I do not own X-Men Apocalypse.

But I'm giving this a whirl.

X-Men: Age of WTF

Civil Conversation


He didn't know exactly why he took her to his lab after hastily excusing Kurt to class.

Except it was his safe haven, the place he was most comfortable.

Amid the cold accuracy of the science and technology.

That, in the last twenty years at least, had not changed.

As they walked, they talked.

Sort of.

"As you can see, Kurt is doing well," Hank offered. "The other students seem to like him and-"

"That's nice," Raven interrupted, in a tone that suggested she did not wish to pursue the current line of discussion.

But Hank continued on.

"He's, uh, very bright and seems eager-"

The mother of the nightcrawler abruptly stopped, looking everywhere but at the congenial man next to her.

"Hank, I really don't want to talk about this."

He furrowed his brow at her, confused.

"I just . . . I wanted . . . I thought you might like to know about your s-"

Raven shook her head.

"Well, I don't, Hank."

Her tone was harsh and final.

"He's not my son. Not anymore. I gave him to Charles. I can't . . ."

She exhaled sharply.

"I can't afford to have anybody I care about. It's not safe. And he's better off here. It's just . . . it's just better if we leave it at that."

She started walking again as Hank stared at her, aghast.

If I had a child, I would want to know everything. All the time.

Then his legs started moving and he caught up with her.

Maybe if she stays, I can get her to change her mind.


As the doors slid smoothly open and they entered the vast space, the floor and ceiling lights revealed Hank's most recent obsessions.

The jet was the most imposing, most impressive piece in the entire space.

Lowered to the panel lit floor for easy access, awaiting further maintenance and construction.

The sleek, black shell at least was complete.

It even impressed the unimpressable Raven.

"Wow."

Much as his first Blackbird had done.

Except I'm not your dancing monkey this time.

"It's hypersonic," Hank educated quite proudly. "Blast resistant. Stealth technology."

They walked together, the past, at least for Hank echoed in every breath, every nuance.

But he was holding it together.

"Impressive," she admitted.

He smiled and ducked his head, just for a second foolishly happy to hear such praise from her.

Well, yes, yes, it is. Thank you.

"How are you gonna get it out of here?"

Oh Raven, you never did trust me to plan for everything, did you?

"Oh, well, I built a retractable roof in the basketball court."

I hate sports.

"Hank," Raven declared, as if they were sharing some sort of special secret and she was now seeing him in a new light. "You're building a war plane down here."

Well, now, no, I didn't say that. It's a . . . Hypersonic Aerial Mutant Transportation System.

Okay, it's a warplane.

And he found himself confiding in her.

"After what happened in Washington, I thought we were going to come back here and start the X-Men. Like we always talked about."

Raven nodded, as if they were and always had been, two of a kind.

United against such silly frivolities as mutant peace and togetherness.

"Charles wants students not soldiers."

Exactly.

Which he really didn't mind so much.

A safe haven for mutant children who needed guidance and reassurance, sure. No problem.

But someone also had to be prepared to defend the defenseless.

What Hank had witnessed in Washington had terrified him, frightened him more than he could express.

The Sentinels, their purpose, their capabilities.

Erik Lensherr, power hungry and using delusions of the betterment of mutants as an excuse.

And the fact that, even though Raven had saved technically saved the president, so many humans still feared and distrusted mutants.

And so many mutants were still volitile and unpredictable.

The probability of another attack, possibly worse, was too high.

Bolivar Trask was gone, jailed somewhere far away from his science.

But there were others still out there just like him.

Well, maybe not just like him. He was very unique.

And Logan the Wolverine's apocalyptic future could still be ahead of them.

So, yes, Hank approved of the school itself.

"He thinks the best of people. He has hope."

And he needs it. Otherwise he might freak out and kill us all.

"And you?"

Raven was finally giving him all her laser-focused attention.

I don't have Hope. I lost mine. She died. I don't want to talk about it.

But that was too much, too personal. Instead, he spoke in generalities.

"I think we should hope for the best."

Speaking her name, even when it was the feeling and not the woman, still hurt. But he plowed on.

"And prepare for the worst."

Listening, Raven was really listening.

"I think the world needs the X-Men."

He surged then with bravery, with possibility.

"Now that you're back, maybe we can convince Charles-"

But, of course, Raven wasn't interested in his agenda. Not if it didn't match her own.

And she instantly drew away.

"Hank, I'm here about Erik."

And just like that, he welled up with disgust and betrayal and anger all over again.

Well, he's not here, Raven! But we all are. So thanks for giving a damn!

"Erik, yeah, of course."

And he turned away from her, attempting to close off, shut down.

Just long enough to breathe.

"Of course-"

Grrr . . .

I'm fine, Beast. Leave me alone!

Raven's voice cut through his cataclysm of emotion, actually bordering on emotional.

"I think he might be in some sort of trouble. Real trouble."

There's a shock.

And Hank could not stop himself.

"Isn't he always?"

I mean, honestly, for the love of science, Raven, why do you even care anymore after what he did to you? What he did to us?

Of course, the other obvious question was, why did Hank, after all that had transpired, still care about what happened to Raven?

He looked at her and she stared him down just as directly as she had always done.

And finally . . .

Shit.

"Charles should be getting back from his meeting with Moira anytime now," Hank offered sullenly. "Would you like something to eat?"

Raven's flat affect had returned.

"No."

"Fine. We can wait for him in his study."

And they went.


Okay, so the conversation in the lab is a deleted scene with me adding the food part to the end.

And the beginning is me again responding to Muggleborn92 inquiring as to Raven and Kurt's issue which is really the problem of the movie writers not addressing the fact that Kurt is actually Raven and Azazel's son, cannonically speaking.

Anyway, I'm probably writing myself into a corner but hey, maybe the writers should bend to my fanfic every once in a while, huh? ;)

Anyway, thanks to brigid1318, DinahRay, and Muggleborn92 for continuing to review. You all are great!