Chapter Text
Pietro winces as he sits up from his bed — the bruises are still taking their sweet time to heal — and he makes his way out of his room and downstairs to the kitchen to get an afternoon snack after his nap, since he needs to recharge before the training session scheduled for the group. He’s a little thankful the kitchen is empty, considering how full this school is and noisy on a good day, plus he doesn't want to be asked how he’s feeling or if he’s planning on slamming into another wall anytime soon. And, okay, maybe it’s too soon for a joke about his…incident, but he just wishes his dad — still makes him all warm inside to refer to Erik as his dad — wasn’t there to witness it, even if he did manage to pull him out of it.
Pietro shakes his head from side to side, trying to dispel his rapid thoughts and clear his mind as best as he can when his mind is constantly in overdrive. When he is able to think clearer, Pietro checks each cabinet and drawer, searching for a box of twinkies, but they’re all void of the best snack in the world — which is not fair because everyone knows not to touch those, those snacks are his — So, he decides to search for fruity pebbles, and nearly cheers with joy when he finds a full box. He immediately zips around the kitchen, getting a bowl, spoon, and milk. He quickly makes his breakfast, not even spilling a drop of milk or a piece of cereal. He smiles to himself and starts to dig in, enjoying the food when Raven walks into the kitchen, already looking as if she were ready to drop kick someone with her strange acrobatic abilities. The look on her face says ‘ don’t talk to me’, but it still doesn’t stop him.
“You need to buy more twinkies, we’re out.” Pietro informs her. He sees Raven turn to him, and he feels an internal battle inside of him — one side wants to laugh and the other wants to hide — because she looks about ready to hit him. Hard.
“You’re fast, aren’t you?” She asks, an edge of irritation in her voice, and before Pietro can even open his mouth to answer, she continues. “So maybe you should run to the store across town and buy some.”
Pietro says nothing, taking into account the icy edge in her voice. What’s got her so mad? He thinks. He just watches as she grabs a mug and pours herself some coffee, letting out a breath after she takes a sip.
“Sorry,” she says after a beat, eyes closed, and then she opens them and turns to Pietro, speaking softer. “I’ll see what I can do about getting more food. With a house full of children, I’m making grocery stops every other day. Also doesn't help that you eat for like ten people.”
Pietro gives her a sympathetic smile. “I can still go, if it’ll help.”
“No, it’s okay.” She replies. “I can’t have a kleptomaniac on the loose in a grocery store.”
Pietro pretends to be offended as she laughs and he eats his cereal, enjoying the moment. He isn’t sure if his dad told Raven what happened yesterday in the training room, but if he did, then he’s thankful she isn’t bringing it up or making it a big deal.
“So, you’ve thought about telling you-know-who?” Pietro asks, his lips quirk up as Raven rolls her eyes and turns her head to the side, still cradling her cup of coffee.
“Is there nothing else that you can say to me other than that ?” She asks, her voice exasperated. Pietro takes a few bites of his cereal and then lets out a dramatic sigh.
“Just saying,” he replies. “You might like what can come of it if you tell him.”
“Okay. Pietro,” Raven says, looking Pietro in the eyes, making him give her his undivided attention. “I’m glad you finally got that secret off your chest-”
“Involuntarily,” Pietro interrupts, and Raven gives him a sympathetic smile in return.
“Yes, the methods weren’t ideal ,” Raven responds. “But it all worked out for you and your sisters in the end, and for Erik. My situation is just…it’s different.”
Pietro doesn’t understand, and he’s not judging her, because he can’t judge when he kept his own secret for ten years from his dad, but he knows that sometimes good comes from things like this. He just wishes she were able to see it.
“Is that why you ended up becoming his mentor when we’re sub groups and not training together?” Pietro teases. He sees Raven shake her head to herself, a ghost of a smile on her lips.
“Charles is the one who specifically assigned each of you kids to Erik and I,” Raven replies. Pietro winces in sympathy, knowing how he felt when Charles first set their tents up near Erik when the school was still being built. It ended up not being a problem, since Erik didn’t even focus on anyone during that time and was barely in his tent, but he remembers how his sisters were on edge.
“Yeah, sometimes he thinks he’s helping, but…” Pietro trails off, not wanting to overstep. Especially in front of Raven, who Pietro knows is close to the professor. He wonders if she was once as close to Charles as Erik seems to be, his mind taking him back to the day at the Pentagon when Charles was acting like a person who saw their ex after a bad divorce. At the time, Pietro joked about it, even comparing it to a movie he used to watch, but now he wonders how close Charles and his dad were to have warranted such a strange bond that bounces between hate and love, violence and care.
“Yeah, I get that.” Raven replies, looking at her coffee, her voice distant. Pietro looks back at her, noticing how tired she looks. If she’s too tired, will training be canceled? Pietro wonders a little too excitedly.
“Would you have preferred if Erik was training Kurt?” Pietro asks carefully, not wanting to get Raven upset. He sees her lips quirk down as she thinks of her answer.
“I think he’d thrive better under my training in comparison to Erik’s,” Raven replies, voice level. “Even though Erik would teach him how to survive, I'd rather see his progress myself and make sure he can fight, even if I don’t want him to look up to the ‘hero’ life.”
“But, you said you wanted to recruit us for the X-Men. Isn’t that why we’re training?” Pietro asks as he tilts his head in question, and then he remembers his sisters’ situation. “Well, minus Wanda and Lorna, since they’re just here for their powers.”
He tries not to let the fact that his sisters are still planning to leave try to deter him from the semblance of balance he’s managed to get his mood in. He just wants this day to go smoothly, he really needs it after yesterday.
“Yeah, well he’s still got this idea that the X-Men are amazing,” Raven replies, her tone a little bitter. “Which, I can see why he’d think that, but I don’t want him—don’t want any of you to believe that being an X-Men is just fun and cool, because it’s not . It’s hard work and dedication, and it’s not a game.”
Pietro can see that this has been bothering her for a while. He sees the way she looks at him, knowing that she’s not only talking about Kurt, but about him too. About the entire group.
“People have died because of this,” she continues, her voice tight. “So you all need to be ready, knowing that this isn’t an idolizing job, but a commitment, and sometimes challenges will come, and you need to be ready to face them. You’re all being trained to be prepared.”
Pietro feels like she’s talking about something more than just the X-Men now. He opens his mouth to ask her what she means when Erik walks into the kitchen, glancing at them both before going for a mug to pour himself some coffee.
“Don’t mind me,” He says before taking a sip. Pietro glances at Raven who also takes a sip of her coffee, making her way to a stool to sit on. Pietro quickly finishes up his cereal, and then zips to the sink and cleans his bowl in record time before speeding back to his seat. He sees Erik look at him, his eyes undertone with slight intrigue.
“What?” Pietro blurts out, suddenly anxious of Erik’s eyes on him.
“It’s just, I’ve always found your mutation interesting,” Erik replies, and Pietro sees the amusement in Raven’s eyes. “It really is unique.”
Pietro tries not to feel embarrassed at the comment and just shrugs his shoulders, playing off the complement as if it meant nothing.
“Yeah, well, that’s why I’m the best,” Pietro says, a grin on his face.
“Calm your pride, kid.” Raven says and Pietro huffs a laugh. Pietro sees Erik’s light smile before he looks at the clock and the man’s eyes turn serious.
“Where are your sisters? It’s almost time for your training session,” Erik says, his tone more serious now that he’s talking about business. Pietro admires how he can switch his moods easily, seeing the parallels in his dad and Wanda. Lorna can also switch her emotions easily, but most of the time her eyes give her away.
“I figured they were either in their rooms or probably hanging out with Jubilee or Ororo,” Pietro replies. He makes sure to ignore the thought that tells him that maybe Lorna is possibly hanging out with Alex, alone . He doesn’t want to assume anything going on between them, but he hopes it’s all in his head, because he does not want a Summers hanging around them all the time.
“Well, can you find them and the other trainees to let them know to meet at the training room?” Erik asks. “Raven and I would like to be on schedule for this.”
Pietro tries not to wince at the familiar words, knowing that schedule is important to Erik. He gives a nod of his head and then stands, getting ready to go.
“I’m still enjoying my coffee,” Raven half whines half grumbles out. Pietro smiles as he runs out, but then it falters when he hears Erik tell her that she’s already had three cups that day. What’s going on with her? Pietro wonders, not for the first time noticing her odd behavior. He hopes it isn’t too bad, but knowing their lives, especially from what he’s heard about hers, he wouldn’t be surprised if it’s big.
Pietro chooses to push the thoughts aside for now and zips to his sisters’ rooms, noticing they are empty and then runs through the school, checking every room. He doesn’t find them anywhere inside the estate, so he decides to run to the yard, checking everywhere until he spots them with their group inside the gardens. Pietro runs to them, breathing a little heavier with his exertion when he stops in front of them. He sees everyone’s eyes widen slightly, well not Scott’s, but he’s sure his eyes probably did too under those glasses, and then Pietro waves his hand in greeting.
“Da- Erik ,” Pietro makes sure to catch himself. “And Raven are expecting us in the training room right now.”
“Dude, we know you told him,” Scott says from his spot beside Jean. Pietro looks to his sisters and they shrug in response.
“Jean heard Erik’s thoughts from across the school, and we decided to just fill them in since he knows now,” Lorna replies, but she doesn’t look upset or happy. “Besides, it’s not like the entire school isn’t going to know anyways. Word travels fast in this place.”
“Yeah,” Wanda adds, giving Pietro a pointed look, making him shift in his place, unsure why he’s receiving that reaction. “The same way word traveled that Dylan is missing.”
Pietro relaxes immediately, glad that she didn’t think he did something to warrant a rumor in the school. He gives her a smirk, feeling a sliver of pride for making Dylan run off after he spilled a secret that wasn’t his to spill.
“I’m just glad Dylan’s gone,” Pietro says, not caring where the kid went or why he hasn’t returned.
“Well, Charles hasn’t heard from him,” Jean says, drawing their attention to her. “Do you think he’s in trouble?”
“Who cares?” Pietro asks, not understanding why everyone suddenly cares about the bully. “He’s gone and we don’t have to worry about him now.”
“Yeah, I’m with Pietro on this one,” Alex adds, and Pietro offers a smile at him.
“He vas mean,” Kurt says quietly, and Pietro can tell that the kid is trying to convince himself he shouldn’t feel bad for Dylan. Pietro wonders if the kid is thinking about the whole ‘love your neighbor’ quote from the Bible, and Pietro can’t say he doesn’t feel a swell of fondness for the kid, seeing how he’s too good for their group. Too good for their world. Pietro then turns his eyes to Jubilee who lets out a sigh as she stands up.
“Let’s get going. I really don’t want to be on either of their bad sides if we get there late,” Jubilee says, and Pietro can sympathize with that. He doesn’t want to be on the receiving end of Erik or Raven’s anger.
“Well, let’s go.” Ororo says, and then she turns to them all with a small smile. “But, we can all at least agree that with Dylan gone, we can finally breathe better, no?”
Everyone voices their agreements, nodding as they all make their way towards the training room. Pietro briefly wonders if Raven’s bad mood is because of Dylan having left, but he doesn’t recall her mentioning him other than the time she addressed him for holding him and Wanda back from their first lesson. What if she’s upset because something bad happened to him? Pietro hopes not, wanting his conscience clear of causing actual harm, even if it’s towards people who deserve it, like Dylan. He can’t say he regrets fighting him, because at the moment, Dylan was looking for it, but he can say he regrets acting like that on school property and making Wanda and Lorna look bad to other students who didn’t even know them or Dylan well. He knows their reputations are about to get crazier now that word is getting out that Erik is their father.
Pietro enters the training room and already sees Erik and Raven waiting for them. He walks towards Erik, the rest of their subgroup lining up next to him while the other subgroup stands in front of Raven, waiting for their instructors to speak.
“Today, none of you will work together.” Raven says, and Pietro looks at Erik in confusion. “You will all undergo a test every week to test your improvement. The first test is today, and we want to see how well you all do fighting alone with your abilities.”
Pietro straightens a bit, intrigued by the idea and wondering if the test will be easy or not. He’s more confident in his power than his sisters, knows how to navigate the training obstacles with ease and can think of any scenario to get out of a situation quickly. He’s very proud of his mutation, even if his thoughts can be a bit too fast at times, and his silver hair is still something he struggles with, but he knows that his speed is something he can rely on.
“For this test, you will all be fighting multiple simulated opponents at the same time,” Erik adds, and Pietro can see the seriousness in his eyes, the tension in his shoulders. Why is he anxious? The thought makes Pietro instinctively tense, now wondering if this test is more dangerous than normal.
“These simulations will be more advanced, the map will be different, and they won’t go down so easily,” Erik continues. Pietro can feel the anxiety from the group, knowing that each of them have something to be afraid of. He turns to look at Erik and Raven, seeing them notice the tension as well.
“If anything goes wrong, we’ll be here,” Raven adds. “But this is supposed to train you to expect everything on the field. Besides, you all have been doing well, we just need to see what else you need to improve on.”
“If you get struck down, and the light over your head turns red,” Erik says. “Then you must step to the other side of the room, away from the simulation and wait until everyone finishes before we tell you all what you must work on. Is that understood?”
“Yes,” Pietro and everyone else said in unison. Then Pietro jerks in his spot, his thoughts racing and having caused his body to have a physical reaction. He grimaces, wishing sometimes his mind would quiet, but he knew it was pointless to wish for something that was impossible. He’d just have to deal with it again, the way he has been since his mutation was triggered. Then, an idea strikes Pietro and he bounces on the balls of his feet as he looks between Raven and Erik, a big grin on his face.
“Can we listen to music while we do this?” Pietro asks, his voice full of enthusiasm as he looks at their instructors. “You know, music calms the mind and helps during tests.”
He doesn’t really know if that is true, but he knows it works for him. He sees Raven frown at him and Erik’s lips press together in a thin line, but Pietro isn’t sure if it’s from displeasure or just part of his ‘thinking—scheming’ face.
“Music does not help everyone,” Scott points out, and Pietro rolls his eyes.
“It does,” Pietro replies. He sees Scott frown at him before he turns his eyes to the others. “None of you want some badass music to play while we do this? It’ll feel amazing, and it might improve your performance.”
“It does help, I guess.” Jean says, and Pietro can see the knowing look in her eyes. You understand too? He thinks to her, knowing that a psychic’s mind must suck.
She gives him a small smile, nodding her head in response. Pietro hears Scott scoff beside her, a frown on his face as he looks between Pietro and Jean.
“Why the mental conversation?” Scott asks, his voice a little rigid. Pietro huffs out a breath, and turns to Ororo and Jubilee, ignoring Alex entirely, already knowing he’d stand on Scott’s side.
“What about you two?” Pietro asks.
“I’m fine either way,” Jubilee replies, and Pietro smiles. Ororo opens her mouth to speak when Raven holds up her hand, clearing her throat to catch their attention.
“It doesn’t matter what any of you think,” she says a little sharply. “There won’t be any music. On the field there is no music anyways, so find a way to focus without it.”
Pietro feels his heart sink, his rapid thoughts picking up again. He feels Jean tense beside him, and he feels a little guilty having to subject her to this. Pietro turns to Erik, hoping his dad could at least vouch for him, but Erik doesn’t seem to even be listening. His eyes are glassy and Pietro frowns at the sight. As Raven continues to give out instructions, Pietro nudges Wanda and Lorna’s arms with his hand, and then jerks his head towards Erik. He sees their eyes follow in the direction he signaled and sees them frown.
He sees his sisters look at him, the silent question in their eyes, asking him what’s wrong, but he shrugs and then he turns away and looks at Raven. She’s now answering Kurt’s question about how much it will hurt if they get shot down by the simulated opponents, so Pietro leans towards Lorna.
“We should see if he’s okay after this,” Pietro whispers to her. She nods her head, but Pietro can still see the conflict in her eyes. He knows his sisters are still hesitant, not having interacted with Erik as many times as he’s had. He sees Lorna whisper what Pietro told her to Wanda and he sees Wanda’s lips press together as she flicks her gaze from Erik to Pietro and then looks at Raven.
“So, are you all ready?” Raven asks, her voice loud and firm. Pietro looks at her, feeling as if her voice could command him to follow orders by the sheer power in it. It kind of scares him.
Pietro, along with everyone else, nod their heads and spread out, giving each other space to move. Erik and Raven walk out when no one asks them any further questions, but Pietro could see Erik trying to blink the fogginess from his brain. He watches as they head into the cell booth, and then Pietro looks towards his sisters and sees the determination in Lorna’s eyes, and Wanda’s tense posture telling Pietro that she’s focusing. He smiles to himself as he waits for the simulation to start.
The minute the buzzer goes off, Pietro runs through the obstacles, dodging attacks and striking opponents down. He doesn’t look at anyone but his opponents, wanting to focus on his own skill, and he narrowly dodges a laser shot aimed at his torso. That would have gotten me out of the game , Pietro thinks as he takes down another simulated opponent. He feels the terrain shift, the obstacles changing and he can faintly hear Jubilee and Kurt shouting in panic.
Pietro jumps into the air, landing on a raised platform and yelps as one of Scott’s laser beams narrowly misses his shoulder. He turns to Scott, a frown on his face as he speeds past him.
“Watch out with those, man!” Pietro shouts, making Scott shout an apology as he runs through the raised rocks. Pietro sees an opponent marked for him and rushes at it, knocking it to the ground. The speed and force of his attack leaves the robotic opponent in pieces and Pietro smiles triumphantly at his takedown. He’s just about to charge at another when he finds that he can’t move his left leg. Pietro looks down and sees the ground has swallowed his foot, the hold tightening each time he tries to move it. All at once, everything goes fuzzy.
Pietro can’t hear the chaos around him, he can’t see the others moving around him and fighting, all he sees is that his leg is stuck in the ground. Again. Pietro’s breath hitches as he keeps his eyes on his leg, his mind flashing with thoughts of Apocalypse, of being trapped and unable to fight back. His mind takes him back to the helplessness he felt, the fear when his bone broke, tearing through his leg, making him believe he wouldn’t ever run again. He remembers how he screamed, trembling as he prayed that someone would help, that his dad would help.
Pietro can feel his heart pounding, his body trembling as he lets out a whimper. His eyes burn, everything is blurry, and he knows that he’s stuck this time — Apocalypse is going to kill me this time, he won’t let me live again — Pietro tries to gasp for air as he tries to pull his leg out, his moves frantic as he tries to phase out of the hold, but the ground just tightens around his limb. His thoughts are a whirlwind right now, and Pietro can’t keep up. I can’t move! I can’t move! Help! Please! I don’t want to die I don’t want to die Idon’twanttodie!
Just as Pietro’s vision starts to blur around the edges, he’s shot in his shoulder, making him shout in surprise, and then a red light falls on top of him. In a second, the ground lets go of his leg and Pietro blinks, the world returning him to the training room. Pietro lets out a shaky breath, stumbling his way to the end of the training room where he won’t interfere with the test, tapping Jubilee and Kurt on the shoulder as he stands next to them. Pietro leans against the wall, trying to calm his racing heart and breathe slowly. He wills his mind to at least slow down a bit as he glances up to the window where Raven and Erik are monitoring the test. Pietro feels his heart sink as he sees Erik look at him with a mix of concern and a question in his eyes. Pietro looks away when Erik’s gaze flicks back to the others, and Pietro lets out a breath as he watches them continue to fight.
“The terrain change messed us up,” Jubilee says, her voice irritated. Pietro nods, agreeing with her. He feels a chill run down his spine, not wanting to talk about that part of the test.
“I vas so close,” Kurt says sadly, and Pietro shakes his shoulder lightly.
“Yeah, but you still kicked ass,” Pietro says with a smile and Kurt beams at him. Pietro feels lighter, happy that he could make someone smile right now. Pietro watches as the others are still fighting, the terrain shifting and sending Jean, Ororo, and Scott into the air. Pietro tries not to laugh at the way Scott yelps, flailing his limbs as he lands on his side, crashing into Alex, sending them tumbling through the obstacles and almost crashing into Lorna who moves away just in time. Pietro cringes as Scott gets blasted by his opponent, the red light flashing over him. Pietro offers a sympathetic smile to him as he makes his way to the wall, sliding down with a groan.
“That must have hurt like a bitch,” Pietro says with a grin as he keeps his eyes on the remaining members. He sees Wanda fight with precision, proud that she’s getting better at her power and feeling more confident around others. He sees Lorna bending the metal faster now, still struggling with aim, but she has more strength in bending larger objects. Ororo and Jean are easily taking down the opponents, flying in the air and not breaking a sweat. Pietro sees Alex stumble, dodging a laser and it strikes Jean’s back, sending her to the ground. The red light shines and she makes her way to the wall.
“You did good!” Pietro tries to cheer her up, and she gives him a smile, breathing hard as she wipes sweat from her forehead.
“You were badass,” Scott says with a smile, knocking into Jean’s shoulder as she sits next to him. Pietro sees Jean smile back, whispering her thanks and he turns back to the others, and Pietro wonders how long until they are kissing each other and being all lovey dovey around the school.
Pietro tenses as he sees a laser aiming for Lorna, and he watches as her eyes widen, her body tensing as she freezes. Pietro’s heart clenches as he remembers how she would always react in fear or to sudden surprises, and he knows she’s going to get shot with the laser. Pietro’s eyes widen as he sees Alex push Lorna, the laser striking him, and the light above him goes red. Pietro’s mind goes blank, and he frowns as he sees Alex walk to the wall, Lorna’s eyes watching him, a hint of a smile on her lips.
Pietro doesn’t know what to feel, hoping that what he’s seeing doesn’t mean anything. He remembers the way Wanda had said they were getting close when they were going to train with Erik and Raven the first time, and now he’s really hoping it doesn’t mean anything. Alex better back off , Pietro thinks as he sees Alex sit next to Jean, also watching the others. Pietro notices Alex’s eyes are on Lorna, and Pietro shifts in his spot, his blood feeling hot.
Pietro watches as Wanda and Lorna get cornered, now back to back as they fight. Ororo is in the air, farther away from them, but drawing more opponents to herself. Pietro sees the terrain shift, and Wanda and Lorna get knocked forward, still back to back as they start to lift into the air. Ororo is brought down, the ceiling having shifted and now going down, pressing her to the floor where Wanda and Lorna are.
He watches as Wanda and Lorna get frustrated, Wanda’s magic glowing darker as she yells out and rips the robot apart, sending it crashing into the glass. At the same moment, Lorna smashes apart a robot, its shape bending into an intricate pattern. Pietro’s heart pounds in his chest as he sees his sisters get frustrated, and he looks at the glass that Wanda shattered, seeing the same shape Lorna created with the metal. The shape of an ‘M’, and Pietro feels his blood go cold. He feels both freaked out and amazed, the image flashing him back to Erik and the president ten years ago. He turns his eyes towards Ororo and sees her powers flickering, the way the lightning and mist are fading, her eyes losing the white glow and fading into their natural brown. Pietro tenses as she starts to collapse, curling into a ball and clutching her head tight.
She’s having a panic attack , Pietro realizes and he glances up to see if Erik and Raven have noticed. He sees them moving, and in a second, the simulation ends. Pietro doesn’t move, everyone around him tense as they see Wanda and Lorna look up at Erik and Raven who are descending into the training room, and then head to Ororo. Pietro watches as Raven kneels beside her, talking to her and helping her sit up.
“What happened?” Alex asks. Pietro keeps his eyes pinned on Ororo and Raven, concerned about one of his best friends in pain.
“She’s having a panic attack,” Pietro replies, watching as Raven walks Ororo to the opposite wall, leaning her back and doing a couple of breathing exercises with her.
“From what?” Jubilee asks, and Pietro can hear the concern in her voice.
“She is strong, she vill be okay,” Kurt says softly.
Pietro sees Erik walk towards them, beckoning Wanda and Lorna towards him as well, and Pietro keeps his eyes on Erik as Raven takes Ororo outside of the room. He hopes she is okay, not sure of what caused her reaction.
“Ororo will be okay,” Erik says as he looks at each of them.
“Why-what happened?” Jubilee asks. Pietro sees Erik think about what to say before he replies.
“She doesn’t do well with tight spaces, but I expect all of you to not use that against her,” Erik replies. Pietro sees everyone shake their heads at the words.
“We would never,” Jean says. Erik nods at them, a small smile on his lips. Pietro can see the pride in his eyes, and Pietro wonders how much life has sucked for his dad for the man to think they would use the fears of one of their teammates against them.
“Well, Raven has told me to give your feedback for now,” Erik says. “So, Jubilee and Kurt, you both did well, the change of terrain seems to be your weakness so we will work on you both fighting more as the scenery changes regularly. You must be prepared for the changes in battle, and changes you can’t control.”
Pietro can see Jubilee and Kurt nod in acknowledgment. He watches as Erik turns to Alex and Scott, explaining how they need to also be aware of their surroundings, but then he looks at Alex a little longer and his expression becomes serious.
“I get that you want to save your teammate,” Erik says to Alex. “But you need to be smart about it. If you want to save someone, make sure you keep yourself alive, because in this case, Lorna could have been worried for you and your sacrifice would have been in vain if you got injured or worse and she stopped focusing on the fight and worried about you. Just think of a plan first, or have a way to save yourself and your teammate.”
Pietro sees Alex nod, his posture tense, and then he looks at his sister and sees Lorna shifting in her spot. Pietro wonders if his dad sees it too, and then wonders what he thinks about it. I already hate it , Pietro thinks as he looks at Erik, who then turns to Jean.
“You did well, the only thing you should work on is balancing the flying and the fighting.” Erik says.
“Now, Wanda and Lorna.” Erik continues. “Wanda, you have the focus, you just need to control your emotions, since they fuel your power. Lorna, you are better at handling larger metal objects, but you need to be faster and less cautious. Just let go.”
Pietro can see his sisters take the advice, both wanting to do better but also frustrated with their struggles. Pietro wishes he could help them, but he doesn’t really understand their power set, and he doesn’t think he’s the best person to turn to for advice or help in this situation. Pietro tenses slightly as he sees Erik turn to him.
“Pietro,” Erik says, and Pietro knows the room isn’t cold, but he feels colder. “Your speed is incredible, and the way you maneuver around the obstacles is beneficial, but you also need to not freeze. You were stuck, and you panicked. See to it that you try to remember there is always a way out, and if you breathe and clear your mind, you can find it.”
Pietro nods, but he feels like falling through the floor in shame and embarrassment. He can see his sisters wince in sympathy, and Jean and Scott look down. He knows they know why he froze, and he wishes Erik never mentioned him freezing. The feel of the ground around his foot still sends shivers down his spine. He barely registers Erik dismissing them, and when Wanda nudges him with her shoe, he looks up, seeing Wanda and Lorna looking at him. He stands, making his way out of the room with them when he pauses and sees Erik walking behind the group, but his eyes are clouded, and it makes something in Pietro twist.
What’s wrong with him? He wonders as he follows his sisters outside the training room, each of them deciding to head into the game room to relax and unwind. Pietro grins as Kurt and Jubilee follow them, also wanting in on the fun.
“You guys aren’t coming?” Pietro asks Scott, Jean and Alex.
“We’re gonna head to the kitchen and eat something while we wait for Ororo to come back from seeing Hank,” Jean says. Pietro goes to ask how she knew Ororo was with Hank when Jean points at her head and Pietro nods.
“Cool. Let us know when she is good to visit,” Pietro says. Jean nods and then they all part ways. Pietro laughs and jokes with Kurt as they make their way into the game room, each of them grabbing a paddle to play ping pong.
They play, and Pietro is shocked that Kurt can actually keep up with him and decides he won’t go easy on the kid. They play a couple of rounds, Pietro winning most of them, and then they take a break. Pietro sees Wanda and Jubilee seeing who could get a better score on pong as Lorna watches, cheering them on and not staying loyal to either girl. Just as he’s about to race towards them and disrupt their game, he gets a twinkie thrown in his face. He catches it, staring at the snack and then looking at Kurt who is grinning at him.
“You stealing blueberry!” Pietro shouts as he nudges Kurt. “You stole my twinkies.”
“Did not steal ,” Kurt says, the grin still on his lips. “Just borrowed.”
Pietro doesn’t respond as he munches on the twinkie, smiling at the taste and the way his very snack immediately boosts his mood. The whole test and his panic of Apocalypse now at the back of his mind. When Pietro finishes eating, he feels something swipe against his hair and he turns to see Kurt still grinning, his hand extended as he looks at Pietro’s hair.
“What did you do?” Pietro asks and zips to the mirror at the corner. He sees the sides of his hair standing up, and the shape reminds him of the ‘M’ that Wanda and Lorna made and it makes his heart rate spike. Pietro shakes his head back and forth quickly, his hair falling back down and then he turns to Kurt with a frown on his face as Kurt starts to laugh.
“I thought you vould like to look like you’re papa,” Kurt says with a laugh and Pietro feels his cheeks heat in embarrassment.
“Listen you little blueberry , you touch my hair again , I’ll give you whiplash .” Pietro threatens, but there is no heat behind it. He sees Kurt laughing at him and Pietro can’t help but smile at the kid’s antics.
“You vould not be able to catch me,” Kurt replies as he teleports in a blue smoke around the room.
“I can catch you,” Pietro retorts, ready to run at the blue kid but then stops when Kurt raises his hands in surrender.
“Nein, nein!” Kurt says, a smile still on his lips and hands still raised. “You don’t look like him, so I made you look like him.”
Pietro tries not to feel a sting at the words, knowing that Kurt didn’t mean it with ill intent, but Pietro still touches his hair, the silver strands feeling more alien now. He knows Kurt is referring to Erik and the lack of physical resemblance they share, but he also doesn’t understand what that has to do with his hair. It’s not like him and Erik have the same hair color anyways. Just another example of how you are so different, even a freak to your own family , Pietro’s consciousness whispers to him. He knows Lorna has green hair, but from what he knows, she wasn’t born with it. It mutated when her powers emerged, but she has always seemed to handle her hair color better than he did. She never seemed to feel ashamed of it, even if people would always give her weird looks and call her names. Pietro can at least feel a sense of pride to know his sister was stronger than him, that a hair color wouldn’t make her want to hide it all the time.
“His hair is short, so I don’t really see what you were trying to do,” Pietro says lightly, trying to sound playful as he looks at Kurt.
“His helmet,” Kurt says, miming the shape with his hands over his own head. “Your hair makes the perfect shape.”
Pietro frowns, remembering the ‘M’ shape again from the training room and wonders if Kurt saw it too. He also wonders if he even wants to be associated with Magneto. He knows it’s too late to take back his claim on his dad, but he can handle being related to Erik, because the man has stated he is trying to change his views on the world, on humans. He just wonders how much he is willing to let the idea of ‘Magneto’ go, if Pietro and his sisters will always be shadowed by Magneto’s reputation and choices. He thought he was fine with it, but now he isn’t sure how much he has actually thought about it.
“You think I look like him?” Lorna asks Kurt, drawing Pietro’s attention away from his thoughts. Pietro wonders if she wants to look like their dad or not.
“Ja,” Kurt replies and Pietro sees Lorna tilt her head in question.
“Really?” She asks.
“Face structure is the same,” Kurt explains and then looks at Wanda. “She also has his looks, but you all have his resilience and strength.”
Resilience and strength, those are two words Pietro has rarely associated with himself. He knows he’s resilient when it comes to injuries, but the way Kurt says it, as if it were about the will to continue when life pushes you down, Pietro feels his sisters have that more. They have been through trying times, constantly struggling and fighting their own battles, and he can see what Kurt sees in them when Pietro looks at his sisters. He knows they have it.
Pietro then sees Kurt look down, his expression turning melancholy. The sight makes Pietro frown, hating when his friends seem down, especially the younger ones. He hates when children suffer.
“I vish I had a parent who cares for me,” Kurt says softly, and Pietro watches him blink a few times before he smiles at them. “Mr. Lehnsherr is good for wanting you all. You are all blessed vith a parent who cares.”
Pietro feels his heart squeeze, wanting to tell Kurt that he has a parent who cares about him. That he isn’t alone in the world, and his mother is right here, under this roof and watching out for him. Something that Pietro wishes his own mother did for him and his sisters. He wishes he could tell him about Raven, but he knows it isn’t his place. That he promised Raven, and he has to believe she will tell Kurt. He just hopes she does it soon, because secrets can just prolong the inevitable.
“You might have family out there,” Lorna tries to offer some comfort, but Kurt shakes his head.
“I vas abandoned,” Kurt replies. The atmosphere in the room gets depressing, and Pietro sees Jubilee walk to Kurt, placing a hand on his shoulder and giving it a light squeeze.
“We’re your family now,” she replies with a smile. “You aren’t alone, and we’ve got some cool and badass teachers who are like our parents.”
“What? Erik is your dad too?” Wanda jokes with a smile and Jubilee huffs out a laugh. Pietro smiles, finding it surprising that she chooses to joke at this moment. She’s taking lessons from me , Pietro thinks with a grin.
“Okay, obviously not Erik. But we’ve got Charles and Raven and Hank. They are good role models,” Jubilee says and Pietro smiles. Raven would die if she heard this , Pietro thinks with a grin.
“Yeah, you’ve got us, man.” Pietro says as he ruffles Kurt’s hair. “You’re not alone.”
“Danke.” Kurt says softly, smiling affectionately at them all.
Pietro then speeds to the ping pong table, challenging Jubilee to a game. He grins as she picks up the paddle, narrowing her eyes at him.
“I’m amazing at this,” Jubilee says. Pietro’s grin widens.
“We’ll see if you can keep up,” Pietro replies, and he grins as everyone cheers them on. He strikes the ball first, and he commits this moment into his memory, knowing this is what he wants in life. His family and friends safe, and having fun, without having to watch their backs.
Pietro, Wanda and Lorna all leave the hospital wing, glad that Ororo is doing better and is just resting. Pietro knows it can be scary, and claustrophobia is something that also puts him on edge, knowing that being trapped in a small space where running is impossible would be a nightmare.
Pietro is laughing with his sisters when he spots Erik sitting in the parlor room — and wow a parlor room is crazy, like how rich is Charles? — and he looks sad as he stares at a picture in his hands. Pietro hears his sisters go quiet, noticing Erik’s behavior and they stand awkwardly by the entrance, unsure if they should talk to him. Pietro hates moments like these, where it should be easy to talk to their dad, but each time they interact he feels a pressure on him, pushing him down and making him anxious as if he were walking on eggshells around Erik. Which, sometimes he is when Erik is moody.
“I can feel you all hovering. It’s unbecoming.” Erik says from his spot on the chair, making Pietro feel like a scolded child who was caught doing something bad. Pietro tenses, and feels his sisters startle too. Erik turns to them, his expression neutral as he takes them in.
“Sorry, we didn’t want to intrude,” Wanda says, her voice awkward and stiff. Pietro mentally cringes, the awkward atmosphere is getting more intense as the seconds pass.
“You may enter if you wish,” Erik replies, and Pietro isn’t sure what to do. Why does he talk like that? It sounds eerie , Pietro thinks. Lorna is the first one to enter, and Pietro is envious of her courage. He isn’t afraid of Erik, he literally had a conversation with him before the training session — well more like whatever that kind of short interaction was if it even counted as a conversation at all — but he still feels like he is intruding on a private moment. Even if the man has already acknowledged them as his children, in whatever way that was.
“We just noticed you seemed…off,” Lorna says as she sits on the opposite couch. Pietro sees Wanda enter, sitting beside Lorna and then he takes a breath before he follows after, sitting beside Wanda and facing Erik. He tries not to tense as Erik looks at them, his expression contemplating, but still soft and it makes something in Pietro twist, a mix of warmth and something he can’t quite name but still makes him want to run off and hide.
“I…the comment you made,” Erik says as he looks at Pietro, making Pietro tense slightly. “It made me remember my…something that Nina did when she was younger.”
Pietro doesn’t know what to do with that. He feels horrible for bringing up Erik’s pain about his daughter, but he also feels somewhat close, as if he has something in relation to Erik’s daughter by more than just name, to his little sister who he never met but from the way Erik feels about her, knows that he would have loved her as much as he did Wanda and Lorna. He feels slightly shameful for thinking he has something in relation to Erik’s first real daughter. That thought makes him feel guilty as he glances at Wanda and Lorna, but he knows deep down it’s true. They may be Erik’s first kids, but Nina was Erik’s first . She was his first everything , and now she’s gone, leaving Erik with the backups. The extras. Pietro shakes his head slightly, trying to dispel the thoughts from his mind and clear his head as much as he can.
“I’m sorry,” Pietro says, and he feels Wanda’s hand on his, squeezing softly. He doesn’t feel like accepting the silent comfort, but he keeps his hand pinned for her own benefit.
“No, you did nothing wrong.” Erik says quickly, and Pietro looks at him. “It’s just, you both have the same eyes, and…from what you said in the training room…you both have the same interests.”
Pietro’s brow furrows, confused and slightly interested. He wasn’t expecting that, and wasn’t sure if he should say anything in response.
“You both relax to music. She used to say it calmed her mind,” Erik says with a soft smile. Pietro can see Erik’s eyes are distant, as if he’s living in a memory, and Pietro wishes he could help, but he knows he can’t do anything for Erik but listen.
“She seemed really sweet,” Wanda says softly, and Erik nods at that.
“What…was she like us? A mutant?” Lorna asks. Erik’s face gets more sad, and Pietro wasn’t sure that could be possible.
“She was. She could talk to the animals,” Erik says and Pietro smiles at that. That’s so cool , Pietro thinks. Erik then turns to them, his eyes softening.
“She would have loved you all,” he says quietly and Pietro’s heart hurts.
“We would have loved her. She seemed great,” Wanda says kindly. Pietro smiles at his sister, and knows that she isn’t lying. She would have loved having another sister to take care of. Pietro sees Erik hesitate, looking at his picture and then turning to them.
“Would you like to see how she looked?” Erik asks, but his voice sounds vulnerable and it puts Pietro on edge. He isn’t used to hearing Erik sound like that.
“Of course,” Lorna answers for them. Pietro sees Erik turn the picture, and he can see Erik with two other people. Erik is smiling, looking at the little girl, Nina, who has the biggest smile on her face. Pietro smiles, and feels an odd feeling at seeing his little sister who he has never met, but feels as if he has seen her before. Then he looks deeper and notices that her smile is like Lorna’s, that the softness of her face is like Wanda’s. Then he sees her eyes. They’re the same dark color as his, and Pietro feels a rush of warmth, seeing a similarity of himself in another. Her hair is dark, a brown that is the same as the woman who is holding her. Pietro immediately realizes that is Erik’s wife, Nina’s mother. She’s looking at her daughter with so much love, and the sight makes Pietro ache, wishing his mom looked at Lorna and Wanda that way all of the time.
That they didn’t have to beg for attention when she was in her moods. Pietro is slightly grateful that she was at least more present and warm when Lorna and Wanda were over at the house. That she at least cared enough to not tell the police about them and have them taken away. He just wishes that his mom had more love to give, especially when it was clear she really tried to do more for Lorna than her other foster homes did.
“Is that your wife?” Wanda asks. Pietro’s gaze flicks to Erik, unsure if he will be willing to discuss her death so soon, but when Pietro looks at him, Erik just smiles softly as he looks at the picture.
“Yes, her name was Helena.” Erik says softly, his voice seeming far away. “She was different to the other humans. She wasn’t afraid like they were, her heart held no hate. She was so understanding, and when Nina’s powers were emerging, she took it in stride.”
Pietro wonders why people like Helena were killed, taken from a world so bad and cruel when they could have made it a better place. He knows Erik made enemies in his life, that his reputation made people fear mutants even more, but he can also see what Erik means when there are people that would kill their kind because of fear and hate. Helena was one of the good humans, but then there were people like his own mom, who doesn’t hate her children, but also feared them. People who were hurt by mutants but weren’t capable of overcoming their trauma or fears. Pietro knows his mom isn’t evil, not like Stryker and the man who made the sentinels — whatever his name was — but she also wasn’t like Helena, and Pietro just knows his question will go unanswered in this world.
“She seemed…nice,” Lorna says softly, but Pietro can hear the slight tremor in her voice. His heart aches, knowing that she’s thinking about their mom, about her previous foster homes.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” Wanda says, and Pietro can see a flicker of emotion pass Erik’s face before he collects himself and it’s gone.
“Was…how did Magda take your mutations?” Erik asks suddenly as he looks at them, and Pietro tenses slightly. He can see his sisters shift uncomfortably in their spots. Pietro knows Erik is watching them, his gaze locked on their faces and movements, and Pietro wants to hide away from it right now. He doesn’t want to talk about their mom, especially in front of his sisters. He knows they talk to her occasionally, that they just called her a couple of days ago, but he still hasn’t spoken to her since their last encounter two weeks ago. He doesn’t want to see or speak to her yet.
“I already had mine when I lived with her,” Lorna says, and Pietro is once again proud and saddened by her bravery. He knows Lorna hates prolonging difficult conversations, that she would rather rip the band-aid off than wait for punishment, pain, or humiliation. Her life has taught her that, and Pietro hates the humans that made her believe that. That taught her that.
“Right, I remember Charles told me you were taken in by the Maximoff’s.” Erik replies and Lorna nods.
“Yes,” she says. “My birth mother, Suzanna didn’t…she knew I was your daughter when my powers emerged, but she didn’t handle it well.” Pietro can hear the sadness in her voice, still unsure of the exact details of the death of her mom, but knowing it was still painful for her to talk about. He can see Erik wince in sympathy, a mixture of guilt hiding in his eyes, and Pietro wonders if he remembers Lorna’s birth mother, if he loved her or if it were a fling.
“The…I always had problems in my previous homes because of my powers, but Magda didn’t seem to have a problem with it. At least, she said it wasn’t a reason for someone to not take care of a child.” Lorna finishes, her voice a little lighter.
Pietro keeps his eyes on the floor, frowning as he remembers the day Lorna first came home with them. She was so young, her eyes would shift from wide and fearful to hard and cold. She was always cautious in the beginning, barely smiling. Sometimes Pietro would have to work extra hard to get her to even show a hint of a smile. At the time, that would make his day, to see her smile for even a second. She really tried to make her feel safe, to make her feel comfortable and happy with them. Wanda even made it her mission to play with her all the time, getting her dressed up and making her feel better about her green hair at the time. Pietro would gladly say those were the best memories in his life, of him and his sisters just being kids.
“Mom was…she tried her best,” Wanda adds, but Pietro can hear the underlying bitterness in her tone. He winces, keeping his eyes on the ground.
“She was at least better than my other homes, and that was more than I could ask for during that time,” Lorna says with a smile. Pietro winces, wishing life didn’t have to suck that much for his sister. He sees Erik frown, seeing the storm of emotions in his eyes and Pietro finds himself relating to the man right now.
“I’m sorry I left you to that life,” Erik says to Lorna, and then turns his eyes to Wanda and Pietro. “I am sorry for not being there for you three. It must have been hard to have your powers emerging and being alone with Magda and everyone else who didn’t understand what was happening.”
“Well, we managed. Although, I’m sure Lorna could have used your help with her powers,” Wanda says with a smile, making Lorna huff out a laugh. Pietro sees Erik smile in response.
“Well, I am here now,” Erik says gently. “I wasn’t before, but as I’ve said, I am trying to change. Family is really important to me, and I will do everything in my power to help you three when regarding your powers and, if you want it, help in your lives.”
Pietro offers a small smile, happy that Erik isn’t going to run away or abandon them. That he still wants to commit, even after everything.
“That would be nice,” Lorna says.
“I know I was cautious in the beginning,” Wanda says gently as she looks at her hands. “I can’t say that I still am not cautious, but I’ve said it before, I do want to understand you more. To see the change, and hopefully learn to be your daughter.”
Pietro smiles, hearing the sincerity in her voice and feels warmth flood through him as he sees Erik smile in return, his eyes getting misty. Pietro freezes when Erik looks at him.
“What?” Pietro asks playfully. “I already call you ‘dad’ sometimes. I started this bonding thingy, so what more could you want?”
Pietro grins as everyone in the room starts laughing, and he feels lighter now that the darker conversations are easing. He doesn’t do well with dark conversations or emotional moments. Pietro’s had enough of that with his mom, and Pietro doesn’t want Erik to turn into his mom because of Pietro’s own mistakes, and who he is as a person that can be too much for people. It was too much for his mom, and he hopes it doesn’t become too much for Erik. He doesn’t think he can fight back if Erik one day loses his cool with him the way Magda used to. At least with Magda, he knew he could run and escape. Then Pietro immediately shakes the thoughts from his mind, remembering that Erik just said family is important to him, that he wouldn’t hurt them. Shame bubbles up in Pietro to even think that Erik would hurt them now that he knows they are his kids.
“You all are remarkable though,” Erik says suddenly as he looks at them, snatching Pietro from his thoughts. “You each carry a power that is truly unique to that of other mutants. You should feel pride in your gifts.”
“I’m starting too,” Wanda says with a grin, and Pietro laughs.
“I’m not that unique, but my skillset can be intimidating,” Lorna adds with a smirk and Pietro smiles as Erik chuckles.
“You’re a powerful mutant, so we were bound to be blessed with powerful abilities,” Pietro jokes and Erik shakes his head in fond amusement. “We just need superhero names and then bam , we’ll be legends.”
“Okay, you’re doing too much now,” Wanda gently chides. “You already know Lorna and I are here until the end of summer. We still have our lives to get too.”
Pietro’s smile falls a little at the reminder and shrugs his shoulders. “Until then, I see no harm in finding you an alias.”
“Next he’ll want us to wear costumes,” Lorna leans towards Wanda, and flicks her gaze to Erik who is watching them fondly.
“Hey, that’s not a bad idea,” Pietro replies.
“Okay, change of topic,” Wanda cuts in. “I want to know what’s for dinner, because i’m hungry and the test today took a lot out of me.”
Pietro smiles, listening to his sisters and his dad talk about dinner. Laughing along with them as they joke about who even cooks the food in the mansion for so many children. Pietro lets himself relax, enjoying the peace and the way Erik seems to smile more, seeming less tense and sad as he talks with them. Pietro takes this moment to listen, wanting his sisters to have this moment as he watches with joy.
Pietro is sitting in his room after dinner when he thinks about the shapes Wanda and Lorna made in the training room. He also thinks about the messiness of his hair, the style Kurt had done, shaping it into a mock replication of Magneto’s helmet. He wonders if Lorna and Wanda will humor him, because he’s got an idea on what to do for a little fun with the group, and to cheer Erik up a bit.
He runs to his sisters’ rooms, grabbing them both and speeding to his own. He gently places them on the bed as they blink, taking in their surroundings.
“Pietro!” Wanda hisses, and Pietro has to physically stop himself from flinching, faintly hearing his mom’s voice in his mind.
“Calm down,” Pietro says. “I wanted to ask you both something. I have an idea.”
“What?” Lorna asks, and Pietro can hear the hesitation in her voice, the wariness in her eyes.
“You already know dad is still sad, but I have an idea to cheer him up.” Pietro says. “While also making it fun for the group.”
“Well, what is the idea?” Lorna asks, and Pietro can tell that she doesn’t really want to humor him.
“We are going to need lots of fabric and your powers,” Pietro says as he looks at the both of them, seeing their confusion and apprehension. “And, we need to summon the group to help out.”
He doesn’t wait for his sisters to respond, instead choosing to run around the mansion, spreading the message to his fellow trainees. He feels his heart spike, the anxiety clawing at him, but he also feels the excitement, knowing this can be both beneficial to their group once they become X-Men, and can also help out his dad to feel less awkward and careful around them. He just hopes it works.
~
Erik sat in Charles’ office, watching as Charles frowned while reading a document. Erik wasn’t entirely sure how to feel when he received the document, but he knew Charles could provide another opinion.
“Should I accept it?” Erik asks. He sees Charles’ brow furrow, but he looks up at Erik and offers a small smile.
“I don’t see anything wrong with it,” Charles says. “I just don’t understand why now.”
“It says because of Moira’s influence, but I am positive the president hates me.” Erik replies. “He wouldn’t want to give me this island.”
“Well, Genosha is…it’s everything you wanted,” Charles says softly, and Erik can see the apprehension in his eyes. Guilt is starting to claw up Erik’s throat, but he knows this was something he’s wanted for a while now.
“I wanted peace, but like you always say, this is a start. I don’t have to go now,” Erik offers. “I can still stay, at least until Wanda and Lorna go back. Until then, I will make visits to the island, get the mutants that are seeking refuge settled. I’ll make sure it’s all legal, that nothing goes wrong.”
“So, you’re leaving now?” Charles asks. Erik looks at the paper in Charles’ hands, contemplating his next words.
“I won’t be leaving now, but I will make visits back and forth before and after my daughters leave.” Erik says. “I’ll still be here, but my time will be split with the mutants on Genosha. They need someone to look after them, the same way the children need you to look after them here.”
Erik tries not to wince at the sad look Charles gives him. His eyes are full of love, hope, fear, and uncertainty.
“What about me?” Charles asks softly. “I need you here.”
Erik looks down, feeling like a traitor, but his resolve steels when he remembers why he’s doing this. He knows that if something goes wrong, if humans try to attack mutants, at least there is an island for mutants to be safe in. That if his children ever need refuge, they can go there too. That Charles can even go there once he decides to retire.
“Like I said,” Erik says softly as he looks up at Charles. “I’ll still be here, it’s just I’ll be going back and forth. It won’t be forever, it’s just until things are settled. Besides, I’m not leaving now.”
Erik offers a small smile at Charles, and he sees Charles smile in return, although his eyes are still full of anxiety. The sight makes Erik want to hold the man.
“Okay, then you just have to sign it and that’s that.” Charles says. Erik takes the papers, signing them and feeling a mix of relief and unease. He isn’t one for trusting things like this, but Charles has always told him not to look a gift horse in the mouth.
“Great, I’ll have the papers sent tomorrow,” Charles says with a smile as he puts the papers in a folder. Erik nods and then leans back in his chair.
“What do you say to enjoying dinner together tomorrow?” Erik asks softly, smiling at Charles. He watches the man try to hide his grin, but after a while he smiles at Erik, his eyes full of love and adoration. Erik wonders why he ever decided to betray this man for a God who wanted to destroy him. He hates himself when he remembers how easily he followed Apocalypse, the very being who hurt Charles and his son. Who would have killed his family, and the people he cares about.
“I’d love that,” Charles replies with a soft smile.
“I’d have to find something decent to wear,” Erik says.
“You look lovely in anything, darling.” Charles replies and Erik huffs out a laugh. Charles has always made him feel at peace, to feel the love he desperately needed to feel, the safety that he’s always craved. Charles makes everything right.
Just as Erik is about to respond, a knock comes from the door and Raven peeks inside. Erik notices her panic, the way her eyes are full of fear and anger. It sets Erik on edge and he immediately sits up in his seat, his eyes pinned on her as she enters the room and closes the door behind her.
“Raven, is something the matter?” Charles asks, and Erik can hear the concern in his tone.
“I think Stryker is planning something,” Raven says, and Erik’s brows furrow. He looks at Charles for explanation, but the man’s face is serious.
“There’s been unusual activity?” Charles asks.
“There’s been enough,” Raven responds.
“Who is Stryker?” Erik asks, the name sounding familiar but he can’t find a face to the person.
“He held me and your son in a facility along with a few others when we went looking for Charles when you teamed up with the psycho and his other horsemen,” Raven replies, and Erik lets her anger slide, knowing that she’s already panicked. Erik tries to calm the rising anger he feels at the mention of Pietro being held in a facility.
“So, he’s a human or mutant?” Erik asks.
“Human,” Charles replies. “He’s a government official.”
“Yeah, well he’s planning something. I saw movement at one of his facilities, and it looks like they sent someone to come here,” Raven says.
“Come here? As in the mansion?” Charles asks.
“No, as in the country, I just don’t know who it is, but we detected movement,” Raven says.
“We?” Erik asks as he looks between the two.
“Hank and I,” Raven answers. “We’ve been tracking his movements for a while. But now I know something is wrong.”
“He knows the mansion is here, but what could he possibly want now?” Charles asks. Erik is unsure what is happening, but he knows enough military non-mutants who just love to hunt mutants down for nothing more than because they are mutants. It doesn’t matter if this man hasn’t done anything yet. He isn’t willing to take that chance when his children are here.
“What have you found out?” Erik asks. Raven hesitates for a second, but then her anger flares back.
“Someone dug up Azazel’s body,” Raven says, and Erik freezes. He remembers the mutant that was under his leadership, the man was a skilled fighter and reliable. He wasn’t very close with him, but he knew the mutant just wanted a better world for people like them. He was also the father of Kurt, and Erik knew that even if Raven didn’t love the man, she still felt something for him. To have desecrated a grave of a person makes Erik’s stomach twist.
“Stryker did that?” Erik asks darkly.
“I…it could be,” Raven replies. “None of the others were dug up. Just his grave.”
Erik is silent as he looks towards Charles, waiting for his response. He sees Charles thinking, his brows furrowed and Erik wonders why a person would dig up a body. Mutant or no mutant, it is wrong.
“Okay,” Charles says as he comes out of his thoughts. “Raven I need you to go find this person on their way here. Don’t engage if they are too strong or dangerous. Just observe them, and report back here.”
“But Charles, this person can tell us what we need to know.” Raven says. “I can get answers.”
“No,” Charles replies firmly. “Don’t engage if they are dangerous. Just observe and report back. Is that understood?”
Erik can see Raven battling herself, trying to stop herself from arguing. He knows she has always wanted to prove herself to Charles, to himself, that she could do things, but this isn’t that. He can see the pure anger in her eyes, and the underlying fear buried there too.
“Fine,” she relents. “I’ll leave in three days. They should be entering the country by then.”
“Okay,” Charles agrees, and then she leaves. Erik turns to Charles and sees the man is rubbing his temples with his hands, the exhaustion evident in his features.
“Just when things were going great,” Charles sighs, glancing at the Genosha papers. Erik frowns, tracing patterns on his armchair as he thinks about how this could impact them, the school, the island, and his children. What does this Stryker man want? Erik thinks.
“Do I have to grab my helmet again?” Erik jokes, but it comes out flat and Charles winces.
“I truly hope not,” Charles whispers, and Erik frowns. He also hopes not, for the sake of the humans. He doesn’t think he can take another attack on his family. Not again.