12130/Suds, Steaks, and Socket Wrenches

Suds, Steaks, and Socket Wrenches
Date of Scene:	05 September 2020
Location:	Garage - Xavier's School
Synopsis:	Former enemies tentatively look towards the future as allies over a few rounds.
Cast of Characters:	Phoenix, Sabretooth, Cyclops

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Phoenix has posed:
Saturday. While the morning was time for Scott's optional auto shop course, the afternoons are free. As the day winds down into evening, the garage bay doors are still open to let in the summer air and fading gold sunlight and additionally let out the sounds of the radio. Having already made sure her own car was in good shape, Jean is outside of the garage with a beer in hand and waiting for one of the many mobile grills amassed by the mansion to heat up. A cooler is next to it with yet more beverages, while the side tray of the grill holds assorted meats and a few token vegetables waiting to hit the fire.

Sabretooth has posed:
    Victor Creed comes out of the Mansion and into the Garage. This is his first day without Jamie Maddrox following around behind him when not in the basement, but considering Jean and Scott are out here, there are probably no worries. He is dressed in jeans and a tshirt he liberated from somewhere in the Mansion, but the school insignia is ripped and mostly gone. He is carrying a bottle of bourbon in one hand and some glasses in the other. He walks through the Garage to get to the outside sunshine. He takes a deep breath of the open air as he steps into the fading sunlight. He slowly looks around and nods. "Nothing like smelling actual air," he says in a rough tone before the smell of charcoal is also attracting his attention.

Cyclops has posed:
Already out in the garage and working on his own car, Scott is currently under a jacked sports car from the 70's. It's a Pontiac Firebird. A classic black color with a gold bird on the front of the hood. As he rolls himself out from the car, he gives himself a long stretch of his body. He's shirtless and in a pair of blue jeans, with oil and grease smudged along his chest and face from installing a number of parts and cleaning the engine and oil system. There is a sheen of sweat upon him as well from the heat as the garage can sometimes become something of an oven during the peak hours.

Running his hands back through his hair to push it backwards and out of his face, he cracks the joints in his shoulders and back. He gives a quick sniff of the air before giving a grin to Jean and the scent of warm propane. "Should be a few more weeks before it's up and running, but the engine is finally in there." There is a proud look upon his face at the effort. Spying Victor, he lifts a hand upwards to the large man.

"Afternoon, Victor. We're about to make some food if you're interested."

Phoenix has posed:
"One step at a time. You can't rush an old girl." Jean says over her shoulder towards Scott. "She can come out roaring to meet the spring when it rolls around."

As she picks up on the approaching presence of Victor, she looks away from the car with a gesture towards the cooler.

"I'd say grab a beer, but you look like you have your refreshment. Enjoy the air as it is now. It'll smell like snow blowers soon enough, but, I always did find the quiet out here in the middle of winter nice. Even if I could do without the snow."

There's a brief pause as she takes a drink before asking of Victor, "We didn't get to hear much of your thoughts the other night. Do you feel like you're ready to work with the team Scott proposed?"

Sabretooth has posed:
    "Can't say the smell of red meat didn't catch my attention," Victor rumbles as he makes his way towards one of the grills. "But propane, Summers? Can you be any more Westchester?" He shakes his head. "Going to have to build a fire pit in the back. Cook like we are camping out in the woods." He looks from Jean and Scott before setting the glasses he was carrying down on a table that is holding meal prep. He lifts the bourbon into two hands and pulls the stopper out. He begins to pour three drinks of straight up bourbon. He looks back at the other two and nods to the drinks and to them. It is probably as close as he can get to offering to drink with them as of yet.

    "Snow is my heart blood, Red. The cold. The bite in the air. Being out there when most sane creatures are curled up asleep or dead." He shakes his head as he picks up one glass. "The winter is when I feel the most alive."

    Victor takes a drink from his glass before answering Jean's last question. "I suppose. Don't really have much of a choice. Either work with the team or get out. Right now, I am leaning towards work. We will see how it goes." He takes another sip before saying, "Hope you don't mind I raided Chuck's cabinet for the bourbon. I could smell he had the good stuff in there."

Cyclops has posed:
"We all raid the Professor's cabinet from time to time. He just keeps restocking it." Scott ambles over towards them, then leans over to pick up one of the glasses. He holds it up to him to clink. "To new friends and allies." He says as his brows lift some before taking a sip.

"I can cook on coal just fine. Propane is just cleaner and cooks it more evenly. We have a few fire pits out there that we use now and then. We used to play baseball a few years back out at the field, without powers of course, even though every year someone cheats and it's almost always Bobby. We'd have the three grills out there roaring for hours."

Rubbing the back of his neck, he studies Victor's words and says, "You have a choice. We aren't kicking you out if you don't want to join a team, but you /did/ say you wanted to work with us and you wanted to get your claws wet. I'm creating an opportunity for you. Figure you will be less bored. Even if the idea is not received well across most of my friends. I'm willing to shoulder the burder."

Phoenix has posed:
"And that's where we'll always be on two sides of the fence, Victor." Jean says as she sets down her beer and reaches out to take one of the bourbons. "I need the sun. I need life, and now I know who to make help shovel." She does raise the glass and cracks a knowing grin. "And if Charles didn't want us raiding his stash, he'd keep it hidden better. He gets we all need a little extra somedays. So to the future, with some encouragement from the past."

She drinks it back easily as she then gestures the cup towards Scott. "I don't like violence. Not for violence's sake, not to end a fight, but I'm not blind either." She remarks with a dark undertone that isn't just the alcohol's burn. "But that's also why I'm not involved. Frankly I'd rather not know what happens, just don't bring messes back here."

Sabretooth has posed:
    Victor raises his glass to the two of them and tosses back the drink. He swallows quickly and remains quiet with a smile on his face feeling the burn of the alcohol before looking back. "To the future," he says with a nod before making his way towards one of the chairs. He settles his large frame down and sets the bourbon bottle next to him on the ground. "I do want to get out there. I do know I can do things that might make some of you squeemish, but they still need to be done." He reaches for the bourbon and pours a bit more into his glass before setting the bottle down again. "And I promise both of you, if I am involved in the dark stuff, it stays out there. I don't bring that back to the den."

Cyclops has posed:
"Jean and I have had our share of dark moments in the battle field. But, now that we're involved in academics and teaching young minds, we need to stay away from those types of situations. As long as you all behave and try your best to get along with each other, I'll consider it somewhat of a success. This first one we have lined up for you I expect to be a slow burn as we gather intelligence of this creature and what type of information they have on us. I would strongly suggest being cautious and not blindly running into the fray."

Scott finishes his drink and puts the glass down, then heads over to the grill to tend to the meat and take over from Jean. "I take it you like your meat rare, much like Logan? Cow still mooing before you eat it?" He takes his grill tongs and flips over a couple pieces of meat to keep them warm as he checks the exterior.

Phoenix has posed:
"It's less a matter of being squeemish." Remarks Jean, "I don't like violence, but I know how to handle and apply it when there's no other option. I just can't afford to bring it back here or risk leaving a void in case I wouldn't come back. ...again." She adds quietly as she washes down the word with her earlier beer while she steps aside from the grill to leave the cooking to Scott. "But that's why I'm not standing in the way of those better suited for those missions. At least you'll have the luxury of cooler uniforms."

Sabretooth has posed:
    "Knock the horns off and whipe its ass," Victor says with a nod. He has picked a chair where one of the last sunbeams in the sky is hitting directly and he seems to become perfectly still with the sun on him. "Believe it or not, Slim. I am not some wild beast that always just runs in claws flashing. Runt can tell you of the times we worked as Insertion Teams. Moving behind enemy lines. Pulling people out or ending someone else. Getting intell. We just eliminated leaks before they happen." He turns to look his head over at Jean. "I'm not so keen on uniforms...." he trails off as he closes his eyes to the sun.

Cyclops has posed:
"You'll like your uniform. It's all black with a cute promotional red X on your belt. Gotta find a way to market the X-Men." Scott says with a rare hint of humor in his voice as he flips the steak again, then puts it on a plate. It's still bloody and just warm enough.

"I wouldn't mind hearing some of those stories one day, of you and Logan together. Sounds like you two made quite a team. It's a shame you two hate each other as much as you do. I imagine if you two got along, you'd accomplish far more as a team." Flopping a hand upon his chest, he gives himself a bit of a scratching before he he reaches into his back pocket to take out a rag and wipes himself down a bit.

"What about you, Jean? You still like it medium or do you want it a little bloody this time?"

Phoenix has posed:
"Medium's fine." Jean says as she pulls out her buzzing phone to look at the screen. "Anything less and it makes for a long night. Uh, gimme a second. Gotta answer this." She moves to walk into the garage, her tone switching from casual Jean to professional, "Ms. Grey speaking." Must be a school-related call.

Sabretooth has posed:
    Victor chuckles slight at that words of Logan and him hating each other. "Don't go taking away one of my joys in life, Summers. I enjoy hating the Runt. Antagonizing the poor little guy." He reaches down to the bourbon and pours another glass. "I do just fine without that little Jimminey Cricket with claws hopping along behind." He just snorts at Scott's jokes about the uniform. He glances towards Jean as she heads inside and then back at Scott. "You've always seemed to know what you are doing, Summers. Even have the stomach for the tough calls on occasion."

Cyclops has posed:
As he watches Jean go, Scott gives a nod of his head as he lets the meat simmer longer on the grill. He adds his own as well next to hers, then closes the lid with a clank. "I'm sure he enjoys hating you as well. It doesn't change the way I look at it. You two should have been best of friends instead of mortal enemies. I know you both have gone through your share of nightmares involving brainwashing and working for the wrong people, but maybe your time here will help heal at least some of those rifts between you."

He gives a motion to fill his glass up with some more scotch as he gives one last wipe of his hands before he tucks the rag into his pocket. At the last statement, he shrugs his shoulders. "I don't always have the right answer. I second guess myself quite often, more than I probably should at times, but when it comes down to it, I seem to always pull it off at the last moment. There are days where I can't figure out what I want for lunch, then there are others I know exactly what to do under a shower of bullets and half the team bloodied and wounded. We all have a Monday once in awhile. But coming home to my friends and family though is what makes all of it worth it."

Sabretooth has posed:
    Victor uses one claw to cut off a bit of the rare steak that Scott had given him, sticks it with the claw, and then eats it with a nod. "You are a dreamer, Summers," he says in response to healing rifts. "We may be able to go out on a mission together, but I'll still whip his ass every birthday. That ain't going to change." He chuckles as he cuts off another bit of meat. "As a heads up though, don't let the rest of the yahoos in there know you ever doubt yourself. You need to look like you have all the answers. Take it from one soldier that has seen his share of good and bad commanders in a hell of a lot of wars."

Cyclops has posed:
"I don't have an issue with them knowing I have doubts. We all have them. You, me, Jean, Logan, Pete, even The Professor." Scott reaches over to the newly filled glass and takes a sip from it, feeling the burn slide down his throat. "I just don't show it on the battlefield. But, I am not perfect. If I give a command and it's clearly the wrong one to make, I expect someone to step up and tell me why it won't work." Tapping the side of his head, he says, "I'm called Cylops for a reason. Sometimes I have tunnel vision. That is what makes the X-Men successful."

"And why we've whipped /your/ ass every birthday." There's a twitch of his lips upwards into a bit of a grin. "Though five or six on one isn't fair odds. One on one I know you're more than a match for most of us. But, at the end of the day, we are not an army. We don't even consider ourselves a superhero team. Those days when we were kid and the Professor had us running around in spandex are behind us. We will go out when we need to, but for the most part, we're a school now. Being dreamers."

Phoenix has posed:
It was a short call, as Jean returns back through the line of parked cars and out to the grill in the driveway. "We're all dreamers, but dreams change and grow. The challenge is growing with them." She sips her beer as she goes and slants a sidelong look towards Victor. "But try beating on Logan around me and I'll handle what's left when he's done with you. We all have our promises to keep."

She leans herself against the supporting wall between garage doors as she looks between them. "Speaking about the school, I was serious when I suggested we consider moving our operations. It'll be safer for us and the kids in the long run. It was easier to keep concealed when there was just a handful of us and we all stayed here. Mostly. It's not so easy now, and even more dangerous if we're going to be out making new enemies."

Sabretooth has posed:
    "Even dreams have nightmares," Victor says, but doesn't seem completely convinced by Scott's speech. "And if you want to try and hunt me down sometime, for training obviously, we will see how six can do against one." He chuckles and raises that glass of drink towards Scott before taking a sip and then looks to Jean. "Oh, I know you are still soft on the Runt. I wouldn't damage him any more than he could put himself back together from." He gives her a wink and then takes another sip. He listens to the idea of moving the school, but that has little to do with him so he doesn't interject.

Cyclops has posed:
"To move the base would take a lot of work adn it would leave us still with a base under our school that was no longer in use. I suppose we can turn it into a full training center, or a backup. It's not like we can just move the Danger Room though. It would be a timely and costly project." Scott says as he knocks the rest of the drink back before putting the glass down.

Giving a glance over to Jean, then back to Victor, his shoulders shrug upwards. "We're all soft on Logan, though some more than others." He says with a furrow of his brow. As he makes his way to the grill, he opens it up and pokes at the meat, then takes his and Jean's steak out to put on a pair of plates. He hands it over to her, as well as a couple of grilled vegetables.

"If the two of you want to go swing on each other in the Danger Room, I don't think anyone will complain. Long as you don't kill each other. Though I don't think either of you can very easily. Just seems like a waste of one's time."

Phoenix has posed:
"Like time, money, and sense have ever stood in our way for long." Jean says as she takes up the offered plate with a thanks. "It also helps I've been doing up plans and project costs for awhile to make sure it was even viable. I'll show you later."

She settles in to eat while giving a faint noise regarding the Danger Room. "Or break the room. But sparring may be too much of an open invitation, and as fast as you two heal it's better not to have you two in pieces if something comes up."

Sabretooth has posed:
    "Mmm hmmmm," Victor says with a smile, showing off fangs, as the sun is rapidly beginning to pull the last sunbeam off of his chair. "If we are going to be in the same house, there will be some scuffles. All I can promise is that maybe we can teach someone a thing or two while we go at it." As the sunbeam moves away, he sits up to take another sip of his drink. He offers the bottle of bourbon towards Jean as if to ask if she wants one. "I can't lie. I want to get out of this house and do something. Running around the lake only keeps the beast down for so long."

Cyclops has posed:
"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm going to sit in the hot tub after I finish eating and just relax. We have one for the staff away from the students. Has speakers built into it for music and lights that change colors to set whatever mood you want. It's how I meditate. Sitting in the hot tub with my eyes closed and soaking in the heat." Scott says as he slices off some meat to take a few bites, dabbing it into some ketchup he squirted out on to his plate.

Phoenix has posed:
"One more, I can afford to sleep in tomorrow." Jean says to Victor before giving an amused tut towards Scott. "I know those excuses that you're reviewing Danger Room footage aren't entirely true, though I wager sometimes you're doing both. It's a healthier option to recoupe than aspirin and vodka, though."

"I understand wanting to get out of the house. I imagine you'll get that chance soon enough, it sounds like there's a long list of projects planned. I'll be here making sure no one burns down the house."

Sabretooth has posed:
    "So am I staff then?" Victor smiles rolling the glass of bourbon between his large hands. "Or am I some Other category? Can I be there when you tell the rest of your do gooders?" He leans over and pours the drink for Jean with a nod. "I admit I have no idea what a hangover feels like." The jest drops from his voice for a moment as he makes eye contact with Jean. "If I go out on these mission, no one is coming back to burn down the house. I promise you."

Cyclops has posed:
Giving a bit of a smirk, Scott refills his glass with a third round before he takes a sip of it. "It's in our gym. If you want to come, I don't have an issue with it." He says after a bit of thought. "But you aren't staff. You're 'barely' an X-Man." He says as he glances over to Jean with a soft chuckle before he cuts into his meat again for another larger bite. "Gonna join us, Jean? Seeing how you won't have to sleep in."

Phoenix has posed:
Jean Grey collects up the refill with a low sigh and murmuring, "...it's not the leftovers I'm worried about. To Tuesday." She says with an impromptu salute to the first day of classes before knocking back the bourbon. "If you appreciate being free, you'll stay clear of being staff."

At his question, Jean gives Scott a blank look as she gathers her dishes, "I have a date with some last minute paperwork and then a book. I'll leave you boys to the mood lighting and classic jazz."

Sabretooth has posed:
    Victor grabs the bottle of bourbon and stands with a stretch. The sun has set and the cat has lost his sunbeam. "Yes, ma'am," he says with a chuckle. "No staff. Course, I think most of the rest of you would revolt at the thought of me teaching students." He collects his glass too. "Think I probably could teach them a thing or two though." He starts to move toward the Mansion proper. "See the two of you around the water cooler then."