25. Hurt
"Pix?" Miguel said as he stared at the two sitting on the couch in front of the TV.
Breaking the kiss, the couple looked back and saw him standing and staring at them. Megan's eyes grew wide when she saw him, not believing he was back. Aside from the longer hair and beard, he had more of a build than when she last saw him.
"Chupa?" She stared at him with those black and pink eyes of hers. Her mouth was slightly open as an apologetic look came upon her.
Miguel looked from her to the man sitting beside her and didn't know what to feel. He couldn't help but think he would have formed his black claws and attacked him unmercilessly but with what he had put himself through, he couldn't bring himself to do that.
Taking a deep breath, he turned and muttered, "I'm back."
Within the office of Charles Xavier, Miguel stood with his back to the bookcase as Ororo sat at the desk in front of him. Megan had tried to talk to him after he found her and her new boyfriend in the den but he had made himself scarce until he could meet with Ororo and explain what had happened since he last contacted the mansion.
He had been told about Charles leaving for a time to visit a son of his with no idea of his return. Scott and Jean were on honeymoon and wouldn't be back for another week at the very least, leaving her and Logan in charge of the mansion.
No detail was skipped as he went on about his journey to South America to find Justine. He then described about finding Akins being forced from his home by several Executioners as well as his death and the discovery of them being hacked into. She assured him of Forge's work in going over all electronic forms of communication in the mansion as well as everyone's personal devices. He had found something but had gotten rid of it upon its discovery. The details of Noi and what he did in China took the longest and surprised her with what he had done all these months.
"So you have more control over your temper?" Ororo asked.
"Yeah. Took me a while but Ah learned how to keep it down and use it when Ah choose to instead of losing it completely."
"But it could still kill you."
"Ororo," Miguel rubbed the bridge of his nose then looked back at her. "There are other ways to use mah powers. Because of Noi and the other monks, meh and Justine found we can do other things besides have our powers kill us."
"Like what?"
"You'll see. Right now, I gotta pick up a few things. Noi needs an inhaler, and I really need a shave and a haircut."
Leaning back in the Professor's chair, the weather wielder took a long look at him and smiled. "When you first came here, you were so aggressive towards everyone. I'm glad you changed and got the help you needed. Are you going to continue to stay here in the mansion? We have rooms for Justine and Noi should they decide to stay. I would also like to talk to them next."
"My old room's still available?"
"Unfortunately, no. It's been given to Mister Romano, but we do have one room you can have."
"Romano? Who's-"
A knock on the door interrupted him as a young man with his black as coal hair tied pack in a ponytail entered. He had a neatly trimmed goatee and wore dress pants and a collared shirt. Miguel's jaw tightened as a sneer developed on his lips. It was the same man Megan was with earlier.
"Pardon my intrusion," the man said with an Italian accent. "But may I speak with you, oh, um, Mister…Chupa, was it? My apologies on what you-"
"Save it," Miguel said bluntly. "Ororo, I gotta go. Be back whenever."
"Um, if I may introduce myself so as to not be rude, I am Eric Romano. May I have the pleasure of your name, Mister Chupa?"
Holding out his hand, Eric gave a friendly smile while Miguel locked eyes with him. "Don't ever call me Chupa." He then left the office, leaving Eric and Ororo behind.
"Eric," Ororo said as she released a sigh. "You'll have to excuse Miguel, he was in a relationship with Megan before he left to find others like himself."
"Yes, Megan told me about that after he left the den. I do not mean to have him feel angered towards me or her. But what do you mean 'more like him'?"
"He and a very few others have what we call a secondary mutation. When one power is active another is dormant depending on if one's active or not. He brought two of the remaining three back and we're interested in learning if there's more out there."
"Hmm, interesting."
Stomping out into the foyer, Miguel could feel the anger inside him fade away the farther he got from Megan's new boyfriend, Eric. He went over what he learned in China to control and release his pent up aggressions. Not all of it faded away as he was using Megan as the reason for him to calm down and couldn't keep the image of her and Eric out of his head. It also didn't help when he saw said girl standing by the door of the mansion.
"Justine, keys." He caught the van's set of keys Justine tossed to him in one hand and didn't stop marching towards the front doors of the mansion.
"Miggle," Noi called as she ran up to him. It was the only way she could pronounce his name since meeting him. "Where are you going?"
"Ah'll be back," he told her as he looked down at the girl. "Ah'm going to pick you up an inhaler. It won't take long."
"But I don't know anyone here."
"You know Justine. She's staying here so you and her can to talk to Ororo next."
"Can't I come with you though? Please?"
Letting out a sigh, Miguel knelt down and reached to his back pocket, pulling out a red bandanna. "Remember what Ah told you about this?"
"Yes." She watched as he tied it around her arm.
"Remember when Ah would leave to make sure places were safe as we came back? Ah always made sure to get mah bandanna back." He stood up once he finished knotting the material. "Same promise applies."
She hugged him before going back to the Brazilian woman.
"Ororo's office is down the hall. Shouldn't take long to talk to her and then someone will show you to your rooms.
"I can do that," Kitty said enthusiastically. "I can even, like, show you around the grounds."
"See?" Miguel said to Noi. "You'll like that. Kitty's nice. She'll take care of you." He then looked up at Justine. "Anything you need?"
"No, I'm good," she responded.
"Can you get me some candy?" Noi asked hopefully.
"Yeah, Ah'll get you something. Be back." As Miguel headed out of the mansion, he ignored Megan who looked as if she wanted to tell him something.
Halfway to the van, Miguel heard the front door close behind him and immediately knew who it was. He really didn't feel like talking to her and just wanted to head into town as soon as he could.
"Miguel," Megan called. When he didn't stop, she called his name again. "Miguel. Miguel, will you please just stop and talk to me?"
He climbed in the driver's seat and inserted the keys in the ignition. Before he could start the vehicle, the passenger side door opened and Megan climbed in. "Will you talk to me, please?"
"Get out, Megan," he said sternly.
"Chupa-"
"Ah told you not to call me that."
She looked hurt by his remark. "I just…I just want to explain about what you saw."
"Let meh guess, after Ah stopped sending texts, calls, and emails back, you and everyone else thought Ah was dead, and you found someone to replace meh after he comforted you. That about sum it up?"
"Wh…what?"
"Mah abuela watched soap operas all the time. Ah know how these things go. But this ain't no soap opera. So if you would, go back inside and to your boyfriend. Ah got things to do."
"You're a dick. But I'm not going to get out. Not until you talk to me about why you stopped contacting us and having me believe you were dead."
A moment of silence passed before he answered. "Suit yourself." He started the van and took off for town.
Most of the time they spent alone in the van was in silence. Miguel didn't want to talk to Megan but she couldn't find a way to start a conversation with him. Aside from a few detours from the sentinel attack she had to point out, there really was no conversation at all. When they arrived at a pharmacy, she followed him in. He still didn't say a word to her and went straight to the candy isle where he picked up a package of cherry Twizzlers. As he stood back up from bending down to pick up the candy, he came face to face with a carton of giant Pixie Sticks.
"F#$k," he muttered as he rolled his eyes at the candy then quickly got away from there. He then grabbed a pack of disposable razors, electronic clippers, shaving cream, and a nightlight before heading to wait in line at the counter.
"Next," the elderly pharmacist said as he bid his current customer a good day.
"Yeah, Ah need an inhaler," Miguel told him.
"Perscription?"
"No. Ah need one of the ones from the back."
"Alright, which one do you need?"
Miguel looked at the man with a raised eyebrow. "The one for asthma."
"Well, son, there's a few different ones to choose from. Is this for a child or an adult? What dosage do they need? Would you prefer the powder or mist?"
Miguel just stared at the man then looked back to the wall of inhalers. "Ah need one for asthma."
Seeing Miguel have trouble with what he needed, Megan stepped up to the counter wearing her glasses that made her eyes look normal. "We need the Primatene for children around ten, mist, and refills."
"Oh, ok," the pharmacist said. "Give me a moment."
Both mutants stood silently side by side without a word being said for a moment. "Thanks," Miguel muttered.
"Some of the students need medication, so…yeah."
The two kept the silence going until the pharmacist came back with the inhaler and Miguel paid for everything.
Back in the van, Megan had had enough of the silence and finally broke it. "Chu, Miguel. I don't know what else to say except that I'm sorry this happened."
He didn't say a word.
"Look, I understand you're angry and I know this wasn't what you expected when you came back, but what else was I supposed to do? It's like you disappeared off the face of the Earth. Cerebro couldn't locate you and the only reason that happens if you're dead. And yes, Eric was there for me but it wasn't like we instantly got together. We've only been seeing each other for three weeks and that was our first kiss. It's still all new with him."
"And that's…what?" he finally said. "Is it supposed to make meh feel better? Am Ah supposed to be happy knowing you moved on even though Ah'm still alive?"
"Miguel, you stopped contacting us. I called you countless times at all hours of the day and night, hoping to reach you but you never picked up after that last text where you told me someone's hacked the mansion's lines. What was I supposed to think after all those months? What did you do? Tell me."
"What did Ah do?" he asked as he pulled the van over to the side of the road and shifted into park. "Ah had mah laptop destroyed by those Executioner soldiers. Ah then found out they were hacking into the lines of everyone at the mansion, which is why you and everyone else had to get new phones. Ah destroyed mah phone and went to China where Ah went through hell to keep mah temper in check for…for you. It was for you."
Slumping down in his seat, Miguel rested his chin on his knuckles and supported his elbow on the door as Megan stared at him, not knowing what to say.
"You know what it feels like to go through your worst nightmares for days on end and not get angry? Or how about being hit with bamboo swords while meditating to focus on something important? They told me to picture someone…someone important, someone to give meh strength and all Ah could see was you. If Ah knew this was what was gonna happen, Ah wouldn't have come back. Ah knew it was a mistake to leave but Ah couldn't stop thinking of what you told meh. If Ah knew helping others would lead to this…"
"Miguel…I…"
"Ah'm leaving the mansion after Justine and Noi are finished here. Ah'll take Justine back to Bolivia and Noi back to China. Then Ah'll really drop off the face of the earth." He shifted the van back into drive and pulled into traffic. "And you can have your boyfriend all to yourself."
"Miggle!" Noi yelled as Miguel entered the mansion. She came running up to him from sitting on one of the common area's couches next to Justine as she read a magazine.
"Got your candy and inhaler, Noi." Reaching into the bag, Miguel pulled out the package of Twizzlers and handed them to the girl who took them with a smile. "I have no idea how this thing goes."
Opening the box the inhaler came in, he took both parts and fitted them together. He pressed a little too hard on the canister and accidently shot a dose out. "Well you got another refill just in case."
"Thank you." She took the medication and put it in her pocket while chewing on one of the red candy strips.
"You never said the rooms were huge." Putting her magazine down, Justine made her way over to him. "If you would have told me that, I would have made you bring me here sooner."
"Yeah, well, enjoy it while you can," Miguel told her. "As soon as we're done here, you two can go back home."
"And what, you'll come back and live in this little utopia yourself? I think I may just have Sarah come up here with me."
Rolling his eyes, he turned and headed to the kitchen, leaving the two mutants he brought with him and Megan behind. Not paying attention to the young girl next to her, Megan was surprised when she turned and saw the child staring at her.
"Yes?" the pink and blue haired woman asked kindly. "Is there anything I can help you with?"
Noi looked at her questioningly and tilted her head to the side. She then grinned then bit into another of her candies and walked off with Justine.
That evening after dinner, to which Miguel skipped due to Eric being one of the ones preparing the meal, Kitty lead him upstairs to the only room that was available. It was also the room he used to watch TV in private, which was next to Megan's room, a discovery that annoyed him deeply.
"No one's been in here since you left," Kitty said as he looked the room over.
He slid a finger on the table the TV sat on, leaving a clear trail in the dust. "Ah can tell."
"Logan had Piotr put a rollaway bed in here and an extra drawer. I'll bring you an extra lamp from my room in a bit so you don't have to keep the top fan light on all the time."
"That's fine. Ah was just gonna go to sleep anyway."
Tossing his pack beside the bed, Miguel pulled out the shaving supplies he had purchased along with something else and handed it to Kitty. "Noi sleeps with a night light. Make sure she gets this."
"Miguel, don't be mad at Megan. She didn't know. We didn't know you were-"
"Do Ah really have to say 'Ah don't die' again?"
"I guess not. But, like, seriously, don't be mad at her. It took her a long time to come to terms with…well, you know. And Capra's not such a bad guy once you get past the obnoxious manners."
"Capra?" Miguel asked with a raised eyebrow. "Eric's name is Capra?"
"He'll tell you soon enough." She walked back over to the door and turned before leaving. "Are you going to be in the Danger Room tomorrow when they show Ororo their powers?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I'll be there."
It didn't take long after Kitty left for Miguel to take a shower and give himself a much needed shave. He was grateful to be rid of the thick beard but left his soul patch on since he was used to having it. The hair cut he gave himself took longer since his thick locks gummed up the electric clippers often but he soon gave himself a short spiked hair style reminiscent of a military cut, only a little longer, and then hopped in the shower.
As he was about to call it a night, a knock at his door kept him from climbing into bed. He was surprised to find Megan on the other side. She stared at him for a moment until he snapped her out of whatever trance she was in.
"I…I have a visitor for you," she told him as Noi came from behind her.
"What's wrong, Noi?" Miguel asked as he knelt down to her level.
"Strange bed. And Justine's not in her room."
Letting out a sigh, he stood back up and gestured for her to enter. "Take mah bed, Ah'll sleep on the floor." To that, the little girl headed for his bed with her nightlight and bag of candy in hand.
Looking back at Megan, Miguel nodded. "Thanks." He tried to shut the door when she stopped him.
"Miguel, can we please talk about this. I know you're angry at me but I-"
"Megan, Ah'm tired. Ah gotta get to sleep."
"Fine," she huffed. "But this isn't my fault." She then headed to her room, which was right next to his and shut the door behind her.
Before he could close his door, Eric made his way upstairs and caught sight of Miguel. He gave a friendly wave to which Miguel rolled his eyes and watched as the mutant called Capra headed to his old room on the other side of the mansion.
"Why don't you just tell her?" Noi asked as he shut the door. She had made herself comfortable on the rollaway bed with a pillow and a blanket. Her nightlight was now plugged in the wall, shining softly with her bag of candy sitting on the small drawer next to her.
"Tell her what?" Grabbing the one of the extra blankets, Miguel pulled his pack against the wall and rested his head on it.
"I can read you, remember? So I know what you're feeling. It's like the hatred you used to have all the time. Just tell her."
"It's not my place, Noi. You'll understand when you're older."
The young girl shook her head as she turned over to go to sleep and mumbled, "It's easy to read her too."