#playing family to escape their own mutantness

[anteomnia]

ah, yes, the nameless woman and daughter with no integral part to the plot other than to end up dead or traumatized to give the husband/father a tragic backstory. so glad you could make it 😒

[mynameisjag]

For @ace-in-disgrace and their prompt: Danny gets mistaken as the love child of the disasters known as Wolverine and Deadpool.

Okay, it was not Danny's fault, he swears!

He was just experimenting with his ice, playing around with some of the younger yetis in the Far Frozen for fun. So shaping his ice to cover his hands to copy the paws of the others and seeing how well he could cut through solid hard frozen ice was just a game. The rough housing was to be expected, everyone tossing each other to see how far they could be thrown was fun.

Being picked up and tossed at the right exact moment a portal opened up was not fun or expected and he blamed Clockwork. The entity had to be responsible somehow for him not being able to enjoy a day of hanging out with Frostbite and the others.

Landing right in the middle of a what looked like a swat happening in an abandoned warehouse, armored people instantly aiming their rifles at him as he stood up wasn’t even surprising given his luck.

Fair though, he was currently looking more on the feral side to match his playmates then his normal ghost form.

“Hey, what’s with hostility? Can’t someone just pop in somewhere without-“, and he was shot in the shoulder, cutting his sentence off, “rude.”

It was just a regular bullet, so it was easy for his form to just…push it out and heal the hole up.

One of the men reached up to touch a device attached on his ear, “Unknown possible mutant has breached the facilities, age around 12-15, regeneration showed, animal like features-“

“You know it’s really rude to talk about someone like that to their face, no manners at all.”

“Unfortunately satirical.”

There was a crash from above as red and yellow forms busted through the glass, the guns swinging their aim at the two men landed.

“Sassiness is always welcomed!”, the red man had his own guns out and was already firing as he talked.

Danny had decided to dodge over to a pile of crates as all the attention was on the new intruders, eyes wide as an arc blood barely missed him as the one in yellow unsheathed long blades from his knuckles.

He glanced at his own hands, he couldn’t make a working gun from ice but…concentrating…he slowly watched as ice built up into copies, looking very much like it was growing from his skin.

An armored body was flung his way and he instinctual reacted…there were now two halves of a one man and he was covered in the viscera.

He froze…did he…oh…oh no…he had to go, he had to go now.

“Ope, looks like someone's first kill! Look at you Jack Frost,” the red guy with guns was now standing above him on a bigger crate, waving down at the teen, “awe, tiny puppy claws!”

Danny took a swing at the crate, watching as it collapsed and the man fell, laughing the entire time he went down.

He quickly turned to run, only to run into a wide chest where he promptly bounced off and landed ass first on the floor, “What in the-I have literally ran into steel walls softer then you.”

Claw man snorted as he reached down and picked Danny up by the scruff, “You alright kid?”

Said kid just hissed at him.

Claws was chuckling, “Cute, now put back your claws, I think it’s time for a chat.”

“Is it finally our turn for the found family and misunderstandings trope,” the red man was back and had swaggered up to the other two, an arm being thrown over his partners shoulders, “Hi, there and welcome, I’m Deadpool and this is Wolverine and we’re your new dads.”

“No.”

“No?”

Danny smiled, all sharp teeth, “No,” and promptly went invisible and intangible, escaping out of the warehouse while he could, leaving the other two behind.

He had to find a portal home.

Wade went limp, using Logan as a brace, “But I wanted to pull a ‘Batman’…”

The response was a snort and Wolverine sniffing his own hand, growling as he took the child’s scent in, “Don’t know what your talking about but, I can track him down, we probably need to before more of these fucks show up and get their hands on him.”

Hope you enjoyed it!

[chaoticrockmusic]

Secret Hideout, Secret Kiss

Synopsis: You discover a hidden spot in the mansion where Quicksilver goes to think. He shows it to you, and as you share secrets, the tension builds, leading to a soft, stolen kiss.

Warnings: Maybe some cursing, besides that, just fluff! ☁️🩷

You wandered through the surprisingly quiet halls of the X-Mansion, trying to find something to do on this slow day. You were about to walk past a small hallway but stopped, seeing a light under a door. Peter's door. It's not unusual for him to be up at this time, but something was off. You pressed your ear to the door, hearing some light curses and shuffling.

"Peter?" You knocked on the door, it creaking open. You saw Peter half-way out of his window with the all-too familiar silver jacket basically glowing in the moonlight. "Hey, baby- What do you need?" Peter cocked a smile on his face, now sitting on his windowsill. "What are you doing? Are you trying to kill yourself or something?" You walked in and shut the door, crossing your arms. "Just uh- looking at the moon. Mhm. Yep." Peter didn't even believe his own lie. How could he lie when you were standing right in front of him in your cute pajamas and the sleepy look on your face. "Mhm. Tell me the truth, Peter." He sighed and stood up, taking your hand. "Why use words when I can show you?" You were about to respond before he held the back of your head and speed through the house.

Before you knew it, you were outside.

"Peter, what are you-" He sped you into a small clubhouse. It was a cozy room filled with music players and dirty clothes. "I'd hope no one would find this place, but since I'm showing it to you, you're not finding it." Peter laid down into the beanbag chair, you sitting in the small chair in front of him. "Why keep this place hidden? Too small for anyone else?" You smiled, leaning back a bit. "That and I come here to be alone sometimes. I like having a big-mutant family and all but... It's a bit much with everyone. Sometimes a guy just needs-"

"A place too think."

"Mm... Yeah. You get it?" Peter cocked his neck to the side, his silver hair moving and settling into place. Damn, why did it take you this long to realize he was cute? Well- You've had thoughts before. But never so... vivid. "Yeah, sometimes it's a bit much. The talking, the fighting, the crowed hallways. Why do you think my headphones are basically attached to me?"

You chuckled, the tension easing as you exchanged glances, both of you sharing that unspoken understanding. Peter’s presence was oddly comforting in this hidden sanctuary, a stark contrast to the chaos of the mansion.

“Right?” he replied, a smirk playing on his lips. “It’s nice to have a little escape now and then. Like our own little secret.” He leaned forward slightly, eyes sparkling with mischief. “And now you’re in on it.”

You nodded, feeling a warmth bloom in your chest. “I guess that makes me special, huh?”

“Special indeed,” he said, his tone shifting to something softer. The playful air around him faded, replaced by a sincerity that made your heart race. “I don’t show this place to just anyone.”

The moment hung between you like a delicate thread, pulling you closer together. You watched as he shifted in the beanbag, looking slightly vulnerable but still that charming, cocky guy you knew. “So, what else do you do in your secret hideout?” you asked, trying to keep the mood light, even as the tension crackled in the air.

“Sometimes I think about life, or I just play music and pretend I’m a rockstar,” he said with a chuckle, but his eyes were serious. “But mostly, I just think about… stuff.”

“Stuff?” You raised an eyebrow, leaning forward, intrigued. “What kind of stuff?”

He hesitated for a moment, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his face. “You know, like… what it all means. Being a mutant, having powers, all that. But lately, I’ve been thinking about people too.” His gaze locked onto yours, and you felt your breath hitch slightly.

“People?” you echoed, heart pounding. “Like…?”

“I dunno. Maybe people like... you.” The words hung in the air, heavy and electric. His expression was earnest, searching yours for a reaction.

You felt a rush of warmth spread across your cheeks. “Me?”

“Yeah,” he said, voice low. “You’ve always been there for me. And I’ve been wanting to tell you… well, I think you’re incredible.”

The sincerity in his eyes made your pulse quicken. It was that moment—the one that seemed to stretch and expand, where everything else faded away. You could hear your heart beating in your ears. “Peter, I—”

Before you could finish, he closed the distance between you, his hand brushing against your cheek. “Can I show you? How incredible I think you are.” he asked softly, and you nodded, breathless as your throat felt dry.

In an instant, his lips were on yours, tentative at first but quickly growing more confident, as if he were testing the waters of this uncharted territory. You melted into the kiss, feeling the warmth radiate between you, a rush of electricity that made everything else fade away. You reached up and felt his silver strands go through your fingers. This felt like a dream. He was kissing you, and not out of pity or a dare- Because he liked you. He really liked you...

When he pulled back, both of you were breathless, foreheads resting against each other. “Wow,” he whispered, a boyish grin spreading across his face. “So, do you think I could ever be a rockstar?”

You laughed, the moment lightening but the intensity still there. “You definitely have the charm for it,” you replied, heart still racing. “But let’s focus on this secret hideout first.” He chuckled, that easy, familiar laugh you loved. “Deal.” The night stretched out before you, filled with possibilities, the quiet of the clubhouse now brimming with newfound connection.

Do not copy or translate plz! -CallMe_Bunni

[honey-minded-hivemind]

how about yandere dad wolverine and uncle sabertooth [ the animated series ] x kid reader. when you have time p.s. have a safe and happy b day.

Woo! Thank you, @roxanndrummond!

• Wolverine as a dad is protective. He isn't letting you near anything sharp, but he would teach you about wild animals and different plants, especially if you're a feral mutant like him, or a very curious, nature-oriented kid

• He loves you. He saw you as a baby, he held you, he fed you, he spent the night and day helping you sleep and playing with you, he adores you. He adores all of his kids, but he's a bit more worried about you, possibly due to.seeing you grow up

• He finds it cute when you dress like him, be it in flannels or white t-shirts or in yellow or black. Jokingly calls you honey badger, or little badger, he scoops you into bear hugs and will nuzzle you lovingly

• No one bullies you for long. The moment he hears about it, he's dealing with the best or brats who did so, he's giving their parent/s a warning, and telling any school or camp that the next time they let that happen, he is making it personal, and will be having more than words with them...

• He tries to keep.l Sabretooth from being near you, but that usually fails. At least he's a fun uncle (when not actively trying to kidnap your dad, which he disguises as impromptu field trips and vacations-)

• Sabretooth is happily letting you play with his hair or look at his claws, and will encourage you to hunt and play in the woods and yard to your heart's content. Kills off any snakes in the area, he is not risking them biting you, and sets up small cameras to spy around and make sure you (and Logan) aren't stolen or try to escape

• Will cook your favorite dinner, or Logan's. He happily eats it as well, and will listen to you talk about your day, what birds you saw, how you found it funny your dad was sleeping so much, how you collected a few new rocks... He doesn't mind playing games, especially if it exercises your mutation or gets Logan to play along with being a family...

• Keeps Weapon X away from you. He might have let them mess with him and his brother, but he sure as h*ll is not letting them get their hands on you. You are his nibling, his brother's own tiny runt, and he will not let anyone hurt you as long as he's alive. Will eat anyone who tries to hurt you, or toss them off a cliff, or feed them to a few hungry wolves or lions...

• He hugs you, picks you up, cuddles I'm front of the fire, and happily tells you stories of when he and Logan were kids and were out in nature, or a few less... gory... Weapon X stories... or even how he tends to beat your dad in fights. He strives strives be your favorite uncle, and will not accept anyone else being it

• Wolverine and Sabretooth still fight, Logan won't willingly stay, Victor won't let him go without a fight, and they can get very scary... but they won't do it in front of you. You don't need to be scared of them, or feel unsafe around them. So they'll tolerate the other going against their wishes, if only for your sake and innocence...

[blue-devil-of-the-lord]

Voice of an Angel

Kurt Wagner x OFC (Emily Reynolds) Words: 14.5K Warnings: Killing, injuries, bloody stuff , bad cheesy flirting, criticism regarding religion/ God. A/N: Everybody lives, I don't care about canon it jumped out of the window

As Emily pushed open the grand doors, a rush of nostalgia flooded her senses along with that familiar scent that had clung to the building for decades. Despite the years that had passed, she couldn't help but feel a sense of belonging wash over her, accompanied by a subtle smile playing on her lips.

Amidst the bustling corridors, she caught glimpses of students darting about, some offering nods in her direction while others remained absorbed in their own world. Emily understood their indifference; after all, it had been years since she roamed these halls, and she wasn't one to draw attention to herself. Yet, amidst the crowd, there were a few who recognized her, their gazes lingering just a moment longer.

" Emy!" A familiar voice cut through the bustling noise, and Emily's smile widened exponentially as she spotted the figure of her old friend making her way towards her. "Storm." With genuine warmth, she enveloped her friend in a tight embrace, the years melting away in an instant. "God, how long has it been? Three years, four Breaking away from the embrace, Emily kept her hands on Storm's shoulders, the bond of friendship palpable between them. "Add three more, and we're getting closer," she replied with a chuckle.

"I'll never forgive Charles for sending you to Colombia," she muttered, the resentment evident in her tone. Emily's gaze softened. "But you know why I went," Emily replied gently, reaching out to place a reassuring hand on Storm's arm. "There was a surge in mutant appearances. Someone had to lend a hand, and at that moment, I had nothing better to do." A fleeting smile tugged at Storm's lips, despite her lingering frustration. "And I suppose your Spanish is impeccable now," she remarked with a hint of sarcasm.

Emily couldn't resist a playful grin. "You bet. My Spanish has never been sharper, mi amiga." Storm snorted, a mix of exasperation and genuine amusement dancing in her eyes. "I guess you didn't come here just for small talk?" Emily could see a small glimmer of hope in her eyes and was relieved not to have to stifle it. "No, not at all. I've come back home." An honest, broad smile slowly spread across Storm's face. "Does that mean-?"

Emily interrupted with a mischievous twinkle in her eye, waggling her eyebrows for emphasis. "I'm back. And you'll have a hard time shaking me off anytime soon."

Storm burst into laughter, her previous tension melting away as she pulled Emily into another tight embrace. "Come on, we've kept your room untouched. Let's catch up properly."

Emily's heart swelled with warmth at the realization that her friends, her family, had preserved her space, a silent testament to their unwavering belief in her return. Despite the overwhelming urge to accept Storm's invitation and immerse herself in the familiar comfort of her old room, she knew she had to decline.

"I'd love nothing more than that, Storm," she began, her voice tinged with regret as she shook her head gently and placed a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder, "but I'm afraid I'll have to speak with Charles first." A soft sigh escaped Storm's lips, and Emily observed a subtle slump in her friend's posture, but she was met with a small, understanding smile.

"Of course. Come with me," Storm replied, her voice gentle as she gestured for Emily to follow.

Contrary to Emily's expectations, Storm veered away from the typical paths leading to Charles' office or the classrooms, guiding her instead towards the basement. Towards the danger room. Emily's brow furrowed in confusion, but before she could voice her question, Storm sensed her gaze and shot her a knowing look, amusement twinkling in her eyes.

" The professor doesn't partake in the training sessions himself, silly," Storm explained with a chuckle, glancing at Emily from the corner of her eye. "He simply oversees and supervises."

Emily's lips twitched with a mixture of amusement and faux indignation. "Well, excuse me for assuming the great Charles Xavier might don his superhero cape and join in the action," she quipped, though a telltale blush crept up her cheeks. She knew full well the limitations Charles faced with his wheelchair, but the mental image of him engaged in combat training was too absurd not to entertain.

The doors to the monitoring room smoothly slid aside, revealing Charles Xavier seated in front of the console, his presence commanding even from behind the safety glass that separated them from the danger room.

Though his appearance hadn't changed—still bald, still in his wheelchair—his aura of wisdom and compassion remained as strong as ever. Emily's smile widened as Charles turned to greet her, his own expression gentle and welcoming. "Emily. It's good to see you."

" Likewise, Charles," she replied, her voice incredibly soft as she closed the distance between them. With a warmth that transcended mere words, she enveloped him in a heartfelt embrace, which he returned with equal tenderness. In that fleeting moment, tears welled in her eyes.

Charles Xavier had been her guiding light since she was just a frightened ten-year-old, alone and adrift in a world of uncertainty. He had plucked her from the darkness, offering her not just refuge, but a home and a family. To Emily, he had been more than a mentor or a teacher; he had been the father figure she had lost too soon.

As they parted from their embrace, Charles gently took Emily's hands in his own, his gaze lingering on her with a sense of fondness and pride. "You've grown up, my dear," he remarked, his tone reflective."

" I was already grown up when I left," Emily countered with a small smile, meeting his gaze.

Nevertheless, Charles's eyes traced over her features, as if trying to commit every detail to memory—every wrinkle, every freckle—as if seeing her anew. "Still. You've changed," he observed. " Emily's smile softened, touched by his perceptiveness. "And you haven't changed at all," she replied, a fondness coloring her words. Charles chuckled softly, releasing her hands as he turned his wheelchair to face the glass once more.

"Believe me, I've gained a few wrinkles in the last few years," he admitted with a self-deprecating smile, casting a brief glance over his shoulder at Emily. "Come on. The simulation is almost over. We'll have plenty of time to catch up afterward."

Emily stepped closer to Charles, peering through the glass pane into the room below. Familiar faces greeted her sight—Scott, focused as he honed his skills with precision, and Hank, dangling from the ceiling with a mixture of grace and agility. Yet, there were others whose identities eluded her.

"Logan," Charles offered as he followed Emily's gaze to the muscular, dark-haired man below. With each movement, he extended three metal claws from each hand, dispatching his opponents with ruthless efficiency. " He's lent us his aid on occasion when we've needed it," Charles continued, his gaze thoughtful as he observed Logan's relentless onslaught.

"He's a complex individual, and we're not entirely certain if he'll choose to remain. But he's got his heart in the right place. Most of the time."

For a few moments, Emily watched Logan's movements, however, her attention was drawn away when she noticed Storm step closer, her expression filled with concern as she scanned the room below. Who are you looking for?" Emily inquired, turning to face her friend, curiosity piqued by Storm's searching gaze.

"Kurt," Storm replied, her focus still fixed on the activity below. "He's a recent addition, and I wanted to ensure he's adapting well," she explained.

"There you are," Storm's voice broke through Emily's concentration, drawing her attention once more to the swirling black cloud of mist below. Emily furrowed her brow, trying to discern any trace of Kurt within the nebulous veil, but her efforts proved fruitless. Turning back to her friend, Emily found Storm's gaze now fixed on another corner of the room. Following her friend's line of sight, Emily squinted, only to find another ominous cloud—this one tinged with hints of black and blue, hovering over a defeated opponent.

After a few more futile attempts to locate Kurt amidst the obscure mist, Emily turned to Charles.

" That's something new," she remarked, her gaze shifting back and forth between Storm's determined expression and the enigmatic phenomenon in the danger room below.

Charles's laughter filled the room and he shook his head with amusement. "Not quite. Look closely," he urged, gesturing towards a seemingly empty space amidst the projected enemies. Frowning in concentration, Emily scrutinized the area, trying to discern any hidden details.

Before she could formulate a response, the air around the targeted enemy shimmered, and a dense black cloud of mist materialized out of thin air. The opponent staggered, collapsing under the weight of the unseen force, as another cloud of mist emerged, swirling and merging with the first.

" What the-?!" Emily's exclamation was cut short as Charles raised a hand, urging her to remain silent. " Watch carefully," he instructed, his gaze intent on the unfolding spectacle below.

Once more, Charles pointed to a specific spot, and as if in response to him, the black mist reappeared. Emily's eyes widened in realization as she finally saw what Storm and Charles had been observing all along.

Through the dense smoke and the distorted reflection on the glass pane, Emily strained to discern the figure hidden within the swirling mist. Gradually, the outline of a person, presumably a man, emerged, materializing out of thin air to swiftly incapacitate his opponent before vanishing once more.

"Teleporting. He's a teleporter!" Emily exclaimed, her eyes widening with a mixture of awe and excitement. "I've never seen anything like it, and I've dealt with a lot of them. Holy shit." Storm's smirk hinted at a hidden amusement as she cautioned, "Don't say that too loudly. Our dear Kurt is a very devout man."

"I'll be as gracious as ever," Emily replied with a chuckle. Storm's snort of amusement was accompanied by a comforting pat on Emily's shoulder. "Come on, the simulation's as good as over. I'll introduce you. Besides, Scott and Hank will be happy to see you."

Emily glanced at Charles, seeking reassurance, and found it in his nod of approval. With a grateful smile, she briefly touched his shoulder before following Storm out of the room. As they approached the door to the Danger Room, Storm offered her a brief heads-up. "A little heads up," she explained in a low voice, "Logan's often in a bad mood. Always, actually. So don't take it too personally."

"I'll do my best." With that, the doors slid open, revealing the familiar yet unpleasant scent that greeted them. Emily wrinkled her nose in distaste as they stepped inside.

Staying on the sidelines to allow the others a moment to catch their breath, Emily watched as Hank recovered more quickly than the rest, his eyes lighting up with recognition as he spotted them.

"Emily, it's good to see you," Hank greeted her with a broad smile. Knowing his discomfort with physical affection, Emily refrained from offering a hug, instead returning his smile with a nod of acknowledgment. Scott, however, had no such reservations. "You're still alive," he exclaimed with a grin, enveloping her in a tight embrace that squeezed the air from her lungs.

"Scott," Emily croaked softly, teasingly. "You stink and you're wet. Go away, old man." Despite her playful protest, there was a warmth in her voice.

Scott released her from the embrace with a playful scoff. "I'm three months older than you."

" Emily shot back with a smirk, "Judging by your reaction time in training, you'd think you'd have been around when Socrates wasn't even being planned." She could almost envision Scott rolling his eyes behind his glasses, but her attention was drawn away by a low, throaty laugh. Surprised, Emily turned to find Logan, who had lit a cigar and was regarding her with a mixture of amusement and approval, his arms crossed in front of his chest. "I like the little girl," he remarked.

Emily couldn't help but grimace at the nickname. "I'm not little," she retorted, a touch defensively. Logan chuckled and turned away towards the door. "Sweetheart, you're like, a meter fifty. Tops." It wasn't exactly mature to stick out her tongue, but Emily couldn't resist the urge, before turning back to the others.

"Forget Logan," Scott interjected, his expression turning serious as he draped an arm around Emily's shoulder. "The guy's never in a good mood. By his standards, this was just a wedding proposal." Emily grimaced. Sure, Logan was undeniably attractive, but from what she'd already observed, she could tell for sure that he was definitely not her type.

"Please don't." Scott laughed and finally released her from his grasp, prompting a grateful sigh from Emily. She genuinely loved her friend, but he was definitely in dire need of a shower.

As her gaze swept over the faces gathered in the room, something caught her attention, and she furrowed her brow in thought. "Wait, there's someone missing here, isn't there? Where's the cloud guy? What was his name again, Kain?" Emily mused aloud.

A voice behind her, tinged with an unfamiliar accent, responded to her query. "Kurt. Kurt Wagner."

As Emily turned around, her eyes fell upon the figure standing next to Storm—a man who instantly captured her attention. He was undeniably the most attractive man she had ever laid eyes on. Yet, as soon as the thought crossed her mind, she blinked in confusion.

Taller than her, yet slightly shorter than Scott or Hank, he possessed a lean, muscular build that spoke of athleticism. However, it was not the sculpted physique of someone who meticulously trained for aesthetic reasons, but rather the natural result of physical activity. Emily couldn't help but surmise that he might have been involved in acrobatics or gymnastics, given his slender yet defined form.

These physical attributes alone didn't give her pause. It was everything else about him that left her momentarily speechless, caught off guard by the sheer magnetism he exuded.

His skin bore a striking hue of deep indigo blue, adorned with intricate, if unfamiliar, symbols that seemed to dance across his surface in mesmerizing patterns. His blackish-bluish hair cascaded in untamed curls, framing a face that held an otherworldly allure. Emily couldn't help but notice his pointed ears peeking through the tousled locks, a subtle yet unmistakable feature.

As far as she could tell, he had only three fingers and three toes, the latter clad in matching shoes. His smile revealed a set of sharp fangs, adding to the enigmatic charm that surrounded him. A tail, adorned with a spade-like tip, swayed gently behind him. Despite these striking features, it was his golden eyes that held her captive, their intense gaze locking onto hers with a depth that seemed to penetrate to her very soul.

By all conventional standards, he wasn't attractive, but in that moment, Emily knew she had never encountered anyone more compelling, more captivating, than the man before her and she'd be damned if she'd ever meet anyone more attractive.

With a warm smile, Emily extended her hand towards Kurt, which he accepted in a firm yet surprisingly gentle grip. Despite the unfamiliar sensation of his touch, she found his hand pleasantly soft and warm, a stark contrast to his otherworldly appearance. She couldn't help but feel a blush creeping onto her cheeks as she met his gaze.

" Emily Reynolds, it's a real pleasure," she introduced herself, her voice tinged with genuine warmth as she exchanged a handshake with the enigmatic man before her. As she allowed her eyes to roam over him once more, she noticed a slight shift in his demeanor, a subtle fidgeting that betrayed his unease under her scrutiny. Emily couldn't help but feel a surge of amusement at his reaction.

"German, I guess?" she ventured, directing the question towards Kurt. He nodded in affirmation, prompting a knowing smile from Emily. Turning to Storm, she couldn't resist teasing her friend with a playful remark. "You know, if you'd told me you'd picked up such a good-looking bloke, I'd have come up from Colombia a lot sooner," she quipped with a wink.

With a mischievous twinkle in her eye, Emily turned back to Kurt, her smile widening as she addressed him directly. "Am I right, handsome?" she teased, her tone light-hearted yet genuine.

Emily couldn't suppress her delight as she watched Kurt's cheeks darken in embarrassment. He stammered out an apology before vanishing in a puff of smoke, leaving Emily amused by his sudden departure. Turning to the others, who wore expressions ranging from astonishment to amusement, Emily raised an eyebrow defiantly.

"What?" she challenged, crossing her arms defensively across her chest. "He is handsome."

~**~

With a resigned sigh, Emily gently closed the book she had been perusing and carefully returned it to its place on the shelf. It had been three weeks since her return, and while the lessons had been demanding enough, it was another matter altogether that weighed heavily on her mind.

Unintentionally, Kurt had taken up residence in her thoughts. What had begun as fleeting musings about the teleporter had gradually evolved into a persistent presence in her mind. At first, she had dismissed it as a passing curiosity, but as time went on, his image seemed to intrude upon her thoughts more and more frequently, making it increasingly difficult for her to focus on her duties.

Despite his unconventional appearance and the initial awkwardness of their encounter, Emily had come to realize that Kurt was genuinely sweet and honest—a rare find in their line of work. Yet, his unexpected hold on her thoughts only added to her frustrations, complicating her already demanding responsibilities.

As she closed her eyes and leaned against the bookshelf, Emily couldn't help but wonder how she had managed to become so captivated by someone she barely knew. And though she tried to push him from her mind, she couldn't shake the feeling that Kurt had somehow managed to find a permanent place in her thoughts, whether she liked it or not.

With a resigned sigh, Emily acknowledged the unreciprocated nature of her flirtations with Kurt. Each attempt seemed to result in either a shy blush from him or his sudden disappearance, leaving her feeling frustrated and uncertain of where she stood.

Deciding that she wasn't in the mood to read her class's French essays that day, Emily craved a change of scenery. The weather outside was pleasant, and with most of the students still in class, she could seize the opportunity to enjoy some peace and quiet in the garden. Leaving the confines of the classroom behind, Emily made her way to the tranquil garden, where the soft rustle of leaves and the gentle chirping of birds welcomed her.

Ever since she was a little girl, Emily had felt a deep affection for the school grounds—the wide green fields, the tranquil woods, and especially the meticulously tended gardens. Among the lush foliage, there was a particular bench tucked away amidst the fragrant rose hedges—a sanctuary she had often sought out when the pressures of life became overwhelming.

However, as she approached her cherished retreat that day, she discovered that someone else had claimed it before her. Kurt sat there, engrossed in his notepad, seemingly lost in thought.

" Hello, handsome," Emily greeted him with a mixture of surprise and warmth, her heart fluttering as he looked up from his writing to meet her gaze with those captivating golden eyes. It had become a habit for her to address him in such a manner, and to her delight, he had never protested.

"Emily. I wasn't expecting you," Kurt greeted her, his voice soft and filled with genuine surprise. She chuckled lightly and looked down at him gently. Kurt sat cross-legged, dressed in simple attire, a drawing pad resting in his lap and a pencil poised in his hand.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you too much? If so, can I go?" Emily inquired, her concern evident in her tone. He shook his head tentatively, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips, and gestured for her to join him. "Please, sit down," he invited warmly.

Without hesitation, Emily accepted his offer and nestled herself beside him on the bench. "I didn't realize you could paint," she remarked, her curiosity piqued as she observed his sketches. Kurt shrugged modestly, his attention returning to the paper before him. "It's nothing special, though it helps to calm the mind," he explained softly, his fingers deftly moving across the page as he continued to work on his creation.

Emily hummed in agreement, her gaze drifting over the serene surroundings of the garden. "Whenever I was overwhelmed as a pupil, I came here. It was my safe space, so to speak," she reminisced softly.

Kurt's gaze lifted from the paper to meet hers, a playful sparkle entering his eyes.

"Then I really hope my presence doesn't—destroy that security," he quipped, a hint of self-deprecation in his tone.

Emily smiled, understanding the reference to Kurt's past exploits. Storm had filled her in on the incident at the White House, expressing her concerns for Kurt's well-being. But as she looked at him now, his smile reassuring and genuine, she felt a sense of certainty that her friend had nothing to fear. It doesn't. I feel more than safe in your presence, my dear," she assured him sincerely.

A comfortable silence settled between them, punctuated only by the soft rustle of leaves in the breeze. After a moment, Emily spoke again, her tone gentle and earnest. "May I have a look at them?" she asked, her curiosity genuine as she gestured towards his sketches.

Kurt blinked, a flicker of hesitation crossing his features as he glanced down at his work. Emily noticed the telltale sign of anxiety in the way his tail wrapped around his leg, but she offered him a reassuring smile. "It's nothing special."

" I don't care about that," Emily replied softly. "I don't have any other friends who are artistic, and I really can't paint myself. The fact that someone can is very fascinating to me." Sensing his uncertainty, she added, "But you don't have to if you don't want to. It's up to you.“

"No, it's fine," Kurt replied tentatively, offering the drawing pad to Emily with a nervous gesture. Almost immediately, he withdrew his hand and began to fidget with the hem of his shirt, his uncertainty palpable.

Emily accepted the pad with care, her fingers tracing over each page as she studied the sketches with genuine interest. After a moment, she turned to Kurt with delight shining in her eyes, her admiration for the talented teleporter growing with each passing moment.

"Kurt, these are fantastic! Really, absolutely beautiful," she exclaimed, her voice filled with genuine admiration and affection.

A tentative smile graced Kurt's lips as he accepted the pad back from her. "Thank you," he murmured softly. With a grin, Emily rose from the bench, a playful glint in her eyes.

"Although I have to say that the artist is still a lot more beautiful," she teased, blowing him a kiss before turning to make her way back to the building.

As she walked, Emily felt a renewed sense of energy coursing through her veins. The encounter with Kurt had lifted her spirits, leaving her eager to tackle the task of reading the French essays with newfound enthusiasm.

~**~

"They look good."

Emily knew better than to cry out. It was the middle of the night and even though it was vacation and the kids who weren't home visiting were on a field trip with most of the teachers, leaving the house more or less empty, it felt wrong to scream out loud just after midnight. Still, she couldn't stop the sound rising in her throat and fumbled with a knife she'd meant to put in the sink.

Cautiously, she turned to find Kurt crouched opposite her on the kitchen island, his form illuminated by the soft glow of moonlight filtering through the window. He was dressed in light clothes, a slight smile playing on his lips as the tip of his tail curled up in a gesture of amusement.

Despite her initial surprise, Emily couldn't help but feel a sense of warmth at the sight of him. She had grown accustomed to his unexpected appearances over the past few weeks, finding comfort in his quiet presence.

"Kurt!" Emily's attempt at sounding stern was overshadowed by the sheer relief evident in her voice as she called out his name. "I’m sorry, meine Liebe. I didn't mean to startle you," he apologized, his smile carrying a hint of mischief despite the apologetic tone.

Emily couldn't help but snort at his apology, though she appreciated the sentiment. Placing the knife on the counter, just out of reach, she chuckled softly. "Why are you still awake at all?"

Kurt tilted his head, shifting from a crouch to a more relaxed cross-legged position on the kitchen island. His tail swung lazily back and forth behind him as he regarded her with playful curiosity. "I could ask you the same thing. Or is it a tradition with you Americans to bake cookies in the middle of the night?"

His gaze flicked towards the oven, where a batch of chocolate cookies was in the midst of baking, before returning to her with a raised eyebrow, teasingly provocative.

Emily couldn't deny that she had observed a change in Kurt over the past few weeks. Gone were the days when he would linger alone in the corners of rooms, withdrawn into the shadows and blushing at every compliment she offered. Instead, he seemed to have grown bolder, spending more time with others, engaging in playful banter and offering pointed responses that often left her at a loss for words.

Admittedly, Emily found herself feeling a twinge of jealousy at times when she witnessed Kurt interacting with other women who seemed captivated by his charm. Yet, she couldn't help but feel genuinely happy for him, recognizing that he deserved to find companionship and connection with others just as much as anyone else.

Yet, she couldn't fault these women for being drawn to Kurt's magnetic personality when she herself found him equally captivating. Despite her occasional bouts of jealousy, she knew that she had no right to judge others when she was just as guilty of harboring feelings for him.

"I needed to let off some steam," Emily explained, her fingers absently wiping flour on her trousers as Kurt's gaze wandered around the kitchen, taking in the sight of dozens of cookies already baked, with more waiting in the oven and a bowl of fresh dough ready to be shaped.

"Lots of steam," she added with a wry smile, reaching for a plate and carefully placing some freshly baked cookies on it before pressing it into Kurt's hand. "Here you go, handsome. I guess this is what you came for."

With a grateful grin and a wag of his tail, he accepted the plate. "Well, I wasn't expecting such fresh delicacies, but yes." Emily watched with a mixture of amusement and satisfaction as Kurt selected one of the cookies, his movements deliberate as he brought it to his nose, taking in its aroma before finally taking a bite.

A few crumbs tumbled to the floor, but she paid them no mind, too captivated by the enraptured expression on Nightcrawler's face as he savored the treat. Now it was Emily's turn to grin, a sense of warmth spreading through her as she witnessed Kurt's enjoyment.

"Good?" Emily inquired, her gaze shifting back to Kurt as he took another bite of the cookie

"Better," he replied instantly, his words slightly muffled by the food in his mouth. Chuckling softly, Emily turned her attention back to her pastry. "Good to know my frustration baking tastes good after all." For a few moments, silence enveloped them, broken only by the sound of Kurt's chewing and Emily's rhythmic chopping of chocolate. Eventually, Kurt broke the quietude with a question.

" May I ask why you're baking in the middle of the night?" With a sigh, Emily pushed the freshly chopped chocolate into the dough and then pressed it into Kurt's somewhat perplexed hand. "School work. Stir, please," she instructed, her voice tinged with weariness but also a hint of determination.

As Kurt stirred the dough, still a little bemused by the late-night baking session, Emily busied herself with removing the trays of fresh cookies from the oven. "You'd think science would be hard to teach, but try teaching Spanish to a class of American kids who almost never have to conjugate or adapt adjectives. Or French. Or God forbid Latin," she explained, a hint of frustration creeping into her voice as she wiped her forehead with the back of her hand.

"Thank you," she added, taking the bowl from him with a grateful smile.

Kurt hummed softly. "The professor said you speak a lot of languages." Emily nodded slightly, her expression thoughtful. "Always came easy to me. A lot easier than biology or chemistry," she admitted with a wry smile.

"How many?"

Emily put the bowl down and leaned back against the kitchen counter, meeting Kurt's gaze with a thoughtful expression. "About ten? English, as my first language, Spanish, French, Hebrew, Latin and Ancient Greek fluently. Arabic, Portuguese and Swahili more or less confidently. Mandarin and Russian..." She paused, tilting her head slightly as she considered.

"Let's put it this way, I wouldn't be completely helpless in a conversation, but I'd prefer to either continue the conversation in English or look for an opportunity to escape after five minutes." Kurt, who had been about to take another bite of a cookie, froze in his tracks, his eyes widening in astonishment as he processed her revelation.

Emily felt a hint of self-consciousness creeping in under his intense scrutiny, and she shifted uncomfortably, about to turn away when Kurt caught himself.

"You're fantastic," Kurt declared, his voice laced with genuine admiration and affection. Emily felt a warmth spread through her cheeks at his words, and she turned away slightly to hide the blush. "Says the guy who can teleport," she replied with a hint of self-deprecation, trying to deflect the attention away from herself.

There was a soft rustle, and when Emily turned back around, she found Kurt standing right behind her, his eyes earnest as he set aside the plate of cookies. "Don't," he murmured, reaching out to brush a stray strand of her hair behind her ear. "Please don't belittle your achievements."

Emily found herself frozen in place, her gaze locked with Kurt's as his fingers continued to stroke her cheek with gentle reassurance. His eyes held such warmth and admiration that it left her feeling both vulnerable and electrified, her heart pounding in her chest as she struggled to form coherent thoughts.

"I was just a curious child. Which Charles encouraged," she finally managed to croak out, her voice barely above a whisper.

Kurt's expression softened even further, his gaze unwavering as he spoke. "And today you are a brilliant woman whose intelligence should not be underestimated," he replied, his words carrying a weight of sincerity that sent a shiver down Emily's spine.

She thought she could feel the tension, but didn't dare do what she wanted to do (grab him by the collar and kiss him senseless).

Instead, Emily chuckled lightly and playfully pushed Kurt aside, placing her hand on his chest as she moved past him to reach the trays of cookies. "Someone sure knows how to make a girl swoon, huh?" she teased, trying to inject a light-hearted tone into the atmosphere.

"Aber nur du zählst*," Kurt muttered softly, prompting Emily to turn back to him with a quizzical expression. "Excuse me? German isn't really my strong suit," she admitted, raising an eyebrow in confusion. Kurt smiled sheepishly, hopping back onto the counter as he evaded her question. "You and the professor get on well. How long have you known him?" he asked, deflecting the conversation away from his previous remark.

Emily knew he was avoiding her question, but she was happy to take the way out as long as it meant he couldn't see her red cheeks or hear her beating heart.

"He raised me," Emily confessed, her voice soft but tinged with deep gratitude as she worked to evenly distribute the cookie dough on the tray. "I lost my family when I was ten. Charles took me in, fostered me and treated me like I was his own flesh and blood. I owe him more than I can ever give back."

She paused for a moment before smiling and putting the tray in the oven and, with that last load done, turning to Kurt. "He's like a father to me, as stereotypical as it may sound." Kurt's tail swayed slightly back and forth as he looked at her.

"I never got to know my parents. Instead, I grew up in the Munich circus," Kurt revealed, his tone tinged with a mix of nostalgia and resignation. "They may not have been related to me, but they gave me a home and accepted me for who I am when no one else did. More or less."

His expression softened. "Just because they aren't your blood doesn't mean any less. Sometimes those who aren't related to us are more important and more family than our real one." Emily cast her gaze down. A constricting feeling spread through her, a familiar feeling that she did her best to suppress.

"Storm told me that you grew up in the circus, but I could never imagine it," Emily admitted, her curiosity piqued. "What was it like, if you don't mind me asking?"

All at once, Kurt's face seemed to light up, his eyes sparkling as his tail started wagging back and forth, a gesture that Emily found incredibly endearing. "It was an indescribable feeling. The adrenaline, the ring, the audience." A dreamy look came over his face. "They didn't know that this -" he pointed to his face "- wasn't make-up, wasn't an act. I was able to teleport and received thunderous applause. It was a real magic trick for them. I was happy. I was free."

Emily couldn't help but hang on every word, captivated by Kurt's recounting of his circus days. The passion and joy in his voice resonated deeply with her, and she couldn't suppress the smile that tugged at her lips. "It sounds wonderful," she remarked sincerely, her heart swelling with happiness for him.

Kurt's eyes met hers and a wide, genuine smile came across his face. "It was."

As the night wore on, the cookies long since cooled, Emily found herself still seated in the kitchen, utterly captivated by Kurt's stories of his time in the circus. Mesmerized, she sat opposite him on the kitchen ledge, her gaze fixed on his lips as he spoke, hanging on to every word with rapt attention.

Kurt's storytelling had a magnetic quality to it, drawing her in completely. His voice, neither too quick nor too slow, held a certain cadence that was soothing yet compelling. With passion, wit, and charm, he painted vivid pictures of his experiences, bringing each memory to life in exquisite detail.

Listening to him, Emily felt as though she were right there beside him, experiencing every exhilarating moment firsthand.

Kurt had a way of speaking that left no room for distraction, his words casting a spell that held her in thrall. Despite the late hour, Emily found herself completely absorbed in his tales, grateful for the opportunity to share in his memories.

"Thanks for keeping me company and venting frustration," she murmured softly after they'd stowed all the cookies together and he'd walked her up to her room. Not teleported, they had walked while he had continued talking, encouraged by her inquiries.

Kurt smiled down at her, his eyes warm with gratitude. "I thank you for listening," he replied, lifting his plate with a cheeky smile. "And for the cookies."

Returning his smile, Emily leaned against her doorframe, feeling a sense of contentment settle over her. "It's been more than a pleasure listening to you. You have a very soothing and pleasant voice, my dear." A pleasant silence descended between them for a few moments before Kurt broke it with a question, his curiosity evident in his expression.

"Can I ask you something?" Emily laughed softly. "I've been pestering you with questions all night, of course you can."

Kurt tilted his head curiously, his golden eyes searching hers. "What are your abilities? I know you have some, the others call you 'Siren'. I haven't figured it out, though." Emily hesitated for a moment, her mind racing with conflicting thoughts, but ultimately she made a decision.

Pushing herself slightly away from the doorframe, she positioned herself directly in front of Kurt. He instinctively moved to back away, but before he could react, she reached out and grabbed the collar of his T-shirt, pulling him closer to her.

With a sudden boldness that surprised even herself, she pressed a soft kiss to his cheek, feeling the unique texture of his indigo-blue skin beneath her lips. In that moment, she didn't care about anything else but the warmth of his presence.

As she pulled back, she met his astonished gaze with a playful wink, her cheeks flushed with a mixture of nerves and excitement. "I'm afraid that's a story for another night, handsome," she teased, pressing another brief kiss to his cheek before releasing him.

"Good night and sweet dreams."

As quickly as she could, Emily scurried into her room and closed the door behind her, leaning against it for support. Her cheeks were burning with embarrassment, and her heart was pounding so loudly she could hear it echoing in her ears.

Where had she gotten the courage to do that? In the silence of her room, she strained to listen for any sound from the hallway, her senses heightened by the rush of adrenaline.

It seemed like an eternity before she finally heard the familiar sound of Kurt's teleportation, the 'BAMF' that signaled his departure.

*Aber nur du zählst ~ But only you matter /count.

~**~

Just in the nick of time, Emily agilely sidestepped, narrowly evading what could have turned her into a human kebab. However, her relief was short-lived as she collided with one of the training props meant to serve as shields. How these would aid her in such a predicament remained a mystery.

“ Practice with swords," she muttered, recalling the advice given earlier, as she retrieved the fallen weapon, now wielding one in each hand. "It can't hurt to broaden your horizons.”

Not so pessimistic, Emily, Charles chimed in, his voice echoing inside her head.

Shut up Charles. She glared up angrily at the pane of glass behind which he was crouching. He seemed unfazed, content to watch from his vantage point as Emily grappled with the swords, feeling increasingly like she was the only one struggling while her training partner flourished.

When Charles had proposed a training session with Kurt, Emily had eagerly accepted. However, her enthusiasm waned when she realized she wouldn't be wielding her usual weapons. Still, being ambidextrous provided a slight advantage against the monstrous creations Hank had concocted this time.

A whirring noise snapped her attention behind, and she swiftly pivoted, just in time to parry an attack from one of the holoimitations. She couldn't help but lament the advancement in technology here, longing for the simplicity of dodging basic projectiles.

"Son of a bitch," she muttered, swiftly dispatching her assailant by severing its head. With grim satisfaction, she observed as the body dissolved into particles of light until it vanished entirely.

Another buzz jolted her into action, but she realized she wouldn't be able to swing her swords in time. Bracing for impact, she was suddenly yanked aside by a firm hand. Startled, she let out a squeal, only to witness her assailant dissolve with a metallic clink and a faint glow.

Turning to face her savior, she found Kurt, his expression etched with concern. "Are you okay? Did it get you?" he asked, scanning her for any sign of injury. She couldn't help but smile faintly, placing a hand on his bicep, which tensed with effort under her touch.

"I'm fine, Kurt. Thank you," she reassured him, gratitude evident in her voice.

For a moment, Kurt simply held her gaze, then nodded with a sheepish smile. "Be careful," he cautioned before vanishing, leaving behind only a dissipating black cloud. Instantly, Emily spun around, peering out from behind the wall, searching until she located him.

And oh, she could curse the training all she wanted, but moments like this made it worth it.

Seeing Kurt in action stirred something within her, a mix of admiration and undeniable attraction. When she had first stepped into the danger room, she had thought her proficiency with two swords was impressive.

That was until Kurt entered, effortlessly wielding one blade in each hand and another clutched in his tail. His presence alone was striking, but watching him in combat … God help her.

She had caught glimpses of his fighting prowess when they first met, though back then he seemed to vanish in the blink of an eye. Now, however, he chose to stay visible, and she couldn't be more grateful.

Kurt moved with a grace and agility that left her breathless. Each strike was calculated, precise, and lethal. Engaging multiple opponents at once, he danced through the air, his swords a blur of motion as he emerged victorious. His movements were a testament to his skill, fluid and elegant, reminiscent of his circus days.

Emily had always admired his flexibility, a reminder of his past as an acrobat, but today she truly appreciated it. His fencing style appeared flawless to her inexperienced eyes, his motions so natural and fluid that she could easily picture him on the trapeze, captivating an audience high above.

EMILY!

Charles' voice reverberated loudly in her mind, but it was too late. A sudden blow to her stomach sent her crashing to the ground with a groan of pain. "Motherfucker," she cursed, reaching out instinctively, only to have someone else intervene and dispatch the assailant before she could react.

Before the body even touched the ground, Kurt was by her side, concern etched on his features as he crouched beside her, his arm supporting her back. "Are you hurt? Emily, what happened? You froze!" His gaze shifted to her forehead, widening in alarm. "You're bleeding."

A wry smile tugged at her lips. "It's not my fault. When you look impossibly gorgeous in combat, you leave me no choice but to freeze and get hit." But Kurt didn't return the smile. "Now's not the time for jokes," he admonished, his worry evident in his voice.

Emily's realization dawned as she found herself clinging tightly to Kurt's neck in panic, desperate not to tumble from his grasp. "Kurt!" she called out, but he remained silent, his hold on her tightening in response. "Hold on, this could get a little uncomfortable," he warned.

In that moment, as they disappeared into the unknown, Emily couldn't help but feel a mix of coldness and strangeness enveloping her. Yet, strangely, it also felt undeniably familiar, like a comforting embrace from Kurt himself.

Later, if asked, Emily would struggle to describe the sensation, but one thing was certain—it felt like home.

“ Whoa," Emily blinked, finding herself suddenly in a hospital room, still cradled in Kurt's arms as he made his way towards one of the beds, calling out for Hank. Gently, he lowered her onto the bed, his concern evident as he brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"Forgive me. I know teleporting is unpleasant, but I wanted to make sure you got fixed up quickly," he explained, his gaze filled with worry. Emily offered him a reassuring smile. "You're cute, handsome," she teased lightly, but before Kurt could respond, Hank entered the room, causing Kurt to step back.

Hank's eyes landed on Emily, his expression a mix of exasperation and concern. "One day, you won't end up in this room covered in blood after a workout," he sighed, shaking his head.

Emily winked at him. "Then it wouldn't be me. Besides, it's not that bad," she quipped, but the seriousness in Hank's gaze silenced her. Without another word, he set to work on treating her injuries, with Kurt never straying far from her side.

~**~

Emily collapsed face-first onto her bed, muffling her frustrated scream into her pillow. Don't get her wrong, she loved her job, but there were days when she felt like jumping out the window after accidentally setting the classroom on fire.

Unfortunately, this entire week seemed to consist of such days. First, she had lost her keys to the classrooms.

Then, the classwork for her French class had mysteriously gone missing, only to be discovered two hours later in the fridge.

As if that wasn't enough, one of the children had managed to kick a ball through her classroom window after class, and she hadn't realized it until the next day when she unlocked the room for her students, only to find everything submerged in water from the overnight thunderstorm, along with her teaching materials.

On top of everything else, there were the usual classroom mishaps. Students conveniently forgot their homework, offering the most implausible excuses imaginable. Then there were the pranks—like the time someone spread liquid glue on a classmate's chair, resulting in an unexpected trip to the infirmary.

Someone had clogged the drains, causing a pipe to burst in the middle of class, and as if that wasn't enough, a child with fire skills accidentally triggered the fire alarm, causing a school-wide evacuation of panicked mutant children.

It was a miracle, really, that no one had been seriously injured or worse.

As if her plate wasn't already overflowing, the situation with Kurt seemed to spiral further out of control with each passing day, reaching a point where even her friends couldn't help but notice and tease her endlessly about it. Charles, ever perceptive, had also picked up on the tension, leading to what was undoubtedly the most awkward conversation of her life.

To top it all off, she had been battling through days of excruciating pain from her period, yet still had to soldier through her lessons and contend with the unpredictable antics of her mutant students. Chasing after kids who couldn't quite control their powers often ended with her accidentally soaring across the room.

The next person who dared to suggest that teaching was an easy job clearly hadn't spent a day managing a classroom full of mutants. If anyone had the audacity to say it to Emily's face, they'd find themselves at the bottom of the ocean in no time.

But it wasn't just the chaos of the school that was driving her to the brink of madness.

As if her burdens weren't heavy enough, the approaching anniversary of her family's death loomed over Emily like a dark cloud. Every year, it brought with it a tidal wave of dread and sorrow that she struggled to bear. Nearly twenty years had passed, and yet the weight of guilt and grief remained as potent as ever, threatening to overwhelm her at any moment.

Despite knowing that she needed time to grieve and reflect, Emily dreaded the thought of taking the day off, especially knowing that Charles disapproved of her withdrawal. With a weary groan, she forced herself to sit up, feeling the weight of exhaustion pressing down on her.

She didn't really feel the urge to get up, but she had no choice. There were essays to correct for four classes, and if she had any hope of finishing them, she needed to start, even if it meant taking it one step at a time.

With heavy steps, Emily made her way to her desk, her weariness palpable. However, her fatigue melted away as she halted in surprise. There, on the tabletop, sat a small, meticulously arranged basket adorned with a delicate pink bow. A smile tugged at her lips as she approached, curiosity piqued. Gently lifting the basket, Emily's smile widened at the sight of sunflowers—her favorite—nestled within.

Alongside them lay a stash of her beloved candies, a box of chocolates, and a tin filled with homemade cookies. But it was the small note that slipped from the tin that captured her attention.

In elegant calligraphy, the note conveyed a simple message, yet its contents stirred something within her, igniting a flutter of anticipation in her chest, making her heart beat faster.

I've noticed that you haven't been feeling very well recently and that you seem very stressed. Hopefully it will help at least a little.

Kurt.

P.S. I can't promise the cookies will be as good as yours, but I tried.

With each word from Kurt's note, Emily felt her heart swell with a mixture of gratitude and affection. She couldn't hold back the tears that flowed freely down her cheeks as she absorbed the sincerity and thoughtfulness behind his gesture.

"Oh, Kurt," she murmured softly, the tin pressed tightly against her chest as if seeking solace in its warmth, whispering a silent thank you to the universe for blessing her with someone as caring and compassionate as Kurt. "You truly are a gem in this world”

~**~

“Hey, you okay?” Scott's voice cut through the drone of the jet engines, filled with a subtle concern that Emily could detect even in the dim cabin. She turned to him, unable to see his eyes, but she knew they held worry. “ Yeah, I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?" Emily's voice was steady, but she could feel the slight tremor in her hands betraying her calm facade.

The jet jolted, and Scott steadied himself against the wall, his presence looming over her.

“It's just... You've been out of action for a while. Are you sure you're ready to jump back in?" Scott's concern was palpable, despite his attempt to mask it.

Emily arched an eyebrow, a hint of amusement playing at the corners of her lips. “ a bit late for second thoughts now, don't you think?" She gestured towards the window where the dark clouds loomed ominously. "Storm said we're landing in ten minutes. Time to roll with the punches.”

It really was too late to turn back. Intelligence reports had sounded the alarm, warning of mutant extremists poised to unleash unprecedented havoc across the eastern seaboard. Their weaponry outstripped even the military's advancements, casting a daunting shadow over the cities they threatened.

Charles hesitated to include her in the response, but Emily had fought for her place, determined to stand alongside her team. Yet, throughout the flight, Scott's gaze remained fixed on her, his concern palpable.

She appreciated his worry, his unwavering friendship, but she couldn't bear the added weight of his scrutiny. She needed to focus, to steel herself for what lay ahead.

Despite her outward strength, inwardly, Emily trembled with nerves. It had been years since her last mission, her time abroad in Colombia marking a lengthy hiatus. No amount of training could fully prepare her for the surge of fear that gripped her now.

Emily recognized the protective brotherly mantle Scott had assumed, a role he’d taken on like a second skin, ready to shield her from harm at any cost. She understood that if she dared to confess her inner turmoil, he'd whisk her away from the danger in an instant. So instead, she mustered a confident facade, rising to her feet and offering him a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

“ Don't worry, big guy. I've got this. Nothing's going to happen to me." Her words were laced with a determination she hoped would quell his concerns. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll go check on the new recruit. You might want to save your worry for him.”

Emily's diversionary tactic wasn't entirely fair to Kurt, who had shown more composure than her that morning. But in the delicate dance of emotions, it seemed to do the trick.

Scott reluctantly relented, allowing her passage with a hint of reluctance in his demeanor.

Kurt sat at the back of the jet, his hands folded in his lap, a picture of serene concentration. As Emily drew closer, she discerned the soft murmur of his prayers, a tranquil ritual amidst the impending storm Approaching him, she observed the snug fit of his uniform, tailored to accommodate his acrobatic talents.

She knew he and Hank had labored tirelessly to enhance the fabric's flexibility, ensuring it matched Kurt's need for unrestrained movement.

Patiently, Emily waited until he completed his devotions, watching as he lowered his hands and opened his eyes. There was no startle, only a warm smile that greeted her, which she mirrored with similar warmth and affection.

“Are things looking so bad for us that you need to pray?” Emily teased gently as she settled down beside Kurt. He chuckled softly, his golden eyes holding hers. "I always pray when I'm nervous about something," he explained, his tone calm and assured. "Before every performance, before every training session, I pray and ask God for his protection and guidance.”

Emily smiled softly, her gaze drifting to where his tail swayed gently. "You're not a believer, are you?" he asked, his voice tinged with curiosity. "No, I'm sorry Kurt. I'm an atheist," she admitted, a hint of apology in her tone. “No, I'm sorry Kurt. I'm an atheist.”

“Why are you apologizing for that?" Kurt's response was gentle, devoid of judgment.

Emily shrugged, her shoulders lifting in a slight gesture of uncertainty. "I know how important your faith is to you, Kurt, and how much it means and helps you, but I can't bring myself to believe. That's something a lot of religious people take personally.” With care, Kurt reached for her hand, his touch warm and comforting.

"Faith is something you can freely choose. So what would be the point of trying to force you to believe?" His words were tender, infused with understanding. "Faith is about voluntary, unconditional love for God and his for you. You can't force it.”

Her heart warmed at his response, a genuine smile spreading across her face. "So I'm not a sinner damned to hell for you just because I don't believe?" she quipped, a playful glint in her eyes.

Kurt met her gaze with unwavering kindness. "Do you hate God and believers?" he countered gently. Emily shook her head immediately. "No, of course not. I admire them. I admire you," she confessed, her tone genuine as she clasped his hand in hers. The connection felt right, comforting in its simplicity.

"The fact that you have such a strong faith, such a strong belief in something that there's no evidence exists, is incredible to me. I see how much it helps you and gives you strength, and there are moments when I truly regret not being able to believe.”

Kurt squeezed her hand gently, his touch reassuring. "You don't have to," he assured her, his voice soft but resolute. "I'm praying for both of us, meine Liebe.”

Her heart skipped a beat at his words, a flutter of emotions swirling within her. Though she may not share his faith, the sincerity in his admission struck a chord deep within her. For a fleeting moment, it felt like the world around them faded, leaving only the connection between them.

Their gaze held, an unspoken understanding passing between them. Emily felt the tension between them, sensing Kurt drawing closer, their proximity almost palpable. But before anything more could transpire, their moment was shattered by Storm's announcement, signaling their imminent descent.

With a gentle touch, Emily cupped Kurt's cheek, her fingers trembling ever so slightly. "Be careful. Please don't die. I don't know how I could live without you," she whispered, her voice laden with a vulnerability she rarely showed.

Kurt nodded slightly, his gaze holding hers with unwavering intensity. Tenderly, he turned his head, pressing a soft kiss to the inside of her hand. The gesture sent a surge of warmth coursing through her, her heart quickening in response.

„You too.“

~**~

“Emily!“

Kurt's voice cut through the chaos, a desperate plea as he lunged forward. He barely managed to reach her in time, his hand wrapping around her arm just as a bullet whizzed past. With a swift movement, he teleported them both out of harm's way, the world blurring momentarily before solidifying again behind the safety of a nearby pillar.

Kurt could feel Emily's tension as she stumbled, and he instinctively wrapped an arm around her waist for support.

Taking cover, they crouched behind the pillar, the cacophony of gunfire and flying debris echoing around them. Kurt could sense Emily's unease, her body tense from the sudden teleportation.

"Kurt, we talked about this," she groaned, her hand pressed against her stomach as she tried to steady herself. “ Sorry," Kurt replied, his smile strained with apology. He lowered himself to her eye level, his expression serious. "There wasn't time for a heads up.”

As Emily steadied herself, Kurt's attention shifted to the chaos unfolding below. Peering down one of the pillars to the platform where the battle raged, he felt a surge of dread. They had been forewarned about the size of the opposing group, but the reality far exceeded their expectations.

The enemy forces swarmed, overwhelming in number, and Kurt couldn't shake the sinking feeling in his gut. With a heavy heart, he watched as Scott found himself dangerously outnumbered. Surrounded on all sides, he fought valiantly, but it was clear that even his formidable abilities wouldn't be enough to ensure his safety.

His gaze shifted back to Emily, noting her recovered composure as she stood by his side, her eyes scanning the tumultuous scene below. Kurt could pinpoint the exact moment she realized Scott was in danger. Her blue eyes widened and she clung to his arm almost painfully.

"Help him," Emily's voice was no more than a whisper as she looked up at Kurt and she so close that he could feel the warmth of her breath, see the faint flutter of her eyelashes against her skin. “Please, Kurt, you can get there faster than I can.”

For a heartbeat, Kurt hesitated, but the urgency in Emily's eyes spurred him into action. With a nod, he vanished from her side, reappearing in an instant behind Scott. “Watch it, Scott.”

Effortlessly, he leaped into the air, executing a spinning kick that connected with one assailant's chin, while his fist met another's face with a resounding impact. His tail snaked out, coiling around the leg of a third opponent, sending them crashing to the ground in a tangle of limbs.

Within moments, Kurt found himself surrounded by a circle of defeated mutants, their groans of pain mingling with the chaos of battle. Scott's grateful nod spurred him into action, but before Kurt could fully savor the moment, his attention was drawn to Logan, buried under a pile of adversaries.

With a wry grin, Kurt imagined the inevitable grumbling from Logan if Scott ended up saving him, but there was no time to dwell on it as a formidable opponent charged towards him.

With reflexes honed by years of combat, Kurt dodged at the last possible moment as the charging figure suddenly split into two. "Wundervoll," he growled softly, a mix of admiration and determination as he shifted into an offensive stance.

To his astonishment, the twin assailants proved to be formidable opponents, matching his speed and agility with surprising grace. Each dodge and counterattack was met with equal ferocity, forcing Kurt to remain on high alert.

He narrowly avoided several strikes, feeling the impact of punches and kicks against his own body. With calculated precision, he danced through the flurry of blows and finally, the towering adversary lay unconscious on the ground, once again whole.

Kurt gasped for breath, his body protesting with each inhale as he felt the sharp pain of broken ribs and the dull throb of a head injury. Despite his desperate need for rest, there was no respite to be found as Emily's panicked voice pierced through the haze of his exhaustion.

“Kurt!” He turned around, slightly disoriented, and saw Emily running towards him. “Move!” Without hesitation, a strange energy surged through him, a primal instinct compelling him to obey her command without question. In the blink of an eye, Kurt found himself teleported away from danger, the world spinning around him until he landed on solid ground once more.

The sudden exertion left him drained, confusion clouding his mind as he struggled to comprehend his own actions. Why had he acted so impulsively, so recklessly? Turning to look back at Emily, his heart plummeted as he took in the sight before him.

Where he had stood just moments ago, Emily now lay motionless on the ground, a small pool of blood seeping from beneath her head.

“No!”

In a flash, he found himself kneeling beside her, his hands gripping her shoulders with urgency. "No, no, no, no, no," he repeated softly, his voice a desperate mantra. With swift determination, Kurt wrapped his arms around her and teleported them away from the chaos, seeking refuge against a nearby wall shielded by stacked crates.

Breathless with fear, he pressed his trembling hand to her neck, relief washing over him as he felt the faint pulse beneath his fingertips, a silent prayer escaping his lips. Only when he withdrew his hand did he notice it smeared with blood. His gaze flickered to her left shoulder, where a bullet had pierced her flesh, its impact sending her crashing into a nearby table.

His eyes brimmed with worry as they returned to Emily's unconscious form. Leaning closer, he gently pressed his forehead against hers, a silent apology echoing in his mind. She had rushed in to protect him, and in that moment, he had obeyed her without hesitation. Now, she bore the consequences of his actions, taking the bullet intended for him.

A surge of primal rage surged through Kurt, igniting something dark within him. His head snapped up, eyes scanning the room with intensity. High above on one of the upper floors, he finally spotted the culprit—a man wielding a sniper rifle, his sights trained on the chaos below. Kurt's lips curled into a feral snarl. The angle was right.

In an instant, he vanished into a swirling cloud of darkness, reappearing behind the sniper.

Before the man could react, Kurt struck, knocking the weapon from his grasp and ensnaring him with his tail, tightening the coil around his neck with ruthless force.

The man struggled fruitlessly, clawing at Kurt's tail in a desperate bid for escape, but it was futile. “How dare you?” Kurt's voice dripped with venom, barely more than a menacing hiss as he advanced, dragging the man closer to the edge.

“How dare you shoot at them? How dare you shoot at her?!”

The man dangled precariously over the precipice, his face contorted with panic and oxygen deprivation, but Kurt showed no mercy.

Kurt tilted his head, an almost sadistic smile on his face. “I hope you've finished saying your last prayer.” Without a moment's pause, he released his grip. The man plummeted with a scream, the impact echoing through the air, silencing him forever. Though the darkness within Kurt lingered, he surveyed the scene below with cold detachment. His eyes found Emily, untouched and safe, a wave of relief washing over him.

"Fear not, my dear," he murmured softly, his gaze shifting to a red-haired woman hurling energy balls at Storm. "No harm will hurt you, not under my watch.”

The next moments of Kurt's life slipped by like fragments of a dream, blurred and hazy. He couldn't recall the precise duration of the battle, whether it spanned minutes or stretched into hours. All that mattered was ensuring that these perpetrators endured the suffering Emily had endured, if not more.

In the end, however, he stood witness as some managed to flee aboard a plane. Despite Storm's valiant efforts, they vanished into the distance beyond her reach. Scott, meanwhile, had realized what had happened to Emily and was kneeling by her side with Kurt. With gentle care, he brushed a stray strand of hair from her face, the weight of responsibility evident in every movement. Kurt didn't need to see his eyes to understand the self-blame that consumed him.

“I should have taken better care of her," Scott whispered, enfolding Emily in his arms. Kurt shook his head solemnly. "No, if blame must be placed, it falls on me. That bullet was meant for me, but she intercepted it.” He buried his face in his hands, grappling with remorse. "I don't understand how it happened. She yelled for me to move, and I... I obeyed without question. I could have stayed, taken the bullet—anything—but I chose to teleport!”

“ You couldn't have done different, Kurt," Scott's voice was unexpectedly gentle, a touch of compassion softening his features as he spoke. "Did she ever tell you why we call her Siren?" Kurt shook his head. "I asked once, but she said it wasn't the time. Should I have pressed her for answers?”

Scott shook his head, his attention shifting to Emily's wound. "No. Even if you had, it wouldn't have changed a thing. Her power... it's her voice. She commands obedience with a word. You, me, anyone—under her control, without hesitation.”

He regarded Kurt with sympathy. "Even the professor struggles against her at times. And if she had chosen to protect you? There's nothing in this world that could have kept you rooted in place.” Kurt was engulfed in a whirlwind of emotions. Relief flooded through him, knowing it wasn't solely his fault for moving. Yet, guilt gnawed at him, a nagging sense that he could have intervened somehow.

Anger and fear pulsed within him, juxtaposed with a tender affection that threatened to overwhelm him as he beheld her motionless form cradled by Scott. Before Kurt could utter a word, Logan approached. Crouching beside them, he addressed Scott with an unexpected calmness, almost gentleness—a side of Logan Kurt wouldn't dare to acknowledge aloud.

"Scott. We've gotta keep going. We can still catch them." The turmoil within Scott was palpable, evident even to Kurt without the need for telepathy. On one hand, the instinct to stay and care for the woman who was like a little sister to him tugged at his heartstrings. On the other, the weight of leadership duty pressed upon him, reminding him of his indispensability to the mission. Kurt knew he himself was not.

“Go, Scott. They need you. I'll take care of her.” Scott looked at him doubtfully and Kurt could only imagine how the man must be feeling right now. “Are you sure?”

Kurt's nod was resolute, his conviction unwavering. "Her wounds seem superficial. I can handle them. And if she doesn't awaken soon, I can get her to a hospital faster than anyone else here.” Even without meeting Scott's gaze, Kurt could sense the turmoil within him, the silent battle waged beneath the visor.

Finally, Scott relented, his surrender evident as he bowed his head. "Okay. But not here. There's a safehouse nearby, rarely used, but it should still be intact." He rose to his feet, swiftly outlining the route to Kurt, while Logan's agitation simmered in the background.

“If her condition doesn't improve, or worsens, you're taking her to the hospital within twenty-four hours at the latest," Scott instructed, his hand finding its place on Kurt's shoulder. "Take care of her, please.” Kurt nodded solemnly. “I'll protect her with my life if I have to.”

A thin smile came to Scott's lips. “I know you will. Thank you.”

~**~

Emily's senses stirred back to life with a cruel jolt of pain. It engulfed her, rendering her momentarily breathless. She attempted to vocalize her distress, but her parched throat yielded no sound, leaving her trapped in silence. Darkness shrouded her, and it took an eternity for her to realize that her eyes were closed.

Tentatively, she tried to shift, only to be met with a searing agony that eclipsed the previous torment. A soft whimper escaped her lips, despite the desert-like dryness of her throat.

Panic clawed at her as she struggled to piece together her surroundings, the events leading to her current state shrouded in darkness. The inability to pry open her eyes amplified her fear, a relentless reminder of her vulnerability. Suddenly, a cascade of footsteps shattered the silence, followed by a gentle voice, its timbre laced with comfort and familiarity.

“Take it easy, Emily. Everything is all right. You're safe. Sleep.”

Though unable to place the voice, its soothing cadence enveloped her, washing away the edges of her anxiety. Surrendering to the reassurance it offered, Emily surrendered to the embrace of sleep, devoid of dreams.

---

The next time Emily woke up, the pain was still there, but duller and less sharp With a determined effort, she coaxed her heavy eyelids open, each fluttering attempt a battle against exhaustion. At last, her vision cleared to reveal a scene of unexpected warmth and coziness.

An open, friendly room stretched out before her. It was small, but comfortably furnished with floral curtains in front of the windows and a fluffy carpet on the wooden floor. She herself was lying in a bed, soft and comfortable, but one she had never seen before, let alone slept in. How the hell had she ended up here?

With a cautious shift, she attempted to rise, only to be met with a searing agony that coursed through her shoulder and down her arm, leaving her gasping in its wake.

As her focus settled on the pristine bandage encasing her wounded shoulder, a flood of memories crashed over her.

*

Emily hurtled down the stairs with a singular purpose driving her forward, her heart pounding in her chest as adrenaline surged through her veins. Relief washed over her as she saw that Kurt and Scott, as well as the others, seemed to be okay. Kurt had just wrestled the mutant who could make copies of himself to the ground and appeared out of breath but mostly unharmed.

As she tried to avert her gaze, however, she noticed something that stood out clearly on the man's blue skin: a small, red, moving dot. Her gaze flew to one of the upper levels, where she spotted the sniper, but her legs had already started moving before she realized what was going on. She was acting on pure instinct and her mind had only one thought.

Not him.

Her muscles strained with exertion as she raced towards Kurt, every fibre of her being focused on one imperative goal: to shield him from harm at any cost. With each passing moment, her strides quickened, propelled by a determination that brooked no opposition.

“Kurt! Move!“ The urgency in Emily's voice reverberated through the chaos, a silent plea that echoed across the room until it reached its intended target. For a fleeting instant, their gazes locked in a shared understanding, the blue of her eyes meeting the golden depths of his before he vanished in a cloud of smoke.

But far too slowly for her taste. Before he could carry out her command, Emily lunged forward, her instincts overriding all rational thought as she propelled herself towards Kurt. In a blur of motion, she collided with him, her outstretched arms shoving him out of harm's way just as he vanished into the safety of the shadows, just barely after loosing physical contact with her.

A bang sounded and a sharp pain shot through her body.

Then - nothing.

*

Emily eased herself back onto the pillow, her breaths coming in shallow gasps as she attempted to process the whirlwind of emotions coursing through her. Had she succeeded? Was Kurt unharmed, safe, alive? Before she could dwell on her thoughts any further, the door creaked open, heralding Kurt's entrance. A book dangled loosely from his grasp, forgotten in the wake of the startling sight before him.

His eyes widened in disbelief, the book slipping from his fingers to clatter to the floor below. Without hesitation, he closed the distance between them in a heartbeat, his arms enveloping her in a tender embrace that caught her off guard.

Relief flooded through her at the warmth of his touch, dispelling the lingering shadows of doubt that had clouded her mind. “Thank God you're awake!”

For a few seconds, Emily was overwhelmed by the warm feeling of his body pressed against hers. The familiar scent of pine, tinged with a hint of sulfur from his teleportation, enveloped her, sending her senses reeling in a dizzying whirl. Before he could withdraw, her instincts took hold, guiding her to pull him closer until she was enveloped in the comforting warmth of his embrace, her face nestled against the curve of his neck.

“You're alive," she whispered, her voice barely more than a breathless murmur and Kurt slowly pulled back, but only far enough for him to look at her. She could discern the delicate flutter of his eyelashes, feel the gentle caress of his breath against her skin.

“Only because of you," he replied, his voice soft and earnest. With a tenderness that bordered on reverence, he brushed a stray strand of hair from her forehead. “You scared me. All of us.”

Emily cast her eyes down. “I'm sorry.” Kurt just shook his head and his hand travelled from her cheek to the back of her neck. “Don't be. You saved my life. You shouldn't apologize for something so selfless.” Despite his comforting words, a wry smile tugged at Emily's lips as she lifted her hand to gently caress his cheek.

“I'm afraid my intentions weren't as selfless as you might hope.”

Kurt's eyes widened in disbelief, his gaze fixed on Emily with an intensity that spoke volumes. The air between them crackled and the tension was almost palpable, but Emily pulled back at the last moment, head bowed, trying to appear as unaffected as possible.

“Where are we? And where is the rest? You can't tell me Scott just left me here without a fight.”

Her attempt at humour succeeded as Kurt chuckled softly and shook his head, backing away slightly. Momentarily she missed his presence, but she did nothing to get it back. “He didn't. However, some mutants have escaped. The others are trying to chase them, but you couldn't come with them in your condition, let alone stay there alone.”

“So you sacrificed yourself to play babysitter?" she teased, a playful glint dancing in her eyes. Kurt's lips curved into a wry smile, his amusement evident. “I wouldn't consider it a sacrifice. But yes," he admitted, his grin growing more mischievous by the second. "Someone had to pray for your health."

Emily couldn't help but snort in response. “I don't think He was listening.”

Kurt reached for her hand. “And yet you're awake," he observed, his tone gentle yet steadfast. Emily had no retort to offer.

“Why don't you believe, Emily?” Kurt's question hung in the air, laden with genuine curiosity. Her heart constricted at the sincerity reflected in his eyes, compelling her to look away. For a few moments she thought about how to phrase her words, but in the end she decided that it would be best to just tell the truth openly.

“How can I believe in a God who allows so much ... bad to happen?" she began, her voice laced with a poignant blend of frustration and anguish. "There's war, disease, poverty, persecution for any ridiculous reason. What kind of God can say He is 'kind' when He turns away when we need Him? What kind of God can say He is all-loving and forgiving when He sends people who have not acted as He wishes to eternal punishment?”

Now it was up to her to take his hand. “I know you believe in Him, but I just can't. Not after everything I've been through. Or you or anyone else in this world," she confessed, her voice tinged with a raw vulnerability that she rarely allowed herself to reveal. Averting her eyes, she allowed herself to sink back into the comfort of the pillow.

“Besides, should He exist after all? I'm afraid of that thought," she admitted. In the periphery of her vision, she caught sight of Kurt's tail swaying gently. “Why would you be afraid?" he pressed gently, his voice laced with genuine concern. Emily hesitated, her thoughts racing.

“Because I almost certainly wouldn't go to heaven," she confessed, her voice barely above a whisper. Kurt began to protest, but she silenced him with a solemn shake of her head. “I'm not a good person, Kurt. I've done things that are unforgivable, that deserve eternal damnation," she admitted, yet, Kurt's response was swift and unwavering

Kurt just shook his head. “No. I don't think so.”

Emily snorted. She hadn't intended to tell him, but she felt she had reached a point where he deserved to know. She knew the longing that was visible in his eyes, she was pretty sure she looked like that herself when she looked at him. “I take it you've been explained what my mutation is?” she inquired, her tone tinged with a mixture of apprehension and anticipation. Kurt nodded slightly, his expression a blend of curiosity and confusion, uncertain of the direction the conversation had taken.

“I only found out very late that I have this mutation. Of course, I noticed that I was better at persuading people than others, but it never got to the... extreme of being able to command or control someone. Until I was invited to my best friend's tenth birthday party.” As the memories threatened to overwhelm her, Kurt's comforting touch served as an anchor, grounding her in the present moment.

His encouraging gaze spurred her on, a silent reminder that she wasn't alone in her struggle. She knew that she had the option to stop talking, to keep her demons buried deep within, he wouldn’t judge her, but she also understood that this was her moment of reckoning. If she didn't speak now, she might never find the courage to do so again.

“My best friend wanted to celebrate her birthday at an amusement park. She was from a wealthy family, whereas I came from ... a more modest background. So the thought of going to a real theme park made me ecstatic," she confessed, her voice tinged with a bitterness.

“My parents weren't. You have to know, I had a little sister, she was four years younger than me, six at the time and she obviously wasn't invited. My parents thought it was unfair that I could go and she couldn't and wanted to forbid me. We argued, a lot and more intensely than ever before. In the end, it became too much. My parents shouted at me for being stubborn, my sisters cried... It was too much.”

Tears welled up in her eyes and her attempt to stifle the sobs failed. “ Shhhh," Kurt murmured softly, his comforting embrace enveloping her in a cocoon of solace and understanding. With a gentle sweep of his arm, he drew her close, his tail curling protectively around her waist in a silent gesture of solidarity and support. With a gentle touch, he brushed away her tears, offering what little solace he could.

“It - it was just so loud," she whispered, her voice barely more than a fragile thread of sound. Her hands clawed at her own arms, as if seeking to anchor herself. “I just wanted it to stop, wanted it to be quiet. So I shouted back. It wasn't much, just one word, but it was one word too many.”

Tears streamed openly down her cheeks, her pain laid bare for all to see as she leaned into Kurt's comforting embrace, seeking refuge from the relentless onslaught of her memories. With a tender gesture, he held her close, his touch a silent reassurance that she was not alone in her suffering.

“Stop. That was all I said. And they stopped. Both their crying and their hearts.” Emily felt Kurt's grip on her tighten. By now, she was crying openly and unabashedly, her tears flowing freely, yet neither of them cared. “I killed them. My parents. Amy, my sweet little sister. I killed them all.”

Her voice was no more than a whisper, barely audible despite the silence in the room, but Kurt heard her. He always did. “No,” he murmured. With a gentle touch, he lifted her chin, urging her to meet his gaze, his eyes filled with unwavering compassion. “No, do you hear me? You didn't kill them.”

“It was my voice that killed them," she protested, her words a desperate plea for absolution. Yet Kurt remained steadfast in his conviction, refusing to let her drown in the depths of her despair.

“No, Emily. It was an accident, nothing more," he insisted, his voice firm yet laced with tenderness. But Emily's laughter, devoid of any semblance of joy. “Do you think it makes a difference? Dead is dead. My voice was the cause, and whether it was intentional or not, it's my fault.”

She gave him a pained look. “I'm not a saint. I'm nothing but a monster. You can't redeem me, I'm damned for all eternity. I've probably committed one of the greatest sins your god has told you about," she confessed, her voice cracking with anguish.

Emily waited with a breaking heart for him to push her away, to leave her alone, but the opposite was the case. Kurt pulled her closer so that her head was tucked under his chin and he ran his hands over her back as his tail wrapped tighter around her waist.

“Emily.”

That was all he said, just her name, but with such compassion, affection and love that she burst into tears. For how long she cried into the curve of his neck, Emily couldn't say. But when she finally pulled away, tears still shimmering in her eyes, Kurt met her gaze with a tender smile, his hand gently stroking her cheek. “You're not irredeemable. You're not a monster. You are not a murderer. You were a child and it was an accident. A terrible accident, yes, but still an accident.”

Emily's voice faltered, her heart heavy with disbelief as she gazed into Kurt's unwavering eyes.

“How can you still look at me like that?” Her voice broke in between, but she refused to cry again. “How can you still look at me like that, like I'm the best person you've ever met?” A tender smile graced Kurt's lips, his expression suffused with a tenderness that spoke volumes.

Slowly, his tail unwound from her waist, the tip trailing delicately over her cheek in a gesture of gentle reassurance. “It's not really hard, my dear. It's because you are the best person I've ever met.” Emily opened her mouth to protest, to refute his assertion, but he silenced her with a gentle shake of his head.

“I know you might not believe me, but it's the truth. I see the way you treat other people. Your patience with the students, even when they drive you crazy. Your affection for Scott and Storm, no matter how bad-tempered or annoyed they are you always bring a smile to their faces. Even Logan laughed at your jokes.”

He paused for a moment and the tip of his tail travelled slowly from her cheek, over her shoulder to her hip where it nestled close. “I see the way you look at me, like I'm the most precious and valuable thing there is. I notice how you get flirtier and more confident when I play along and I can feel how much you value me.”

With a tender touch, he placed his hand on her collarbone, his touch a gentle caress against her skin. “You're fantastic, wonderful and a completely outstanding person and I'm incredibly grateful that I was able to get to know you. You're not a monster. You are an angel.”

Emily didn't know what she was thinking at that moment. Probably nothing, she was so overwhelmed with emotion, but one thought clearly floated above all others:

She may not have deserved this man, but she wouldn't let him go.

With a surge of determination, she acted on impulse, her injured shoulder protesting but her heart overriding any physical discomfort. Grasping the collar of Kurt's shirt with as much strength as she could muster, she pulled him towards her, closing the distance between them with a suddenness that took them both by surprise and finally - finally! - placed her lips on his.

It wasn't a long or deep kiss, just a quick peck, but it made her body rejoice and butterflies dance in her stomach. Emily's veins. As quickly as she had invaded his space, she pulled back, her gaze meeting Kurt's with a mixture of hope and uncertainty, while his golden eyes shone with something she had never seen before. “Kurt-”

He didn't let her finish, leaning forward and closing the distance between them once more, his lips seeking hers with a newfound urgency. She was surprised for a moment, but quickly regained her composure and closed her eyes.

Emily wrapped her arms around Kurt's neck, drawing him closer despite the protests of her injured shoulder. His hands found purchase on her waist, pulling her closer still, while his tail wrapped around her hips, drawing her into his embrace until she was practically seated on his lap.

Their kisses grew more fervent, fuelled by months of unspoken longing and suppressed desire. Emily's hand tangled in Kurt's hair, pulling him closer as she lost herself in the heady rush of sensation. When his teeth grazed her lower lip, a soft moan escaped her lips, muffled by the fervour of their embrace.

As they broke away, breathless and exhilarated, Emily leaned into Kurt, resting her forehead against his, a smile lingering on her lips. His tail gently drew her closer until their chests met, a comforting warmth spreading between them.

“I really hope for your sake that this isn't a sin,” she whispered, her voice light with playful teasing, “because I won't be able to hold back when I'm around you.” Kurt's chuckle rumbled softly, his eyes filled with affection as he looked at her.

“If this is a sin,” he said, his tone tender, “ would gladly damn myself as long as I get to keep holding you in my arms.” Emily was speechless, overwhelmed by the intensity of her feelings.

Without hesitation, she leaned in again, capturing his lips with hers. In that moment, she didn't care about sin or salvation; all that mattered was the bliss of being with Kurt.

Let them be damned, she thought, for she already felt like she was in heaven.

[myfairkatiecat]

This post has a niche audience of about three existing people BUT.

The Benedict Twins as the Vacker brothers anyone? (Bods if you see this, this is your fault)

The Benedict twins as born-to-an-influential-Elvin-family is already a HUGELY interesting concept given the fact that twins are greatly prejudiced against in the KOTLC universe. So if the Benedict family was like the Vackers they might try to pull something like the Songs did where they just pretend the brothers aren’t twins, and one is slightly older than the other.

Nathaniel was the one allowed to exist a year before Nicholas was “born,” so he always holds his “extra experience” (of being a baby) over Nicholas’ head. They look identical, yes, theoretically, but they style themselves so completely differently that they are able to pretend Nicholas is a year younger and no one questions it for the longest time.

Now in order to get to the Fitz-and-Alvar model I’m working towards, Nicholas obviously joins the Black Swan and Nathaniel joins the Neverseen. (Nathaniel joined the neverseen first and much longer before Nicholas got involved, so it’s a shock and a betrayal to see his brother for the first time on the other side.) and this makes PERFECT SENSE, because of how the tmbs characters would handle twin bias in the lost cities.

Nathaniel sees it as a grand injustice, and develops a grudge against his family for trying to hide the “imperfection” of their children, similar to Alvar’s grudge against the Vacker legacy.

Nicholas sees us as something that needs to change, but allies with the people trying to work somewhat with the council. He doesn’t want to cause a commotion or send a message—he just wants things fixed.

I think if Nathaniel was sedated with soporidine and had his memories wiped when he became no longer useful (like Alvar did) he would remain equally as angry especially since he’s the type of guy to want to be in charge? And I think when he goes through his whole “whoever did all that, it wasn’t me, I don’t remember it” phase, unlike fitz, Nicholas isn’t angry at all. He WANTS to believe it, so he does, and they go back to being brothers, and…

…Nathaniel gets his memories back. And just like Alvar, a switch is flipped. Now he’s livid at his family AND at the neverseen. I foresee him playing a Lady Gisela move and just… making his own neverseen branch. But instead of immediately trying to kill him, Nicholas pleads with him to come back. It doesn’t work.

But the real question is, in a mutant troll hive, if Nathaniel were to fall into a pod and Nicholas was frantically pressing buttons, trying to figure out how it worked, and suddenly the pod closed up and started filling with toxic orange goo, and Nathaniel was banging on the glass and yelling, screaming, pleading with his brother to save his life despite his obsession with dignity…

…would Nicholas keep pressing buttons?

I think he would.

I don’t think he would let his brother die.

Because he has the opposite of Fitz’s character flaws. He always sees the best in people. Especially his brother.

Nathaniel escapes. But he wonders, for the first time, if maybe Nicholas isn’t the traitor.

Just some Benedict brothers kotlc Vacker family au thoughts that no one asked for.

[teacupballerina]

PPG headcanons/plotbunnies townie and villain edition (non-crossover)

Mr. Green and Ms. Keane live in the same apartment complex. They meet after Keane's breakup in "Keen on Keane" when Green notices that Keane seems upset at the mail center. They start talking and--what a coincidence they both love kids!! A few episodes later Ms. Keane catches a nasty illness from amoeba-tainted oranges after "Divide and Conquer" and the only person she trusts to watch over her beloved class in "Substitute Creature" is Mr. Green. A few years later they get married and have halflings who help the new generation in Townsville stomach monster integration.

Robin's parents divorce not long after Super Friends and she blames herself because they are verbally abusive. They have split custody so Robin is only the Utoniums' neighbor every other week. She has an emo phase in middle school and cuts her hair short. Inspiration: the couple her parents were based on divorced IRL and she knows she's "an accident".

Following from previous, in high school Bubbles and Robin become girlfriends, Bubbles is the one who confesses first.

Buttercup taught Ace how to play bass during some never-made episode where the girls teach them to play instruments as part of a rehabilitation effort after Aspirations. ("If you want to meet girls, why don't you guys start a band?") The gang goes on to form a ska band with Snake on guitar, Ace on bass, Billy on drums, Arturo on trumpet (which he already knew how to play somehow) and Grubber on mic. They eventually split when Ace gets the call from Gorillaz.

Sedusa is Ms. Keane's elder sister. This is the reason Ms. Keane is more sympathetic to monsters and mutants. She doesn't have a lot of time between grading homework to keep up with supervillain activity, so she doesn't know half of what Sedusa has done. At some point they meet again and catch up, Sedusa goes low profile after "Aspirations" and leans more into civilian life. The girls don't find out the relation until after leaving Pokey Oaks Kindergarten, at Ms. Keane's wedding to Mr. Green.

Bubbles stays in touch with Wuzzy after "Roughin' It Up" and learns more about the forest and the Lumpkins clan from him. She even dates Wuzzy for a while and has a farmgirl phase, buying vegan leather cowboy boots that she wears into adulthood. This all helps her connect with and befriend Fuzzy himself, who learns to be more accepting through her. LOOK HOW CUTE THO:

Mojo Jojo ages very slowly due to his Chemical X mutation. His specific fixation on Blossom culminates in his focus shifting to either converting or dating her rather than destroying her (something he comes to understand as impossible). Even he doesn't know what he wants and has a lot of anguish over how he feels about her. Blossom's willing to be friends if he stops busting the city up, but she's never telling him that.

The Rowdyruff boys grow into manchildren and start "The Ruffcast", a manosphere podcast/youtube where they do nothing but play videogames, pump iron and complain about the Powerpuff Girls being too smart, too fat, and not feminine enough. Mitch Mitchelson gets roped in as the camera guy and occasional participant, which makes Buttercup dump him.

Princess Morbucks goes from wanting to be a Powerpuff Girl to just wanting to be a team leader. She recruits/buys her own team of girls to suit up and boss around, and this becomes a high-turnover job position for desperate people. Every other time the girls meet Princess, her lackeys are different. Daddy eventually disowns her not for being a villain but for being a tabloid magnet in college, forcing her to start over with nothing. One last ditch effort leads her to public records, and searching for any extended family to appeal to, she discovers her birth mother is Sara Bellum [A lesbian who used to be Morbucks' secretary--she loves Mayor because he's a harmless decent man who helped her escape that situation by hiring her]. Bellum takes her in, reluctantly, but she is totally immune to manipulation and sets her straight.

Ms. Bellum eventually runs for Mayor of Townsville and wins. Mayor Mayor retires to Pokey Oaks senior center. The girls visit him often and occasionally consult him for info about Townsville's history if needed--it's much easier for him to remember things from a long time ago, he's not so good with the day-to-day stuff. Bubbles volunteers there with Bullet, who opens Mayor's pickle jars when the nurses can't.

Harry Pitt running gag: Getting referenced as being in juvie and then prison, but it's never stated what he did. We know what he's in for, but the other characters never say.

[wolvbrattxx]

Family matters (part one)

Hi! My name is May and this is my first time writing something here, but I felt very inspired after seeing so many talented people posting their fics, so I wanted to give it a try as well! Just a fair warning: this story doesn't follow the storyline of the X-Men films. It's just a mixture of everything and surely imagination, but I guess that's why fanfictions are our spaces to experiment, right? The beautiful model is @/richonm on Instagram. Summary: After the awakening and the slumber of the Dark Phoenix, Logan begins to question his role and worth in life. His thoughts are shortly interrupted by the arrival of Ororo's twin sister Loren. Each form their first impressions of one another, but Loren's perspective is ruined by Scott's burst of anger at Logan. Will they make up for the awful introduction? Tags: angst, Hugh Jackman!Logan, poor self-worth, swearing, cheating, oc x canon. Word count: 4510 Next chapter

Logan opened his heavy eyes. His head was throbbing from the amount of sleep that he got this night, which was considered impressive, remembering that most of his nights were filled with nightmares and sleepless hours. He blinked at the celling for a few times and slowly sat up on the bed, feeling exhausted and refreshed at the same time.

Honestly, if anyone saw him at this very moment, they would think that Logan had a terrible night. Muscles felt sore all over as his hands held him up on the mattress, eye bags were dark and swollen, eyes bloodshot and the hair disheveled. He sighed, out of all times, in relief.

A low groan escaped his dry lips as the throb in his head hit a deep spot. His eyes looked out of the window; the day has already started. The students were chattering, playing outside in the early autumn. It seemed like nothing ever happened, as if everything was fine and that this school, where everyone like him lived, was ordinary. Except that it wasn't.

'The Xavier's School for the Gifted Youngsters' was home to many like Logan, but it had seen many problems. It seemed like an ordinary school for kids and home for many more; however, it usually fell into trouble, because it was actually a shelter for outcasts of the society - so called 'mutants'. The price for being different was too high: resulting in losing lives of your beloved ones or your own. Regardless, they all seemed to forget the traumas, tragedies and live on, because what else can you do? As danger becomes a part of your daily life, all you are left to do is to embrace it, try to get rid of it and enjoy everything else that you are left of.

Logan finally got up from bed and looked at the mirror, hanging on the wall that was about to break at any minute as many other things that he owned in this room. Constant nightmares and stress make him lose composure, that's why even walls were marked by his claws. He keeps fighting these lifeless objects as if they were enemies that appeared during the nights, wearing the faces and silhouettes of his past abusers, but today was different... Everything seemed fine; there was no need to clean up the room. It comforted him in a sense. As Logan stared into the mirror, he thought of how thankful he felt that everything went well yesterday. Even though some were harmed in the process, some may require healing, but it will turn out okay in the end. Even though he looks terrible right now and for all that has happened not so long ago he has to take the blame for, at least his friends were safe and sound for now.

The event that occurred until yesterday involved the awakening of the Dark Phoenix, though previously Jean Grey was presumed deceased. It turned out that Scott Summer's arrival at her deathplace triggered the revival of Dark Phoenix, but with the help of Charles Xavier, she was put under control. Although Scott was harmed during the incident, still he was alive and was healing slowly. However, Logan's sympathy for Jean's complicated situation (seeing her helpless, powerless, even if this state belonged to Dark Phoenix), regardless of the professor warning him countless times, made him awaken the shadow of his beloved one and all went downhill afterwards. Nevertheless, with the help of the remaining X-Men and the professor, the chaos, that could have ended in the world's destruction, was put under control and as per usual: the heroes saved the day.

Even though Scott was the first one to trigger the Dark Phoenix, but he did it without knowing, meanwhile Logan awakened her, fully acknowledging the problems she could cause to the entire world. He felt terrible, especially when Jean fell into coma after putting her shadow under deep slumber. It felt devastating to him, knowing that he brought trouble to his friends and beloved one, and wanted to eat himself up in guilt and shame. However, a tiny voice within said that it would be no help, so all he's left with is a feeling of gratitude that he managed to fix everything with his team.

Logan walked into the bathroom that was next to his room. He turned on the faucet, watching how the water flowed into the drains and washed his face with stinging cold water while trying to get rid of the soreness. For the first time cold water didn't bring up those horrible memories of the past and actually brought refreshment that was necessary at the moment. He looked up at the mirror again, that was now above the sink and checked out the situation of his sideburns and remaining beard. It was time to trim and shave, as he had to spend few days out of the mansion, forgetting to maintain his appearance. Logan curled fingers into a fist and felt how the blades escaped through knuckles. Sharp claws sprung in front of his face and he put them to action, carefully trimming his sideburns. Yet he still managed to cut himself in the process, though the result looked good enough.

The blood, gently dripping down his chin, made something turn inside his intestines. Maybe the burden of having those metal claws and seeing people die because of them or maybe the feeling of being a burden to those that he loved. Logan huffed, holding his head in those rough hands, slightly pulling at the roots of his hair. After such a long time he felt tired, tired of everything that has happened so far. He was afraid that his presence has put a heavy weight on those that he cared about.

As Logan cleaned the sink, his thoughts were disturbed by the sudden knock on his door. He still wasn't dressed, but it didn't matter. He walked up to the door to his room and opened the door slightly, only peeping his head out and hiding the rest of his body behind.

Logan's eyes met Ororo's. Her icy blue eyes felt like a ray of sunshine and it was surprising to see her in such joyful state, remembering the previous events. He smiled softly at her, ignoring that glimpse of strangeness in her gaze.

"The sun has already risen and you are still..." She didn't finish, crossing arms over her chest, cocking a brow at him.

"Mornin' to you too." Logan mumbled underneath his breath, with a tiny grin. "What brings you here?"

Ororo shook her head and chuckled at his stupid face. She clasped her hands together, finally showing the pure joy that she was trying to hide before.

"Get dressed; I want you to meet someone. Someone that is so dear to me and who will finally come back in few hours!"

"Excited over me meeting your lover?" Logan chuckled.

"Oh please... It's someone far more important that a lover. It's a part of my family and since you are a part of my family, you have to meet her."

Logan furrowed his brows and stared at Ororo with curiosity. Out of touch with the reality, he slightly leaned against the door, revealing his bare hip.

"Her? What do you mean her?"

Ororo's eyes widen as he almost revealed himself to the hallway. She looked around, to make sure that there were no students around and glared at him, shutting her lips tightly into a thin line.

Logan took the gesture and grasped the situation. He hid behind the door fully again, not losing the curiosity that caught him before.

Ororo sighed softly, shaking her head slowly with an amused smile on that bright face. She wanted to laugh at Logan, seeing how lost, confused and out of touch he was with all that surrounded him. She was sure that he had the best sleep: it was clear that events like the one that happened could make one so exhausted, that the night can pass with delightful dreams.

"It's my sister. I believe I have told you about her before?"

"Oh, not at all."

"Are you sure? Then there were too many things in my head, I'm surprised that I never told you anything about her. I remember when I first met the others I couldn't shut up about my sister, because she spend most of her time studying. Scott even asked me to stop, but... Who could ever stop the storm?" She winked at him after the remark. "If anyone could get an award for worshiping their sister, then I would be the first one to take it. Believe me, my sister means more than the whole world to me. I don't even want to imagine losing her, I believe that I wouldn't bear it... Anyway."

"That's family for you."

"I suppose so. Well then, get ready; I want you to make a good impression of yourself. I told her a lot of good things about you, so don't disappoint me. She can be... Judgmental sometimes. We are a little different after all." Ororo waved her hand as she walked into the hallway.

Logan stood there for few seconds. If Ororo wanted him to meet her sister that bad, then maybe it would be wise to follow her wishes.

He closed the door behind and stretched his sore body. As he done that, he opened the wardrobe and picked out his everyday clothing: plain flare jeans, white tank top, his favorite leather jacket, brown leather shoes. Even if Ororo wanted him to wear something different, he would find it difficult to do, since there weren't a lot of options for him. He clasped an old belt, as he pulled those old jeans up on his hips.

Logan walked up to the mirror on the wall once more and checked out his hair, which he brushed slightly, bringing it back to place. Luckily, he took care of his beard before so all he was left to do is leave the room and wait until Ororo will reach him again.

Logan walked from side to side, lost in thoughts of how his life was going. Greeting the students, having chats with some, small talks with others, but time passed surely slowly. He went outside for some time, walking from one oak tree to another, throwing rocks at the pond and kicking some that got in his way. Everyone that saw him thought that something bad happened to him, which isn't entirely a lie. He grieved at the thought that Jean has chosen another, but in a sense, he understood why. It's not even worth to compare himself to Scott. Scott was a great person, a great leader, a great group member and of course, a great lover. Loyal, smart, strong and ambitious, but Logan? Sure, he could be all of those things, but he tends to cause problems and slack off, even unwillingly. Leaving for a year or so, without any news of when he'll come back... That's not someone who Jean deserves. She deserves someone better, someone like Scott. Dang, if someone even deserved Logan then... That person definitely wouldn't have any self-respect. And that made him upset. Logan loved Jean, truly, such a smart, brave and outstanding woman that helped him to discover his past. He loved the way that she put words into a coherent sentence, the way she looked when she thought of something serious, the way that she laughed at his awful jokes and the way her eyes looked at him. However, if Jean would ever try to show the same affection to Logan as before, he would be the one to reject, because in no universe should Logan be with such an excellent woman as Jean. No, only Scott would make her happy and he was sure of it. He would make a good partner, a good husband, father and friend. Regardless of their previous conflicts, Logan always envied Scott's traits that seemed unachievable. He wished to be somewhat like Scott, but... He is just himself and that's not enough. Not enough to keep his beloved ones safe, that's why he felt doomed to be alone and forgotten, unloved for the rest of the eternity.

Logan sighed as these thoughts raced through his head and he didn't even realize that he was in the kitchen, rubbing his temples while trying to find alcohol. He was sure that it laid somewhere in the cupboards. And he struggled in front of Rogue and Remy, not even sensing their existence behind his back, even though they chatting loudly of something surely playful.

"Tough night, suga'?" Rogue paid attention to Logan's mood, as he was searching for his only comfort. She leaned against the counter while smirking at Remy.

"Ma cherie, he was awfully quiet this night, so maybe something happened during the day?" Gambit followed the man with his red eyes though his voice sounded serious.

Logan chuckled softly at both of them, maintaining a small smile and still facing his back at them.

"You two better tell me where is-"

"Gone. Your hidin' spots are getting worse, ya' know?" Rogue clicked her tongue as she raised an empty bottle and put it on the counter with a thud, making sure that Logan would turn his head.

And he did. And he was disappointed.

"Someone's gotta' pay for that."

"Calm down, all we wanted to do is to relax. I mean, we did help Jean and now we are awaiting for a good friend of our's after all, is that right, ma cherie?" Remy caressed Rogue's thigh softly, as she was ruffled her frizzy hair.

"Are y'all talking about Storm's sister?" Logan asked, gripping the counter, while his eyes observed the lovers.

"Course', she is a part of our one big ole' family after all. Our pretty gal' was studyin' for couple of years, tryin' to get a degree or somethin'." Rogue replied with a smirk on her face.

"Seems like her welcoming means a lot to everyone."

"Like Rogue said, she's a part of the family. Not to mention, gives a huge helping hand to the team though she may seem... Weak at first, but trust me... That's not the case. God, she can cause a bigger storm than her sister. She's the opposite of Ororo, but has the same passion and love. You'll get used to it." Gambit added while studying Logan's face.

This mysterious sister of Ororo peaked Logan's interest. He couldn't imagine how Storm could have a sister that was the antonym of her being, as he previously thought of this woman being somewhat similar to her sister.

Logan wandered around the mansion again, leaving the lovers to themselves. He didn't even realize how he suddenly stopped at Ororo's classroom, waiting when her class would end. Luckily it didn't last for long, because soon enough the door swung open and students ran out of the classroom, chattering loudly about they will do during their short break and what to prepare for the upcoming class.

Logan walked into Ororo's classroom and leaned against one of the desk, waiting for her to pack up and collect the students' papers before the next class. She lifted her eyes up and flinched suddenly, causing a thunder outside. She quickly grasped the situation and sighed in relief that it was only Logan. Her attention came back to her table as she shook off the tremble.

"You startled me, but I'm glad that you came in time."

Logan raised his hands up.

"I'm no threat."

"Oh I know that, but I'm already tensed up, I just can't wait to meet her again! Let's go, I'm afraid that she is already here and I'm not the first one to hug her!" Ororo clung onto Logan's arm and dragged him out in a hurry, even forgetting to close the door behind herself. That's how excited she was to finally reunite with her sister.

As they rushed to the main entrance, Logan seemed surprised to find most of the team members waiting for Ororo sister's arrival. Even Scott managed to get up from his bed with bandages, pillars on both sides of his body. The only person that was missing from the big picture was Jean.

Finally, the main doors pushed open.

Ororo's sister turned out to be her identical twin, but even physically, you couldn't count the differences on fingers. She was slimmer from her complexion, as Ororo was more muscular. The sister had the same blue eyes that were covered by glasses, but their gaze seemed cold as ice, analytical, critical. The pixie white hair contrasted with Ororo's long silky hair, but it matched her overall appearance: she wore a blue striped button-up shirt that made her breast pop-out; low-rise flare jeans; black heels with white socks; long golden earrings, an amber necklace, a watch, surprisingly long sharp nails. All seemed to fall into place with her dark skin which complimented her even more. She wore a cocky grin on her face as those icy eyes absorbed everything and everyone in front of her, but as soon as she spotted Ororo, that expression softened. She let go of all luggage that she was dragging and ran to Ororo, hugging her tightly in her embrace. You could even think that small tears formed in her eyes.

"Finally you came back, I missed you so much!" Ororo laughed, as the sister was pulling her into a tight hug, making her lightly gasp for air.

"You know that I wouldn't leave you forever." Her sister finally loosened her grip and held Ororo's cheeks instead, kissing each one of them.

Ororo laughed joyfully and pulled her sister away, turning her to greet all the others that were waiting for their turns.

She went round and round, trying to catch up with each one of them, giving out kisses and embraces. Out of all, she greeted Hank the friendliest. She pulled his shirt down to her level and hugged him, wrapping her arms around his neck as he was forced to lean down and hug her waist, planting kisses on his cheeks.

"Beloved! Missed me, haven't you? You'll have to show me what you've been up to lately; I'll have a hard time trying to catch up with your work."

He chuckled nervously, patting her back carefully with his large hands. "All is well, my dear. You'll be fine"

And finally she stood in front of Logan, reaching out a hand for him to grasp. Comparing her previous attitude, she seemed serious, but you could see the glimpse of interest in her eyes. He accepted her hand that was soft and warm. "You must be the new guy that Ororo told me about, Logan, right? I am Loren, Ororo's twin."

"I figured." Logan shook her hand lightly. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise." She let go of his hand. He felt a pang of disappointment in his chest as he imagined that this sister of Ororo's would at least try to make a short conversation. He shook off the feeling with a tiny hope that they would catch up later on, after all, she wants to greet everyone that she was close with and for now Logan was just a stranger.

Right now Loren approached Scott with slight worry. Scott tried to hug Loren, but hissed in the process and gave up quickly due to the pain defeating his intentions.

"What happened while I was gone? Where's Jean?" She asked, not trying to hide the concern.

"Too many things, but don't worry. We're all still here, glad to see you again." Scott smiled softly, trying to smoothen the mood.

Loren took a deep breath and looked at Ororo.

"I remained silent so you could finish your studies with ease. We'll tell you of all that has happened while you were gone, believe me. Let's give Jean a visit, what do you think?" Ororo took her hand and led her towards the school's infirmary.

Logan stalked behind both of them and Hank, as the trio seemed to have a nice conversation that he didn't wish to disturb. He curiously watched Loren laughing and talking loudly, trying to point out more differences that set the sisters apart.

Loren seemed like a strange person. Ororo couldn't hide her emotions well and her face, though tough like a stone, always featured the soft, gentle and motherly aspects of her soul. Loren, on the other hand, was the opposite of that. Sometimes she was serious and at another minute, a pure smile could wash her face. Her natural grim consisted of a stabbing glare, gently furrowed brows, slightly pressed lips, making it look like a natural resting bitch face. Anyone would think that she her face exclaims: "don't approach me or I'll cut you in pieces and destroy your life", not caring about anything else that isn't related to her. Logan doubted that he would ever approach women with such a look, but he saw that Loren is more than her face could portrait. She talks genuinely, placing her words with care, slowly and wisely. The way that she spoke to both Hank and Ororo showed her true nature, which still seemed quite mysterious to Logan.

He didn't even know why he was following them, but someone had to help Scott to go along so Logan gave him a helping hand. Even though it made Scott mumble a couple of insults underneath his breath, Logan didn't mind that at all.

As they finally reached the destination, Loren rushed to Jean's bed, carefully brushing the strands of hair in her face and tucking them behind the ear. Jean's face seemed pale, tired, the dark circles around her eyes made her look like a lying corpse, but the soft breathing proved wrong. Loren gently grasped her hand and caressed it, brushing her thumb against the light skin. "What happened to her?"

"We thought she died. For a long time. One day I came to visit the place where she... I... I don't know how it happened, but I triggered the awakening of the Dark Phoenix and... You can see the outcome of that." Scott spoke first with slight confusion and then glared at Logan. Even though his eyes were covered by glasses, but the daggers that were directed at Logan could be seen by anyone. "The others maintained her, but then this dumbass that you now know of as Logan decided that it would be a good idea to wake her up again, ignoring the warnings of our professor. Mind you, professor gave those warnings directly to you. But you always do what you want, do you? Thinking that you know better... Even though I was laying in bed barely alive, I was still conscious, I've heard everything and seen everything, you fucking bastard. And why did you think that it was a good idea, was it worth the few seconds of pleasure? So Jean would call you a savior or something? That she could climb onto your neck and kiss your lips with such passion as she did? Tell me, you f-"

But Scott couldn't finish the sentence as an ugly cough interrupted his lips and turned into a series of coughs. The anger that boiled inside of him from the moment that he witnessed his beloved one betraying him with Logan finally spilled out, making him suffer not only physically, but mentally as well. As the seizure stopped, he laughed lowly.

"And what did you was going to happen? So what, you two almost fucked right in front of my lifeless body, but in the end, who did she choose? Why did she stop? Oh I know why. I'm going to tell you that right in front of them. It's because she chose me, not you. Now you can fuck off and go where you came from. Piece of shit. If you were here only for her then make sure to note it in your head that she doesn't care about you anymore. She cares about me, so you can do what you want and leave us alone."

Ororo and Hank looked at Scott with horrified faces, making sure that heard everything correctly. Sure, what Logan did was awful, but this is not the place and definitely, not how such information should be presented. Especially to someone who hasn't been home for a while and if you want to make a first good impression of someone, they've never met before. However, Scott didn't care at all. It seemed like he didn't notice his surroundings, only with Logan and Jean present in his eyes. Sadly, Logan was taking up all of that space, the space that he wanted to leave for Jean.

Logan sighed, massaging his tensed forehead. This isn't something that he expected to happen, especially in this setting. However, he didn't fight the allegations thrown at him as he felt that it was necessary to hear them and feel the burden of his actions fall onto shoulders. He didn't want it to be like this, but it was very much needed and he knew it. It was upsetting, depressing sure, but he had to pay the consequences of his actions.

The only problem, that they weren't alone.

Loren's upper lip twitched as she heard the accusations and her brows furrowed deeper than before as Logan didn't deny them. She was purely disgusted to say the least, that look was written all over her face. She let go of Jean's hand, feeling disappointment in her and even more in Logan.

"So that's what kind of person are you, huh." Loren came in front of him blurring view, blocking Scott behind. She was too close to Logan, making a long pause while her eyes swore and yelled right into his face words that she didn't express. "You shameless brute." Then she turned her back at him, not facing any of her friends. "I don't want to hear any of you; none of you can explain what happened properly without your own versions. I'm going to talk with the professor. Excuse me."

That's all that Loren said to him that day. That's all of the direct contact they've had, but it sure looked awful. Logan felt a stab in his chest when she called him that. The way that her cold eyes pierced right into him made him shudder. He couldn't even hear what Hank was saying to both Scott and himself, it didn't matter at that moment. It felt terrible, knowing that you made a bad impression to someone that you've just met. He huffed, knowing that Scott's words were welldeserved, but to put them in this situation felt just brutal. And surely hurtful. But the look in her eyes... Even if Logan wanted to erase it, he felt as if it burned something deeply within him, leaving yet another scar.

It felt impossible to feel happy with yourself. Maybe it was better this way.

[veryace-ficrecs]

X-Men Found Family Fic Recs

This list will include all ratings and tags, so read at your own discretion! :)

Scott's Life is Hard by yellow_caballero - Rated G

Scott cares a lot less about leading the X-Men then he does about getting the kids to school on time. Wrangling a mansion full of teenagers is the work of a lifetime, but Scott's not going anywhere. Sometimes love has to be enough. And somehow Scott's father of the year. In which bees are a novelty to ex-brainwashed apocalypse assasins, rotating groups of teenagers makes breakfast increasingly complicated, Magneto reads the daily newspaper, and Scott is the supreme god king dictator of 20 frightened mutant teenagers.

We Are Not Alone by WhiteravenGreywolf - Rated T

After escaping their cage, the group struggles to find their place in the world, all the while being pursued by the Essex Corporations who does not like to lose assets, even if those assets are a couple of rebellious teenagers.

When My Fist Clenches, Crack It Open by versaphile - Rated M

More than anything else, David wants to believe he's not sick because that means he isn't crazy. It means he can fall in love and live happily ever after. But if he surrenders to that hope and he's wrong, then there's no coming back. The Shadow King is victorious, but the battle for David Haller’s soul has only begun. David fails to escape Division 3's intervention and is forced into therapy. With his relationships ruined, his mind split, and his past a lie, death seems like the only choice left. But Farouk is pulling the strings to keep him alive. As David's friends and family work desperately to save him, David must reclaim his past and present to avoid losing his future to the monster who destroyed him.

I'll Close My Mouth (I Won't Say a Word) by Shaderose - Rated T

"Knowing that he doesn't belong. Because he doesnt, doesn't fit into the clean, sleek environment, with his too sharp frame and his dirtied, ripped up sneakers. His old tattered clothes, and his skin riddled with scars. Imperfections. Flaws. A man of loud, harsh words and bruised knuckles, quick fingers and slick feet, in a world of softness, gentle and quiet. Of course he doesn't belong. Why would he? This isn't his home. And yet, Mrs. Kaplan, with her too warm eyes and her too gentle smile, tells him, "Welcome home," anyways. Yeesh." -- A story about friends, family, insecurities, truth and, most importantly, the true meaning of love.

A Day in the Life by SeaSpectre160 - Rated G

Amidst all the discussion and controversy over the 'mutant threat', one reporter goes to the mutants themselves to get their perspective.

(Take It) All Away by Sweetbriar15 - Rated T

Certain they would turn him away, but knowing nowhere else to go, Lance approaches the X-men for help when his team is stricken ill.

Hold my hand and float back to the summer time by caughtinanocean - Rated T

Julio and Shatterstar learn how to come home, and what you do after. “‘Star, have you ever thought about...doing something else?” “Well, there was televised combat in an arena,” Shatterstar says, “and we just led a revolution.” Julio looks at the floor underneath his socked feet. He feels sort of stupid saying this aloud. “I mean, like. Normal stuff.” “Normal stuff,” Shatterstar echoes. “Huh.”

Ringer by Crewe - Rated G

"Guess what I just did," Bobby said, ignoring him to reach around and get a finger on the side of the bowl. With a little concentration, frost spread out from the point of contact across the bowl and the ice cream inside refroze. Warren begrudgingly lowered his shoulder to give him another bite in exchange for services rendered. "What," he said flatly, elbowing Bobby until he slid off of him and onto the stool beside. "I got Scott to play a game," he said archly. "He's outside being, like, really intense about horseshoes." -- Scott starts playing horseshoes, and he just doesn't think to stop. His friends don't notice, until they do.

Lost and Found by ManicRavingsofaLunatic - Rated T

Alex rescues a kid from one of Trask's facilities; a kid that trusts him implicitly and looks to Alex for protection. The last time Alex was trusted with a such a burden he failed. But that Scott and this Scott are definitely not the same person. And Alex won't fail again this time. Basically, this is the story of how Alex found Scott

Don't Be Afraid by flightinflame - Rated T

A lot of people fear Jean for her telepathy. But Charles never will.

Home Sweet Home by PUNK_MENACE - Rated G

Set after "Greetings from Genosha". X-Men are trained mutants, ready to fight whatever evil may try to hurt humankind or mutantkind. Which means that instead of sulking around the mansion they detected Mystique's presence on the island and managed to save Kurt. He wasn't left unscathed, though.

In These Ever Changing Times by saekhwa - Rated G

There are two things Armando knows, even one death and twenty years later: he's an X-Man, and he'll always have Alex's back.

For Just One Day Let's Only Think About Love by Duck_Life - Rated T

Sometimes, even a runaway bride isn't enough to deter a wedding after-party. Set immediately following X-Men Gold #30. Welcome to Rogue and Remy's reception.

Christmas Traditions by Ava_DAlain - Rated T

It’s the time of year that brings people together to celebrate, reflect, and create lasting memories…Maybe even some new traditions. A fluff-filled collection of one-shots, ficlets, and drabbles featuring Rogue, Gambit, and the rest of the X-Men, just for fun. Tags will be updated to reflect new chapters.

Raising Laura by LucasGreenX23 - Rated M

What if Project X-23 had been delayed several years? Beaten and abused to breed out all emotion, lead to believe that she was nothing more than a weapon to be used, a much younger X-23 has never known the concept of kindness. Then the man known as Wolverine arrived with his X-Men, and suddenly, the little mutant is faced with her greatest challenge yet… being part of a family.

The Brotherhood of (very nice) Mutants by AetherBunny - Rated G

“Pete? Can I ask you something?” “Sure, anything.” Scott looked at him for a moment and then seemed to change his mind. Scott and Pietro miss their siblings and Pete is a very good surrogate big brother. Scott gives Pete a good idea and Pete gets his sister back. This is going in the "I'm just going to keep adding Wanda" collection, but it has nothing to do with the other fics in it. It's just, you know, I added Wanda...

Desperado, Why Don't You Come To Your Senses by WretiaBlue - Rated T

Come down from your fences, open the gate It may be rainin', but there's a rainbow above you You better let somebody love you Let somebody love you before it's too late. Desperado, Eagles 1973 ~~~ Or: Gambit joins the X-Men. Maybe things won't turn out so bad after all.

Uncanny X-Men 1943 by stellarose - Rated M

X-Men AU. Emma Frost runs Division X, a classified squad within the secretive Special Operations Executive based in London. It isn't their job to win the war, only to save those they can. Emma's squad of Psylocke, Angel, Logan and Fantomex set out of rescue three mutants trapped in occupied and increasingly hostile France. But when the mission takes a turn for the worse, Emma and the team must decide if they cut their losses, or fight twice as hard to bring everyone home.

New Moon by digeridoo - Rated M

Logan is left to babysit a mansion full of mutant kids for the weekend while the rest of the X-Men are on conference to boost mutant acceptance.

Eulogy by Secret_Pizza_Party - Rated G

The mansion is too full of ghosts—the dead ones, and the living. The inhabitants move through rooms, move past one another as if they’ve become insubstantial, incapable of interacting. A haunting that no one can find a way to fit to words. ------ After the events of Episode 5, the X-Men gather together to say final farewells to those they've lost.

Familial ties by Multifandom_damnation - Rated T

Peter knows his father is Magneto no matter how much he tries to deny it, and even though Kurt doesn't know who his mother is, Professor X is more than happy to help him figure it out. I think it's about time we rejoined some families, don't you?

BROTHERS AND CATS by Honmyo_Seagull - Rated T

The one where Gabby gets to meet Gambit’s cats, where the Cajun fears Daken might be his evil twin and quotes Shakespeare, where Bullseye would just like people to let him do his job, where Laura might remain oblivious of certain events but still spends a pretty good day.

Sweet Home Alabama by Rachel_Martin64 - Rated T

On the way back to Alkali Lake, Scott saves a life along the highway and gets his own life saved in return. This story starts at the beginning of X3, when Scott leaves the mansion, and immediately goes AU. If you hated the way X3 treated Scott, this story's for you.

[perfectfangirl]

notes after rewatching fallout s1 ep2

• dogmeat's introduction 🥺 • the enclave being shown as supremely evil because how could you incinerate live puppies 😭 • i want more backstory on siggi because i am curious if this is change of heart or like a mole • the super mutant hand needs to go from easter egg to reality next season forreal • i noticed siggi was drinking whiskey? to numb the pain of putting that cold fusion chip in his head--- i also wonder if he was drinking because he knew he wasn't going to make it • saw on reddit someone asking so it's the enclave who has cold fusion? and i'm still a bit confused about that because... i was thinking moldaver had something to do with its creation but then siggi knew exactly who lucy was... if the enclave is supposed to be a continuation of the pre war us government, then it feels like there's more tying the enclave and vault tec together than i thought

• in the escape scene, it seems like the other scientist knew siggi was betraying the enclave, but how? if they have cold fusion, was it obvious he was "stealing" it and trying to give it to someone else? maybe i have gaps in my knowledge here • siggi genuinely does seem like he's trying to do the right thing though 🥲 • dogmeat seeing that guy try to harm siggi and dogmeat fuckin' him up ❤️ • game dogmeat being referred sometimes as a boy and show dogmeat being a girl lol [love the gender doesn't matterism here gldfgld]

• the people who are enslaved work at the enclave being held there and escape meaning death • if these are namibia scenes where lucy is trekking, they are breathtaking, wonderful worldbuilding • lucy seeing a tumbleweed for the first time and going "the heck?" but then i like, remember she doesn't really know what "wind" is 😭 [and this also subverts the "tumbleweed blowing in the wind through a desert or desolate place" trope, i'm sorry but this a masterclass in comedy lmao] • her coming across some bodies but this time skeletons at a dinner table, a family of four i believe, all having taken poison, vault tech brand [a chilling scene but fallout is known for their hilariously placed skeletions so there's one with a cup of dirt in front of it] • probably the first time lucy is being confronted by hank and/or vault tec's lies, depending • lucy setting a [camp] fire, and me recognizing immediately it was a bad move [i watch too much stuff 💀] • i honestly' can't believe she took off her pip boy • dogmeat finding lucy 🥺 • it was destiny in so many ways because dogmeat is tearing that radroach the fuck up • siggi giving like a monologue in the most unsettling voice ever was so funny to me • siggi trying to tell her these animals [if you can call them that] up there are insane and genuinely in the nicest way possible trying to tell her she should go home • "question is, will you still want the same things when you have become a different animal altogether?" is some crazy foreshadowing • the cold fusion capsule glowing as he walks away • lord titus being an asshole and maximus doing the same to thaddeus lmao • lord titus "wanting to shoot something" and his stupidity leading to his own demise • [i like neither lord titus or the actor that plays him so dkfsdkgd] • dogmeat going into the yao guai den and coming back with a hand like it was sharing it with them 😭 • maximus being continuously disrespected and knocked down a peg, he doesn't deserve this 😞 • insane how close and somehow inadvertently hot on the trail lord titus and maximus was for siggi and dogmeat • learning squires appears to be a dime a dozen and that's one reason lord titus sent maximus deeper into the cave, the other is that he was scared • maximus seemed to be both disillusioned and struck with fear watching the yao guai attack lord titus--- so it was almost breathtakingly offensive when lord titus decided to blame maximus for everything and wanting him like, court martialed almost for this incident, despite maximus being small of gun and armourless, despite them both being scared, lord titus blames maximus for lord titus' own failings • "this wasteland fucking sucks!" love that running motif • anyways glad that guy died, next! • lmao this very disgusting man in a diaper or something being thankful lucy didn't shoot him but also drinking all her water 😭 • lucy getting a taste of wasteland selfishness and desperation gdfgdgfd • maximus belongs in a power suit • this chicken fucking man having the elixir to immortality or regeneration or whatever it is 😭 • and the chicken farmer, in a cameo, is a makeup designer and props department person 🙂 • in a beautiful shot, it looks like lucy is in the famous car forest or a replica of it • her trying to be convivial and people just not having it 😢 • filly is very fallout and i assume gamers enjoyed this scene because • everyone is in bizarre and comical mad max style outfits, iguana meat, giving metaton vibes • so i just read filly was named because it's a landfill but also there's the fact it was filmed in an airplane and automobile graveyard outside new jersey [close to philadelphia] and that there is a fillmore, california • also saw where it's modeled to look a lot like megaton and i thought this on first viewing • i didn't even realize cooper was already shown sitting and waiting, the crossing of paths was crazy • lucy seeing degeneracy first hand 💀 • lucy seeing weird shit and smiling because she, too, is weird

• cooper mysteriously and sexily watching from afar after cornering his bounty • "barv get in here" not ma june calling her friend to come and point and laugh at lucy • moldaver being ma june's client and that's why she shuts lucy down so fast after she asks about that pip boy • ma june saying lucy got all ten fingers, damn the writers were so • "i know that it can't have been easy for you up here, what with all the murder and the dirt" lmao lucy please • lucy realising vault tec's demonic saviour complex is very hard to preach about to wastelanders, people who have survived for centuries and without the help of the vaulties • lucy really is from the rich part of town because ma june was so insulted by her lies, she took her gun out • cooper, siggi, lucy intersecting was so crazy though • kind of wondering why siggi didn't wear a disguise as a wanted man • siggi trying to be nice and warning lucy to leave versus ma june harshly reminding cooper him and his ghoul kind aren't wanted in filly • getting chills that siggi is explaining to lucy what her vault experiment basically was as i didn't see it as that on first watch • siggi was telling her to go home because if someone smart realized who she was or where she came from, all hell would break loose • ok so cooper says the bounty went out from all six agencies but i could only think of three, wondering who they all are • ma june mentions she was given caps for siggi's safe transport out of filly, cooper mentioning a bidding war, is that why he shot siggi's leg clean off [probably did because bounty was dead or alive] • ma june getting people clipped by putting caps on whoever can take cooper down first 😭 • cooper smiling as all them people descend on him because this is the "the love of the game" shit he was talkin' bout 😭💀 • "all this murder makin' me hungry" cooper essentially • him eating those cherry tomatoes and then paying for them 🥲 • almost forgot cooper actually did get shot multiple times and kept goin', ghouls are somethin' else • noticing cooper gave ma june a nonlethal leg shot versus basically sending siggi to his demise with his • cooper stabbing not shooting dogmeat • cooper was about to shoot but lucy's candor and morality was a breath of fresh air, he was so shook lmao • he was so charmed, he kept walking, leaving him open to her shooting him in quite literally his heart [ok symbolism] 😭, smiling and everything • "well now that is a very small drop in a very, very large bucket of drugs" lmaooo they created ultrajet for ghouls because jet isn't strong enough for them • lucy being immediately impressed with the t60 • i hate maximus had to lie because this was so "knight in shining armour" but why did he reveal his face to lucy knowing if the brotherhood of steel had found out this early about what he did, he'd be dead meat like • cooper almost shot that girl like three times ldgld • i genuinely think the tranquilizer effected him but just a teensy bit • siggi saying he could still make the trip and ma june saying he'd be lucky to make it to breakfast ☹️ • jim's limbs has be cracking up every time • them installing that robo leg onto siggi is the most gory and disgusting scene to me and i hope it gets worse • something oddly sweet about siggi saying lucy can take him to moldaver after nearly begging lucy to go back home for her own safety, she put her life on the line to save him 😞 • cooper getting mopped by maximus in that power suit sends • i didn't realize after maximus made cooper fall, cooper says "goddamn, that hurt" 😭 • "you drive that thing like a fucking shopping cart" and it's a power suit gldgfld • that snake oil salesman really was telling the truth, he maybe could've healed siggi • cooper petting dogmeat while giving them a stimpak, cooper showing a genuine smile while doing so • siggi really lost too much blood and i thought this back in filly • siggi saying the cynanide pill from vault tec was the most humane thing they produced, pre war was a dark time

[soimcoga]

Ice Cream Kitty

Everyone in the family call Ice Cream Kitty differently. Leo calls her Icy, Raph calls her ICK, Donnie calls her Cream, Mikey addresses her solely by her given name Ice Cream Kitty, Casey calls her Ice Cat and April calls her Kitty.

Ice Cream Kitty acts accordingly to how the family addresses her. She's clingy and soft with Leo, cool and brash with Raph, sophisticated and delicate with Donnie, essentially her little shit self with Mikey, and she shows off her mutant side with Casey and acts like a normal cat with April.

Ice Cream Kitty is very smart and learns things very quick. She can and she will call you a 'piss baby' if you lose to her in a board game, and the only reason she's allowed to is because Leo doesn't know about it.

(L: Raph, stop teaching Icy how to swear!

R: You do what you must.

L: Why is having a mutant cat swear considered a must?!)

Ice Cream Kitty can read and write in English, though nothing too complicated. She usually communicates by meowing, but if there's something she wants to convey very badly, she'll write it down for the family.

There was one time Ice Cream Kitty completely froze because the fridge was too old and there was no way to control the temperature in the freezer. The next day the Hamatos were breaking in the everything your home needs type of store, stealing a brand new fridge.

(They had to stage a car theft, so Kirby won't be convicted, because they used his party van to transport the fridge. It was a fun night)

Leo has been teaching Ice Cream Kitty Japanese, as per Mikey's request. She's a good student.

Raph's been teaching Ice Cream Kitty excessive violence and acceptance thereof

(D: Did... did Cream just try to stab Slash with an icicle...?

M: My baby's free to do what she wants.

R: Yeah, don't deny her freedom.

D: Aren't you and Slash friends???

R: Friends shank each other all the time.

D: THEY DO NOT???)

Donnie has created several pet carriers for her comfort, because you never know when you have to run. And no family gets left behind.

Mikey has stolen several portable fridges for her. Surprisingly, Leo never complained about it. Now every room in their lair has a place for Ice Cream Kitty to rest.

Ice Cream Kitty is violently protective of her family. If you hurt them once, intentionally or not, she hates you, she despises you, she will claw your heart out and present it to Donnie for research. Leatherhead's cool though. She has forgiven him for everything.

Slash though? That bitch gets it every time he visits.

(L: Do you not like Slash all that much, Icy?

I: mrow

L: Right, you're a good girl that don't hold grudges.

D: *whispering* So we're not telling him Cream tried to murder Slash in cold blood...?

M: *whispering back* Let him live his illusions)

Karai and Shinigami are on thin ice. She tolerates them, but she will fight them in a heartbeat.

Donnie created a system for her to traverse the lair mostly on her own, like a real cat. Mikey almost died, choking on his tears, when he came back home and had Ice Cream Kitty greet him.

(Donnie never told anyone that Ice Cream Kitty was the one to ask for that. Because she saw how lonely the kids were coming home to no one greeting them)

Casey is financially indebted to her.

(L: Are... are you playing actual poker... with Icy?

C: Shush Leo, I have a good hand!

L: Don't play on money with a cat?!)

Ice Cream Kitty loves being stroked/patted and makes sure every single member of the family snuggled her at least once a day. Ain't nobody gonna escape affection.

(They adore her just as much as she adores them)

Mikey is a teensy bit overprotective (borderline crazy) cat dad. Everyone lets him be.

(She's the best daughter to her dad)

[creehd]

IM SCREECHING OVER THIS ROARING 20s AU,

but very politely holding your shoulders and giving you a little shake.

I haven't watched much teenage mutant ninja turtles unfortunately, but from what i do know, you putting them in the 1920s is absolutely FASCINATING. The difference in politics and the World in general from the modern version to your AU is just,,, HNGNGNGG im chewing on the leg of your desk

Do they act differently?? Or are they relatively similar to their modern counterparts? How are they forced to adapt to this universe? Are they still ninja trained? How did they get turned into mutant turtles, and what's Shredder's (who you MUST draw, im begging you), motive during this time period? 👀 DO THEY STILL LIKE PIZZA?????

And most importantly, may i give Splinter a kiss on the head? 👉👈

Amazing art as always <3

I owe you my life for this ask. I can feel myself being pulled back into both my obsessions with TMNT and the early 1900s.

SO I'M STILL BUFFERING EDGES AND WORKING OUT WHAT EXACTLY I WANNA DO WITH CERTAIN CHARACTERS BUT HERES THE MAIN SYNOPSIS;

In 1923 New York, post ww1, splinter is the last of his lineage of samurai in the Edo period in Japan, escaping to New York and attempting to build a new life when he came into contact with the Foot, a long-established gang with ties to shredder a yakuza boss who also immigrated from japan at the end of the 1800s once he lost his title as shōgun. He is controlling many facets of New York through experimental science and crime.

Mainly being; bootlegging, gambling, auto theft, narcotics, robbery, And any other gang-sanctioned activity.

In an attempt to stop him, splinter soon finds himself mortally wounded and in desperation to save his life, he is mutated into a rat, alongwith 4 baby turtles and an entire lab of wildlife. (Animal testing has been around for awhile) Hiding away with his newly found family and recovering from injuries that made him slowly lose his eyesight, the boys began to grow in the shadows of a newly technological America.

And that's kinda what I got as an explanation for how exactly splinter got here and what happened before the turtles grew up.. AS FOR THEIR PERSONALITIES. I try to keep them similar, I take inspiration from each different continuity of tmnt for what I think the perfect imalgamation would look like for a basis for who they are, and then I made it time period accurate!

So in order-

Leonardo: Leo is a big boy scout, he respects splinters wisdom and teachings, and when I think of him I picture Steve Roger's before the Super Soldier serum, Leo believes in New York, and he believes he and his brothers can help fight the rampant and rising gang-related crime in the city. He also enjoys tennis, chess,and card playing, alongside supporting the local flapper scene in the city. He also heavily supports freedom of the press AND believes in the abolishment of prohibition! (Not bc he likes to drink but because he WANTS freedom and justice for all) loves to listen to radio shows with Donnie and read newspapers and magazines to keep up with current trends and events.

Donatello: Donnie is hugely interested in the rise of technology across America, hugely interested in the works of Albert Einstein and the amazing minds behind the Tuberculosis vaccine (baxter stockman in this au is a scientist who basically helped discover penicillin before the incident™️) , he's fascinated with radios and tvs however they aren't as sophisticated as he might like yet, he believes he can help the field of science alongside his brothers as a crime fighter, although it isn't his passion to fight, he sees fighting as a science of its own. His hobbies include radio shows and reading! (His favorite book is at the earth's core by Edgar rice Burroughs) and he also really really enjoys April's company, and dressing up with her.

Raphael: Raphael is a vigilante at heart, but also a bit too hotheaded and selfish to see when he is in too deep, he heavily engages in the night life and the scummier parts of New York, bar fights, alley brawls, deals gone wrong, you name it, raphs got a fire for fighting for what's right. He rubs elbows with many of the lower-class gangs, who are just trying to get by, and after learning about the struggles of suffragettes, he lends a hand when he can with their growing cause, he's also a huge jazz fan, attending many flapper shows and frequenting speakeasies. Before he met Casey in late 1919, he dreamed of nothing more than to fight in the Great War, however, when he met Casey Jones, he was quickly attuned to the horrors the war brought to its soldiers, and how horrendously they were discarded after, and prompting vowing to help veterans in need. He and Casey are close and frequently engage in going to silent films, recreational drinking, and smoking together.

Michelangelo: Mikey is an artist, he loves his city and its people, and alongside being an incredibly talented martial artist crimefighter alongside his brothers, he believes in peace and love above everything. (Although he'll finish a fight if he has to) him and raph clash heavily on how to handle issues in new york, and while they can't see perfectly eye to eye, they overlap on alot of ideals and pastimes. Mikey is a prolific painter like his namesake, as well as a silent film connoisseur, a birdwatching fan, a huge fan of jazz, and a frequent at lgbt nightclubs in Harlem.

NOW FOR THE NON TURTLE CHARACTERS!

Splinter: Splinter was born in Japan in the mid 1855, he is now in his late 60s, trying to pass on his knowledge of the time to his sons, while training them the way of the samurai and ninja from when he was a boy. Splinters mutation heavily affected his eyesight, and training and keeping in touch with his culture and fighting traditions helped him overcome the difficulty of navigation, along with his mutated hearing and smell. He's a strict older Japanese dad, he loves his boys but is hesitant about the new boom of technology and heavily encourages the boys to stick to their traditional ways while fighting for what's right.

April: April moved to the city from smalltown in 1915, daughter of a farmer, she came in hopes of starting a career for herself and eventually settle down, but as things began to go down hill for the aspiring woman, she began to work a day job as a secretary at the New York World Newspaper company and at night as a flapper, she ends up getting caught up In ganglife around new york before meeting the turtles during a chance encounter with the foot gang.

Casey Jones: Casey Jones is a poor young man from New Jersey, high aspirations and low funds led him to leave his abusive household and seek out adventure during the draft in 1917, Casey fought In the Great War in Europe, and came back a changed man. Shortly after his return to the States, he moved to New York City to try to rebuild a life he once yearned for, when he meets Raphael. Both boys begin to start a bond, sharing the same pastimes and enjoying the same sights the city has to offer, but it's hard to navigate a life that feels so foreign after his enlistment, what's even harder is understanding why he'd rather enjoy the company of Raphael rather than the girls they watch on stage. He still engages in recreational hockey and the occasional book club since Leo and Donnie insist on helping him with his dyslexia.

As for their motives.. they're just trying to help clean up the streets and not get traumatized along the way! But that's never how it works out is it..

And for the villians.. this posts getting a bit long so I'll make a seperate post about shredder and his whole deal, along with the krang :]

And of COURSE they still love pizza! They're the ninja turtles, it came free with the Xbox,

But if u want an actual answer yes they still love pizza, alot of Italian immigrants came to New york in 1880ish through 1930, and pizza was starting to super get popular.

(And splinter always gets alittle kiss)

BUT YES that's what we're cooking with so far!! And I have many idea for them, and would love to hear more thoughts and opinions !!! Please. This is my brainchild I'm foaming at the mouth to share it.

ask box is always open!!

[roughentumble]

ok, logan joins the brotherhood AU. xmen2000 happens very similar, but logan and rogue are on magneto's side, and logan knows a lot more about his past without actually remembering any of it. the timeline is stretched out instead of condensed into a few days, because it gives everyone more time to bond and more time for Things to Happen. we're putting deadpool in there in his slightly more morally loose much more merc-y self as hired muscle, because i like him. charles invades logan's mind during a conflict to try and pursuade him to the "good side" as xavier sees it, uncovers old memories that logan had heard about but not remembered firsthand, he decides he hates that shit and never wants someone in his head again so magneto agrees to surgically implant the same metal/circuitry that's in his helmet directly on logan's skull. no psychic is ever gettin in fort knox again, logan's brain is his own. through their newfound bond, logan starts deradicalizing magneto against specifically human hatred-- not the need to fight back against injustice or the genuine war against mutants that's on the way, but the idea of mutants being evolutionarily superior. he's actually making headway, good for him. the plan to have rogue sacrifice herself is instead a plan for her to absorb magneto's AND WOLVERINE'S powers+lifeforce, so she will survive. the x-men still stop their plan, but not before half the summit gets mutated, because wade is there to fight them off. the majority of the brotherhood gets away, but magneto is arrested, and they dont know where he's held. during all these events, the brotherhood including marie, logan, and wade have become like a little polycule/family, so this is a massive hit to morale, but mystique still decides to work things from the inside disgused as a now-reformed mutant hating senator.

X2 happens. logan's been trying to keep the brotherhood together with erik gone and mystique busy playing someone else, but it's a pretty small group. instead of logan left at the manor, colossus is given the honor, and he gets as many kids out as he can when the mansion is invaded, while bobby and pyro escape by hotwiring a car and calling the x-men to let them know what's going on. obviously the magneto escape plan goes off as does in canon, with logan's feathers ruffled that he couldnt be a part of it on account of metal skeleton. in the scene where the two disparate groups meet, it's the x-men(ororo, jean, nightcrawler, bobby, pyro) meeting the fully reformed brotherhood(magneto, mystique, wolverine, rogue, deadpool). bit of sparks between jean and logan, but jean Fully does not like or trust the brotherhood and logan literally doesnt even know she's married so the "women marry good guys" "i could be a good guy" scene plays out much harsher, but also he's not cut /quite/ as deep because he doesnt know this woman. it just reaffirms to him his commitment to the brotherhood and their ideals and their family, because he doesnt feel rejected there, and his ideals arent under attack. he was always gonna feel that way tho so its not revolutionary. logan still splits off from the group when he sees stryker, because even though he thought he closed that chapter of his life he still does have questions about his past and he feels compelled. this means he's not around to talk magneto out of his plan to target humans instead of mutants, which is a major schism in the brotherhood when he finds out about it later. they do pass each other in the hall, though, as magneto and mystique make their way towards the helicopter and logan makes his way back inside. magneto says theyre leaving, and logan says he has to go back. "i'll leave with rogue and deadpool in the jet, you two get out of here." he says. magneto asks if he's sure, and logan says "most of the mutants in here are kids. i cant just leave them." and magneto watches him carefully for a moment, then claps him on the shoulder. tells him good luck, my friend. they nod. magneto and mystique leave in the jet, while logan rushes inside. the end plays out pretty similar, with logan not as devestated because he didn't have that relationship with jean, but it's still rough to see such blatant self-sacrifice from someone he did ostensibly respect despite being on different sides.

obviously when the x-men appear as a group to the president, logan and marie aren't there, but that active role in trying to influence politics for the better ends up being the unknowing laying of foundations for the eventual merging of the brotherhood and xavier's institute, its the first stone layed that the other side needed to see

[thewitchwannabe]

Food is a love language

Mikey loved to cook, he loved being able to provide a nice meal for his family. It gave him a sense of pride, that fact that he was trusted to do so. Feeding a family of five was tough, especially when said family had to live hidden from society. Getting food had always been a priority for the newly freed mutant family. When they escaped the facility, Splinter was the one who would go out at night, and get food and supplies while they were asleep. As they grew up Leo would often try to stay awake to watch over them, until their dad came back. There wasn’t much cooking going on back then. They mostly ate premade things Splinter found, or some instant noodles they could prepare with the old kettle they had. Little by little they started to put together their kitchen, as well as the rest of their home. Luckily Donny turned out to be a genius and managed to repair the broken appliances they found at the junkyard. And so their dad started preparing them food right there in the lair. Mikey seemed to be a natural, often helping Splinter in the kitchen. 

When Leo was 12, she begged Splinter to let her go on a grocery run with him, claiming it would be great training. Two months after that she started getting groceries on her own, and she’d come back home to tell them all she saw while on the surface. Mikey remembered one night his sister came back from the surface, she looked even more excited than normal, but she quickly composed herself to report to their dad and drop off the groceries. Then she called him and his siblings to Donny’s makeshift lab, her excitement back on her face. ‘Ninja’ she had said, like them except not like them cuz they were human. She told them about how a group of ninjas tried to break into an antique store, but she stopped them. They all listened to her amazed, they’ve never been in a real fight before only their practice spars. Mikey couldn’t help but think his big sister was the coolest. 

When she was done, Donny, the ever logical one, asked why she had told them here and not in the living room where their father was. Leo confessed that she didn’t want their dad to know she got into a fight with another ninja clan, especially since she was planning on doing it again. Mikey remembered being absolutely shocked about this, Leo had always been the responsible one, the one that Splinter trusted to watch over them when he had to leave the lair. And now she was trying to keep secrets from him. Leo stood up and explained that the ninja were clearly up to no good and it would be up to her to stop them. Little 9 year old Raph stood up as well, proclaiming that he'd help too. Be like the Robin to Leo’s Batman. Mikey soon decided he wanted to fight bad guys too, and Donny didn’t take much convincing after that. Leona was all too giddy back then ‘We’ll be just like the Star Force!’ She said, referring to her all time favorite anime. 

That was how they started to get in the Foot’s way. A bunch of kids trying to play the heroes, not knowing where that would take them. Now Mikey wasn’t that much older than Leo had been back then, but he can now see what a reckless idea that was. Things didn’t work like in comic books, punches hurt and weapons leave scars. Especially when the leader of the enemy clan wanted them dead. Their father would have probably died during his fight with the Shredder, if it wasn’t for Leo stopping the draining jutsu in time. Leo was only 13 then, and she single-handedly broke him and his brothers out of the cell the Foot was holding them in. Mikey wasn’t sure how she managed to do that, but the blood on her katanas gave him some ideas.

Leona changed after that night, suddenly her little brothers could only depend on her since their father was stuck in their makeshift med bay, snapping in and out of consciousness. She stopped coming back from the surface with groceries and stories, instead she came back with news about Karai and foot ninja. Luckily they had April now who helped them with groceries and medical supplies for Splinter. Donny was also busy, as he was the most medically knowledgeable out of all them, he was the one in charge of caring for Splinter. 

Mikey remembers feeling lost back then, he didn’t know what to do, where to stand, how he could help. Leo and Donny had a place, a job, even April was doing her part. But he just felt useless. He would just sit in the living room, not reading a comic or watching tv, just sitting there, waiting for someone to tell him what to do. One day after April had just left, he saw Raph try to approach Leo, with the same lost face he had. Leo, to her credit, wasn’t rude at all, she held his hands and kneeled down to talk up to him. ‘Can this wait, Raphie?’ She asked sweetly. Raph slowly nodded his head, receiving a light kiss on the forehead, before Leo walked away and disappeared into the med bay. Raph stood there staring at his sister, frozen, not knowing what he even wanted to say before. Mikey slowly stood up and walked towards his little brother. ‘Hey Raph, you hungry?’ He asked with his best and most reassuring smile. Raph’s eyes lit up, maybe for the first time since the night of the showdown, Mikey wasn’t sure. 

They walked towards the kitchen where April had left the groceries. It wasn’t that much, or varied, but it was enough. He picked the bag of rice and washed it thoroughly, and put it in the rice maker. While that cooked he got to work on the curry, so it was ready to serve when the rice was done. After a ‘ding’ from the rice cooker, Mikey scooped out a healthy serving of rice and bathed it in his curry stew. Raph sat quietly, at the kitchen table, he looked so small, Mikey remembered. Of course he was small, he was the youngest, and was barely 10 back then, but to Mikey at that moment, Raph looked even smaller. He watched as Raph took the first bite before immediately digging in for more. Mikey let out a laugh before preparing a plate for himself and sat down besides Raph. The two finished up their plates quickly and went back to the living room to watch one of Raph’s favorite shows. About an hour or two passed before Raph started to doze off. Mikey helped Raph get to bed and sat with him until he fell asleep. 

With new motivation, Mikey returned to the kitchen, and prepared two more plates. He walked decisively over to the med bay, where he forcibly made his older siblings eat them. It was the first real meal they had eaten in a few days, Mikey remembered, since he didn’t count granola bars and coffee as a ‘meal’. They ate slower than him and Raph but they enjoyed it all the same. Mikey explained how Raph was fed and asleep before a ‘beep’ sound alerted Donny that one of his blood analyses was finished. They quickly finished their plate ‘thanks for the meal’ he said, dashing to check the results. Leona, looked at Mikey with one of her signature big sister smiles, ‘thank you Mikey, it was delicious’ she had said. Mikey still remembered Leo’s face very clearly, she was tired, always either patrolling or helping Donny care for their dad. And yet he managed to make her smile, and maybe just maybe helped alleviate a little bit of the stress she carried. It was one of Mikey’s proudest moments, and it showed him the power a warm meal could have. 

And so he stood in the kitchen, a little over two years after the showdown, and with another crisis at their doorstep. Mikey was sure that whatever Hun and his dragons had in store, they could handle. He and his siblings were even stronger than before, and now they had April and Casey to help them too! But he could tell the situation was stressing Leo out, no longer the kid who eagerly declared herself as a defender of justice. Now his older sister's primary worry was making sure her family and friends were safe from whatever nonsense life threw at them. So he did what he does best, he stirred his pot of curry just like his father had taught him waiting for the ‘ding’ of the rice cooker. He carried plates of curry towards the dojo, the lights were on despite the hour. Leo was always training during her free time lately. He didn’t bother knocking knowing the delicious smell of his food was enough notice. 

And his assumption was correct as Leo immediately stopped her movement “No food in the dojo remember” she said, her back still to him. Of course Mikey knew the rule, he vividly remembered the spaghetti and meatballs incident, that tatami mat had to be replaced. Which is why he stood just outside the dojo “well I guess I’ll just have to take these plates of handmade curry back to the kitchen and eat them all by myself” he said dramatically already turning on his heels. It took less than a minute for Leo to sheath her swords and follow him. Which Mikey considered one of the biggest compliments his cooking could get. They walked quietly through the lair, because their training made their footsteps naturally quiet and because they were the only ones awake at the moment. Splinter had turned in just after normal dinner time, and Raph had followed an hour or so later. Even Donny had left their lab and went to bed, whether he was still awake lying on said bed was another matter entirely. It wasn’t too uncommon for this situation to happen. Leo often liked to use this alone time to do some cleaning therapy, ‘it relaxes me’ she had said once. And Mikey liked to make sure Leo at least showed some signs of wanting to go to sleep before turning in himself. 

They settled at the kitchen table, and ate in comfortable silence, only broken by the sound of silverware hitting the plate and pleased ‘hums’. “Thank you Mikey, it was delicious,” Leo said. Once they were both  finished the two of them stood to start cleaning up the kitchen. Mikey washed the dishes and passed them off for Leo to dry them. Still Mikey noticed his sister’s face lost in thought, like she was going through every single thing that could go wrong in the near future. Mikey turned off the sink and turned towards his sister, leaning on the counter. “So what’s up with you and Casey?” He asked. Leo’s eyes went wide, at the sudden question “What do you mean? He’s my friend, he’s our friend Mikey” she said. ‘So she hasn’t noticed yet’ Mikey thought amused. “No, I mean how do you FEEL about him?”. Leo proceeded to put away the dry dishes, while giving thought to the question, “He’s fun I guess, Raph certainly thinks so, he’s pretty impulsive, and lacks some real combat training, but I can tell he has a natural instinct in battle”, she says, her masking the small blush forming on her cheeks. “He’s pretty laid back, but he cares a lot about his family, I mean that's why he’s doing his whole vigilante thing”, Mikey watched as his sister continued to ramble about their friend with an amused smile. “And he has this really goofy smile, and he calls me Blue! Which I-I kinda like actually” The blush on Leona’s face was becoming even more obvious, “no one really calls me anything special like that, it’s cute”. The last few words came out somewhat unsure, probably the first time she actually processed her thoughts Mikey thought. It was nice seeing this side to his sister, all flustered over a boy, actually behaving her age instead of some sort of parent. Mikey couldn’t help but let out a small laugh, making Leo pout. “What’s with the question anyways?” she asked. “Just wanted to see if you figured it out,” Mikey said, getting up and heading to his room. “Eh?” Leo stood there perplexed “figure out what?”. But Mikey didn’t respond and just kept walking, “FIGURE OUT WHAT?!” Leo asked again, having followed her younger brother all the way to the hallway. “Night sis!” Mikey said, with a smile closing the door to his room, leaving Leona out. 

Leona was about to knock on Mikey’s door and ask again what the shell he meant, but opted out of it. It was late, they both needed to get some rest, so she walked over to her room. She layed in bed trying to sleep, but her mind was stuck on her conversation with Mikey. He’d been oddly interested in her opinion of Casey. ‘Figure out what?’ She thought to herself. She turned around in bed pulling the covers over her, closing her eyes to go to sleep. But her mind kept wandering back to the human vigilante. She thought of the way he’d smirk and call her nicknames she didn’t know the meaning to. They couldn’t be anything mean she figured, April would probably say something if that was the case. Or how he managed to look both dorky and cool with his mask. Or the way he had picked her up the other night, ‘he’s pretty cool’, she thought. She buried further into the covers, her face feeling oddly warm, she wondered why. 

Part 1

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[nekoannie-chan]

Secrets Chapter 21: Visiting Old Friends part II

Pairing: Steve Rogers X OFC, Brock Rumlow X OFC.

Word count: 1234 words.

Summary: Sometimes keeping secrets can be dangerous or a heavy burden, which is what Kathleen has been doing for years. She will also be in charge of guiding Steve Rogers into this century; meanwhile, S.H.I.E.L.D. will be looking for a way to kick-start the Avengers Initiative by integrating her as one of the superheroes, but that won't be the only danger they face.

Warnings: Shower incident.

A/N: After long time working on this longfic, I finally post it. If you wanna be added to the taglist, let me know.

My native language is Spanish so I wanna improve my writing skills in English if you notice any mistakes, please let me know and I will correct them.

I don’t give any kind of permission that my fics to be posted on other platforms or languages (I translate myself my work) or the use of my graphics (my dividers are included in this), I did them exclusively for my fics, please respect my work and don't steal it. There are some people here who make dividers that anyone can use, mine is not this type, please look for the other's people. The only exception is the ones I gifted 'cuz now belong to someone else. If you find any of my works on a different platform and are not one of my accounts, please let me know. Reblogs and comments are always welcome.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Marvel's characters (unfortunately), except for the original characters and the story.

Add yourself to my taglist here.

My other media where I publish:  Ao3, Wattpad, ffnet, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter. 

If you like it, please vote, comment, and give me feedback to improve my skills and reblog.

You can read it on Wattpad and Ao3 too.

Secrets masterlist.

Previous chapter.

Next chapter.

Kathleen sighed, she felt like when she was a kid and her parents took her to "secret work meetings"; which most of the time were meetings with other mutants and they let her play with the other kids, very few times they were projects, but they still let her hang out with the other kids there; now they were outside Doctor Henry "Hank" Pym's house waiting for him to open the door for them.

It had been a while since she had seen that family, she vaguely remembered Hope, sometimes she took care of her when her parents worked together, when Pym opened the door it was hard for her to recognize him, he looked older than she remembered.

“ Why did you ask me to come, Doctor Pym? My dad just told me you needed my powers," she asked curiously, she didn't know anything about the quantum world, so she didn't think it could be useful.

“I need you to go to this man's audience and read his mind, he may need it in the future," asked the old man as he handed her a folder with some information.

“Scott Lang? Doesn't look like someone important, Hank," Nozomu remarked, peeking out to see what his daughter was reading.

“That's why I need your daughter’s help, I'm sure she will know how to evaluate if she is competent or not, you yourself have told me the things that could happen," Pym explained.

Then she agreed, in a week it was Scott's hearing, she would improvise something to escape.

“I never understood why several people complained about Dr Pym if he is nice," she said to her parents when they left.

He smiled, sometimes she was still so innocent, even after all she had been through.

Meanwhile, at the S.H.I.E.L.D.'s gym, the training for that day had already started, Steve was worried because Kath didn't show up, he sent messages to her cell phone with some work, since he wasn't used to using the device yet, but he didn't receive any answer.

Forty-five minutes later Fury entered the place, it was rare to see him around, and with his only good eye, he looked for her without finding him.

“Captain Rogers, Commander Rumlow “he called them, and they approached”. Where is agent Anzai? “asked the director.

“Agent Anzai asked permission to leave because she was feeling sick," Brock informed, Steve looked at him astonished, he did not understand why she had not told him.

“ Did she feel sick or did you two make her sick? “Fury stared at the Commander. Rumors run fast in the corridors “he left before the pair could react and say something.

Kath was just entering her house when she received a message from Brock telling her that Fury had been looking for her, she also saw the one from Steve; internally she was glad that Brock had given a credible excuse, but now she would have to manage to avoid Steve's interrogation.

He went in to take a bath to relax, it worked so well that he didn't notice when Steve arrived, nor when he called her, the fact that he hadn't received any answer upset and worried him that he started to look for her in all the rooms, many things had gone through his mind since she was unconscious somewhere in the house until she had been kidnapped, without thinking about it he entered the only place that was needed; When she heard the door open abruptly, Kath woke up startled, she had fallen asleep in the bathtub, she looked up to see who had entered and screamed loudly when she saw Steve in front of her, he immediately turned completely red when he saw her naked and she pulled a towel trying to cover herself.

“I'm s-sorry... i-it w-wasn't my i-intention... I thought something bad had happened to me... R-Rumlow said you were feeling bad," she tried to apologize as she walked towards the door with her eyes closed.

“Steve, watch out, the... wall... “she warned him at the exact moment when the supersoldier crashed into the wall.

After he left the bathroom, she turned to see herself in the mirror, she was completely red, she had never been so embarrassed with him, although internally she had been amused, she could even say that she liked him seeing her, did Steve like seeing her like that, she shook her head vigorously to clear those thoughts from her mind, she had to get dressed quickly and go to apologize to him.

“Steve," she called to him in a sweet voice, he didn't dare to look at her, "I'm sorry for what happened a few moments ago," she felt nervous.

“It's my fault, I should have knocked first, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to, it's just that Rumlow said you didn't go to the training because you felt bad and I thought something bad happened to you “his face was still red.

“When there are a lot of people and their minds are noisy and I end up with a migraine, I'm really sorry about what happened, the bath helps me with the discomfort “she apologized again.

The day of Scott's trial she was there, he had been sentenced guilty and would be locked up for three years, it seemed unfair to her, and he tried to stop them from continuing to cheat people. From what she had heard in Scott's mind, she deduced that if he would serve what Hank wanted, in fact, she could tell he was the perfect candidate. His next stop was Pym's house again to brief him on the situation.

Steve sighed, he felt that he was betraying Peggy with what he felt, but there was something that made him uneasy, sometimes it seemed as if a long time ago, before entering the army, he had met Kathleen and that she had a lot of importance in his life, that had no logic, the resemblance of her with Katherine was too much, but Katherine he met at the same time as Peggy without counting that the dates did not coincide so it was more than impossible.

When Kathleen arrived home what she saw made her feel very sad, she was having a hard time understanding her feelings to see that scene, Steve had fallen asleep on the couch and in one hand he had the compass open with Peggy's picture and on the small table the card.

Sometimes she didn't know if she had done the right thing, it hurt her that she was not reciprocated or at least she thought so, she went straight to her room without saying anything.

“ What should I do? “She asked herself while she looked at the pictures of Nico, Clarice, Saori and the twins, if they were there they could advise her, she missed them so much, then she turned to one of the corners of the room and gave a sad smile to her friends, she kept the pictures where she always hid them and got under the covers to pretend she was sleeping.

“Kathy? “He entered the room and found that she was "asleep", he brushed her hair out of her face and gave her a little kiss on the cheek, but close to the corner of her lips. Rest well, doll," he murmured very softly, almost inaudibly.

Ꭲꭺꮐꮮꮖꮪꭲ:

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[synergysilhouette]

Remaking X-Men: Evolution (Season 2)

(Note: If this looks familiar, that's because this is a reupload. I've rewritten all 4 seasons, plus my own original season. Make sure to check them out!)

Hey, guys! In case you missed it, I’ve remade the entire “X-Men: Evolution” series, as well as altering the roster. Here’s my synopsis for season 2:

Growing Pains--Adds Shadowcat, Rictor, and Somnus to the New Mutants (with the OG cast), as well as Forge formally joining them. This is to help him train–much to his chagrin, as he worries being in different teams could make him seem inferior to Storm and create a rift between them. In this version, Storm manipulates the winds to put the truck back on the bridge. While somewhat subtle, she laments that she shouldn’t be using her powers in the open, despite Kurt and Bobby’s praise. With Kitty joining the NM, she and Lance hit it off upon meeting before realizing who the other person is. Destiny is staying at the Brotherhood’s mansion following Mystique’s dissappearence, and Daken joins to make sure Magneto’s will is carried out. Destiny is late to warn the X-Men of Avlanche, Toad, and Quicksilver interrupting the soccer match. She sends Psylocke, Daken, and Gambit to reign them in, with Psylocke and Jean helping Professor X erasing everyone’s minds.

2. Power Surge--Plays out in a relatively similar fashion. Forge takes Storm to Duncan’s party for a date, while Iceman and Prodigy go stag, though Prodigy finds the knowledge he’s absorbing to be overwhelming, and realizes that Jean is experiencing something similar. While at the party, Risty notices Graydon and becomes fast friends with him, without Rogue and Graydon’s knowledge that she’s friends with both of them. During the power surge when Rogue absorbs some of Jean’s power, Rogue finds that some of the telekinesis lingers inside of her, allowing her to fly. In this episode, she also is able to let her (romantic) feelings for Scott go.

3. Bada-Bing Bada-Boom--Kind of a hard one. Calling it instead Magikal Girl, I imagine Magik making her debut in this episode, joining the X-Men in hopes of finding her brother. I feel like adding her removes reason to have Boom-Boom. The episode would instead flashback to her escaping Magneto after he kidnaps as a child, falling into another dimension where she learned to control her abilities, coming back to Earth a decade older. Certain details from the comics are omitted since they may be complicated or not affect the overall story, but it explains her friendship with Shadowcat and Storm. It’s revealed at the end that she feels as though someone is watching her, later revealed to be Magneto. The new mutants also get some screentime; briefly it’s seen that Daken and Somnus go on a date, as they don’t know who the other is (which ends in a kiss that’s implied to make them feel as though they’ve dated for years, making Daken feel overwhelmed and break off the relationship off-screen). At this point, Kitty leaves the New Mutants to be with Lance.

4. Fun and Games--Essentially plays out the same, except Risty brings Graydon instead of Weber, and Risty’s reveal as Mystique does not occur (I’d rather leave that for “Self Possessed”). Graydon attempts to expose the mutants, but Jean and Scott return in time for Jean to prevent it.

5. The Beast of Bayville--Puts Bobby in Evan’s role, and makes Mr. Sinister the main antagonist. Posing as a substitute science teacher, he manipulates Beast by pretending he can cure him, taking Beast’s hope and making him interested in mutants in a cruel and sadistic manner. He ends up looking physically normal (at least temporarily) due to experimentation, and continues to be a teacher at BH, albeit much more disturbed.

6. Adrift--Mostly the same, but the circumstances have Alex and Scott visiting Alex’s adoptive family rather than just Scott going out to visit Alex in Hawaii.

7. On Angel’s Wings--Has both small and major changes. Kurt good-naturely tries to kiss Storm instead of Kitty under the mistletoe, only for them to actually kiss and Forge and Storm have a brief argument. Rogue flirts with Scott in an equally light-hearted manner, as absorbing Jean and Gambit have helped her become a bit more comfortable with herself. In this version, Angel is a teenager, mainly because in my version of this episode, Magneto brings Psylocke with him in order to catch Angel, hinting at a romantic pairing between the two. The team in this episode consists of Magik, Rogue, and Scott (figuring everyone else has somewhere else to go on Christmas).

8. African Storm--Making an obvious change; replace Hungan with the Shadow King. He would possess her and wreak havoc in New York, and we’d have flashbacks into Storm’s life as an orphan, thief, goddess, and her initial days as an X-Man. Rogue uses her abilities to lure the Shadow King out while Professor X and Jean engage in a psychic battle to save her. It is revealed here that Storm has feelings for Nightcrawler, and when Forge confronts her about it, he breaks off the relationship before she could declare her loyalty as his girlfriend.

9. Joyride--Has Lance notice how much Kitty misses the X-Men and how he’s tired of being annoyed and/or afraid of other members of the Brotherhood. He encourages Kitty to rejoin the X-Men, and she coaxes him into joining her as well so they can be together. While Alex wants to give Lance the benefit of the doubt, Cyclops criticizes him and accuses him of bad judgement given his same sympathy for Magneto on Asteroid M. The troublesome New Mutant members in this episode include Somnus (who puts everyone to sleep) and Forge. It’s revealed the NM are trying to help cheer Forge up following his breakup, and when everything is cleared up, Cyclops apologizes to Avalanche, and he stays. To everyone’s surprise, Gambit appears at the mansion to join the X-Men as well.

Mindbender-–moved to season 3 to keep the season focused on Apocalypse rather than stretched out in seasons 2-4.

10. Shadow Dance--While Kurt tries to express his feelings for Storm, she encourages him to romance his other crush, Amanda. After Kurt’s traumatizing teleportation experience, Forge decides to study Magik’s teleportation abilities. In this case, demons pour out from Magik’s portals. Storm and Forge have a bittersweet but cathartic talk about their break-up, and Rogue and Gambit go to the dance together (Daken and Psylocke don’t bother crashing the dance like the rest of the Brotherhood). Destiny tries to reach out to Rogue and give Kurt a message from Mystique (as it’d be too suspicious coming from Risty), but both rebuff her due to Rogue knowing about her allegiance.

11. Retreat-–Capturing Rictor and intending to make him his new victim, Beast (or Dark Beast) is discovered by hunters, and it’s up to the New Mutants to save both of them. During the skirmish, Beast is rendered unconscious and the Professor begins working on repairing his mind, letting him join the X-Men. While Mister Sinister gains Rictor’s DNA, he becomes fascinated by two mutants in particular…

12. Walk on the Wild Side--Focuses on Scott’s hero complex instead of him acting like an OOC sexist jerk, and talking with Alex and Kurt to help overcome it. The Sirens (being made of Magik, Jean, Magma, Rogue, and a listless Psylocke) form out of a girls’ night that becomes an exciting crime-fighting event (that Psylocke happened to be present for). Eventually they disband when Daken taunts Psylocke and makes her think they don’t really like her. Before Mystique intervenes, Sinister manages to gain a sample of Jean’s DNA while posing as an officer. This also offers a brief appearence of Banshee.

13. Operation Rebirth--Essentially plays out the same, albeit involving Prodigy, Daken and Magik on the mission, with Magneto giving hints about Polaris. It’d also be nice to dive into not just Magneto’s past, but also his present goals and his family life. Along with this, some of Daken’s past and anger is explained.

14. The HeX Factor--Here we would dive more into Pietro’s feelings about his father and sister, along with Magik and Storm helping to even the playing field against Wanda. When the X-Men are about to be killed, Lance shows up and agrees to rejoin the Brotherhood, helping to convince them not to kill the X-Men. The end of the episode has Magneto talking to Polaris about how he wants Wanda to be just like her, as Polaris is the older sister here.

15. Day of Reckoning (part 1)--Offers a fight with a recovered Beast, Storm, and Prodigy against Psylocke and Daken in the sewers where the X-Men are almost overwhelmed during their search for Wolverine. Daken and Psylocke begin to act independently of the Brotherhood since they sense Mystique making a power play, thus not joining the team-up between them and the X-Men. Destiny attempts again to reach out to Rogue, but fears she is only half-listening about her claims of Rogue’s possible self-destruction. Professor X leaves not only Scott behind, but Havok and Prodigy as well, and Amara escapes with Kitty’s help. Professor X asks Somnus to put Scott to sleep to “help relieve his stress.”

16. Day of Reckoning (part 2)--Has Polaris ambush the team (instead of Gambit), while Pyro and Iceman go toe-to-toe before Storm assists. Psylocke is seen with Magneto while Daken attempts to locate Wolverine to kill him. Kitty returns to the mansion to help save the other students. Gambit and Rogue have a brief romantic moment resulting in a kiss where they tag-team the Acolytes with Gambit’s powers. Magik finds Colossus and while she attempts to speak to him, he realizes Magneto has been watching her and ignores her pleas, instead fighting other X-Men. While Havok becomes flustered by Polaris, she attempts to defeat Wanda, who incapacitates her in a rage. Because of this, Polaris doesn’t get in the travel sphere. The sentinels capture Rogue, Iceman, Gambit, Polaris, and Beast. After knocking Quicksilver unconscious, Scarlet Witch attacks Psylocke and sends her into a coma, allowing the sentinels to capture her. Upon finding Wolverine, Daken is seemingly killed, but is actually rescued by Mr. Sinister, who also kidnaps Lorna and Colossus. Upon returning to the X-Mansion, they find the students unharmed thanks to Kitty. After hearing Somnus’ explanation, looking at the video tapes, and Prodigy confirming his suspicions, Cyclops realizes that Mystique has been pretending to be Professor X, and now things are about to get “much worse.”

Lemme know what you think! Be sure to tell me what your favorite episode(s) is!