AN: Alright I am really new to writing fanfiction. This is in fact my first story here. My knowledge of X-Men is also somewhat limited. I have seen all the live action X-Men movies but it has been years since I have seen the X-Men trilogy and I've only seen Origins once. I did watch the cartoon (the one where they were all in high school) on Saturday mornings a few years back. Occasionally I watched the 90's cartoon. My best friend loved it and sometimes we would run to her house after school and watch it.

I just saw X-Men First Class a few days ago and this idea wouldn't leave me alone. I saw that his pairing was lacking so I thought I would put this story up. Right now it's a one shot but if people leave reviews and want me to continue it I will. So please leave a review and let me know what you think. Hope you enjoy the story. And yes it is slash.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Adjustments

"You need to talk to Hank," Sean said. Alex looked over at the other boy and sighed. He just spent a good part of the day training and the last thing he felt like doing was having a talk with Hank.

"And why do I need to talk to Hank?" Alex asked as he walked past Sean and continued down the hallway.

"Because he's not taking care of himself. He hardly eats anything. He never goes to his room to sleep and he's hurting," Sean said as he followed him his voice echoing in the long corridor. Alex stopped realizing that Sean would continue to follow him until he said what he had to say.

"Why does it have to be me? Why not you or the Pro…" Alex said and then stopped. They hardly ever saw the Professor anymore. He spent nearly all of his time in his room. "Why not you?"

"I've tried but he won't open up to me. Besides you two are so close…"

"Close! Whatever made you think that we were close?" Alex asked shocked.

"I don't know," Sean said with a casual shrug. "There always seemed to be this connection between you two even when you are fighting." Alex rolled his eyes wondering when he and Hank didn't fight. "Please Alex I…we can't lose anyone else. There are so few of us left."

"Alright," Alex agreed with a sigh the last thing Sean said getting to him. "Where is he?"

"In his lab," Sean told him.

"Right," Alex said as the turned around and headed to the other side of the mansion; Sean right on his heels. "Is he working on a new serum?"

"He gave up on that idea," Sean said with a shake of his head. Alex tried to keep from wincing at that statement not knowing if it was a good thing and Hank finally accepted himself or if he had just given up hope. Alex had a feeling that it was the latter and that was a worrying thought.

When they finally reached the lab a few minutes later Alex hesitated outside the door. Every time he looked at Hank he felt an enormous amount of guilt. Maybe if he hadn't teased the other boy he wouldn't have tried that serum so soon in the first place.

Like the rest of the mutants all Hank ever wanted was to be accepted for who he was. Then when he finally found a group of people like himself Alex had picked on him for his ability. He knew he hurt the other boy by doing so but he continued to pick on Hank anyway. He was worried that he might have been the one to push Hank over the edge.

"Are you going in there or not?" Sean asked breaking into his thoughts.

"Of course I am!" Alex snapped as he opened the door to the lab and stepped inside. He was surprised when he saw no sign of Hank working on one of his many projects. For a moment he thought that the other boy might have left but then he heard something that could have been a sniff or maybe a growl.

"I know you're in here Hank. It's no use hiding. Now where are you?" Alex asked with a sigh.

"Over here," a very sad sounding voice said. Alex shook his head as he walked to the very back of the lab. He peered over the counter to see Hank sitting on the floor, his knees pulled tight against his chest, and his eyes vacant.

"Are you hurt?" Alex asked as he jumped over the counter.

"No," Hank said his eyes showing surprise. The transformation that Hank went through changed the way he looked completely except for his eyes. True they were a different color now but Alex could still see the longing, the sadness, and the need for acceptance lurking in their depths.

"Something's wrong though," Alex persisted. Again there was that look of surprise in Hank's eyes which for some reason made Alex's guilt grow. He thought that Hank knew that even though he had picked on him that he still considered the other boy a friend or at the very least a teammate. It looked as if he had really messed up where Hank was concerned.

"I broke my glasses," Hank finally admitted after a very long moment. He then opened one of his large hands to reveal his frames and one of his lenses. "I…"

"Where are the tools to fix these?" Alex asked not letting Hank finish. He knew that Hank didn't want to say it and Alex didn't want to hear it. It was heartbreaking that Hank was unable to fix his glasses because of his new look.

"On the counter," Hank said as he pointed with his free hand. Alex grabbed the lens and the frames that were still lying in Hank's open palm. Even with his smaller hands Alex was finding it a difficult task to fix the glasses. He had never seen a screw that small before.

"Is that a new disk for me?" Alex asked noticing it after he had dropped the screw for the fifth time.

"Yeah. This one should work better than the last one. After seeing how you fight I knew what you actually needed," Hank explained.

"You didn't have to do…Yes! Finally got it," Alex exclaimed when he got the lens in place and the screw in. "Here you go," he said as he handed over the glasses feeling proud of himself.

"Thanks," Hank said as he placed the glasses back on his face and then gave him a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"I wish you would just tell me what's bothering you," Alex said feeling frustrated.

"It's nothing," Hank said as the smile disappeared from his face.

"Nothing?" Alex asked skeptically. "Nothing has you sitting here alone on the cold floor of the lab."

"Yes," Hank said in a growl. "Compared to everything else it is nothing."

"I'm not as smart as you so you are going to have to explain it to me I'm afraid," Alex said as he sat down next to the other boy so close that they were nearly touching but not quite. For a brief moment Alex was afraid that Hank would literally throw him out of the lab but then Hank just looked resigned to the fact that Alex wasn't going to leave until he got his answer.

"Darwin was killed and Angle turned on us. Then there was everything that happened at the beach. The Professor lost Erik, Raven, and the use of his legs. On top of that the Russians, CIA, among others know of our existence and we're even in more danger than we wore before.

"We have no choice but to hide. Me feeling upset about my new looks. It's just selfishness on my part," Hank finished.

"Hank it's more than just your looks that have changed. Haven't your abilities changed too," Alex said not believing that the other boy was taking on so much.

"Some," Hank said with a shrug. Alex rolled his eyes upset that Hank was downplaying that side of it. He was just beginning to learn to control and use his old ones and now he basically had to start over. "But my abilities and my looks are my own fault so I have to learn to deal with them on my own."

"That is the most ridiculous thing that I have ever heard!" Alex snapped making the other boy jump. "You just wanted what everyone wants. To fit in. To be accepted. Besides it's not like you were making that serum only to help yourself. You were trying to help Raven too. And if it worked you would have helped every mutant that would have asked.

"As for dealing it with yourself," Alex shook his head and softened his voice. "You don't have to. That's what you have Sean and me for. We'll help you. You just need to talk to us so we can." Hank gave him a long hard look and then slumped against his shoulder. Alex went stiff for a moment not expecting it but then relaxed realizing that Hank probably needed the contact. Besides he kind of liked the feel of Hank's fur against the skin. He was tempted to run his fingers through it but he stopped himself not wanting offend Hank.

"It's…you're right I made the serum so myself and others could fit in and it blew up in my face. Now there's no chance that I'll ever fit in. Even if someday the rest of the world knows about us and accepts us I'll still be too different," Hank said his voice barely above a whisper.

"Hank that's not…" Alex started to say but the other boy cut him off.

"Don't bother telling me anything different. Both you and I know it's true. For now on this mansion is my world. The world will only see me as a monster," Hank finished.

"Hank you're not a monster," Alex told him hoping to get through to the other boy afraid of what would happen if he didn't.

"Have you seen me? Not only do I look like this but…" Hank shook his head. "All of my senses are amplified and my strength. It took me a week to make you a new disk because I kept breaking my tools. I'm dangerous."

"You're not dangerous. You just need to train more. Learn to control your strength. And you kicked ass on that beach just to let you know. You saved my life," Alex said.

"What about my looks?" Hank asked his voice barely above a whisper.

"I already told you that I thought that you looked badass," Alex told him giving into temptation and finally ran his fingers through Hank's fur.

"You accept me?" Hank asked his voice even quitter than it was before.

"Yeah I accept you," Alex said as he once again felt the guilt rise up. He knew that he had to explain things to the other boy and apologize. "Honestly I've always accepted you."

"Listen I'm sorry for how I treated you before. I was jerk. I just…I don't know. I needed to let my anger out one someone and you were the target. You got along so well with everyone. I was jealous. Not that it's an excuse. It's…I can't help but feel that you're predicament is somewhat my fault. Maybe if I hadn't ragged on you then you wouldn't have…" Alex trailed off. He heard what thought was a growl come from Hank.

That was until Hank leaned even more heavily against him and his head fell in his lap. Alex looked down and saw that the other boy's eyes were closed. He couldn't believe it. Hank had fallen asleep! In his lap no less. In his surprise Alex stopped his administrations. The rumbling sound stopped and Hank made a small sound of distress.

So Alex once again ran his fingers through the other boy's fur and the rumbling sound returned. He now realized what he originally thought was a growl was actually a purr. Alex smiled to himself. Hank's fur was a lot softer than he thought that it would be and he enjoyed the feel of it.

"He's not hurt, is he?" Sean asked his voice quite.

"No," Alex said as he looked up. He had been so involved with Hank that he hadn't even heard Sean enter, "he just fell asleep."

"That's a relief," Sean said as he sat on the opposite side of Hank. He briefly ran his fingers through Hank's fur before he quickly pulled his hand back looking uncertain. "It's soft."

"It is," Alex agreed.

"Is Hank okay now?" Sean asked sounding hopeful.

"He's better but not okay. We're going to have to keep an eye on him," Alex told Sean. The other boy didn't look surprised as he nodded. "You were right about what you said earlier. There aren't many of us left and we have to take care of each other without the Professor.

"Hank pointed something out to me earlier. The man has enough to deal with, without us adding to his problems. For now it will just be the three of us," Alex said.

"I was thinking the same thing," Sean said sounding tired. "At least Hank is on the mend. I mean he is…purring."

"Yeah," Alex said as he smiled down at the sleeping boy.

"I saw that," Sean said.

"Saw what?" Alex asked as he looked back up.

"Nothing," Sean said looking smug. "I'm going to make us all some dinner. Will you be alright here or do you want to wake him?"

"I'm fine," Alex said as he waved his free hand. "Besides I thought you said that he hasn't been sleeping. Go and make us some food then come and get us when it's done." Sean gave him a smirk as he got up and Alex scowled. "And don't forget to make extra. Hank has a bigger appetite now."

"I know," Sean said sounding very pleased with himself as he left.

Alex knowing that he would be there for a while tried to get in a more comfortable position without disturbing Hank. He gave it up as a lost cause. Now only had Hank's appetite grown so had everything else making him a very heavy boy. Alex really didn't mind though as he leaned back against the wall. He found it oddly southing to have Hank sleeping in his lap and to be able to run his fingers in his soft fur.