Half-Baked

by Diamonde

Scott spread the towel carefully, tugging at the corners until it was nice and flat. Once satisfied, he pulled his shirt off, tossed it onto the grass next to the towel and flopped happily forward. The towel was huge, big enough to fit all of him onto it, and with his head pillowed on his arms Scott was very, very comfortable.

Taking a deep breath and letting it out, he concentrated on feeling the sun beating down on his back. Probably the last really warm day of the year and he was going to enjoy it. By thinking about nothing more than warm sun, soft ground and the breeze that stopped him getting too hot.

_Warm... Sun..._ Scott curled his toes happily.

"Scott? What are you doing?"

Scott sighed and put his glasses back on, looking up to see who was interrupting. It was Warren, who was giving him a suspicious look. The kind of suspicious look that hinted at white coats in the future. "I'm recharging."

"What?"

"My mutation is solar-powered and it's been running low for a while now. So I'm recharging."

"Oh." Warren frowned and left.

Scott relaxed again. _Warm... soft..._ He thought of nothing much for about ten long, warm minutes before another voice interrupted.

"Scott?"

Glasses on, look up. "What?"

Remy frowned down. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?"

Remy looked surprised. "Tanning."

"And your shadow is on me," Scott said pointedly and without actually agreeing. Remy took the hint and left and Scott went back to thinking about nothing and soaking up the sunlight. There was no Apocalypse, no villainy and no spandex. Just the warm buzz of Jean in his mind again and the warm toastiness of sunbaking.

"Scott?"

He didn't bother with the eye-opening. "Jean can't sunbake, she's too fair. I'm doing it for her. Piss off."

Bobby pissed off. Scott basked.

Some time later more feet padded across the grass. Scott sighed.

Ororo's soft, accented voice replaced the nothing much in Scott's brain. "Are you lying here for a particular reason or just because you wish to be sunburned?" She sounded amused. And much more understanding.

Yes, Scott decided, Storm would understand. He rolled over onto his back, arms spread wide and as much skin as possible exposed to the yummy ultaviolet radiation. "Just indulging in some sun-worship."

"It is a nice day for it." There was a thoughtful pause. "Mind if I join you?"

"Be my guest." There were rustling noises. Scott grinned and decided that it was probably a good thing he couldn't open his eyes, especially since he was wearing a very small bathing suit.

* * *

Beast looked casually out the window as he rinsed his lunch dishes in the sink, then stayed looking quite deliberately. "Jean?" he asked after a moment.

"Mmm?" Jean didn't look up from her paper.

"Is there a special reason why Scott and Ororo are lying nearly-naked on the lawn?"

Jean paused for a moment, then smiled. "Scott says they're sun-worshipping."

"Oh." Hank paused, but no further explanation seemed to be forthcoming. "Remind me to thank him later."

"Will do." Jean turned the page, relaxed and content in the heat of second-hand sunlight.

-End-

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