12990/Breaking out of the nest

Breaking out of the nest
Date of Scene:	08 April 2021
Location:	Interior, 714 Titicus Road, Breakstone
Synopsis:	Scott shows Warren the new house. They talk about the 'job' they were thrust into since they were kids and the responsibilities attached to it.
Cast of Characters:	Cyclops, Archangel

---

Cyclops has posed:
"So, here she is, Warren. Jean and I's new home away from home."

As the red sports car pulls in through the long driveway and parks in front of the home, he pushes the button on the dash to kill the engine, then climbs out. He's wearing a snug t-shirt and a pair of jeans, looking relaxed and casual on his 'day off' to spend time with his best friend.

"We're going to move our things in slowly over the course of the next few weeks. We don't want to just disappear over night during the school year."

Archangel has posed:
"I think people would survive if you just weren't there one day, Scott," Warren says with a chuckle as he makes his way out of the car, stretching out his wings once he out of the confinement of the cabin. "I'm sure the rest of the staff can handle things in your absence. If you want I can hire a moving company for you to just have it all done in one go. Less of a hassle that way. Not that Jean has issues with lugging heavy boxes around, but it is the principle of the matter."

Warren turns his gaze to the house, then back to Scott, then back to the house. "Big place for the pair of you. Are you buying big in expectation of filling it with more? Or...is there something you need to tell me?"

Cyclops has posed:
"Jean picked it out. She wanted something big enough for a family and to entertain guests. It's three bedrooms and three baths, but it has a lot of yard and a guest house. Gives me a lot of room to work on cars and other projects." Scott fishes the keys out of his pocket as he trots up to the front door. After toggling the lock, he nudges it open and heads inside, swinging the door wide open for him.

"Jean is the one who's worried about being away from the school for so long. I personally am ready to retire and spend the rest of my days here working on a Mustang, or a Vette." He says with a grin over to him. "We need to get Hank out here as well. Have a nice fire pit in the backyard, get some beers in us and just talk."

Archangel has posed:
Following Scott in, Warren chuckles, "See, she is thinking of little Summers running around the place. Only a 3 bedroom though? I don't know, Scott. You may need to add on at some point."

The billionaire looks around the place, nodding his head in a silent approval of the space, "Beers and a BBQ sounds good. I heard Hank was up and around again, glad to hear it. Haven't run across him myself, been to busy dealing with things at work. Trying to balance that with the stuff at the school doesn't leave much time for other things. Maybe I should retire myself, but I haven't even started working on an heir yet. My father would be so disappointed."

Cyclops has posed:
"Maybe just one or two little Summers. I think after the first she'll rethink the decision of having a bigger family. Having a telepathic kid that shoots eye beams may be too much for her." Scott says as he leads him around the house with a grin, showing off the living room, followed by the kitchen. As they head out through the back doors into the yard, he makes a motion with his hand. "I definitely want to put a pool out here."

On the topic of Hank, he gives a nod of his head. "Yeah, he's up and about. I told him he's not allowed to work for a week while he gets through his memory gap issues. He's been spending some time with Sandy in the city. I think he'll be back today though. I know it'd mean a lot for him to touchbase with you."

Archangel has posed:
"I'll see if I can't take some time to visit," says Warren with a shrug of his shoulder as he follows Scott around to the backyard, taking a mental survey of the land. With a flap of his wings, the Angel takes to the air to get an aerial look, landing again after a quick fly around.

"Nice layout. Close enough to the neighbors but not that close. Should provide you with some privacy. I just hope your neighbors are ready for the type of company you keep."

Cyclops has posed:
"I'm sure they'll get used to it, or Jean will just make them forget." Scott says with a chuckle as he watches him fly around to take a look at his property. He folds his arms over his chest, taking in a deep breath of the fresh crisp air into his lungs.

"But it will be nice to enjoy some nights without waking up to the sound of explosions or the fire alarms going off, or security going off because kids are sneaking out. I'm going to invest in a great bed, that's for sure. Something I can really pass out in."

Once he lands, he leads him back in to show him the upstairs and the master bath and bedroom. As he goes, he points out some ideas that Jean has for the room, giving a few motions of his hand. Once they finish inside, he heads out to show him the guest house. "So it looks like they were using this mostly for storage, but we're going to reno this and put a small kitchen and bathroom in it."

Archangel has posed:
"Making a in-law suite, for when the folks come to visit? I don't know, Scott. I don't see your dad being the type to live in the guest house," Warren laughs. "I think he would just park his ship there in the backyard first." The Angel grins, taking another look around the place as they walk through. "I'm sure you and Jean will be happy here. I'm happy for you both, really. I think it is good you two are finally getting out of that place. You need to live your own lives."

Cyclops has posed:
"I'm pretty sure I won't see my dad anytime either. I was thinking more of entertaining guests like you, or Hank, or Bobby for those who come over and stay late and don't want to drive home, or fly." Scott says as he gives a motion towards his wings. "But, thanks man. I'm hoping this will work out as well. Knowing us though, we'll probably spend more time at the school than here. We're both married to the job and paranoid about staying away too long." He says with a smile. "But, living our own lives. That is going to be our toughest challenge."

Archangel has posed:
"You should quit," Warren says seriously without hesitation. "At the very least, take a leave of absence or something. If you both are married to the job, you won't be married to each other and that is what this whole thing is all about. Things at the school will survive without you. The X-Men will survive without you. I know this is hard to hear Scott, but we don't need you or Jean to go on with life."

Warren turns to Scott and shrugs a shoulder, causing the feathers on his wing to ruffle with movement, "I'm serious. You two are about to start a new chapter of life...leave Xavier and all his name includes out of it. You'll be happier for it."

Cyclops has posed:
There's a soft laugh from Scott as he gives Warren a pat on the shoulder. "You know I can't quit. You know the type of responsibility that I hold by being who I am. Cyclops of the X-Men. The Captain America of mutants." He says as he extends his hands outwards and wide before him. "It's a weight that has been on my shoulders since we were kids, when the Professor made it clear that I would lead the X-Men. I am as much as a symbol as Rogers is, even if it's on a smaller, niche scale. I don't know if I could walk away."

As he speaks, there is that hesitancy in his voice. It is a /huge/ weight he has put upon himself. "But I don't know if I'd be happier away from the team, from the school, from you guys. This is the only family I have had since I was forced to jump out of a plane with Alex. My mother is gone, my father .. " He shakes his head. "I can't even consider him my father at this point. He left us behind to jaunt through space and marry an alien with fur. He abandoned us. Without you guys." He says, his jaw shifting.

"I don't have anyone."

Archangel has posed:
Warren looks at Scott with a skeptical raised eyebrow, actually rolling his eyes at one point towards the end. "Really? You think that if you quit you are going to let the entirely of the mutant world down? You think that suddenly Bobby, Hank, Ororo and any of the countless others that have been, or are part of, that school couldn't take up the mantle and be the next 'Cyclops'? I hate to break it too you Scott, but I think mutantdom would survive and find it's next 'symbol' if you left the scene. It would have to if you ended up dead on the moon, or any other damned place we have ended up anyway. You're just a man, Scott. Same with Rogers. Eventually people are going to have to move on from putting the weight of the world on your shoulders, you should start by being the first one to do so."

Warren pulls a flask out of his jacket pocket and unscrews it, offering it over to Scott, "And if you think by quitting and leaving the 'life' you would get rid of the lot of us, you are sorely mistaken. You still would 'have' us, Scott. It's not like we would cease to exist."

Cyclops has posed:
"I don't know, I'm pretty sure if I quit you'd stop taking my calls."

Scott says as he takes the flask for a brief sniff, then gives a quick sip before handing it back to him. "And I understand what you're saying, but I just feel that this responsibility is mine to carry. I couldn't ask any of you all to be in these shoes. It allows /you/ guys to have the freedom and flexibility to enjoy your lives. This is all that Charles has trained me for. I can't just walk away. I'd be letting him down. Letting this dream down."

He furrows his brows with a heavy sigh in his chest, giving a slight shake of his head as he gets lost in his thoughts for a moment. "Maybe I can take a 'break', like a honeymoon phase. But I don't think I'm capable of cutting the cord all the way. I know Jean won't. Not while she oversees the school."

Glancing back at him, he gives his shoulder a squeeze. "Look what The Professor did to us, man. We were just kids." He pats him again, then starts for the car. "Let's get some lunch. I'm buying."

Archangel has posed:
"I don't take your calls as it is. You take mine," jokes Warren with a wink as he takes the flask back and takes a sip from it himself before putting it back into his pocket.

"I hear you, I do. I just know being in a marriage takes work, Scott. You and Jeanie have been doing this dance forever, and your finally ending the waltz and are about to get throw into the pit of a rock concert. Shit, if you thought dating her was hard you are fooling yourself if you think that marriage is going to be easier. If the two of you don't put yourselves first in this thing...I don't want to doom-prophet but I have seen what a work-first lifestyle does to a relationship. I don't want to see that happening for you two."

Warren shrugs again, starting to follow Scott with a smirk back towards the car, "I'm pretty sure I make more than you, Scott. I'll buy."