Xaviers!

A nervous but determined Tosh knocked on Haley's door.

Haley hesitated before getting up. She knew who was on the other side of the door.

“It...it’s open.” she called out, trying to look busy doing her homework at her desk.

Tosh stepped inside. After a moment of quiet fidgeting, he finally spoke.

"I... was wracking my brain, trying to think up some grand gesture, when I realized something. I should probably not put off letting you know I'm fine now, so you shouldn't worry. It would be the same mistake, though maybe half as bad."

Haley looked like hell. She hadn't really put on makeup, something she was usually quite fond of doing, in at least several days. She looked like she hadn't slept in about that long either.

She could barely look him in the eyes.

"What I did to you," she said shakily. "Was not fine. I could have killed you."

"But you didn't, Haley. That's what's important," he said with deep sympathy in his eyes, "At least, the Institute therapist told me that after... my awakening almost killed three high-school kids."

“Tosh, I crushed a Mustang into a 3 foot cube when I got mad back home. I turned you into Bruce or something because I got mad.”

“....and I’m still hurt, but it doesn’t matter because what I did is completely inexcusable.”

"It was my fault you were in that position. I hurt you. I let you in my head when you were clearly pissed enough to lose control. I 've already forgiven you, but if you can't forgive me or yourself when you look at me..." he responded, adding in a shaky voice, "I understand."

Haley was silent for a moment, finally working up the nerve to look him in the eye. "Tosh, I probably shouldn't be close to anyone...I'm too dangerous."

Tosh gave her a sad, shocked expression. "Haley, I..."

Girl, half the dang student body can lay that brick. It's a pile of horseshit and you know it.
Oh God, not so loud!

Haley wouldn't miss the Texan voice.

Haley squinted her eyes and cocked her head in confusion. “....who said that?”

"Well... uhh... I sort of... made another one..." he said, scratching the back of his head, "You... unlocked something."

Haley stared at him, her expression hard to read. "I...I put more voices in your head? That...Tosh that's just proving my point even more."

"No, Haley, my power did. A form to go with it too. You just kickstarted the mechanism. Bruce accidentally did the rest trying to force me out of my self-induced hiatus. You were just a catalyst for my weird brain's nonsense."

"...you turn into something else now too?"

"Yep. A ferret-looking thing that talks like a Texas cowboy. I can only assume the persona model was supposed to be you, like Bruce and my cousin, but it formed early and I filled in the gaps with Westerns."

“....you turn into a ferret because of me?”

"He's a tiny, cute, Texan who curses way more than I do, occasionally refers to me as Toshie, and has a temper... what do you think?" he asked with a shy grin.

“....and you’re okay with having another voice in your head?”

"Of course it bothers me that that part of my powers looks like mental illness. My family has a history of that. But it was going to happen eventually. I just... need to get a system set up to manage them both."

“But I still caused that, Tosh. What if I put more voices in your head? What if I get mad and instead of a car, I crush your skull? Or someone else’s skull. I have a temper, and I shouldn’t...not when I have this much power.”

“I...I don’t know what do do Tosh. You...you’re so sweet. You deserve better than me.”

He stepped closer and raised her chin to look her in the eyes. His own were full of affection and the stubborn refusal to give up quite so easy.

"Haley. You're better than you give yourself credit for. You can learn to control your gift. Your temper too. Just... keep your passion. You're passionate in ways I could never be and I love that about you. And you're kind too. Sure, you tease me a lot, but I too often sink into my own head without someone to keep me swimming. I need that. I need you."

Tears welled up in her eyes, “Tosh, I can’t. I can’t risk it. I’m not worth it...and I can tell how much she likes you. And...and I know that you’re at least interested. What guy wouldn’t be. She’s gorgeous. And she is a shifter like you...And she’s not going to set your brain on fire like me.”

The tears were running down her cheeks. “I’m sorry Tosh. I’m...we...it’s over. “

"Haley..." he said, voice dangerously close to breaking, "Please... don't do this."

And then, with tears in his eyes, it did. "D-don't just give up. I..."

But he couldn't finish the sentence, or even the thought, as he saw the look in her eyes. He let his hand fall.

"Just... do one thing for me. Find a way to be happy."

Haley looked away, tears flowing. She was an asshole.

But it was better this way. Right?

“I...I’ll try,” she half heartedly replied. “Don’t be sad...I...I’m not worth it.”

"You are to me," he said with a sniffle, turning to leave before he lost it.