Disclaimer: Not mine
Notes: Missing scene fic for 'Short-Circuited', spoilers apply
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"Why do you always pick on him?"
Lucas didn't look away from his reflection. "What are you talking about?"
He hid his surprise when Wes suddenly stepped between him and the mirror. "Trip. Remember him? Green hair, usually seen with a robot owl, you broke his heart today?"
"Don't be so dramatic." Lucas tried shoving him aside, but their new recruit wouldn't budge.
"It's not like he was trying to ruin your game. He probably didn't even realize we could hear him." Wes gave him an earnest look. "Cut him some slack already."
Lucas peered over Wes's shoulder, trying to get a glance at his hair. "You haven't known him as long as I have-- or dealt with him pulling this more than once." He straightened his jacket. "It's a bad habit, and like all bad habits, he has to learn to quit at some point."
"Okay, fine. But don't you think you think your solution is one of those 'cutting off the nose to spite the face' things?"
That had to be one of those expressions from this time that he had yet to fully understand. "You mind explaining that?"
"Trip obviously felt guilty about it, not to mention he loves you--"
"What?!"
"Or at least thinks very highly of you," Wes amended. "I mean, why else would he let you block out his gem for a day? He's had his telepathy all his life; what you did was probably along the lines of telling him he can't use a limb or something."
"I... didn't mean it that way."
Wes shrugged. "Well, I said what I wanted to say. Anything else is up to you and Trip." He walked away, leaving Lucas alone with his reflection... and for the first time, he wasn't pleased with what he saw.
He had been furious with Trip, but maybe... maybe he'd let his temper get the better of him. And it wasn't the first time either, at least when it came to Trip. Even then, a part of him had known it wasn't really Trip's fault Ransik got away, he was just so angry...
No. No more excuses. If he couldn't quit his own bad habits, then how could he expect Trip to do the same?
Lucas gave himself one last look over before leaving the mirror. As soon as Trip came home, he'd apologize. And then he'd do his best to make sure he never went this far again.
He'd learn to quit his bad habit too.
