kiragecko's X-Men
Useless
by kiragecko
Scott sighed as he headed for the lab. He was tired of these useless visits. He was tired of the awkward conversations with an antisocial recluse. He was tired of holding his head perfectly still so the same piece of the ceiling was hit. He was tired of the lack of results and the knowledge that nothing was going to change. Soon, he hoped, the Prof. would give up and he could work on perfecting his communication with Alex, instead. If Alex was going to be his eyes they needed more practice. They still didn't quite work as one. Practice, instead of futile hope, was going to save him. Why couldn't the Prof. see that?
Hank was his usual surly self. Scott knew the man was a blue-furred ball of muscle - Alex had described him in detail, of course - but Scott couldn't figure out why the man was so touchy about it. Especially around someone who couldn't see him. There were the usual tests - various materials across his eyes, all vaporized the moment the eyes opened. Various chemicals inserted into his body, some of which made him queasy and all of which were useless. After the required hour he left. Dr. McCoy watched him go gratefully. Alex waited for him at the top of the stairs. They went on with their lives.
When the Professor had adopted them from the orphanage, Scott had been two days away from a surgery to remove his eyes. He hadn't been able to walk down a hall without hitting something. He hadn't been able to eat without missing his mouth several times. He had thought his life was over. Xavier had changed that. The two young boys had trained, several hours a day, to deal with their circumstances. Scott had memorized the mansion first. Then he had memorized parts of the town. Then he had learned how to walk as if he knew where he was, all the time. Alex had learned how to lead without seeming to lead, speaking a whispered shorthand while his casually draped arm guided his brother. They learned to trust each other and then need each other.
When he was happy with their progress the Prof. had shown them that Scott's eyes weren't only a curse. The blasts he generated could save as well. Alex and Scott learned angles and distances, split second reflexes, and how to fight. Scott protected his human brother, Alex guided the mutant. They lived by strict routine. Scott needed it to function. He needed to know at all times where he was and where he was going. If he got lost it was so hard to find himself again.
By the time Betsy arrived and the idea of the X-Men was mentioned, Scott could hit a penny being dropped 50 meters away. He and Alex were proud of that. Now, however, things were different. Now, he had an entire team to lead and it was hard. Alex still wasn't sure what to say and what should be left out. People asked questions that he didn't want to answer. Prof. Xavier had said that his graduation thesis was convincing the entire team he could see for the first year. If he could do that he and Alex would be ready for anything.
It would have been easier without McCoy, though. Without tests and hope and frustration that all took up time. It would be easier without the sad silence Alex went through after every session. Without Betsy sneaking around, trying to figure out where he was going. Soon, he hoped, Xavier would give up. Soon, he could accept that he was blind.