Billy's mom had an endless supply of questions, and Professor Xavier seemed happy to answer them at length- and really, this was mutant school, how could it possibly be so dull? It was clearly a special adult talent; maybe it was something that happened when you turned 21. You were magically able to drink alcohol responsibly (ha!) and make even the most interesting and exciting ideas exquisitely boring.
Billy tried to pretend that the other adult in the room was not Magneto, and that in addition to not being Magneto he was also not staring at Billy intently and saying not much of anything. Instead he walked over to a little table by the wall. It was covered in photo frames, and those were a great deal more interesting than the conversation and the staring both. He amused himself by playing name-the-mutant- the one in sunglasses, that had to be Cyclops, and Beast was obvious, as was Rouge with her distinctive white streak, but one of a brown-haired girl in stonewashed jeans had him puzzled until he noticed something that might have been the purple edge of a wing sticking out from behind her curls. Towards the back was an older photograph in a silver frame, and he picked it up to get a closer look. That was definitely the Professor, but much younger, and the man with the arm resting heavily over his shoulders-
-well, Billy had just spent the last endless half-hour being stared at by Magneto, of course he was going to recognize that same intense look in a photograph.
"-but perhaps Billy might be more interested in a tour of the grounds rather than an overview of our accreditation," the Professor was saying.
That was clearly an invitation for Billy to rejoin the conversation. He held up the picture. "This is you?"
"Many years ago, yes," the Professor said. Did he look amused?. "More than I generally like to count."
"It's a good picture," Billy said awkwardly. He meant to stop there, he really did, but his traitor mouth kept going. "You were pretty hot back then. I mean, you're not bad for an old guy, but- that is-"
"I believe I'll take that in the spirit in which it was intended, thank you." No, he definitely looked amused.
"That other guy's Mr., uh, Magneto, right?"
"Lehnsherr," said Magneto. "Enrolment in German so that you are able to say my name correctly will be mandatory."
"Erik," the Professor said, chiding. "You will of course be able to choose which language you'd like to pursue. We offer a full roster, including alien languages, two of which you might find of particular interest."
"Uhuh." Telepaths had a way of knowing important stuff that you pointedly failed to mention, the smug bastards. Not that he had any experience with that. Billy looked at the picture again. In addition to the arm over Xavier's shoulders, he and Magneto were standing rather . . . close. And kinda angled towards each other in that way he was starting to notice he had with Teddy. "So you two were all arch-nemesis-y for ages and ages, right? Did you ever, you know-" he attempted a complicated gesture to illustrate what he meant, then thought to hell with it, "-fuck?"
"Billy Kaplan!" his mother gasped.
"No, no, it's all right," the Professor recovered himself smoothly. "We encourage our students to pursue topics they're curious about. Though we also try to instil a certain amount of respect for other people's personal lives and privacy."
Billy rolled his eyes so hard. There was a muffled snort.
"Yes, yes. You needn't-" the Professor coughed. "Erik, would you be so kind as to start the tour?"
Magneto nodded and stood up, and the picture frame pointedly lifted itself from Billy's hands and returned itself to its place among the others. "Mrs. Kaplan, if you would follow me?"
Billy held the door of the Professor's study open for the adults, and his mother shot him a mortified glance as she trailed out behind Magneto. The Professor manoeuvred his chair back around his desk and rolled after them, pausing right next to Billy. There was an indisputable twinkle in his blue eyes.
"Like rabbits," he said, sotto voce.
"Charles," Magneto's stern voice rumbled down the hallway.
"Coming," the Professor said, pushing himself after.
Billy stood mutely, still holding the door, watching as the Professor caught up to where Magneto was waiting for him further down the corridor. Magneto looked up at him, his face set in harsh, grim lines-
-and winked before he turned to walk closely beside the wheelchair, one hand casually resting on the Professor's shoulder.
The door to the Professor's office shoved him gently, attempting to close. Billy shook himself, and realized that he was grinning as he hurried to catch up.