13. Lessons

Bayville Sewers:

Underground in a sewer, a young black man with hard bonelike skin covering most of his body ran through the polluted waters of the city. He was injured and running out of breath, a trail of blood left in his wake. He stumbled once but quickly corrected himself as he trudged forward, the cries of death behind him getting fainter and fainter the farther he got.

"Aunt…Auntie O." The name escaped his mouth with each airless breath.

Arriving at a junction in the pipes, the young mutant leaned against the wall and attempted to catch his breath. His lungs burned from the nonstop fighting and running and his legs felt like gelatin. Checking where he was hit, he pulled a blood covered hand from his side and saw the heavy amount of crimson covering his fingers and palm. He knew his kidney was shot, it was easy to tell. It was an injury he took late in the battle as he and the other Morlocks were ambushed by a group of men in black and purple armor. Many fell to the gunfire within the first few minutes including children who were practicing in the use of their powers. They didn't stand a chance as they were wiped out.

"There he is, after him!" One of the men shouted, as he and several others made their way to him.

Forming a bone spike, the mutant threw the projectile and skewered one of the armored men in the chest. He fell to the ground, dead before he knees touched the floor.

Taking off in a fatigued run, the mutant headed down one of the sewer pipes with the men close behind. Rifles were raised, bright flashes ignited the dark, and a body fell into the water. Voices echoed out of the pipe the mutant ran into with the sounds of metal slicing bone. Blood floated down the shallow amount of sewage water and into the darkness.

Xavier Mansion:

"You, like, saw him cry?" Kitty asked in surprise.

"Keep your voice down." Tabitha hissed. "He's just down the hall. He might hear you."

Kitty and Tabitha were once again in Megan's room with the winged girl lying on her bed. Tabitha spun around on her desk chair as Kitty tossed the repaired Sock Monkey of Megan's in the air repeatedly.

"He won't hear us. He's too busy watching his wrestling. Choke slam on Mister Socko." Grabbing the toy by the neck, Kitty tossed it over to Megan who just let it hit her. "So what was Mister Tough Guy crying about?"

"Never said. I was going to give him his sunglasses that were still in the pool but didn't bother him. I just stood there until he finished. He looked so pitiful. Shaking, crying, trying to make himself stop." Megan sighed as she remembered how he looked like under that tree. She couldn't stop thinking of how she wanted to comfort him and tell him everything was okay. Again, she was scared at what she felt for him and even though she said she hated him to his face, it was far from the truth.

"Well? What did you do?" Tabitha asked as she mindlessly spun in the chair.

"Oh, um, I just stood behind him and watched him for a while."

"Knowing him, he would have yelled at you for seeing him like that."

"You don't know that." Kitty slapped the revolving Tabitha on the thigh. "He could have jumped into your arms and hugged you tight then tell you all his secrets and thank you for being there for him in which you two kiss under the sunset and-"

A thud came from the side of her as Tabitha fell to the floor with her eyes closed and tongue hanging out. A slight gurgle emanated from her mouth as she lay motionless.

"Tabitha?" Kitty asked alarmed. "Tabby?"

"What's wrong with you?" Megan asked.

"I'm dead," the blonde girl said. "Kit-Kat killed me with mushy diabetes to which there is no cure. It's too, too late. I'm…ugh."

"You are just the worst kind of person." Kitty thumped the "dead" girl in the ear, making the three laugh.

Alone in the room Ororo promised him, Miguel laid on a pile of blankets on the floor with his back and head supported at an angle with the TV on in the dark. Two men were involved in a back and forth fight with a large crowd of people cheering for them. A wrestler wearing trunks with tattoos decorating his arms had just tossed another wrestler towards the ring ropes. He then pulled him back by the upper body until his feet were the only part of his figure touching the middle rope. The crowd cheered as the first wrestler slammed his opponent's head onto the mat then stood up with his arms flexed to his sides.

"And here it comes," Miguel sighed. "Randy Orton hits the RKO."

Like he said, the wrestler known as Randy Orton leapt into the air, grabbed his opponent over his shoulder and brought him face first to the mat ferociously. The referee made the three count as Orton pinned his foe and his theme music played in victory.

"Never f #k with the Apex Predator."

As he continued to watch his show, a knock sounded from behind him.

"Go away," he told the one disturbing him. He just wanted to be alone but the knock occurred again. "Ah said, go away."

After a moment or two of silence, the knock came again. With a huff, Miguel got up from his spot and made his way to the door. Flinging it open, he expected for someone to be there but was wrong. Instead of a person, he found a folded note taped to the door. No one was in the hall as he had a direct view to the other wing, which was empty. He then took the note and went back inside. As the next match was announced for the night, Miguel opened and read the note by the light of the TV.

Saw you today.

Need to talk to you.

Meet me by the lake.

-Megan

He balled up the note and threw it across the room before going back to his spot. "You can just stay there."

He went back to watching his program. The last thing he needed was to see her after what happened to him today. It was probably to make fun of him for catching him like that. He was certain no one was around and couldn't stop himself from crying like he did. It had been years since he did so, since Isabella was killed, and he would be damned if he would go to Megan and listen to her crap about him looking weak.

Abandoning his show shortly after reading the note, Miguel headed out into the darkness and down to the lake. The trees were still with there being no breeze whatsoever and the night time animals making their noises. The sky was lit up with the full moon and billions of stars. He could smell the fresh cut grass, a favorite of his since he lived in Texas. It was all so peaceful and calming, something he wished he was more often as he hated being angry all the time.

As he approached the lake behind the mansion's trails, Miguel could make out movement under the water. Ripples formed on the surface in an angle as they moved horizontally to the shore until coming to a stop. A head full of pink and blue hair came out of the water as Megan emerged from underneath.

"About time you came." She wore the same pink one-piece as before. She gathered her hair back to get it out of her face then bobbed in the water. The light of the moon reflected on its surface with the girl being the only obstruction. "What took you so long?"

"Wasn't sure if Ah should come out here." Miguel shifted where he stood and looked away from her. "What did you see, exactly?"

She hesitated for an instant. "Someone who doesn't know how to swim."

Letting out an inward sigh, he sat down on the shore and palmed a stone. "So what did you want to talk about? Meh getting angry again?"

"No, I wanted to ask if you would mind giving the water a chance."

He stared at her then shook his head. "No."

"Why not?"

"Cause."

"That's not an excuse."

He shook his head again then got back up. "Ah'm not getting in the water. You're wasting your time if you think Ah am."

As he started to head back to the mansion, Megan called his name again. "Remember that night I helped you with your computer? You still owe me one other thing."

"You're still with that?" he asked as he turned back to her. "Ah thought you were kidding since you never brought it up again."

"I want what you owe me. As a mercenary I would think you always pay your dues."

"Ah…Ah don't want to get in," he said, looking down.

"You need to," she told him sternly. "Do what the front of your shirt says."

He looked down at the front of his shirt. The white letters on the front read: FOCK FEAR with a skull where the 'U' was supposed to be. He then looked back to the mansion then back at her. "Ah don't have any trunks on."

"You've got boxers on, right? I hope you're wearing boxers."

"Megan, Ah don't want to-"

"Just do it. Here, I'll turn around to let you undress." True to her word, she turned her back to him. "I'm waiting."

Letting out a grunt, Miguel was tempted to head back to the mansion and watch the rest of his show but Remy's words entered his head. "How could you say no to hot sexy women in bikinis?" He had to admit, she did look good in her swimsuit.

Leaving his shirt, pants, and boots on the shore, he made his way to the edge of the lake. The water was just the right temperature as his bare feet sank into the muddy bottom. His heart beat faster the further he got in and his hands began to shake when he was waist deep and a few feet away from Megan.

"Okay," he gulped. "Ah'm in."

Turning to face him, she lightly blushed as she came face to neck with him and stared at his muscled chest. She was glad the light was behind her at this time. She took him by his shaking hands and rose them up to chest level as she slightly pulled him further into the lake. "You…you need to get in deeper."

He closed his eyes and shook his head. "Megan-"

"Chupa, deeper in the lake."

"Don't call meh that."

"Keep calm, Chupa."

Miguel growled. "Megan-"

"Yes, Chupa?"

He swallowed his rising anger and tightened his eyes. His teeth gritted as she called him 'Chupa' again. "Megan, Ah'm waist deep in the lake and trying not to-"

"Open your eyes," she said softly.

As he did what she said, he saw he was almost neck deep in the water. He immediately jerked back to get to the shore but she held onto his wrists.

"No, stay here. Calm down and relax. Feel the way the water moves. There's nothing to be afraid of." She could still feel him shaking as his breathing became rapid. "I lied when I told you I only saw someone who can't swim. I also saw you by the tree earlier."

He looked at her with a worried glance.

"Jean told us what she saw in your mind. I know why you're afraid of the water. But that was a long time ago."

"She had no right to tell you." He tried to break her grip but she wouldn't let go. Being neck deep in the water was slowly causing him to grow stiff from fear as memories of drowning came back to him.

"Miguel, it's okay. It's okay to cry and let it out sometimes. It's for the best. That way, you can confront your fears instead of avoid them. But right now, I need you to relax and-"

"Ah just want to go back inside, Megan." He was visibly shaking now and he was trying his hardest to not take off running. He felt as if any moment he would fall under the water and drown like when he was an infant.

Hearing the fear in his voice and feeling the way he was shaking, Megan felt something come over her. She looked up at him as he had his eyes closed so as not to see the water around him and couldn't help what came next. She reached up, cupped his face and moved in. The gesture caught him completely off guard and he didn't think it was real until he opened his eyes and saw her in front of him. He closed his eyes and moved his hands around her waist, falling into the kiss with her. His body went from being stiff in fright to relaxed as they continued their embrace.

Feeling him ease into her, Megan developed a small smile as she slid her arms around his neck. It was better than she imagined as they pressed closer together. When they separated, she ran her hands through his hair as he ran his across her back. She shuddered as he ran his fingertips over her wing slits. It felt incredible as he slowly moved his fingers down them, making her rainbow wings pop out.

"I'm…I'm…" She looked nervously at him with her almond shaped black eyes, her face turning red at the release of her wings.

"Ah don't mind." He leaned in and kissed her again. This time, her wings fluttered from his actions. He even brought one in and kissed the top of it, making her moan from the caress before they captured each other's lips again.

After some time, they didn't know how long, they made their way back to the mansion with him in his pants and carrying his boots as she carried her clothes and wore his shirt. Everyone was asleep so they were quiet as they made their way upstairs. Both were still damp from their experience in the lake, but were careful to not leave any water behind them as they headed to her room.

"Thanks for coming out," she whispered as she opened her door. "I'm glad you did."

"Glad Ah did too." He leaned on the door frame. "You gonna tell anyone Ah-"

"No, your secret's safe with me. And Kitty. And also Tabitha." She placed her clothing on her dresser as he let out a groan then turned back to him. "Don't worry, they can keep a secret. The uh, girls got several concert tickets to Trapt when they come here. I've got an extra one. Maybe we could go together?" She ran a finger on his chest, lightly scratching the light amount of chest hair he had.

"Wouldn't miss it."

"Good. And maybe afterwards, we could meet back at the lake. I've got a bikini that will have you swimming to me in no time."

A grin formed on his face as he leaned in. "Ah'm sure it will." The two lightly kissed again before he backed up into the hall.

"Night, Chupa." She had a smile on her face as she said the name.

"Night, Pix." His smile equaled hers.

He was a few feet away from her room when he heard her call him again. "Chupa, wait a minute so I can give you your shirt back."

He continued to walk on as he waived back at her. "Keep it."

She smiled brighter after he said that.