I wanted to write about the X-Men, especially since I saw X-Men: Dark Phenix. I loved this movie. The big flaw I find in the movie is its duration. It is too short, which prevents the characters or certain scenes from being well developed.
What I liked most was the relationship between Charles and Jean, so I write drabbles (or prompts?) focused around these two characters, with of course a bit of Erik and the others because how could I not include them? The drabbles mostly take place after X-Men Apocalypse and before – or during – Dark Phoenix (I try to do them in an order roughly chronological).
And I remind you that English is not my native language, so I apologize in advance for all errors in this text (and sorry if I confuse English and American, I have trouble with that).
Pieces of memory
Silent conversation
"Hank seems stressed."
"No, he's not."
Jean raised an eyebrow at Charles, across the table.
"Really?"
Charles looked at Hank who, in front of the X-Men team, mumbled awkwardly trying to give a clear explanation.
"Okay. Maybe he's nervous." Charles smirked. "It's the first time he manages a meeting, after all."
"Isn't it rather because Raven is next to him and he wants to impress her?"
Charles winced, which made Jean smile. He was still uncomfortable with his sister's romantic relationship – although he didn't disapprove of it – and it was fun to watch.
"Jean."
"What? We both know this is the real reason."
"I-"
A clearing of the throat interrupted them.
"Jean? Charles?" Raven called them, with a disapproving tone. "Do you have something to share with the team?"
Charles and Jean stared at each other.
"Nothing." They said with big innocent eyes.
"So stop talk telepathically and concentrate."
"Yes, ma'am."
But as soon as she had her back turned…
"How did she know?"
"No idea, Jean. I think Raven has a sixth sense."
"Maybe by living with a telepath as a brother?"
Charles smiled.
"Maybe."
.
Someone dangerous
Erik felt like he was the only one to notice and worry about it. He had seen what she was capable and he did not want this to end up causing harm to Charles or Raven.
"Be careful with this girl, Charles."
"Jean?" Charles frowned. "Why?"
"Because she is unstable."
He regretted his choice of words he saw Charles scowl, ready to defend his protégée – Erik could not blame him: he would have done the same for those he loves.
"You read minds now, Erik?"
"No. No need to understand that this kid has a lot to externalize. Have you seen her powers? It would suffice if she was too upset by something to go wrong."
Charles smiled. "It reminds me someone."
Erik looked up to heaven. Okay, he was giving up. He turned to leave when he heard Charles add:
"And his person, no matter how much people said he was dangerous, never disappointed me or let me down. So… I'm don't worry about Jean."
Erik laughed.
"I hope you're right, professor."
.
It stays between us
"So… you have an appointment?"
Charles raised an eyebrow at Jean. It was not what he expected them to discuss when she had come his office to sit on the sofa.
"How do you know about this, Jean?"
"You've been thinking about it all afternoon."
"You have read my mind?"
Jean nodded her head uncomfortable. "I… I never thought to ask you if you were okay with that. It's just that your mind is much more peaceful than mine, so I prefer to focus on it. You… You want me to stop?"
"No! Of course not." Charles said hurriedly in a reassuring tone. "You and I know better than anyone how difficult the mind can be for a telepath. If that helps you, do it. I'm just asking you to keep what you learn to yourself, okay?"
"Okay." Jean smiled. "Thanks. And have a good evening with Erik."
Charles blinked. "What? How…?"
"No need to read minds to know that it's with him you have an appointment."
Charles looked like he was about to say something but relented and just stared at her.
"Not a word to anyone, right?"
"I promise."
.
The right time
"No, this is not the right time."
Everyone around Peter sighed. After all these months, the boy still refused to tell Erik about this ''big secret'' – as he was not as good as he thought at pretending, his friends quickly understood his connection to him – when he was passing by at school – mainly to visit Charles, because he too was very bad at pretending to happen by chance in the area.
"The right time for what?" Erik asked, approaching them.
They froze. Even if Erik was a friend – and more – of Charles, he was still Magneto to them, and that tended to intimidate them. Ororo and Scott stammered, Kurt's eyes widened and Peter stood there awkwardly. Only Jean allowed herself to smile amused and looked him straight in the eyes.
Erik stared at her before looking at Peter.
"Do you have something important to tell me, kid?"
"Jean!" Peter exclaimed. "Did you talk to him by telepathy?"
"You needed a helping hand." She defended herself. "We'll let you two talk in peace."
"Good idea!" the others approved and quickly fled.
"Good luck with your father, Peter."
"Get out of my head, Jean!"
He heard her laugh before finding himself alone with Erik…
.
Parenthood and relationship (Part 1)
If Charles and Erik had one thing in common, it was their overprotective attitude towards their children.
"They are very close to each other." Erik commented.
Charles nodded. Not far from them, sitting on the grass, Jean and Wanda were talking with happy faces.
"It's true." He finally said. "You think this is a bad thing?"
"No but…"
Erik fell silent for a moment before looking at Charles cautiously.
"She's my daughter, Charles. I have already lost my family, I don't want that happen again with Peter and Wanda."
"They don't risk anything, Erik. I know you're afraid but you have to let them stand on their own feet."
"How can you understand what I feel?"
Charles smiled.
"Because I consider Jean as my daughter. Of course I understand."
Erik hummed absently, thoughtful. Then he added:
"If she breaks Wanda's heart, she will pay dearly – even if she's your child."
Charles laughed.
"It seems to me that I must give you the same warning, my old friend."
.
Parenthood and relationship (Part 2)
"You seem happier than usual, Jean."
Hearing Charles' voice in her mind did not surprise her. Talking telepathically while watching some ridiculous show on the television with others had become a habit for both of them. Peter and Scott were laughing out loud while Ororo and Kurt did not understand the joke.
Not the best time for a telepathic conversation.
"It's thanks to Wanda?"
Jean blushed. Really not a good time for this. She expected it though: she had spent the last few hours thinking about Wanda. It was impossible that Charles hadn't noticed.
She shrugged her shoulders as casually as possible.
"She's nice. We get along well because of… you know, our powers. It's nice to be able to tell someone about it."
He nodded.
"I understand. But…"
She glanced at Charles, who was smiling.
"Be careful with Erik around. He's a bit overprotective."
She didn't doubt it: she had already noticed how he treated Peter now that he knew he was his son. Sometimes she heard Peter regret having revealed the truth to his father, because he was not used to having such parental authority in his life anymore.
"I'm not afraid of your boyfriend, professor."
She smirked as she watched Charles' face fall apart. Did he and Erik believe that Jean and Wanda were blind? Of course they had spoken of the special relationship of their guardians.
"M-My what?" Charles stammered.
Oh god, he was as bad as her when it came to pretending. At least she knew who she got it from.
From where he was sitting on the sofa, Peter leaned back and looked at them with mistrust.
"What are you talking about?"
"Nothing!" They said at the same time.
No, it really was not a good time to have these kinds of telepathic conversations.
.
Nightmare
As long as she can remember, she had nightmares. She would like its to stop, at least to no longer disturb anyone by making the whole mansion tremble.
She feared that one day people would get weary of her because of it. Unfortunately, this fear only accentuated her nightmares.
"Jean?"
Her heart was beating fast.
"Wake up, Jean."
No matter how hard she tried to free herself from it, her demons clung to her.
"Jean!"
And as always, Charles's voice echoed in her mind and freed her from her nightmare. He was sitting on the edge of her bed and holding her hand.
"It was just a dream, Jean. You're safe."
He smiled reassuringly at her and she allowed herself to believe him. He reminded her that he would never abandon her.
They were interrupted in that moment of peace when the door suddenly open.
"Everything all right, kiddo?" Erik exclaimed, all out breath.
"It's all right, Erik" Charles said before smiling. "Were you… worried?"
Erik blinked and put on a straight face.
"No."
Charles chuckled and leaned toward Jean.
"He was worried about you."
Jean smiled.
"Hey! What are you telling her, Charles?"
They laughed.
.
Protect from the truth
"What did you do?"
"I protected her."
"From the truth? There's another word for that."
Charles did not answer. Lie? It was the word she meant?
Raven could say that he was wrong, but how could he tell the truth to Jean? Explain to a child who had just lost her mother that her father – her real father… – did not want to see her because he considered her responsible for this tragedy, because he was afraid of her and her powers? That she was, according to him, a lost cause?
No, it as not fair. Charles was perhaps not worthy to be the father of Jean, but Mr. Gray either – but that, Raven couldn't understand without seeing it with her own eyes.
That is why Charles was afraid of what they would find when they will arrive.
Jean was going to be hurt by the truth, without Charles being able to stop it.
.
Without a family
Erik should have helped her. Charles always said that Erik helped others when needed. Was this another of the lies of his teacher and mentor? She wanted to believe so but was starting to doubt it.
Maybe she was the problem. This would explain why Charles lied to her, why Erik refused to help and why Raven was dead.
She had no home. That's was she told Scott and the others. She had been angry about it at first but now… it was probably better that way.
She did not know what that power was in her but wanted it to go away. It made her feel alive but hurt everything around her and finally, all those emotions swirling inside her threatened to devour her.
She had no idea how to get out of it and now understood why Charles drank so much: it helped to make disappear all he felt.
She needed a drink.
.
Charles
"Jean!"
It was on Charles her gaze lingered.
He looked worried, desperate. As if he knew what she was about to do. Jean could feel her determination falter but, paradoxically, was even more ready to put an end once and all and protect her friends, her family.
Yet there were so many things she wanted to tell him. That she was sorry – so sorry – for Raven's death, that she forgave him for lying to her – even though she had already told him earlier in the train –, that she was grateful for everything he had given her. To having had a home.
But there was no time for that. So, she just looked at him, hoping he understands.
"Thanks for all, professor."
.
Goodbye
She was here, smiling at him. He could not smile back at her and just stared at her.
She tilted her head, confused.
"You look sad, professor" She noticed.
"I am" he replied softly.
Because he knew it was not real. It was not Jean who was standing in front of him but her memory. Jean was dead, at least by the physical standards of this world.
Charles preferred to think that Jean was free, whatever that meant.
"I'm sorry" He apologized. "I shouldn't have been keeping the truth from you."
Maybe things would have turned out differently if I hadn't been lying to you.
Jean shook her head.
"You can't change what happened, professor." She said. "People are counting on you. You have to move on."
"I know but…"
He briefly closed his eyes. Why did his mind decide to torture him like this?
"And you?" He finally asked.
She smiles at him again.
"I'm fine now."
He nodded. He had to go. He knew it, but that didn't make those goodbyes any less painful. He took a deep breath and finally said the words that had been eating him up from the inside lately.
"Goodbye, Jean."
They looked at each other one last time and Jean's voice echoed vaguely in his ears, but still in that tone she only addressed to him as if they were partners in crime.
"Goodbye, professor."
When Charles blinked, he was back in the darkness of his room. It was night and the mansion had never been so quiet, without Raven or Jean.
.
Forgive himself
Erik was losing but he did not really care about this game of chess. He had not come to Paris for that but to boost Charles's morale.
"I understand what you feel, Charles. The loss of a child is a pain you never really get over it. But you need to move forward. For Jean, and all the others who are still here. Raven wouldn't want you sitting around moping."
"Are you sure? She would rather say that I deserve it. She disapproved of what I had done to Jean."
"Maybe but you did what you thought was the best to protect a lost little girl, even if you were wrong. Hank told me that Raven tried to raison with Jean before she… died. It's what you did throughout the incident with Jean, when she herself didn't believe she was the same person as before. Raven would have understood that and forgiven you, as Jean did. Because someone taught them that it's not our mistakes that define us."
Charles smiled and put down his chess piece.
"I win." He said before raising his glass. "For Raven and Jean."
Erik raised his glass. "For them… and for us."
Jean had offered them a future. It was up to them to ensure that her sacrifice was not in vain.
Yes, Parenthood and relationship is a AU. Because in X-Men Alternate Timeline Peter is alone and in the MCU, Wanda is alone after the death of her brother. You finds the reason you want (Thanos, portals between dimensions, the same world…) but they find each other and officially become Erik's children (and Wanda meets Jean because it would be very interesting).