2

Getting permission had been easier than Scott expected. Even when he'd warned the Professor that Peter was going to be helping him, Xavier had been only too happy to agree and delighted that somebody was going to be there to showcase what excellent sports facilities the Academy had – not even counting the subterranean training room, which of course wasn't on the brochure. Scott even found himself arguing against his own proposal, just to make sure this was a fully informed decision.

"Are you really sure though?" he'd asked, shifted in his comfy armchair, "I mean, I did mention that Maximoff is helping me, right?"

"You did, several times. I think it's wonderful that the two of you are getting together on this" Xavier beamed at him, "After all, you've had your differences, it will bring you closer"

"And you remember that he's a total loose cannon and a gigantic pain in the ass?"

"Scott, I'm well aware of Peter's limitations. As are we all"

"It's not his limitations I'm worried about, Professor – in fact, this was all his idea. You don't see this being some hugely elaborate set-up for a prank, do you?"

Xavier laughed, shook his head, and gave Scott one of the most devious smiles he had ever seen his esteemed mentor wear.

"He knows what will happen if he causes too much of a problem," he smiled, "His father will find out, and he'll be grounded and forced to eat his vegetables for as long as Erik sees fit"

That would certainly be enough chastisement to make even the notoriously mischievous speedster think twice about too big a prank, Scott thought. Having a father as terrifying as Erik certainly came in handy at times – even if he knew full well that the rest of the time, Maximoff could wrap Magneto around his little finger with a quick pout and a puppy-eyed look.

"Grounded?" he eventually asked, slightly disbelieving, "He's almost thirty!"

"And as soon as he acts it, Erik will stop handing him children's punishments," Xavier explained, "Come now, Scott – everything will be fine! Anything you need just ask. This is a terrific idea, don't forget we're here to help you make it a success"

With that he had gently ushered Scott out of his study, leaving the boy to sigh to himself, and make his way over to the gym to meet his new partner and thrash out a few ideas. The more he thought about it, the more this seemed like a terrible idea and a lot of hard work. Scott was, in truth, a terrific leader for the group on field missions and an excellent training partner, forever pushing people to smash through their limits and providing back-slapping encouragement to the less confident. Ironic, really, given that he himself was one of the shyest members of the team, too easily upset and covering it with cool-headed diligence to duty. Be all that as it may, however, the idea of showing hordes of children and their watchful parents around the sports facilities filled him with dread – and especially if he had to contend with keeping a leash on one very fast, very strong, very unpredictable child at the same time. It couldn't have been a worse match-up, really. Scott calm and decisive, hiding everything he thought behind his ruby quartz lenses, where Peter was rash and impulsive, and wore his heart on his sleeve to the extent of sometimes really not knowing when to shut up. The kid had no filter, in fact was such a handful that even Scott, who was at least a decade younger, thought of Peter as the younger one.

Entering the gym he'd found Peter at a weights bench with whatever was playing on his headphones turned up too loud for him to hear his own awful, out-of-tune singing. He hadn't seen Scott enter, but as he'd approached and hovered nearby he neatly shifted his hands to hold the barbell in one and remove one earbud with the other.

"S'up dude," he grinned, "Do we have a green light?"

"We do" Scott told him, perched on the nearby rowing machine, "and quit showing off"

"Huh?" Peter frowned, lifted the barbell back onto the rack and sat up, confused.

"That bar weighs more than you do, and you're not even sweating. None of that when we have the kids here, okay?"

"Next time you're stuck under something heavy, I'll remind you that I'm not supposed to show off and leave you there. Deal?" he grinned, reached for his bottle of water, "guess we'd better start coming up with a plan then. To be honest I thought Baldy would say no, I haven't actually thought of anything yet"

"Great.." Scott muttered, knowing he'd have to be the organised one. Just as he'd thought, "Get some clothes on, we can go find an empty classroom and hash out some plans"

"I have clothes on!" Peter protested, "I'm wearing pants, what's the problem?"

"Maximoff, the last thing I need is to have to look at your torso whilst I try and concentrate on planning a kids event. Put a damn shirt on"

"Jealous much?" Peter chided, but fetched the shirt he'd left laying beside the bench and slipped it on, "I was cold anyway. Planning room via kitchen. Let's get this show on the road!"

Having managed to find a classroom not currently in use, Scott had only turned his back for a moment to grab his drink, before he'd turned back to see Peter looking gleefully amused, putting the finishing touches to a crude depiction of a male organ on the blackboard. He gave him as hard a stare as he could manage, folding his arms and sneering

"Very mature. What are you, fifteen?"

"Oh – sorry" there was a blur of movement and when Peter stepped away, he had perfectly replicated one of the diagrams in their anatomy textbook, specifically a page covering the reproductive system, "Is that better?"

Scott covered his face with his hands. Two minutes, and he was already feeling like he could strangle Maximoff with his bare hands.

"If you can do that, why the hell aren't you doing the science event?!" he asked. Peter shrugged.

"'Cos I'm not a nerd?" he asked rhetorically, "Unlike someone's girlfriend…."

"Right!" Scott stood, marched over to the board, got right in the older boy's face and wagged a finger threateningly, "One, you don't talk about Jean like that. She's a very intelligent girl, NOT a nerd. Two, wipe that…. *diagram* off the board, and three, start thinking of something useful before I decide this whole thing is a bad idea and quit. Are we clear?"

"Totally, dude" Peter drawled. Scott whipped around to see him sat at the back of the classroom, feet on a desk and hands folded behind his head. Scott sighed yet again, picked up the chalk, made a disgusted face

"What's on this?" he sniffed it, glared at Peter, "Is this chocolate?"

"Oohh, did I miss some?!" Peter was back in front of him in a rush, taking the chalk out of his hand and looking as if he was going to lick it. Scott stopped him just in time, threw the chocolate-stained chalk in the trash, and picked up another piece. Drew in a deep breath, let it out slowly, and kept his voice very even as he said.

"Plans, Maximoff. And make them good."