling. Sure I can't get you anything?" Once again, the

"Alex," Scott said firmly, until his brother met his eyes. "It is nothing physical, and it's definitely not radiation poisoning of any sort. Madelyn and Hank have been over me with fine-toothed combs, remember? Charles is pretty positive it's something psychic, so please don't worry that you're causing it." He grinned a bit ruefully. "I have plenty of them when you're nowhere to be found, after all."

Swallowing hard again, he nodded, still slightly wide eyed. Then with a shake of his head, he gave Scott a small smile. "You know me...anything like that freaks me out and with what happened with Shiro..." He shrugged noncommittally before leaning forward to hug his brother tightly.

Scott hugged him back firmly. "Not to worry," he said gently, then laughed. "I have better eating and exercise habits than you do. I'm liable to outlive you by decades."

With that, Alex stuck his tongue out at him. "Yes but at least I have more fun then you. With luck it will be some tragic surfing accident; go out with a bang, ya know?" He was clearly kidding on the morbid subject.

"I'm saving up my fun," Scott claimed. "When I'm old and gray I'll be totally frivolous and do nothing at all productive. You just watch."

Now when Alex rolled his eyes, it was playful. "Oh Suuure. That will be a sight to see."

"And I'll beat my little brother, if he's still around, with a cane. On a regular basis. For all the talking back he did when we were young."

"Ha! You'll have to catch me first, ole' fogie. You can barely do that now!" He again stuck out his tongue, putting one foot on the floor, just in case he had to bolt, a goofy grin on his face.

Scott snorted at him. "Ah, but when we're old, I'll be so much more fit than you because of all the clean living. Catching you won't be a problem."

Alex gave him a mock hurt look. "Clean living? Excuse me, big brother...I may not be a superhero like my big brother, but I am the resident tyke PE instructor. That has to count for something." The last part made him giggle, he still couldn't believe he was teaching a class for little kids.

"Mmm. True. And while you might eat far too much of your girlfriend's cooking..." Scott grinned shamelessly.

Opening his mouth to protest, Alex realized it was no use and playfully hit Scott on the shoulder. "Can I help it she's a genius in the kitchen? And she needs a faithful taste tester..."

"Deborah thinks we both need fattening up, anyway, so I shouldn't tease," Scott admitted, still grinning.

"I think that's part of the reason she loved Lorna so much. She knows I'm eating right if I'm dating the cook. But that still didn't stop the cookies that arrived today. The note said I had to share them with you though." He stuck out his tongue at Scott. "Now why would I ever want to do that?"

"Because you know Deborah will ask you if you did, and you can't fib because she sees right through you?"

"I can't lie period, you know that. I always was the more emotional one." He stood up and retrieved a tin off one of the dressers. "Here, maybe grandma's cookies will help with the headache."

Scott obediently took one of the cookies. "Uhhh... are those chocolate chips? They're rather large to be chocolate chips."

"Everything is bigger in Alaska. Plus I think it's a grandmother thing." Alex took one himself then replaced the tin, before scrambling back onto the bed and curling up next to his brother.

"I was thinking I might go back up there at spring break," Scott said. After trying the cookie.

"Really?" Alex was nibbling on his cookie and looked at Scott thoughtfully. "Good, I think you need the break and the pampering."

"I was thinking more along the lines of going up there and doing some flying for Phillip, actually. Although," he conceded, "I suppose the spoiling is inevitable if I'm anywhere in Deborah's immediate vicinity."

"Exactly. and you, my dear older brother, need it. And the flying will be a nice break for you too." He laid back on the bed, still munching thoughtfully.

"Spring break. It'll be on us before we know it," Scott said and shook his head, thinking about everything that needed to be done in the next month and a half. And that was just the stuff he knew about. Then there were always the surprises.

Yeah, there is. “My application is due next month...for college." He shrugged slightly, wiggling a bit on his back as he stared at the ceiling. "I just hope that i get accepted I can go...but you never know around this place."

Scott blinked. "Why wouldn't you be able to go?"

Again Alex shrugged. "Don't know...but it's always a possibility round these parts. Admit it Scott, things don't always go as planned around here."

Scott sighed. "And they don't go horribly wrong all the time either, Alex. Don't obsess on the bad possibilities, please? That way leads to me." He smiled wryly.

Alex struggled to smile, though his unease was still evident on his face. "I'm sorry Scott...I know I shouldn't dwell...but it's like what you said in Alaska. It all just seems to go to be true sometimes..."

"It does," Scott said after a moment. "But only sometimes. Eat your cookie," he suggested lightly. "It's a good example of something that's too good and true at the same time."

"Yes big brother." Alex did as he was told after sticking out his tongue again.

"And don't make faces at me. Your face will freeze that way."

Holding the cookie in his mouth, He swatted at Scott playfully, a grin appearing around the cookie.

Scott shook his head. "Impossible brat," he said. "What am I going to do with you?"

After chewing Alex grinned up at him, with a silly, pitiful expression. "Love me."

"I think I can manage that."