Cyclops: Fear No Gods (Marvel)

"God it pisses me off!"

Warren glanced at Bobby out of the corner of his eye as they walked down the street. With school having ended the two were now leisurely making their way back to the Xavier Institute. They were only two with Hank having stayed behind for football practise and Scott had gone to pick up Alex. There had been some noticeable tension between the two brothers recently, though Alex that very morning had seemed unusually happy which was a stark contrast to the almost sour Scott.

That had left Warren and Bobby to make their way back home alone, the silence between the two usually chatty individuals being broken by Bobby's sudden outburst.

"What does?" Warren asked.

"Scott."

Warren smirked. "That's a who, not a what."

The glare Bobby shot him said he didn't appreciate the humour, not that Warren didn't though.

"Why, though?" Warren continued. "You've barely spent any time with the guy. When we do, he's just training us. Hardly enough time to get that pissed off at him."

"That's exactly my point!" Bobby exclaimed. "He's so intense. Can you deny that? At lunch, we tried to talk to him, and he was either buried in that little notebook of his or just sat silently. When he did talk he was just grilling us about training. He never asked anything else. Does he ever switch off?"

Warren couldn't deny it.

Though he had only known Scott for a little under a month, well more so if he counted when he first met Scott back in New York. Even so, one thing was very clear and that was that Scott was intense—almost overwhelmingly so. It had only taken a few days in Scott's presence to understand that he never switched off.

Unlike the rest of them, Scott didn't seem to have much of a social life at all. Warren would admit since Bobby arrived a few days ago, the two had become fast friends. Hank was an alright guy, but he didn't share much in common with Warren or Bobby. Most of his time was spent either studying or at football practise, though when he was around he was a decent guy.

Scott on the other hand, well he was hardly ever free, the only time Warren can think of being at meal times. Xavier pushed heavily for meals to be eaten as a group, no doubt away to form bonds between the team and while Warren didn't like it, he will admit it had helped him get closer to Bobby and Hank. Hell, it helped him get to know Charles, Amelia, Alex and even Logan a little bit better.

But Scott?

He was an enigma.

He was quiet and the only time he was vocal was in training and he was by no means talkative even then.

"True," Warren admitted. "But that's just the way he is."

Even despite all those things, Warren with all he'd seen and learned, was very aware that he knew only bits and pieces about Scott. But it was enough to recognize that whatever had happened to him in the past had left a deep scar. The experimentation at a young age, losing his parents in a plane crash and living on the streets for months. All of it told Warren enough about why Scott was the way he was and even then he knew it was only scratching the surface.

Alex didn't seem fully aware of everything that had happened considering he would have been barely 6 or 7 at the time if that. Amelia and Charles seemed to know more and they did not share the details, hell everything Warren had learned was from Alex.

Despite that though, Warren wasn't sure he wanted to know the full details. Whatever it was, it had damaged Scott in ways that couldn't be ignored. His intensity seemed to be his way of coping—a way to maintain control and Warren felt bad for him.

"An asshole?" Bobby muttered.

Warren shrugged. "I can't say he's not."

"So what is he?"

Warren hesitated before answering. "No clue. But what I do know says a lot."

"Like what?"

"He acts the way he does because he's been through some serious stuff," Warren said simply. "He attacked Oscorp on his own to save me. Didn't hesitate for a second, according to Amelia. He even took on superpowered enemies to give Hank and his parents a chance to get away."

The stories about Scott's exploits had come up naturally as the new team bonded. Hank and Warren had shared their experiences, and Scott's role in both of their stories became clear.

"I know that," Bobby admitted with a sigh. "It doesn't change the fact that his intensity pisses me off. Like, if I don't give a hundred percent for even a minute, he's all over me."

"That's just who he is," Warren argued, though he nodded in agreement. "But yeah, it's a little annoying."

"Thank you."

"But also…" Warren continued, cutting Bobby off. "He's right to be that way. From what Hank told me about the people Scott fought, we wouldn't have stood a chance. Hell, I fought one of them before they had enhancements and still got my ass kicked. If it weren't for Scott saving me, I'd be dead. He knows what he's doing, and as much as I hate to admit it, I respect him for that."

And that was the difference between them.

Warren had fought alongside Scott and seen firsthand what he was capable of.

Bobby hadn't.

Not fully.

For now, Bobby had only seen Scott briefly in action and then was exposed to Scott's harsh exterior. He couldn't understand the reasons behind it and Scott, for his part, didn't seem interested in changing Bobby's mind. Scott stayed focused on his goals, unwilling to let himself be distracted.

"I still don't like him," Bobby muttered, conceding defeat in the argument.

Warren shrugged.

He didn't like or dislike Scott—but he respected him.

That was enough.

-X-

The walk up to the Xavier mansion was filled with the crunch of gravel underfoot and Alex's unrelenting chatter. The younger Summers boy was practically bouncing beside his older brother, his school bag slung carelessly over one shoulder, his eyes alight with excitement.

"Scott, you have to admit, it's so cool that I get to train now. I mean, Bobby said I'll probably be better at blasting stuff than he is in no time. And Warren? He said I've got 'potential.'" Alex puffed out his chest a little, his grin infectious. "Maybe I'll even get my own code name soon—something cool, like Havok or something. What do you think?"

Scott remained silent, his eyes fixed on the mansion ahead. The familiar stone walls loomed in the distance, and he found himself wishing the walk were longer. He could feel the tension creeping up his spine, the words he didn't want to say gathering in his throat.

"Come on, Scott," Alex prodded, nudging his brother's arm. "You've got to admit it's going to be awesome having me on the team."

Scott stopped abruptly, his hand moving instinctively to adjust his glasses. He turned to Alex, his expression calm but resolute. "Alex, listen to me. Joining the training sessions doesn't make you a member of the X-Men."

The grin on Alex's face froze, then faded. "What? But I'm training with you guys! Why else would I be training if not to be part of the team?"

Scott sighed, his shoulders stiffening. "We've been through this. The training is to help you control your powers and learn to protect yourself. That's it. It doesn't mean you're ready to fight—or that you should be fighting."

"But I want to fight!" Alex argued, his voice rising. "I want to help, Scott. I want to fight with you, not just sit around waiting for something to happen."

Scott's voice sharpened, though he didn't raise it. "And that's exactly why you're not on the team. You're not ready. You're too young, Alex. I'm not the only one who thinks so—Charles and Amelia both agreed. We talked about this when you asked to join the sessions, and we talked about it again this morning. Nothing's changed."

Alex scowled, his hands balling into fists at his sides. "You just don't want me to fight, do you? You want to keep me out of everything, like I'm a little kid."

Scott's jaw tightened, his frustration clear. "I want to keep you safe, Alex. That's what this is about. And if you keep pushing this, then you won't be joining the training sessions at all."

For a moment, Alex looked like he wanted to argue further, but Scott's unwavering expression left no room for debate. With an angry huff, Alex turned and stormed up the mansion steps. He yanked open the door and stomped inside, not bothering to look back.

Scott followed more slowly, pinching the bridge of his nose as he stepped into the cool interior of the mansion. As he closed the door behind him, he caught sight of Amelia and Jean standing by the staircase. Amelia was gesturing toward the upper floors, evidently giving Jean a tour of the sprawling estate.

Alex stomped past them without a word, his expression thunderous. Jean glanced after him with a raised brow, then turned her questioning gaze to Scott. Amelia, however, seemed less surprised. She sighed heavily, folding her arms as she looked at the elder Summers brother.

"I'll be back in a moment," she said to Jean, her tone weary. She followed Alex up the stairs without waiting for a response.

Scott leaned against the doorframe, rubbing his temple as the tension from the conversation settled heavily on him. Jean stepped closer, her expression curious but soft.

"Everything all right?" she asked.

Scott tensed suddenly at the sound of her voice.

He'd been avoiding her ever since she arrived at the mansion, but Scott had always known it would be impossible to avoid her forever, though he had not expected it to happen so soon. Cyclops' memories had given him a complicated web of emotions toward her—feelings of longing, pain, and anger that weren't entirely his own. He couldn't separate his own thoughts from Cyclops' when it came to her and it left him unsure of how to act.

He wanted to speak to her.

He wanted to avoid her.

He wanted to yell at her, to demand answers for a life she didn't live and a pain she didn't cause.

There was a lot of baggage there to be unpacked and he didn't want to deal with it right now. Ideally he'd like to avoid it for as long as possible so instead, he stood there, awkward and silent.

"Scott, right?" Jean said, breaking the tension.

"Yes," Scott replied curtly. "Jean."

It wasn't a question.

It was a statement of fact.

Jean blinked, confused by his tone. "Yes?" she murmured. "Is that a problem?"

"No."

"Okay…"

The silence returned, heavier than before.

Scott tried to break it. "Are you settling in well?"

Jean nodded politely. "I am. Amelia and Charles have been very kind."

"That's good."

The conversation felt stilted and Scott knew he wasn't helping. Before he could say more, the front door burst open, and Bobby and Warren stepped inside.

"Hey, guys!" Bobby greeted, his enthusiasm cutting through the awkwardness as he made a beeline straight for Jean. "Fancy going on a tour? Get a feel for the place?"

Jean smiled politely. "I'd like that."

Warren turned to Scott. "You coming? You've been here longer than us. Should know more places than we do."

"I'm good," Scott said flatly.

"Suit yourself."

Bobby and Warren immediately turned back to Jean, leading her away as the trio began their impromptu tour.

Scott watched them go, his fists clenching at his sides. He didn't know what he felt—or whose feelings they were.

Longing.

Anger.

Regret.

It was all too much.

He turned and walked away.