Warren steered his vintage Mercedes convertible to the hidden entrance of the X-Mansion. Betsy, her vibrant purple hair pulled back in a loose ponytail, stared out the window at the imposing structure beyond.
As he parked the car, Warren took a deep breath, steeling himself for the emotional turmoil that awaited him. He barely knew this woman with the British accent and the glowing katana, but just being around her brought Warren a bizarre sense of peace.
Betsy had a way of making him forget about the suffocating weight of his life as Angel, and the burden of never quite fitting in.
Warren shifted the car into park and turned to Betsy. "Well, we are here" He managed a small smile.
"Are you sure you can't stay luv."Betsy's lips curved into a soft smile.
Warren shook his head. "I wish. But I need to sort some things out with my family." He hesitated, then brushed a lock of her hair away from her face. "Thank you...for today."
She leaned into his touch. "Thank you for being you."
They shared a brief, chaste kiss, before Betsy hopped out of the car. Warren watched as she disappeared into the mansion, the weight of his upcoming family reunion heavy on his chest.
As Betsy walked into the mansion, she got quite a bit of looks from her fellow x men, including the girls. "Well, look who finally decided to come home." Kitty said in a joking manner.
"Well, come on, spill it. We all know you had a date with Warren last night. And you're just now coming home and it's two in the afternoon." Jean said greeting her with a hug.
Betsy grinned. "You know me, I'm not one to follow the rules luv."
"Oh, come on, Bets, spill it. Tell us what happened " Rogue ask curiously.
"Yes, please do, we're dying to know," added Kitty, her eyes gleaming with amusement.
Betsy feigned innocence before giving in to the pressure. "Fine, but only if you promise to leave me alone for the rest of the day."
They agreed, so she shared the details of her date with Warren, leaving nothing out. The laughter and catcalls filled the room as the X-Men listened to her tale.
Meanwhile, Warren arrived at his family's estate on Long Island.
The butler greeted him at the door, his expression unreadable.
"Warren, it's been a while. How have you been?"
Warren forced a smile. "I'm doing well, James. How about you?"
"Just doing my best, sir. Your family is in the drawing-room."
Warren nodded and made his way to the room. He could hear their voices before he even entered the room. They fell silent as he helped himself to a seat by the fireplace.
He could feel their eyes scrutinizing him, analyzing his every move.
His father, Warren Sr., was the first to speak. "Son, it's good to see you." He got up and walked over to him with an outstretched hand. Warren hesitated before standing to return the gesture.
"Hi, father. It's been a while."
Warren II gave him a pat on the back before returning to his seat. "It has. It's a shame we can't see each other more often.
Warren thought, looking at his father.
"I've been busy with the X-Men." He offered as an explanation.
"Ah, yes, those mutants you love so much." His father said with a sigh. "Why can't you just lead a normal life, Warren? There's nothing wrong with being a businessman."
Warren gritted his teeth, trying to maintain his composure. "Because that's not who I am, father. I'm not just Warren Worthington III!"
Warren finally snapped, slamming his fist onto the armrest of his chair. "I'm Angel, a member of the X-Men. I have wings, father! How do you expect me to live a normal life with wings?"
His father sighed, shaking his head. "You'll always be my son, Warren. But I don't understand why you insist on living this way. It's dangerous, and you're putting yourself in harm's way."
Warren stood up, his fists clenched in frustration."You don't understand! None of you do! You've never had to fight for your life, or to be accepted for who you are. You don't know what it's like to be a mutant in this world. To be feared and hated for something you can't change."His mother, Catherine, spoke up for the first time, her voice soft and soothing. "Warren, we may not understand, but we love you, and we want what's best for you."
"You want what's best for me?Then why do you support so many anti Mutant rallies and politicians. You're basically funding them to extinct. People like me. !"
Warren spat out the words, his frustration evident.
His parents exchanged a worried glance before Mrs. Worthington spoke up. "Warren, we just want to find a way to help you become normal again "
Warren threw his hands up in the air. "Normal? There's no such thing as normal, And you can't change who I am, no matter how much you may want to. I'm a mutant, and I'm proud of it. I'm an X-Man, and I'm part of a team that's fighting to make the world a better place for mutants and humans alike."
The room was tense and silent as the words hung in the air.
Warren could see the disappointment in his parent's eyes, but he refused to back down.
He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. "Look, I know you don't understand. And I know that you might never accept me for who I am. But I can't change who I am. I can't change what I believe in. And I won't stop fighting for what I believe in."
His father sighed, rubbing his temples. "Warren, we just want what's best for you.
We don't want you to be in danger all the time," Warren's mother said, her voice filled with genuine concern.
"Mother, I understand your concern, I do. But being an X-Man is what's best for me. It's where I belong. And I've never been happier."
Warren's father looked at him with a mixture of sadness and pride. "I just want you to be happy, son. Please let's change the subject". He said.
Warren sat back down, taking a deep breath as the conversation moved on to less contentious topics. He couldn't help but feel a sense of sadness as he looked around the room at his family. He loved them, but he knew that he would never be able to fully be himself around them.
As the hours ticked by, Warren felt the need to leave grow stronger. He knew that there was only so much small talk he could take before he would snap again. Warren excused himself from the room and headed outside for some fresh air.
He wandered down the famed gardens of the Worthington Estate, reminiscing about the years he spent growing up there. His mind wandered to Betsy, wondering how she was and what she was doing. He couldn't get the thought of her out of his head, and it was both exciting and frustrating all at once.
Warren had never met someone like Betsy before. She was kind, intelligent, and had a raw strength that was both intimidating and irresistible. She made him feel seen, and accepted, something he hadn't felt in a long time.
It was like she saw through the facade of Warren Worthington III, and saw him for who he truly was. He knew it was crazy to have such strong feelings for someone he had just met, but he couldn't help it. He felt alive and free with her, like anything was possible.
He continued to walk through the gardens, his thoughts consumed by Betsy. He couldn't wait to see her again, to feel her presence, and to see where this newfound connection would lead them.
Warren was pulled out of his reverie by the sound of his phone buzzing in his pocket. He pulled it out to see a message from Betsy.
It read: "I can't stop thinking about you , Can't wait to see you again."
Warren's heart raced as he read the message. He couldn't believe how much he was feeling for this woman. He never thought he would feel this way again after his last heartbreak.
He quickly typed out a response: "Me neither. I'll see you tomorrow."
Betsy replied with a winking emoji. Warren chuckled to himself and put the phone back in his pocket. He took a deep breath and looked out over the beautiful gardens.
He decided to go back inside to see his family for a couple more minutes. Then his father asked " oh Warren. By the way, you are coming to the gala this weekend correct, your presence is to be expected".
Warren's father insisted on his attendance at the annual Worthington Charity Gala. It was a high-profile event, attended by New York's elite and featured in numerous society pages. Warren had been invited every year since he was a teenager, but this year, he had planned to decline.
"I'm afraid I have other obligations, Father", Warren replied, reluctant to attend a public event where his mutation would be on display.
"Nonsense, it is for a good cause, and we need the representatives of Worthington industries there.
Plus, it's good for public relations," Warren II argued, pressing his point.
Warren frowned, knowing he couldn't refuse his father's demand. "Fine, I'll attend," he reluctantly conceded, hiding his frustration.
His father then looked at him. "I assume you'll be going alone. Picking up a random girl while at the gala, Per usual." he said with a grin.
Warren's jaw tightened at his father's assumption.
"No, actually. I'm seeing someone. His father raised an eyebrow. "A girlfriend? "Warren bristled. "Yes, a girlfriend, her name is Elizabeth, and she's incredible. "Warren said, looking his father directly in the eyes, emphasizing his choice of words.
Warren's mother, Catherine, clsaped her hand over her mouth as Warren spoke. "Oh Warren, that's wonderful! When can we meet her?" she asked, her tone bright with excitement.
"I'll bring her to the gala with me this weekend," Warren replied, a soft smile playing on his lips as he thought of Betsy.
"Well, that should be interesting," Warren II commented, his tone laced with skepticism.
But Warren didn't let his father's skepticism deter him. For the first time in a long time, he felt truly happy and fulfilled. He had found someone who understood him, someone who made him feel seen and accepted for who he truly was.
As he drove back home that evening, Warren couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation for the weekend ahead.