@costcokhakis sent: "Would you sing for me?"
The question doesn't come easy. Scott's hardly the type to ask for anything to begin with, and Melissa had only been in the mansion for a few weeks. It wouldn't do to scare her off.
But she's been so nervous about just using her voice that it's hard not to recognise a little bit of himself in her. Having caught Melissa on her own in the Professor's study, however (and Scott doesn't miss the way she'd been looking out the window at everyone else outside), he figures this is a good, controlled space. If she agrees to his request, all he has to do is shut the door.
"I have psychic barriers," Scott says, tapping his own temple. "Perks of growing up around two of the strongest telepaths in the world, I guess.
"There's nothing you can do to me that I haven't already had to go through."
His hands link, casually, behind him.
"You don't have to if you don't want to, of course. I just wanted you to know it's okay to use your voice around me. In case you're sick of all that writing."
[ unscripted asks . always accepting ]
The way Melissa jumped at the sudden question (she had been distracted, after all) was nothing compared to the sensation after she processed the request. What? Did Scott Summers just ask her to sing to him - on purpose? The brunette's entire body turned away from the window to stare at the other mutant, looking at her senior as if he had suddenly offered to take a long walk off a short cliff - but his continued explanations and assurances started to make some sort of sense.
Well, for beginners - she was immensely tired of the writing. Melissa had gone through two notebooks since her arrival, and the new one (with a simple blue cover) was just on the closest surface to her, as well as the pen used to scribble every thought and answer that needed to be shared with others. Apart from the Professor and Jean, who could speak directly to Melissa's thoughts, no one else at the manor had heard from her - not even during her sleep; the girl had desperately asked to be given separate accommodations just to avoid any accidents.
But they had established that much so far - strong mental barriers should hold her powers at bay; furthermore, her intention was also relevant in accessing her abilities, as they were figuring out. So maybe Scott, as an experienced student and someone who mastered his gift, knew things she didn't. The Professor had already highlighted that - they were a family; they helped each other out and Melissa would see that she didn't need to be afraid or shut herself from the other mutants.
The brunette's first instinct was to grab the notebook - but she stopped midway, letting her hand drop in the air and instead looking at Scott before nodding twice, (re)assuring both of them. Melissa waited until the door was closed, gesturing to an empty seat - he should get comfortable then, something that the younger student did too after picking up the notebook and settling on the left corner of the couch located there.
"Do you have any requests?" she said, at long last - and it was soft and timid, almost like she feared being heard outside of that room or if the volume could somehow influence in how her abilities materialized. Her hands were linked over her legs, fidgeting rather intensely - but she wasn't afraid. Melissa realized that she was nervous to have an audience after so long, particularly a willing one - it was a very selfless, generous thing that Scott was doing by volunteering so the least the girl could do was pick something he enjoyed.
