Regenerate | X-Men/Avengers - Pt. 1

Ch. 15

Logan's back creaks in warning as he gently pours himself a coffee. Last night's mission played hell on him. It's nine am on a Saturday, so all the students are sleeping, thankfully. It's easier to lick your wounds when you don't have fifty-million hormone fueled kids galloping around you.

Ace whips past him and ducks her head into the fridge.

"Mornin'."

She grunts in reply and closes the fridge, chocolate milk in hand and a roll of cheese sticks hanging by their wrapper between her teeth. After pocketing the dairy in her oversized sweater she grabs two apples off the counter and dashes for the door.

"Hey, hey."

"What?" She flips her hair.

"How's life?"

"Fine, why?"

"Well, I just never see you anymore." He leans forward, winces, and straightens out her shirt collar. "Where're you going?"

"Son's driving us to the mall."

Vince comes around the corner, shabby-looking as usual and definitely smelling of cheap cigarettes. Not recent, not this morning at least, but it clings to his jacket which he wore yesterday. Logan regards him severely. "Detmer."

"Mr. Logan."

"'Kay, bye," Ace says hastily over her shoulder, grabbing Vince by one arm and dragging him away.

---

Matt scrunches his brows. "So, the movie is?"

"Our cover."

"Cover, huh? I'd be worried if you were actually planning a crime."

I laugh shortly. "Turn here."

"I know how to get to the mall."

"Yes, but you always take the most crowded way, this way is faster."

"Hey," Vince turns in his seat to face me, "don't start arguing with him while he's driving. I really don't want to die in a fiery crash."

I sit back. "Matt, Vin needs new shoes."

"What's wrong with my shoes?"

"They've got gaping holes in them."

"I saw him walking in the snow with them like that," Matt tattles.

Vince picks at the frayed fabric. "I can't just get new ones, I haven't got money."

"Heck, I'll buy 'em if it keeps you from getting frostbite, you dumbass." Matt squints at the traffic light. "Okay, is that a green light, or?" He shrugs and steps on the gas anyway.

At the mall, Vince sits disgruntled at a bench, his new shoes looking smart and clean.

I brush my hands over my jeans. "Where'd Matt go?"

Vince waves carelessly at the food court where Matt leans over the pretzel counter schmoozing a dimpled blonde.

"Glad I asked." I sit down. "How are you holding up? You seem stressed lately."

He's flicking the tab of a half empty soda can; thip, thip, thip. "I'm cool, fine."

I work out which factors might be weighing on him. "Is your social worker coming out soon?"

He sighs and rubs his forehead. "Yeah."

With dipping grades and a new smoking habit they'd have reason to remove him from the school. He swallows and looks at the can. "If you could help me out, I mean, you know, with the tutoring and stuff that might make things better."