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Post by scott on Jun 21, 2007 16:16:25 GMT -4
Scott Summers was not a happy man. You never found him smiling, or telling a joke. It was rumored that if he were to actually give himself over to a full blown laugh, he would die instantly.
Whether that was true or not was uncertain...but one thing was evident. Today Scott Summers was less happy than usual.
Sam Guthrie...Commander Guthrie. It was something that hung over him continually. Scott was supposed to be in charge, he could just feel it. Guthrie was several years his junior, and Scott had the mind of a leader.
Considering the fact that nobody followed him, he began to doubt that fact. Maybe he was just a soldier. With another grimace, Scott finished lacing up his boots and headed out of the training room.
Three hours every morning. He was in top physical condition. He was dating a beautiful woman, and he was working for the most powerful man in all of history.
But he was just a soldier.
(tags Deefer)
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Post by Deefer Mallone on Jun 21, 2007 16:24:58 GMT -4
It happened so often, it was almost routine. Which probably suited these two soldiers just fine.
Deefer headed towards the training room at her usual time, looking up as she neared, and sure enough, Scott was just on his way out.
Most of the time, Deefer respected Scott, he trained as much as she did, was just as stoic, and just as committed to the job. Maybe even more... except that last one. Sometimes, Scott pushed things a little too far, and as far as Deefer was concerned, being committed to the job meant being committed to follow your CO.
It still served a source of endless amusement to her that the both of them had significant others - a fact much discussed with some of the greener recruits, and even a few older ones. How the hell did these two even have friends, let alone anything more?
"Summers." she greeted pleasantly, with a nod of the head. She noticed the disgruntled look on his face and raised a questioning eyebrow.
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Post by scott on Jun 22, 2007 7:24:53 GMT -4
Almost predictably, Deefer was heading toward the training room just as Scott was exiting. She trained just as hard as he did, and she kept to herself. Two traits that Scott admired very much. Today, like most days, she just tipped a nod to him and gave the usual expression of courtesy. But today was different. The look she gave him as he started past her was one of concern...at least in the aspect that she wanted to know what was on his mind.
Scott stopped. He was a private person. He didn't know Deefer, and didn't have any reason to entrust anything to her. But he stopped.
It was one of those times that he was glad to have a ruby quartz covering over his eyes. Though when he committed himself to stopping and turning toward Deefer, he found he didn't have any idea what he was going to say. Nothing profound came to mind.
"Training?"
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Post by Deefer Mallone on Jun 22, 2007 10:24:22 GMT -4
Her quirked eyebrow at been a question, that was for sure, but Deefer had resigned herself to it being rhetorical. She didn't expect Scott to stop.
But stop he did, so of course politeness dictated that she stopped too.
Maybe there was something weighing particularly heavy on his mind, and her questioning expression had been all he needed to get it off - Deefer wasn't sure she'd be able to deal with whatever would come up, but she respected the man enough to listen.
When he did speak, however, it wasn't to suddenly explain the extra grim look on his features, but to... start a conversation?
She nodded, slightly confused, confused enough to briefly slip into Japanese - not an uncommon phenomena, but something she didn't usually do around people she didn't know very well.
"Hai," she confirmed. "Yes. You just finished?"
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Post by scott on Jun 22, 2007 16:07:21 GMT -4
The thought that he might need someone to talk to other than Jean had occurred to him on occasion, though Scott never really took it seriously. His mind was absolutely filled with thoughts that were of little to no consequence, as everyone’s was. It was virtually impossible to pay attention to all of that noise.
But Deefer was someone who he suspected was very much like him. She answered succinctly.
In reflection of her question, Scott turned ruby red lenses back toward the training room. “Not sure if I got it out of my system,” he said. Whatever ‘it’ was. “But I’m sure you prefer to train alone.”
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Post by Deefer Mallone on Jun 22, 2007 16:23:43 GMT -4
Though sometimes she seemed it, Deefer was not completely cold and emotionless.
Well, apart from in battle, but there she needed to be.
She could tell that maybe, for whatever reason, Scott could do with, well, a friend. Or at least someone to act like one briefly.
It suddenly occured to Deefer that she was probably the closest thing Scott had.
She shrugged slightly "You're welcome to join me, if you need to." she offered simply, her tone nothing other than matter-of-fact.
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Post by scott on Jun 24, 2007 8:23:53 GMT -4
Though this whole encounter was already uncharacteristic, Scott suspected that a little more physical exertion would be exactly what he needed to try and work out some of his anger. Why everything was bothering him now he couldn't say, but he did know the best thing he could do right now was indulge himself in the endless and fruitless pursuit of perfection.
Everybody needed a hobby.
Scott just nodded at her. "I do need to."
Things were always serious for Scott Summers, but they hadn't always felt so weighty. There was a time, a fading memory, when Jean Grey had been the ray of sunshine that pierced through the clouds. That time was gone. Jean had her own clouds to contend with now.
As the two of them headed back into the training room, Scott realized something. "I get the feeling I'm about to get schooled," he said to her back.
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Post by Deefer Mallone on Jun 24, 2007 15:21:31 GMT -4
Deefer nodded her understanding and continued on her way to the training room, not expecting, but knowing he was going to follow.
At his words, she smiled slightly, glancing over her shoulder at him "Why? Feeling a little out of practice?" she asked, her tone a little lighter than the one usually employed in their brief conversations.
Their style was totally different, it would be very interesting, Deefer mused, to train with Scott. Maybe they could both learn a thing or two.
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Post by scott on Jun 25, 2007 7:22:33 GMT -4
Scott Summers was hardly out of practice. He trained several hours of the day, and to be honest, his mind was on the job even in those private (or intimate) moments when it shouldn't be. Jean had mentioned it. He was working on it.
Sometimes having a telepathic girlfriend was a real bitch.
"Under classed might be a better way to put it," he said as they entered the room. Taking off his gym bag, he tossed it to the side. Curiosity nagged at him, and he looked over at Deefer while she got ready for the training session. Claiming one bench, he let her have the other side of the room, though it was still in view.
Deefer was on the petite side, but he knew that she was one of the best fighters on base. Aside from Weapon X, in fact, she was the best.
But she was also a woman, and he couldn't help but notice that she was a nice looking one. Scott diverted his hidden eyes. That was precisely the kind of distraction that would do him in. Besides, Jean could be listening in from half the castle away.
"So...what do you usually do in here?"
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Post by Sam Guthrie on Jun 25, 2007 14:01:55 GMT -4
Purposeful footsteps echoed, and a commanding voice resounded to answer Scott's question.
"Usually we train in here Summers....." Samuel replied venomously, "That is, those of us who can follow orders well enough to warrant such a previledge"
Commander Samuel Guthrie made his approach on the two of them, a small smile across his features. There was something perversely fun about taunting Summers, ssomething not unlike poking at a tiger in a cage.
Sure, it would hurt....if he could even touch you.
"Good to see you again, how was your visit to re-education?"
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Post by Deefer Mallone on Jun 25, 2007 15:34:15 GMT -4
Deefer was a soldier, and as such she was entirely professional, and expected others (particularly someone as straight-laced as Scott) to be equally so.
So she had no qualms getting changed in front of him. None of that girly giggling or ridiculous attempting-to-cover-yourself-up-with-one-article-of-clothing-while-putting-on-another.
She had a faint smile on her face though, thanks to Scott's compliment. It wasn't that she was self-depreciating about her abilities, in fact she was sometimes a little cocky about them - but she did love to hear it when people praised them.
She shrugged at his question, turning to answer it when somebody else did it for her.
As Sam walked into the room she straightened up and saluted - mentally wincing at his harsh words to Scott.
It probably said quite a lot about Deefer and the kind of girl she was that she'd stopped to salute whilst wearing only a sports bra and her knickers - and she didn't look the slightest bit embarassed by it.
Deefer was the kind of pragmatic girl that reasoned a) Though they were men, they were soldiers like her and would see her as such (which might suggest that you can be a top-notch soldier and still just a smide naive) and b) Let's face it, your underwear is not much more revealing than a bikini, so she didn't really see a problem with it.
Sometimes Deefer reasoned too much, and forgot that men were men, whether they were being professional or not.
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Post by scott on Jun 26, 2007 15:55:55 GMT -4
It wasn’t entirely easy for Scott to keep his eyes on the job...or off the job as the case was. When he agreed to train with Deefer he never really ran through the scenario in his mind of what this was going to look like. Next thing he knew they were in the locker room together and she was peeling off articles of clothing like she was just one of the guys.
Slim muscles, smooth skin, soft curves.
Definitely not one of the guys. With the consideration that Jean could be tapping in on his thoughts from anywhere in the compound, as well as the fact that Deefer might be clued in to his emotions, Scott tried very hard not to appreciate the view. He directed his thoughts instead toward a rhetorical and somewhat redundant question, asking what it was that Deefer usually did in here.
"Usually we train in here Summers....."
The answer was not in Deefer’s voice. It was both unwarranted and unwanted...Commander Sam Guthrie. "That is, those of us who can follow orders well enough to warrant such a privilege."
Deefer was quick to straighten up and salute. Back straight, chest jutting out. Scott sighed a little and straightened up himself, giving a slightly reluctant salute. “Yes sir.”
"Good to see you again, how was your visit to re-education?"
Scott’s jaw tightened. Just one flip of his visors... His voice was strained and hard when he answered.
“Enlightening.” He added “sir” only as a hesitant afterthought.
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Post by Sam Guthrie on Jun 27, 2007 12:05:22 GMT -4
"Wonderful, it will be nice to have you under my command again."
Samuel doubted just how obedient Summers would be, but he reasoned that all it would take to fix that was another trip to re-education. Then he would listen, or be driven completely mad, it made no difference to him.
Of course, Samuel hadn't just come to bust Summers' chops, he too needed to release some built up steam. Even the commander needed to work out every now and then.
"Mind if I join you two?" he asked, but of course, he had already begun to change.
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Post by Deefer Mallone on Jun 27, 2007 12:22:23 GMT -4
((Good lord I wish you hadn't put that in italics. It made my brain explode. You do not want to know why  )) Deefer relaxed slightly as the conversation continued briefly between them, turning back to finish getting changed. Scott was really getting a hard time, and Deefer felt mildly sympathetic - though she maintained no illusions that he didn't deserve it. If you didn't follow orders, there were repercussions, simple as that. "Not at all, sir." she glanced over her shoulder. Granted, the question was obviously only asked superficially, and he was going to join them whatever the answer, but it was still polite to give one. Training with the commander, this was going to be good. |
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Post by scott on Jun 27, 2007 16:05:27 GMT -4
This was quickly looking like the sort of situation that Scott wanted no part of. The problem with training with Commander Guthrie was plain and simple. He was better than the Commander, but showing him up (especially in the company of Deefer) would do nothing but cause problems.
Scott scowled as he continued lacing up his shoes. He let Deefer answer for them. Right now he didn’t even think he had it in him to lie.
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))