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WHO: Scott Summers & Emma Frost
WHEN: 2023, soon after the events of X-Tinction Agenda
WHERE: Genosha
WHAT: Emma and Scott disagree on how she handled things with Manny.
WARNINGS: References to (past) torture.
It's not like Scott to defy Charles Xavier. The professor hadn't chosen him to rebuild Genosha—an important project, but not as important as keeping the X-Men running smoothly. Kurt may be back as leader, but Scott should be there to support him. He should be teaching the next generation. He should keep putting himself out there as Xavier's model student: the one who wants coexistence enough to date a human, and who's never quoted Magneto in a viral video clip.
If the professor had demanded it, he might've gone home. But instead Xavier said, "Alright. If this is what you want," and Scott finds himself managing his own days for the first time in years. He'll listen to requests from Magneto's camp, but he's not beholden to anyone's authority and that's—different. New. When they're off-duty, he spends time with Evie or Kitty, but only when he wants to. He doesn't spend time with Emma, which he thinks is fine until the day he walks into the Genoshan city library and sees her there. A perfectly sculpted pillar in white, in contrast to Scott's somewhat scruffy baseball cap and bomber jacket.
He walks right past Emma without a word, already knowing where in the stacks he wants to go.
Despite being off-duty herself, Emma had been discussing a monetary gift from Frost International's charitable arm when Scott arrived. It was a done deal, a simple discussion of the paperwork and the timeline, all things that mattered but nothing that ultimately changed the way of things. And because of this, Emma doesn't feel all that bad when, after seeing Scott breeze past her without acknowledgement, she politely exits the conversation with the head of the library and stalks after her former teammate.
It's obvious he's ignoring her, has been ignoring her, but even so she checks his mind to be certain that this is intended. Seeing confirmation there only serves to make her more annoyed, which is sort of what she was going for anyways.
Even in her heels she takes long, fluid strides to put herself at his side. "Scott Summers." Her tone is both sweet and acidic. "You're either an idiot or rude, just walking past me like that."
"You seemed busy. I didn't want to distract you." He could tell at a glance that Emma was dealing with diplomatic business, and he wasn't in the mood to fake politeness today. So he took a calculated risk. The odds of Emma letting this one go were low, but not zero; and while a blowout argument doesn't hold much more appeal, Scott is always prepared for a fight.
He feels the brush of a telepath in his head, and he mentally pushes out, building up bricks in his mind to mask his thoughts. Scott's pace doesn't slow down for a second. He continues walking through the library, not looking at her.
Being pushed out of Scott's mind makes Emma laugh softly and a little bitterly - to have her own teachings used against her is infuriating, especially when it feels like Scott is being unfair all around. As much as the situation hurts, though, she keeps the vitriol out of her tone of voice and tsks softly.
"Not even an ounce of acknowledgement, though? I suppose you're the third option - an idiot and rude. I've heard that behaving like that can cause headaches."
Emma grabs at his wrist the same moment that she mentally spikes him, the feeling not unlike an ice pick headache: short, sharp, and painful. Just because she's outwardly calm doesn't mean she's just going to take being treated like this lying down.
Scott buckles, more from surprise than pain—he's suffered worse as Cyclops, and his arm muscles tighten in Emma's grip, as though he's about to either strike her or push her away, like any other opponent he's faced over the years. But control overtakes instinct, because Emma is his friend despite everything, and they can't be coming to blows in a library. He'd anticipated that she might lash out, but not within the first five minutes. Underestimating her, once again.
He grunts, shaking off the residual pain in his head, and straightens up again. "Alright," he says mildly. "I'm acknowledging you."
There's satisfaction at seeing Scott humbled, but he's so quick to turn back into his usual self that it's short-lived. There's a hint of disappointment, too, at his control - she had felt that flex, had waited for the physical response that never came. Emma would feel better if he got outwardly angry with her, even though she feels like what she'd just done was completely called for. Treating her like this is just another way to dismiss her.
"Good, now let's take it a step further. How about you actually talk to me?"
She tightens her grip around his wrist, but she otherwise remains fairly placid-seeming.
Scott has always liked how direct Emma is. Even at her most icy and arrogant, he likes her, which probably makes forgiveness a foregone conclusion—but sometimes it gets under his skin, having to be the bigger person. Being understanding, being compassionate, being a good example. Half of the original team do whatever they want, whenever they want, while Scott has tried so hard to act like the man Xavier needs him to be. If after everything, he's still expected to forgive humanity for hating and harming them, then he should forgive Emma too for just doing what she believed was necessary to help a friend.
He holds fast to his mental shields, reinforcing them. "What do you want, Emma? Exoneration?" He moves a step closer, his voice low, not wanting to be caught arguing in a public place with a former X-Man. "You didn't want to discuss it with anyone else. You acted knowing we wouldn't approve. You got the result you wanted, and this is the consequence."
As Scott steps closer Emma remains stationary, still firmly gripping his wrist, still with her eyes locked on him. She tries again to gain entry into his thoughts and finds herself pushed further back. That and his words earn a soft scoff from her.
"I did the right thing. I don't need exoneration." She is positive of this - she did this for Manny but for everyone else, too. Being bombarded with others' feelings constantly puts one at a disadvantage to recovering from trauma, and the nightmares had been overwhelming for anyone at Xavier's. But she doesn't need to justify herself to Scott, so she's not going to. Still, she finds some of her resolve to be calm wavering as they stand so close.
"But the consequence is you treat me like I don't exist? I thought we were out of high school, Scott."
He rolls his eyes behind his opaque glasses. "I didn't want to talk to you. It wouldn't be forever."
Some part of Scott recognizes how childish that sounds now that he's said it, but it's the truth. He knows he's going to get over it. He always gets over it. Emma is certain of her infallibility, as usual, and they will never know if there was a better way to help Manny. She took that decision out of everyone's hands. It's done. How easy it must be, for telepaths to believe they have a right to change other people's minds.
Scott places his free hand over the one gripping his wrist—ready to remove Emma, but not yet. "You'll do it again." It's almost, but not quite a question.
Emma hates it, but she's given up on trying to enter her former teammate's mind, not wanting to push hard enough to break the wards he's put up. So, she'll have to resort to watching Scott closely to discern what he's thinking, though it's obvious when she's looking for tells and she knows it. It feels vulnerable in a way she's not fond of. This only adds to her frustration, and her voice comes out in a quiet hiss.
"Then fight with me. Tell me how you think I'm full of myself or reckless or crossing lines, but I don't have time for you to ignore me. That's simply going to stretch this out, because the only way it can get resolved is you compartmentalizing it enough or you deciding I've been punished enough. Neither of which I'm willing to wait for."
Jaw clenched, she lets out another quiet scoff, "And I'm not going to go around wiping memories unless it's critical to do so. It was miserable work."
Scott bows his head for a second, silent. When Emma told them what she'd done, they'd been so caught up with right and wrong that he hadn't spared a thought for how difficult it must have been for her to do that to her best friend. Obvious, in hindsight, but Scott has a habit of not seeing the obvious when it comes to emotional matters. He represses instead. He avoids explaining his feelings. People think he's cold and distant, and they're not wrong.
He pulls off Emma's hand, but gently. "Not here." Scott taps the side of his cap with two fingers, a silent indication that he's opening his psychic defenses, and leads them further into the library. Aloud, he says: "You're right. I'm sorry. I wasn't acting in the best interests of the team." In his mind, he tries to summon things that are harder for him to put into words. Regret that he's hurt her. Concern, for her and for Manny. Fear that this could be worse for them down the line. Guilt that neither of them (him, her) could've found better solutions (Jean, Manny). A still simmering anger that he's ashamed of. « How bad was it? »
"God, Scott, it's not about the team. Me. I need you." This is said quietly as Emma goes to smooth her skirt that had ridden up the slightest amount in her pursuit of him. It's quiet enough that they can both ignore it, if they want, as she goes to follow him.
The moment Scott's mind is accessible she is there, the tendrils of her presence gentle and unassuming. She takes up everything she finds on the surface appreciatively, and it smooths over the edges of her frustration. It's difficult to remain focused on that, though - the desire to soothe Scott is strong. She mostly succeeds in keeping her attention on herself, save for a brush of reassurance and support, and a soft dismissal of the shame he feels for his anger. They have every right to be angry.
« Horrendous; I wouldn't have made the offer to him if it wasn't. Honestly I think it's a miracle he came out of it at all. They used him to manipulate people all across Genosha, and expanding his reach like that… They tortured him. » It makes her sick, thinking about it again.
There's a flicker when Scott hears Emma's soft words, like a record skipping. His mixed thoughts suspend, and he shoots her a glance that she catches, as though to check if he heard right. (He did.) If he has an opinion about that, it's less clear than the heightening tension in his mind as he takes in what was done to Manny. What Emma must have seen, when she pulled the memories out of his head.
« How is he now? » Situational assessment. Better to focus on what can be done than on what was done. Scott tries to stay focused, to keep his mind calm and quiet for Emma. « Does he still seem affected at all? »
Scott's calm, controlled mind, even with the threads of tension there, are a better salve than any words he could have given her. Emma anchors herself to it, to the point where she can very nearly smile at his mission-like approach.
« You don't need to worry - he's much better than he was. There are no more nightmares, though some visceral, subconscious things remain. I doubt he'd be able to set foot on Genosha. » She gives the mental equivalent of a shrug - there's only so much she can do, and it's not like he needs to come to Genosha, anyway.
« He can't really help but wonder what happened, but he doesn't regret the choice. »
No more unpleasant emotional side effects at home. No secrets from Manuel except what he wants to be kept from him. No need to exacerbate his trauma in the future, not with Magneto taking over—Scott may not like the man's methods, but they agree that mutants will never be exploited on Genosha again. All pros and no cons, arguably, but Scott's mind is still wrestling with something.
Emma said she'd rather fight than have him ignore it. « It's the subconscious things that worry me. » Unlike most of Scott's worries, this one is more emotional than logical. There's a flash of a memory (Xavier excavating his mind, a child's unreasonable fear and pain) but he keeps his attention on Emma. Her cool certainty, comforting in its own way. « I wish you'd talked to us before you did it. Sometimes it's like you still believe you're alone and you have to handle everything by yourself. »
"I'm here." His voice is even, but there's a note of apology in it. He hasn't been around. He didn't know what they were dealing with. He was consumed with the problem in front of him instead of thinking of the others, but if Emma had asked... "If you need me, I'm here for you."
« Understandable, to be worried about the subconscious remainders. And honestly, I can't really reassure you - those things will be there. But he chose this knowing that, which is hopefully something of a comfort. » Catching the glimpse of Xavier but letting it skirt by without examining it, Emma reaches to gently touch Scott's arm instead, a silent reassurance.
« I just needed to do this for him and I couldn't risk interference. But I understand why you're upset. »
Though she considers saying something else, about Scott maybe needing to learn to rely on others himself, he speaks out loud again and her eyes flick up, the thought forgotten. Despite being able to see the complexity of these words, the way that Scott twists himself up with them like he always does, they still nearly make her eyes sting. Stupid. After a long moment she turns to lean into him, her face pressed into his shoulder.
« Someday I'll convince you that everything doesn't stem from something you've done wrong. Of course, some of this absolutely did. But not all of it. »
Scott smiles, despite everything. He lets himself leave the brooding for later; it's enough for now to be back in Emma's good graces. « I'll make it up to you. » (« You certainly will, » is her quick, light response.) He doesn't know how yet, but he's marking it as a priority. He missed her—too much, more than he was willing to admit to himself. Even though Emma still keeps in touch with the team, the Institute hasn't felt the same in the years since she left.
He turns his head towards Emma, thinking of how to phrase his admiration for her, and is hit with the memory of the last time a woman was this close to him. Not perfume, but a distinct scent of smoke and engine oil. The color of her hair, as filtered through his glasses, a vibrant shade he's seen on only one other person. Madelyne. (When was the last time he even called her?)
"I was going to go through everything on the books for Genoshan law," Scott says abruptly. They're in a section full of dull reference tomes, with no one else in sight. "We've been rooting out the obvious sites of mutant exploitation, but I'm concerned about what isn't obvious. The sooner we dismantle all the systems that enabled these atrocities, the better."
For a moment, Emma is simply content. Scott's mind, calm and collected, him missing her, appreciating her, admiring her, the simple fact that they are touching. All of this lends to a momentary suspension of everything, a comfortable, quiet pocket, devoid of the context of Genosha and his earlier avoidance of her.
She is shaken abruptly from this by Madelyne. A part of her is offended - she is here, beautiful and strong and clearly important, and yet his mind strays. But of course it does. Madelyne, who he is still dating, despite the distance growing between them. Madelyne, who looks like Jean. Though Scott's words are abrupt, Emma's movements are not. They are smooth and practiced, a small step back that looks more like a shifting of weight than the pulling away that it is.
His plan earns a quiet hum and a nod. "I'll help you, if you'd like. I don't have anything else today besides making dinner. Which, you should come over for. Shinobi and Warren are in town for a few days."
Scott is attuned to every angle of every object in the room, and when Emma shifts away, so does his mind. Not pushing anyone out, but pulling back into himself, just as slight and subtle as Emma's retreat. In response she softens her presence in his mind, now a light, feathery touch, not invasive except for the fact that she remains there on the edges.
"You're sure? It'll be boring." He takes a piece of paper from his jacket pocket, filled with neatly written questions from himself and Magneto's faction. He starts pulling books from the shelves next, starting with the most recent. "And I'd be honored to attend dinner, so long as everyone knows I won't be wearing anything designer."
Emma leans slightly to look at the list in Scott's hand, careful not to touch him again. She feels oddly ill, almost dizzy, as she tries to mentally recenter herself. "Of course, boring tasks can be meditative." After a moment she holds out her hands, an offer to take books as he finds them. A job will help her. The distraction of dinner will, too.
There's a small laugh as she shakes her head. "Don't be honored, it's nothing special. Just a normal home-cooked meal, black tie optional."
"It's not you who's going to make fun of my clothes." Scott's tone is dry, as is the way he passes books to Emma, calculated and impersonal. Warren and Shinobi think he's terminally uncool, which Scott can't disagree with. His mind centers on that image—Emma the amused hostess, her two wealthy magazine-ready boyfriends, and himself as the odd man out. It's grounding. "But I'll bring flowers."
WHEN: 2023, soon after the events of X-Tinction Agenda
WHERE: Genosha
WHAT: Emma and Scott disagree on how she handled things with Manny.
WARNINGS: References to (past) torture.
It's not like Scott to defy Charles Xavier. The professor hadn't chosen him to rebuild Genosha—an important project, but not as important as keeping the X-Men running smoothly. Kurt may be back as leader, but Scott should be there to support him. He should be teaching the next generation. He should keep putting himself out there as Xavier's model student: the one who wants coexistence enough to date a human, and who's never quoted Magneto in a viral video clip.
If the professor had demanded it, he might've gone home. But instead Xavier said, "Alright. If this is what you want," and Scott finds himself managing his own days for the first time in years. He'll listen to requests from Magneto's camp, but he's not beholden to anyone's authority and that's—different. New. When they're off-duty, he spends time with Evie or Kitty, but only when he wants to. He doesn't spend time with Emma, which he thinks is fine until the day he walks into the Genoshan city library and sees her there. A perfectly sculpted pillar in white, in contrast to Scott's somewhat scruffy baseball cap and bomber jacket.
He walks right past Emma without a word, already knowing where in the stacks he wants to go.
Despite being off-duty herself, Emma had been discussing a monetary gift from Frost International's charitable arm when Scott arrived. It was a done deal, a simple discussion of the paperwork and the timeline, all things that mattered but nothing that ultimately changed the way of things. And because of this, Emma doesn't feel all that bad when, after seeing Scott breeze past her without acknowledgement, she politely exits the conversation with the head of the library and stalks after her former teammate.
It's obvious he's ignoring her, has been ignoring her, but even so she checks his mind to be certain that this is intended. Seeing confirmation there only serves to make her more annoyed, which is sort of what she was going for anyways.
Even in her heels she takes long, fluid strides to put herself at his side. "Scott Summers." Her tone is both sweet and acidic. "You're either an idiot or rude, just walking past me like that."
"You seemed busy. I didn't want to distract you." He could tell at a glance that Emma was dealing with diplomatic business, and he wasn't in the mood to fake politeness today. So he took a calculated risk. The odds of Emma letting this one go were low, but not zero; and while a blowout argument doesn't hold much more appeal, Scott is always prepared for a fight.
He feels the brush of a telepath in his head, and he mentally pushes out, building up bricks in his mind to mask his thoughts. Scott's pace doesn't slow down for a second. He continues walking through the library, not looking at her.
Being pushed out of Scott's mind makes Emma laugh softly and a little bitterly - to have her own teachings used against her is infuriating, especially when it feels like Scott is being unfair all around. As much as the situation hurts, though, she keeps the vitriol out of her tone of voice and tsks softly.
"Not even an ounce of acknowledgement, though? I suppose you're the third option - an idiot and rude. I've heard that behaving like that can cause headaches."
Emma grabs at his wrist the same moment that she mentally spikes him, the feeling not unlike an ice pick headache: short, sharp, and painful. Just because she's outwardly calm doesn't mean she's just going to take being treated like this lying down.
Scott buckles, more from surprise than pain—he's suffered worse as Cyclops, and his arm muscles tighten in Emma's grip, as though he's about to either strike her or push her away, like any other opponent he's faced over the years. But control overtakes instinct, because Emma is his friend despite everything, and they can't be coming to blows in a library. He'd anticipated that she might lash out, but not within the first five minutes. Underestimating her, once again.
He grunts, shaking off the residual pain in his head, and straightens up again. "Alright," he says mildly. "I'm acknowledging you."
There's satisfaction at seeing Scott humbled, but he's so quick to turn back into his usual self that it's short-lived. There's a hint of disappointment, too, at his control - she had felt that flex, had waited for the physical response that never came. Emma would feel better if he got outwardly angry with her, even though she feels like what she'd just done was completely called for. Treating her like this is just another way to dismiss her.
"Good, now let's take it a step further. How about you actually talk to me?"
She tightens her grip around his wrist, but she otherwise remains fairly placid-seeming.
Scott has always liked how direct Emma is. Even at her most icy and arrogant, he likes her, which probably makes forgiveness a foregone conclusion—but sometimes it gets under his skin, having to be the bigger person. Being understanding, being compassionate, being a good example. Half of the original team do whatever they want, whenever they want, while Scott has tried so hard to act like the man Xavier needs him to be. If after everything, he's still expected to forgive humanity for hating and harming them, then he should forgive Emma too for just doing what she believed was necessary to help a friend.
He holds fast to his mental shields, reinforcing them. "What do you want, Emma? Exoneration?" He moves a step closer, his voice low, not wanting to be caught arguing in a public place with a former X-Man. "You didn't want to discuss it with anyone else. You acted knowing we wouldn't approve. You got the result you wanted, and this is the consequence."
As Scott steps closer Emma remains stationary, still firmly gripping his wrist, still with her eyes locked on him. She tries again to gain entry into his thoughts and finds herself pushed further back. That and his words earn a soft scoff from her.
"I did the right thing. I don't need exoneration." She is positive of this - she did this for Manny but for everyone else, too. Being bombarded with others' feelings constantly puts one at a disadvantage to recovering from trauma, and the nightmares had been overwhelming for anyone at Xavier's. But she doesn't need to justify herself to Scott, so she's not going to. Still, she finds some of her resolve to be calm wavering as they stand so close.
"But the consequence is you treat me like I don't exist? I thought we were out of high school, Scott."
He rolls his eyes behind his opaque glasses. "I didn't want to talk to you. It wouldn't be forever."
Some part of Scott recognizes how childish that sounds now that he's said it, but it's the truth. He knows he's going to get over it. He always gets over it. Emma is certain of her infallibility, as usual, and they will never know if there was a better way to help Manny. She took that decision out of everyone's hands. It's done. How easy it must be, for telepaths to believe they have a right to change other people's minds.
Scott places his free hand over the one gripping his wrist—ready to remove Emma, but not yet. "You'll do it again." It's almost, but not quite a question.
Emma hates it, but she's given up on trying to enter her former teammate's mind, not wanting to push hard enough to break the wards he's put up. So, she'll have to resort to watching Scott closely to discern what he's thinking, though it's obvious when she's looking for tells and she knows it. It feels vulnerable in a way she's not fond of. This only adds to her frustration, and her voice comes out in a quiet hiss.
"Then fight with me. Tell me how you think I'm full of myself or reckless or crossing lines, but I don't have time for you to ignore me. That's simply going to stretch this out, because the only way it can get resolved is you compartmentalizing it enough or you deciding I've been punished enough. Neither of which I'm willing to wait for."
Jaw clenched, she lets out another quiet scoff, "And I'm not going to go around wiping memories unless it's critical to do so. It was miserable work."
Scott bows his head for a second, silent. When Emma told them what she'd done, they'd been so caught up with right and wrong that he hadn't spared a thought for how difficult it must have been for her to do that to her best friend. Obvious, in hindsight, but Scott has a habit of not seeing the obvious when it comes to emotional matters. He represses instead. He avoids explaining his feelings. People think he's cold and distant, and they're not wrong.
He pulls off Emma's hand, but gently. "Not here." Scott taps the side of his cap with two fingers, a silent indication that he's opening his psychic defenses, and leads them further into the library. Aloud, he says: "You're right. I'm sorry. I wasn't acting in the best interests of the team." In his mind, he tries to summon things that are harder for him to put into words. Regret that he's hurt her. Concern, for her and for Manny. Fear that this could be worse for them down the line. Guilt that neither of them (him, her) could've found better solutions (Jean, Manny). A still simmering anger that he's ashamed of. « How bad was it? »
"God, Scott, it's not about the team. Me. I need you." This is said quietly as Emma goes to smooth her skirt that had ridden up the slightest amount in her pursuit of him. It's quiet enough that they can both ignore it, if they want, as she goes to follow him.
The moment Scott's mind is accessible she is there, the tendrils of her presence gentle and unassuming. She takes up everything she finds on the surface appreciatively, and it smooths over the edges of her frustration. It's difficult to remain focused on that, though - the desire to soothe Scott is strong. She mostly succeeds in keeping her attention on herself, save for a brush of reassurance and support, and a soft dismissal of the shame he feels for his anger. They have every right to be angry.
« Horrendous; I wouldn't have made the offer to him if it wasn't. Honestly I think it's a miracle he came out of it at all. They used him to manipulate people all across Genosha, and expanding his reach like that… They tortured him. » It makes her sick, thinking about it again.
There's a flicker when Scott hears Emma's soft words, like a record skipping. His mixed thoughts suspend, and he shoots her a glance that she catches, as though to check if he heard right. (He did.) If he has an opinion about that, it's less clear than the heightening tension in his mind as he takes in what was done to Manny. What Emma must have seen, when she pulled the memories out of his head.
« How is he now? » Situational assessment. Better to focus on what can be done than on what was done. Scott tries to stay focused, to keep his mind calm and quiet for Emma. « Does he still seem affected at all? »
Scott's calm, controlled mind, even with the threads of tension there, are a better salve than any words he could have given her. Emma anchors herself to it, to the point where she can very nearly smile at his mission-like approach.
« You don't need to worry - he's much better than he was. There are no more nightmares, though some visceral, subconscious things remain. I doubt he'd be able to set foot on Genosha. » She gives the mental equivalent of a shrug - there's only so much she can do, and it's not like he needs to come to Genosha, anyway.
« He can't really help but wonder what happened, but he doesn't regret the choice. »
No more unpleasant emotional side effects at home. No secrets from Manuel except what he wants to be kept from him. No need to exacerbate his trauma in the future, not with Magneto taking over—Scott may not like the man's methods, but they agree that mutants will never be exploited on Genosha again. All pros and no cons, arguably, but Scott's mind is still wrestling with something.
Emma said she'd rather fight than have him ignore it. « It's the subconscious things that worry me. » Unlike most of Scott's worries, this one is more emotional than logical. There's a flash of a memory (Xavier excavating his mind, a child's unreasonable fear and pain) but he keeps his attention on Emma. Her cool certainty, comforting in its own way. « I wish you'd talked to us before you did it. Sometimes it's like you still believe you're alone and you have to handle everything by yourself. »
"I'm here." His voice is even, but there's a note of apology in it. He hasn't been around. He didn't know what they were dealing with. He was consumed with the problem in front of him instead of thinking of the others, but if Emma had asked... "If you need me, I'm here for you."
« Understandable, to be worried about the subconscious remainders. And honestly, I can't really reassure you - those things will be there. But he chose this knowing that, which is hopefully something of a comfort. » Catching the glimpse of Xavier but letting it skirt by without examining it, Emma reaches to gently touch Scott's arm instead, a silent reassurance.
« I just needed to do this for him and I couldn't risk interference. But I understand why you're upset. »
Though she considers saying something else, about Scott maybe needing to learn to rely on others himself, he speaks out loud again and her eyes flick up, the thought forgotten. Despite being able to see the complexity of these words, the way that Scott twists himself up with them like he always does, they still nearly make her eyes sting. Stupid. After a long moment she turns to lean into him, her face pressed into his shoulder.
« Someday I'll convince you that everything doesn't stem from something you've done wrong. Of course, some of this absolutely did. But not all of it. »
Scott smiles, despite everything. He lets himself leave the brooding for later; it's enough for now to be back in Emma's good graces. « I'll make it up to you. » (« You certainly will, » is her quick, light response.) He doesn't know how yet, but he's marking it as a priority. He missed her—too much, more than he was willing to admit to himself. Even though Emma still keeps in touch with the team, the Institute hasn't felt the same in the years since she left.
He turns his head towards Emma, thinking of how to phrase his admiration for her, and is hit with the memory of the last time a woman was this close to him. Not perfume, but a distinct scent of smoke and engine oil. The color of her hair, as filtered through his glasses, a vibrant shade he's seen on only one other person. Madelyne. (When was the last time he even called her?)
"I was going to go through everything on the books for Genoshan law," Scott says abruptly. They're in a section full of dull reference tomes, with no one else in sight. "We've been rooting out the obvious sites of mutant exploitation, but I'm concerned about what isn't obvious. The sooner we dismantle all the systems that enabled these atrocities, the better."
For a moment, Emma is simply content. Scott's mind, calm and collected, him missing her, appreciating her, admiring her, the simple fact that they are touching. All of this lends to a momentary suspension of everything, a comfortable, quiet pocket, devoid of the context of Genosha and his earlier avoidance of her.
She is shaken abruptly from this by Madelyne. A part of her is offended - she is here, beautiful and strong and clearly important, and yet his mind strays. But of course it does. Madelyne, who he is still dating, despite the distance growing between them. Madelyne, who looks like Jean. Though Scott's words are abrupt, Emma's movements are not. They are smooth and practiced, a small step back that looks more like a shifting of weight than the pulling away that it is.
His plan earns a quiet hum and a nod. "I'll help you, if you'd like. I don't have anything else today besides making dinner. Which, you should come over for. Shinobi and Warren are in town for a few days."
Scott is attuned to every angle of every object in the room, and when Emma shifts away, so does his mind. Not pushing anyone out, but pulling back into himself, just as slight and subtle as Emma's retreat. In response she softens her presence in his mind, now a light, feathery touch, not invasive except for the fact that she remains there on the edges.
"You're sure? It'll be boring." He takes a piece of paper from his jacket pocket, filled with neatly written questions from himself and Magneto's faction. He starts pulling books from the shelves next, starting with the most recent. "And I'd be honored to attend dinner, so long as everyone knows I won't be wearing anything designer."
Emma leans slightly to look at the list in Scott's hand, careful not to touch him again. She feels oddly ill, almost dizzy, as she tries to mentally recenter herself. "Of course, boring tasks can be meditative." After a moment she holds out her hands, an offer to take books as he finds them. A job will help her. The distraction of dinner will, too.
There's a small laugh as she shakes her head. "Don't be honored, it's nothing special. Just a normal home-cooked meal, black tie optional."
"It's not you who's going to make fun of my clothes." Scott's tone is dry, as is the way he passes books to Emma, calculated and impersonal. Warren and Shinobi think he's terminally uncool, which Scott can't disagree with. His mind centers on that image—Emma the amused hostess, her two wealthy magazine-ready boyfriends, and himself as the odd man out. It's grounding. "But I'll bring flowers."
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