a small selection from Double Vision by Nina(monkey)

"Ororo, stop. I'm fine." He jerked his chin from her fingers and was about to wave her away until he saw the anger in her eyes. She made that same face when they were young, when he did something she didn't like. It made him feel weak, like a cornered animal.

"Are you?"

"Cut it out, 'Ro," he said quietly. He glanced at the ground and the night wind sent a strand of her hair into his face. "Don't treat me like an invalid—or worse, my mother. It was okay when we were kids and I didn't know any better. But I'm a big boy now."

She folded her arms, unconvinced. "Then why did you transfer the X-man leadership role to me?"

"Because I needed to," he said, turning his back. His eyes followed a fallen leaf whipping in circles in the wind. "I can't be both Headmaster and X-man at the same time. Besides, you've got the skills. You've certainly taken the helm better than I have of late."

She spun him around. "You informed me by e-mail, Scott, without asking me. You avoided me to keep me from discussing this with you and you've never done that before. And I refuse to believe the excuses that you are too tired to command the X-Men and that you are 'too busy' with administrative duties. You love leading the covert team. It's your heart, your passion. You wouldn't give it up unless something was seriously wrong."

He pinched the bridge of his nose. He couldn't lie to telepaths, and he couldn't lie to Ororo. That was the problem; she was too close to him. He grabbed a stone from the ground and flung it over her shoulder, where it echoed sharply off a tree. He waffled between telling her the truth and screaming it's none of your fucking business.