November 23, 1963

The next morning found Bishop standing outside the mansion, the four younger men in front of him. "Have any of you ever fought?" he asked, looking between them. Hank glanced at Alex and Sean; Warren was the only one who shook his head quickly.

Alex glanced at the other two, "I assume you mean using our powers?"

"Even a battle situation," Bishop replied.

"Once." The blond answered. Sean nodded his agreement.

"Just once?" Bishop asked in surprise.

Sean nodded again, "Yes...just once."

"What have you been doing the last year?" the African American gaped.

"Living lives as close to normal as we can get," Alex answered, his tone edging toward surly.

Hank's eyes had darkened somewhat, still wearing the image inducer.

Sean glanced from one to the other and then back to Bishop, "You sound surprised."

"Well, while Magneto's forces have been wrecking pain and suffering you're implying you've been sitting her and doing, as far as I can tell nothing."

Something that might have been a growl rolled out of Hank. "We have hardly been doing that. We're untrained and our leader was shot in the spine. Besides a physical recovery, we had to attempt to put together a school while dealing with being mutants. I'm sorry, since you're clearly military, but we are trying to build a school, not fight a war."

Alex glanced at Hank at the growl. It wasn't a sound he was used to hearing and it startled him briefly, but Hank had a legitimate point. Sean, on the other hand, eyed Hank and took a subtle step to the side away from him, knowing Hank had a decent rein on his temper usually, but still recalling the cat-like claws the other mutant had even if they weren't currently visible under the illusion the scientist wore. The redhead spoke, "Something tells me you intend to remedy the lack of training anyhow. You just know you're working with less than you thought originally is all."

Bishop had flat out taken a step back at the growl. There was no way the slight but tall boy in front of him should have been able to make such a sound, especially since as far as he knew the other's power was speed. "Alright," he said warily. "We'll start then."

"Besides," Hank muttered, realizing he'd growled with the image inducer on. "Our last instructor abandoned us on a beach with no way off. You'll have to excuse me for being distrustful."

Alex eyed Bishop for a long moment, "I don't think you ever said what you can do. I know Sage did yesterday."

Bishop shifted, not really wanting to get growled at again. "I can absorb different forms of energy and redirect them," he replied evenly.

Alex immediately fell silent and started shutting off further. Sean's eyes widened and he glanced from Hank to Alex and back, "That's..."

Honestly, Hank was just about to growl again at that, straining toward Alex and wanting to reassure. "I am aware you have a... bad history with powers of this sort," Bishop managed finally.

Sean shook his head, "Either the prof told you half of it or you're the master of the understatement."

"I can hardly help my powers," he said, in protestation.

Sean nodded, "True." He glanced at Hank and then at Alex. The blond was rather solidly focusing on the grass at his feet and refusing to meet anyone's eyes, but he finally shrugged, his acknowledgement of the truth of that statement.

"Well, this has been enlightening," Hank said briskly. "We can continue this later," he added and Bishop didn't protest as Hank touched Alex's arm lightly and inclined his head to the mansion.

Alex startled slightly as he came out of his reverie, instinctively pulling back from the touch before he registered that it was Hank. He met the other's eyes and then nodded, entering the mansion Glancing back once more at Bishop, Hank followed, unsure whether to lead to a room or the bunker. Alex glanced toward the hall that would lead toward the bunker and instead took the stairs two at a time to head to his own room.

Once they were gone, Bishop glanced at Sean and Warren who had all but been hiding behind the red head. "I'm aware of what I did to bother Summers, but what was with McCoy?"

"We're all a bit protective of each other," Sean answered. "Hank's a bit more so." Of Alex he finished silently.

"He growled," Bishop said, arching a brow slightly. "That I did not expect, mutant or not."

"He's...more than he appears," Sean answered. Why did he always end up having to deal with the questions he really didn't want to answer?

Bishop blinked. "I am not part of this," Warren muttered and took off into the air, wings flapping.

Sean turned to stop him, but scowled as he realized the younger boy really had every right to take off. He turned back to Bishop, "Hank's got a couple of levels to his mutation."

"A couple," Bishop dead panned and wondered why Sage hadn't told him—or picked it up. "I know he's intelligent, but I know more that he has super speed. Neither of which lends itself to growling."

"And strength. And stamina," Sean supplied. "He...had abnormal looking feet last year and set about trying to find a way to allow himself to look fully normal without losing his abilities. It backfired."

"He looks perfectly normal."

"He's not. He's a brilliant scientist. The appearance you see now is him pre-beach. He hasn't looked like that without the help of a complex illusion in over a year."

Bishop blinked. "So... that's not what he looks like?" He didn't even comment on Sean's term "pre-beach" though he figured it was important.

"No. He's actually gotten bigger. And...well, bluer. And...furrier. All in all, more feline."

That got Bishop's eyes to widen, distorting the M on his eye. "...Oh."

"Yeah. He's...usually pretty chill."

"Oh," Bishop said again. "Thank you for that information."

"You're welcome. Don't tell him I told you. He'll let you both know when he feels ready to."

"Right, of course," Bishop nodded. "I understand."

Sean glanced around, "So since the others have left, can I go?"

Bishop nodded and motioned with his hands to shoo him back to the mansion. Sean took off with a sigh of relief.

X-X-X

Inside the mansion, Hank had hesitated at the staircase before quietly padding after Alex.

Alex was curled on his bed with his back to the door, his arms wrapped tightly around himself. Hesitating again outside the door way, Hank entered and closed the door, coming over to the bed and sitting himself down as quietly as he could. Alex lay there for a long moment before finally turning over so he could look up at Hank, "I..."

"I know—well, I can guess," Hank said quietly, reaching forward carefully to pet Alex's hair before pulling his hand back.

The younger man reached up to stop Hank from pulling his hand all the way away. Shifting forward, Hank went back to smoothing down the other's hair, letting him talk if and when he needed to. "I-I...God, Hank. This wasn't supposed to be possible again."

"We have no idea if his powers work like Shaw's did," he soothed quietly. "No idea which sort of power he absorbs."

"But it realistically could happen again, Hank!" Alex's gaze sought reassurance.

Hank swallowed, cupping his cheek. "It could," he admitted. "But it won't."

The blond leaned into the touch, "Can you turn off the image inducer?"

Hank blinked, having forgotten it and complied. "It's going to be alright, Alex."

"I-I know. It just doesn't feel that way right now..." He hesitated for a long moment, before taking Hank's hand and tugging for him to lay down next to him.

Shifting, Hank had to move Alex slightly more to the side before he could fit, gathering him up in his arms. "You're going to be fine," he murmured.

Alex curled closer, resting head against Hank's chest, "I-I know." Pausing for a moment, Hank consciously tried to purr, still petting Alex's hair. The smaller man let his eyes close, trying to relax and focusing on Hank's purr. He felt some of the fear and tenseness fade away and found himself growing slightly drowsy, "Thank you, Hank."

The larger nodded, unsure how to actually say you're welcome to something like that. "You're going to be just fine," he repeated. "We all are, alright?"

Alex nodded, "Alright."

November 30, 1963

Warren perched himself on a low hanging tree branch, ruffling his wings behind him. By this time he'd explored all that Xavier's lands could provide him with, but the joy of actually flying in the day whenever he liked-sometimes in the middle of a lecture to the Professor's annoyance—was not a feeling he was ever going to get used to. He ruffled his wings again happily.

Sean strolled over to the foot of the tree and looked up, "There you are." He was bundled up in a winter coat against the chill in the air. "Sage is looking at us for tactics or something like that."

"Don't care about tactics," was the reply that floated down.

"It's that or another training session with Bishop. She wanted to make sure we were clear on those options. She's also implying said training session's more on survival in this weather after dark."

Warren poked his head down through the brush. "You're kidding."

Sean shook his head, arms wrapped tightly around him, "Nope. And we're supposed to get the first light snowfall of the year tonight."

Warren made an annoyed sound and finally flittered down. "You know what I said about us needing more girls? I did not mean her."

Sean nodded his agreement, "I hear you there. I think we need more girls. Sane ones."

"Non-taken ones too," Warren muttered. "Did you notice her and Bishop have rooms next to each other?"

"Yeah, knowing the Prof, he decided it was easier than asking." Sean shook his head, "I don't see it."

"Them or not asking?"

"Them. I just don't get it. Then again I have the same reaction to everyone's choice of... significant other in this place."

"We have got to get some non crazy, non taken girls," Warren muttered, shaking his head.

"I am completely with you on that one." They finally reached the mansion and Sean opened the door, shrugging out of his coat and hanging it up. "I think we're meeting in the front parlor."

Warren made a sound of annoyance and ruffled his wings before tucking them behind his back so he wouldn't run them into anything.

December 6,1963

Verging on two weeks after Sage and Bishop appeared at the mansion, Hank woke up earlier than he usually did. For a moment he just considered Alex before deciding to go down and make coffee in the morning for once. Padding down the hallway, he entered the kitchen, one of the places besides the lab he felt relatively secure in. Humming quietly he turned the coffee on.

A few minutes later, Sage pushed the door to the kitchen open, conversing with Bishop, "...So I'll likely be heading out at the end of this week for a couple of days, just long enough to locate the new st—" She broke off and her brows arched, her eyes widening at the sight of Hank, sans image inducer.

Hank turned, not quite registering that fact. "Oh, good mor—" he blinked, blinked again, and glanced down, realizing he'd forgotten something.

Bishop stopped behind Sage and paused for a long moment. Sage cleared her expression, murmuring, "Well, I knew it was cosmetic."

Alex entered, already talking as Sage caught the door, "Hank, you forgot your—" He broke off his gaze flickering to Sage and Bishop and he lowered the image inducer, half-hiding it behind his back.

"Yes," Hank said, looking at Alex and just barely not managing to wince. "Good morning," he said to the room in general.

"Huh," Bishop managed, tilting his head. "Well, that makes more sense now."

Sage looked from one of the young men to the other, nodding slightly, "Quite a bit."

Alex grimaced and moved over, setting the image inducer down near Hank. "This is why I make the coffee in the morning," he muttered.

Hank gave him a half panicked look. "Yes," he agreed again and shrugged slightly. "Well, I suppose it was inevitable they noticed."

Blinking once, Bishop didn't mention there might be more than one thing.

The blond nodded, moving to find something to eat, "Yeah, you would have had to let them in on it at some point."

Sage's brow arched and she glanced at Bishop, filing Hank and Alex's body-language away with the rest of the interactions between them that she'd seen. Sharing her look, Bishop shrugged slightly, smiling faintly.

Hank meanwhile was moving around Alex to finish the coffee and fish down plates and the beginnings of a more general breakfast. "Eggs?" he offered the room in general.

"Eggs sound very good, thank you," Sage replied.

"Great," Hank muttered, knowing how Alex took his eggs and getting started on that.

Sage glanced at Bishop before speaking again, "Charles has located another potential student. I'm to go meet her. Hank, I was wondering if you would be willing to come along?"

Alex just about dropped one of the glasses he was getting down from the cupboards. Turning his head to glance at Alex for a moment Hank turned back to her. "Me? Where is the student?"

"England. Not too far outside of London," she answered simply.

Alex scowled at that, but just turned his attention to pouring some orange juice, glancing at Hank to see if he wanted any. Hank's eyes got a little starry at the thought of England, but he glanced quickly at Alex and swallowed, motioning slightly for the orange juice if the other wouldn't mind.

The blond nodded, relaxing when he saw Hank's eyes light up at the thought of that trip. He poured a second glass, glancing at Sage and Bishop, but opted to just leave it out for them if they wanted any.

"How long?" Hank asked, glancing back at Sage, still somewhat surprised she had asked him. Honestly, he had no idea how to exactly go about traveling on a commercial plane.

"We leave at the end of the week. Charles was planning to call ahead, so likely three days? From leaving the airport to getting back I mean."

Glancing at Alex again, Hank nodded. "Are you really sure you want me on a plane? It would be awkward if anyone ran into me."

She shrugged, "It's more that I'd like you there to speak with the new student and her parents. Professor Xavier mentioned you were one of the two who went to bring Warren here."

Alex glanced at him, offering him a faint smile, but mostly hiding it behind his glass of orange juice. He might consider talking about what was bugging him later.

"Alright," Hank said, glad his ears weren't entirely catlike or one of them would have been swiveled toward Alex. He finished making the eggs quickly, really wanting to get Alex to himself for a minute to talk.

Bishop seemed pleased to have eggs put in front of him, even if Hank's motions were still a little abrupt. Alex picked up a plate of eggs, offering Hank a faint smile again before slipping out of the kitchen to find somewhere else to eat. Sage watched him go, one eyebrow arching again as she settled at the kitchen table with Bishop.

Hank glanced between them and Alex, and offering a quick salutation to them, followed Alex.

Alex had settled in the dining room. It was chilly in there, being a room that rarely saw actual use and so was rarely heated. He wasn't really eating, mostly just stirring the eggs around on his plate and nibbling at them a bit. He glanced up as Hank entered and actually turned his attention to looking like he was eating.

"You're not actually eating, are you?" Hank asked, plopping down beside him.

"Hm? Of course I am," he took a bite to emphasize the point.

Hank sighed softly. "Alex, what's the matter?"

"I'm being paranoid. What else is new?"

With another soft sigh, Hank shifted a bit closer. "Maybe nothing. What are you paranoid about then?"

Alex shook his head, "It doesn't matter, Hank. Really, I'm fine."

"Of course you are. I still want to hear this," Hank said, leveling him with a long look.

He grimaced, "I don't like planes. I don't trust them. The last one either of us was in is now shrapnel."

That brought Hank up short for a moment, before leaning forward and resting his forehead against Alex's shoulder. "We survived. All of us."

Alex glanced at him, tilting his head to rest his cheek on the top of Hank's head briefly, "I know. I told you, I'm just being paranoid. I've never liked planes."

Hank rumbled, not quite purring. "It'll be fine."

Alex managed a bit of a smile, "You'd better come back."

"Oh, of that I have every intention of doing," Hank said, offering him a return smile. "Not sure what could keep me away."

"Besides only having three days in the homeland of Shakespeare, Milton, Byron, and the lot?" Alex grinned slightly at him.

Hank's mouth twisted, but affectionately. "Alright, five days—a month would make me happier, but I don't mind coming home early for you."

Alex offered him another grin, leaning over and kissing him fleetingly, "If we get the chance and the boat passage maybe someday we could go, the two of us?"

Hank's answering grin looked like Alex had asked him on a honeymoon. "Yes," he said, simply.

The blond listened for a moment and not hearing anyone in the hall leaned over and kissed the other again. Purring into the kiss for a moment Hank pulled back more quickly than he usually would. "I'd hate to be walked in on again," he murmured.

Alex made a soft sound of protest, but nodded, "Yeah...though I think we both needed more coffee before interacting in front of people earlier."

Hank laughed softly at that. "Well, they probably don't need to do what Warren and Sean did. I can only handle that once, thank you. But, it's not like we really have much more to do today..."

Alex grinned, "We probably should finish breakfast..."

"Right, yes, food, substance. You know, I've heard substance is good for you."

"There is that rumor going around."

Hank smiled, kissing him quickly and pulling back to pay attention to his eggs. Alex offered him another grin before turning most of his attention to his food. Finishing a little more quickly than usual, Hank whisked his plate and Alex's back to the kitchen, nodded at Sage and Bishop, and went to pick Alex back up from the dining room before heading for the stairs.

Alex laughed slightly, waiting until they were back in his room to turn and kiss Hank, one hand going to comb through the other's headfur. Wrapping his arms around the other's waist, Hank nuzzled into the kiss. Alex's other arm moved to wrap around Hank's waist, drawing him a bit closer. Purring, Hank pulled him closer still, feeling luckier than he could quite begin to explain to anyone else.

Alex moaned softly at that, pressing up into the kiss, the hand in Hank's hair moving to stroke one of his ears. The blond had to keep reminding himself this was in fact real, it was more than he'd hoped for. Hank made a happy noise at that. "I'm still surprised," he murmured into the kiss.

"With?" Alex's hand traced small circles on Hank's back.

"This," he said, hoping he didn't have to expand.

"Me too," came the reply. There wasn't any need, his own mind had been circling that thought.

"Happy though," Hank added with a smile.

"More than I thought possible," Alex replied, resting their foreheads together.

"I'm glad," Hank said. "I mean, besides everything else I'm fairly certain you're the only person who offered to take me somewhere books were of your own free will."

"You like books, and there are times where I like books. Mostly I like seeing the way you go into complete auto-pilot when you're around them, though," he grinned slightly.

"I go into auto-pilot?" Hank asked, still smiling.

"Sort of. Your eyes glaze over a little bit, at least around old books."

"Do my eyes ever glaze around you?" Hank asked, mostly joking.

Alex smirked, "Sometimes, but for a different reason."

Hank blinked for a moment and grinned, leaning in to kiss Alex again. The smaller man chuckled at that, leaning up into the kiss. Humming, Hank tilted his neck back. "You know, I could have done something productive this morning," he murmured. "But I think I'm happier with this."

"You said nothing needed to be done," Alex reminded. "I think I prefer this too."

"Nothing needs to be done," Hank agreed. "I can take a day off."

Havok smirked at that, "Good to hear."

"Should indulge more often," Hank murmured, nuzzling against Alex's throat.

Alex tipped his head back to give the other better access, grinning a bit at the feel of his fur, "It certainly couldn't hurt to indulge from time to time."

"Like fine wine or good chocolate."

That earned a laugh, "Fine wine or good chocolate, huh?"

"With a good book."

Alex shook his head slightly and kissed Hank again at that. Purring again, Hank returned the kiss, running his hands down Alex's back. Alex arched at the touch, pressing himself almost flush against Hank. Still purring, Hank tilted his head further, hands stopping for a moment at Alex's hips before moving back up along his back. Alex pressed up against him, tugging slightly at his shirt hem. Hank grinned a little goofily into the kiss, pressing further against Alex and considering how close they were still to the door. At least Alex's floor was always clean.

"Bed?" Alex murmured when he drew back for a breath.

"I'm liking the sound of that plan," Hank replied against the other's mouth.

"Good," The blond pushed the other back toward the bed, his hands tracing up under Hank's shirt.

Crowding closer to the other, Hank tried to get his shirt off without ripping it, finding his way around the room. "I love you," he murmured.

Alex's breath hitched at that as he slipped out of his shirt, getting Hank's off as well, "I-I love you too."

"You still sound so surprised when I say that," Hank nuzzled against his shoulder.

"I'm still getting my head around it," he answered, finally getting to the bed, and pulling Hank down onto it with him.

"Oh," Hank managed, curling himself around him. "Well, I love you. I'll repeat it until it sticks if I have to."

"Maybe longer than that?" He leaned up to kiss the other, "I love you, Hank."

"Longer than that," Hank agreed, leaning down.

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