He walked more slowly to me, bringing two cups with the drink and probably wondering what words he was going to pronounce. As he handed one of the cups to me, he pulled one of the beanbags to sit in front of me.
"Have u always had this "sharp" intuition and this behavior that is often mistaken for others as "permissibility"? - Looking straight at me and making my breath stop before questioning:
"I didn't imagine that this conversation would be about me… But come on: in my spiritual belief this is called empathy and, well, since I understand myself, I had it… And my behavior has already brought me - as you could witness - a lot of trouble, but never a hairy one…" I took a sip of cappuccino and had to demonstrate how good it was, with a loud "hum" and a deeper sniff inside the cup.
"Actually, it's not just about you, see? ... That kind of "skill" that seems normal or unimportant but that makes up our life is what we call "superhuman" - he also took a sip of your drink.
""Us" who? …" - I questioned, raising an eyebrow and not believing that litany…
"The organization I work for, Li. The same one used to leverage the term 'mutant', see? I also have something of a "super human" and was very surprised that, at the first moment we met, u alluded to something that made total sense and a few hours later you called me a 'superhero', not that I look at me like that, but that's how they painted us in comics, right?"- taking one last big sip and leaning the cup on the floor, expecting some reaction from me.
"Are you telling me you're a mutant, the same one with an adamantium skeleton called Wolverine? You're making fun of me because I said I liked him, is that it?!"- propping the cup on the floor as well, but lifting my body and making a move to turn to the door. "I don't know how sickly it is to play with something like that, mr. James, but I'm leaving, I'm not staying here to see, okay?"
He also stands up, making no move to stop me, but walking behind me and saying, "Adamantium doesn't exist, girl! It was a metal invented for comics and you know it… Think about the basics, think about the possibilities, will you? Give me a chance!"- and stopping following me he completes: "Why would I have all the trouble to support you and defend you and then screw you like that? It's not logical, right?"
Those little words caught my eye: "think the basics."
"The basics I can think of are super keen senses, faster healing, or even bone claws, do you have any of these factors, mr. James? And if so, why would knowing about it be "crucial"?" I stopped going to the door, turning my body toward him, but not moving and crossing my arms.
"Well, the first two items are kind of hard to prove, right? I could tell you still have a little lavender smell in you; that you mumbled words of thanks while sleeping in your room, but realize that they would leave you in the same disbelief, right? For these are things that I could have achieved by other means or even invented; now... The bone claws are something I can show you if u're ready to see. What do you say?"- pointing back to the couch and turning toward the large pillow.
The lavender part surprised me, but as he said, the use of the bathroom is collective and the bath salts are there for everyone to see. If I speak in my sleep, I can never know but believe his word. Now the curiosity that filled my soul as he commented from the claws was almost like a powerful magnet that made me uncross my arms toward the couch without waiting for a second invitation.
I sat down and he stretched his forearm parallel to me, leaving his left hand pointing where the cabin room would be, his other hand resting on his thigh, and then from the metacarpals small sharp points began to appear, not bones but something more like teeth, a white that at first was a little reddened by the skin-breaking blood but then brightened again.
I put my hands to my mouth, mixed with surprise and contentment. Then, instinctively, my right hand went to those claws, he had shown all three points, but only continued to eject the one between the index and middle finger.
"They look like ivory!..." - was what I managed to mumble and he nodded. And then I said, "And they are beautiful!" - looking into his eyes, I could see a slight flush and a nervous smile followed by the claw retraction and deep analysis of how I was, trying to realize beyond my look of surprise with searching eyes. Since I did not remove my right hand from his left hand and draw no reaction, he broke the silence.
"Is everything okay?" - placing his right hand over mine.
"Ar-are you real?... Or am I in those life-imitating dreams?" - looking for some answer in those blue eyes.
"I think u're the first one who doesn't scream, you know? And on top of that, u call them beautiful and say u're in a dream… See how deep down you always knew this could be real? For the same reason you probably have some psychic gift too! I'm very real, and surely, if that were a dream, you'd wake up after this shock, don't u think?" he smiles, patting my hand softly as he speaks.
"What is your real name? What should I call you? And I still don't know what the "cruciality"…"- removing my hand under his and drying both hands on my pants because they were too sweaty!
"That's right in the comic books, my name is James, James Howlett, as you guessed when we met; I don't have codenames, but Jimmy's nickname, so that's up to you. Wolverine and Logan only exist in comics, I feel disappointed…"
I retrieved my cup and finished my cappuccino. My mind had opened a new world that I couldn't, and can't, put into words! Imagine a world where some people really could be heroes or heroines? Where could they make a difference to others by genetic differences that existed in them? Cool!
"As for being crucial u know about me, it was actually trying to get you into this group as well, stating that your empathy and ability to treat people as if you knew them all along are not common and therefore make them you someone like me wouldn't say smaller or bigger, just different, right? To believe you more, trust that sixth sense. From the "little talk" I had with John (and explained what happened during the night) he is going to report to the police early tomorrow and your whole process will go faster so you could be my 'temporary partner' in the search of the being that's scaring the surroundings and apparently killed a person today… I'm very actionable, would need someone more 'sensitive', do you understand me?"- he explained slowly, with a look very "pity" wanting me to accept it all at once.
"Oh, James, I don't know… To participate in something like this, so big… I think it's too much for me, that you are not taking into account my difficulties, finally, you are putting a lot of faith in something I'm not sure I can accomplish… I'm not a mutant, there's no way I can be! .. And I don't know if I can, Jim… Can I call you that?"- I couldn't return his gaze and so I started to look at the back of the cup and I said, "Sorry…" - very softly.
For a few minutes neither of us said anything else, even though my mind kept buzzing, thinking about the possibilities, the capabilities, the fact that I never knew if I didn't try, but I could die trying… Or he would have made sure that I didn't would die? And even if so, how could I believe it? This is really cool! It's a chance for life, to make a difference! Are you going to "yellow" at a time like this, Liura?
It was then that I felt a slight dizziness, until I looked back at James and put my free hand to the side of the body, holding tight to the couch, it was very fast, before a woman's soft and cheerful voice invaded my mind, the same voice that had already told me to be careful:
"Hi Liura! James asked for my help as a way of showing that he wasn't lying to you and here I am. I'm his wife, my name is Rosie, and as you are experiencing, I'm a telepath."- I was stunned by both experience and name, how much did the comic books use from real life?
"It is possible? I said, waiting for an answer from either of them. And they both replied, "Yes, of course!", James added: "If even experiencing this you still find us impostors, I can get someone who walks through walls, or even someone who teleports, Li!..."
"Um… Good morning, Rosie, it's a pleasure to meet you. But after all you showed, can you understand why I find myself totally expendable in all this? You're already a team, you've got it all right and you're the real heroes… I'm just a vacationer!" I commented mentally as I realized that James also got my words in his mind, thanks to Rosie.
The female voice came again, very subtly: "I'll let you talk, Liura… I understand your doubts and I also share some notes, especially the one that says about never knowing if you don't try, girl… But we respect, above of all, your decision… Goodbye!"
"Yeah… u can be right… This is my fault, u know? Whenever I see someone with greater possibilities living a "normal" life, I wonder how much they would like to be able to do differently. If no one comes to you and says that certain attitudes and behaviors are rare, you're going to spend your whole life thinking it's normal to be like that... But something that tells me u're not that kind of person, am I right? "- and he grinned, reaching out and inviting me to get up.
