Avenge me tomorrow (Ch.10)
Thanks to everyone who sent me messages and didn't despair to see another chapter. I have already two chapters fully written and I'm onto the 12th one. So, yeah. Sorry for the wait, my medication kind of made me numb and sucked all of my creativity.
Also, I have reached 400 followers! *cry profusely* Thanks so much to everyone who followed me.
Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7 - Part 8 - Part 9
Préviously: Thea was attacked by Jean during the last test with Hank. Nemesis and Thea mentally travelled to somewhere to Vormir and followed a little girl who carried the soul stone. As she sacrificed herself and dropped it from the mountain, Nemesis seized, then Thea, who couldn't let them suffer in silence.
Words: 2400
TW: blood, mention of self harm
Hank wasn’t okay at all. He rubbed his temples and focused on his breathing.
Inhale. Exhale.
The buzzing noise coming from the machine next to him wasn’t soothing anymore. He felt each second go by and his heart strained to remain calm.
There had been times when he thought he’d give up. Times of uncertainties like this one. It was what the X-Men had to deal with every day. It was what the cape of hero and superhero meant for them. A burden getting heavier every time they fought a villain.
Were they going to make it? Would they able to save everyone? Was it worth it at the end?
Their powers meant a responsibility that none of them had wanted. Other normal civilians expected them to save them and use all their abilities for the good cause, but what about what they wanted. To live a normal life in a world where people would welcome them without judgement. Or at least they’d try to hide it.
Hank shook his head and rubbed his temples.
He dreaded the moment when the newest generation would have to choose too. To stay here with them and become a x-men or go outside, in the real world and hide what they truly were forever.
Many chose to stay. Now more than ever. The mutant representatives in Congress, besides him, had seen how sour the situation was turning. After Sokovia, general Ross has tried to rope the president into signing the Accords. A new way to control mutants and to rate them as animals from what they consider being the most powerful to the least.
There was no doubt that Ross wanted to gather as much intel as he could in order to use them. Like a Pokemon trainer, he’d have all of their personal information and powers in hand ready to single them out and use them as war machines.
“Are you okay?”
Hank repressed a sigh and smiled tiredly at Scott, who looked as exhausted as him.
“I could ask you the same.”
Scott shrugged and crossed his arms over his chest. Although he couldn’t see his eyes, Hank could tell he was staring at Jean’s unconscious body.
“You can approach her if you want.”
Scott hesitated. He started moving forward before stopping himself as if there was an invisible wall in front of him. Hank looked at him quizzically.
“Logan told me what happened,” Scott whispered. He averted his eyes and uncrossed his arms.
Hank waited for him to continue.
“Is it true that she tried to kill the girl?”
Hank kept his silence.
“Fuck, Jean…” Scott shook his head and walked closer to her. This time he didn’t stop until he was next to her bed. He sat next to her and held her hand. “Is the girl, okay?”
“Physically, yes.”
“And mentally?”
Hank stood up slowly. He rearranged Xavier’s cover on his body and walked to the door.
“She came here looking for answers and a refuge. All she found was someone who attempted to kill her twice.”
Hank closed the door behind him and walked to Xavier’s personal office. It was by far the most comfortable place in the academy and the closest to the infirmary. He didn’t want to leave to his own quarter and miss if something happened.
He let his legs transport him to the couch near the French windows and he fell on his back. He groaned when his back cracked and tried his usual deep breathing exercise. He inhaled and exhaled trying to let his thought go and find his safe place.
As he was about to find his peace, a familiar fire-like cercle slowly appeared in the middle of the office.
Hank closed his eyes and counted to ten.
“Need some?”
Hank stretched his hand to where Dr. Strange would be and grabbed a box filled with chocolates. His favorites. Made in Swiss with hazelnut and salted caramel.
Hank opened the box and popped a chocolate. He groaned as the sugary flavor burst on his tongue. He also mentally thanked Strange for letting him enjoy his snack before getting to the reason of his visit. If Hank knew anything about Strange, whatever he had to say would be terrible, would demand probably more efforts and involvement than Hank liked and there will be no true gratification. Unless they had to save the world…
He chuckled at the thought.
No one went to the X-Men to save the world.
Nope.
The Avengers maybe, but never the X-Men. They were relegated to earthly threats. And by earthly he meant the US, and if Ross had his way they’d be already on a leash as he’d send them overseas intruding into countries they had no business to be in and to spy on foreign government secrets.
“Lay it on me, Doc.” He said followed by a deep sigh.
When Strange left him, Hank fell easily asleep. A deep, perturbated sleep where a huge serpent roamed the universe, eating each and every single planets and stars until it got to the Earth.
Hank stood still, petrified. The dream repeated itself on a loop. It didn’t matter how many times he tried to escape, fight back…everything felt so real and vivid. He could feel the warmth of the sun on his skin, the fear bubbling in him ready to burst and the tension in his muscles as the invincible threat arrived. How could they defend their planet against this behemoth of a being?
No matter how many times he tried to control these dreams. Death. Destruction. Pain. All of these awaited them.
Unless…his last dream shifted into something new. Hank hoped it was something different. He only needed a hint of hope and he’d hold on tight. As tight as he could until the end. Because if there were a way for the Earth to be saved. He’d do anything.
Although Strange had sounded skeptical about any positive outcome, Hanks last dream anchored him.
The serpent hovered in front of the Earth mouth wide open. As it was to eat the planet, a feminine body appeared in a flash in front of him. Them. Anyone there to witness humanity’s doom.
The light surrounding her dimmed enough for Hank to recognize her. As he breathed out her name, the serpent stroke.
Thea, eyes stuck on Hank, raised one arm toward the serpent and batted it away. Just like that. As it was a mere insect. Its disappearance was sudden and without any commotion. Hank could hear screams of joy around him, but he didn’t care. All of his attention was on Thea.
She dropped her arm down, interlaced her fingers together and breathed into her two intertwined hands.
Hank swore he could hear her breath from within him. He felt the warm breath on his skin and his lungs something warm and delicious expanded in his chest. Hank felt tears coming down his cheeks. He let them roll as long as the felicity he felt could travel through him forever.
When he woke up, there were a few dried tears on his face and he wore a smile he didn’t remember having. First thing after checking on Jean and Xavier, Hank went to Thea’s room only to see her already awake. He stood at the door, feeling awkward. The dream contrary to his usual ones didn’t fade away as soon as his wake up and he felt a bit bad.
Thea was here for guidance, not for him to put all of his hope. He watched unsure as she examined her hands thoroughly. Like she’d never seen them before. Thea rose her hands in front of her face and turned them, eyes staring at each digit, intrigued.
The longer he watched her, the more he felt like an intruder. He stopped himself from fidgeting and put his hands in his pockets.
Then, Hank cleared his throat.
He didn’t expect Thea’s violent reaction. She jumped out of the bed and fell on the floor. Hank ran by her side only to be met by a strange scene. Thea was now staring at her legs like she didn’t know she had some before. She approached slowly her hand to her thigh and caressed her skin softly. The hand barely met her thigh that she flinched away.
“Thea?” Hank asked, worried. He watched her face carefully. The lack of oxygen in her brain may have cause amnesia. Something that didn’t appear in his thorough test. He cussed at himself. He should have seen it come. No one could live through that much trauma in one day and achieve a 100% recover.
Thea was still prone on the floor. She didn’t reply nor acknowledged his presence. Hank reached her slowly, trying not to make her jump and waved his hand in front of her eyes. The reaction was immediate. Thea looked at him quickly and stared at him, confused. Almost as confused as he was feeling. Only, she didn’t seem to recognize him at all.
“Thea? Do you know who I am?”
She looked at his lips, eyebrows furrowed. She opened her mouth to talk, which had Hank already sighing in relief. A small sound barely escaped her mouth before she pressed both of her hands on her mouth. Her entire face morphed from confusion to shock. She leaped to her feet. Or at least tried to. She seemed like a baby doe trying to walk for the first time. She wasn’t stable on her feet nor looked as if she understood the simple concept of walking.
Hank raised his arm to help her in case she fell but she managed to go to the bathroom alone. She stopped dead in her track in front of the mirror. She was half-way in the bathroom, standing still.
Hank stayed near her in case…in case…he didn’t know. She could have a meltdown, fall and hit her head on the floor or…
Hank pressed one of his hands on his chest and coached himself to breath deeply. Now wasn’t the moment for a panic attack. He could do it.
The seconds stretched to minutes. Thea was frozen, staring at her reflection straight at her reflection, hands balled next to her body, and Hank was on the verge of giving up and leading her back to her room. He walked closer to her. Thea surged forward, closer to the mirror and grabbed her hair pulling it tightly. She grumbled unintelligently. She touched, patted her cheeks, lips, eyelashes, making Hank cringe.
He rushed to her side and restrained her hands. As soon as he touched her, she went limp. He took a second to take his breath and pulled her closer.
Then everything went to shit. It all happened in a blur. Thea shrieked pushing Hank away. She used Hank momentary lack of reaction to get to the cabinet underneath the sink and grabbed a pair of scissors. She barely considered the tool before raising it to her neck.
“No! Wait!” He let out, unable to move.
She didn’t spare him a look and started slicing her neck. A small rivulet of blood traveled on her dark skin.
Hank made a move to stop her. A blue blur appeared next to Thea and teleported her. Hank swirled around when he heard Diablo reappearing behind him.
“Hank! Help me! I can’t restrain her alone.” He grunted under the effort. Diablo was kneeling on the bed and pining Thea by the hands, letting her legs totally free to jerk him away.
Hank didn’t move. He wasn’t sure he could.
“Fuck! What’s happening here?” Logan said as he ran into the room. He didn’t stop to take in the scene and went directly to help Diablo.
They restrained her in a matter of minutes.
Logan and Diablo discussed together over what to do while. Or that’s what Hank thought they discussed about. All he could hear was his heart and Thea’s shrieks. Everything else felt blur. He didn’t even dare move in case he’d faint or worse, have a meltdown in the middle of the room.
He didn’t even notice that Diablo and Logan led him outside the room and back to Xavier’s office. The silence in the corridor was deafening. He could still hear Thea’s scream and could still see her blood on her skin.
“Here? Drink this?” Hank grabbed the glass from Logan and drank everything in one go. The bitterness of the alcohol didn’t made him flinch. He barely could taste the liquid on his tongue, let alone feel its effect.
“I’ll…I’ll check on Xavier and Jean,” Diablo said quickly.
“Tell Hel’ and Malicia to check up on Thea.”
“B-both?”
“Hel’ is the best when it comes to healing and combat, so she’ll be able to restrain Thea in case anything goes south. And Malicia would be able to take Thea’s powers, were they to manifest. Last thing we want is a powerful and traumatized enhanced running around.”
“But what…” Diablo swallowed. “Wha-what about their “animosity”?”
Logan raised an eyebrow. “animosity?”
“It has come to my attention that they had a lover spat and none of them wanted to work together. It never ends well.”
Logan raised his eyes to the ceiling. “I fucking hate these kids,” he muttered, then louder. “I don’t care Diablo. Tell them their asses are on the line and since Xavier and Jean are out, I’m the director here.”
Diablo nodded quickly. “Do I have to use your words specifically or…”
Logan growled, making Diablo squealed and disappear.
“Should have stayed in my forest.” He muttered to himself. “Lover spat, my ass. They love to fight as much as they love to make up…’ve to burn my eyes to forget…”
Logan shuddered and grimaced. “Argh, I think I need it more.” He said, taking a sip on from the bottle of rum. “This place is at that of becoming a brothel. I’m not paid enough.”
Hank huffed in agreement. The sound brought Logan’s attention to him. He crouched in front of the couch where they sat Hank down and peered into his eyes for a few seconds before nodding.
“Whenever you’re ready…” Logan muttered as he sat down on the floor and leaned back on his elbows, legs crossed.
Hank’s brain raked everything that happened for the past few hours and decided to start with Strange. It was the easiest that way.
When he opened his mouth, the sun was already high in the sky, Logan was now laying on the rug, awake, as if it was normal, and the screams were now faded in his mind.
“Dr. Strange came to see me today…”
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