A/N - Yep! Scott has a SOLID sense of humor. Gotta just give him time to show it. He really is hilarious.

Chapter 2: Yes Means Yes

Even just a few weeks into the semester, both Tyler and Tammy were already pretty busy. They had taken on plenty for their schedules, with not only their college courses but also the training with the junior team, Tammy's unofficial "lessons" with Annie, and Tyler's work with Logan — not to mention the fact that their bishop had found out that Tammy was studying to be a teacher and asked if they would help teach the kids in Sunday School.

So sneaking even a few moments of time together was practically a miracle. Most of the time, they ended up in the library on campus or in the mansion's own library or living room — doing homework, planning lessons, or occasionally being mobbed by the kids in the mansion, who seemed to think Tyler was the second-best victim of their practice fighting after Logan.

That was how Tyler found himself pinned down by both the Summers twins and Sying — as Elin and Krissy giggled in Tammy's lap at the whole scene.

"Come on, guys, I really do have to get up now," Tyler said as the twins were sitting on his chest and Sying was 'pinning' his legs. All three of them looked incredibly proud, though for different reasons. Sying looked excited that he could even play with the older kids; Charlie looked like she was proud of how well her plan worked; and Chance was clearly just in this because it was fun and kept grinning over at the other two kids in the room and inviting them to play too.

But thankfully, mercifully, Tammy took pity on Tyler and reached out a hand to pick up the three kids telekinetically — which set off a round of giggles. They loved being able to 'fly.' Elin and Krissy rushed over as well, as Krissy chanted "Up! Up!" as Elin giggled.

Tammy shot Tyler a little grin at the gaggle of kids around her clamoring for her attention and mouthed out, "This is your chance. Run away!"

He couldn't help but laugh at her for that one, but he did duck out of the living room to head down to the Danger Room almost at a jog, only making it in time for the scheduled session with Logan — though he had a feeling if he'd told Logan he'd been pinned down by all of the kids under five in the mansion, Logan would understand.

Only ... Logan wasn't the one waiting for him when he got to the Danger Room.

"Do you always make my father wait for you like this?" Daken asked with an unreadable expression.

Tyler wasn't sure what it was about the guy that already had his hackles raised, but he bristled for a moment. "No, I try to be early if I can help it," he said.

Daken gave him a dry, appraising look before he gestured grandly for Tyler to step up. "If you can help it? So someone else is more in charge of your destiny already? That doesn't bode well for the rest of the day."

The door to the Danger Room closed, and the closer Tyler got to Daken, the more irritated he became. "My father says you're incapable of acting as nature intended. Is it from fear or some ill placed noblilty?" Daken was smirking as he said it, relaxed, and though Tyler didn't know it, he was incrementally fiddling with the young man's emotions — raising his levels of anxiety and fear, trying to find the right button to send Tyler into a tailspin. "You really do look like your father," Daken drawled out, knowing that it would further irritate Tyler.

"So do you," Tyler half growled without realizing what he was saying — and that was how their fight started. Daken smiled at his progress before he darted in and simply popped Tyler in the mouth.

"That was rude," Daken told him. "Watch your mouth around your betters."

Tyler glared at him as he rubbed his jaw and shot back in a near growl, "Good thing it's just you and me then."

"I think we might be makin' a little progress," Logan said to Hank as the two of them watched the exchange below from their spot in the control booth. "You ever see him growl that quick?"

Hank frowned slightly as he looked down. "Not outside of attacks on the mansion, no," he admitted. "I'm still not sure bringing in Daken was the right idea, though."

"He won't attack me, and I need someone he won't feel bad about roughing up," Logan explained for what felt like the sixth or seventh time. "Believe me, I've tried." He gestured down at the two of them as they circled each other. "Besides. He needs to channel it when he needs it. No better way than to practice."

Hank sighed and looked over the top of his glasses at Logan. "He's not going to be happy about having anger and aggressiveness pushed on him like your son is wont to do."

"Then maybe he'll attack me next time," Logan deadpanned, which only earned him a dry look from Hank as they watched Daken trying to push Tyler's buttons.

"He's only supposed to crank it up if the insults and general jackassery doesn't work," Logan said as he looked over the board one last time to make sure it was off. "Though yeah, I'm sure it's not how he said it would be."

Below, Daken was smirking to himself and actually enjoying the frustration and building rage Tyler had going on, but even with his cheap shots, he still wasn't able to get Tyler to attack him.

"I thought you were supposed to show me what you were capable of," Daken said. "I can get glares and dirty looks from half of this school. Nothing notable about that. Don't you have any skills beyond converting oxygen?" Daken had stopped not two feet from him as he looked up at the tall, broad blonde.

"So far all you've done is prove you know how to insult people," Tyler growled back. He was clearly poised to attack but just hadn't done so yet, half watching Daken.

"So do you need an invitation?" Daken asked. "You've proven that you've no intention to stick up for yourself."

"I don't need to prove anything to you."

"Maybe not," he said with a nod. "But for someone who's spent so much time with my father… I thought you'd have more of a backbone. Or is that what he teaches? Have to keep the kids bending to his will?"

Tyler growled low. "You don't know what you're talking about," he said in nearly a snarl.

"I know it's the only way he could keep any kind of a following after anyone got to know him." He smiled a bit and let out a little laugh. "Obedient little puppies."

At that, Tyler did actually let out a snarl and backhanded Daken as hard as he could across the room. There was a loud crack that echoed the Danger Room when Daken hit the wall.

"Well, he hit him," Logan said. "Didn't expect that to work." He frowned a bit and shook his head. "And he didn't lose it and keep going."

"If you want him to keep hitting a man after he's down, you'll have to push harder," Hank said with a small smirk.

"Nope, just wanted to make sure he'd be able to let it out a little bit. He's great at holding back — but he's gotta do both," Logan said. He turned to Hank and tipped his head toward the window. "Wanna go check on him with me?"

Hank gave him a curious glance over the top of his glasses but nodded. "After you."

Logan gave him a little smile. "Of course. Think I'm gonna let you have all the fun if he's in the mood to snarl?" The two of them made their way down, and when the door opened for them, Tyler's head whipped their way as the two of them stepped into the room.

"You wanna get a little air?" Logan asked. "Or are you happy where you are?" He tipped his chin up toward Daken's still form. "He'll be fine. Noh's got the security set so he can't get out until one of us lets him."

Tyler visibly straightened up, though until that moment, he'd been glaring hard at Daken even as he was unconscious. He seemed to consider the question for a moment before he asked, "Did you have more for training outside?"

"Nah, just wanted to get you outta the pheromones he's been pumping out while he was trying to piss you off," Logan said matter of factly.

If looks could kill, the one Tyler shot at Daken would have been nuclear.

"I told him to," Logan admitted.

At that, Tyler spun his way and couldn't quite pull back the death glare all the way. "What for?" he asked.

"Because you need to be able to use it," Logan told him. "You do just fine keepin' it under wraps. You gotta learn to let it go from time to time, though, and frankly, I can't get it out of you."

"I'm not going to hit someone who doesn't deserve it," Tyler said, sounding frustrated.

"If they're actually asking you to, the rules are a little different," Logan reasoned. "But I can understand it. That's why I had Daken do his thing. If the chemical cues aren't enough — his mouth damn sure will be." The three of them had finally stepped onto the elevator when Logan finished his thoughts. "And judging by what happened when I had to go pick you up from the police station, just being an asshole isn't enough. You gotta be mad. So how can I help you practice being mad without someone like him to push the buttons?"

Tyler frowned hard as he thought it over, and it was clear he knew Logan was right. "I guess that's fair," he finally conceded, though he didn't look at all happy about it.

"If I could come up with another way, I would," Logan told him. "It just helps when you figure in that Daken doesn't want to be friendly with anyone. You don't have to like him or even deal with him unless we're working."

"At least there's that," Tyler said with the beginnings of a smirk.

"Oh, and you're off the hook for the meditation too," Logan told him. "Unless you want to go, it's not required. You're fine."

Tyler looked surprised and almost a little disappointed at that. "If it's all the same, I'd really like to keep going," he said.

"I'm always there — same time," Logan said with a nod. "That's not gonna change."

Once October rolled around and the leaves started to turn, the mansion residents turned to one of their favorite fall pastimes — betting on each other.

The big bet this year was when the little Howlett boy would make his appearance, and though Clint was sure he was getting a birthday buddy, the guesses ranged across all of November into early December. There was also an ongoing pool as to what the little guy's name would be — both betting pools were run by Peter, with occasional help from a bamf or two playing bookie in a green visor.

Whenever either of the ferals came through, though, all talk about the bets were paused as half of them were convinced that Logan and K would be spiteful and make sure everyone lost.

Logan had gone through the kitchen and given everyone in it a pretty impressive glare as all conversation had ceased when the bamf had popped in to warn them of his approach. None of the occupants had said a word, but they were all watching him until he left, staring after him until the bamf reappeared with the thumbs up to tell them he was back where he'd belonged.

"Okay," Peter said, turning back to Kate. "You have not picked a day yet."

"Well, I was gonna bet on Kurt's birthday, but he beat me there," she said with a little sparkle in her eyes.

"Well, there are still plenty of dates open," Peter said, showing her his calendar on his cell phone. "Anything that doesn't have a dot."

She looked thoughtful for a moment and then nodded to herself. "I'll take the twenty-ninth," she said at last. "Might as well — that's how old I'll be end of year, so... Maybe it's lucky for me."

"You got it," Peter said as he punched in her name and her bet. "Pool is getting pretty sizeable, actually."

"Who else is in?" she asked curiously.

"It'd be easier to tell you who's not in," Peter said. "So far just Kitty and Kamala, and Kitty's out because her day was already taken." He leaned closer to her to whisper dramatically. "Even Scott and Annie have days picked out — and they bickered about it when they made their bets."

Kate fixed Peter with her most dramatic look of shock. "Our fearless leader? Arguing?"

"I think it's their first spat, honestly," Peter chuckled.

"Which is impressive in itself, when you think about it," she said in a conspiratory whisper as Krissy climbed up to try to steal Peter's phone to see what everyone was so excited about.

"I'nna see," she said as she made her grab for it.

Kate gently pried the little elfling away from Pete and the phone. "Krissy, no grabbing," she said. "Remember? You have to ask?"

Krissy pouted for a moment with her lower lip poked way out before she let out a dramatic huff. "Peeeease, Spidey. I'nna see."

"There's not much to see, pretty girl," he told her before he booped her nose. "Just a bunch of dots."

Krissy giggled and wriggled her nose before she booped him back, though when she saw the very boring calendar, she quickly became uninterested and climbed back down to go find Elin.

"She wants to be part of everything, sorry about that," Kate said, though she was grinning and laughing quietly.

"It's cute," Peter said with a grin.

"And she knows it," Kate said, shaking her head. "Drama queen, that one." With that, she reached over to ruffle Peter's hair — because she could — and then headed off to go gently redirect Sying before he could reach the girls, since Krissy was already giving him the 'don't try it' glare.

"Watch out little buddy," Peter said toward Sying. "She's got that look to her. Just like her mother. Mean."

Sying looked confused by that and shook his head 'no.' "No. Nice! I play!"

"It was the same when it was you and Noh, wasn't it?" Peter teased Kate.

Kate gave him a look over her shoulder. "When it was me and Noh, he at least gave me a shiny new bow and let me take care of things myself."

Peter smirked as the little half-Kree boy slipped around Kate's legs to offer some of his fruit snacks to the little girls. "I play?"

Elin giggled at him and gave him a kiss on the cheek before she pushed a little car his way. He let out a little delighted laugh and plopped himself down between Elin and Krissy to play with the little toy, as the adults in the room had to smirk at the whole scene.

"Yes, we all know who really runs things," Kate said K's way — K had come back from the bathroom to sit down and watch the show.

"Peter?" K teased.

"Oh, yes. Peter. Our fearless spider-leader," Kate agreed, still smirking.

"She's just tired of that car," K said with a shrug. "And Krissy would have not answered him with anything positive." She had to chuckle to herself. "I think the other day, she meant to say 'yes' to him, but said 'no' instead — because when he left looking like a kicked puppy, she was a little confused."

"Well, she's still learning. Usually if she nods, she means yes, even if she says no," Kate laughed.

"He doesn't know that, and when she said it, I think she did nod, but she shouted the 'no'."

"They'll figure it out when they get older," Kate said, still laughing as she watched Krissy examine one of Sying's offered fruit snacks before tentatively trying it and beaming at him so wide that the little boy started to giggle.

"Did you notice Elin didn't take the candy?" K said quietly to Kate.

Kate nodded. "She got your aversion to sweets?" she teased lightly.

"That or she knows Krissy would ask her for it," K teased.

"You've met me; you've met my husband. The fact that Krissy eats anything not covered in sugar is a miracle," Kate said, still smirking.

"Pay attention, though," K said. "Elin will eat a little bit. But not if Sying has bribes."

"Krissy loves Sying's bribes," Kate chuckled quietly. "The cookies are always a hit."

"Yeah, Elin actually likes those too," K said.

Kate watched as Krissy and Sying finished off the last of the fruit snacks together and had to laugh when Krissy seemed to notice that Elin hadn't gotten any and offered her the very last one.

But Elin shook her head seriously. "Nej, flicka," Elin said quietly.

"No?" Krissy asked, her head tipped to the side.

"Nej, nein, no, nyet," Elin sang out as she kicked her toes back and forth a bit. She smiled up at her a little bit. "Iie."

Krissy reached over and covered Elin's mouth with her hand. "No," she said before she popped the last fruit snack in her mouth.

Kate leaned over and bumped K's shoulder with hers. "Maybe one of these days, Krissy will let him play with them without being bribed," she laughed.

"I don't know," K said. "We've both set a bad example for them."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Kate laughed. "I'm a model of perfection."

"Well, I don't know what you're talking about, but if I don't get enough kisses, I'm cranky." K grinned at Kate. "And I won't play nice."

"Well that's true. But I hope you're not encouraging those kind of bribes for my baby girl," Kate said with as much sternness as she could muster.

"I'm not encouraging anything; I'm just saying they learned that behavior."

"At least we can rest easy knowing we're not the only ones," Kate pointed out. "You've seen Jubes and Noh."

"That's true. Still. Watch your predatory little hawkcrawler around my sparkling little angel-dusted grandbaby."

Kate groaned. "Really? You too with the hawkcrawler nonsense?"

"I'm sorry, but that one really is perfect." K was grinning. "Wade is growing on me."

"It's really not," Kate insisted. "And she's not a predator!"

'Sure she is. She gets it from her father," K replied with an easy shrug.

"He's an angel and you know it."

"I know … that he's a lot older than you compared to how much older Logan is to me. Predatory."

"Alright, calm down, John," Kate teased.

"John?" K said with almost a giggle. "Do not try to go there. Anything to defend your cradle robber."

"Excuse you," Kate said, rolling her eyes. "Nothing was robbed here."

"Oh?" K replied, clearly looking like she was ready to get started with the picking. "Maybe I do have it wrong. Maybe you're the grave robber here."

"Evil purple seductress," Kate said. "And he's not that old."

"How much older?"

Kate let out all her breath and rolled her eyes. "Twenty-three years, and you know it."

"Oh my GOD. That's … he could be your father."

"And yet I'll still go gray before him at the rate he ages," Kate said. "Tell me how that's fair."

"I don't know. I don't have that wild of a gap to compare to," K said, grinning her way.

"Oh yeah. Your gap is so much smaller," Kate said, rolling her eyes. "How many years for you, troublemaker?"

"Nineteen," she said, still grinning.

"So much smaller." Kate rolled her eyes even harder at that.

"And … I gotta ask. Out of the two of us? Who was gray?" She hadn't dropped the grin, as if she knew the answer.

"You are both ageless vampires, and I hate you," Kate said without hesitation.

"If you hate me, why was it that the first thing you did when you got back was come and snuggle?"

"Clearly teenage confusion. I'm so young and emotional."

"You really are," K agreed. "With a thing for older men." She leaned her head on Kate's shoulder for a second before she popped up again. "I shouldn't be worried, should I?"

Kate rolled her eyes once more. "You've got nothing to worry about," she said, drawing a halo over her head. "I'm a good Catholic girl now."

"Yeah? How many kids did you have in the future? Enough to overthrow the old man single-handedly?"

"Only one was old enough to get away from Scott's little Hideaway for Underage Kids."

K stopped her teasing and gave her a look. "Well. You didn't say that before. What's the age gap?"

"I don't actually know," Kate admitted. "But Clint and Nat's little girl was in the field, so probably a little more than you're thinking."

K leaned toward her to dramatically take a deep, long sniff. "For now."

Kate rolled her eyes and pushed K away at the shoulders. "You're ridiculous."

"Ridiculous and could go for a cookie. Wanna split one?"

"Of course," Kate agreed. "Where do you think Krissy gets her cookie addiction from?"

"Kurt. He's cousins with the cookie monster. That's what he told the kids two weeks ago."

"They still want to know if he can introduce them to the rest of the gang," Kate giggled. "Chance wants to meet Oscar so badly."

"How fitting," K said before she called out to the kids. "Who wants a little treat?"

"NO!" Krissy shouted at the top of her lungs, nodding enthusiastically and running over to where K was — which, of course, just had Sying looking very confused.

"Y….yes?" he offered, looking at Krissy.

Elin nodded and took Sying's hand to try and push him a little closer to Krissy with a grin. "Yes."

Once all of the kids had gotten cookies, Kate had to laugh as Sying looked even more confused by the fact that Krissy had been first in line and was happily munching on hers. "It's okay, sweetie," she said as she ruffled Sying's hair. "Girls are complicated. You're gonna have to learn that now while you're young."

"But really only in Katie and Krissy's case," K told him as she gave him a kiss on top of his head. "They like to make things more difficult."

"Ka-rissy?" Sying scrunched up his whole face.

"When she yells no, but is nodding? That's a Krissy yes," K told him.

But the little boy shook his head hard. "No mean no," he said very seriously.

"That's right," K said, nodding. "But she hasn't learned how to say 'yes' yet. Can you help her?"

Sying scrunched up his whole face again but nodded and said 'yes' in both English and Kree with a little giggle. In response, Elin ran through all the yes-es she knew and started to giggle along with him.

"Try asking if she wants to play with you," K suggested. "If she says no, don't play with her."

"Otay," Sying said with a suspicious look. He very carefully approached Krissy and looked over his shoulder at K several times. "I play?" he asked.

Krissy nodded. "No."

"Now ask Elin if she wants to play with you," K told him.

Sying gave her that same suspicious look for a moment and nodded carefully. "Elin? I play?"

Elin grinned at him, nodded, and very clearly said "Yes," only to half turn from Krissy and start playing with Sying.

Sying was already grinning when Elin started to play with him, but when Krissy came over as well, he started to giggle. "Play?" he asked Krissy, and she kept nodding until he scooted over to let her play with the cars too, pushing one her way before he very seriously said, "Ye-e-sss."

Krissy raised an eyebrow at Sying and nodded as she took the little car and started rolling it around, bumping it into his with delighted sound effects.

But as the kids playing continued, it didn't take too terribly long for Sying to find himself as odd man out again, and he went looking for something to use as a bribe when Noh came in to see how things were going.

Noh crouched down in front of the little boy. "Are you playing nice?" he asked gently, and Sying nodded fervently.

"Poor thing is trying to get Krissy to say 'yes' when she means 'yes' instead of nodding yes and saying 'no'," K told him. "Getting pretty close too."

"No mean no," Sying said with a proud sort of smile.

"That's right, my little star," Noh told him gently. "Are you helping Krissy learn that yes means yes too?"

Sying paused for a moment and looked sheepish. "I play," he said, gesturing toward the little girls with a look of longing.

Elin made her way over to him and very carefully handed him her cookie from earlier. She hadn't nibbled on it — just … stashed it away. When he took it, she stepped behind him and pushed on his back. "Go."

He looked at her with his nose scrunched up before he headed over to Krissy. He very gingerly held out the cookie to her to draw her attention. "I play?" he asked.

Krissy looked at the cookie for a moment. "No?" she asked, her forehead creased — now both little babies looked confused.

Sying looked over at Elin for help, looking very lost. She shook her head at him in response.

He frowned for a moment and tried holding out the cookie to Krissy again. "Yes?" he offered. "I play?"

This time, Krissy seemed to be watching him form the words very carefully. "Des?" she tried again, and this time, she also took the cookie as Sying beamed.

"Ja," Elin started to sing over and over as she climbed up on Noh's lap.

Krissy giggled and nodded. "Ja. Des. Ja," she repeated, grabbing Sying by the hand to pull him over to play some more. She even broke the cookie in half to share with him.

Noh watched the whole interaction with a wide grin. "You are such a good helper, little sister," he told Elin fondly.

She took his head in her hands and kissed him on the nose. "Shush," she said before she snuggled in.

Kate laughed at that and leaned over to K. "Told you she runs things."

"No idea who she gets that from," she replied.

"It's a mystery," Kate agreed, still giggling as she watched Krissy delightedly showing off for Sying, still repeating her new words over and over again.