Obligatory warnings and disclaimers:
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If reading this is in any way illegal where you are or at your age, or you don't want to read about male/male relationships, go away. You shouldn't be here.
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The X-Men and any related characters are property of Marvel Comics, trademarked and registered and copyrighted and all that. I'm using them without permission.
For those who read the comics and worry about such things, this story takes place in the (much simpler and easier to follow) Ultimate X-Men universe, right around issue 54. If you don't want to dig out your copy, the team at that time is Jean Grey, Cyclops, Iceman, Kitty Pryde, Nightcrawler, Colossus, Angel, and Dazzler.
Comments can be sent to "dustyh75@hotmail.com"
Thanks.
Peter, who had looked bored and somewhat surly before, sat up straight in his chair, glancing back and forth between Seth and the Professor. Something was wrong. Seth's hands were suddenly gripping the arms of his chair so hard that Peter could see his forearms trembling a little, and guessed that under the gloves Seth's knuckles would be flat white.
"My parents?" Seth asked, his voice so low Peter had to strain to hear it.
"Yes, I called them this morning," the Professor answered, shuffling some papers on his desk. He wasn't even looking Seth in the eyes.
"You called my parents?" Seth asked, his voice strained. His heart was pounding in his chest suddenly. "Why did you, where did you even know, where are they?"
"Savannah," the Professor answered. "I called them to-"
"You called my parents?" Seth demanded, almost yelling.
"Yes," the Professor answered icily. "I thought we'd already been over that. As I was saying-"
"You knew where my parents were and didn't even tell me?" Seth asked. He felt like the room was spinning, and he wondered for a second if he was going to throw up all over the Professor's desk. He hadn't seen his parents in weeks since they'd kicked him out, didn't even know where to find them, and the Professor had found them, telephoned them, and then just called him into his office to tell him about it. "You called them and didn't even ask me?"
"I wasn't aware that I needed to," the Professor said, his face blank.
"Professor," Peter interrupted. Seth was obviously upset by this conversation, and the Professor, as usual, didn't seem to care as he pursued his own agenda. After his casual disregard at the briefing this morning it was more than Peter felt like tolerating in one day.
"Not now, Peter," the Professor said curtly, holding up a hand. His gaze never left Seth. "As you are only seventeen, Seth, you are at this time a minor. Should something happen while you are at the school, I would require the consent of your parents to seek medical treatment. Given that, I took the liberty of contacting them this morning to begin to make arrangements."
"Not now?" Peter repeated, his brows furrowing together.
"You had no right to just do this," Seth began, finally finding his voice. He felt like screaming, crying, and projectile vomiting all at the same time, but at least he was speaking up.
"Excuse me?" the Professor asked sharply. "I believe yesterday I offered you a place to stay, food to eat, clothing, an education, and I believe you said yes. By your own assent, that gives me the right to act on your behalf unless you would, perhaps, care to rethink your enrollment here?"
The three of them were silent for a moment as Seth realized he was suddenly on the verge of getting kicked out. He locked eyes with the Professor for a second, but looked away.
"No," he answered finally. "I'm sorry, sir."
"I would ask you to please control your emotional outbursts in the future," the Professor said dismissively, and Peter felt his temper flaring again. It wasn't enough to ignore his apology, but instead the Professor had to give him a little kick, too? Asshole.
"Why are we here?" Peter demanded, unconsciously leaning toward Seth. The Professor noted the movement, but said nothing.
"As I was saying before Seth's outburst, I have located and contacted the Rands," the Professor answered. "I explained the nature of the school, your condition, and my intention to enroll you here, and they agreed that this would be the best place for you."
"Of course they did," Seth said bitterly, still looking at the floor.
"Your parents have agreed to transfer your legal guardianship to me, as they no longer wish to be associated with you," the Professor continued. Seth flinched as if he'd been punched. He'd known his parents didn't want him. They'd made that clear when they told him to leave their home, but hearing that they'd had time to think and to reconsider and that they'd decided that they still didn't want him hurt more than he'd thought it would. He thought he was over it, or at least starting to get over it, but clearly that was a mistake. "I have drawn up a number of papers that they need to sign, and which you need to sign as well, and have contacted a lawyer and notary in Savannah who will assist us, as I cannot travel there personally while the team is deployed to Genosha."
He turned from Seth to Peter, finally looking him in the eye and appearing not to notice the fury burning across Peter's face.
"Peter, I would like for you to accompany Seth to Georgia. Earlier you argued that mutants need to help their own kind, so I have presented you with this opportunity to be somewhat more helpful, and to redeem yourself for your earlier outburst. You and Seth will fly out this afternoon," he said, pushing an envelope across the desk toward Peter. "All of the contact information, your schedule, and hotel reservations are included in this packet. You're to meet at the Rands' home at eight PM. Are there any questions?"
Peter glared at the Professor. Seth looked at the floor.
"Very well, then," the Professor said, turning away from both of them to open something on his computer. "Peter, after you've packed your overnight bag, please take Seth to the mall for some clothes, and then take a taxi to the airport. Safe traveling, gentlemen."
Seth blinked. That was it? The Professor drops this bomb on him, and they're dismissed? He felt shell shocked, and almost dizzy. His knees were shaking as he pulled open the door of the office, and the sunlight in the hallway seemed too bright. Blinking, he started toward the stairs.
"Seth?" Peter called, a little uncertain. He felt like he should say something, do something to make Seth feel a little better, but emotions weren't always his strong point. Seth turned back toward him, blinking, and Peter did the best he could. "I, um, I have an overnight bag you can borrow. I'll bring it to your room in a minute?"
"Sure," Seth answered dully. "Thanks."
In the office, the Professor listened to the exchange and smiled. The best way to pull in teammates who felt alienated was to give them a common enemy, and in this particular case he would have to fill that role. He was here to teach, not to be loved.
Seth left his door open, and when Peter walked in with the travel bag Seth was just sitting on the bed, staring at his shoes. The book he'd borrowed from the library, along with his toiletries, sat next to him, and when he looked up at Peter his eyes were dazed. Peter set his own bag down on the floor by the doorway and walked toward the bed.
"Seth?" Peter asked. He'd thought maybe Seth would have cried after the meeting with the Professor, as he was very upset and seemed a little high strung, but instead he seemed muted, as if someone had turned his volume down or something. "Are you all right? I brought you that bag."
Seth blinked at him, as if just noticing Peter was there. Peter studied him thoughtfully for a moment. He had short, light blond hair that was almost white in some light, light blue eyes, and a somewhat angular face, all cheekbones and strong nose and decent chin. He was cute but pale, decently muscled but seemed somehow insubstantial. It was hard to explain, because Peter could sense an underlying toughness, some kind of strength, but at the same time there was a quality to Seth that made you want to just scoop him up and carry him away somewhere. The long sleeves and thin leather gloves gave him a closed off quality, but it was also an attitude that Seth projected, a distance that hung around him like a cloud.
"Peter?" Seth asked. "Is it time to go?"
"We have a few minutes," Peter answered. He wasn't sure how you went about comforting someone, and wasn't even really sure what was wrong. He began to put Seth's belongings in the bag, carefully stowing the toiletries and leaving the book in a front pocket where Seth would be able to get to it during the flight. "Are you all right?"
"You asked that already," Seth responded, rather than answering.
"You didn't answer it," Peter pointed out. He waved a hand at the bed. "May I sit?"
"Sure," Seth answered, scooting over a little. He didn't really think Peter was going to threaten him or anything like that. It was just that he was such a big guy that he made the bed, and really everything else in the room, look kind of small.
"I do not know why you are upset," Peter began, hoping that Seth would supply it. Seth was just staring at him, his eyes wide, waiting to see what Peter would do. He didn't know Peter at all. This afternoon in the Professor's office was the first time he'd even spoken to him. Adding to the awkwardness, he suddenly remembered that Scott had said he should get to know him, because Peter was his "kind of guy". It wasn't that he didn't want to talk to Peter. He didn't want to talk to anyone. Right now he wasn't sure what he wanted. "If it's the Professor, he is always that way. He may act like a benevolent father figure, and may sell himself as a peacemaker on the news, but he would do anything for his cause."
"Then why do you stay here?" Seth asked. He'd gotten here two days ago and wasn't sure he wanted to stay. If this was what the original students, the ones who had been here for months and years, thought then how was he supposed to believe that anything good would come of this and it would be worth what the Professor was asking of him?
"Because some of the things he does are good," Peter answered simply. "Whatever his motivations, some good comes of his actions. People are helped, and I would not be able to help them without the X-Men."
"I don't think I can do this," Seth said, looking away.
"Do what?" Peter asked. "Work with the Professor? He is not always so direct, or so uncaring. Once you are used to him-"
"I don't mean the Professor," Seth interjected, holding up a hand. "I mean, not directly, I guess. What he's asking, actually what he's telling us to do, I don't know if I can do it. If the choice is seeing my parents to stay here, or not seeing them and leaving, I might have to leave."
"Why?" Peter asked. "Have you not seen your parents before?"
"No, of course I have," Seth answered, shaking his head. "I just, I don't want to see them. They don't want me."
"Because you are a mutant?" Peter asked.
"Partly," Seth answered, not wanting to get into the rest. He didn't know if Peter knew about him or not, and this didn't really seem like the time to get into it. "It's a lot of things, but that's most of it."
Seth pulled his legs up onto the bed, wrapping his arms around his knees, pulling into himself as he tried to talk about what had happened without remembering it. Unfortunately that wasn't possible. Carrying this around inside was like having a wound that never quite scabbed over. He forgot about it for a while, but then it would bubble up again like a volcano, burning everything inside him.
"I've known for years that I was a mutant," he began. Peter's face was impassive, but managed to seem sympathetic somehow. Looking into his dark blue eyes, Seth wanted to talk to him, wanted to talk this out with someone before he got on that plane to Atlanta. "I found out in junior high, but it didn't use to happen so often. Most of the time it would be weeks or months between when it would go off. It wasn't always this strong, either. People used to just touch me and maybe get dizzy, or feel a little sick, but when I got older it just got stronger, and it happened more often. People started to talk, mostly just kids at school, and I started to think that I should maybe tell my parents before something happened."
"And?" Peter asked, even though he'd already kind of figured out where it was going.
"And they told me to leave," Seth answered, staring at his knees. His voice was low, and Peter had to lean in to hear him. "They went through the whole thing with the No child of ours could possibly be a mutant' and You're not our son anymore' and all that, just like in some stupid after school special or something, and then they told me to get out. And I just, I never thought they would treat me that way. I thought when I told them that they would be ok with it, that we could maybe work it out together, and we'd still be a family. I told them other stuff, before, and they told me that they still loved me and no matter what I would always be their son, but when I told them I was a mutant they, you know, they just told me to pack a bag. I grabbed some clothes, grabbed some money, and that was it. I didn't have a family anymore."
"You haven't spoken to them since?" Peter asked. "When we met with the Professor earlier, you didn't seem to know that they were in Savannah."
"I didn't," Seth said, shrugging. "When I left the house, they told me never to come back, and I didn't think I would. They were pissed, and I was pissed, and I just kind of stomped out yelling about how I couldn't help who I was and someday they would realize that and all that kind of stuff that people yell in movies or on TV, but in my heart I didn't really think it was real, you know? I just kind of thought it was a fight, a bad fight, but that we would get over it, and when it was done maybe someday we'd even laugh about it."
"Where did you go?" Peter asked. All he'd done was ask questions, but it seemed like this was something Seth needed to let out.
"All over," Seth answered. "I started out crashing at a few friends' houses. I had some older friends that I knew from a, um, from this group at my community center, and when I told them my parents kicked me out they took turns letting me crash on their couches for a couple weeks, but I started to feel bad. I didn't want to take advantage of them or anything, and I kind of thought that maybe after they had a couple weeks my parents would come around, because they had before with, um, something else."
When he looked up Peter was kind of smiling at him.
"You know what I'm talking about, don't you?" Seth asked, suddenly feeling very stupid. Why had he thought he needed to hide that and tapdance around it like that? He already knew about Peter, Peter had probably already heard about him, and he suddenly felt very foolish.
"Yes," Peter answered, nodding. "We can talk about that later, I think."
"I don't know why I didn't tell you," Seth stammered, and felt like he was in a scene from "Dirty Dancing". On the other hand, he'd forgotten for a second how scared and hurt inside he was, but the minute he realized he had it came rushing back again.
"Tell me the rest," Peter said softly, leaning in. He saw Seth starting to pull back inside again, and wanted to catch him before it could happen. When he got him to drop his guard, Seth became a whole other person, and Peter wanted to see that person again. "What happened when you went to see your parents again?"
"They were gone," Seth answered. "The house was empty. All the furniture was gone, the doors were locked, my key didn't work anymore. There was a sign on the lawn, a `For Sale' sign, and they were just gone. I knocked on the neighbors' doors, and they wouldn't answer. I knew they were home, but they wouldn't answer, because my parents had, they had told, told everyone."
Seth felt his voice shaking, his breath starting to hitch, and knew that he was about to lose it. He didn't want to, but there was no way to talk about it, to understand that he wasn't just abandoned by his family, but that they had taken everything else with them, too. It was as if his whole life had vanished, like his parents had taken that with them, too, as if they could load it all into a van and drive away. When he tried to talk to friends from school, everyone knew, and no one would talk to him. A few kids threatened to hurt him and he gave up and stopped talking to everyone he knew, because every time he tried it was the same thing.
Seth jumped as Peter's hand settled onto his shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze. To his own surprise, Seth leaned into it.
"They shut off my phone," Seth continued. "I went to the post office, but they wouldn't tell me the forwarding address. They don't release that to people, I guess. I went to the bank, and they had closed out my bank account. My parents were cosigners on it, and they just, everything was gone. I even went to the real estate office, the one on the sign, and they said they had specific instructions not to speak to me. They felt bad about it, you could tell, but they also looked at me like they thought I might, I don't know what, but you could tell my parents told them."
"And now the Professor wants you to see these people again," Peter said simply, but his tone was firm. He had seen many things, knew that people were capable of much cruelty, but to hear that the Rands had not only cast their child out but done everything they could to destroy him as well. Peter wanted to look such people in the eyes.
"I don't know if I can do this," Seth repeated, the same thing he had said before. "I don't know if I can see them after that. I don't know what to say to them."
"You don't have to say anything," Peter said, standing. He held out a hand to Seth, and felt the cool touch of Seth's glove sliding across his palm. "Listen to me."
"Peter, if this is one of those pep talks like Scott gives," Seth began, shaking his head as Peter pulled him up.
"I said listen," Peter said. "Look at me. No, not at my shoes. Look at me. Your parents have already divorced themselves from you. They cannot hurt you again today, because they have already hurt you this way. They will not find new ways to hurt you, because I will not allow it. Do you understand me?"
"You just met me," Seth pointed out. "You don't even know me at all, and all of you, already, you're all ready to fight for me. Why? Why are you doing this?"
"You already know the answer," Peter said, shaking his head. "I told the Professor that we take care of our own, and I told you that sometimes good things come from the Professor's uncaring plans. They may be your parents, but you are one of us. You can do this, because I will do this with you."
Seth swallowed, nodding. It was the same thing Kurt had tried to tell him over breakfast, the same togetherness that Ali and Warren had tried to pull him into last night.
"Thank you," he answered finally. He didn't know what else to say, and it was hard to talk around the huge lump in his throat.
"It's time to go to the mall," Peter said, smiling.
They didn't talk much for the rest of the trip. They took a cab to the mall, carrying their bags since both of them only had small overnight packs.
Seth went to a couple stores to grab casual clothes, some jeans and a pair of khakis and a few long sleeved shirts, as well as incidentals like socks and boxers and undershirts, but didn't really want to buy more than would fit in the bag for now. When they got to the register, Peter surprised him by pulling out a credit card.
"Peter! Don't pay for my stuff!" Seth gasped, even though he had no way of paying for it himself.
"I'm not," Peter shrugged, handing the card to the clerk. "The Professor has probably already ordered one in your name. We all have a monthly limit.
He'll give you an ATM card, too, in case you need spending money."
"Wow," Seth shrugged. He'd have to thank the Professor later if he still felt like talking to him when this was over.
The Professor's generosity only extended so far, though. He didn't spring for first class seats, but Seth at least got the window, and there was no one seated between them. Peter turned on his Ipod as soon as the electronics light went off and appeared to doze, leaving Seth glad that he had brought that book. Actually, it was more correct to say that Peter had brought the book, since he had been the one to actually pack Seth's bag, and Seth smiled sheepishly to himself thinking about that.
Seth glanced over at Peter as he reclined back in his seat, the white buds of the headphones tucked into his ears tightly enough to block out the noise of the screaming children in the seats behind them and the woman from Jersey who hadn't stopped talking since she'd sat down. Seth reflected enviously that his first purchase with his X-Men gold card was going to be an Ipod of his own, but envy wasn't the only thing he felt as he looked at Peter. Like Scott and Warren and, in a strange way, Kurt, Peter seemed to prove the theory that every guy at the mansion was stunningly attractive. It wasn't just that he was big, his biceps straining the sleeves of his Armani t-shirt while his thighs filled out Diesel jeans shredded at both knees (Peter, apparently, had a little bit of a label problem) and his slablike pecs heaved with every breath, capped by firm nipples that let Seth know Peter was a little cold. Instead, he was also handsome with dark hair a shiny black like coal and a strongly built face that looked like it belonged on a statue somewhere.
Seth sighed, looking away, but felt his eyes sliding back over the edge of his book to Peter every few minutes. Once Peter caught him, his dark cobalt eyes meeting Seth's by accident when Seth glanced over, and he smiled as Seth blushed and buried himself back in his book. Peter had peeked out of his half closed eyes at Seth a few times, too, and was starting to think that he liked what he saw. He also liked that it seemed to be mutual. Eventually Peter got up to use the restroom, and when he came back, rather than returning to his own seat, he took the middle seat next to Seth.
Seth looked over at him, smiling a little no teeth half smile, and Peter looked back, returning the same smile before settling comfortably into the seat and leaning back again. His bare arm, resting on the armrest, touched Seth's sleeve from shoulder to elbow, and lower down he shifted his leg a little so that his calf happened to press lightly against Seth's. Seth was painfully conscious of the new contact, glad that he'd pulled down his tray table to rest his book on so that Peter couldn't see the front of his jeans.
Was Peter flirting with him? Or was he just trying to comfort him again by staying close and making him feel protected or something? He shifted experimentally in his seat a little, so that his leg was pressed a little more firmly against Peter's and their arms were touching just a little more, and then glanced over.
Peter's eyes were closed as he leaned back, lost again in the Ipod, but he was still smiling a little. Seth smiled a little, too, and went back to reading, not breaking their contact.
To be continued.
A shorter chapter than usual, I guess, but this was a good break in the story.