Chapter 15 - Different Ways To Say 'I Love You'
Breakfast passed pretty quietly, and as it came to a close, James reached over to grab a hold of Chance's arm. "Hey. I gotta make a quick run; why don't you go with me?"
"Checking on Alyssa?" Chance asked with a soft smile. "She doing alright?"
"Picking her up," he admitted. "She's coming over for tonight, then we're headed to her folks' place tomorrow."
"Sure you want a chaperone?" Chance teased.
"Yep," he said, nodding. "Gotta do it, as part of your apology letter."
Chance couldn't help but laugh at that. "When you put it like that, how can I refuse?"
The two of them headed out — after they double checked with Annie and K to make sure that there weren't any last minute things they needed before the big day. Annie made them promise to get back in time so Chance could help with the usual Hale baking, but other than that, no one seemed to have a problem with the boys ducking out, especially since everyone in Westchester liked and approved of Alyssa.
But James had ulterior motives for bringing Chance along. They were only a couple miles down the road before James had to get started. "You know it's not the same, right?"
"What?" Chance asked, a bit blindsided by the question when he'd thought they were just enjoying Christmas traditions.
"My hearing is so good, I could hear your little heart breaking in there," James said. "And it's not the same."
Chance realized quickly what James meant and also realized that his poker face needed some serious work if trying to help take care of K was going to get him in trouble like that. "You're the one who told me to watch Mom and see how miserable she gets."
"I meant it as a worst case scenario. I never thought that Elin would have the same level of misery," James said. "Besides - Mom's doing better than she did last time." He held up a hand. "That … isn't … I'm not trying to scare you off of what you want, okay? I just need to point out that Mom's problems all come from the metal. Watch her. She can keep up with Dad on food intake on a good day — and it all burns off. Because of the metal."
"Okay, but if you knew that, why tell me to keep an eye on her?" Chance asked with a frown. "She is miserable, and I don't want to do that to Elin."
"I … made a mistake on communicating how I wanted you to watch her," James said. "I meant to watch her mood. And actually, she's been doing pretty good. Little speedbump on hearing it's a boy, but … she gets low when there is something she could do to help the team." He frowned. "You were watching her physically. Don't … you can't compare that."
"I was … I'm watching her mood too," Chance defended.
"Okay," James said, nodding before he let out a little sigh. "You know how irritating it is when you're healing, and that little buzz starts up under your skin?"
"Yeah," Chance said. "It's like an itch you can't scratch."
James nodded, his eyebrows raised. "Well … with the metal, it's there most of the time — and she's got it constantly right now. Figure that into her mood."
Chance watched James for a moment and then let his shoulders drop. "Yeah. Okay. That does make sense," he said, sounding much less stressed now that he had an explanation. "I just don't want to hurt your sister, that's all."
"Elin is looking forward to that ridiculous look of awe," James said. He knew, because he could scent it, that his sister was anxious as hell, but he also knew that nothing was going to change her mind and that if Chance got talked into putting his wants on hold for her, she'd take it personally. He would. He'd been listening since Chance had snapped at him for joining the parade of people telling him how to "handle" Elin, and he wasn't happy about any of it, but he wasn't going to make his sister feel like her decisions were being invalidated by people who thought they knew better. He knew how that felt. "Don't back out on things just because you're scared unless you want me to kick your ass," he added, with a touch of growl to his tone, because he was not going to let the two of them get twisted the wrong way after all the work they'd put in just to stay together.
Chance held up both hands. "Hey, I'm not backing out."
"If you thought she was mad when you came back and got after her, try backing out on that. She'll destroy you."
"Yeah, she'd use my head as a football," Chance said.
James turned to look at him as they came to a stoplight. "It'd be a rejection. Why do you think Mom always caves?"
Chance went quiet all the way up until the light went green. "I won't hurt her, James. I swear. That's all I'm doing. I'm just trying to make sure she's okay."
"I know," he said. "And if you did, you'd flog yourself within an inch of your life. It's ugly. Don't … just stop overthinking things."
"I keep trying, but it seems to be hardwired," Chance said dryly.
"I know. Your family doesn't seem to know how to unwind," James said with a frown.
"Mom bakes," Chance pointed out. "Maybe I should take it up."
"I wish like hell that you could smell things the way I do. She's smiling, but she's still anxious."
"Oh, I know. But the baking helps, is what I meant," Chance said. "I think."
"Hitting things helps. Running until you need to take a break to heal just so you can come back helps. I don't see how baking works." He shrugged. "But … to each their own."
"Mom says she feels better when she's creating things. She says it's a way to make a mark on the world."
"Yeah, well. Everytime I try to make something when I'm in a mood, it ends up being something dangerous."
"I usually just end up shooting things," Chance said.
"About that …" James tipped his head. "You might need an upgrade."
Chance broke into a grin at that. "Whatcha got?"
"I thought you were long overdue for lasers."
Chance broke into a laugh. "That'll make me the only one in the family."
"Why not?"
"I love it," Chance said, still grinning.
"Working on upgrading the panic bracelets, too," he said. "I think I can set them up so they'll shock the hell out of someone trying to screw with them. DNA encoded, of course."
"Of course," Chance said, laughing.
When they got to Alyssa's apartment, James tipped his head toward the door. "Now this is why I brought you. Press has backed off a little bit, but they still lose it when I show up."
"Got it. I'll be the willing victim," Chance said with a smirk as he got out of the car, grinning to himself when he saw Alyssa looking relieved to see the lack of a mob at her front door.
"Oh, it's a Christmas miracle," she laughed.
"Thought I'd save you from overdose of drama," he said. "James' idea."
"Such a good tag team, the two of you," she laughed as she locked up. "I hear tomorrow is the big day — welcome back, by the way."
"Thanks," he said with a smile. "It's nice to remember what's what."
"I'm sure," she said, taking a shaky breath. "How nervous should I be about whatever's going on tonight?"
"It's just Christmas Eve. We all get together, Kurt reads the Nativity, there's plenty of sweets all around. The real craziness is on Christmas Day."
"We do all of our stuff Christmas morning," she said. "Then the rest of the day is all … movies and quiet."
"My mom and her sisters and a lot of my cousins make a huge dinner, and there's usually glogg from K and a lot of rampant ridiculousness," Chance said.
"Sounds like a fun time — and a little bit short of Wolverine's birthday."
"A little more family-friendly," he chuckled as they got to the car.
"It worked," James said with a troublemaking smile. "Amazing how something so simple can be devious."
"Story of your life," she said, returning the smile as she slid into the front seat and Chance stretched out in the back.
"Are they backing off on their own?" James asked as they started to head out.
"Actually, they are," Alyssa said. "I think they're tired of not getting any new news."
"Poor bottom feeders."
Alyssa laughed. "Not that sorry."
"Not even a little bit," he agreed, then stole a quick kiss before they turned onto the road. They were a little stretch from the Institute before James decided to give her a fair warning. "So. I'm going to apologize right now for my idiot brother."
"The giant toddler. Not the actual toddler," Chance said with a smirk.
"The little one's smart," James defended. "The little big brother is just … a pain."
"Which one is this one?"
"Akihiro," James said. "Daken."
"The one my mom tangentially blames for Cody getting that tattoo of the Northern Lights," Chance smirked.
"Well … he did kind of open that road, yeah," James said. "And I'm sorry to say he loves that it irks her."
"I'm not at all surprised," Chance said, shaking his head.
"He's just … you know," James said, sighing as they turned into the drive. "If it bothers someone, he loves it."
"Slight step up from supervillain," Chance deadpanned.
"He likes to irritate, but he's warming up to Mom and me, finally," James said. "Just had to nearly die to get him to pull his head out."
"Yeah, don't do that anymore," Chance said.
"That one wasn't my fault," he said.
Chance shrugged. "Still," he said with a smirk. "Keep your head on, huh?"
"I have been," James said, frowning.
"I know. You've even been helping me to keep mine on, too. I'm just picking."
"He's just had to hear that a lot," Alyssa said. "Everyone's been saying it."
"Well, I was gone, so I had to get my one in," Chance said. "Clearly."
"It's fine," James said, though they hadn't gotten out of the car. "Gabby and Laura are here too. I have no idea what they're going to do."
"Oh, wow, the whole family," Alyssa said, her eyebrows high on her forehead.
"Rare gathering," James agreed. "But I doubt they'll stick tight."
Of course, as soon as they arrived to where the rest of the family was gathered, Gabby blew James' reassurance when she was the first to introduce herself. "Alright," she said, clearly sizing Alyssa up. "You're new."
"Be. Nice," James said. "She's been around for a while; you've just been chasing the wrong guys and couldn't pay attention."
"Laura insisted that I needed to learn the fine art of revenge," Gabby said with a sniff before she turned back to Alyssa and gave her an honest grin. "It was fun."
"Oh … okay," Alyssa said with a rather confused smile as she cautiously extended her hand. "I'm Alyssa. Nice to meet you."
"Gabby. I'm James' sister," she said. "The best one, of course. Except for maybe Laura. And Elin. And all of them. We're all pretty awesome."
"Elin. Sadie … Malin …" James said. "But then, I get to see them more than once every … what … three years?"
"Hey, we were around for some of the awful," Gabby defended. "We just had to leave before you were up to snuff. Someone had Laura's DNA. It was fun. We totally filetted him."
"I didn't see you, didn't count," James said.
Gabby reached over to hit him in the arm and then jerked her head toward the living room. "Lily is bossing Akihiro around. You should come see. It's hilarious."
"Has Noh seen Ariel snuggling him yet? Because that would be hilarious."
Gabby leaned forward with a twinkle in her eyes. "No one knows what happened. One minute, she was snuggling him, and the next, there was no Ariel or Noh and then Krissy said they were spending Christmas Eve in the Caribbean."
James smiled softly at that. "Mystery. Are they going to be back tomorrow — or better yet, did you get pictures?"
"Um, your mom got a few. She said it was important," Gabby said.
"Perfect," he said before he offered Alyssa his hand. "Let's go watch the circus."
"I'll let you lead the way," Alyssa said with a confused sort of expression, though she couldn't help but be amused when she saw the blonde sitting on top of Daken, nose to nose with him as she questioned him about everything.
"Can you go after someone else?" Daken said with a falsely severe look at her.
"No, I see them all the time," Lily said. "Your tattoo isn't as pretty as Jana's or Cody's. It's just there."
"I like it," Daken told her.
"It needs color. It's boring," she said.
"It does not need color," he argued.
"It needs red," she said.
"No. Black is fine."
"No, it needs red," Lily said, finally removing her nose from his to poke his arm. "It's too boring."
He rolled his eyes and let out a sigh as his only warning before he simply stood up with her hanging off of him. "I like it black. It will stay black."
"It shows the world how dark and broody he is," James said.
"My mom says that if you have to tell people that, then you're not very scary," Lily said. "They should just know."
"That's entirely true," James agreed.
"My mama says you can be su-u-u-u-per scary in a pretty purple dress if you do it right," Chelsea chimed in, in her attempt to help her best friend.
James turned to smile at Alyssa with a little tip of his head that clearly indicated that this was their entertainment for the moment. "Girls … maybe you should color if Akihiro can't take it," he said, watching for the glare.
"See?" Lily said, gesturing to James. "You gotta have color."
"I'll bet Kari would let you borrow some sharpies if you want to color Akihiro instead of a coloring book," James said, smiling crookedly.
Chelsea beamed. "Ooooh. Yes. My sister has lots of stuff we can steal!" she said, grabbing Lily's hand. "John, you wanna color Aky-hero?"
John looked over at Chelsea, then to his oldest brother, and then slowly started to shake his head. "No-o-o-o," he said, which at least got Daken to pick him up.
Chelsea shrugged. "Okay. He's your brother," she said, skipping off with Lily to go get Sharpies.
"You're a terrible, horrible, and worthless brother," Daken said to James before he sat down and John climbed down again.
"Maybe. But I'm still smarter, faster, and better looking," James said with a little smirk. He snapped his fingers. "And taller."
While the two oldest Howlett boys were picking back and forth, across the living room, John had decided to go play with Chance and Elin, since they were both reliable to play with, and he hadn't seen Chance in forever.
Chance grinned at John and picked him up to immediately start tickling him. "Hey, little man, you miss me?" he teased.
"Uh-huh," he said, snuggling in for a hug.
"He's been scamming hugs all morning," Elin said. "You can just tickle him and let him move to the next victim, too."
Chance smirked at Elin and shook his head lightly, doubling down on his snuggle with John with a troublemaking look on his face.
She had to laugh at him. "If you insist," she said. "Do you want anything from the kitchen? I'm going for more tea."
Chance shook his head again, grinning at her before he simply leaned over to kiss her cheek and then went back to snuggling John, making it perfectly clear that he was exactly where he wanted to be.
Elin let out a sigh and got up, though she at least extended her offer to Alyssa, James, and Daken — though James and Daken were picking back and forth at light speed by that time, and amazingly, Gabby and Alyssa were in near tears laughing as the two of them went back and forth.
When Elin came back, John was in the middle of ditching Chance in favor of Chelsea and Lily - who were waving handfuls of markers in their hands as they rushed toward Daken. Elin started to laugh as she sat down again. "I feel like we should help him. Before he snaps."
Chance just chuckled and shook his head, complete with a scrunched up nose as he pulled her into a hug and then started to pepper her with little kisses.
She started to grin at him and tried to shift a little in his arms. "Are you okay?"
Chance nodded where she could see his response and then went back to kissing her, smirking to himself the whole time.
"Are you sure? Because I think you might need to see Hank for head trauma."
But at that, Chance laughed and then simply pressed a finger to her lips for a moment, grinned, and then kissed her there, right around his finger before he removed it for a more involved kiss. She kept telling him "less words," after all, and he had to make up for yelling.
"If that's your game, we should go somewhere more private," she laughed.
Which really just got Chance to laugh and wordlessly pick her up, letting her readjust a bit before he started to carry her off, still keeping his silence the whole time and grinning at her as they slipped out, leaving the rest of the Howletts to watch Lily and Chelsea climbing Daken for their self-appointed art project.
The real fun wasn't until Christmas day anyhow. And it started with both of the Summers boys getting up early to start the prep work for Annie and the incoming Hale sisters.
Chance grinned when he saw Cody — and the new tattoo that he just had finished, this time running down his forearm. It was clearly Kari's rendering of the institute, in stunning detail. "Didn't see that with the Christmas sweater you had on yesterday," he said with a smirk. "I like it."
Cody shrugged. "I liked it. Mom asked me to bring back the sweater for later, though."
"For pictures, yeah," Chance said, nodding as they got out the mixing bowls and spoons. "Merry Christmas, by the way."
"Merry Christmas to you too. No time for shopping this year, sadly," Cody said with a smirk.
"Yeah, I sort of missed the weeks leading up, huh?" Chance said, wincing an eye shut.
"I'm sure no one will notice," Cody said.
"Elin got presents and signed them from both of us," Chance admitted. "I love that woman."
"I hope so," he replied. "She's been something else with you gone. Missions were a little more … vicious, from what I was told."
"Yeah, I'll try not to subject you guys to that anymore," Chance smirked.
"It's not for me," he said, shaking his head. "I'm not there. But Kaleb had a hard time when it came to Elin with James backing her up."
"Still not on the team, then?" Chance said, raising an eyebrow. "You're slacking off, Codes."
"You just want to outnumber them again."
"Nah, just miss my brother," Chance said, reaching over to hit Cody in the shoulder. "Mom said you were talking to Miss Daisy about EMT classes while I was gone."
"I know that stuff more than other things," Cody said, looking self-conscious with one hand on the back of his neck.
"Hey, as team leader, I'd love to have a field medic while Gerry finishes school — and beyond," Chance pointed out. "But I gotta ask: is it your idea or just because Sinister pushed you that way?"
Cody took a long time to find the right way to explain it. "A little bit of both," he replied slowly. "It's useful. And it makes sense. Besides, I'm not sure I want to do a lot of the stuff I was doing before."
"The blowing things up or the playing pranks on everyone?" Chance asked. "Because last time I talked to Krissy, she said Zoe was complaining about her lack of a partner in crime."
Cody had to smirk at that. "It's just not the same as it was. I know that you know how that feels."
Chance nodded. "Yeah, I get that entirely." He put a hand on Cody's shoulder. "But you know, I'm your big brother. Even if you're taller than me now. It's pretty much written in the rulebook that I have to make sure you're doing okay."
"You should explain that to Daken and James," he said. "I get it."
"And hey, good luck with the EMT course," Chance said. "Since I didn't get to tell you that earlier."
He waved his hand. "It's a matter of showing up at this point. It's not like I don't know it already."
"Nice to learn it the right way though," Chance said. "That's what Gerry says anyway."
"I hope it's something I can apply. Especially since it seems like the only ones really getting hurt are the ones that heal anyhow," he said, giving Chance a sharp look. "Hard to make use of painkillers when the people you'd use them on burn through them before they're effective."
Chance smirked and held his hands up. "Hey, if nothing else, I know you'll be more used by the time you finish the classes - it's not like the junior squad members are the end of the X-Men. I bet America Chavez's little boy will bust himself up all over the place when he joins up. And he will."
How's that going by the way? Cody projected. It's not like you're subtle with wanting to start the next generation.
Chance paused and looked up at his brother for a moment before he shook his head. Well, missing the better part of a month didn't do us any favors. Hopefully, you'll be an uncle next year, though. Depends on how Elin wants to do things.
No pressure, Cody said, though his mental voice was clearly smiling.
Like I've ever been good at patience.
You could always ask your big brother ….
Nate just smirks at me when he catches me thinking about it. No idea what that means.
So you've already tried is what you're saying, Cody replied.
Didn't have to. He just started giving me this look over Christmas Eve dinner when I was sitting with Elin.
I did say you weren't subtle. Cody thought about it for a moment. But she is.
Chance just had to laugh to himself. Yeah, she is.
She was pretty miserable without you, you know.
I know. I'm trying to make it up to her, Chance said.
With the silent treatment?
She keeps telling me to shut up and use actions, not words, Chance said with a smirk.
But that actually got a laugh out of Cody — and more or less ended the little discussion. Especially when their Aunt Rachel stopped on hearing the laugh and gave them both a dry look.
"Hey, Aunt Rachel," Chance said. "We've got the kitchen warmed up for you."
"I hope so. As I understand it, you've been volunteered to do all the dishes today," Rachel said.
Chance groaned. "Of course."
The Hale sisters are in agreement, and you're in trouble, Cody projected. Someone with toe shoes tipped them off that you yelled at your wife.
Ah. Chance nodded to himself. Yeah. I'm definitely in trouble, then.
They are, of course, forgetting that she could twist you into a pretzel if she really wanted to.
I'm pretty sure it's the principle of the matter. Chance smirked to himself as the other Hales started to take over the kitchen. Merry Christmas. Here comes the rush.
James had made sure that Alyssa got to her family get-together in plenty of time — though he wasn't expecting to be pulled into it with her. Her big sister, Kelly, did turn bright red, though, when James slipped Alyssa the new equipment he'd worked up for her — complete with controls that she could operate from her interview chair.
Alyssa let out a little laugh that was equal parts thrilled and self-conscious before she kissed him for it too. "You are too thoughtful."
"That's the semi-gag gift. I was working on it before that whole fiasco happened anyhow," James said before he gave her a bracelet box that held a silver and blue topaz tennis bracelet. "Nothing too crazy."
At that, she halfway melted into him and then kissed him all over again. "And here I just got you a whole bunch of new shirts."
"I can use them," he said with a smile as he rested his arm around her shoulders and let her get comfortable. "And I don't need much else anyhow. They're perfect. Thank you."
"Merry Christmas."
The dinner at the Institute wasn't set to happen for a few hours still, and Sadie had been spending all of her time in the dance room preparing for the upcoming show, so she wasn't expecting it when her little sister came in with a beautifully wrapped box in her hands. "You didn't open this earlier, and it was on your bed," Malin said.
"Who's it from?" Sadie asked, stepping over carefully to see what in the world had ended up on her bed, of all places.
"Doesn't say, but … it's very pretty. And kind of heavy. So." Malin shrugged.
Sadie smirked, wondering for a moment if it was something that Kaleb had done — it certainly sounded like a move he'd make, anyhow. Just as a final word on the Christmas gift-giving that they'd been doing over the past few days, one upping each other all the way down the line.
She sat down almost on the spot, cross-legged on the dance room floor, then unwrapped the package to find a velvet box that was almost the size of a shirt box. She frowned at that, totally at a loss as to what in the world it would be — until she cracked it open to find the most elaborately beautiful set of platinum and diamonds in a fine lacework design she'd ever seen. It was nothing like she was expecting — and it certainly was over the top …
And then, she saw the handwritten card that was barely sticking out from the bottom half of the box. She picked it up and almost cautiously opened it, only to hold her breath on seeing the message.
Merry Christmas, Sadie. Since you're going to be a Queen, I thought it was only right for you to look the part. -Howard
For a long moment, she didn't even breathe as she stared at the note, but when she got her breath, it was all at once. She locked her jaw and narrowed her eyes, with a bright blush on her cheeks as her chest heaved. Sadie snapped the box shut, crumpled the note in her hand, and then set her mind on dealing with this. Right now.
She didn't make it too far away from the dance room before she found a bamf that wasn't too liquored up — but considering that he was in the group that had been stealing bits of food out from under the Hale sisters' noses, she wasn't surprised at that. "I need to have you take me to the Starks. Right now," she growled out.
The little guy stood up a little straighter when he heard the growl and very quickly teleported her off to the tower, looking wide-eyed as she stalked off as soon as her feet hit the ground.
She followed the scent trail that she found, not even caring how new it was, until she found Howard — with his father, of course, not that she was going to let that slow her down. She made her way right up to him and shoved the box at him. "What the hell is this supposed to be?"
Howard looked obviously off his guard and took a slight step back with his eyes wide. "A Christmas present!" he said quickly.
"Too far over the top, to the point of being incredibly inappropriate," she said, her eyes flashing. "I know what you're trying to do. And you're pissing me off."
"I'm trying to do what I said I would!" Howard shot back. "I said I'd throw my all into it, didn't I?"
"I'm dating Kaleb right now!" she said, looking entirely frustrated — though it was lost a bit, since she hadn't changed out of her ballet gear.
"And have you ever seen me step in between you two? I haven't broken up even a second you two are together," Howard insisted. "I've been hands-off!"
"Then what would you call this?" she said, putting her hands on her hips.
"I call it a token of affection," Howard said. "A reminder that I'm right here if you ever decide you don't want to date Kaleb. But I have never stepped into any time with you two. Ever."
She took a step forward with a growl. "Well, let me spell it out for you then," she said. "This doesn't feel much like a token of affection. It feels like a bribe. And I'm not going to be bought."
Howard's eyes were wide. "I didn't — you're not that kind of—" he stammered out. "I just wanted to impress you."
"You were doing a lot better just showing up and being sweet," Sadie said before she took a step back and then glanced up at Tony. She didn't say anything else until she was halfway across the room. "Merry Christmas."
As she turned back the way she came, she let out a shrill whistle for the bamf to catch up. And quick.
Howard was still holding the box when Sadie teleported away, simply staring at the spot she'd disappeared before he let his shoulders drop and opened the box to look at the necklace and earrings.
Tony didn't say a word at first, just tactfully looking the other way, until Howard tried to begin to explain. And then, he held up a hand before the young man could start. "No need. I get it."
"What she said — I wasn't trying to buy anything—"
"Oh, I know," Tony said, nodding. "With just about any other kind of girl in the world, that would have caught her attention. But that …" He tipped his glass toward where Sadie had disappeared. "That girl is so much like her mother it's painful."
"I won't do it again," Howard said, shaking his head.
"Not until you get her back anyhow," Tony said with a smirk.
"I'm not giving up until she's wearing a ring," Howard swore. "But until that happens, I'm going to make sure she knows I'm waiting for her."
Tony looked shocked for just a moment then simply went back to his drink. "Tall order. Going to have to just give her what she wants then, hmm?"
"I'm the one who left," Howard said. "I have to keep my game up to get her back."
"So … give her what she wants then," Tony said reasonably. "She didn't tell you to stay away, I noticed."
"Yeah. Showing up and being sweet. I got that part," Howard said, the smile widening with every word. "I can do that."
The two of them shared a little look and Tony couldn't help but grin. "Good luck."
And that does it for this volume … finally. Keep your eyes open for the next installment - "A Girl and Her Kree" which can be found on robbiepoo2341's profile. Show her some love and join us in space!
