It was always nice when Scott let loose around him. It felt rare and precious. Even if it was happening a little more often since Halloween, when he had to lean on Scott for support. Maybe the two of them grew as friends after that night? He’d already considered Scott his best friend but neither of them were too keen on showing the other they’re insecurities until recently. He let out a laugh at Scott’s words. “No. You couldn’t take mine.” He assured him, leaning in a little. His ocean blue eyes glancing over Scott before finally landing back on his red sunglasses. His smirk leaving his face when his friend started talking about Jean again. “Take it from a guy who’s been there with Jean. If you don’t act on your feelings, she’ll move on.” Warren told him honestly. Every instance when Warren was crushing on Jean, she didn’t seem all that interested in him. Like two ships in the dark sailing right past the other blindly. Never intercepting.
Listening to his friend’s panic, he frowned a bit at him. He was starting to remind him of the same things he’d been thinking lately about Kate. Excuse after excuse. I don’t want to ruin our friendship. I don’t want it to go well until it inevitably fails and I’m all alone again. He understood the anxiety much more than he was willing to let on. He didn’t want to admit that he loved Kate. That he thought about her all the time, or that he smiled like a school boy when he did. It was scarier than any villain he faced. Maybe he shouldn’t be giving Scott any advice. It wasn’t like he was Cupid even if he looked the part. “You’re right. Lots of bad shit can happen… you’re just in your head about it, Scotty.” He said, as if he knew at all what he was talking about. “I’m kinda.. in my head about things lately too.” He said, not clarifying at all what he meant or that he was thinking about Kate in that moment. That quick kiss they shared at the bar and their upcoming fake date. His heart pounded in his chest like a drum.
Scott said that he wanted to help him and Warren blinked at him. Why did he feel so shocked that Scott wanted to help him? Maybe it had to do with how rare it was that anyone offered to help him with his wings. Bobby used to help him into his harness when he’d asked and Candy helped him when they were dating but he was normally alone to take care of himself lately. Grooming them, preening them, dealing with their soreness after a long day of wearing a harness. He supposed that was a learned trait. He didn’t typically go to anyone for help for anything. He was a Worthington and Worthington’s minded their own business. Took care of themselves and didn’t rely heavily on others. That was what his father had always told him… but it felt nice to lean on Scott. To rely on him. Both as a leader and as a friend. This was just… so personal. He was letting him in. “I want you to.” Warren finally told him.
Warren smiled when he said that Bobby laughed at everything. He had a point there. Once the two of them made it to the car and he was finally in the drivers seat and out of the rain. He let out a gentle sigh. He didn’t mind the rain too much but it did dampen his mood a little. Especially when he could feel a storm blowing in. Scott said his glasses were still foggy and to be careful with his car and he let out a laugh. “I drive just fine, you know! Besides, even if something were to happen to it; I’d just pay for it to get fixed.” He said like it were the easiest solution in the world. After starting the car and turning on the windshield wipers, he buckled himself in. “Should we go to the institute or do you want to have a sleepover at my place?” He asked with a playful smile on his lips.
The Warren he had met so many years ago was not the man Scott thought him out to be. Back then, he’d been so focused on everyone’s weaknesses he failed to see their strengths. Even now he considered it a failure on his own part as a leader, and he hoped he’d learned from it. After all, when Scott looked at Warren now, all he saw was strength. Even in things others would consider weakness, Scott had seen Warren derive strength. It made him proud to call Warren his friend. “Hold on a second there, be kind and rewind, you and Jean?” Scott.exe has crashed. “I uh, I hadn’t, that wasn’t...” His words stumbled over eachother in his shock. Sure it made sense Warren was a beautiful man (Scott himself had been attracted to the guy before, when they first met any lapses of attraction ended when Warren opened his mouth coincidently, nowadays it was their friendship that smothered attraction) and Jean was-- well Jean was wonderful. It made sense that they-- , despite trying to logic it out in his brain his face couldn’t help but twist at the thought. “So you two... she moved on.” Had they been together at any point though? He breathed. “Moved onto who?”
In his head? Scott pondered the words. Warren had a track history of being more right than wrong these days, maybe he could be right about this. Or maybe Scott was foolish in being hopeful. “I don’t know man,” He confessed, a fleeting moment of helplessness he quickly brushed aside in favor hopelessness. “Doesn’t hope breed eternal misery?” It was a tad more pessimistic then his usual approach. As Cyclops, the X-Men’s leader, he was all about inspiration and hope. Scott Summers felt a bit less of that. Actually, far less of that. Scott Summers didn’t win battles, didn’t obtain victories, all he did was lose. “Really?” Warren’s own confession took him aback. Warren have romantic feelings was normal, but him being caught up instead of acting on them was not. “Who’s the special person?” He asked with genuine interest. If it was someone who made Warren think before acting Scott intended to hand them a prize (they practically achieved the impossible considering what a heartbreaker Warren used to be).
A smile prodded at Scott’s cheek, and for someone who usually tried to remain in vicarious control of himself, he let the smile overtake his whole face. There was a warm feeling that came with Warren’s acceptance of his offer, of trusting Scott enough not only to mention his pain, but truly accept his help and admit to wanting it. It was special. A vulnerability different than anything forced to display or accidental. It was chosen, and Scott felt almost honored that Warren shared it with him. He valued the admission, and would treat it with the utmost respect it deserved. “If you want,” He began. “We could head to your place instead of the mansion.” He’d rather do it sooner then later, if Scott could stop his friend being in pain sooner then later than he surely was gonna do it. There was no hesitation when it came to Warren’s wellbeing.
“Warren,” Scott said. “You could be the best driver in this very world and I’d still be telling you to be careful with my car. I’ll be telling it to anyone lucky enough to get behind that wheel, you’re not special.” Despite trying to sound stern and serious chuckles wiggled out from the back of his throat, he just couldn’t keep a straight face. Sure he was truthful about the fact he told everyone that same thing, but calling Warren ‘unspecial’, trying to keep his chuckles down was a chore. “Damn right!” Scott would never take advantage of Warren’s wealth, but if the guy did break something he wouldn’t stop him from restoring it. In return, if Scott broke something of Warren’s he’d repair it himself as well. That was friendship, wasn’t it? “Eh, the institute could wait.” He’d text Jean or the Professor later so they weren’t concerned about his whereabouts. For now, Scott would just enjoy himself with his best friend.
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