Rules of Engagement

Posted on Sun Nov 19th, 2023 @ 5:48pm by Scott Summers & Bliss Hawkins

2,160 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Episode 3: X-Tra Ecclesiam
Location: X-Hangar
Timeline: August 17th, 1990

"Hey." Scott had waited outside the girls' changing area for Bliss. As had Connor, incidentally, yet Scott had sent Connor away on a snipe hunt. His friend didn't need to be present for this. Once Bliss walked out in his plain clothes, Scott nodded across the War Room area to the high-speed transport tubes. "I need to talk to you. Step into my office."

Bliss looked up to Scott as she finished tying off her Xavier t-shirt.
"Good because I wanted to talk to you too. Lead the way."
She hefted her bookbag onto her shoulder.
"Lead the way "

Interesting. Scott canted his head for a second, but then walked toward the transport area. The high-speed transport tube pulled several Gs of acceleration before depositing them both in the hangar. A couple of single-occupant craft dotted the far side, but the Blackbird was clearly the feature of the area.

Overhead lights clicked on with a powerful whoomphs from the capacitors that helped power them. All alone in several thousand square feet, Scott looked at Bliss and waited for her to compose herself and her bookbag. "Before we get into what I wanted to talk about, what did you want to tell me?"

Bliss slid the backpack off her shoulder and fished out a folded piece of paper from a pocket. She held it out to him.

"Look, not to get deep into it, I know when I see a bad situation. No judgement, ok?"

The folded paper had a toll free number with a neat handwritten scrawl.

National Domestic Abuse Hotline

"I've called them before, they can help. It's 24 hours a day, so you can use it when you're ready. No pressure."

Scott stared at the note with surprise, confusion, and perhaps a twinge of offense. "Is this some kind of a joke?" His tone was even but the restraint was plain.

Bliss looked as serious as a heart attack.
"I've been through shit like this, and I've got the scars to prove it inside and out. I'm being as real with you as I possibly can be. But look I'm just giving you a way to get help. If you don't want it, that's fine. But it's there for you."

His sunglasses hid the rapid-fire blinking but not his arched brow. "Okay..." Scott stuffed the note into his pocket, along with whatever the hell that was supposed to be about, and readied himself for what was actually on his mind. "Moving on. I'm going to assume you're Connor's drinking buddy from the other night. You don't have to confirm or deny that. Just listen." He took a steadying breath, remembering himself at her age, and said, "Connor is a unique person. Nothing is simple or plain to him. He finds meaning in... in things we take for granted and he doesn't do subtlety. I'm saying this as his friend as well as yours." His mouth went flat, his jaw steeled. "Don't play games with him. If you want to be pals, well and good, but don't offer him an ounce more than that. If you're looking for a play thing..." His chin went up, nostrils flared. "... find another. Any other. It won't be him."

Bliss crossed her arms over her chest and she listened to Scott with a dispassionate expression. Inside she was mildly seething at the hypocrisy the young man was displaying. She found his approach sadly laughable. Bliss decided to be the bigger man.

"I care about Connor. Let me express my appreciation for you trying to protect him from your perspective. We all need advocates from time to time. Not all of us get them in time."

Scott cocked his head, wondering where she was going with this.

"I know you're not a telepath so you can't read my mind. But you know a few. Some clearly better than others. I have nothing but the best of intentions with Connor. Unlike a number of people within this organization, I think of him as more than a mascot or pet. He has limitless potential. And I pity anyone who gets in the way of that development."

So the infatuation went both ways. That... was better than Scott had hoped. Maybe he would hear her out.

Her expression was as cool as the other side of the pillow.
"As for him being my play thing? I'm the last person to be a hypocrite, but I think you need to look very deep into your personal playground. While you're doing that, look up the term grooming in your Encyclopedia Xaviercana. You might very well find your picture looking up at you from the page."

The color wanted to drain from Scott's face but indignation kept some redness in the right places. Did she know? But how could she know? No, this type always popped off at the lip, throwing out whatever sounded clever to see if it would stick. "Bliss..." he said in warning that she was overstepping.

She put her hands on her hips and looked up at him.
"The jury is out on whether that picture would portray a groomer or a victim of such. For for your sake I desperately hope it's the latter. I've seen more then my share of users. In my presence they never prosper."

"Stop deflecting," Scott said flatly. "You've clearly been in the hot seat at a therapist's office before, so I'm sure you know what that means. I'm going to take you at your word that you mean the best for Connor. But if you ruin that boy..." He shook his head, stifling the anger he was feeling. Was he really about to threaten a student? "... Xavier won't be the only one you answer to." With that being said, Scott tried to bring things back to an even keel. His reflective ruby-red quartz didn't do much for a genteel disposition. "I wish you both the best."

Bliss stepped up to Scott with a smile. The smile certainly did not reach her eyes.
"I appreciate your best wishes. As for me ruining Connor?"

The closer she got, the more pronounced his height advantage became. He tried not to laugh the little blonde. That would only make it worse.

"Of the two of us, I think I have his best interest in mind. And if you want to try to pull the authority figure bullshit on me? Impress me first. I don't respond well to people with badges and degrees and attitudes. Show me you can help me, and I'll listen to you. In the meantime, you better deal with your own house of problems. Right now you live in a glass house, Mr Summers. I suggest you put all your stones away before they shatter your little world even more than it already has been."

"I wasn't speaking as an authority figure," Scott said. "I'll grant that you've seen things. Haven't we all. I'm not getting into a dick measuring contest with you, Bliss, for a number of reasons that should be self-evident.

"Because mine's bigger?" She offered with a helpful tone.

"If you have something to say, then get around to saying it. Otherwise, all you're doing is showing me how utterly broken you are, and I really don't want to see that." Despite his offense, Scott still tried to hold onto his better nature. "I want to help you, but you've got to help yourself." Pointing two fingers at her, he said, "Like this tough girl act? If I can see through it, you'd better believe Connor already has. I'll let you think about that."

Bliss blinked a couple of times before turning away. Her voice was softer, her shoulders slumped slightly.
"Did you ever think I didn't need to do the tough girl act with him? Maybe he sees the real me, with all the damage. Maybe it doesn't matter to him that I'm so utterly... broken."

No, if he were honest, it had not occurred to him. Scott looked at his feet for a moment. "I'm sorry, Bliss. I've judged you without really knowing you. If you and Connor can find happiness together... then I don't want to stand in the way of that."

Bliss nodded, still facing away from Scott
" And look I know it's none of my business but whatever is happening between you and Aurora? You're a good enough guy that the professor trusts you. I just didn't want to see you hurt. So just be careful okay?"

"What are you talking about?" It wasn't a denial. It was more of a probe. Not so much offense as before either. There was even a tinge of... relief?

Bliss stayed facing away, and smoothed her fingers through her blonde hair. He was going to make her say it.
"So there aren't a lot of students under this roof that aren't paying attention to our teachers, in or out of class. We notice things, and as people do in any group, we talk. We are very social, both humans and mutants alike."

"You do know I was the first student here, right?" Scott was trying to be patient after coming down so hard on the younger girl but she was downright beating around the bush.

"You don't seem like a guy who would listen the music trio the Police. They had a big hit a while back called, "Don't stand so close to me."
She started counting off on her fingers.
"You might listen to it."

Scott suppressed an incriminating flinch. "I know it," he said. There were other things he might say, but in the end words failed him. All he came back was, "Is that what the kids are saying around campus?"

"Just whispers. Look, a lot of strange shit happens in this place. No one's looking to blame anyone. If anything, people are concerned. Some say you're the one that's grooming a student, others say you're the one that's being groomed. Clearly, I fall into the second camp. Otherwise I wouldn't have given you that phone number."

There was a limited number of people on campus at any given time. Either Bliss was being deliberately vague or shit was just about to hit the fan. Scott didn't know which was worse.

"In any case it's up to you Scott. But if there's anything I've learned in this world, it's that if you try to help people, sometimes it bites you on the ass. It's one of the things that can lead you to being broken."

"Let's get something straight," Scott said. "I'm not grooming anyone. No one is grooming me. Those aren't the kinds of things that get gossiped about and everyone ends up okay on the other side." The note he'd stuffed in his pocket started to burn a proverbial hole through the fabric. "And there's no domestic violence happening here either. I don't know where you came from, but the trouble that brought you here needs to stay where you left it."

Bliss turned to look at Scott with an icy glare.
"Or what?"

"Fuck around and find out." Scott's patience had worn thin. "Or grow the fuck up and make something of yourself. Those are your only two choices, Bliss. For all our sakes, I hope you choose wisely." With that, he turned to leave her in the hangar.

She stepped in front of him.

"Let's be honest. You're no teacher, you're Xavier's drill sergeant for his squad of child soldiers."

Scott felt himself got hot beneath the collar. Who did this little bitch think she was? But he wouldn't rise to the bait.

"And when this all blows up on your face... And it will, remember I offered help. My mistake. You're no different than the predators I've encountered in foster care and the road. And I don't care if you can blow up mountains with your left nut, if you hurt my friends I'll find a way to stop you."

Enough was enough. "You don't know the first thing about me," Scott said. "But you will. If you really think I need to be knocked down a peg, then take your best shot. Otherwise you're unbelievably full of shit and I've heard enough." He turned around to head back the other way. The hangar had more than one exit.

Bliss knew he was better trained and more powerful than she was right now. But things change.

"Have fun diddling your underage student."

"Have fun talking to Connor with that mouth." Scott said it loudly so he wouldn't have to turn around. It was a low blow, but he didn't want this interaction to end without his original intent being returned to the forefront rather than his indiscretions. Whatever his mistakes, he would make them right or die trying. The same would also be said for protecting his friend from the same.

One thing was for sure. Bliss and Scott would be watching one another like hawks.

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