| @sniktcd
It was late. So late, in fact, that Emma felt comfortable enough to be in the kitchen of Xavier’s in an annoyingly lavish white silk robe poking around for something, the calories of which would not count because it was after midnight… right? Right.
But she had opened most of the cabinets more than once, only to glance at its contents and heave an irritated little sigh at the books and cans, before closing the cabinets and starting the process all over again. It’s not like there was an abundance to choose from but her hunger was borne of restlessness, not an actual craving.
When she heard footsteps, light as they were, she froze, only a moment, before the sound in her mind resonated with the feeling of someone familiar. Laura. Emma didn’t turn toward the door of the entrance immediately, instead, she went into a little stash place and tugged out a container of chocolate spread, grabbing two spoons and holding one out, nodding toward it.
“Don’t stand there and look at me like that, you’re an accomplice now, you’ve seen me,” Emma let a little smirk tug at the corner of her lips. There wasn’t much to smile about these days if you asked Emma. But being morose would get them nowhere fast. For the students, current, and past, she could push her dour demeanor to the side — for the most part. The crease between her impeccably well-manicured eyebrows didn’t soothe completely. She would blame it on the stress, but it definitely had to do with the company. Laura wasn’t a kid anymore, Emma didn’t have to try and hide the edges. Emma applauded herself for being put together and composed but Emma was sure Laura would see through it, there was no sense in too much of a show.
“Status report?” Emma asks as she licks the back of her spoon, looking up at Laura for a moment, before dipping her spoon back into the rich chocolatey goodness. Emma wasn’t asking because she expected Laura to be anything other than okay — it was more to hear her say it, to soothe Emma’s nerves which were fraying at the edges with concern for the kids around here. “Eat.”
Rest alluded Laura regularly, especially lately. The Facility’s men had been spotted in New York City, they were surely armed with the trigger scent, and as long as they existed, Laura was capable of being their weapon whether she willed it or not. Once she devised a proper strategy, it was useless attacking them impulsively with what they possessed, Laura would defeat their men. She would find every single vial of the trigger scent she possibly could and through sheer willpower and necessity, Laura would make herself immune. It was crucial for her family’s safety and for the worlds.
After tossing and turning for roughly an hour, Laura inevitably gave up and after hearing sounds of someone in the kitchen, decided to join them. After a moment, she noticed Emma’s scent, and out of everyone that she possibly run into so late at night, snacking, Laura was pleased it was someone she genuinely enjoyed. As important as Xavier’s was to Laura, its students included, she was far from close to all of its inhabitants. Some feared her, Laura understood, while others simply could not relate -- truthfully, she was grateful for that. The last thing Laura wanted was for the children to understand what she had endured and rose above.
Once she entered the kitchen, clad in an oversized t-shirt, Laura studied Emma in the doorway for a moment. Emma’s version of detection was much different from Laura’s, but she had no doubt that the White Queen was aware of her presence. “I was hoping to join you,” she replied. After all, with a metabolism as fast as Laura’s, food was almost always tantalizing. “I think one of the young mutants made brownies today, I smelled them,” she informed Emma. Stepping forward, Laura paused and then smelled the brownies in a drawer below. When she spotted a note that read ‘help yourself,’ she turned to Emma victoriously.
After taking a bite of the brownie, Laura wasn’t at all surprised by Emma’s question. They were living in a chaotic world, filled with complications, isolated from what they knew. Worry was completely normal, she had adjusted to the stress of fear for her friends. “The brownie is amazing,” she replied, taking a moment to dip her spoon into the ice cream. “Thank you, you’re welcome to try that, too.” Laura paused to consider what her status report was exactly before saying, “I hope we can return to Earth soon. With the list now public, I imagine things will get much more tense here and in order to survive, we all need to work together. How are you?”