We're almost there, everyone.

Year Two: Immediate Action

Academy's Commando's Lounge - 12:37 PM

Xavier returned to school the next day. On the drive back, he didn't care about speeding but, somehow, got here quicker than when trying to get home. Whatever. He has a clearer state of mind now that he knows his sister is at home taking a mental break from life here. Xavier understands how it's hard. The curriculum is much different from high school and it's a new and scarier environment, and top that off with a breakup she didn't see coming. He saw his coming but isn't sure if that's better.

Xavier approaches the couch set Ashton, Brody, and Orchid occupy, sitting next to Ashton as he tosses him his keys back.

"How much gas is there?" Ashton asks as he puts his keys in his jacket pocket.

"Full tank with an oil change and wash," Xavier responds.

Ashton looks at him like he's a godsend. "You didn't have to do that. I said you owed me but that wasn't what I meant." Despite those words, he's still grinning.

"I know but I did it anyways."

"How's Angela?" Orchid asks, nudging Xavier's leg with her foot so he'll look over at her and not talk about his bromance with Ashton.

"She's fine." Xavier smiles a little. "She'll be back by the end of the week."

"That reminds me," Brody says excitedly, "guess what I saw."

"What?"

"My roommate and I were heading out to grab a bite when we saw James at the airport. We didn't stop but he was with five other ladies and their suitcases, putting them in his cars."

Xavier looks at Brody with the straightest face that's ticking with a growing annoyance. The nerve of that James Pym. "You've got to be shitting me."

"I never shit about ladies."

Orchid holds up a finger. "Truth."

"Wait," Ashton says to Body, "ladies, plural."

Brody nods. "Five beautiful ladies."

Ashton accepts defeat, leaning back. "That's it. I'm dying alone."

"Not if you lower your standards a bit." Orchid smiles at him despite his glaring.

"Brody," Xavier says, ignoring his other two friends. "What else did you see?"

"James was with the lanky nerd Angela wanted to massacre a while back."

"Oh!" Orchid exclaims. "That's Keith."

Xavier nods, remember how the nerd who hates him for existing got himself stuck up in a tree because Angela frightened him. "How do you know him?"

"Someone told me that he thinks I'm in love with Ashton and Xavier but I really have the heart eyes on the Aussie. Anyways, he reminds me of a boy I went to Sunday school with. Cute fellow. I think he skipped town after high school because of the tumbleweed-pothole incident after sophomore year."

Out of those four sentences, the three boys don't know which part to further ask about. That didn't exactly answer Xavier's question the way he wanted but they all learned information they could've gone their whole lives without knowing, especially the existence of a tumbleweed-pothole incident.

Xavier clears his throat. "Anyways, I'll be off to kill James."

"Okay," Orchid and Brody say way too excitedly for Xavier's comfort.

"But we'll have to do it in a way that we don't get caught," Brody says. "I'm not concerned about the criminal record or possible death sentence because I heard a rumour that instead of suspension or expulsion, they ship you off on a one-way trip to SHIELD Island which I've been told is scarier than how you think of Australia. We've had tornadoes of bats invade our cities."

"We're not using my car," Ashton says, "Xavier just got it washed."

"But you have a car and a full tank."

"So, hit-and-run?" Orchid asks.

"Again, not my car," Ashton states.

"In that case, we can recreate the tumbleweed-pothole incident. I saw the whole thing. What do you think, Xavier?"

The three of them turn to see that Xavier already left.

-o-

Edison Residence - 13:20 PM

Merida and Daniel finally wake up but still feel tired. They stretch from their spots before leaning against the wall. Events from last night still took a toll on them. It started as a night of getting high and enjoying that ride until it came with emotional turmoil, memories of Apollo, and a close suspension. And to think that the force that brought them down was the overpowering stench of James's cologne. They didn't even get to cleaning the mess since, actually, they don't even remember passing out but they have a shared fever dream that James might've shown up here at some point during the night. So maybe that part is true.

Daniel yawns. "You can go back to your dorm or take my bed. I'm going to search the floor for a vacuum."

Merida shakes her head. Her dorm is too far away to think about let alone walk. "I'll take your couch outside since I won't be able to sleep with a vacuum running."

They both stand up, stretching some more. Merida picks up some sweater vests, shaking them to remove any glass shards before tossing them on the bed. Did all that chaos really happen only a few hours ago?

"Do you want to talk about whatever we spoke about last night?" Daniel asks her.

"You remember it?" Merida questions.

"More or less."

"Fuck no."

"Good."

Merida smiles at him before heading out. As if she'll bring all that up again for both their sakes. She walks down the hallways and into their living room which, to her luck, was empty minus a sleeping James on the couch. At least that proves his appearance was real and not a hallucination. And she's still in his sweater vest. She nudges him a few times.

"Get out," Merida orders.

"I live here," James says before getting tossed onto the floor. Before he could jump back on, Merida already lying there on top of his pillow. "You and Daniel owe me cologne."

"Here." Merida hands him the unused blunt from her jacket pocket.

"The fuck, you can keep that." James heads on out. "I'm getting a bite to eat."

"Don't care." Merida goes back to sleep.

"I wasn't planning on getting you anything anyways."

-o-

Keith is heading back to residence and glances over when he sees Xavier calling him over. Oh god, why? Keith tries to make a run for it but, one step later, he somehow crashes into Xavier. Xavier doesn't react but Keith thinks about how he should invest in some Rogers repellant. Before Keith could run again, Xavier holds him in place.

"Relax, I won't hurt you," Xavier says. "I just want to talk for a minute."

"Those words have never ended well for me…" Keith mutters. Cue the high school flashbacks.

"Why were you and James at the airport?"

" … why are you asking about that?"

"Because my sister went home and he was suddenly inviting women to Jersey. What was he doing?"

Is Xavier sounding threatening or is Keith imagining the threatening sound? "It'll sound ridiculous."

"Try me."

Again, high school flashbacks. "A jock has never told me to try him but you asked for it. James wanted to know what he did wrong in all his relationships, including Angela, so he flew down five of his exes to talk about it. It was a weak sample size, if you ask me, but given the popuation, availability, and quality of said ex, I'd say it worked out well."

Xavier doesn't react. His face doesn't budge as his mind processes that oddity. Xavier's at that point in life where the shit he's encountered has been so mind-blowing and he's so numb to it that whenever something crazy happens, he thinks it's normal. If New York fucked him up, then New Jersey is fucking him over...and it's only been two years.

"Thanks," Xavier says, clapping Keith's shoulder before he leaves.

" … you're welcome," Keith responds, wondering if Xavier broke his shoulder.

-o-

Cafeteria - 13:53 PM

James walks out of the cafeteria line eating a sandwich. Before he heads out back to his dorm, he makes eye contact with a Xavier who looks like a bull about to run him over. James doesn't have to know what Xavier's mad at him for and he doesn't want to find out. The more time he spends thinking about it, the less he has for running away.

James finishes his half of the sandwich and passes the remainder to a kid he recognizes from one of his classes who's about to buy something to eat. Save them the money.

The moment James starts running, Xavier picks up speed and follows.