JD - yeah. Everyone has thoughts that can be disturbing, but there is a difference between just thinking it and concentrating on it enough to be projecting - and a hyper fixated boy with a pretty girl would be projecting. There have already been a few instances of Rachel getting backlash - hell, when she first started up, she was upset when it was DAD panicking about everything and we KNOW he's got some amazing psychic blocks in place. But ... moment of weakness/panic. It happens. I don't think anything would be more upsetting to her than THAT. Yet ... fun stuff ahead for Miss Rachel Summers ... As for the others ... well ...

Chapter 22 - Spring Is In The Air, Apparently

Scott shook his head to himself most of the way back to the city after that little meeting with Ororo and Rachel. He couldn't believe that Ororo had managed to make him defend the boy that kissed his little girl. But it hadn't taken all afternoon. And he had time to find a way to laugh about it during his drive. By the time Scott managed to get to the soccer fields where Nate was playing, the first games were already underway, and the sounds of referees blowing whistles on one field or another were easy to hear even from the road.

Rabbi Cohen was watching the games from the sidelines - having promised to show up for the game on behalf of several kids on the field. Nate had yet to take the field, but he was nearly bouncing in place waiting on his turn. When he saw Scott, though, Nate lit up like Christmas morning and waved enthusiastically at his dad.

It was a relief, frankly. After dealing with the uncomfortable situation with Rachel … and having the whole drive back to the city to mull it over ... an enthusiastic Nate was the perfect break. Scott raised one hand in a muted wave - which was all Nate needed to puff his chest out and bounce in place - chomping at the bit to get out there and show off for his dad now that he was there.

"Everything okay with Rachel?" Toby asked as Scott stood next to him.

"Yeah … she took offense to a boy's thought process, that's all."

"Good for her," Toby said, nodding, though Scott was smirking and shaking his head at Toby's obvious misinterpretation.

"I'll tell you about it later," Scott said, his focus on Nate.

Toby did a little double-take. "Oh. Oh," Toby said, made a face, and then turned back to Scott. "Oh, that poor girl. You mean she hears …." Scott raised an eyebrow at him as he turned to face him. "... all the time?"

"Only if they're loud about it, so … yeah, I'd bet most of the time," Scott said, to which Toby made a noise at the back of his throat.

"It'll be a miracle if she ever dates a boy seriously," Toby said, shaking his head at all of it. "Poor girl … I mean, I know they all have to suspect how boys think, but still …"

"If it's all the same to you, Toby, I'd like to just … try not to think about that too much. Especially considering that one of my oldest and dearest friends is far too entertained by all of it and has punished her by taking her out for ice cream."

"How is that a punishment?"

Scott sighed. "It's not. At all."

Toby chuckled to himself but didn't comment further as the game got underway - likely trying to think about what Rachel might or might not have 'heard'.

Nate was doing well right out of the gate, running fast and scoring and assisting with just about every play he was involved in. All while grinning broadly. It was even better, then, when, on the second game he played, he was squaring off with Katie.

Katie had her hair pulled back in pigtails and was also bouncing in place. "You gonna cry if you get your butt kicked by a girl?" she teased Nate.

"You gonna cry if you get your butt kicked by a boy?"

"No!"

"Exactly!"

The first few plays were rough, and it was pretty clear that they were well matched - for now. But … as soon as the whistle blew, it was on, and Katie wasn't taking any prisoners as she flat out ran Nate over. He got up quickly and gave chase, and the two of them fought hard - more or less ignoring their teams as they concentrated on trying to beat each other first and foremost.

The ball went back and forth - and both teams were scoring - and every goal was accented by one or the other doing their best 'in your face' that had been recorded in kids that age. But during the final showdown, Katie was more than ready to go, and she zipped past him, leaving Nate not only stunned but determined not to let it stand, either.

Which meant the kiddie soccer game was getting far more cutthroat than either kid's coach was prepared for.

Nate had just caught up to Katie and was running level with her, but as soon as he pulled ahead enough that he could kick the ball away from her, she faked him out, dribbling the ball backwards so it was behind her feet and Nate kicked air instead - with enough force that he went flying.

Katie burst out giggling and then ran with the opportunity, all while Scott could see exactly what words Nate was muttering through mouthfuls of dirt and was not happy about it.

Nate brushed himself off and went back into the game, though much more sullen and less smiley than before. But time was running out - and he was more determined to keep from letting her get another goal in, even if neither team scored again. He was angry with himself for not seeing the set-up as Katie pulled it - and more angry with himself, once the game was over, that he let it mess with his gameplay after the fact.

He was just getting a good scowl on when Katie bounced over with a grin. "Good game," she said before she very quickly kissed his cheek and then headed back for Clint, leaving Nate staring after her and Scott shaking his head with a grin.

"We need to have a word about your boy," a deep and rich voice said - from just behind Scott - and the angle was such that he knew without turning that this guy was big and tall.

It was such a shock that Scott's first reaction was to take a defensive stance, though he also switched the visual on the bionic eyes Stark had given him to scan for anyone else in the area and to quickly realize that at least this guy was alone.

Though when he turned to see Luke Cage, he almost repeated Nate's words - which would have only cemented the kid's problem - before he caught himself. "Give a man a heart attack."

"All I've done so far is say hello," Luke defended with his arms crossed. "But like I said: we need to talk. And I came all the way out here from Harlem to do just that. Your business if you go and have a heart attack about it."

Scott shook his head. "Whatever Nate did-"

"Wrong boy."

"Seriously?" Scott straightened up. "What did James do?"

"You mean aside from kissing my daughter?" Luke asked - a little louder than he'd honestly meant to. "She was supposed to be getting help with her little science project, but if this is what your boy considers help..."

"...what?" Scott couldn't come up with a better response. James had never gotten into trouble, and he hadn't even seemed interested in flirting with any of the girls in the neighborhood… Scott shook his head as he thought about it - and realized that even if he wasn't flirting with the neighborhood girls, all of the Avengers that had kids close to his age were bringing them to the tower - and at one point or another, most of them were going to him for tutoring help.

Jessica Jones was laughing a few paces behind Luke, and Dani was behind her, arms crossed and not looking amused one bit. All the while, Jessica had one hand over her mouth to keep it from bubbling out too much, but still … "I told him it was her idea," she said, with Dani echoing 'it was!' before Dani shook her head and ran off to hear how the game went for Katie. "But Luke can't seem to believe his sweet little girl would take the initiative. No idea how he got so delusional."

Scott spared her a smirk but was still shaking his head. "Did you ask Dani what the story was?" he asked Luke. "Because James doesn't get into trouble. He just doesn't."

"I didn't come down here to get redirected on how angelic you think your kid is," Luke said. "I came down here to make sure you knew that your boy is on notice."

"He didn't ask Dani or James," Jessica said, cutting over him. "Dani told him what happened; he's gone deaf to anything like common sense."

Scott shook his head. "It's just that kind of day," he muttered.

"What else happened?" Jessica asked. "Because now I'm curious." She tipped her head to where Dani and Katie were cackling with laughter next to a grinning Clint.

"Rachel decked a boy."

Luke gestured openly. "See. That's how it's supposed to work. Boys bein' fresh get laid out."

Jessica narrowed her eyes and tipped her chin up at Luke. "Sure about that?" But Luke just nodded, looking as serious as he was able, so Jessica turned back to Scott. "Anyhow. I wasn't going to let him come down here and start anything that didn't need to be started. James is fine. He didn't do anything wrong except, you know …be a boy and breathe."

"I didn't think he would," Scott said. "I taught my kids right." He tipped his head toward the soccer field. "And, apparently, they keep attracting girls who kiss first. Or did you miss Katie and Nate over there?"

"Yeah, but that's the new Hawkeye," Luke said with an ill-hidden laugh. "Bumps and bruises and everything that goes with it."

"They're getting kissed because they're good boys," Jessica said.

Scott gestured to Jessica with one hand. "They are. And they know what I expect of them. And they have a telepathic sister who would send them into next week if they even thought otherwise," he added, leaving out the part where James wasn't exactly open to Rachel all the time.

"You just tell that little troublemaker that I'm keeping an eye on him," Luke said, looking perfectly serious as he pointed at Scott. "And there won't be any more one-on-one tutoring sessions."

"Fine by me. You tell your daughter to make sure he wants to kiss her if she wants another one."

Jessica snorted at that. "He wasn't complaining," she said as she pulled on Luke. "Leave him alone. He got your stupid macho message." As she passed Clint by, and they caught up with Dani, Jessica raised a hand to wave - then loudly called out "Oh wow! Is that Iron Fist?" just to irk Clint, which at least had Luke in a better mood. Even as Scott's smile fell completely.

"Shut up, Jessica," Clint called back.

"No way to talk to your adoring fans, Iron Fist."

"I hate you, you know that?"

Jessica turned with a huge grin and blew a kiss as she walked backward. "Right back atcha, big guy. See you at work."

"Are you okay with all … whatever it is that just happened?" Toby asked as Clint and Jessica traded a few last snipes back and forth. "Because I kinda think I could use a drink."

Scott finally relaxed slightly and rubbed his eyes. "The kids being kids part? Yes. The Avengers going back and forth with me at a public game? I'll need to get back to you on that. And possibly spend a few days elsewhere." With that, and with a heavy sigh, he turned to go gather up his youngest.

Just a few hours passed after Scott and Nate got home when James came in with Steve - though Steve was wearing an inducer, which was new. As soon as the door was closed behind them, Steve flipped it off and called out to Scott. "It's already being handled, by the way. The Luke and Jessica thing."

"You came here in an inducer to tell me you're handling my son's love life?" Scott asked dryly, even though he was actively sweeping the neighborhood with long-range scanners from where he sat.

"Didn't want to draw any more attention in case people were looking for Avengers," Steve said. "And it's not about his love life. It's about a noisy security breach." He looked down at James, who looked like he was ready to pack up and move again, since this broke all the usual ways of dealing with things. "So you know, James didn't do a thing wrong."

"Oh, I didn't think he did," Scott promised, even going so far as to pause his scan to smile James' way. "She kissed you, huh? Nice."

James dropped his bookbag by the door. "Not my idea," he swore. "But I'm not dumb enough to tell her no, either."

"You can if you don't want her kissing you," Scott pointed out. "But…"

"She's cute," James said with a shrug and an understated, crooked smirk.

Scott smiled. "She is. And she must have noticed you're just as good-looking, kiddo. Good taste, that one."

James scrunched up his nose. "Yeah, okay. Su-ure."

Scott got to his feet and squeezed James' shoulder on the way past before he gestured for Steve to follow him to the living room. "I did a scan at the soccer game after Luke showed up, and no one in the immediate area was suspicious, but the gossip is going to spread."

"Clint was swearing up a storm, in case you missed it," Steve said. "He said Natasha was on the move before Luke opened his mouth."

"I noticed, yeah," Scott said with a small smirk.

"Luke honestly thought you were settled and not hiding - Jessica, too," Steve said. "For what it's worth."

"Sounds like you need to remind your team the reality on the ground for mutants," Scott said, his eyes narrowed. "It's better, not genocidal, but…"

Steve nodded. "Already done. And Luke is ticked off at himself. Jessica is … well. Jessica. It was a fluke thing on his part, and I'm sure if Natasha and Tony hadn't both chewed him out about how he approached initially, he'd be apologizing for throwing a monkey wrench in the works."

"Good. Then he can help deal with the fallout if there is an issue."

"He already volunteered to," Steve agreed.

Scott nodded once and then, simply because he could understand it, relaxed his stance slightly. "I get it, though. My daughter's dating now, too. I get it."

"I'm sure you do," Steve said. "And between you and me, Jessica had a talk with Dani about warning a person before kissing them."

Scott nodded. "It's just something about my boys. Katie kissed Nate's cheek after she made him eat dirt at the soccer game. It's just that kind of day, apparently."

"All three, huh?" Steve asked with a crooked smile. "I heard about Rachel from Storm."

"You didn't see the sudden gray streak in my hair?" Scott asked with a light smirk.

"Don't know if it'll help or hurt, but even if James wasn't expecting it - kid ran with it. You know who to blame." He was grinning as he looked toward James, who was headed up the stairs.

"Not even surprised," Scott said, shaking his head with a smile at the very corner of his mouth.

"Call if you have any trouble, huh? I'll let you know if we see anything out of the norm at all."

"Will do," Scott promised. "And Steve?" He let his shoulders drop. "Thanks."

"Sure thing. I'll keep the inducer for pick-ups - and it'll be me for a while. Until we know for sure."

"Alright. I'll make sure James knows what's up."