Chapter Text
“Jean?” Scott knocked on the door again. “Jean? Can I come in?”
“Scott?” He heard muffled through the wood. “Is that you?”
“Yeah, Jean, it’s me,” he called back. “Can I come in?”
“Yeah, just-” he heard something move behind the door. “Alright, come on in!”
Scott pushed the door open only for something to stop him halfway. He pushed his shoulder against the door, budging it a little as he slid into his girlfriend’s room. He peered behind the door to see a stack of boxes propped up near the wall, partially blocking the door.
“Oh, man…” he muttered as his eyes darted around the room. Everything was…everywhere. Drawers had been cleared out, her closet doors were swung wide open, and the floor was littered with various belongings. Jean was by the window, organizing something in a suitcase as Scott crossed over to her.
“Geez, Jean,” he chuckled as he laid a hand on her shoulder. “I kinda thought you’d be a little more put together about this.”
She sighed, setting down whatever she was working with and rested her head on his shoulder.
“So did I,” she admitted. “But everything’s been so frantic lately, you know? I mean, what with everyone getting ready to go back to school and wrapping up our summer training curriculum and making all the arrangements to leave and-”
Scott wrapped his other arm around her, and she instinctively pressed her hands against his chest and laid her head into his collar.
“I know, Jean,” he said softly. “But you’ve still got until the end of the week to get packed up. You don’t have to rush or anything.”
Jean sighed into his shirt, and pulled away to look him in the shades.
“Thank you, Scott,” she breathed. “You’re right. I’ve…I’ve been worrying a little too much. It’s…silly, really.”
Scott shook his head. “I don’t think it’s silly. You’re going to college, Jean. It’s a big change.” He looked over to scan the room again.
“I just want your last couple of days at the mansion to be…livable, you know?”
Jean giggled and planted a kiss on his cheek. “Yeah, me too.”
She pulled herself out of his arms and plopped down on her bed, propping her elbows on her knees and putting her face in her hands with a sigh.
“I guess that means I should tidy up a bit,” she said. “Instead of making more of a mess.”
“Maybe,” Scott smirked as he gestured towards the mountain of boxes at the door. “Besides, it looks like you’ve already got most of your stuff ready to go.”
Jean looked over at the stack of boxes. “Oh, right!” she exclaimed as she clapped her hands together and rose from the bed. “Will you do me a favor?”
“Sure. What’s up?” He watched as she moved for the door.
“Will you go ask the Professor for the key to the attic? We should go ahead and get these boxes up there since they’re ready to go.”
“Ready to go?” he repeated. “Jean, you’re going to school at the end of the week, why are you moving stuff now? And why the attic?”
Jean stopped and turned towards Scott. She wrung her hands nervously as she took a step towards him.
“Well…these aren’t coming with me to New York. I’m putting these in storage.”
“What? Why would you put them in storage? That’d be like you’re packing up…your room…”
Jean’s eyes examined her carpet as Scott walked up to her.
“You’re not coming back?”
“No, of course I’m coming back, Scott!” she exclaimed as she took his face into her hands. “Every chance I get! It’s just…I figured I didn’t want to take up the room when someone new might need it.”
“I…I guess that makes sense,” Scott muttered as he put his hands around her waist and pulled her closer. “But…I don’t know, Jean. It’s your room. If it's not here anymore, it’s like…it’s like it’s harder for you to come back, or something.”
“Oh, Scott,” she said lovingly. “Don’t think like that. Like I said, I’ll be back every chance I get.”
Scott nodded reluctantly and sighed. “Well…where are you going to sleep when you come back?”
Jean blushed and ran her fingers through his hair, smiling mischievously.
“Where do you think, Romeo?”
Scott’s brain did a quick reboot before he realized what his girlfriend was implying.
“Oh,” he said as his brain switched to an image search.
“OH.” He took a step back from their embrace. “Uh…heh, wow, um…Jean, I…”
“Now just what are you thinking about, Scott Summers?” she inquired as she crossed her arms in mock suspicion.
“Um…” he said as he swallowed and went to wrap his arm around her. “I’m thinking…” he said, leaning into her ear. “That we should have cleared this place out a long time ago.”
Jean felt her face heat up as she pushed her boyfriend towards the door.
“Scott!” she exclaimed, her embarrassment quickly divulging into a playful smile.
“What?” her boyfriend returned as he threw his hands in the air. “You asked me a question.”
She shook her head and pointed to the door. “Just go get the key to the attic, please? The sooner I get these boxes up there the sooner I can take a break.”
“Alright, alright, I’m going,” Scott said as he pivoted around the stack of boxes. He placed his hand on the door knob before he turned back around.
“Jean?” he said. She turned from her place by the bed, where she lifted up a stack of books.
“Yeah, Scott?” He opened his mouth, then closed it, and smiled at her.
“Uh, nevermind,” he said, turning back to the door and giving her a wave. “I’ll be back in a minute.”
Jean smiled and watched as he shut the door behind him, turning back to organize her personal library and trying to ignore the nervous ripples she’d felt emanating from her boyfriend all morning.