#nxmmina

[nxmanon-blog]

◈ the baby-sitters club

nxmmina

Today’s schedule consisted of a diligent pattern of tending to tasks in blood work; specifically  monitoring carbon dioxide and oxygen levels in relation to pulmonary functions. Already was it going to be a rather mundane afternoon of repeating actions and observing the slightest of changes, while properly handling bio-hazards, so naturally he opted out of being alone, after all, Mina could use more time in the lab to further help her integration into a medical setting (plus it would keep her brain from turning into a pile of cranberry goop - disgusting). 

“Apparently most people are paranoid when it comes to having someone stick a needle in their artery, or just think that it’s not necessary to measure hemoglobins and electrolytes, because mutants are super invulnerable - or some bullshit like that.” Byunghun’s standard of reciting medical information in a frenzy or in monotone was put to rest, replaced by a suppressed complained, descending into a mumble pressed into his palm. Exhaling his vexation, he focused on the present situation, which was that with only one proper resident scientist (i.e. him) that even a small amount of work could consume the majority of his time for a week or so, especially with his painstaking routine for perfection. “...Thanks again, for agreeing to help out.” He really was grateful, her company did enough to prevent him from overthinking and redoing trials that should be left alone, plus - the silence here could drive him mad, probably.

“Okay, let’s make sure there’s no hidden mutant diseases...” Morbidly carefree, Byunghun stood from his chair, and discovered that that bottom of his shoes must be covered in some sort of adhesive because he was definitely planted onto the title. “Oh.” Attempting to clear his thoughts, and fix his appearance, he shapeshifted from the default form of scaly blue flesh to a pale human skin with dark human hair - all very human - on the account that standing at the doorway of New Xavier’s lab was one of the secretaries: a woman currently caught in the tenacious grip of a small child.

(...What, is the kid toxic? Should he be getting hazmat suits ready and begin quarantine???)

“Lee Byunghun, Kwon Mina, I would like the two of you to meet Lee Cristina.” Gesturing to the short child, her hair appearing to have a few generous tangles, and eyes wandering throughout the entire room (to his discomfort. children did not belong in these places. they could break science). “You’ll be taking care of her today. Her mother cannot host her safely for the time being, but is due to return this evening. The rest of us are too busy, so, kindly watch over her.” Encouraging the girl to release her from the suffocating grasp, she pushed her gently in the direction of the private lobby, succeeding when colorful magazines became the new center of attention.

But he was not merely standing there to absorb the scenery and let time pass him by, and he bit the inside of his cheek, took a step forward, and felt his fingers twitch. “Busy? You think I - we’re - not busy? Seriously, are you crazy? I’m not qualified for this kind of work but why don’t you go over my files again and - “ It’s a cascade of incandescent tones, his irritation in cohorts with the harsh strings of ancient violins, and he felt his steady words become hot, ignited, and then smothered by the secretary’s negligence when she left the room without a word. “...sort out your priorities. What the...” (he couldn’t say fuck in front of a child, right? “...uh...duck?” Pressing the sleeve of his coat to his mouth, he breathed out the humiliating, defeated sigh, letting himself slowly digest his new job as ‘babysitter’ whilst glancing over to Mina.

“...I’m not ready to be a father. I mean, what are kids?”

[nxmsohee-blog]

conditional. kma.

the depths of night had a special place in sohee's heart.

in the stillness that came with the shroud of darkness, she felt at home. the halls of the school were more accessible then, gave her the chance to drift through them in silence, admiring the moonlight slanting through the windows, the quiet flicker of the lamps lining the outdoor paths around the grounds, the soft buzz of fluorescent lights left on every so often for wayward students seeking the bathrooms. it was as if someone put the world on pause, everything frozen in a single second and sohee left to traverse the world alone.

exposure to the young girl often meant fear. it started off small, a slight feeling of unease, as if someone might be watching you. sometimes it got worse, a crawling anxiety that hooked into your spine, prompted you to jump at shadows. in the empty quiet of the night sohee felt like she was the last person on earth, left to her own devices unable to inadvertently cast a blanket of fear over those she might like to befriend. it sounded terribly lonely to take comfort in such a thought, but sohee's very nature had made her life quite solitary.

of course, even a ghost girl must sleep sometimes, and on one such night shortly after entering the school, that simple act of drifting off into dreamland had changed her entire world quite suddenly. the interloper had appeared once or twice beforehand but it was some time before she stuck around in a dream long enough to interact with her, all wide eyes and pale skin and long hair, an wide smile that set sohee immediately at ease. she too was a student at the school, she'd explained, and her power involved walking through dreams.

sohee was jealous of course, who wouldn't be? but more than that she was delighted to find that in dreams she wasn't terrifying. she wasn't ghostly or freakish or strange. she was simply sohee, a girl with no remarkable nature to speak of, who was making her first new friend in many years. visits had grown more frequent after that, culminating in the present. sohee had forgone harassing yoongi for the evening to lay herself to rest at a respectable hour, stepping into a dream of the school halls, sitting at the end of her bed and waiting patiently for mina's arrival. when it came she beamed at her, pushed up to her feet to grab the other girl's hands lightly, squeezing softly. "so, what are we doing tonight?" she laughed out, elation in her heart and in her words.

[nxmforge-blog]

( &. the story of us | ft. kmn ❜ )

nxmmina

okay, in baekhyun's defense, it wasn't exactly skipping class ---- though, that depends on how you actually define ' skipping class '. and according to his definition, then what he was doing right now wasn't skipping class but rather.. finding something else to occupy his time with.

defensive manuevers was one of those classes that baekhyun didn't exactly have to invest all of his time in to fully comprehend the lessons. unlike most of his other classes, it was based around written information rather than hands-on learning (which he heavily struggled with.) they were reviewing a past defensive strategy that baekhyun had already engraved in his mind, so instead of wasting his time going over something he already knew all the ins and outs of, he somehow reached the decision that sitting in a different class would be an incredibly better way to use the class period.

and with his best friend having a class just down the hall at the same time, well.. it was like fate wanted him to ditch his own class for hers.

( not that he exactly believed in something as abstract as fate, of course. )

so there he was, nonchalantly shuffling into the classroom ---- he predicted that it was only a matter of time before he was caught and forced to hurry back to his own section of the hallway. they did go to an academy for mutants, after all. ---- to spot a familiar brunette who fortunately seated herself near the back of the room. not even taking into consideration of blending himself in with the other students, he walked straight to her to slide into the seat right next to hers.

( and if he wasn't lectured for his act of rebellion by his teachers, then mina would easily get the job done by herself. )

[nxmjongin-blog]

nightmare– kma.

Jongin had been having a few fitful nights of sleep recently. There had been a brief respite, had dreamed of the beach near his old apartment, a roll of waves that shone topaz blue in the replicated sun that hung constant and unmoving in the sky. A girl had shown up, scattered throughout his memory like a page torn out of a book. He could sort of remember her face; pretty features and a tumble of dark hair that the wind seemed to envy with how it tangled between the curious breeze. She was absent now, though. 

Not that he expected her to show, the walls surrounding him flooding with darkness in a way that seemed unnatural, physics of dreamland skewed, and tendrils of shadows were drifting up like smoke clouds around him. There was a guttural growl, the sound filtering around him like he was caught in an echo chamber. He was in his house though – his old one, the one he had grown up in. Tiny and ramshackle, the appliances outdated and the chairs scattered around the kitchen table unmatched and thrifted. It was a little different now though, warped, and the growling was starting to flood him, ring inside of his ears. He shook his head to try and escape it, but the sound seemed to rattle inside of him, until he came to the realization that he was making it. 

"Monster," joined the fray, the words bouncing disorienting around the room, and Jongin's jaw snapped in reaction, a twisted noise escaping his throat, like the backdrop of a horror movie. It was a strange scene to say the least, something eerie, confusing no doubt, for anyone peering in. Not your average nightmare of snakes, heights, or murderous clowns. It shook something deep in Jongin though, praying for the moment he would wake up in a cold sweat, heart beating rapid-fire in his chest and the sheets twisted up around his calves. Not yet though, and willing himself awake didn't seem to be giving himself any headway. 

The word continued, grew in volume, the familiar voice of his mother. He turned to run toward the door, the hallway stretching longer and longer, turned into an impossible feat of cracked tile underneath his scattered steps. A face appeared, haunting in its familiarity – the inevitable next step pooling like lead in his stomach. Deadweight that would drag him down, that he couldn't ever seem to dispel. With something of a start the hallway shrank – and Jongin lunged. He closed his eyes, tried to wish himself awake, but the sounds continued, a disjointed shriek and something reminiscent to copper playing over Jongin's tongue like a memory. He refused to open his eyes though. The word became louder. Useless. Jongin already knew he was a monster.