Perfect Synergy

"Pride, envy, avarice - these are the sparks have set on fire the hearts of all men." - Dante Alighieri

Nothing substantial happened the day before Cuba. Just polishing up on our training was all. Alex had mastered his little- energy diaper thing, Sean could soar for miles, and Erik could probably summon the core of the planet into the palm of his hand, if he wished it. But something very terrible did happen the night before. At first, and long after, I thought it was a nightmare. I came to realize that it was nothing short of a delayed reality for a poor and tormented soul.

I think it was around 11 o'clock when I sensed that something wasn't quite right. There was so much negative energy in the air that I couldn't bring myself to fall asleep. It made my skin crawl. Set me on edge. So what was a girl to do in her adoptive parents house in the middle of the night with no possibility of getting drunk or do anything moderately inappropriate? Absolutely nothing. Well, except for listening to the sounds of the night. Actually, twice in the night I heard Hank's door open, three times I heard Raven's door open, and twice I heard Erik's. I didn't get much time to deliberate who was visiting who when I heard something going amiss down the hall. Hank was the only one in the west wing, needed his space for experiments and tests and the like. Quickly I threw a blanket over my head and tried to go to sleep.

There was still more ruckus to be heard in the west wing though. Sounded like someone was knocking things over. How is no one else hearing him? I was the closest to him, so that was part of it. But also my 400 times more efficient body actually increased my range of hearing. Unfortunate and I could possibly be kept up all night because of it. That's when I could hear a distinct sound of a wounded animal growling down in Hank's room. What a sigh of relief, it was some weird experiment and not him having sex with someone that wasn't me. Still, I couldn't shake that awful feeling in the air. It was the same feeling I felt when my little brother died. That alone was a more than ominous feeling.

It was two sleepless hours later and I could still hear it. The sound of some animal crying. Was Hank torturing something down there? Come to think of it... I haven't heard anything of Hank. And that was really strange because he has a strange habit of talking to himself when he was working. I guess it would be alright to go down there to see if I can help that animal, or at least put it out of it's misery.

Clad in a tank top and underwear I peered out into the hall. The hallway lights were always on but no one seemed to be awake. I had only heard a peep come from Sean's room with his snoring. Carefully and quietly I headed down the hall to Hank's lab. As I got closer and closer the feeling in my stomach got worse and worse. What exactly is going on in there? I don't want to admit this but I was extremely scared. It was a fear that was only able to rival the day Shaw blew me up and set my death clock in a fast forward motion.

Finally I made it to his door. I knocked quietly. "Hank? Everything okay in there?" I asked in a whisper, in case he was asleep.

"Go away..." Something snarled back. Either that tortured animal ate Hank or something terribly wrong was going on in there. Without thinking I grabbed the handle and tried it, locked.

"Hank, open the door." I pleaded, desperation fueling my voice and I didn't bother to mask it. If that feeling in my stomach didn't stop, I'd probably keel over in pain.

Another snarl resonated, it was absolutely terrifying. "I said go away!" It growled and something else was knocked over. My hand clutched my chest, my heart beating like- like a caged animal trying to escape. I didn't realize it but my face was streaked with tears. Somewhere deep inside me I think I knew what had happened on the other side of that door. Somewhere not so deep was telling me to ignore it, telling me to go back to my room and suffer in silence. But I couldn't do that. It wasn't in my nature. I placed my forehead on his door.

"Please, Hank... I know something's not right... please... let me in..." I continued to plead with a boy I sincerely loved.

Something slammed against the other side of the door and it caused me to jump back. When I calmed down some and returned to the door I could hear heavy breathing. "You don't want to see me right now, Max..."

Even when something terrible was happening he would insist on being the ever fine, a-okay dumbass. "You're wrong..." I assured him.

The sudden clunk of the dead bolt told me that I was being allowed entrance. I heard Hank scuffle away, knocking something else over. I turned the handle and slowly pushed the door open to see Hank's laboratory in shambles. Broken beakers, overturned tables and chairs, and bits of blood here and there. The fuck happened in there? I really didn't want to know the answer but by the clumps of blue fur everywhere, I sort of had a clue. Something shifted off in the corner and I walked towards it. It was a huge mass of blue fur, and by the looks of it there was more substance to that fur than just fluff.

"H-Hank?" I asked tentatively. A pair of yellow eyes looked up at me, a pair of yellow eyes on a face I knew very well. "Ohhh! Hank!" I cried as I dropped to my knees. My hands found the sides of his face and I pulled him towards me. "What happened to you...?" I whispered.

A clawed hand came up and caressed my head, I didn't shy away from the touch. I couldn't show him fear then, that wasn't something possible. No matter how scared I was for him, I'll never be scared of him.

"I... I tried to make a cure for my mutation... it didn't cure it... i-it enhanced it..." He muttered into my neck. I pulled him away to gauge his eyes.

"I think this was meant to happen." I said quietly without really thinking.

I don't know why but Hank grasped my hair and pulled. His animalistic side completely unhinged. Pain shot through my scalp. "You're saying that I was a monster from the very beginning, but now I finally look the part? So everything you said to me before was a complete lie?" He snarled and his fist tightened, causing even more pain. Tears of agony sprung from my eyes.

I made a sound of pain. "No...! That's not what I meant... at all...!" I was barely able to say past my clenched teeth.

Barely, just barely, his hand relaxed. "I'm sorry- but... please, explain yourself."

Unconsciously I let out a sigh of relief. "From when I first meant you I sensed you were always holding something back, like a caged animal waiting to break free-" Okay, wrong choice of words, his hand tightened again. "So I always sensed that there was more to you than you let everyone see, I sensed the anger, the passion, the sadness, all of it. It was painful to see you so confined. Now, you're free!" I got out in one great gust. I guess I said the right thing because Hank let go of my hair completely.

"I'm sorry, Max... I-I can't control myself..." He said softly as he raked his claws against my cheek, not to injure, but to soothe. Even if he thought he was an animal he was still the caring Hank that I loved. Suddenly, that feeling of unease left the air and I was suddenly exhausted. His nervousness, his anxiety, it gave off a pure carnal energy. That of cornered prey. I'm glad it finally got a chance to show itself. That Hank became who he always was on the inside. A man, as well as a beast.

I felt a smile cross my face as I pressed my lips against his.

"That's what I love about you Hank. Everything."