I am so, so sorry for the incredibly long wait. I've really got no excuse; sure, I had to do my exams, but I've had an 18 week summer holiday as well, and in that time, I've done absolutely nothing, just browsing on Tumblr.
We're really getting into the storyline of First Class here, and I should be updating more often now, especially since I've gotten my inspiration back (and recently gained an annoying younger sister who has read it and been bugging me about updating for weeks now!).
So, without further ado, here's chapter 8 of Titanium!
Enjoy!
"Okay, okay – he kissed me."
"He kissed you!"
"Well, on the cheek; I was the one to initiate the first –"
"But he was the one to lean in?"
"Yes."
"And he saved you from those other guys?"
"Well, I didn't really need saving –"
"You have to go out with him again; he's the perfect gentleman!"
"I know," Liz sighed and, with a smile on her face she sank against the fluffy cushions. "But," she sat up straight once more. "But –"
"But what?" Raven leaned forwards, slightly annoyed at her friend for not seeing how mad she actually was for the young man.
"What if he doesn't want a relationship?"
Raven's frown disappeared and she smiled at her friend, who had curled her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.
She scooted over to the bronze-haired girl and threw an arm over her shoulder.
"Trust me girl, from the way Alex looked at you on that evening out, he's wanted to have a relationship with you for ages!"
"You think so?" Liz peered at Raven from the side of her eyes.
"I know so, and don't doubt me again," Raven pinched her hip.
"What was that for?" Liz exclaimed, jumping back and rubbing her hip.
"For not believing me!"
Liz sent Raven a stony glare, her face a mask of utter disbelief.
"Come on –" Raven's sentence was cut short by a large white pillow, which had conveniently smacked into Raven's face with a good force.
Slowly, the pillowed slipped onto her lap, revealing her shocked, frozen expression.
That was too much for Liz to cope with; she immediately burst into hysterical laughter at the sight of her best friend's shock.
However, her laughter didn't last long. Only a few moments later, Liz's vision was clouded by another pillow, this one from Raven, who sat with a smug smirk on her face.
Liz sat up, grabbed the closest pillow to her and, with a cry of laughter, leapt at Raven, brandishing the pillow in the air, before bringing it down on her best friend. Raven shrieked with laughter and managed to squirm out of her Liz's grasp, before grabbing her own pillow and retaliating with her own blows from the pillow.
The squeals and laughter of the two girls echoed around the halls of the large manor, waking up several people, one of whom was very annoyed that he had been awoken at such an ungodly hour.
The door knocking startled both girls out of their laughter, and they both stopped, staring silently at the door.
The knocking started up once more, this time, harsher and louder than before.
"Alright, alright, I'm coming," Raven called, climbing to her feet and going over to the door. "Hello?" she opened it and peered around it, hiding her tank top and underwear clad body from whoever was on the other side of the door.
"Why are you screaming this loudly this early in the morning? Come on Raven, it's past midnight!"
Liz recognised the voice to belong to Sean, who sounded very ratty and tired.
"What were you doing anyway?" Sean muttered, sounding like he was stifling a yawn.
"Just having a pillow fight, why?" Raven replied coyly.
"In just your pyjamas?"
Liz grinned to herself at the sound of Sean, who seemed to be suddenly awake and very excited.
"You pervert!" Liz began laughing at Raven's comment, and started to laugh even harder when she heard the sharp slap, followed by Sean's yell of pain and anger.
"Raven!"
"Sean, tut-tut-tut, now who's shouting," Raven scolded him, Liz now completely in hysterics, lying flat on her back on the bed.
Sean mumbled something in response, before the door shut, followed by the shuffling of feet, signalling that Sean had wandered back down the hall to his bedroom.
Liz glanced up as Raven jumped onto the bed beside her; her laughter subsided, leaving her with feeling slightly weary.
"Don't you dare go to sleep yet; we've still got the nails and makeup to do, and don't even get me started on the hair!"
The next day, Charles decided to spend some more time working on Alex's power, and testing the device Hank had created as a way to control the energy Alex shot out, leaving the four remaining mutants to use the time however they fancied.
Raven went down to the room they were using as a gym, to use some of the weights, but as Liz was about to wander out of the kitchen, where they were all currently convened, Charles stopped her.
"Liz, if it isn't too much to ask, I was wondering if you would be able to help Alex focus when using his power," Charles spoke quietly to Liz, his blue eye pleading with her. "I know for a fact that only you can help him control his emotions fully enough to help him progress in controlling his power successfully."
Liz felt a slight blush appear on the top of her cheeks, but she agreed all the same. "Of course."
Liz, Alex and Charles all stood inside the bunker in an awkward silence. Hank was late with the device he had been working on for Alex; quite considerably so.
Alex had a slight scowl on his face, and Liz guessed it was something to do with the fact that his last training exercise hadn't gone so well. This gave reason for the extra fire extinguishers set just outside the doors to the bunker.
The hurried shuffling from just outside the open doors let the three mutants know Hank was finally here.
"Sorry I'm late," Hank rushed inside, carrying some sort of blue tabard over his arm and a white mannequin under his other arm.
"Right then, now that we're all here," Charles smiled, clapping his hands together as Hank handed the tabard to Alex. "Alex, you know what this does so we can skip the explanations part and just get started."
Liz watched as Alex slipped the tabard over his head, obviously knowing exactly how to wear it.
"Liz, this panel just helps Alex control his energy, the rings you've seen, and turn them into one long beam. But it's all up to Alex to direct the energy to what he wants to hit," Charles whispered to the young woman, pointing to the circular panel on Alex's chest. "Come along Liz, you can help Hank."
Liz caught the roll of black insulating tape with the bemused glance, but followed him and Hank, who was still carrying the mannequin, to the opposite end of the bunker, leaving Alex.
Hank set the mannequin down and gestured to the tape. Liz tore a long strip off and handed it to him, tearing off a second as he applied the first to the mannequin's belly in a diagonal line. When he added the second, Liz saw he had made a cross – a target for Alex to aim at.
"Wonderful work Hank, thank you very much. Liz, can you stand on the other side of the mannequin beside Hank? Thank you," Charles smiled at Liz as she complied with his orders, and he went to stand on the mannequin's left. "Alright Alex, I want you to hit the 'X', and try not to hit me, there's a good chap."
The severity of the situation his Liz like a train – Alex was going to aim at the mannequin whilst Liz, Hank and Charles were all standing around it. And judging by the expression on Alex's face, this was a new idea to him as well.
"You're serious?" Alex demanded, his gaze flickering from Charles to Liz.
Hank and Liz exchanged a nervous glance, Liz clearly looking calmer than Hank.
"I'm very serious," Charles replied. "I have complete and utter faith in you."
Alex looked at Liz, who just nodded slowly, her eyes showing the confidence she had for him, and it was that look in her eyes that urged him on.
Liz watched as the muscles in Alex's arms and neck tensed, showing the utter concentration he was putting into this. However, when a singular beam of red energy shot out from the device on his chest and hit the mannequin beside her, sending it up in flames, Liz ran to the side, following Hank, both of them covering their heads as they threw themselves at the wall of the bunker.
Liz slowly turned her head, removing her arms from around her eyes, when she heard Alex's laughter. She smiled as she saw he was laughing with joy at the fact that he was able to control his power, to the extent of choosing singular targets. Charles and Hank also turned to look at the burning mannequin, proof that Charles' latest plan had been a success.
Liz darted over to Alex and threw her arms around him in a tight hug, one which he reciprocated by lifting her off her feet slightly.
When he set her back down, she saw he shared a smile and a wink with Charles; both men happy at the turn of events.
"Am I still a bozo?" Hank asked Alex.
"Yes Hank, you're still a bozo," this reply caused Liz to gently smack his chest. "But nice job," he added, catching Liz's hand with his own and twisting their fingers together.
"Well done on yesterday," Liz smiled at Alex as they slowly walked around the grounds the next day. "I'm sorry I didn't get to talk to you much; Raven wanted us to have a girly evening together, which was why we weren't at dinner."
"The table was a lot quieter last night," Alex chuckled. It was one of the few things Charles insisted upon; every Sunday, the group all have dinner together in the main dining room.
"Yep, Raven knew exactly how to get Charles to let us not only have dinner in our rooms, but to have a different meal entirely."
"I wish we could've done something like that."
"What? Have a meal in one of our rooms and give each other makeovers?"
Alex turned to Liz sharply, only to see her looking at him with an amused look on her face. She elbowed him in his ribs gently, smiling as she did so.
"I was joking, silly."
"Silly?" Alex glanced down at the grinning girl, who nodded in response. "Well, maybe since I'm so silly, you won't want to be seen out with someone like me." He sniffed, stuck his nose in the air and began to strut off, leaving Liz behind, gaping at him.
"Hey! Wait!" Liz began to jog after him, but soon found his legs, despite her height, were too long; his strides as well. "Slow down; you're too fast!"
She caught up with him and grabbed his hand, swinging them as she slowed to a walk beside him. Alex swung his arm across here until it rested on her shoulder, so her left arm was positioned across her body with their fingers still tangled together, resting just below her shoulder.
"So, what are we?" Liz asked after a few beats of silence.
"Sorry?" Alex glanced at her, confusion filling his expression. "Mutants? People? Young adults?"
"No, I mean…as a relationship view; what would we be classed as?"
"Here and now?"
"Yeah."
"A couple," Alex answered instantly, but when Liz remained silent, he began to panic. "I mean, only if you're okay with that."
"Why wouldn't I be okay with it?" Liz looked at him, smiling tenderly. "It was the answer I wished to hear."
"But you were silent…" Alex trailed off, unsure of how to pose the question.
"I was merely thinking."
"About?"
Liz looked away, her cheeks burning; something Alex didn't miss.
"About me?"
The silence from Liz was all Alex needed to boost his ego. Liz noticed this by the way his chest was puffed out slightly, and by the way his strides seemed to have more of a bounce to them.
"Don't go boosting your ego," Liz poked his ribcage, knowing fully well it was a worthless comment. "It's already big enough."
"Oh really?"
"Mhm," Liz nodded, ignoring his gaze and slowly speeding up her pace.
Alex caught onto this quickly, and decided to speed up to, which, in turn, caused Liz to speed up even more. By the time Alex began running after her, Liz was giggling loudly, trying to sprint around the house to get away from her pursuer.
Alex's legs were longer than Liz's, however, and he soon caught up with her, grabbing her waist and spinning her about.
Liz's giggles turned to shrieks as her feet left the ground, and she felt herself being spun about, clutching the arms around her waist.
"Alex! Alex! Put me down!"
Alex laughed at her shrieks and failure at trying to wriggle out of his grasp, but eventually let her down, keeping his arms around her.
The two's laughter eventually began to die down, but Liz just turned in his arms and wrapped her own arms around his back, pressing her face to his shoulder and closing her eyes, enjoying the peaceful moment. Alex stroked her hair gently, pressing a kiss to the copper curls.
Keeping her eyes shut, Liz lifted her head so their noses brushed against one another gently. A smile flitted across Alex's lips, before he closed his eyes and bent to close the gap between their lips.
Liz clutched at his cheek as their mouths slanted against one another, Alex's hands tightening around her, one on her back and the other on her hip. Just as Liz stood on her tiptoes and began to part her lips, a loud, obnoxious cry broke them apart.
"Oi! Lovebirds!"
Liz and Alex turned to see Sean standing by the open door, leaning out with his hand holding onto the frame.
"The President's about to make his speechy-thingy."
The couple looked at each other briefly, before separating (leaving their hands together) and running across the grass to the door, following Sean inside.
"It shall be the policy of this nation to regard any nuclear missile crossing the embargo line that surrounds Cuba as an attack," President Kennedy paused to look directly at the camera lens. "By the Soviet Union on the United States, requiring a full retaliatory response upon the Soviet Union."
"That's where we're going to find Shaw," Erik pointed out, gesturing to the screen with a gun in his hand.
The mutants, and Moira, living at the house were all situated in the living room, watching the small black and white television. More specifically, watching the address president John F. Kennedy was making about the possibility of a nuclear attack.
"How do you know?" Alex questioned, as the mutants turned to look at Erik.
"Two superpowers facing off and he wants to start World War III; he won't leave this to chance," Charles explained, not looking away from the screen.
"So much for diplomacy," Erik muttered. "I suggest you kids get a good night's sleep."
Liz watched as Erik walked out of the room, not liking the mutant's attitude towards them all. He acted as if her were superior to them, never mind to humans. She shivered slightly, thinking of the dark tone underlying his voice, something Alex noticed.
"You okay?" he whispered in her ear, placing an arm around her shoulders.
"Yeah, just worried about what's going to happen tomorrow," she replied, wrapping both her arms around his waist, resting her head on his shoulder as she glanced back to the television, catching the end of the speech.
"…end in war."
Once again, I am incredibly sorry for not updating, I hope you can all find somewhere in your hearts to forgive me!
But good news - I'm beginning the next chapter as soon as this is published!
Thank you all!
