co-post
Scott's head jerked towards Ronan. While the Irishman was right, Scott was sure Brian had heard enough 'sister-fucker' comments to last a lifetime. He cleared his throat, "Brian, we know you and Lorna were just together," emphasis on 'together', "in the infirmary. What if someone had been injured? Or one of the students," God forbid, "had gotten sick? They look up to you, you know. How would it have been if Storm had ushered in one of the 3rd graders with a bloody nose and you had Lorna bent over your desk?"
He didn't speak for a moment, but let things sink in. So, they had a problem now with promiscuity? When did Ronan turn a new leaf? His blue eyes once again glanced toward the Irishman and they narrowed to slits. "I made a mistake," he admitted. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that sort of thing where people work. It wasn't professional." He had been fully aware from the start of it. "But it takes two to tango, you know."
"Aye, it does. Ye sure do switch partners a lot, don't ye?" Ronan questioned, not really expecting an answer. "Yer makin' as many mistakes on the job as there are women in yer bed."
Oh bollocks. Brian hadn't slipped up in the lab or in the field. Zap fucked up because Ronan had fucked up. And he saved a woman's life, not the man who heals himself and can live forever. What ever had Brian been thinking? "I do have a few 'partners'," Brian admitted, not wanting to dive into the nitty-gritty of how tremendously off Scott and Ronan were about the situation. "Jealous, Mars? I know Scott is," he said, without chancing a glance to the bespectacled man. Jean was quite different now, apparently. Perhaps the two older men were just envious of Brian's ability to be promiscuous.
In a matter of seconds, Ronan had stepped forward and drawn his arm back, making his way towards Brian. CRACK! The back of Ronan's left fist connected with the Brit's left cheek as he backhanded him - hard. He watched in satisfaction as Brian was knocked from his chair to land on the floor. "And ye stay down!"
When Brian hit the floor, he heard the chair he'd been sitting in clatter to the ground behind him, as well, and his face stung where the strike had fallen. It was going to bruise. His elbow ached, as it had taken all his weight. He immediately began pulling himself up, "Fucking peasants," he muttered.
Scott's hand was at his visor as soon as Ronan's fist went into the air; just as a precaution. Scott could take an insult. But he knew why Ronan was acting on the defense. When Brian spoke as he was standing, however, it stung and pissed him off so much so that Scott let a red beam of light fly from his eyes and targeted Brian's ribs. "He said to stay down," the English boy was behaving like an infant and a spoiled son of a bitch. This was the root of all his issues, Scott feared. When you had everything, you didn't appreciate much. "Just sit there and listen." Cyclops rolled his shoulders and tried his best to relax his posture and appear non-aggressive. They weren't there to kick Brian's ass. They were trying to make him understand he was behaving like an animal and it needed to quit.
"Britannic. Englishman. A Noble. A brother, a son..." he began. "A doctor, a scientist... an X-Man," he continued, "Some of the words someone could use to describe Brian Braddock. How well would it sit with your parents, Brian, or Hank even, if they knew your repertoire also included 'incestuous', 'manwhore', 'irresponsible' and 'poor friend'?"