"Good morning, Alex," Erik greeted the teenager as he shuffled into the kitchen, stifling a yawn and scrubbing a hand through his hair.. He crossed the room to the coffee maker like a man on a mission and Alex had to attempt to stifle her chuckle, knowing Emily was very much the same way before she'd had her morning caffeine fix.

"Good morning, Mr. Lensherr," Alex replied brightly. "I'm making pancakes – I hope you're hungry. Do you prefer blueberry or banana?"

Erik didn't seem to know how to react to a teenager in a good mood this early in the morning.

When he didn't say anything for a long time, she asked, "Everything okay?" She was trying not to laugh at the utterly dumbfounded expression on his face for fear of being rude, but she couldn't quite help a little giggle from escaping.

"I'm sorry, I just didn't know teenagers could be cheerful before eleven AM," he said with a pointed look at Emily who lumbered into the kitchen looking a little feral.

Alex giggled. She plated a stack of three pancakes and passed it towards Emily.

Emily grunted her thanks as she grabbed the pancakes with her hands and bit into all three at once like a sandwich.

Alex giggled again, catching Erik's gaze. "It's a little like spotting a sasquatch..." she said, nodding to the way Emily once again lumbered back to bed. She turned back to the frying pan. "She isn't so bad after our morning Starbucks run," she said.

Erik raised a brow at that...or, rather, at the tone with which she said it. "Your father mentioned that you don't find Emily completely intolerable," he said casually. "I didn't believe it until I witnessed the smile I just saw..."

"What!? No!" Alex quickly exclaimed. "We're barely even friends."

Raising a brow, he studied her closely. Then, quietly, he said, "You have a crush on her." It was a statement, not a question.

Alex heaved a weary sigh. "Please don't tell Daddy," she pleaded. "Or mother." A beat. "Or Emily."

There were a lot of things Erik could – and perhaps should – have said in that moment. Ultimately, what he said was, "Your secret is safe with me."

Charles had offered to show Emily around the Academy's grounds and then (in Erik's opinion) with ridiculous obviousness, he suggested that Alex join them. Erik, realizing he may have created a monster when he suggested setting the girls up, invited himself along as well.

Which is how the four of them ended up exploring the campus – which entailed listening to Charles drone on about the history of something (Erik never had paid attention to the tour). The history wasn't the point, of course, it was forcing Emily and Alex to spend time together.

Erik, of course, wasn't entirely convinced Charles didn't have something else up his sleeve, though... As it was, he wasn't sure there would be the need for any of Charles' tricks.

The two girls were walking several feet in front of them, standing so close together their shoulders were bumping into each other. So close that if they were to both turn their heads at once, their lips would meet. They were also whispering too quietly for eavesdropping.

"Well?" Erik asked Charles, clearly expecting him to find a way to overhear. "What are they saying?"

"I'm afraid Alex is blocking me from listening in," Charles said.

Erik raised a brow. "Can't you find a way around her shield?" he asked. "Try reading Emily's mind..."

Charles shook his head. "Her shield is blocking Emily as well. I promised Alex I would never read her mind, so if she's putting up her shield, she must really not want us to know what they're saying."

"Since when do you not read her mind?" Erik scoffed. "The only reason you stopped reading her mind is because you read her thoughts the day she started her period..."

It was hard to argue with that. (Not that that had ever stopped Charles...) As it was, he simply rolled his eyes and said, "Yes, well, be that as it may..."

"What do you mean Daddy wanted to talk to you alone?" Alex demanded of Emily. "Do you think he know about...well...you know?" In the light of day, she couldn't seem to bring herself to speak the actual words of what they'd done aloud.

She shrugged. "He didn't say. He just kind of talked in riddles about..." She paused, trying to recollect what exactly it was that he'd said. "Okay, well, I wasn't exactly listening," she admitted. "But I'm pretty sure I'd remember if he said anything about us hooking up."

Alex's cheeks flushed bright red at the words. "Shhh!" she hissed, risking a glance over her shoulder to where their fathers were strolling along behind them. "Maybe he knows..." she muttered, more to herself than to Emily.

"Knows what?" Emily asked, brow quirked curiously.

Realizing then that she'd said that aloud, her cheeks flushed (if possible) even brighter red. "Nevermind. It's not important." She attempted to change the subject with a nod over her shoulder towards their fathers. "They seem awfully friendly this morning..."

"Yeah? So?"

Alex gave her a pointed look. "So," she said emphatically, "Usually I never hear the end of Erik's done this or You won't believe what Erik's done now or – my personal favourite – Jesus Christ, Erik, you have the impulse control of a child...

Emily snorted with laughter. "We should try to set them up," she said as if it were the funniest thing she could possibly imagine. Clearly, she expected laughter from Alex and, when none followed, she quirked a brow, confused. "You're not seriously considering it, are you?"

"Why not?" Alex countered. "You said my father isn't straight. I don't know your father that well, but I see no evidence to suggest he isn't attracted to men..."

Emily's expression was pointed. "And what if we succeed?" she countered. "We might end up being step-sisters. Who've fucked."

Alex glowered. "Can you please not say it like that?"