earth_367 | A Reunion

What's Up?

It's been a month since Professor Charles Xavier fell into an enigmatic coma, leaving his institute and his protégés to continue on without him.

It's been three days since the mark that had appeared on Xavier also appeared on his first eight students, the original X-Men. While none of them have followed their mentor's lead into oblivion, word of this strange shared circumstance reached them all quickly and they've agreed to gather and discuss the situation.

For better or worse, it seems that they're in this together.

It's dark, cold, and snowing outside when they gather in one of the mansion's parlors, a large room with double doors (which they close behind them) and a lit fireplace. The flames inside crackle and dismiss the worst of the night's chill as they arrive one by one, taking positions on two couches and three chairs scattered around a low table. The antique furniture and built-in bookshelves make the space reminiscent of Charles Xavier's office and the man's presence seems to hang over the gathering.

...But at least the bar cart is well-stocked.

Volunteer Slots

Scott Summers had the foresight to prepare a snack for the group before they met up. Or maybe they just needed a distraction. Regardless, they arrive armed with enough deviled eggs for everyone!

During the discussion, Kitty Pryde says something about themselves or their life that is just...not true. They don't know why they said it or where the thought even came from. How strange.

Near the end of the discussion, Kurt Wagner's mark begins to glow, bright enough to be visible through or around anything that might be obscuring it. One by one, the others' marks follow suit, ending with Emma Frost. The glow of their mark persist for several long moments after the others go dull and seems to pulse within their skin...before they suddenly collapse back with a gasp and fall unconscious.

When Emma wakes, only minutes later, their friends are around them and they recall nothing but a blinding light.

ARRIVALS ⮾ DURING THE TALK ⮾ AFTER THE TALK ⮾ OOC

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The glowing of the marks is concerning, and Emma isn't sure whether them lighting up in sequence is any less worrisome than them lighting up in unison. She hates the feeling of it as it becomes her time, a pulsing sensation that makes her want to twist out of her own skin. Quickly she's on her feet, staring in a mirror on the wall at her shoulder while mentally searching the room for something, a trail to follow that might lead to her mark, which keeps glowing, longer than it should, longer than the others.

And then there is light, a small gasp, and a small step back that quickly turns into a free fall.

When she awakens minutes later, she is dizzy and confused.

Scott lunges on instinct, catching Emma before she hits the ground. She's dead weight in his arms, but he's calm as he lowers her to the plush Persian carpet and proceeds to check her vitals. It delays the worst of his fears—the knowledge that Emma is a telepath like the professor, and they still don't know why he fell into a coma.

But Emma's eyelids soon stir again, and Scott is next to her, holding her wrist. The others are around them. "Hey," he says, the slightest undercurrent of tension in his voice. "Are you okay?"

Jean is not so immature as to actively roll her eyes when Emma faints and Scott catches her, but she does experience a hot flare of jealousy and irritation at the scene. So dramatic.

She gets a handle on her emotions as quickly as she can manage and proceeds to watch the unfolding scene in silence as she lurks by the doorway.

In a puff of smoke —BAMF— Kurt is next to Emma, holding her hand as Scott looks for a pulse. The same cold jolt of fear runs up his spine; Emma could be gone just like Charles is. Even when he sees her start to stir, his heartbeat doesn't slow. "Lass es langsam angehen," he murmurs.

"Emma...!"

The moment between Emma collapsing and Scott catching her feels entirely too long to Manuel. The minutes of his friend unconscious on the floor are longer still, seeming to go on forever as they all gather around and just...wait. A rush of cold panic, the unspoken possibility of Emma ending up in the same state as Charles Xavier, cuts through him. Or maybe all of them? In this moment, it's difficult for him to tell.

Except.

He feels her come around before she opens her eyes, her emotions rushing out in an unfamiliar torrent that she would never allow under normal circumstances. There's confusion. Embarrassment. Sharp, hot anger. And fear. It feels like he's seeing something he shouldn't and, despite knowing that he can't, he wills himself to shut it out.

"I think she's..."

Edited (This tag is Rin-approved~) Date: 2025-01-14 03:53 am (UTC)

"Awake." Bobby finishes Manuel's sentence with the lowest-hanging fruit the other guy almost certainly wasn't going to say, but he hasn't yapped for at least three minutes and his mouth was too freaked out to keep shut. "Rise and shine, Professor Frost, Evie's drinks aren't that strong."

Edited (i only uploaded stupid icons so we're going to Deal for now) Date: 2025-01-14 04:05 am (UTC)

Within moments of becoming fully aware, Emma has shut off her mind again, leaving Manny without any hint of her emotions.

Her eyes momentarily dart to Jean, expression impassive, before she looks to Bobby with annoyance. She knows he means well, but she's embarrassed and annoyed at being fussed over. There's a moment when she nearly pulls her hands roughly away from both Scott and Kurt, but instead she just pulls in a breath and centers herself.

As she pulls herself up she begins to scrape the others' minds for an outside view of what happened to her. "There's no damage. It's fine. I'm fine." She is, honestly, not fine.

"I did warn you about slippery shoes." Kitty says, faintly, to break the tension. She's all the way back with Jean, her customary orbit. "...What happened?"

AFTER THE TALK: Emma Faints (open to all)

seeingred scott summers ⊗ cyclops - Date: 2025-01-14 05:29 am (UTC) - Expand

AFTER THE TALK: Emma Faints (open to all)

blauerdamon kurt wagner ⚔️ nightcrawler - Date: 2025-01-14 06:27 am (UTC) - Expand

AFTER THE TALK: Emma Faints (open to all)

frost_queen Emma Frost ♕ White Queen - Date: 2025-01-14 12:55 pm (UTC) - Expand

AFTER THE TALK: Emma Faints (open to all)

empata Manuel de la Rocha (Empath) - Date: 2025-01-14 02:26 pm (UTC) - Expand

AFTER THE TALK: Emma Faints (open to all)

stroboscopic dazzle 'em - Date: 2025-01-15 12:39 am (UTC) - Expand

It's nearing bedtime when Scott returns with empty dishes, after all the students descended on him and his offer of free eggs. Who knew the children were in such desperate need of late night protein? Anyone else might consider this a job well done and end the day, but Scott's mind is busy listing tasks like washing plates and wiping down surfaces. He probably won't fall asleep before 2 AM anyway.

Those plans are derailed when he sees someone already in the kitchen, with a glass of wine in one hand and a deviled egg in the other. "Emma," he says, surprised. He shouldn't ask her if she's okay; it'll annoy her. Although he's thought it now, so.

A glass of wine and a deviled egg, an oversized t-shirt and, quite possibly, no pants (there are very tiny shorts under there, in case anyone is worried about the children), her hair shoved up in a messy bun, and Emma looks almost normal. Except, of course, for the fact that the t-shirt is Louis Vuitton, it has two large slits in the back, and she's still got a pair of diamond earrings in. Regardless, Scott has the smallest moment to take this in because she's so lost in her own thoughts that she doesn't even realize he's there until he speaks. She nearly jumps, but in an attempt to recover she takes a quick, small drink of her wine. Very relaxed. Totally normal.

"Oh. Why are you still awake?" A pause, before adding. "And I'm fine, Scott." Her tone is tired instead of annoyed, at least.

Even after all the years they lived in this mansion, it's rare for him to see Emma looking anything less than coldly immaculate. Her hair messy, halfway dressed for bed, it's like the temperature's turned up a few degrees. Scott's gaze unthinkingly travels up the bare length of her legs. He's always known Emma is a beautiful woman (how could anyone not notice?), but this is the first time the knowledge hits him in a visceral way, which— No.

He redirects his mind to answering Emma's question: the moment he poked his head into the students' common area with two covered platters, awkwardly apologetic about bothering them. Scott is an exceptional X-Man but an uninspiring teacher, and never before has he experienced the sort of adulation he got from by giving teenagers too many deviled eggs. His thoughts are still tinged with embarrassed pride; he was anxious that he was falling short, and it's a surprise to learn that the students admire him.

"I disposed of the eggs," Scott says, matter-of-fact, as he takes the dirty dishes to the sink. He doesn't look at Emma. "I don't sleep much, anyway."

This sort of attention from Scott is unusual but absolutely not unwelcome. Still, Emma doesn't want to scare him off, so she masks her tiny, self-satisfied smile by lifting her glass to her lips. This shouldn't make her feel as giddy as it does. Embarrassing.

To escape this she turns her focus to the evening Scott has had, and her small smile shifts into a broader one as she finishes her sip of wine.

"I'm sure they love you more than you know," she starts, humming and taking a bit of the egg in her hand. "Even without egg bribery. But you should sleep more. You need to be well-rested."

Gently, she tries to search his mind, seeing if his sleep has gotten even worse because of everything with Xavier.

Scott's spent the past ten years learning to accept concern from others, but it still requires conscious effort to not retreat from Emma's gentle probing. He could probably hide his inadequacies from her—he's had enough practice at it, living with Charles Xavier—but Emma is one of the few people he feels nearly safe with. She knows his mind already.

Guilt runs through his thoughts about Xavier (their worsening relationship during his temporary stint leading the X-Men, the year he spent in Genosha with Magneto instead, learning to shield his mind in the first place) and he's been tying himself into knots trying to make up for it. He stays up late thinking of ways to take care of who's left, and never quite hitting the mark. Like the eggs.

"I'll go to bed after I finish up," he promises. Finish up being a vague parameter that might include running laps later to tire himself out, but Scott is too regimented not to sleep. Still washing dishes, he steals a look at Emma out of the corner of his eye. "I'm sorry you have to be here for this."

Finishing up her snack and downing the rest of her wine, Emma continues to gently search Scott's mind, taking in his thoughts and feelings. Even though they're all familiar lines of thought to trace, it doesn't mean that she likes them. She stands, moving over to his side to help with the dishes.

« This is my home. I'm glad to be here. » Hopefully, the switch to telepathic conversation will help him express himself a bit more. She resists the urge to lean into his space, bump her hip against his, instead busying herself by grabbing up a towel to begin drying.

« You take very good care of all of us, even though you don't have to. And having a complicated relationship with Charles is natural. I hate him, sometimes. Deeply. Do you think that makes me bad? Or means I owe penance? »

Scott exhales. He could never hate Xavier—the man who saved him, who gave him purpose, who is in many ways the only father he's ever known. As complicated as they both are, Xavier loves him, and sees him better than anyone else does. Scott is a good second-in-command, and not one to inspire others. Even he'd choose charismatic, empathetic Kurt over himself if it came down to it.

"That's different," he says aloud—his guard still up, his thought process more carefully ordered even as he makes room for Emma in his mind. He doesn't judge her for feeling this way, because it is different. They're different. But Scott knows who Emma is, and how deeply she cares for people. Everything else is irrelevant.

He doesn't want to talk about Xavier. « I'm glad you're here too. I hate to say it, but this might all fall apart without you. » He missed her. He knows he can always text or call, but it's not the same as having Emma here. Hearing her voice. Seeing her face.

Emma settles into Scott's mind where the space is made for her, a cat finding its perch. She'd never say it, but his mind, as stifled and troubled as it can often be, is one of the most comforting to her. She feels like she understands it. It is regimented. Easy to rest in.

She lets him dismiss her words about Xavier, not wanting to push too hard when it's unnecessary. Scott is struggling. They all are, in their own ways. After a long moment of drying dishes in silence she does lean into him, a soft and quick touch, before straightening. « I am incredibly important. » It's difficult to tell if she's joking or not.

« We'll figure this out. I don't have the time for Charles to be out of commission for an extended period. »

AFTER THE TALK: Scott & Emma

seeingred scott summers ⊗ cyclops - Date: 2025-01-25 06:55 am (UTC) - Expand

AFTER THE TALK: Scott & Emma

frost_queen Emma Frost ♕ White Queen - Date: 2025-01-25 06:06 pm (UTC) - Expand

After a late night snack, a final removal of her make-up and earrings, and one more quick glass of wine, Emma is ready to go to bed. But when she enters her room, essentially barren because none of her personal things have arrived, she just stands in the doorframe for a few moments before shaking her head and moving back into the hallway. She's got more welcoming options.

« Kurt? Are you awake? » The question pressed into his mind is gentle, enough to wake him if he's sleeping lightly but not enough to jar him from a deep sleep. As she asks this, Emma is already opening his door to slip inside.

First Emma sees just two slits of golden yellow staring at from the dark, but they widen as Kurt's mind shakes off the last bits of slumber. He hadn't really been sleeping anyway, mostly just dozing in and out of consciousness, jumping back awake as soon as his imagination stumbled across something unpleasant.

"Ja, is something wrong?" His voice is sleepy as he sits up, accent stronger than usual. His thoughts are a few moments behind his body, finally remembering the night Emma just had. That has him awake.

There's a sharp 'tsk' as Kurt's thoughts drift to concern for her before Emma shuts the door and quietly makes her way over to slip into his bed. Already she feels better, her slight tipsiness and the warmth of another body making her feel cozy and safe.

"Everyone needs to stop worrying so much. Nothing is wrong, my room is just depressing."

"But we're all so good at worrying," he teases, but his actual worries are mollified when Emma crawls into bed next to him. It's easy and familiar to wrap his arms around her, pressing his face to her shoulder. It's not quite a kiss, but it's more than what "just friends" would do.

"So what can I do to uplift up your evening, Fraulein?"

"I know; it's very sweet but also very unnecessary." Emma immediately scoots into Kurt's arms, taking a moment to just appreciate the comfort this contact affords her. She's really not that upset, at least not in a clearly identifiable way. It's more like a slight fog of unease hanging over her, harder to push past with the wine in her system.

Kurt's sort-of kiss is unintentionally pressed right near her mark, something that makes her let out a quiet huff of air.

"Just being here, for the moment." She's not sure if she's in the mood to seek out much else. "I've had two glasses of wine and four eggs," she admits.

Kurt huffs a bit of laughter against her shoulder, warm breath that can be felt through the fabric of her shirt. His body relaxes against hers, welcoming her in with no other plans besides a similar need for sleep. "Bad combination," he murmurs. "You should get to sleep so you don't have a very unusual hangover."

Edited Date: 2025-01-17 07:33 am (UTC)

Emma is restless, unsure of what she wants or how she wants to be positioned. She shifts a little in Kurt's embrace, then a bit more, finally settling in as the little spoon, but even that doesn't stop her moving as she practically tries to get comfortable in her own skin.

"Decadence hangover," she jokes, letting out a little sigh as she finally stops squirming, pressing back into her companion. "It still feels very strange to be moving back here, even though I'm happy to."

When Emma finally stills, Kurt's arms find their resting place wrapped around her. His tail snakes over her calves as he settles down into the position Emma has chosen. "There will be an adjustment period," he agrees, "but it's good to have you back. You let me stay with you when I needed a place, and now I can return the favor."

Edited Date: 2025-01-18 09:05 am (UTC)

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367 - AFTER THE TALK

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An X-Men GPSL (IC)

A Reunion

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