Leaning against the kitchen counter, Daniella sighed taking a gulp of her coffee as she played with the loose pocket of the cropped grey joggers she had found in her wardrobe. She had woke up at 5am to an empty bed although it didn't surprise her considering Charles had insisted on letting her rest her 'injuries' more thoroughly meaning she was to sleep alone. It was now 8am and she was still alone.
"Morning Chef!" Sean chuckled happily as he sat down at the table in front of her making her roll her eyes as she handed him a cup of coffee since she had practically heard him bound down the stairs as if on cue.
"Morning Sean," She finally laughed sitting down across from him as he downed his coffee as if he hadn't drank anything in months. "Slow down!" She scolded, "All the caffeine will go to your head!"
"Yes mum!" He mumbled making her scowl at him as he winked playfully. "Any idea what we're being made to do today ?"
"You're not being made to do anything you don't want to do Sean," She reminded him, "We're here to train against Shaw." She sighed looking over his shoulder to where Erik was standing, "Besides - it means your not striking out against chicks 24-7," Erik chuckled walking away from the kitchen,
"Hey! Hurtful," Sean whined throwing her a pout as she laughed standing up to grab another cup of coffee for herself and Sean.
"What's hurtful?" Hank asked walking into the kitchen having heard all of the commotion.
"Daniella's being mean!" Sean replied continuing to whine as Hank chuckled sitting down at the table watching as Daniella juggled three cups instead of two - hopping back up from the table he took one of the cups from her with a small smile.
"Thank you!" She beamed, "That's yours by the way," She sat back down at the table handing Sean's his. "You know I'm only kidding," She winked.
"Thanks for the coffee Daniella." Hank added making her smile thankful that she now had company instead of just moping around the kitchen herself.
"Yeah! Thanks mum!" Sean laughed making Hank scowl confused; he turned to Daniella with his eyebrow raised in question as she laughed.
"Sean now calls me mum it seems," She explained causing the teen to nod slightly. "Don't you start!"
"I'm good with my own thanks," He nodded.
Within the hour everyone was sitting around the kitchen table still laughing at Sean calling Daniella 'Mum' every time the opportunity he got. Daniella sat perched up on the counter with an apple in hand as she shook her head at Sean as he chatted away to Alex and Raven.
"Mum!" Sean shouted at her, "Could you get Professor to give us the day off?"
"No; she will not." Charles intervened from his seat at the table with a smirk as he looked over at Daniella who just laughed.
"Wait!" Raven blurted out, "If you're calling her mum," She pointed at Daniella then pointed at Charles. "Doesn't that mean you'd need to call him dad ?"
"No!" Daniella and Charles yelled at the same time sending the table into a fit of laughter, "Please don't call him dad!" She begged hopping down from the counter, "It'll get very creepy very quickly!"
"Dad! Mum's being mean!" Sean yelled teasingly however then he paled. "No- you're definitely right .. Dad is off the table-" He shook his head going back to his plate however everyone else around the table was still looking at him. "Gah! I caught on ! I caught on!"
"Alright then." Charles said as he stood from the table moving to hook his arm around Daniella's waist, at the sudden contact she looked up at him with her eyebrow raised. "Training begins in an hour." Collective groans echoed from the table. "Sorry everyone but we haven't got the time not too.. Alex we'll start with you-" He looked down at Daniella. "Mind training with Hank?"
"Of course not," She grinned.
"Alright then, Hank we'll start your training this morning then too - Sean and Raven we'll start yours in the afternoon-" Charles rambled off making Daniella snicker under her breath, "What's so funny love?"
"You sound like their dad Charles," She suddenly burst out laughing setting off Raven.
"Not funny." Charles grumbled.
Since she had an hour before she had to begin training, she spent her time just wandering around the mansion - considering she hadn't visited in a while. Smiling, she ran her hand across the fireplace that stood in the back room that faced out onto the back-garden. The mansion - all be it Charles least favourite place - was her favourite place - apart from back home - to be. She loved how vintage it remained even after Charles' mother tried to pay people to remodel it.
"You alright ?" Sean questioned having walked past the room seeing her looking around at everything in complete silence. She didn't hear him. "Danni?" She jumped slightly turning to look at him, "I asked if you were alright?"
"Yeah I'm fine," She grinned. "Just looking around the place." She turned back to him, "You alright Sean?"
"Totally." He replied flopping down on the couch behind her. "How many times you been in this place then?"
"What the mansion?" She asked as he nodded, "Eh - about five times .. All for different reasons I guess - well now six if you count this." She replied, before looking over her shoulder at him, "Why?"
"Just making conversation," He replied, "You know me - I like chatting."
"Fair enough," She laughed sitting down on the arm chair throwing her legs over the side meaning she could slouch down into it, "His mother used to hate us sitting like this - Raven and I thought it was the comfiest thing in the world but she would always snap 'It's not lady like'" Sean smiled seeing the genuine grin that was on her face. Of course nobody would tell her - but Hank, Sean, Alex and Raven had made it their 'mission' to keep her chatty and happy incase the grief of Darwin overcame her - like it was Alex. "His mother hated me too - I was too boyish."
"You're - apart from Raven - the most feminine woman I know .. Even my mum wasn't as feminine." Sean commented causing her to smile.
"Nah well according to his mother I was too boyish - but hey ho! She wasn't a very nice lady I just liked being here to annoy her even more," She beamed. "Some of the best memories I have are in this mansion."
"Like what ?" Sean pressed leaning forward onto his knees.
"Hmm.. Charles asked me out on our first ever date standing at this fireplace," She smiled. "When I first met him - I was not so much instantly attracted to him but I was very much interested in knowing him - Raven too - so for a year after that I became very good friends with them and ended up flying out with them to meet his mother; can't actually remember the purpose of us flying for like eight hours but I did." She continued not even realising Raven and Charles had stopped at the room door listening. "I fancied him a bit by then," She laughed. "I sound like such a cringy teenager."
"Well you're a cringy twenty-four year old if that makes you feel any better," Sean laughed.
"Fair enough," She smirked. "Yeah but I had spent the full day in that bloody kitchen cooking for his mother and them considering she had just fired the loveliest lady from the kitchen which meant she had nobody to cook for her. She hated being in the kitchen. So I offered but after six hours I was extremely bored so I ended up in here just looking at all of the photos that were on the mantel when cocky-as-anything swept into the room."
"Was I that cocky ?" Charles whispered to Raven who smiled nodding furiously. "Oh.."
"He tried to compliment me on my dress even though it was covered in flour - and eggs - and pretty much everything edible in that kitchen, this went on for a good ten minutes before I called him out on it and asked him what he wanted" She explained, as Sean's gaze flickered over to the pair at the door who were grinning to themselves. "He just kinda shuffled and went I request your attendance on an outing - I just buckled."
"You said yes though right?" Sean asked as Charles and Raven disappeared from the door, Charles grinning ear-to-ear even with the scarlet blush that was across his cheeks.
"Of course I did," She smiled. "Any guy that made that much of an effort deserved it,"
Walking outside; Daniella waved goodbye to Sean before jogging up the stairs that led to the small square of trees where she had promised to meet Hank for his training. She let out a small sigh of relief seeing the tall teen standing with Charles waiting. "Sorry I'm late!" She yelled, causing both of them to turn and look at her.
"No problem at all." Hank smiled.
"So what is it you want me to do then all mighty one?" She asked laughing as Charles rolled his eyes at her.
"Whatever you believe is necessary," He replied making her scowl. "Don't scowl -" He stepped closer to her making Hank blush and turn away, "What would we do if the wind blew too strongly and it stuck like that-" He kissed her cheek making her shiver slightly. He smirked turning back to Hank. "Happy training - I'll be in the bunkers with Alex if you need anything."
"Alright then," She replied shooing him off before turning to Hank who now just looked mildly uncomfortable, "I'm sorry about him," He just shook his head as if he was saying it's fine. "Should we get started?"
"Sure." He replied unsure.
"First; loose your shoes you're not going to need them," She stated as Hank's eyebrows shot straight up but did as she asked and kicked off his trainers. "Now that you've freed your mutation -" She grinned slightly. "Let's go for a run."