Hank was keeping a watchful eye on the team at the MedbBay.
"Man, my head hurts." Bobby was annoyed. "They almost had us." He spoke with nervousness in his tone.
"This place is crazy!" Tabitha reacted. "Just what are they planning to do with Cyclops in the first place?" She mused and rubbed her eyes, feeling groggy from waking up from a fainting spell. "I'm feeling nauseous."
"I'm not sure why they're hunting for Scott. He's such a boy scout. Most likely comes from a happy family." Jubilee wondered as the main X-Men team remained silent and glared at the younger mutants.
"You know nothing about Scott. I'm warning ya'll to shut up." Rogue issued them her most threatening glare and ran over to check on Kurt.
"Hey." Rogue greeted Kurt, who was lying on the bed. Kurt smiled warmly at her. "Mein Schwester, are you fine? Did we win?"
"I guess I should ask you, elf. Yes, for the time being, we won." Rogue laughed. "Will my brother be alright?" She demanded Hank, worried.
"He'll be just fine, Rogue." Hank went behind the doors to check on Scott, who was hooked up to a machine and had an IV tube laced around him. Warren sat beside him. Scott's blood had soaked into his uniform. Rogue pushed open the door, initially looking at Scott, then at Warren, who was holding his hand. She edged closer to them. "Warren, you should go change your clothes. I'll look after him."
Warren was poked in the arm by Rogue who called out his name. He was deafeningly focusing on Scott and had shut out the outside noises and distractions. Everything seemed to be moving at a snail's pace.
"Warren!" Can you hear what I'm saying? Warren!" Rogue's voice jolted him out of his trance. When he looked up, he found that she and Kitty were staring at him with concern. "Is he alright?" Kitty asked Rogue when Warren did not reply, "I'm fine." Warren mumbled, almost in tears. His heart thudded in his chest. Rogue rubbed his arm, comforting him. "Why don't you go change, Warren?" I'll be right here anyway." Rogue asked once more. He brushed her aside. "No."
"Scott's stronger than this Warren. This is like a minor graze." Kitty added soothingly. She felt unsure. Almost as if she was intruding on something.
"I'm not asking." Rogue used a dominant demeanor. "I'm not going to leave him." Warren stood firm on his word. Hank interrupted Rogue as she sighed and was about to argue with him. "Scott will be fine, Warren. He's been through a lot worse than this."
"I'm not going!" Warren yelled furiously and extended his wings. The mutants withdrew. Afraid, Kitty phased away from the room. Rogue grabbed a chair and sat on Scott's opposite side. "What are you doing?" Warren asked.
"What do ya think?" Rogue scowled. "You aren't the only one who cares for him."
"Of course not," Warren shook his head and murmured. He returned his gaze to Scott.
"You know, staring at him won't wake him up." Rogue made the point. She took Scott's gloved hand in hers and gently squeezed it, while Warren tightly gripped Scott's other hand.
"I know. I just don't want to leave him." Warren said this while brushing Scott's hair with his fingers. "He saved my life. He placed his own life at risk to save mine."
"That's just what he does." Rogue understood and observed Warren's gentle touch on Scott, as one would with a loved one. She sighed and averted her gaze. She was frustrated by the fact that she couldn't be with them.
"Why didn't you accept?" Warren asked, vaguely.
"Because I can't touch." Rogue mentioned flatly. "I noticed how you just held Scott. You can do it with your bare hands. That is something I will never be able to do."
Warren offered Rogue a thoughtful look. "But haven't you been working with the Professor?"
"Yeah. I mean, it's better than it was before. But it's not like I'm in complete control all the time." Rogue reacted. She let go of Scott's hands and wrapped her arms around herself.
"Of course, the door is still open. Even if you can't control your powers. We care about you. A whole lot." Warren made clear that he didn't want to pressure her any further because he was emotionally exhausted.
"I- it's just that -" Rogue stammered.
"Yeah?" Warren encouraged.
"I would like to. But don't you find it weird?" Rogue examined, uncertain.
"If you want it to be weird. But I don't believe it is. Why should anything that feels normal feel weird?" Warren queried.
Rogue let out a sigh. "I'm not sure. I'll think about it."
Warren gave a nod.
"You love him, don't you?" Rogue checked, her gaze fixed on Warren. "I suppose I could say the same thing about you" Warren replied, causing her to flush.
"Ah, don't!" She blushed even more.
"It's nothing to be ashamed of, Rogue. Love is beautiful. Sometimes it makes you do crazy things. Other times it makes you do stupid shit. With Scott, it's both. I'm going to kill him when he wakes up. " Warren mentioned with a disturbingly serene expression on his face.
"I'll help ya." She confirmed.
"It's just - he puts his life in danger all the time, you know? I wish he wouldn't. Still, I can't keep him from doing this. This is Scott. Getting him away from his missions would be like pulling a fish out of water." Warren added his two cents.
"I get it. He's not your typical guy. He has not experienced normal. I've got him in here." Rogue pointed to her head. Warren nodded, not wanting to pry, despite the fact that he was curious about everything she saw. However, he was mindful enough to respect his boyfriend's privacy.
Scott awoke, uncertain. His fingers curled around the sheets. . "Warren?" He rasped. When he realized he was hooked up to a machine, he panicked. "I'm here. Hey, Easy there." Warren stepped up and put his hands on his boyfriend's shoulders to keep him from rising. Scott's pulse slowed when he heard Warren's voice. He opened his eyes after the blonde handed him his glasses.
Warren's wings were the first thing Scott noticed. "How are you?" He groaned from the pain. "The team. Kurt, Rogue, and others, how are they?
"I'm fine. Everyone's fine. Kurt is asleep in his room. He hurt his leg, but he'll be fine. Now, shut up and kiss me." Warren commanded. He bent down to kiss him and Scott gladly obliged. He cupped Scott's face in his hands and found his mouth, desperate and urgent. They were interrupted by someone clearing their throat.
"Good morning, my fearless leader. "How are you doing?" Hank checked, clutching a tablet displaying his vitals.
"Fine, Hank. Thank you." Scott quickly responded, hoping for an early release now that he was up.
Hank and Warren both looked at him with suspicion. "Are you?" Warren asked. Hank remained quiet.
"I'm fine. When will I be able to leave the infirmary, Hank?" Scott asked quickly.
"You took quite a hit." Hank addressed to him while monitoring his vitals. "The brute impact from your combat reopened your wound." I've stopped the bleeding, but it's best if you don't put any pressure on it. You have a bruised rib. When you move, it may hurt. "I advise rest, ice, and medication."
"So, I guess physical activity is out?" Warren added his voice to the mix.
"Warren, you are correct. It also indicates that if you and your partner plan to indulge in activities of-" Hank cleared his throat before continuing, "sexual nature, you must remain vigilant. You're still recuperating."
Warren and Scott were looking everywhere else than at him. Hank continued to speak. "And I'm assuming you're using protection. If you have any intercourse adjacent questions, please ask any of the adults."
"Jesus, Hank. We know what sex is. We are adults." Warren expressed his embarrassment.
"Does that mean I won't have to give you two the talk?" Hank checked and awaited their answer.
"No!" Warren jumped, mortified.
"What talk?" Scott wondered.
Hank and Warren both groaned. "He's talking about Sex Education." Warren came through.
"The aim of sex education is to provide you with knowledge about issues concerning human sexuality. You must be informed about sexual reproduction, consent, reproductive health, safe sex, hygiene, and other related subjects." Hank went on to explain.
"I'm aware of all of that, Hank. I conducted extensive research on the above topics. Did you know that thirty minutes of sex can burn up to 200 calories? I mean, knowing that you can burn more calories with high-intensity exercise or even running, I'm not sure how useful that fact is. Maybe if I used it in action and accelerated the pace, I'd get different results. Of course, that will rely on the various positions." He added nonchalantly, thinking of it as a topic to contemplate. Warren on the other hand was blushing furiously.
"Of course, best wishes." Hank gave Warren a warning glance.
Logan stormed into the Infirmary and examined Scott's wounds. He snarled at the boys. "Why did ya go and do that?" In a menacing tone, he inquired.
"Do What?" Scott inquired, flummoxed. "I just woke up." Warren tried not to roll his eyes at Scott's naivete, whereas Logan and Hank were transparent with their frustration.
"Why – Did – You – Try – To – Save – Me?" Logan stabbed Scott in the chest with his index finger each time he uttered a word.
"Don't touch me!" Scott warned. He frowned at the other man and then said, "You're a member of the team, Logan. And, as the leader, I had to ensure the safety of my team." He clenched his teeth, while Warren was secretly overjoyed that their awkward talk with Hank had been cut short.
Logan sighed, defeated, his anger fading. "You and I, Summers, we're not the same. I have a healing factor. I can get up after being hurt and function as if nothing happened. I f you are injured, you will be permanently scarred or, worse, dead. See what I mean? You don't have to save me, bub." He issued a comment.
Scott rolled his eyes and said, "I'm fine, Logan."
"Very good, then." Hank cheerfully interrupted. "Scott, if you really can move, you can leave the Infirmary." He challenged him, hoping that his plan to give Scott some control would convince him that staying in bed was indeed the wisest option, without him having to intervene and appear unpleasant in Scott's eyes.
"Excellent." Scott decided to stand up blankly, burying the pain he was feeling. He dragged himself up and exhaled. For a split second, everything went dark, and he grabbed Warren's arm for support, trying not to fall down.
"Maybe you should stay in bed" Warren interjected, shouldering Scott's weight, while Logan scowled at the leader.
"I'm fine." Just a little head rush." Scott hauled himself out of his stubbornness, which frustrated Hank and Warren. Hank sighed and shook his head, knowing that his strategy had failed. "I should have known better." He muttered.
Scott's attention was drawn to Warren's uniform, which was smeared with dried blood. "I think you should change and rest, War. You should not have sat here all night."
Warren frowned, but he didn't let go of Scott. Instead, he grabbed Scott's arm and pulled him upstairs.
"You're a bullheaded ass. You know that?" Warren talked as he sat Scott down on his bed. His worry had succumbed to anger at the possibility of Scott risking his own life.
"So I've been told." Scott made a dry remark.
"I'm this close, Scott. Don't ." Warren swore angrily as he paced around his room.
"Don't what?" Scott reacted harshly.
"You put your life in danger all the time, even when it's unnecessary. You seem to have a death wish. And don't give me any bullshit about you looking after your team. Because once you willingly step into the line of fire, you are not exercising caution. Logan would have been perfectly fine. You, on the other hand, planted yourself in the middle." Warren said simply.
"All I was trying to do was de-escalate the situation." Scott turned defensive.
"Do you want to kill yourself, Scott?" Warren questioned. "If that's the case, I don't want to be a part of your suicide mission."
"I'm not trying to kill myself" Scott reassured him calmly.
"Look at me in the eye when you say that." Warren gritted his teeth in anger. Scott averted his eyes, unable to do so.
"I thought so" Warren whispered, distraught. A tear rolled down his face. "I can't do it. I can't bear the thought of you torturing yourself. I want to break up."
"You - you want to break up?" Scott checked, his voice small. He felt a knot in his stomach. His heart stopped beating.
"Yes." Warren broke down in tears softly. He was willing to accept all of Scott's flaws. His obliviousness and awkwardness, for example. The one thought he couldn't get out of his head was that his boyfriend had a death wish.
"You don't really mean that" Scott whispered, his voice hoarse, tears welling up in his eyes.
"It's over, Scott" Warren said. He gave him one last look before flying away.
Scott sat there in shock. His heart dropped, and he felt dizzy. His hands shook, and his breathing became rapid. He was unable to think. He didn't get it. All he knew was that his heart was smashed into a million pieces. 'Warren,' He sighed and let out a strangled sob, not bothering to mask his sorrow. He cried for the love he had lost and wondered if Warren was right. He didn't want to live. He curled up on the bed, depressed and hurt.
"Scott." He was awakened by a knock on his door. "Scott." The voice yelled once more. Rogue stood there with concern in her gaze as the door opened. Scott sat up straight and wore a stern look.
"Rogue. "What are you doing here?" He asked.
"I came to see how you have been" Rogue said as she examined his form for signs of pain.
"I'm fine. I'd appreciate it if you could leave me alone." Scott gave a curt response. He wasn't looking for company. Rogue frowned at his icy behavior. "As you wish. I was just going to see if you wanted anything to eat." She immediately walked away.
Rogue stepped into Warren's room and noticed he was drinking. Significantly. She raised her brows, her attention directed to the empty bottles of liquor on his nightstand. "That's one way to start the evening." She snorted, "What is it that has you so upset that you're drinking like a fish?" She inquired and approached him cautiously. She grew aware of the tear stains on his cheeks. "What's the matter, Warren?" She persisted, placing a reassuring hand on his arm.
"Scott and I split up." He said while weeping and drinking.
"What?" She was taken aback by the news Warren had given her.
He gave a nod. "I ended my relationship with him. I feel like shit." He said while taking another swig of the whiskey he was holding.
"Why did ya break up with him?" Rogue asked, gently taking the bottle from his grasp.
"I couldn't take it anymore." I love him, but I can't stand seeing him punish himself!" Warren cried out in agony. Rogue discovered Warren was far more worried and upset than she had previously assumed. She gave a nod.
"We discussed it yesterday." She mumbled, trailing off, unsure what to say.
"Yes, we did." Warren chuckled angrily. "I'm not going to be able to do this, Rogue. I care too much for him to see him hurt himself." He burst into tears and reached for the bottle, taking another gulp of the amber liquid.
"I understand." She let out a sigh.
"Did you know he has been having nightmares? He zones out at random times. Disassociates himself from everything. Charles is not helping. And he's trying to kill himself. He works far too many hours. He doesn't get enough sleep. Doesn't eat enough. He goes off on his own, to who knows where, and returns covered in bruises and wounds. He didn't even tell me about his wound! He kept it hidden until I found it and forced it out of him. And now, after the fight with the marauders, he's prepared to die?" Warren let all of his emotions out of his chest.
"Scott hasn't been doing well for a while, Warren. He doesn't think he's worth it. I probably shouldn't tell you this, but when he was with Jack, he tried to end things. The memory is still fresh in my mind. He had it planned out. Warren, Sinister, and Jack did some really awful things to him, and not just mentally. And he believes he deserved it because they conditioned him to believe so. He'll never be fine by normal people's expectations. Nobody ever comes out of such a horrific childhood unscathed. And he's always placed everyone else ahead of himself because a part of him believes he's not worth it. What they did to him shattered his spirit. They made him believe he was insane. That he was hallucinating about the neglect, torture, and violence. That he was experiencing psychosis about having a brother. The plane crash. His parents. His life as a kid. They made him believe he wasn't present at all. The fact that he is walking and leading a team speaks volumes about his strength. Don't give up on him just yet. Because he already has given up on himself. He needs you to prove to him that he is worth it." Rogue hugged herself, feeling sick for even discussing it.
"When you say they did terrible things to him-" Warren's question hung in the air. Rogue averted her eyes. "I'm afraid I can't tell you what they did, Warren. That is Scott's choice to share his past with you. I've already spoken too much. I will not violate his trust any longer." Rogue added, grabbing the bottle from him and sipping the drink herself.
"I need to know, Rogue." Warren pressed her to say more. Rogue's silence was all the answer he needed. He dropped down and covered his mouth with his hands, tears streaming down his face, letting out a gasp. "Oh my God. I need to speak with him. I can't believe I overlooked it." He stood up and regained his balance.
"It isn't your fault, Warren. Scott puts on a convincing front of being the perfect boy scout. We're both aware that he isn't. Even the adults are aware that he is not. He, like you and me, is broken. He is not without flaws. But he doesn't want anyone else to think otherwise of him. Doesn't want to be associated with the pity that comes with being a survivor; precisely what you are doing right now." She spoke vehemently.
"Fuck, Rogue. I don't see him that way!" Warren spat at her. "I love him. But it's not easy. He can be difficult and withdrawn at times."
"That's who Scott is. He is a master at suppressing all of his feelings. And, for the record, it will never be easy. But he's worth it." Rogue huffed.
"Why aren't you with him if he's worth it?" Warren questioned.
"I don't think this deal would work. Not because we don't love each other, just because it's simply not possible in the current political climate. And I'd rather have a roof over our heads. You can go home. Scott and I can't." Rogue clued in.
"We could be discreet. You could stay with me." Warren spoke
"Secrets have a habit of leaking" Rogue stated darkly.
"No, not always" Warren commented.
"We live in a house full of mutants that are far too curious for their own good. How long will it be before our secret is revealed? Do you think they'd be tolerant of us?" Rogue checked.
"So, what now?" We're giving up?"
"I'm not sure."
"Yeah, I think the three of us will be better off without each other. I can't stand by and watch him die. You can't be in a relationship for your own reasons. I guess I was too swept up in the passion to see that it was doomed from the start." Warren spoke bitterly.
For a brief moment, Rogue averted her gaze. "It's just that we're all fucked up." She added and quietly left the room, not bothering to continue talking.
"Sure." Warren snorted sarcastically. "Yes, we are." He thought to himself.
Warren blinked open his eyes to the intense mid-morning sun. He groaned and looked down at the empty bottles, unable to get up due to the hangover. He was also reeling from his breakup with Scott. He closed his eyes and willed his thoughts away, feeling upset. His wings drooped as he staggered to the floor to check on the work he had overlooked. When he switched on his computer, he was swamped with emails. Groaning in frustration, he closed the computer and crawled back on the bed, missing Scott's warmth.
"Everyone, please come into my office right now." The professor's voice echoed in his ears. He got up, irritated by the intrusion, and winced from the pain in his head. "Bloody hell," he said to himself as he flew down the stairwell, narrowly avoiding Bobby and Roberto.
"Knock Knock," Kurt said as he knocked on Scott's door. He was worried when he did not receive a response. He opened the door slightly to see if Scott was asleep and teleported himself in when he realized Scott was not in his bed. His wound, though not deep, was beginning to itch. He teleported down to the Professor's office, but he didn't spot Scott. "Professor-" Kurt started to speak but was cut off.
"Don't worry, Kurt; Scott is outside. Logan is with him." He reassured calmly. Kurt nodded, relieved but a little worried. He was aware of Scott and Logan's frequent disagreements. The two often held opposing world views and took contrasting approaches to deal with problems.
It was well known that no one dared to cross Wolverine, but Scott had somehow missed the memo. "Kurt, he'll be fine. Logan is not there to kill him, I assure you." The Professor added when Kurt projected his thoughts. He curled his tail and grinned at the Professor showing his fanged teeth.
"Hey, Man. You look like shit." Bobby said as he looked at Warren, who ignored his comment. Kurt took a close look at him and noticed the hard lines on Warren's forehead. He shifted his attention to Rogue, who was on the other side of the room and completely disregarded everyone.
"I'm here to bring to everyone's attention the evidence that you, my X-men, have shown your ability to fight as a team. I'm proud of you all for acting quickly." The Professor said.
"The battle was far from straightforward, but we prevailed for the time being" Ororo added. Others nodded, feeling a burst of confidence in themselves.
"But, Professor, why were they after Scotty?" Bobby questioned, puzzled as to why the fight had started in the first place.
"Yeah, why Scott of all people and where is he?" Evan asked.
"We don't know why. But it has something to do with Mr. Sinister. He was in control of the orphanage Scott was in. He wants something from him, but he hasn't revealed what it is. His team is the Marauders. Fortunately, we defeated them today. They will, however, return. We must be prepared." "We have already increased the security measures," the Professor emphasized. However, in light of the recent breach, we have decided to tighten security. You'll need to be vigilant. Don't go out by yourself. Take someone with you at all times." "Tabitha, Bobby, Amara, and Jubilee, if I see you stepping out past curfew, I will personally ground you or have Logan deal with you," he said to the younger mutants.
Bobby slumped in exasperation. "But, Professor-" Xavier interrupted him. "There will be no buts on this one, Bobby." He had a solemn expression on his face.
"Wait a minute, Scott was in an orphanage?" Jubilee inquired, having never learned of it. The professor nodded solemnly.
"So he didn't have any parents?" How did he get there? What about Alex?" Evan asked, concerned.
"It's not my place to tell you that. You may ask him if he wants to tell you about his past."
"You didn't respond; where is Cyke?" Tabitha persisted.
"Right now, he's with Logan." The professor answered.
"Should he really be outside, given that he was injured?" Kitty clarified. She had always admired Scott, and he was the first person to make her feel safe.
"He is on the mend. And he's with Logan. I'm sure he's safe." The professor answered.
Kitty shuddered. "Is it a good idea?" I mean, Scott and Logan aren't exactly best friends." She addressed frankly, knowing full well that the rest of the team was thinking the same thing. Rogue snorted at Kitty, wanting to laugh at her remark. "They'll be fine." She added.
"Yeah, It's not like we want to see them fight. It makes me feel weird. Like a child is forced to choose sides after their parents get divorced." Bobby made a remark that drew a glare from Warren and an amused laugh from others.
"On second thought, if Logan kills Scott, Warren will make an excellent stand-in." Bobby tried to joke while Warren continued to stare at him. "What? It's not like you totally wouldn't avenge Scott's death with you two being best friends and all!" He said defensively, while the other students nervously chuckled.
"Shut up, Bobby," Warren said as he flew away before the Professor could stop him.
"That was really insensitive of you, Bobby." Hank gently pressed. "Scott was willing to sacrifice his life for the team."
"I was just joking! Jeez." Bobby talked quickly and raised his hands to defend himself. He looked down in shame after learning what Hank had just said. "Damn, I had no idea. Now I feel like a heel." The students were all guilty for laughing at Bobby's joke.
"It's okay. It's not your fault you didn't know." Hank appeased him. Bobby nodded and dashed upstairs. He knocked on Warren's door to apologize. "Warren?" He called for him when he turned the knob. Warren said, shifting his attention to the window. Bobby entered the room and noticed Angel's despondent demeanor. His wings drooped to the ground, and tears threatened to spill from his blue eyes. The guy actually resembled an Angel. "Wow." He muttered underneath his breath. 'He's hot.' He frowned and quickly backtracked. Uncertain why he was thinking of another guy in that way, he pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind and shook his head, assuming it as a momentary lapse of judgment, because who wouldn't think Warren was attractive. Anyone could see it.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it."
"It's fine." Warren avoided looking him in the eyes.
"No, it isn't. I'm such a fool. I had no idea Scott was ready to-" Bobby just couldn't bring himself to say it. Warren chuckled angrily. "What? Kill himself?" Bobby gave a nod.
"Damn, why would he do such a thing?" Bobby wondered aloud, running his hand through his hair.
"Because he is Scott. He's a self-sacrificing bastard." Warren snarled, enraged and frustrated. Bobby's eyes widened. "Wow, Warren. I know he was willing to sacrifice himself for the sake of his team, but bastard? "Really?" He breathed deeply.
"I'm sorry, Bobby. He really gets on my nerves sometimes." Warren expressed his displeasure.
Bobby sighed and rolled his eyes. "It's Scott. He gets on everyone's nerves. What's new? He told me last week that if I only focused, I'd be much better at controlling my powers. This is coming from a man who is unable to control his."
Warren grumbled. "Not like he gets on mine. On the one hand, I want to kill him, but on the other-" He trailed off.
Bobby let out a breath. "On the other hand?" He prompted.
"Nothing." Warren shook his head. "Nothing at all."
Bobby's stomach churned with nervousness. He nodded, not wanting to intrude. He felt it was too personal. The way Warren talked about Scott, almost as though they weren't just friends, struck too close to home for some reason. All the emotions he had suppressed, feelings he had been forced to bury because some of them thought it was wrong, came flooding back. But he couldn't figure out why now. He left Warren's room in silence, his heart pounding.