The Question
Wherein Jean-Paul has an unexpected visitor
Telltale Quote: I like pineapple and anchovy pizza, and I hate when my mom buys me briefs for Christmas --Alex Summers
Scott Summers stared out his window. And sighed.
The fact that he looked like some idiot lovelorn hero in a bad film didn't escape him, of course. But fuck it. He felt like an idiot. And he was certainly lovelorn. So what to do?
Lovelorn, bogged down with homework already, and bored. Well, not bored, exactly. Just... restless. Like he wanted to get out and do something, but felt chained to this house, this desk. He spent half his time feeling like this, restless, and the other half mentally berating himself for feeling that way.
This wasn't him at all. But at the moment, he couldn't even imagine what his problem was. Life was good, after all. Jean had stuck around-- well, close, anyhow. School was looking good, if a bit work-intensive. The team was getting to be really amazing, working together. He had it all... right?
A knock came on his door, and he looked up, slightly surprised. He was basically serving in the capacity of an RA here at the Institute, a sort of older-kid role model for the students, as well as the team leader. And though he took his duties very seriously, he really hadn't been able to... do anything for them. Part of his duties, however, was making certain that he was in his room for a certain number of hours a week, so that the kids could find him. It was pretty late, but hell, someone might have a problem. So he replied, "Yeah, it's open."
The knob turned slowly, and he soon saw Alex's head emerge from the crack in the door. "Heya bro. You uh... you got a minute?"
Scott waved him in, knowing he was probably a little too distracted at the moment to be of help with anything the kid needed, but unwilling to send his brother away. He probably didn't have anything too serious anyhow-- Alex had been doing really well here at the Institute. He seemed to love it, and his powers were really flourishing, with the help of the teachers here.
See! Another thing to be happy about-- Alex was happy. And with him, which was what he'd wanted since he'd found him again.
Don't be an idiot, Summers. Get out of this funk!
His brother took the invitation, closing the door behind him, and sat down at the foot of the bed.
"What's up?" Scott asked him, turning his chair away from the computer, where he had been waiting for Jean to come online to say goodnight, to face his brother. He looked him in the eyes and caught a glimpse of something unfamiliar on the kid's face. Something like... hesitance? Irritation?
Oh hell, who was he kidding. For all he knew, it was gas.
This really should've been Jean's job.
"Something up at school? The team?"
Alex looked up at him, just for a minute... and then his brown eyes quickly flicked back to the floor. But not before they gave Scott a few clues about what was going on with him. "Naa. I mean, not really. I was just thinkin' lately. About some stuff, you know?"
Hmm. Now this was odd. Maybe something in their genes simply started getting depressive around this time of year, because Scott could definitely see it, in his eyes. Alex was giving off a weird vibe, and was definitely afraid of talking about something. Not that Scott was always the most perceptive about such things, but that much was pretty clear. Alex wasn't too hard to read, if you looked him in the eye. Usually, he had one expression on his face-- that of the blissed out surfer kid. But his eyes changed constantly. Even Scott had noticed that. "Feeling shitty, aren't you?"
Alex looked back at him, in surprise. "Yeah, kinda. Why man, you too?"
He nodded. "Yeah. No idea why."
"Uh... is it Jean?" His little brother ventured, looking thoughtful now, "I mean, everything's ok with her, right?"
Scott nodded again, "Yeah, sure, it's all good. I just feel really... off lately."
"Yeah... me too."
"Think it's genetic?"
"Dude...," Alex actually smiled at the thought, "I hope not. Like having blasters that could level New York isn't enough genetic complication."
Scott gave a dry chuckle as well. "Yeah, good point. I don't know man, this is just shitty."
"School?"
He shrugged, "It's cool. Not much to it. IT's just GECs, right now. Haven't even chosen a major..."
"Whatever, man. Don't pick till you're ready. Take time off if you have to. You have a life here, right?" Alex stood up and shrugged at him.
"I don't know... maybe. Does seem kinda pointless, if I'm not sure." Hell, it really did seem pointless. He really had no idea what it was he wanted to study... and he did have responsibilities here.
Damn. Maybe the kid brother had a point.
"Just saying, man," he was grinning now, suddenly not looking quite so worried or... whatever that had been, as he had when he'd first come in.
"It's something to think about, anyhow," Scott admitted.
"Alright dude, well, you think about it. I gotta go to bed."
Scott cocked his head at his brother. Hadn't he come here to talk about something? "You alright?"
The younger boy nodded, and his hair fell over his eyes, hiding the one thing that could've given Scott a good clue into his state of mind as he replied.
Not having a good enough view, Scott would have to accept what he was told.
"Yeah, no worries. Just wanted to talk for a few, you know, check in. Night, bro."
"Night Alex."
The door closed behind his brother, and Scott turned to see that his internet messenger was blinking. Jean. Saying goodnight.
He smiled to himself, for the first time that day, and started to type out a reply, strange depressive funk suddenly forgotten, for the moment.
Alex swore under his breath as he closed the door. That hadn't gone exactly as planned.
He was, by nature, a happy, outgoing, fun-loving guy. This sort of thing didn't come naturally to him, this weird... fear. Fear of talking to someone.
But hell... he really needed to talk to someone. Because it was starting to make him a little crazy, to be honest.
He'd lived with it a long time. Hard not to notice something like that, once you hit puberty, really. Kinda like ignoring a mutation. Only, as it turned out, his mutation was even harder to ignore. In fact, between the semi-pros and trying to learn how to control his powers on his own, it'd been pretty easy to ignore the other stuff for the past couple of years. Well, not ignore, that would be impossible, but to at least write it off as a kinda phase, or a fluke, or a minor obsession.
But now that things were calmed down...
Not that spending hours a day in the Danger Room didn't keep his mind off it. At least, until they got into the locker room. Then, it was kinda hard not to notice.
And of all people... he almost felt like he was betraying some kind of like... sacred trust, or something.
He'd wanted to talk to Scott. Since he'd found his big brother again, he'd really come to know and love him. Sure, he was a little straight edge, but he did it well. He could walk the walk, talk the talk, so whatever, right? Everyone has their thing, and it was cool that his was being the Boy Scout. Alex wasn't much of a bad boy himself, really. All he needed was loud music, and the odd adrenaline rush (preferably involving a wicked wave) and he was good.
Well, that, and at the moment, he really needed someone to talk to.
But Scott was brooding. And Brooding Scott, he knew, was not the one to confess something like this to. Or the one to come to for help. It'd only make things worse, for both of them, telling him about it right now. Alex didn't want to end up wishing he'd kept his mouth shut. Nothing was worse than that feeling.
But damn, he needed help. ASAP. Hella bad.
Which left him with only one option, really. An option he was not particularly interested in pursuing, but he'd had a stomach ache for a week straight now, because it was really starting to get to him. It was like the whole thing was just building up in his shoulders, in his back, in his head, right behind his eyeballs, and...
He had the Danger Room to release it in. But not the perpetual soothing sound of the ocean, to wash it away after. It always came right back, here, landlocked as he was.
So he had to say something. Had to ask the question.
He knocked on the door, and steeled himself for the worst. It's not like they were great friends, after all. And dude was kind of a fucker. Not that Alex was scared of him, like some of the other New Mutants, because he really wasn't. But the guy wouldn't exactly be his first choice for a confidante. If it was about anything else, he wouldn't even have considered this. But who the fuck else could help him out, this time? Who else could answer the question that was eating at him? He needed someone older. And really... someone experienced.
He just wanted to be happy again.
So he sucked in a deep breath, and waited as he heard footsteps coming toward the door.
He let the air out, as he heard the lock turning.
And he tried to smile, as the door began to swing open.
His voice caught nervously in his throat, and he could feel his palms sweating, his stomach jumping, as he greeted a half-naked, messy-haired Jean-Paul Beaubier, obviously ready for bed. "Hey, man. You got a minute, by chance?"
Now this was... odd.
Really. Just fucking... odd.
Alexander Summers, Little Summers, as he'd come to think of the pretty blond boy, knocking on his door at eleven PM, looking like he'd just had a pot of coffee and a few too many cigarettes. Looking nervous. Looking scared.
The big brown eyes gave him away.
Well fuck. What was he supposed to think of this one? "Something wrong?" Jean-Paul gestured toward one of the chairs near the desk, and sat in another facing it, pulling his warm-up-pants clad legs up under him, so that he was sitting Indian style, and pulling his work out tank top on quickly, when he saw it hanging over the arm of the chair. It was only Alex, after all, but still. Might as well make an effort not to be rude, right?
"Um... not really," the kid wasn't even looking at him as he sat down in the chair uneasily. "I'm just a little weirded out right now and I kinda need someone to... talk this out with me."
Jean-Paul raised an eyebrow. Now those were words he did not often hear directed at him. Not to mention words he wasn't sure he particularly wanted to hear directed at him. Alex was an alright guy and all, they'd always gotten along-- which was saying quite a lot for the argumentative Jean-Paul-- but... this was not the sort of thing he expected from the younger boy. "Right well... you're freaking me out, Summers, so how about you just spill it?"
Alex took a deep breath, looking at the floor, golden-blonde hair hiding most of his face from view. And then he looked up, and the fear in his puppy dog eyes was even more evident than before. "Dude... alright, look, don't get pissed at me, but I don't know who else to ask about this, ok?"
Suddenly, things began to make sense. There was really only one thing he was the acknowledged authority in the house on... but he simply nodded, and kept his speculation to himself.
"So like... how do you know if you're... gay?"
Right. Yes, that was what he'd figured. He blew out a quick, hard breath, and raked a hand through his hair, trying to think of what he could possibly say to this kid to... well, to make it easier.
Yeah, usually he wouldn't be bothered about being nice about it. But fuck. Look at that face. He looked about five years old, with those big eyes looking up at Jean-Paul like that. He was cold, maybe, but he wasn't completely heartless. Alex was for real, on this, he knew that instantly. He wouldn't have come here, if he wasn't. And he was afraid.
And Jean-Paul remembered afraid all too well.
So he smiled at Little Summers, hoping it didn't look too much like his usual sarcastic grin, and shrugged. "Well, it's pretty clear when you look at attractive men and your jeans are suddenly too tight, basically. That sort of thing."
Slowly, the blonde boy nodded, looking back at the floor. "Yeah... ok that makes sense."
They were quiet for a minute then, and Jean-Paul searched around for something to say, while simultaneously cursing the Summers brothers for making him develop this utterly abhorrent caring and nurturing side of himself.
But shit. That kid... he was that kid, not too long ago.
"Want to tell me what makes you ask such a question, Alex?"
The younger boy met his gaze again, and he smiled wryly. At least that was a good sign... "I'll give you three guesses."
"See an attractive man?"
"A few."
"Want to get on them?"
The smile on his face suddenly broke free and became genuine, and a half-laugh was in his words. "Somethin' like that, man."
"How long now?"
Alex shook his head, still laughing softly, and finally brushed his long hair out of his face. "Fuck man, hell if I know. Just kinda... happened, you know? Noticed I wasn't really interested in girls, not like that. Always thinking about guys when I--," he stopped there, and his eyes suddenly widened in horror, obviously at what he'd almost implied about his "alone time."
Jean-Paul could not help but laugh, albeit gently, at that expression of pure terror of embarrassment on the other boy's face. Goddamn, this was giving him flashbacks. Felt like yesterday, when he was looking at Alex like this. What it's like to be afraid of yourself, to keep everything bottled up inside because you're afraid that if you tell anyone, they'll think you're sick, a freak. Yeah. He remembered that part.
Normally, he didn't allow himself to remember such things. He hated to think that he'd ever been weak, ever been ashamed or scared or confused. Liked the idea that he'd always known exactly what to say, what to do.
But he had been scared, once upon a time. And he could see it in the normally carefree Alex Summers right now. Jean-Paul knew, somehow, that if someone hadn't been there for him back then, he'd still look like this kid in front of him, wide-eyed and nervous and...
Fuck. Goddamn Summers boys. Making him into a sucker. "Yeah, that's familiar. Whatever, don't worry about it. You're talking to the right guy, you realize."
And as he said it, he realized that he wasn't just bullshitting. At first, he'd been wary... but hell. He actually wanted to help.
Fucking weird, that. But why try and analyze it? Might as well give in, at this point.
"I know it's really strange, me coming to you like this," Little Summers was shaking his head again, "but I just-- you know. I had to make sure. Saying it out loud makes it like... real, you know? And I wanted to talk to Scott, but he's all angsting. And anyhow what the fuck would he know about it?"
"Absolutely nothing, trust me," Jean-Paul chuckled, surprised to find himself at ease, all of the sudden. He leaned back in his chair and didn't bother schooling his expression like he usually did. For no particular reason. He just... didn't feel the need to, instinctively. "His attempts at flirting are pitiful."
Alex wrinkled up his nose, "He flirts with you?"
Jean-Paul shrugged, "Only because I flirt with him, to be irritating. He thinks he's irritating me back, but really, he's amusing me."
A blond eyebrow arched sharply, and a lopsided grin appeared. "That's kinda fucked up."
"And they say I have no sense of humor," He intoned, dryly.
That bright, white smile broke through on Alex's face now, and he laughed again, "Whooo, were they wrong!"
"Anyhow, whatever," The speedster waved his hand in the air as if brushing that topic away, "I understand. Not that I'm particularly suited for the role of confessor, or whatever, but... shit, I'm not much older than you. And I don't know how the hell you've kept quiet this long."
Alex rolled his eyes, "Dude, don't even ask. I've had the worst stomach ache for a week now..."
"So, who is it?"
That blonde eyebrow arched again, sharply.
Jean-Paul rolled his eyes at that. Alright, so maybe not everyone had to admit it because of a certain guy they were obsessing over. But he certainly had. Canadian ski team. He was thirteen years old. Hell... might've been twelve...
Fuck, how embarassing that had been. He had to fight to keep from squirming at the memory of it, in fact. If not for Raymonde...
"Look, you don't have to tell me," he smiled, pushing away his memories quickly, before they could make him blush like a little girl. He did not need to be thrown off balance remembering what a bumbling idiot he'd been during adolescence. Thank god that was over... well, aside from that whole hyper libido thing. But then, he wasn't sure that would ever be over. "I'm just curious. I was obsessed with one of my teammates, when I was on the ski team. Couldn't stop thinking about it."
Little Summers shut his eyes tight, like he was trying to get rid of some kind of bad mental image, and licked his thin lips nervously. "Ah... dude..."
"Alright, ok," he laughed, figuring he could just keep him talking and get it out of him that way. "So... you're alright with the idea of it? I mean, you're not one of those homophobic self-loathing closeted gay boys, are you?"
Another laugh, and Alex relaxed again, pulling a hand through his long hair and scratching at his head. "No, man, I'm not. Well, closeted, yeah ok. I... I mean, it's not that I think there's something wrong with me. I just kinda... don't say anything to anyone, ok? Not yet. I just need time to sort my head out."
Jean-Paul nodded, "Of course. It's not my choice to make, anyhow." Alex still looked like he had something to say, however, so he asked him another question to keep him talking. He didn't know anything much about getting people to talk, but he knew that inertia was pretty much everything. Once people got started, they had a tendency to ramble on forever, and once they got stopped, it was a fight to get them moving again. "So, what is it that you need to sort out? I mean, what do you think about it?"
"I think...," Havok bit at his lower lip thoughtfully and furrowed his brow, "I probably need to get laid. So I'd better get this over with and admit to it soon."
This time, Jean-Paul was laughing. "Right, yeah, that would help."
"It's weird," the other boy started now, leaning back in his chair and slouching down, so that he looked like he might begin to slide out of it at any moment. "I mean, now that I said it aloud and stuff... maybe it's you, because you're so cool about it, like it's nothing big, but it doesn't seem like that big a deal."
"Should it?"
"Yeah, I think so. I mean, I'm not supposed to be like this, right?"
Jean-Paul furrowed his brow, trying not to remember when he thought the same exact thing.
Fuck. What a difference a few years can make.
"Look," he shook his head to clear it, and raked a hand through his hair thoughtfully, combing at it absentmindedly, "whoever told you that is fucking sick. The fact of the matter is, it makes no difference. You could be queer or straight or fucking anything that doesn't get out of your way fast enough, but at the end of the day, who are you? Alex, right? Doesn't matter who you're fucking, you're still Alex. You like yourself?"
The blonde boys eyebrows were nearly at his hairline, as he answered, "I guess I'm ok."
"Alright, that's pretty good. More than most people have. So whatever all that shit is about you, that makes you think you're ok, would sleeping with a man change any of it?"
"No dude, has nothing to do with..."
And then, Jean-Paul had the pleasure of watching understanding dawn on Alex's face, as he figured out just what it was he meant.
"Nothing to do with that at all," the younger boy finished, now shaking his head slightly, and sitting up in his seat a little more.
"Right, so whatever. So you like boys, big fucking deal, right? That's not all you are. Sure as fuck isn't all I am. I don't even know all I am yet. Jesus, I'm eighteen years old. I used to be a skier, and I'm an X-Man now, somehow. I like Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. I have a twin sister who I just met months ago, and I grew up stealing shit in the streets of Montreal."
Alex just kept nodding, brow furrowed.
So, Jean-Paul prompted him, "Right, your turn. Queer Boys Un-anonymous meeting here, remember?"
The other boy blinked. Then smiled, and started slowly, his voice gaining both speed and confidence as he spoke. "Oh ok. So... I guess... I used to live on the beach in Hawaii. I worked at a surf shop last year, and hated having to go to school, because it meant I had to leave the waves. I have a brother I thought I'd lost, and parents who love me. I like pineapple and anchovy pizza, and I hate when my mom buys me briefs for Christmas."
"Amen to that," Jean-Paul agreed. Thank god for boxer-briefs.
"No shit."
"You should talk to Kurt about the pizza, I swear he eats the same thing..."
"Really? Wow... I thought I was the only one."
"Kurt will eat anything."
"True."
"Anyhow," Jean-Paul waved in the air again, "wasn't hard to think of about eighty things about yourself that had fuck all to do with wanting to sleep with..." he let it trail off, hoping Alex might feel compelled to fill in the blank for him.
"Nice try, but no way," Alex wasn't giving up that secret... yet. But he laughed aloud, and tucked his legs up under him, now looking totally at home.
Jean-Paul raised his eyebrows. Not that he needed to know who it was Alex was interested in... but he was curious. "Damn. But you understand, right? You see what I'm saying?"
"Yeah, man, I get you. It's like... when you're just living, and not spending all that energy pretending you're something you aren't... being what you are is like so easy. That's cool, man, I get it."
The Canadian X-Man blinked, trying to wrap his head around what the kid had just said. Was that some kind of surfer-speak that inlanders like Jean-Paul couldn't possibly comprehend? But hell, Alex was smiling, so he figured that was good enough. "Date a lot of girls?"
He nodded, smiling lopsidedly, "Yeah, a few."
"Didn't you have trouble...?"
"Yeah, everyone thought I was such a nice guy."
"Wow," Jean-Paul shook his head, unable to resist at least one joke. "Well, you are a Summers."
"Yeah, true. And I am a nice guy, honestly."
Yeah, he'd figured that much. But, "That could change. But seriously, you're alright? You like guys, but you're just Alex. Doesn't change a thing about you, it's just... you."
That was the most important thing he'd ever learned, in his entire life probably. A mutant. A queer. A skier. A scrapper. An athlete. A thief. A brother.
Didn't matter. He was always Jean-Paul.
"You're right. Totally right, man. It's kind of a big deal... but kind of not."
"Sure man."
"It does change some things..."
Jean-Paul shrugged. "I'm not going to lie and say it doesn't. Makes some things more complicated, but no more so than for anyone else... just in a different way, I suppose."
"Dude..." Alex was chewing his lip again, his fingers drumming out some kind of rhythm on the arm of the chair, as if he were getting nervous again. He flipped his long hair out of his eyes, and asked, "Seriously, tell me, are you into Maximoff? Not that we're like best friends and you should tell me that stuff but... I mean... how do you deal with him being all... straight and shit?"
"First off, he's in the fucking family, he just doesn't know it," Jean-Paul answered, after a hard swallow and a quick brainstorm on how to avoid the first question.
"Um... what family?"
He arched an eyebrow, regaining control of his expression once he saw Alex's confused look. "It's just an expression."
"Oh... right, ok. Cool. So he's like... into you?"
"... the thing about being into some guy who isn't into you... it's no different than for any breeder who's into some girl who isn't interested. Maybe, if the guy isn't gay, he's not into you because of that, and it feels shitty, like you never even got the chance... but fuck it, if he's not into it." Right. Dodged the question and made that sound way easier than it ever felt. Good work.
"So... how do you like... get over it?"
Ok. Now he really wanted to know who it was. Because it had to be someone in the house. "Lust or love?"
"Dude... definitely not love."
"You're fucked."
"Great."
They just looked at each other for a moment, silently, Jean-Paul smirking and Alex wearing a look that said "thanks a lot," brilliantly sarcastic and plain as day. And then they both started to laugh.
Felt good, really, sitting here talking to the kid. Not a kid, he reminded himself. Only about two years younger than him. Old enough to know what he wanted. Old enough to ask the question.
Pretty brave of him, really. Jean-Paul often wondered if he would've been able to ask someone, had Raymonde not talked him into telling him what was going on. But he'd been a lot younger, at the time...
"No, seriously, I don't know. How does anyone get over that? You don't, for awhile, and then eventually, you do. And love would be worse, I guess, so really you're far from fucked, but I'm not the person to be asking about that shit," he tried to answer the question honestly, even though he was still grinning at the younger boy. Not bothered if his face showed how he felt, for the moment.
"Yeah, ok, I get it. So uh... Maximoff..."
Jean-Paul arched an eyebrow and tried to look cool again. But it was too late, because he was still smiling.
Ah fuck.
"Look... I'll make you a deal, alright? You tell me who it is, I tell you about Maximoff. And tomorrow, we pretend that we weren't behaving like little girls at a slumber party, nod at each other coolly in the hallways, and never speak of this to anyone else as long as we live." What the hell. Jesus, it might be kind of nice to get a male opinion on the whole thing... Rogue was the only one who knew, and she could barely stop making disgusted faces at the idea of kissing Pietro Maximoff to be helpful...
Not that he needed help.
Just that... fuck. Might be interesting. And he really did want to know who it was Alex was dreaming about, for curiosity's sake.
Alex was smiling at him, lopsidedly again. "Alright... deal."
"Let's have it."
"You first."
"Forget it, man, you!"
"Dude!"
"Don't be such a pansy bitch, Summers, just spill it."
Alex's smile grew larger, despite his obvious attempts to stop it, and he started to laugh. "... my roommate."
"Oh, ouch!" Jean-Paul was laughing at that. "That's fucking awful man, sorry to hear about that. Not your taste, I mean the situation. I'd totally do Ray." Wow. Made so much sense, as to why the kid suddenly needed to let it out. Sharing a room with someone you're attracted to, but can't... do anything about. Yeah. That's a bitch.
Alex covered his face with both hands, laughing aloud, "Oh man, I cannot believe I'm having this conversation."
"Fun, isn't it?"
The surfer kid peeked through his fingers, grinning, "Honestly... yeah."
"Love those shoulders. And Christ, how old is he? His chest is more cut up than any of the X-Men. Once, he did this thing in the Danger Room with us, when Xavier had us mix up the teams a few weeks ago, ripped his shirt right in half. That was all the convincing I needed."
Alex started laughing even harder, turning pink in the face from it. "Jesus, JP, you're horrible."
"I'm an eighteen year old male," he shrugged, totally unapologetic. "I need no more excuse for my libido. It knows no bounds."
"Yeah," the younger boy finally uncovered his face, and seemed to be calming down, "Speaking of which, you were supposed to be telling me about Pietro."
He grimaced, "I suppose it's only fair."
"So what about it? Dude is into you?"
He shrugged, "Yes. It's complicated though. He obviously is... he just doesn't understand it yet. I mean...," ah fuck. How to explain this situation to someone who hadn't seen the whole thing unfold, like Rogue had. He'd never talked about it before... "Alright, so back at that party, you remember, this summer at Amanda's?"
Alex nodded, somewhat enthusiastically, causing golden hair to fall back into his eyes. But it was more of a reckless thing this time, than the boy trying to hide from him.
Cute kid. He'd do alright. Fucking gorgeous hair, and a prettier face than his brother, who had that heroic square jaw going on. "I kissed him, after I nearly dropped him."
One eyebrow raised up, "No shit?"
"Yes, but so fast, only he could tell. And Jeanne-Marie... but that's another story. And since then, we've been mates and all... but you know it's weird...," he looked around suddenly. For some reason, talking about this was making his mouth dry. "You want a Coke?"
"It's like... midnight."
"Oh, it's caffeine free, I assure you. Scott raided me two days ago, I've been on the wagon since."
Alex chuckled, "Yeah, alright. Keep talking though, flyboy."
He rolled his eyes, but found that he actually... wanted to keep talking. So he went to the mini fridge he kept near the bed, and pulled out two Cokes as he talked. "It's weird because I obviously wanted him, and he kept flirting. I figured he just liked the attention and all, because that's the way he is-- Look at me, I'm fucking amazing-- that kind of thing. And since I tend to agree with him on that, I imagined that was why he took to me. But the other night...," he handed Alex a can and opened his own, considering again what had happened. He'd told Rogue, of course. But telling someone as random as Alex... it was almost like talking to a shrink. Didn't matter much what he said to him, because he didn't personally care about his opinion. He liked that idea, really. So he sat back down in his chair, took a drink, and said, "We got fucked up and ended up kissing."
The younger boy's eyes grew wide, "Holy shit dude, when?"
"Two weeks ago, or something."
"And...?"
"Absolutely fucking nothing since."
"Dude... doesn't that strike you as a little strange?"
"Yeah, because he's supposed to be here, right now, preferably naked and in my bed. Either that, or being busy never speaking to me again. But like I said... he's repressed."
Alex just shook his head, "Man, I've heard that guy called a lot of things, but never repressed."
"First time for everything, so they say. And honestly, what the fuck else could be the problem?"
Little Summers blinked at him, pausing with the Coke can at his lips, in mid-drink, as if shocked to realize that he was actually being asked for an opinion. He finished the drink, eventually, and put it back down. "Um... well, if he wants you..."
"Survey says, yes," Jean-Paul nodded. "I didn't think it could be for real, at first. Figured he just liked the attention But man, it was pretty fucking obvious, even if I was a little too fucked up at the time to think of it like that. I mean, when you like something that much... it gets hard to hide."
This made Alex laugh again, "Sounds legit. Then yeah, I guess he's just confused. Whatever man, just do it. He'll thank you for it."
He considered this, carefully. He hadn't really considered that course of action, honestly. "You think so?"
"Man, I would've thanked you a few months ago. Just because you would've cleared shit up for me." As soon as he said it, Alex turrned a little pink in the cheeks and looked at the ground. "Not that I was... I mean I didn't... I just mean..."
As much as Jean-Paul normally enjoyed the discomfort of his fellow students, particularly when he was the one causing it, he decided not to let the guy fumble around for too long. He was alright, after all. "I know what you mean, don't get all choked up on me. Jesus, you really are Scott's brother."
"Some things can't be denied," Alex was returning to a healthier shade of tan now, and he took another drink quickly. As if his mouth was getting dry, now.
"Don't I know it. You know my sister..."
The other boy laughed "Yeah, you two are pretty stuck with that, now that you know each other. No denying that one."
"So it would seem," he nodded. "Anyhow, there's the story. And only you and Rogue know, so feel privileged. And if you breathe a word, I'll personally execute you in the most painful, slowest way possible, because I don't want half the house talking about me sucking on Pietro Maximoff's fingers."
Alex's eyes popped, "Dude... you left that part out."
Hrm. So he had. Must be getting tired. "Well, now you know."
"And knowing is half the battle."
Jean-Paul just blinked at him, confused.
"Don't tell me... you didn't get GI Joe in Quebec?"
"Er... afraid not. Or I just never met him..."
"Your loss man. Your loss."
Returning to his room at one AM, Alex felt a hell of a lot better.
That had gone so much better than he'd expected. He'd expected a halting confession out of himself. Which he'd gotten. A surprised look and a quick, grumbled reply from JP. Which he'd kinda gotten. And then a horrible fifteen-minute conversation wherein the resident Evil Sarcastic Prick, Jean-Paul Beaubier, gave him shit for asking him such a thing just because he was gay, followed by a lecture on how he did not help people with their problems and what had Alex been thinking to come here at eleven PM.
Which, luckily, he had not gotten.
Man, people really should give JP more credit than they did. He was alright, no matter what Sunspot said. Roberto was just a shit. Hell, if Alex had a sister, he wouldn't want her dating that guy either...
Though he wouldn't say no to a good make-out session, for himself. Dude was pretty hot.
See! Right there! And that was... ok. It was ok to think that, didn't mean he was weird or freakish or sick. Not that he had thought it did... well, ok, he had thought that for a little while, at first. But JP made it seem so... normal. Like it was nothing to be concerned about. Like it wasn't abnormal or strange or something to be ashamed of.
And he was right. It wasn't. It was just... whatever. Changed some things. Might make finding someone a little more difficult. Not to mention getting some action, around here.
But he wasn't the needy type, anyhow. So whatever.
And the rest of the issues, the whole subculture and the agendas and the stigma and the bullshit he'd get from people who weren't bothered to know him anyhow... he could deal with that when he got there.
He turned the doorknob, trying to be quiet enough to let Ray, who was a really light sleeper, get his rest. He slipped inside, closed the door, and walked quietly to the far side of the room. Halfway through pulling off his jeans, he heard his roommate moving around under his covers, and then a groggy, "Dude, what the fuck are you doing? It's like one o'clock."
He smiled to himself, and pulled off his shirt, then threw it into the pile of dirty clothes the two of them were amassing between the beds. "Was just talking."
"With who?" Berserker pushed away his covers, to the waist, and sat up in bed, rubbing at his eyes.
Alex just looked at him for a second, figuring he might as well enjoy. JP had been right, about the chest and the shoulders. He had a good eye, apparently. "Jean-Paul," he admitted, climbing up into bed after a moment.
"Beaubier?"
He chuckled at his roommate's disbelieving tone. "You know many Jean-Pauls, Ray?"
"Fuck you," the sleepy boy laughed. "What the hell do you two have to talk about until one AM?"
"Just stuff, man. Just hanging out."
Ray shook his head, and Alex could see him clearly in the moonlight through the window, hair sticking up insanely, looking at him like he'd lost his mind. "You're really fucking weird sometimes, Summers."
"He's alright," Alex slid down into the covers and put his head on the pillow, on his stomach, turning his head to face his roommate. "If you just get to know him, he's cool. You should think about it, if you're interested in JM. He tried to kill Berto last week, I heard."
"Na, she's cool and all, but she's not my type," Ray seemed satisfied with his explanation and slid down into the bed again, pulling the covers back up over him, then stretching his arms up and behind his head.
"Thought you liked her," he replied, honestly. Dude definitely flirted with her enough, that was for sure.
"Whatever, man, she's a really cool girl. I like her a lot. But she's... I don't know. I'm just not down for that whole girlfriend thing. It's a pain in the ass," he was yawning now, and stretching out like an overgrown cat under the covers.
Alex just closed his eyes, still smiling. He still felt bad about... well, wanting his roommate. Seemed like he was breaking some unspoken code. An Unwritten Law of Men. But hell, not much he could do about it. "Yeah, that's the truth. Sorry I woke you up, dude."
"Whatever, man. Everything wakes me up, always has since I was a kid."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. It was kinda fucked up back then. Whaver, it's cool. Night. Catch you on the flip side."
Alex considered asking him about that-- about what, exactly, had been fucked up back then. But considering the speed at which his friend had rolled over that statement, he probably didn't want to talk about it. Some problems, he figured, were best left alone. And some needed to be talked out. But they all had their time. "Yeah, man. Night."
And anyhow, they were both tired. So he closed his eyes, and went to sleep. Feeling like someone had lifted a huge weight off his shoulders. A weight he hadn't even realized was there, until it was gone.
+++++++++++++++++++
AN: I'm sure that a lot of you don't get why I put this chapter here. But let me tell ya something. I use a lot of old school AF references, but this one is actually a reference to Chuck Austen's JP. If you can believe it. Xavier invited him to teach at the Institute, in the Marvelverse, because he thought his students needed to realize that mutants aren't the only minority in the world, and to act as a sort of... example to the children. Or yeah, even someone they could come to. Initially, JP said he didn't think he'd do it. But after an incident with a young mutant whose life he was trying to save, but ended up losing, he changed his mind and agreed to stay and teach. Yes, he's a snarky bitch. But the man has a heart. As for Alex... Evo Alex is pretty much a non-entity at the moment. He surfs! Woohooo! Why Ray? Because 1- I once read something, though I now forget what, that had the two paired up and thought it was adorable, 2- He's cool as fuck, and 3- He has no canon to argue with. And I agree with JP, I'd totally do Ray.
Moving on!
Risty: Claremont's Berto is just... irritating. Which kinda sucks, but then... that's Roberto. At least he looks good on the cover! And I hate having him called Bobby. Iceman is Bobby. That's that! Pretty Vacant is also my favorite Sex Pistols song, woohoo. Great minds, eh? As for the slash, we won't be seeing Alex/Ray any time soon, so don't worry. But yeah... Pietro is so utterly closeted. We all know. Why doesn't he?!
Caliente: Oh good lord, don't worry about reviewing every chapter. I review yours cause I always think of things to say while I'm reading, and I can't keep ma big mouth shut. "The next real Evo venture" would be the next fic that's planned after this. Actually, I have a few AU and 616 things planned before I hop back into Evo, but in the next Evofic, the Swamp Rat will make his return. He is, to be honest, my all time favorite mutant. I have to use him, I have no power over it! As to Ray having canon past... yeah he was a Morlock. He also had a heinous mohawk. If you ask me... that really doesn't count ;)And Berto... yeah ok he's a jerk. But he's so pretty :D Thanks for the reviews, you're too kind.
Fata Morgana: Actually, in my opinion... boys usually are much more fixated on sex. But then, I've been called an ice princess, so my opinion probably shouldn't count. The Brotherhood was indeed booted out of school (then invited back, only to be booted again!) But I have decided that someone wrote a letter and got them back in. When I do the shopping sideline thing (along with a few other stories for in between these ones) I have Wanda explain it. No idea when I'll publish those ones, but I did actually have a plan. And yes, JM was far too forgiving in the last chapter. But I did it for a reason. I do have more planned for the two of them, and if I say anything more... it'll give it all away. Suffice it to say, she will toughen up eventually. And yeah, the twins are gonna spend an awful lot of the next fic fighting for various reasons. As I'm sure you can imagine, having read these stories ;) I've set them up for some rocky times ahead...
Regret: Incoming JP/Pietro! See next chapter for details!
Sue: *MWAH* Glad the ending worked out. I was scared...
Guidi: Mexico! Go you! It's freezing up here, send me some sunshine. I too am American... but aren't we fun to make fun of? Almost as fun as making fun of Canadians! I mean.. Er... anyhow, I agree on your choice of boy toys. Love them cocky. Mmmm, gotta love the bastards!
Shaman Dani: I appreciate the encouragement, even if you can't think of much to say. Still means a lot to me. ;)
Akuma no Tsubasa: I wouldn't say that this was extremely interesting... but it gets better! This fic, being just a set of one-shots in succession, basically, I've been trying to keep things pretty basic. But I keep wanting to tell stories, and they keep coming out... I don't know, I'm just glad you're entertained! And as for the next part... should be interesting to see how people react, that's for sure.
Much love -Beaubier-
