No Movie for You!
"Popcorn's here," Hellboy announced, balancing three bowls of popcorn in his hands as Abe finished setting up the movie projector.
"Now what movie is this again," Liz asked, sitting on one of the library couches. "Some kind of horror movie?"
"Children of the Corn," Abe replied, plugging in the device and checking to make sure it would work. "It is based on a Stephen King novella about a small mid-Western town-"
"Don't spoil it," Hellboy said quickly, sitting down next to Liz, who took a bowl of popcorn from him. "I wanna see what crazy shit happens for myself."
"Do you think Xavier is still upset we would not let him watch the movie with us," the amphibian man asked, pressing play on the device as the opening credits were displayed on a nearby movie screen.
"Probably, but he's fourteen," Hellboy said, already munching on some popcorn. "This is definitely not somethin' for kids."
"I do agree with you on that point," Abe said, taking his spot on the couch. "Especially since the main antagonists of the film are-"
"No spoilers," Liz hissed, nudging him lightly in the ribs. "Besides, it's starting!"
About ten minutes into the film, Hellboy suddenly straightened up in his seat, as if he had heard something. Liz looked away from the movie to give him a questioning look, and he simply held up a finger to his mouth, quieting her. A minute later, he slowly and carefully got up from his seat, creeping along the edge of the library shelves, towards one of the chairs near the back. Reaching it, he quickly reached behind it on one swooping motion, picking up the teenager by the back of his shirt.
"Hey! You're gonna stretch the collar out," Xavier snapped, wriggling free from the half-demon's grip and glaring up at him. "What was that for?"
"What'd we tell ya about watchin' the movie with us," Hellboy asked, frowning at him.
"You said I couldn't," the teen answered. "But-"
"No buts. Hit the road, Minnie."
"No way, and stop calling me Minnie! How come you three get to have a movie night and I don't!"
"Because we do," Liz said from the couch, waving him out of the room.
"I think it would be best to go, Xavier," Abe said. "Hellboy might get upset and remove you with force."
"No way! We're both friends and he would never..." He faltered as he saw the half-demon cracking his knuckles.
"Wouldn't I," the red creature asked, an evil grin on his face. "Now out."
"This is so unfair," Xavier muttered, stalking out of the room as he muttered other unpleasantries under his breath. He heard the agent lock the library door behind him, and he stomped the ground angrily.
"'Not something for kids,'" he muttered to himself, the backs of his hands starting to grow hairy. "I can handle some dime-a-dozen scary movie! They're lucky I don't break down the damn door and-"
"Xavier?" The teen whirled around to find Professor Broom standing at the end of the hallway, a cup of coffee in hand. "What are you doing?"
"Professor Broom," Xavier said, quickly hiding his still-hairy hands behind his back. "Nothing, sir! I was just… checking on the others to make sure they're enjoying their movie."
"Really? I was under the impression they were watching a horror film," the man said.
"They are… which is why I wanted to check up on them!" His hands now back to normal, the teen brought them out from behind his back, hold two thumbs up. "And they are! They're not scared or anything! So I should probably head back to my room-"
"They wouldn't let you watch, wouldn't they?"
Xavier lowered his hands, looking like a deer in the headlights. Finally, he sighed, looking down at the floor. "It's not fair," he said. "I'm literally training to fight and kill monsters; why can't I watch a stupid horror movie with them? I'm old enough!"
"I don't think the Motion Picture Corporation of America would agree," Professor Broom said, walking up to him.
"Fine, then. I'm mature enough to watch it!"
"Now I would disagree with that," the man said. "You are pretty mature in some areas of your life, and I know you are smart enough to know that what you see in horror movies are fake. But you are still fourteen, and should not be watching such things."
"Yes, sir." The teen looked up at him with a frown on his face. "I hate being the only kid here."
"Liz felt the same way," Broom assured him. "And she was not allowed to watch horror movies, either. I even kept Hellboy from watching them until he was eighteen."
"That's four years away," Xavier sulked.
"But I know you have enough maturity in you to be patient," the man said, smiling at him.
The teen eventually nodded. "You're right," he agreed. "I can be the bigger person."
"That's the spirit."
"And after the movie's over, I can totally guilt-trip them for excluding me!" He grinned up at the former director of the Bureau. "Then, the next time they have a movie night, I get to choose what we watch!"
Professor Broom frowned at that statement. "Now that's not very mature," he stated.
"You said yourself I'm fourteen," Xavier reminded him. "Don't worry; I'll just give them the silent treatment up until tomorrow afternoon, ignore their attempts to talk to me, and then accept their heartfelt apologies!" He walked away from the library, waving back at the man. "Thanks for the pep talk!"
Professor Broom sighed, shaking his head a little. Xavier Washington was a unique individual, that much was certain. And while he had yet to grow out of his mischievous nature, the teen was smart, and destined for great things. However, he opted not to warn his son or the other agents about Xavier's plans, curious to see if they would fall for the boy's act.
