Yeah, I know the last chapters seem rushed...it's something I'm not very happy about but way too lazy to fix, so...sorry? hahaha well I'm trying to slow it down a little. I just so EXCITED! But this chapter is a little slower.
Also, some of you probably totally just think it's rushed because you're migrating from my significantly better-written story 'The Lion and the Wolf' hahaha YES I READ EVERY REVIEW! sometimes several times..._
I just...I really like reviews is all :)
and also Magneto lied to Storm about his parents. He couldn't tell her they were killed in WWII when he's supposed to be like 25-30.
Sabine lay facedown on her bed, trying to suffocate herself in her pillow. No one suspected yet that their young new professor was in fact a war criminal of epic proportions, and she couldn't decide if that was a good or a bad thing.
Detention…another night with him, thought Sabine, shuddering a little. She couldn't deny how much this man scared her. She dreaded the thought of walking into his office and doing whatever penance he felt necessary.
Somebody knocked at her door, probably Logan to make sure she was still there, but she just threw a book at it. It was locked, as was her right, but her minimal response seemed to be enough for the perpetually irritable new professor. He left her alone.
She watched the sun sink, tried not to think about her Economics test. She wondered how lunch the next day would go with James, whether or not he'd be nicer to her. The sun sank lower in the sky, and she was so tired from her more recent lack of sleep. Her eyelashes fluttered once or twice in the cool evening breeze, and the snugness of her blankets lured her quickly to sleep.
She couldn't have heard her own lock click open. Footsteps sounded softly against her floor, and she dozed away innocently in her own bed.
"Running a little late, Miss York?" came the soft voice, and Sabine jerked suddenly and unpleasantly into the waking world. She gasped, rolling away from the looming figure beside her bed. It was quite late; the glowing face of her clock told her it was nearly eleven.
"Holy shit!" she gasped in shock, still staring up at him. Then she blinked a few times and corrected herself. "My apologies. Holy shit, sir!" Her initial guilt and surprise had faded into anger. "What the fuck are you doing in my room in the middle of the night?"
"Reminding my student that she missed an appointment with me," he said dryly. "An appointment that is, apparently, more important than I had thought." Sabine sat up, pulling her hair back into a tangled ponytail.
"You broke into my room!" she snarled, standing and moving away from him. "I'm sorry! I fell asleep! You're supposed to yell at me about it tomorrow, not come into my room at night!" She didn't know where to go; she couldn't be chased from her own room, wearing only a long t-shirt, and she didn't want to be too close to Erik either. He stalked a little bit nearer, but seemed content to keep his distance.
"I'm sorry, I had thought we were friends," he said evenly. "I wanted to see you tonight."
"So you gave me detention?" ground Sabine through tightly clenched teeth. "We're not friends, I already told you! Why can't you behave?" Her voice turned imploring, but his expression was not serious enough to acknowledge it.
"You're the one skipping out on detention," he replied, stepping closer. "And we're not friends? Is it because I don't play chess with you anymore?" She gave him a threatening look, but he did not seem afraid of her. He moved even closer, and there was something dangerous in the look he returned to her.
"It's because you do creepy things like sneak into my room," she said angrily, backed against the wall again. But she didn't want another night like the one before. Her hands came up, and he paused inches from them. "Don't! I'll change you back, I don't care!" It wasn't entirely a lie; though it would bother her endlessly to use her powers again, it would be to return things to the way they had been.
But he chuckled darkly as his hands raised to fasten onto her wrists. Her breath gasped in, but before she could even think about using her powers, her tongue suddenly pressed to the top of her mouth.
"Yes, you see I never noticed your tongue piercing before tonight, Sabine," he said smoothly, and she was hit with the horrible realization. "It's because you haven't worn it around me before, of course. But for whatever reason you wore it today, and it's awfully convenient. I'd say it could be incredibly kinky, too, but we are simply friends. Aren't we?"
Sabine couldn't speak, but she nodded in defeat. Without her power she was helpless, and she cursed herself for forgetting about his. But she'd been so worried that the piercing was filling in, and had unwittingly elected to risk wearing it that day, despite the fact that it was against the rules.
He slowly backed away to a safe distance before releasing the stainless steel stud in her mouth. She caught her breath, relieved that he had done nothing to her.
"Sabine, you see, I'd like us to be friends," he told her. "I like you. You've got character, or something. I'm very interested in unlocking your true potential, of course, and I'm still waiting to hear whether or not you're on my side."
He turned to leave, not very concerned with her lack of response. But, before he left, he threw her a bold wink.
"And leave the tongue ring in. Maybe we'll find a use for it later."
"You really think we should start limiting the student applications like that?"
Storm and the other professors stared at the young man, surprised at his proposal but also intrigued. They listened patiently to his argument.
"Well, the problem is that the building simply isn't large enough," said Erik Lehnsherr calmly, pulling out the papers he'd been working out. "We'd have to make another branch, and to be honest, the more money we take to make the school bigger, the less time we can keep it running. Charles Xavier left his fortune to the school; he made it open to all mutants, regardless of financial standing. And so, with the growing student body, we have to make a choice. Either we begin to charge the students, or we make the school smaller to stretch out the remaining funding."
"I agree," said Professor Jay, his brow furrowed. "Some of the less-threatening mutants can get along fine in the normal world, such as those with less dynamic talents. But then there are those who simply cannot adjust, for example Rogue, who needs to learn whether or not she can contain her power."
"But we don't discriminate here, I thought that was the point," said Logan hotly, remembering his first time in the school as a place of sanctuary.
"Logan's right, Professor Xavier funded this school as a place of acceptance and safety. We go against his beliefs by turning away any mutant who wants to come here." The staff nodded for the most part; a few shook their heads.
"But we must be realistic," chipped in the quiet young mathematics professor. Erik didn't know what her powers were, but something about her pale eyes unnerved him a little bit. "Professor Lehnsherr is right in that we need to be careful where we throw the money. The better we take care of a few, potentially dangerous mutants than many already well-adjusted ones!
"We have to build a new dormitory," said Storm firmly, her dark eyes moving from face to face. Erik sat back impassively, listening to what she had to say. "We'll make do somehow, we'll ask for donations from the graduates or the students or the government…but we'll make do. I will never turn away a student who is hungry for knowledge."
"Bravo, Headmaster," called Erik boldly, clapping his hands together. Storm's eyes narrowed as she tried to tell if he was mocking her. "Very moving. Well, you've moved me. I'd like to take this moment to tell you that I've thought about this issue, and your argument has me convinced. I'm donating ten million dollars to this school, on the grounds that it is used to build new facilities and any spare money is used to prolong the life of this generous, beneficial school."
The staff stared at him for a full ten seconds in absolute silence. Then, laughter and applause broke out. Logan stepped forward to shake his hand, and Storm laughed and clapped him on the back.
"Where did you get ten million dollars?" she asked, aghast. He smiled and shrugged.
"Inheritance, mostly. My godfather left me a rather large fortune when he died." It wasn't true, of course. Erik still had millions saved in banks all over the world, under various names from his earlier conquests. This was a good chunk out of it, but in good time it would pay him back he knew.
"Thank you. It's very generous of you," Storm told him seriously, her dark eyes bright with humor. Erik had been the one to convince her to hold the meeting; she saw now that it was a ruse, to pull everyone together and tell them. It was a good one, too; everybody was in a cheerful mood, shaking hands and chuckling at the joke.
"Think nothing of it."
Sabine waited for James by the fountain, wondering if he was standing her up. She sighed. It didn't really matter; she couldn't like him less. She didn't even know why she came anyways.
But there he was, walking towards her. She smiled a little and stood up. He was a good looking enough guy; tall and lanky, with soft brown curls and blue eyes. He was at the school because he could reflect and redirect energy impact. He'd been popular with boys like Bobby and Johnny, who enjoyed shooting ice and fire balls at him and watching them ricochet away.
She smiled as he walked up to her.
"Hey, ready to go?" he asked nicely, offering her his arm. Enjoying the sensation of courtesy, she accepted it. They walked towards the town together.
Sabine had remembered to ask Storm if it was alright; she was being careful not to do anything wrong, now that she'd gotten away with something horrendous. The headmaster hadn't suspected her of a thing. She had smiled and wished her luck on her date. With Sabine keeping her head down, Storm was more likely to be lenient on her own rule.
"Huh, I never knew you had a tongue piercing!" came James's voice through her thoughts. She started, and then managed a smile. "Aren't those against the rules?"
"I forgot I'd left it in," lied Sabine. She didn't know why she hadn't taken it out; it put her at a horrendous disadvantage to Erik's control over metal. But, at the same time, maybe he'd lay down his aggression if she came to him 'unarmed.' Liar…you left it because he likes it.
"So, Sabine, where are you from again?" he asked her, and, still thinking about Erik, she suddenly felt tired of games. She turned and faced James, her expression serious.
"James, why did you ask me out again?" she asked him, as blunt as she could possibly be. He gaped at her, but she didn't back down. She was really, really tired of being played with, and she wanted to make sure he was serious about whatever inclination made him ask her out.
"I…I just," he stammered, and she wondered if she had scared him. "I just wanted to know if you were good friends with Kitty Pryde! She's in my Thermodynamics course, and I think she seems really nice!"
Sabine huffed a breath as the truth came pouring out of James McMavern. Of course he liked Kitty. Everybody liked Kitty, the cute, quirky girl who loved popping out of walls and scaring people. Sabine shouldered her bag and turned, walking back towards the school.
"Wait! I'm sorry Sabine, I just…could you introduce me to her? Or mention me, or something?" he called after her, and she heard him running. Grinding her teeth, she turned angrily, but she couldn't yell at him. He looked so apologetic and desperate that it was almost funny, and Sabine didn't have it in her to be cruel.
"Yeah, sure James, I'll introduce you to her." The finality to her tone was obvious, but the idiot still called after her when she began to walk away again.
"You're not hungry? We can still get lunch!"
Not bothering to answer, Sabine walked quickly and angrily back to the school. She saw Marie sitting by the fountain and slowed, stopping to drop her bag and sit with her friend. Marie was sniffing a little bit, and her eyes were more than a little bit red.
"Bobby broke up with me," she said in a calmer voice than Sabine had expected. But she didn't reply, only nodded. "Only a matter of time, I guess. He met that crazy flexible girl and now he's all over her. Like everybody else."
"Marie, listen to me," said Sabine, taking her friend's gloved hands. "Listen closely, because I'm telling you this from years of experience." Marie frowned and focused her attention wholly on Sabine.
"Fuck guys."
Sabine rubbed her jaw gently, still sore after that punishing last blow in self-defense. She was done with classes for the day, but she hated ending on that one. Something always happened to make sure she wouldn't forget the lessons, and from the feel of it, the bruise would be enough to remind her to keep her fists up for a long while.
Logan had taken them outside for sparring, and felt no inhibitions on putting the girls and the guys together for this class. Sabine, unfortunately, had been paired with one of the largest boys in her class. They called him Stonehenge, and he lived up to it. Tall, silent, and plain, he threw a mean punch.
But despite her bumps and bruises, most of them minor due to extensive safety precautions, it was an incredibly helpful class. As Logan would put it, 'you never know who you're going to end up fighting.'
Still, there was hardly room for mistakes. Sabine winced as her cheek throbbed. It was a pretty long walk back to the school, where she could ice it.
"How come you don't heal that yourself?"
Sabine whirled around, faced again with her strange new 'friend.' He was standing by the duck pond, his back to her but his head turned inquisitively in her direction. When she didn't immediately answer, he turned back to the water, watching the waves lap under the cold wind. His long-legged stance was one of complete tranquility, shoulders relaxed and hands in his pockets.
"I can't," she confessed, shrugging. Though her body cried out in protest, especially her reluctant eyes, she turned and began to walk back to the school. But to her secret delight, she heard him walking behind her. She stopped and let him catch up against her better judgment.
"Why not?" he pressed, his arm bumping hers lightly, almost by accident. Still, his proximity made her breath catch a little bit.
"Well, my breath doesn't touch my own face. It's a problem I've had before; if I want to reverse time anywhere near my head or neck, I have to do my whole body. And, believe it or not, I don't enjoy doing that. It feels like cheating at life." Her eyes flitted to his face and back; his features were always too intense for her to look at for too long. But she couldn't resist his handsome profile. "Why are you at the duck pond?"
"Feeding ducks. Clearly." He hid his clean hands in his pockets suddenly, and she smiled a little bit. "And I find that interesting, but possibly not true. It's rare for a mutant's powers to reside in only one part of the body. For example, I don't need my hands to move metal, but they provide both support and direction to the outlet of power from my mind. Storm doesn't need her hands to blow us up a good flurry, but she often uses them for more concentrated points."
"So you think I might be able to use my hands to direct the breath?" she asked him, eyebrows raised. She hadn't felt any such capabilities in her hands before, but if he was right, then her powers could reach an entire new level.
"No, of course not," he laughed, giving her a rather contemptuous look. "It's your mind. Your mind is what controls your powers, clearly, since you're not constantly breathing that stuff. It's not a muscle, is it? But your hands usually provide a good place to start, a visual with which you're already familiar. Holding something in your hand, you know."
Without moving his hands, he brushed the ground with his mind and drew a lost key from the bushes. It floated to Sabine, who held out her hand. He dropped it into her palm, where she stared at it.
"As simple as that."
She smiled at him, trying not to blush when he smiled back. His cool eyes were much too focused on hers; she dropped her gaze nervously. When his hand touched her cheek, she gasped and almost jumped back. But his grip on her jaw grew firm, and she held very still.
"That's an ugly bruise," he said, leaning forward to take a better look. "It'll probably be uglier in the morning, too." She shrugged, though her heart was bumping out of her chest at his face so close to hers again. She cursed at herself and stepped back, dislodging his hand from her face.
"It doesn't matter. I've had bruises before." Sabine turned and tried to leave him, but he followed her still. They were almost at the building now, and a few students watched them walk together with interest. Even her quick and rather rude walk didn't make him feel inclined to let her go. He grabbed her arm before she could walk through the front gates.
"Let me tutor you," he said, ever smiling. She found him difficult to trust, but her guard kept dropping when he looked at her like that. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Your powers are primarily centered on close targets, so being able to fight is something completely necessary to your well-being! If you can't safely get near somebody, then you're entirely useless in a combat situation." Sabine didn't plan on using her powers as weapons, but he did have a solid, logical point.
"Can you actually fight?" she asked him, sighing. He laughed at that, as if she had made the most adorable joke.
"I'll show you a thing or two about close combat."
Please R&R! The in-depth ones are the ones that really keep me writing 3