A Wealth of Opportunities (RP for cyke_out)

[worthy_warren]

Scott didn’t like receiving gifts. Warren had learned that fact years ago, after the fifth time Scott’s forehead had wrinkled up at the sight of a new pair of sneakers or first edition book. Warren had quickly chalked the reaction up to Scott’s incurable modesty, and tried his best to cut down on giving his friend extravagant presents from then

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[cyke_out]

Scott did, in fact, go to the Iron Man movie

[worthy_warren]

Warren was sitting in his office, sipping green tea and checking the stock reports on his laptop, when Scott came back. He'd flown for nearly an hour, trying to clear his head and make sense of what Scott had told him, but the information still wouldn't process. Scott had always hated Logan, hadn't he? And now they were, what? Fucking? Dating? What the hell had changed?

And if he was going to have a fling with a guy, why the hell would Scott choose Logan over himEventually, Warren knew he had to come home and try to distract himself with something other than flying. Fortunately, running his company - even from a distance, letting his Board of Directors do most of the hard work - was useful for filling up his time. And even more fortunately, Logan had apparently temporarily vacated the premises, off alone on a mission for a day or two. Warren wasn't sure what he'd have done if he'd come back to find him in his house

[cyke_out]

Scott shrugged. "It was propaganda. But interesting, all things considered. I don't really know the guy that well, but it seemed right. I should ask Emma what she thinks." He twirled the huge cup absently on the table top. There was still some watery soda in the bottom. Scott didn't know how anybody finished one of these things.

"Still got some drink left. Have some." He pushed it across the table in Warren's direction, then added, "You're a good friend, one of the best, and I didn't mean to take advantage of your hospitality, so I'm sorry."

[worthy_warren]

Warren made a face at the Iron Man-plastered cup and pushed it away, but he pulled out a stool and sat down at the table across from Scott, folding his hands together on the surface. He'd cooled down considerably since their last encounter, and he wanted the conversation to be fair.

"You didn't take advantage. My house is always open to anyone. And you're still getting that suit." He took a sip of his tea and set the mug down on a coaster. "But it would have been nice to know you were bringing a boyfriend. If that's even what he is." He shook his head. "How the hell did all this happen, Scott? Explain it to me in a way that makes sense."

[cyke_out]

Scott pressed his hands together, steepling his fingers. "I should have told you right away," he admitted. "But in fairness, I was out of contact with Logan, and he didn't even know I'd broken up with Emma, so I waited for him, and then for the right time to tell you. . ." Scott sighed. "What do you mean, 'if that's even what he is'? Am I not explaining this clearly enough? Logan and I are together, he's my boyfriend. What am I leaving out?"

[worthy_warren]

"How about how you went from blasting him out your window - don't think Hank didn't tell me about that one - to being his-" Warren choked on the word, "boyfriend?"

"And for that matter," he added, gesturing widely, "since when does Logan like guys? Or you? Didn't he spend years trying to take Jean away from you?"

[cyke_out]

"If you have a question about Logan's personal romantic history, you could try asking him," Scott said, a little testily. "As for the rest of it --"

He stood up and started pacing, fingers twined behind his back.

"It's kind of ironic that you are asking me this, you realize?"

Only kind of ironic, of course. Warren had been known to pursue Jean himself, both before and after what had happened between the two of them. But he hadn't actively, publicly, and sometimes loudly advocated the breakup to Jean's face, the way Logan had been known to do. And they hadn't thrown each other out of windows, either -- not over that, anyway.

[worthy_warren]

"Fine, fine. It's completely possible to like both of you. But what in God's name do you see in him?" Warren stood up, pressing his fists against the tabletop and following Scott's pacing with his eyes. "He's - he's an animal, Scott. He's rude, he's crude, he's short and hairy and has absolutely no sense of personal hygiene, he kills people on a regular basis, and he's been nothing but nasty to you or anyone else since the day we met him. I'll acknowledge that he's an asset to the X-Men, but as a romantic partner... what am I missing?"

[cyke_out]

"You know what I'm missing?" Scott spread his hands. "I'm missing why you give a shit. I'm getting goddamn tired of having to justify my relationships to other people. I like him. He likes me. We've been through hell together. I think that's worth something, and I don't really care if you approve or not."

[worthy_warren]

Warren set his jaw and cast his gaze down to the table. "I just want to know what he could possibly have that I don't."

[cyke_out]

Scott kicked the kitchen cabinet. "Oh, fuck's sake! Don't be such a --" He whirled around to face Warren. "What are you, twelve? The fact that somebody likes someone who isn't you is some kind of an insult? Grow up!"

[worthy_warren]

Warren glared back, defiant. "We're not talking about Jean here, Scott. We're not talking about Emma. We're talking about a nasty little troll that you've apparently decided to take up with for no explicable reason, and, yes, I take that as an insult! We've been through just as much hell together. More, I'd say."

[cyke_out]

"Don't be an idiot, Warren," Scott said through clenched teeth. "I didn't pick him over you. I didn't go walking down Fifth Avenue and point in the window and say, 'I think I'll have that one.' Things happened, and he and I were together, and we reacted -- and stuff developed, and -- and I haven't had any reason to think you were interested in me since --"

He stopped. Since they had buried Jean, and Scott had left everyone behind to go work on a boat, and given Warren a too-stiff hug and asked him to look after the team, because he still didn't trust that Wolverine character.

"Christ," Scott muttered. "Can't you just be my friend? I needed somebody to just be my friend right now and I was dumb enough to think you would do it."

[worthy_warren]

Warren was silent for a moment, unclenching his fists and working to get his breathing back under control. Then he looked up again at Scott.

"Of course I'm your friend. We've been best friends for years. That's not going to change. I'm just... going to need some time to get used to this."

Warren seriously doubted he'd ever get used to this, but maybe he could eventually stop feeling betrayed by it.

He looked up at Scott, trying to make contact with eyes he couldn't see. "Is it serious? This thing between you and Logan?"

[cyke_out]

"Sure, I know." Scott shrugged, tried to give a nice smile, remembered he hadn't always been as understanding as he could have about his friends' choices. "Best friends is good."

Scott closed his eyes and took off his glasses, pretending he needed to wipe them on his shirt. "Serious, what's serious? We've been sleeping together -- for a few months now." He put the glasses back on and opened his eyes. "I love him. Is that serious?"

[worthy_warren]

Warren sat down again, abruptly, on his stool. He'd been prepared for anything but that. Now it just felt like the very definition of adding insult to injury.

But he tried to keep the hurt out of his face. Friend, he reminded himself. He'd just promised Scott that he'd be a friend.

"Whoa," he said, quietly. "Yeah, that's serious." It was all he could manage.