The night before Cuba
Nov. 23rd, 2015 11:14 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no_more_hidingIt wasn't supposed to be like this. Not at all.
Everything was going well. Sean was now flying with his abilities, Alex had more control over his energy blasts (thanks to the targeting matrix Hank and Charles had devised), and the potency of Erik's control over metal was reaching profound levels. They were ready to fight, and not too soon as tomorrow they had to fly to be in Cuba to foil Shaw's plans to start World War Three.
And yet, even in the middle of all this, Hank had found the time to perfect the serum that would cure he and Raven's non human features, and yet leave their mutant abilities intact. He had been so pleased and had rushed to find Raven, to share with her the fulfillment of both of their dreams. To be normal.
And what had she done? Rejected it.
"Should we have to hide?" She asked when he offered the serum. Shaking his head, he ignored her question and pulled out his dose of the serum.
"Hank, don't!" She beged him. "You’re beautiful Hank. Everything you are, you are perfect. Look at all of us. Look at all we’ve achieved this week. All we will achieve. We are different. We shouldn’t be trying to fit into society. Society should aspire to be more like us." She shifted then, to her natural blue form and smiled. Hopeful, though he didn't see it. "Mutant and proud."
His breathing became erratic from the torment in his heart. His dream, the dream he had clung to so long, was here now and she was trying to take it from him. Didn't she see? They would never fit in as they were. His tone is cold as his tongue speaks without him. "It behooves me to tell you, that even if we save the world tomorrow and mutants are accepted into society, my feet and your natural blue form will never be deemed beautiful."
Stung, she shifted back to her human form.
Everything was going well. Sean was now flying with his abilities, Alex had more control over his energy blasts (thanks to the targeting matrix Hank and Charles had devised), and the potency of Erik's control over metal was reaching profound levels. They were ready to fight, and not too soon as tomorrow they had to fly to be in Cuba to foil Shaw's plans to start World War Three.
And yet, even in the middle of all this, Hank had found the time to perfect the serum that would cure he and Raven's non human features, and yet leave their mutant abilities intact. He had been so pleased and had rushed to find Raven, to share with her the fulfillment of both of their dreams. To be normal.
And what had she done? Rejected it.
"Should we have to hide?" She asked when he offered the serum. Shaking his head, he ignored her question and pulled out his dose of the serum.
"Hank, don't!" She beged him. "You’re beautiful Hank. Everything you are, you are perfect. Look at all of us. Look at all we’ve achieved this week. All we will achieve. We are different. We shouldn’t be trying to fit into society. Society should aspire to be more like us." She shifted then, to her natural blue form and smiled. Hopeful, though he didn't see it. "Mutant and proud."
His breathing became erratic from the torment in his heart. His dream, the dream he had clung to so long, was here now and she was trying to take it from him. Didn't she see? They would never fit in as they were. His tone is cold as his tongue speaks without him. "It behooves me to tell you, that even if we save the world tomorrow and mutants are accepted into society, my feet and your natural blue form will never be deemed beautiful."
Stung, she shifted back to her human form.
"You...you look beautiful now," he said, trying to heal the damage his words had caused, but tears pooling in her eyes. "We need this cure." He repeated, begging.
He looked into her eyes for a few moments longer before standing and leaving, shaking his head. She just didn't understand.
no subject
Date: 2015-11-23 08:44 pm (UTC)He gives up after five minutes and stalks to the bench where a syringe waits.
He picks it up and stares at it. Should we have to hide? Growling in frustration, he puts it back down and goes back to pacing, scrubbing at his hair.
The world is as it is. Maybe someday it will be different, but today, mutants like them just would not be accepted and he was so tired of hiding. She didn't understand what it was like to not be able to change. That was it. She could look however she wanted. He didn't have that option.
He would show her what it would be like and then she would join him. That was it. She just needed to see.
Before he could change his mind again, he took up the syringe, removed his right shoe and sock, and administered the serum. Holding his breath, he waited and watched.
And watched.
Then, a dull ache in his joints started, followed by muscle spasms. He smiled and wanted to laugh as for the first time in his memory, his foot changed and shifted to look human. To look normal.
He was right. She would see.
He missed the first muscle cramp, but the second caught his attention and he looked back down. His foot spasmed again, followed by his calf, and then his arms. His whole body screaming in pain. His vision a wash of blue. His arm lashed out, knocking over beakers and other equipment.
He tried to stand, but falls to the floor instead. His dreams burnt to cinders by the flames of pain wrecking his body.