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[Jean Grey]

Jean was a woman on a mission. She had a plan and she was going to do her best to talk Scott into it for a few different reasons. One of which was that she really wanted to go and while she'd been invited by someone else, she'd turned him down since it wouldn't have been appropriate. The other was that Scott rarely took time off or away and he could use the down time. The third was that she was being selfish and wanted her boyfriend all to herself for a little while.

She'd tracked him down to his room which really wasn't terribly surprising. It was growing late and as it was, she was in her pajamas but he'd been busy all day and she'd not had a chance to talk to him until now. If this didn't work, she was half tempted to ask Charles to make Scott take a break. He really needed one and as much as she appreciated his work ethic, he had to remember that he was also a man and needed to behave like one now and again.

Knocking on his door, she called out, "Scott, it's Jean. Can I come in and talk to you for a minute?" She was wearing her emerald green silky tank top with her matching pajama pants and her hair was hanging loose down her shoulders and back, still damp from her recent shower.

[Cyclops]

It had been another long day for Scott Summers. Teaching classes from 10am to 2pm barely even time for a quick lunch break in between. Then the afternoon had been filled with running seven different Danger Room training sessions for groups and individuals, four of which he had to participate in himself. Though he loved the work even he was not a machine and as much as he didn’t want to admit it was starting to feel his age when it came to that work load.

It didn’t help that some of his students were not the easiest to get along with. He had to restrain himself from knocking one or two out of their seats in class today. Of course in the Danger Room one would think they’d be more prone to listen but kids just have to try to do things their own way. Then when they fail the simulation they try to make excuses why it’s his fault they died. Of course the adults were no better in the Danger Room. Was it too much to ask that they get through one training exercise without someone showing off, disobeying an order, or just not caring enough to give it their best?

Scott knew he was tired when the most relaxing part of his day was sitting in his room office with a sandwich and a stack of bills to go through. He may not have been a math expert but Scott took this as part of his administrative duty for the school and he had done it enough it was just a matter of checking the numbers and signing the papers.

He picked his sandwich up from his plate with one hand. He was enjoying the bite of peanut butter and jelly when the knock on the door startled him.

"Scott, its Jean. Can I come in and talk to you for a minute?"Scott swallowed hard getting the chunk of sandwich that had got caught in his throat to go down.

“Uhgh yeah come in.” He called back taking a gasp of air. Scott reached over getting his glass of milk to wash it down. Putting the glass down and once he got his breath back Scott turned his head towards the door and he almost lost his breath again.

[Jean Grey]

She opened the door to find Scott looking a bit worse for wear. Not sure what was going on other then he had a half eaten sandwich in his hands, she quickly crossed the distance between the door and him and asked, "Scott, what's wrong?"

Jean was already patting his back a bit although she knew that technically that wouldn't help him too much if he was choking. He was breathing and that was a good sign. She knew she probably panicked but the idea of losing him to a sandwich just wasn't all that appealing. She hadn't seen him at lunch or at dinner and wondered if this was the first time he'd eaten since breakfast.

Leaning back against the desk next to him, she asked, "Is this the first you've eaten all day? I can make you something a bit more healthy then a..." Jean paused for a moment and looked at the sandwich closely. "Peanut butter and jelly? Scott, why weren't you at dinner?"

That solidified things in her mind. He was working much too hard and he needed a break, especially if he didn't have time for proper meals. Feeling like she was probably headed for an uphill battle, she took a deep breath and plunged on ahead. "There's a concert I want to go to in the city in a few days and I want you to take me," she told him point blank.

Jean had the ability to mentally manipulate him into taking her but she wouldn't stoop to that level. As much as she loved him, she wanted him to want to be with her because he wanted to and not because she made him. Wanda's words from the other day, one of the last times she'd seen her dear friend, kept vibrating in her mind. Scott took her for granted. She didn't want that to be true. At all.

[Cyclops]

"Scott, what's wrong?"
Scott shook his head his senses all coming back to him.

“I’m fine; it’s just that you always find a way to surprise me.” He said with a small smile as he looked at his girlfriend. How she could look so beautiful even in such simple clothing he would never know.

"Is this the first you've eaten all day? I can make you something a bit more healthy then a...Peanut butter and jelly? Scott, why weren't you at dinner?"
Jean asked looking at his small meal. Scott brushed off the suggestion with a shake of his head.

“And just what’s wrong with peanut butter and jelly?” He asked with an overly exaggerated sound of defensiveness in his voice. Scott adjusted his ruby sunglasses and turned back towards the paper work on his desk checking to make sure he marked where he left off before giving Jean his full attention.
“I had to do some late danger room sessions. It was the only time I could get some of these people to cooperate.” He explained holding back an exasperated sigh from just thinking about the ordeal. “But you don’t have to make me anything this is just a late night snack to hold me over while I fish this paperwork before bed.”

Once he had his work properly marked he turned his chair to side in order to face Jean and address her properly. “But you didn’t stop by just to check on my eating habits I hope. Not that I don’t always appreciate you looking out for me.”

"There's a concert I want to go to in the city in a few days and I want you to take me,"
“A concert?” As much as he wished he could Scott could not disguise the discomfort and dislike the showed on his face upon the suggested idea. Concerts were simply not his thing. The large crowds and the noise just made him incredible nervous. The chaotic nature of it just went against his orderly personality. “I’m not so sure.”

But Jean seemed very determined not to take no for an answer. And when it was her asking him how he could even try to say no. Even if he did not like the idea he had to at least make an attempt to talk about it fairly.
“I guess I can look at my schedule, see if there isn’t anything else going on that night.” Scott offered as a starting middle ground.

[Jean Grey]

Jean's eyebrow raised when Scott that he was fine. Yes, he was choking and sputtering from what she could tell was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. The man used up way more calories in his training then the simple sandwich would ever be able to replace. If she didn't know him so well, she might have thought that he was actually offended by her lack of enthusiasm for his choice of dinners.

"Oh, I don't mind making you something to eat. You should know that by now," she reminded him. She was a rather loving and nurturing soul and that was even more pronounced when it came to Scott. He might not be the most emotional of people but what they had was pretty remarkable. She could read him like no one else ever could and even though he had absolutely no psychic abilities whatsoever, he always seemed to be in her head anyway.

"No, I didn't," she admitted when he stated that she hadn't come in there to jump on his case about his eating habits. So Jean launched into what she wanted. She expected him to say no up front. She was well aware that concerts really weren't his thing but they'd not been out in so long and she was getting a bit lonely. The thought of sitting out on the lawn and listening to someone play music and sing while they had a small picnic just seemed so lovely to her. And she'd have him alone, if one counted being alone with a few hundred other people. It wouldn't be people they knew, though.

"Please," she added, trying to keep the begging out of her voice as he said he wasn't so sure. At least he was pausing to think about it and not saying no out right. There was a tiny bit of hope there.

"If you could, that would be wonderful. I already asked Charles and he said it should be fine with him for you to leave for that time. We haven't been out together in so long and I've been worried sick about Wanda. I just...I just want to get away from all of this for a little while, allow ourselves to regroup and then come back refreshed," she told him, allowing her true feelings to be laid out for him to see. Not that she ever really kept them from him. She was an emotional person, like it or not, and what she felt or thought was usually written plainly on her face.

[Cyclops]

"Oh, I don't mind making you something to eat. You should know that by now,"

“I know just as you should know I’m fine with my simple little snack before bed.” Scott answered back not wishing to put out anyone for something as simple as his meal. But he could not help the small smile on his face seeing Jean offer to help him without a second thought.

The smile faded though as Jean explained her intension. He wanted to keep an open mind but the idea of a concert did not sound good to him at all. But it was almost impossible to say no when she added those words please. So for Jean he wanted to at least hear her out.

"If you could, that would be wonderful. I already asked Charles and he said it should be fine with him for you to leave for that time.”
“Well I’m glad I was consulted then.” Scott said sounding much more angry and bitter then he wished he had. Something about the idea of her going over his head to Xavier about this had just hit the wrong button in his warn out brain. But he was smart enough to bite his tongue before he said anything worse.

“We haven't been out together in so long and I've been worried sick about Wanda. I just...I just want to get away from all of this for a little while, allow ourselves to regroup and then come back refreshed,"
“Is it part of being psychic that you just have the ability to make it nearly impossible to argue with you?” He responded still sounding more bitter then he really wanted to. Scott shook his head trying to clear it of such negative thoughts. She was right and he knew she was right. What was his discomfort compared to their relationship, what was a little annoyance to him compared to making her happy.

“You’re right of course.” Scott conceded fighting back an exhausted sigh. Last thing he wanted right now was another fight. Especially one he had no chance of winning.

As he turned to look back at Jean though the small smile grew back on his face. The tired and weary Scott Summers suddenly felt his spirits being lifted just by her presence. Perhaps this was her true power as Scott had no defense or desire to remove this hold she had over him. His qualms and bad feelings seemed so unimportant now he almost wanted to laugh. After all to see a smile on her face he would go through a thousand times worse things than going to some silly concert.
“If it will make you happy, I’ll be glad to take you to this concert. Even if the music maybe loud and unappealing, or the crowds unruly and annoying. I will at least have the best company with me.”

[Jean Grey]

Jean gave up on trying to make him eat healthy and instead decided that the next time Scott didn't show up for dinner, she would simply take him some, no matter what he was doing. He wouldn't be able to refuse her then and even if it sat for a bit while he finished up a danger room session or something, he would still have a good meal.

However, the idea of a concert was not going to go over well at all, though. He got pretty snippy when she told him that she asked Charles if it would be okay before she asked Scott. He not only snapped at her verbally but the emotional onslaught made her actually cringe. He was actually quite mad at her for that!

"Scott, I only asked him first because I wanted to make sure there wasn't something already going on before I bothered you about it. Honest. I'm sorry," she told him, hurt in her own voice. Did he really think she was trying to do something devious? It had made sense to her to make sure he wasn't already committed to something before she asked him to do something she knew he might be uncomfortable with.

As he asked her if her being a telepath had anything to do with him not being able to say no, Jean withdrew from him completely. He had not just asked her that. He couldn't. Not after everything they'd been through together. She knew he was tired and cranky but why did he have to go and accuse her of that? "No," she told him, not even hiding the hurt that she was feeling now. "I have never and would never use my powers to make you do something you didn't want to do, Scott. Does the idea cross my mind? Of course but I wouldn't actually do it."

No, what she felt like doing was crying but she bit her lip in an effort to keep from doing just that. Obviously coming in here had been a mistake and she should have just asked someone else to go with her. Someone who didn't mind spending time with her. No, she couldn't think that. Scott loved her, she knew that, he just wasn't in a good mood right then.

When he told her she was right, she blinked at him, completely forgetting what on earth she could be right about. He couldn't read her mind although their psychic connection made it almost as if he could. He could sense what she was feeling but he couldn't read it.

Then he was smiling at her and that alone made her feel a bit better. When he agreed to go even though he was sure he wouldn't have a good time, she tried to smile back at him. It just felt like the mood had been shattered, though, but she wasn't one to hold a grudge. "Thank you, Scott," she replied to him softly. "Maybe I can help keep things from getting too overwhelming for you, somehow." It really wasn't something she'd done before but perhaps she could lessen the stimulation of the crowd and noise so that it was at tolerable levels for him.

[Cyclops]

Scott knew he had crossed a line with both his words and his attitude towards Jean. She deserved better then to have him snappy at her for simply reaching out to him. He didn’t even know what he had reacted so snippy his only excuse was a natural perfect storm of a rough day’s pent up frustration in a tired body hit by the right nerves. It was a poor excuse and if he wanted to have any right to claim to love this woman he’d have to make it up to her somehow.

"Thank you, Scott, Maybe I can help keep things from getting too overwhelming for you, somehow."
“I appreciate the gesture but that won’t be necessary.” Scott answered as he slowly stood up from his chair. “After all it is just a concert I know I can manage fine with just your company.”

As a sign of both affection and apology Scott reached his arms around Jean giving her a gentle hug. He let the embrace stand for itself for a moment before saying any more.

“I am sorry Jean, I did not mean to be such well such an ass. I guess as much as I resist and do not wish to admit it you are right about me needing a break more often as well.”
Scott could feel Jean’s red hair against his arms as he held her. There seemed to be nothing in this world that could change his mood and bring out such feeling as this woman. If he had to swallow his discomfort and go to some loud concert to keep her happy with him it was more than worth it. He would pay a million times more for the privilege of holding this woman and somehow being able to give her a fraction o the happiness she gives him.

[Jean Grey]

She couldn't help the little sigh that escaped past her lips when Scott pulled her into his embrace. She always loved the way he felt against her like that and although he'd said some pretty hurtful things, Jean knew he didn't really mean them. The emotions that accompanied such an accusation was missing and he'd been lashing out out of fatigue. That much, she was well aware of so Jean let go of the hurt that she'd been feeling.

They held each other for a moment before Scott spoke again. She pulled back slightly in his arms so that she could see his face as he spoke. Jean gave him a smile and reached up with one hand, caressing his rough, stubble cheek. The index finger of that hand moved to cover his lips as she softly replied, "Shhh, it's fine. I shouldn't have just dropped that on you nor should I have gone behind your back and talked to Charles. Thank you for going with me, though. I promise, if it gets bad, we'll leave."

She stared up at his ruby covered eyes as she spoke to him. While it was hard to see beyond the dark shades, it was impossible, especially at such a close range. She would love to be able to merely stare into those eyes forever, to just lose herself in their depth, if only he could safely remove the glasses. She took what she could, though. Jean loved every little bit of him, "flaws" and all.

[Cyclops]

"Shhh, it's fine. I shouldn't have just dropped that on you nor should I have gone behind your back and talked to Charles. Thank you for going with me, though. I promise, if it gets bad, we'll leave."

“Hah that’s all I can ask.” Scott replied smiling coming much easier now as he held Jean close. He tilted his head down to her watching her try to look into his eyes. He wished so much he could grant her that simple pleasure. Compared to many mutant’s it was a simple almost shallow cross to bear, but there were moments where he would give just about anything to be able to look at the woman he loved without a red hew around her. But things were the way they were and right now there was nothing he could do about it.

Scott brushed her hair back lightly and kissed Jean on her forehead.
“And thank you for well thinking about me even when I am not being very thoughtful.”
He leaned in giving Jean a real and sincere kiss trying to put s much of an apology into the simple gesture as he could.

Scott pulled away slowly from her and moved back from her. He kept his arms around her still not quite wanting to let her go yet.
“Well since you are here would you like to help me with some paper work? It’s not nearly as boring as it sounds. Yeah ok it really is.”

[Jean Grey]

The kiss was simple but very lovely. Jean never really questioned Scott's feelings for her, she could sense them in a way that only a telepath could. They were genuine and deep and true and even when he was taking her for granted, she knew they existed. Perhaps that was why she could merely smile and tell people that they were wrong when they informed her that she deserved better, deserved someone who could express his emotions and feelings more. She didn't need roses and Hallmark cards and candlelit dinners to know how Scott felt. She could feel it herself.

So while some might have griped and complained about the simplicity of it all, Jean was perfectly happy. Until he mentioned helping to do the paperwork. With an exaggerated groan, her forehead fell against his shoulder and she shook her head. "Oh, Scott," she breathed but she was actually ginning. True to his nature, only her boyfriend would think about paperwork and getting it done when alone with her in his room.

Pulling back slightly so that she could look at him again, Jean licked her lips and added, "Surely you can think of something more interesting to do other then paperwork." Jean looked up at him through her eyelashes, knowing that the likelihood of getting him to change his mind was very small but it would be nice to know she could still turn him on with one sultry look.

[Cyclops]

Scott smiled as Jean reacted pretty much how he expected her to. He was reminded of one of their earliest dates where Jean had mistaken his invitation to study for an upcoming test for a night on the town. It was almost a month before she was willing to go out with him again after that one.

Ever the playful one Jean looked up at him her eyes an alluring flutter. He would have had to been really blind to not know what she had on her mind.

"Surely you can think of something more interesting to do other then paperwork."
“I can think of a few yes.” Scott quickly countered with a smirk and moved back in close to her. He grabbed her gently and gave her a deep kiss to make sure she knew that he knew all too well what she was hinting at.

Once he felt himself starting to run out of air he pulled his lips away from hers. A wide uncontrollable smile was stuck on his face.
“Of course I don’t think I could ever think of anything as interesting as you can.” He joked with a raised eyebrow knowing full well the secret thoughts and imaginations the red head in his arm was capable of.

He couldn’t resist giving her another brief kiss before continuing with their little game.
“But that’s why I want to get this work done so I can put it out of my mind and give you my full attention.”