#and then erik went to save the president

[bardicious]

It did not register to me that it took Erik literally a year to get imprisoned into plastic hell. LMAO. A YEAR. Homeboy is actually not very good at the whole terrorist thing.

[countrymusiclover]

17 - The Future Starts Today

Part 18

She's Human or Weapon

@tyrionsprincess30 @groovy-lady @bigbendyhorns @logolepsic-insomniac @the-big-bad-klaus

"Aurora - what's wrong- urgh!" Charles grunts entering my mind. He's still trapped underneath the rubble as I started crying in fear. "Charles - the baby's coming!"

Clutching my stomach I start crying in a panic. Erik started to rush to my aid but I raised a hand threatening him sternly. "Stay away Erik...don't come near my child...not unless you free Charles!" He lowered his head moving all the cameras onto him to be the center of attention. He then raised his hand yanking a metal safety shelter out of the white house destroying the presidential office with just the wave of his right hand. "You built these weapons to destroy us. Why. Because you are afraid of our gifts. Because we are different. Humanity has always feared that which is different. Well, I'm here to tell you, to tell the world...you're right to fear us. We are the future. We are the ones who will inherit this earth. And anyone who stands in our way will suffer the same fate as these men you see before you. Today was meant to be a display of your power. Instead, I give you a glimpse of the devastation my race can unleash upon yours. Let this be a warning to the world. And to my mutant brothers and sisters out there, I say this no more hiding. No more suffering. You have lived in the shadows and shame and fear for too long. Join me. Fight together in a brotherhood of our kind. A new tomorrow...that starts today."

"Aurora let me help you please. You can't have your baby here like this." Erik bends down trying to help me up. Blinking through tears I didn't know how long I could hold the baby in like this. I start to grab his arms until the president came out trying to protect the others. But it actually wasn't the president at all he turned into Raven's blue form. She shot him in the neck with a glass gun making him gasp dropping to the grass. She kicked him in the face pointing her gun directly at Trask. Closing my eyes I feel light headed when the presidents people all froze in place. "Get out of my head Charles, Aurora!" Raven demanded seeing her brother where Trask was along with me. "Raven, please we don't have to make anyone else the enemy here." I begged to my friend groaning behind her in the grass. "Look around we already are!" She shouted back before Charles took over. "Not all of us. All you've done so far is save the lives of these men. You can show them a better path. I've been trying to control you ever since the day we met, and look where that's got us. Everything that happens now is in you're hands. I have faith in you, Raven." We both disappeared from her mind seeing her drop the glass gun slowly.

Raven spun on her feet yanking the helmet off Erik's head giving him control. Holding myself up by my elbow I watched my boyfriend move Erik's hand lifting the large metal off his body. Charles groans while Hank lifted him up. "Aurora now." He demanded as they hobbled over to my side. Erik pulled me to my feet where my weight is pressed against his walking me over to them. Charles offers his other arm helping me stand better. "We need to get you to the hospital immediately." Shaking my head I sniffed through painful tears. "We won't make it time!" Erik pipes in thinking of an idea picking me up bridal style suddenly. "The president has a helicopter. We'll go in that." Charles wanted to reply against it but Hank followed us. Getting onto the helicopter wasn't easy but the flight went quickly. Hank got Charles a wheelchair and me one as well. "Get us the quickest doctor please." My boyfriend begged the front desk woman. Clutching his hand in mine he entered my mind being able to hear my loud thoughts. "It's going to be alright, Rora. I'm not going to let anything happen to you or the baby."

Laying in a hospital bed I cry out through a couple hours of labor until we heard a baby's crying filling the room. Throwing my head back against the pillows Charles runs his freehand through my hair kissing my forehead. "She's here Aurora. She's finally here - She's perfect." He cheers giving the biggest smile I've ever seen on his face. I lean my head against his before a nurse lays a small infant on my chest wrapping in a little pink blanket. Shifting to sit up in the bed I felt tears already falling at holding my daughter for the first time. The infant blinked her eyes opened and I awed at seeing the same blue eyes like her father staring back. Erik peaks into the room from being in the hallway for the birth. "How is she, Rora?" Concern was clearly in his tone when he keeps a distance since I said to not come closer earlier. Charles touched our child still smiling when I answered our friend. "She's fine, Erik...thank you for your help. And I...I didn't mean what I said earlier." He lightly smiled hearing someone talking to security. "If you let them have me. I'm as good as dead you know that." Hank sat in an arm chair watching our conversation.

"I know...goodbye Erik." Charles trailed off weakly smiling to the man in the doorway. Laying my head on Charles's shoulder he takes his daughter in his arms. With my left hand I motioned for him to come closer. Erik sits on the side of the bed intertwining his hand with mine. "I know you have to go for your safety. But...just don't be a stranger to me or my child okay." He chuckled tucking some loose hair behind my ear for me. He leans uo kissing me gently on the forehead. "Don't worry about that, Aurora. We've been through everything together. Strangers is something we can never be." Wrapping my arms around his neck he joined the hug running a hand through my hair ruffling it a little bit. "Goodbye Rora. Goodbye old friend. I have one suggestion though you should name her Hope. I think it's fitting." Char and I both shared the same look thinking it wasn't a bad name before I waved bye whispering. Goodbye E." Once he was gone Hank had left to get us some food leaving me and Charles alone. "I don't think it's a bad idea actually. You know the name, Hope?" Lifting my head up I smiled kissing his cheek with our little girl asleep in my arms. "I agree. What would you say to her being named Hope Raven Xavier?" Charles turned my chin kissing me gently and I kissed him back until he broke it grinning ear to ear. "That's brilliant. But there's something we must do first...and yes I want to redo this one more time." He shifted in his seat pulling out a Dimond ring making me gasp suddenly. "Aurora Deerfield, will you marry me?" Entering his mind he smiled lovingly at my answer. "Yes."

Comments really appreciated ❤️

[captainshadowgirllostfan]

Okay the ending of Dark Phoenix saved it from being a terrible movie. Honestly it was pretty great

I went from hating Jean Grey and not understanding her to feeling for her and loving her and then being sad when she died.

There are a lot of things I wish but overall considering the focus of the film is Jean and her identity, who she is and whether or not she is what people see her as is the core of the film so focusing on other loose ends the X-Men Alternate timeline left would be detracting from the film and would just be random even if fans want Magneto to have moments with Quicksilver... though idk I think the director could’ve found a way to connect that plotline into the Jean plotline especially with Magneto wanting to kill Jean. Hell even referencing Wanda would be great to with Quicksilver seeing Wanda in Jean and also being friends and not wanting Jean to die and to see his father wanting to kill Jean because of her powers would break Quicksilver’s heart because what if he’s like that with his own sister, right?

I mean the lack of Peter made me sad. He just had one great scene in the beginning and then he gets decommissioned all because Jean made his slip on a board.

At least we see him make a quip in the end but seriously I wish we saw more of him.

And also wish we saw more dimension on Magneto’s character. They wrote him as just a one-note crazy character who would go for revenge on anyone who harms someone he loves, which is true but in the beginning when he meets Jean he says he realized that his pursuit of revenge hurt the people he loves

AND FOR SOME REASON THE WRITERS DIDN’T THINK THIS WAS A GOOD TIME TO BRING IN THE PETER BEING MAGNETO’S SON LOOSE END THEY HAD IN THE LAST MOVIE!!!???

Like seriously?

I mean what a great way to show how his pursuit of revenge again hurts the people he love

And you know I get not wanting to put Wanda in the movie what with her power being a lot and also the MCU owning her, but she would’ve been a great foil to Jean’s character... though at the same time if they can’t have her in the X-Men series, at least the reference to her character and her bond with Peter would’ve been enough maybe. Or even focus on the X-Men team’s friendship and their bond with Jean

But no... everyone is so quick to demonize Jean all because she blows up especially after this whole blowing up comes after an accident in space that should’ve rendered her dead!!!

This film was disappointing to say the least until the very end where it saves itself.

The one thing it fixes and does better than Last Stand was having Xavier realize how wrong he was. He, at least, aside from Jean became a pretty central character who evolved by the end of the series though he seems more cynical than the beginning sadly.

And Erik coming in to cheer him up was very sweet. I get now why people call it the Paris Proposal. I truly am so for Erik taking Charles to his island and them living together as a couple finally lol. Charles needs a break from trying to be the hero or the leader of the X-Men, the group of heroes that saves humanity when they need it the most. I think also he realized how much he was changing himself in order to be accepted. The President changing his personal access number was a wake-up call to how humans react to one slightest misstep from the X-Men and I can’t imagine how exhausting it must be to keep up a facade and have to constantly prove that you aren’t dangerous.

But with Erik in his island of mutants, Charles won’t have to act or pretend to be something or to prove he isn’t dangerous. They can live happily, accepted who they are, with not question of who they aren’t. 

They could live the life Jean always wanted to live had she had the chance...

though who knows maybe she someday will... maybe she’ll come back? Maybe... 

(I mean Logan wakes up to a future where she is still alive so anything is possible...)

[pscottm]

Former Department of Homeland Security Chief of Staff Miles Taylor is releasing his second book, "Blowback: A Warning to Save Democracy from the Next Trump" – and startling excerpts are already dropping.

In a piece in RealClear News Wednesday, Taylor describes Donald Trump's desperation to have his own personal military group, an idea inspired by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Less well known is the ex-president’s envy of private armies, like Putin’s wayward Wagner Group," wrote Taylor. "The former president once sought his own mercenaries and might do so again if he wins back the White House."

He explained that conversations with colleagues in the administration revealed a genuine fear about this Trump "force" becoming a reality.

The idea was first suggested in the summer of 2017, Taylor wrote. Trump wanted troops out of Afghanistan without any withdrawal plan or process. Ironically, a recent State Department report on the Afghanistan withdrawal revealed that there was no plan put in place by Trump for the withdrawal he set for Aug. 30, 2021.

Taylor said that he was still at DHS, fearful that Trump was pulling out too fast, which would allow "terrorists to reconstitute and plot against the United States. Trump, on the other hand, seemed most worried about money. He said he was tired of spending it abroad and wanted to focus on domestic political priorities."

There were several options given to Trump, but the one that he crafted himself was to privatize the war with Trump's own mercenary force. Instead of Putin's Wagner Group, it would be Erik Prince's Blackwater, which offers troops for hire.

"I explained that this was a horrible idea for many reasons, not least of which was that a Trump-controlled mercenary group would circumvent public scrutiny, erode checks and balances around the use of force, and undermine confidence in the American military," said Taylor. "But it wasn’t a mere whim. News of the discussions leaked that top White House advisors had apparently consulted with Erik Prince directly."

He went on to say that there was a "thick briefing memo" that Trump got and it far "exceeded the man's attention span." Taylor feared it increased the likelihood that Trump would go with the mercenaries.

He was forced to take the 50-to-60--page book and put it into one or two pages "in the president's voice" so he could understand it.

"So overnight in my office, I crafted a basic Wikipedia-level primer about why America was in Afghanistan and what was at stake, all in the Trumpian vernacular," Taylor wrote. "The title of the unclassified version felt like a parody: 'Afghanistan: How to Put America First—And Win!' If we pulled out of the country too fast, I wrote, we would be mocked as 'losers' by terrorists. If we wanted to be 'winners,' we needed to fight smarter and harder, then cut a 'great deal' to hand over security to the Afghans. I made no mention of deploying a private army to finish the job."

Trump ultimately agreed, wanting to be "a winner." But a year after that, the mercenary plan came back when Trump wanted to act to overthrow the regime in Venezuela. Trump wanted a 5,000-man team.

Taylor wrote that the top adviser on the National Security Council (NSC) had to write up a memo explaining why that can't happen. For a second time, Trump decided against the "Trump Wagners."

As Trump gains traction in the Republican primary, Taylor said it has become a very real concern that such an idea could return in a second Trump administration.

“Next time we won’t be so lucky,” Taylor quoted a person familiar with the 2017 and 2018 discussions. “We’ll have a military run by mercenaries.”

Trump appears intent on having greater control over the military, Taylor said, and believes that the title of "commander in chief" is all too literal. To him, they were "his" military. He often referred to them as "my generals" and "my military," he said."Blowback: A Warning to Save Democracy from the Next Trump" will be released July 18.

[scottwellsmagic]

736: Magifest 2023 - Day Three Report

Saturday 28th January 2023

10:00am - 5.30pm

Dealers Open

10:30am - 11:30am

Mark James Lecture

You’ve been amazed by his show; now is your chance to learn his magic. This lecture will focus on professional, doable magic. With a focus on non-card tricks, this is a can’t-miss lecture. 1:30pm - 3pm

Paul Gertner Show and Lecture

This was our most anticipated event at the last Magifest…but needed to be postponed due to Covid. We’re pleased that Paul has consented to return this year to deliver what will surely be an unforgettable presentation. A multiple-winner on Penn & Teller’s Fool Us, a FISM winner, and one of the industry’s leading professionals, Paul will present a show for us and then lecture on some of his best material. 3:30pm - 4:30pm

David Gerard Marketing Lecture

Here David will share hard-earned, seldom-shared insider information on a topic he has dedicated his life to: marketing and branding. Having played an integral role in several Silicon Valley startups (as well as a lengthy tenure at Google), by day David Gerard helps companies put their message across. By night David entertains top brass at these companies, and he will share his marketing and branding insights with us in this rare, candid lecture on an area of performing most of us overlook. 5:30pm - 6:30pm

Shoot Ogawa Lecture

On the heels of his first-place FISM win, Shoot Ogawa will share the magic that has taken around the world and made him a household name in magic. This lecture will feature new, non-card material, as well as a few “Ogawa” classics. 8:30pm - 10:00pm

Gala Show

Hosted by Lucy Darling Mortenn Christiansen Erik Tait Ruben Vilagrand Shoot Ogawa Paul Gertner JunWoo Park 10:30pm - 11.30pm

Bar Magic with Mark Calabrese

Time stamps for this episode:

00:00:18 - Charles Greene III talks about his restaurant and trade chow career plus Charlie Randall helps us recap some of the shows from Day Two

00:12:47 - Matthew Neely talks a bit about what impressed him the most at this convention

00:18:13 - Joe Cole from Omaha, Nebraska, stopped to show us a photo of one of his winning trophies

00:21:40 - Jep Hostetler, Past President of the I.B.M. was also the chairman of the Magifest before it was turned over to Josh and Andi

00:26:12 - One of th highlights of the Mgifest, Mortenn Christiansen, FISM Winner this past year talks about his experience and his journey to Quebec.

00:35:00 - Cosmo Solano, from Colorado Springs, Colorado, has his own magic theater and talks about his show

00:44:56 - Erik Tait, host of the Penguin Podcast, talks about his FISM experience, this Magifest and what’s new and hot at Penguin right now.

00:54:28 - Cody Clark works with the Society of Young Magicians for the S.A.M. and he talks about the Magifest and how much they have been doing for the youth at this convention.

01:01:23 - Don Burcell with Don’s Magic Books talks about how the sales went this year in the dealer’s area

01:05:29 - Charles Greene III and Scott recap the evening;s show plus the overall convention

Download this podcast in an MP3 file by Clicking Here and then right click to save the file. You can also subscribe to the RSS feed by Clicking Here. You can download or listen to the podcast through Stitcher by Clicking Here or through FeedPress by Clicking Here or through Tunein.com by Clicking Here or through iHeart Radio by Clicking Here..If you have a Spotify account, then you can also hear us through that app, too. You can also listen through your Amazon Alexa and Google Home devices. Remember, you can download it through the iTunes store, too. See the preview page by Clicking Here

[goodcryunicorn]

24 // Kate Morgan

Name: Kate Morgan Age: 35 Relationship: widow (verse depending) open for ships Sexuality: Bisexual Job: CIA agent Residence: London, England, UK Faceclaims: Yvonne Strahovski Blog written by: @goodcryunicorn3​​

Kate Morgan was a CIA agent based in London, England, and the wife of disgraced CIA officer Adam Morgan, until his apparent suicide. During Live Another Day, she was scheduled to be transferred back to the United States over her husband's traitorous status, but was re-instated after confirming that Jack Bauer was up to something in London. After learning that Jack was trying to thwart the assassination of President James Heller, Kate teamed up with him to stop Margot Al-Harazi from using hijacked drones. Then she discovered that Adam was framed by Steve Navarro for selling secrets to China when Navarro stole the Defense override module and helped Jack try to stop Cheng Zhi from triggering a war between U.S. and China. Then Kate went to save President Heller's daughter Audrey Boudreau from Cheng's men, but failed when Audrey was killed by a second gunman, which led to Kate's resignation from the CIA. Kate was the wife of CIA agent Adam Morgan, who was indicted for selling U.S. state secrets to the Chinese, despite protesting his innocence, and was placed in protective custody while awaiting trial. Prosecutors intended to try Morgan for treason, with a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. It's because of this that CIA agent and Kate's colleague Erik Ritter held a strong dislike for her, believing that she was well aware of her husband's alleged treason, despite her pleas of innocence. For two months after Adam was accused of being a traitor, Kate was questioned by the CIA but was eventually cleared of wrong-doing. Despite being cleared, she was scheduled for a transfer back to America on the week of Day 9.

VERSES

[gpsoftun]

😒 Lying SOB- I prefer the real Magneto.

..... I. Said. The. Real! Magneto!

😀Perfection💗

One big problem with the X-Men film fandom- one of a zillion- is that people are unable to separate the movie characters from their comic book counterparts. We're all familiar with the irritating meme of Kitty Pryde calling the Professor a jerk. They cling to that and unfairly transfer their disdain onto cinematic Charles Xavier, the anti-jerk after God's own heart

Similarly, cinematic Erik Lehnsherr is let off the hook so much by fandom because they somehow forget he doesn't have even a tenth of the comic version's rich history and depth. There, after he's free, Max-renamed-Magnus held no desire for vengeance. He promptly tried to get on with his life. He married a woman named Magda and they had a daughter, Anya. When Magnus' powers manifested, an angry mob burnt down his house with 2-year-old Anya still inside. Unsurprisingly, Magnus lost all sanity and killed the mob. Madam Morals Magna got freaked out and left him. She gave birth to their twins before she died. Twins Magnus did not meet until they reached adulthood.

Somehow, Magnus managed to start over yet again. He changed his name once more to Erik. He went to work in Israel, where he met his brother-by-another-mother, Charles. But that life got flipped upside down as well when his and Charles' powers were discovered.

All bets officially off, Erik's next transformation was into mutant rights extremist Magneto. For years, Charles tried to convince him to work together again for peaceful co-existence between homo sapiens and mutants. But Magneto had witnessed too much senseless bloodshed to ever have faith in humanity again.

Adaptations vary, but for the most part, Magneto is depicted as more of an anti-hero than diabolical villain. He tried so hard to prevent the horrors of the holocaust from being replicated. Unfortunately, cruel circumstances dissolved his hope and forced his hand. Still, he's mostly consistent in his own principles. He takes no joy out of harming his fellow mutants, actively works to liberate captured ones, and not all of his methods are violent in nature. He's tried building mutant exclusive nations, including their own asteroid at one point. Most of all, he maintains his friendship with Professor X and occasionally teams up with the X-Men, who generally require his permission to die.

Did you like that story? Good. Because the films cut out 99% of it and butchered the faithful elements. Magneto is supposed to be brilliant in multiple fields, especially science, in addition to his worldly experience.

A brief rundown of cinematic Erik Lehnsherr's biography:

Childhood ended in concentration camp.

Met and impregnated a woman, who he abandoned and reduced to a miserable drunk.

Spent his young adulthood hunting nazis but took forever to find the main one he sought because....

Almost killed himself during his vengeance scheme but rescued by Charles the first of many times.

At over 30 years old, he had no concept of mutants before the Xavier siblings yet dumps the Jews as his people for them.

Preyed on a vulnerable young girl for his own ends.

Abused, crippled, and betrayed the man who saved his life.

Became the successor to his main nazi tormentor, inheriting his philosophy and mutant cronies.

Sucked at leading said cronies and wound up imprisoned for 10 years.

Attempted to murder fellow mutant and girl he groomed.

Tried to assassinate the president on live TV.

Scampered off to Poland, stopped giving a crap about mutants, married and impregnated another homo sapien, and got both of them killed.

Joined a cult and abducted the man who saved his life and who he abused, crippled, and betrayed.

Rejected by last living child.

Opened isolated mutant ghetto.

Tried to murder fellow mutant and the surrogate daughter of the man who saved his life and who he abused, crippled, and betrayed.

Lured the heartbroken, exiled man who saved his life and who he abused, crippled, and betrayed into a basement on Mutant Isle to permanently cement the stockholme syndrome.

Don't even try pointing out that the movies gave him a wife and daughter, too. First, he started that family at a forced, completely absurd point in his life. He declared war on homo sapiens then shacks up with the first one he meets. Second, their deaths had NOTHING to do with bigotry. His identity as an incompetent James Wilkes Booth impersonator was discovered and perfectly calm law enforcement came to arrest him. One accidental shot from a stray arrow somehow killed both his ladies instantly. Despite the officers being very upset about the misfire, Erik killed them, anyway. Then, he- the holocaust survivor- went to kill his co-workers for the specific purpose of making their families suffer.

As for that 'mutant paradise' in the stupid phoenix movie, whaaaaaa?!!!! They're completely cut off from society and living in shacks?! The *metal* wielder has accommodations not even up to Gilligan's Island standards. Do you want to know what he built in the actual 90s? Asteroid M was almost the size of a small planet with space to store multiple transport vessels. They had suites, phones, TVs, games, VCRs, fully stocked kitchens, etc. Some friendly homo sapien scientists even helped him build it. They put in defense missiles and everything! And Magneto was the king of it. There was no boot-licking the US government. To transport the mutants from Earth, Magneto powered the jets himself, almost exhausting his magnetism to the breaking point. When Charles, who was visiting with Gambit and Beast, expressed concern for his health, Magneto told him to chill out and get ready for dinner.

Is it ANY wonder why I rant so much about Erik?!! Do you have a clue how much I wanted to love him? Out with old man McKellen and in with Michael Fassbender! These movies completely destroyed everything that made him so iconic. He's nothing but a grandiose failure as a mutant, joke as a father, disaster as a leader, curse as a friend, disgrace as a child of Abraham-Isaak-Jakob (literally. His deceased father's name is Jakob!) and a one-dimensional POS as a human being!!!!!😤😵😠��

What is this franchise doing to me?!

[chromosome23hq]

sometime in early january of 1998. the xavier institute.

The past few months have brought Charles to a conclusion he had avoided for a long time. In the decades since the president acknowledged the existence of mutants, society remained largely the same on the surface. Most non-mutants went about their daily lives, and didn’t spare a thought to the mutants who lived in fear. Charles did his best to give a home to those in desperate need, and slowly push for further tolerance of mutants. Of course, Erik and his plans lingered in the back of his mind, but he foolishly believed he had more time to prepare for what his grand plan would be.

Then, the mayor was shot and killed. The Brotherhood eagerly claimed responsibility, and encouraged a riot in the streets. Weeks later, Rebecca was killed and her head was gruesomely put on display for Halloween. That same night the crowd who watched in horror was stabbed at random. He knew that the Brotherhood had nothing to do with that, but the news pinning the blame on radical mutants all the same. Even after he disclosed the school’s true purpose and held a gala in hopes of bring mutants and non-mutants together, an attack occurred and raised the alarm all over again.

Each event had increased the city’s fear of mutants, which in turn worsened how mutants were treated in their daily lives. That validated Erik’s message of dominance as the only answer to their oppression.

In short, Erik had the upper hand.

That was what Han-Byul and Charles were speaking about today. It was a conversation filled more with contemplative silence than words. That was until Han-Byul voiced an idea he had been saving for a moment like this.

“Every plan of the Brotherhood’s is thought of down to the detail. By the time your teachers or the Omegas arrive, it’s too late,” Han-byul began, as Charles nodded in agreement. “That’s why we need to be there from the beginning.”

Charles found himself unable to respond for a moment. “You aren’t suggesting–”

“I am,” Han-Byul confirmed. “The only way to stop the Brotherhood is to know what they’ll do before they do it. If we have someone on the inside, we can shift our focus to prevention. We can save lives.”

It was true. Right now, the Brotherhood was three steps ahead of them, and held all the advantages because of it. With the few people Charles knew were under Erik and the man himself, he had to admit they were brilliant strategists.

“Which professors do you suggest we send?” Charles asked.

Han-Byul shook his head. “We can’t send people who are known to be close to you, or too attached to the school to leave it. It would register as suspicious immediately.” He took a sip of his tea. “Students and allies of the school are our best bet.”

Shock overtook Charles’ face. It was one thing to ask this of people who had years of training, and could handle themselves in tense situations. But, students? People who helped the school, yet weren’t a part of it and had no formal training? “We would be sending undertrained mutants into a battle that began long before most of them were born,” he argued.

“Isn’t that what you’re doing now in the danger room? What makes this idea any different?” Han-Byul questioned with a raised brow.

A tense silence settled into the room.

Then, Charles sighed. “You’re right.”

The only difference would be when the students would be put into the line of fire. As much as Charles wished things were different, he knew they didn’t have time to waste. “I’d like at least a month to prepare who we send, so they aren’t going in blind.”

“That’s what I was thinking. We’ll need to come up with a way they can relay what they learn without exposing themselves, and how they’ll get in contact if they are in danger,” Han-Byul explained. He would do everything he could to make sure this mission succeeded.

After another few hours of going over details and what they would do next, Han-Byul stood to leave. “Charles,” Han-Byul looked over his shoulder before opening the door to his office. “This plan cannot fail.”

With a humorless smile, Charles asked, “Do you have that much confidence in our plan?”

Han-Byul nodded, “I do.” He looked away before Charles’ smile dropped into a grave expression.

Both men knew that wasn’t what Han-Byul had meant. It was a warning.

If this mission failed, the entire city would feel the consequences of it.

mid-january to february 1998. the xavier institute.

The recruitment process would be quick and messy. There was no space for interviews or going down a list of potential candidates. Han-Byul had given his advice for what type of people to look out for: Adaptable, responsible, and powerful. At least each person should have one of those traits, he had told him.

He rolled through the halls of the institute with those words in mind as he nearly bumped into one of his students who was leaning against a wall. The moment a wheel touched her foot her camouflage wore off, and he could see her clearly–April. While he didn’t get much one-on-one time with all of his students, he still knew all of their names and powers. However, he had never seen April’s camouflage in action.

It was the epitome of adaptability.

Before she could give any explanations or apologize for what she was doing, Charles asked, “You’ve done nothing wrong. But would you come to my office with me, April? I have something I’d like to discuss with you.”

— — — — — — — — 

With one person down and two more to go, Charles mentally went over the list of people he felt would be right for this mission. It was a difficult process–Han-Byul and Charles would be asking a lot of each person. They would act as if they had abandoned all their values, and cut off everyone close to them. No one could know but Charles, Han-Byul, and the three of them; it was for their safety. That didn’t make it any less of a burden.

His thoughts were broken by a small shriek by his secretary, and he quickly pushed himself to the door. Then, he felt the mind behind the door, before he heard his voice giving quick apologies. It was Evan, one of his former students and current recruiter for the school. Despite his frequent visits to the campus, his “entrances” could still give people quite the fright.

Charles considered Evan a large asset, as he was always able to pick up mutants he found and return them safely. He even had a way of calming down and connecting with the especially nervous ones. It occurred to the professor how reliable he was, and how his ability would lend itself well to undercover work.

He opened the door as Evan had his hand up ready to knock, and he smiled at the young man. “Do you have time to talk, Evan?”

— — — — — — — — 

Finally, Charles and Han-Byul needed only one more person to round out their group of agents. It had to be soon, and they had to fit within the two people they already had. This decision would be Charles’ hardest one yet.

While doing paperwork at his desk one day, he received a sudden telepathic link from Professor Frost. “Duck,” was all she said, and he followed the instruction just as a plastic ball flew through the glass window next to him.

He looked over in bewilderment, and saw two figures off in the distance. It was Emma and a redhead–Finley, Emma helpfully supplied–who was the one who had accidentally sent the ball in his direction. A few minutes later Finley and Emma were in his office, and she was apologizing profusely.

“I told you he would understand, it’s okay, Finley,” Emma attempted to comfort the nervous woman.

“It really is fine. Worse things have happened,” Charles tried to joke, but Finley still seemed weighed down by guilt.

She was one of the new students at the school, who had joined with her friend. From what Charles knew, she could control the space around her. It was astonishing she could cause an object to fly that distance already. She seemed to have a large amount of power despite little practice with it.

“Emma, would you mind giving me a moment with Finley?” His fellow professor nodded, giving Finley one last shoulder touch before leaving.

“You’re not in any sort of trouble,” he explained to her, which seemed to perk her up somewhat. “Actually, it’s the very opposite, I have an opportunity for you.”

march 1st, 1998. the xavier institute.

Everything was ready. The time was near. Three mutants handpicked by Charles and trained by Han-Byul would take the first step in infiltrating the Brotherhood, and taking it down from the inside.

Charles had told the school a few days earlier the loss of April, Finley, and Evan as allies to the school. They would no longer be welcome at the school, and could even be considered dangerous. It was not the first time he had lied to students and staff alike, nor would it be the last.

Let this betrayal be worth it in the end. Let them all return home unharmed.

march 3rd, 1998. riker’s island.

April had always felt like she was hopping along throughout life at Xavier’s, remaining off the radar, never really gaining the attention of Professor Xavier or the other teachers. Oh, how wrong she’d been. At first, when she’d been asked to go undercover, her first instinct was to laugh in the bald man’s face and tell him he’d been watching too many James Bond movies. But the look on his face had told her that he was being completely serious. So, like any good student, she agreed to be a super-secret spy. Very cool, if she did say so herself. 

“Oh, yeah, you’re so cool, April... dumbass,” she grumbled under her breath, waiting for her opportune moment to strike. She’d been laying on the ground for a while now, camouflaged with the carpet, tucked away in a corner. She was waiting for the room to empty a little so that she was left with only 4 or 5 guards to deal with. A few minutes later, the moment had come, and she grabbed the ankles of three of the guys walking past her, yanking them down to the ground. The look on their faces was hilarious, but she didn’t have time to enjoy it before the other guards came running to see what had happened. 

Jumping up from her position on the ground, she hopped up onto the desk, sitting on all fours as she extended her tongue. She could tell that they were both disgusted and confused as it came speeding towards them, hitting one in the face and sending them flying backwards, then hitting another. “Uhh, hi, I’m here to check if you guys are able to fight off a mutant,” she said, then shrugged. “Turns out you aren’t. Boo you! Your bosses won’t be happy.” She wondered if she’d done enough for Finley to get in yet. To be honest, all of this was making her stomach do horrible flips. 

As a couple of the guards got back up, April shook her head and leapt toward them, landing in front of them. Reaching out, she grabbed their wrists, excreting her paralyzing toxin from her skin. She always felt disgusted whenever she did this. But, needs must, and all that. As she held them, her tongue wrapped around the other men, crushing them tight enough to keep them quiet and unable to move, but not enough to leave them with permanent damage. Fuck, she hoped her toxin wouldn’t permanently paralyse anyone. “So sorry about this,” she whispered, not wanting Finley to overhear her. She didn’t want to seem weak and like she couldn’t handle things like this. For now, she had shit handled... But maybe this whole infiltrating the enemy thing wasn’t going to be as easy as she thought.

— — — — — — — — 

Breaking someone out of prison had never been on Finley’s bucket list. Yet, here she was, hiding behind a corner in the prison, waiting for her window of opportunity. None of them had much experience with planning a prison break – surprisingly, it’s not how most people spend their afternoons – but, they’ve done their best to cultivate a plan. Besides, they succeed or end up in prison themselves. Finley liked to think the institute would bail them out, but she’s not blind to the fact that it would certainly give the plan away. And, if Xavier were to choose between three students, and putting a target on the back of the institute, he’d pick the school. Not that she blamed him for that. At least it put pressure on them not to fail. 

April was impressively good at distractions. All eyes were on her, and that left Finley open to do her job. It seemed easy enough. All she had to do was get a keycard off one of the employees without them noticing. With her ability, it should be a piece of cake if she could just get eyes on one for long enough. But, as it turned out, a moving target wasn’t ideal for someone as novice as her. If one of these guards could stop moving for all of ten seconds so Finley can focus...

But, with each wild and unruly turn the bodies in the room take, it broke any concentration Finley had. And, subsequently, made her hope for success waver. The thought crossed her mind that she should not have been one of the people Xavier picked for this job. She might be powerful, but she’s inexperienced. April and Evan had been involved with the school so much longer than her and had been trained for years to have the tools to succeed – unlike her who had only been enrolled in the school for a few weeks. The only difference? Her power was unique, and useful. Damn the universe that cursed her with a complex ability. She wouldn’t have been asked to do this if she could do something simple like shapeshift. 

The only option was to attempt to creep forward on the desk and hope someone was stupid enough to leave their keycard there. At least that wouldn’t be a moving target. 

It’s a bold move, and the blood rushed into Finley’s ears, pulsing so hard that it dampened the sound of all the other chaos in the room. Her stance was low to the ground, red hair tucked into a hat to keep it from looking like a beacon in the sea of balding heads, and dark hair. Finley’s shot to the desk was clear and unoccupied thanks to April.

Frantic eyes dance across the desk. It’s an absolute mess. Files were strewn about the desk with complete disregard. Food wrappers, hangman games, and post-it notes with nonsense were some of the only things she could make out clearly. How much closer could she get to the desk without getting caught?

A few more steps. And then she spotted it. Amidst the chaos, piles of paper, she set her eyes upon the holy grail: A keycard. 

Her hand opened up, and eyes squeeze shut for the briefest moment. All she had to do was picture the keycard in her hand and then – there it was. She opened her eyes again, glancing down at the white card now nestled in her palm. 

And it all went off without a –

“Hey!” 

Her eyes snapped up to meet another Guard’s. And, before she could even think about it, she bolted. All she had to do was meet Evan. If she could get Evan the key card to open the cells, then they’re one step closer. 

But the hammering in her chest wouldn’t slow down, and she could hear footsteps behind her. She swiveled around a corner, shoes skidding against the linoleum floor. If she didn’t do something drastic, she knew this would end with her getting caught, and the plan falling apart before it even started. 

All she needed to do was buy herself a few seconds of stillness, and maybe she could get herself to Evan without having to outrun a bunch of prison guards. She rounded another corner, eyes scanning for anywhere to hide. A file room, grabbing onto the door handle, Finley slid the keycard through the reader. Once. Twice. Click.

Finley barreled through the door, whipping around to close it in the nick of time. She could hear the sound of the booted footsteps rushing through the hall on the other side of the door. The paces slow to a halt, and she’s sure they’re scanning for her now. Closing her eyes, she did her best to picture the place that Evan was meant to wait for her arrival with the keycard. 

The feeling of the door against her back disappeared without warning, and Finley stumbled back a few steps, bracing herself for it to be the guards that had been following her. It wasn’t like it was the most ingenious hiding spot. But, when she opened her eyes, she spotted Evan instead. 

A quick glance of her surroundings confirmed that her power had worked. Regardless, the prison knew they were there now. Their window of opportunity was closing, and there was no time to waste. She stuck the keycard out to Evan. 

“They know we’re here. I’ll try and give you some more time, but move fast,” Finley warned. 

From here, it’s up to Evan. The best Finley could do is hold back anyone who came to check the cellblock while he worked. She braced herself for another first.

— — — — — — — — 

He could so very easily remember the day he sat down in Xavier’s office for that meeting. Up until he hit 16 Evan was sure the only goal in life was to drive as fast as he could, make underground history as some sort of prodigy with illegal street racing ... until he’d met Charles Xavier. The dream shifted to becoming an X-Man, fighting for the beliefs and rights of mutants everywhere, for their safety. He’d accepted that role with open palms and a smile so wide that his face hurt for days ... but he’d never expected being asked to do this. Of course, a promise had been made. And while he had his reservations, Evan saw it as a challenge. He never backed down from those.

Getting into the facility for someone like him was a breeze. Of course, it was easier if he knew the building layout, and pouring over stolen plans the night before meant he had dark circles under his eyes. Doing things for the Brotherhood, for Xavier, felt so backward that Evan felt like his head would spin off if he spent too much time lingering on it. So he simply didn’t... everything was broken down into tasks. Task one was being in a position to receive the keycard from Finley. Initiation. He could only be thankful that breaking someone out of prison was the only task they needed to achieve ( as opposed to so many worse options ).

“Hey.”

His voice felt hoarse, throat dry, when Finley appeared. Without seeing someone else he knew in this place he could convince himself it was just a bad dream, but the reality of it came with the feeling of the keycard at his palm, the extension of his arm to receive it. With Finley’s warning. And Evan wanted to suggest maybe she check on April, wanted to tell her to be safe and stay hidden, wanted to ask if she was alright in the middle of this all ... but all he could muster was a lame attempt at humor.

“Fast? I’ll make Speed Racer look like a chump.” And he was off.

Theoretically he could have teleported. If he had the willpower to ensure that he’d have enough energy through it, he could have saved them all a lot of trouble ( and he truly hoped both Finley and April would be safe ). But life didn’t work that way, and teleporting a passenger with him always left Evan feeling less of himself. At least he could thank himself for having boundless energy to run, and with a prayer he kept going.

It was just broken down into tasks. Step one was done: keycard in hand Evan paced through the first ward of the cellblock. Step two was hoping the keycard would work on the barred gates that split the second ward from the first. With a CLICK! he was in, and that was that. Step three was finding Levi - all based off of a photograph given to him by Ezra. And how fucking flippant that entire thing was ... Floor plans flashed in his head while he moved and by the time he came to the end of the corridor where Levi’s cell was estimated to be, the air felt like stinging cold when he inhaled.

“Greetings and salutations. I’m here to pull you out of the depths of hell and show you the light. You may call me your Flight Captain.” Keycard swiped, another loud CLICK! and when the door swung open Evan peered within to ensure the person matched the picture. Thankfully it did, and he reached a hand out to Levi within.

“The Brotherhood sent us. We’re getting you out of here. Hold on and close your eyes because this is going to be really uncomfortable.” He held out his hand, breathless, and readied every part of himself to make the jump. All it would take was contact, but he made sure his grip on Levi was tight ( lest something be lost in translation and how unfortunate that would be ) before he felt that familiar tingle. The swallow of movement, the neon-purple traces left behind.

With a snap they were out of the cellblock. Finley’s location wasn’t safe ( his original plan to pop himself and their mark to her location caput the moment she mentioned the guards knew they were there ) and April’s location was, by virtue of her role, not safe either. So he slipped them just outside of a lone fire escape on the west side of the cellblock, and prayed the prison schematics weren’t out of date. The slap of cold March air let him know they’d made it, and with a cursory glance at Levi he nodded. They could slip to the gate and he’d pop them across easy … or perhaps he’d teleport them into the world beyond the high fence surrounding. The world was his oyster.

“Let’s get the hell out of here.”

Step three done. Step four was praying everyone made it out alright.

IC INFORMATION

Finley Walsh, Evan Stone, and April Honey are recruited as spies tasked to retrieve information on any future attacks by the Brotherhood.

They’ll be relaying information on a weekly basis, updating Professor Charles Xavier and Prism on the goings-on within the Brotherhood’s HQ.

To ensure discretion and the success of this mission, they’ll be asked to (pretend to) sever their ties with the Institute and go incognito in preparation for them going undercover. This means they’ll have to (temporarily) cut off contact with everyone in the Institute and keep the word of their mission a secret.

The three of them will perform a joint initiation task of breaking Levi Crowe out of prison.

Once the spies have broken them out of prison, their mission should commence immediately.

Finley Walsh is assigned to Ezra Shaw

Evan Stone is assigned to Sela Musa

April Honey is assigned to Daichi Kato

OOC INFORMATION

It’s the beginning of the end! Stay tuned for more plot drops and missions 😈

The admins will be giving the chosen Brotherhood members specific plans that the Xavier spies will have to try and extract from them so they can send the intel back to the Institute, which will be done through threads.

Once the spies have retrieved valuable information (i.e. future plans of attack), you can post about it through self-paras.

Whether all spies will be successful in their missions is up to the muns; however we advise that at least two spies will be able to successfully retrieve information.

Muns with Brotherhood members: Your character (for right now) will not have any suspicions or doubts about the spies.

Big thanks to Admin Izzy, Casey, Marcy, and Zed for being awesome writers and collaborating on the first plot drop of the end of arc one!

[panic-at-the-fiction]

1983 pt5

Summary: Ten years later (y/n) is now earning her PhD at Oxford, when she is called home in a emergency involving another telepathic student, Jean Grey and the nightmares she’s been having.

Warnings: this is the last chapter

A/N:Don’t know where I was going with this story but enjoy.

The days following the Apocalypse were filled with a global understanding. The damage stretched from one end of the earth to the other. For a few short weeks, people were united to rebuild. @whyiswhatahow @willalaufeyson @flowersfrom197o @neenieweenie @laic2299

Moria made sure the U.S. government knew that Erik had aided in the take-down of the apocalypse and that he played a crucial role in this defeat. Ultimately, they were forced to pardon him. The acceptance of mutants, though, has taken more than a few steps back. The world was full of controversy of whether we were safe to be around again, but life kept moving.

I knocked on my fathers' office door. “Come in.”

“Hey dad, I heard you wanted to talk with me. I brought that paperwork from the staff, and I already had some rough drafts for assigning classrooms. There’s also the issue of new housing for new students, since many were displaced by the damages…”

“(Y/n), there’s no need for all of that. You could have just told them to pick a room themselves. I told you I don’t need your help with all this. ”

“Well, what about recruiting new students who were displaced from the damages?”

“Taken care of.”

“What about all the new renovations?”

“Already done.”

“Training the new X-men?”

“That’s actually Raven's job now.”

I slumped in my chair. “I told you I don’t need your help around here, you can go back to Oxford and your studies. You’re so close to graduating, why stay here? Unless there’s something keeping you here, or someone.” I looked up at him as he grinned at me.

I smiled, “Thought we agreed you wouldn’t read my mind.”

“I didn’t. You know you’ll always have a home here, but I just can’t figure out why you haven’t gone back yet.”

I left him often with a lot on my mind. Why haven’t I gone back yet? He is right, they don't need me. Jean's dreams are gone, my dads doing great in his recovery. Ravens home for the first time in 20 years. There’s only one thing keeping me here now.

I forced myself to knock on his door and figured it best to let myself in. I looked around but stopped in the doorway. Peter's room was already filled with his stuff. He even had his Pac-Man machine in here now. He laid on the bed with his foot propped up on a pillow as he played some video game on a small TV he had brought in.

“Who brought all this stuff here? You’re not supposed to be on your feet.”

“Oh, I got Kurt to get it all for me from my basement. Great set up, right?”

“Yeah, it’s pretty cool. Uh, could I talk to you for a bit?”

His face went serious for a second. “Yeah sure.” He turned off his game. I took a seat at the end of his bed near his foot.

“I haven’t stopped thinking about the day in D.C. even after all these years.”

“Well, yeah, Raven changed the world by saving the president from dear old dad that day.”

“Not that day, Peter. I meant after we hung out and committed a federal crime together. “ He frowned. “Why did you kick me out that morning?”

I could feel his nerves, his guilt as he thought back on it. “I guess I just felt scared. You said in the future we were married and that scared me. It felt like if that’s true then that means we got serious and committed, and I’d never had that before. Don’t know if you noticed, but my dad wasn’t exactly around, thought maybe I had done something to cause that. Didn’t have any friends at school, anytime I did make friends or anytime my mom brought a man home I always found a way to muck that up too. So, I got scared that in the end you would leave like everyone else did. That I’d mess it up, that’s why I pushed you out first. I’m sorry for pushing you out (y/n).”

I took a deep breath, I could feel all his emotions as well as all of mine. All the stuff he usually kept below the surface, the stuff I so usually tried to ignore, was much more intense than I had felt before. “Peter, I…”

“No, it’s fine (y/n), really. I should have apologized for it sooner.”

“Thank you, Peter. I really needed to hear all of that before I made my decision on whether or not I stayed here.”

“Well I'm glad, I'm sure your life in Oxford will be more than happy to have you back after all…” I crashed my lips into his before he could say anymore. His hands went to my face to pull me closer or rather yet not let me leave. I placed my hands on his shoulders and carefully straddled him, so I didn't hit his broken leg.

We only pull away when we need air. “I don’t plan on going anywhere. I know where I’m needed, and it’s right here.”

“Come on (y/n), What about college? And your fancy school?”

“Oxford doesn’t matter, and I can transfer to a school nearby to finish my dissertation. I want to stay, that is… if you don’t want to push me out that door again.”

He smiled. “Hell no, never again.”

[senacal]

Hi! Can u please write Erik Lehnsherr x FemReader where there’s a dance and reader thinks he’ll ask Raven but instead he asks reader to go with him to the dance? Thank you!

A Dance for Two

Request: Requested by anon

Pairing: Erik Lehnsherr x FemReader

Prompt:  Hi! Can you please write Erik Lehnsherr x FemReader where there will be a dance and reader thinks he’ll ask Raven but instead he asks the reader to go with him to the dance? Thank you!

Warnings: Fluff with slight angst, cursing

Author’s Note: Hello lovely anon, I hope you enjoy this Xx.

Requests are open! 

(Gif not mine)

The halls of the X-Mansion were bustling with mutants and humans alike. The mutants were going about their business, trying to get to class while the humans were trying to decorate the entire place. Currently (Y/N) was standing out of the way of everyone just observing everyone passing by. There was no way she was about to insert herself into the chaos just yet.

Recently Charles Xavier had announced that there would be a ball in order to raise funds and awareness for Charles Xavier’s school for gifted youngsters. Ever since mutants have been brought into the light, more and more students were coming in with different forms of powers. If it weren’t for (Y/N), Erik, and Raven, Charles was sure to be overwhelmed with everything. It was only after Erik’s attempted assassination on the U.S. president that he realized what a mistake he had made. In order to get Erik to contain his anger and hatred for humans, Charles had convinced him to stay after his previous attempts. Charles liked to tease (Y/N) and say that if it weren’t for her, Erik would have refused yet again.

Unfortunately, (Y/N) never believed Charles and rebutted his teasing by insisting it was only because Erik had nearly hurt Raven. It only made sense after everything Raven and Erik had gone through together. (Y/N) was almost positive that Erik’s feelings ran deep for the other mutant, so to spare her own feelings, she suppressed any and all thoughts of her and Erik ever getting together. She’d never tell Charles, though she suspected that he already knew what with him being a mind reader and all. (Y/N) knew Charles wouldn’t read her mind unless it was absolutely necessary, she trusted him enough, but sometimes she felt as though her feelings for Erik were strong enough that Charles didn’t have to read her mind in order to find out how she felt.

“(Y/N) It’s nearly time for class, your students are waiting for you.” Charles’s voice echoed in her mind. 

“Speak of the devil,” (Y/N) muttered to herself.

“Aw, were you thinking about me, love?” (Y/N) could clearly hear the teasing tone in his voice, it was almost as if he were right next to her.

“In your dreams, Charles,” (Y/N) nearly rolled her eyes at his insistent teasing. Despite the conversation going on in her mind, she made her way to her class. He had a point, she couldn’t keep her kids waiting, she had some interesting stories to share with the kids today and it nearly made her giddy.

“Oh, I think you’ve mistaken me with someone else. Like Erik, perhaps?”

“Fuck off Charles,” She snapped. His constant teasing was almost enough to take her out of the good mood she was in, almost.

“Sorry everybody, I wish I could say I have an excuse for being late, but sadly that isn’t true. You’d think I’d have frozen time in order to get ahead, but I save that for special occasions, like beating Professor Xavier and Professor Lehnsherr at games for instance.” She joked. 

Her lame attempt at a joke managed to score a few laughs out of the young mutants, “Anyway, let’s get started shall we?”

(Y/N) went through her lectures with grace, answering and asking the right questions when they arose, a few of the students even volunteered to read a few passages from the textbook, which was often very rare. Because of everyone’s participation, (Y/N) allowed the students some free time at the end of class. Many students took the opportunity to leave and spend their time outside, while a few stayed in their seats. 

“Professor (L/N), can I ask you something?” Scott Summers asked curiously. He was hanging out with Jean Grey in the front row.

“Of course, anything in particular?” (Y/N) asked curiously.

“Yeah, actually, it’s about the dance. Is everyone required to take a date? Cause the flyer said to bring a plus one.” Scott had already asked Jean to go with him and she had thankfully said yes, but they were talking and it seemed as though the professors may need dates too. It’d be interesting, to say the least, to find out which professor was going with who. 

“Oh, uh, that’s not necessarily a requirement, I think Professor Xavier was just getting ahead of himself,” (Y/N) brushed off, “If you’re not comfortable with taking someone, then it’s not mandatory. I think he only meant for you to go with someone to keep you from getting bored.” 

“Okay, so, who is Professor X going with?” Jean asked instantly.

“Oh, I think Moira MacTaggert. I’m sure you’ve all met her, right?” (Y/N) looked around for any confirmation, “If not, then this weekend you’ll get to.”

“What about Professor Lehnsherr? Or you?” Scott prodded. 

“Uh, I’m not sure, to be honest,” (Y/N) felt her heartbeat rapidly, could the students know about her fascination with Erik too? Shit, Jean was a mind reader too. (Y/N) glanced at the young student briefly, “That I know of, Professor Lehnsherr might take Professor Darkhölme. And I am going with,” (Y/N) looked around, “Uh, Hank! I mean Professor Mccoy,” She lied not so smoothly. Thankfully the bell rang before anyone can ask any more questions. 

“So, you’re going to the ball with Hank?”

(Y/N) nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard Erik’s voice. She hadn’t realized he was even standing there. 

“Fuck, you scared me, Erik,” (Y/N) ran her hand through her (H/C) hair. 

“Sorry, I knocked before I walked in,” He shrugged, “So Mccoy? Really?”

“What?” (Y/N) furrowed her brows, “What about him?”

Erik laughed slightly, “You said Hank was going to the dance with you.”

“Oh! Right, no I didn’t wanna sound like a complete loner to the kids so I lied, sorta,” She shrugged. This was probably the most embarrassing thing that’s happened to her thus far.

“You could have said I was taking you,” Erik shrugged, “Just a thought.”

“Yeah, next time,” (Y/N) laughed nervously.

“Speaking of the dance-”

“Sorry, Erik, I uh, I’ve got to… Pee! I’ll be right back,” (Y/N) brushed past him and marched to the nearest restroom. She wasn’t about to stand there and let Erik tell her that he was going to ask Raven or that he had already asked her, she wasn’t a masochist after all. 

“I’ll just wait here then,” Erik mumbled to himself once she bolted out.

(Y/N) leaned against the bathroom door and sighed. She was going to have to get a hold on herself. She couldn’t keep dodging Erik every time he brought up the dance, they were friends after all.  She’d just have to ignore her pride and accept the fact that Erik didn’t like her the way she liked him. No big deal.

(Y/N) composed herself and made her way to the kitchen. It was nearly lunchtime now and she was starving, she just hoped there was a snack or something available. 

“Hey, (Y/N)!” Raven shouted when she saw her from across the hall.

(Y/N) looked up and smiled slightly. She tried to keep things civil, it wasn’t Raven’s fault Erik liked her and not (Y/N).

Raven stopped right next to her with a bright smile, “You ready for the dance this weekend?”

“Yeah, you bet,” (Y/N) lied.

“I can’t wait either, I only ever got to go to parties as my “normal” self before but this time I can just be me,” Raven grinned.

“Well, you’re beautiful so it only makes sense to go as you are,” (Y/N) shrugged.

“Thank you, you are too. I can’t wait to see what you’re going to wear. Charles said to make it formal so it should be interesting to see everyone in a tux and dress.” Raven looked off as if she were imagining just that.

“Yeah, it should be interesting,” (Y/N) agreed.

“Were you headed to the kitchen?” Raven asked suddenly.

“Yeah, I was. I got kinda hungry so I was going to grab a snack or something.” (Y/N) turned to leave.

“I’ll go with you,” Raven decided. She walked right next to (Y/N) without any notice to her discomfort. Raven was the best, really. She was funny, beautiful, badass, and well, (Y/N) could see why Erik liked her. It just really fucking sucked is all. 

“So, have you talked to Erik?” Raven wondered.

“Kinda? He stopped by my classroom earlier but I uh, I needed to use the restroom,” (Y/N) really hoped this would be the end of this uncomfortable conversation.

“Oh, well, he really wanted to talk to you so I’ll let him know we’re in the kitchen then,” Raven pulled her phone out of her pocket and texted, (Y/N) assumed, Erik.

“Right, I guess I’ll wait here with you then,” (Y/N) mumbled. This had to be a nightmare right? This wasn’t really happening, right?

(Y/N) grabbed a jello cup from the fridge and a spoon. She jumped onto the counter and started eating her snack. Maybe if she froze time she would be able to escape without any notice. But then they would know what she had done, so it wasn’t really the best option. But still, it was an option. 

“There you are (Y/N), I was wondering where you had run off to,” Erik smiled and leaned against the counter right next to you.

“Uh, yeah, sorry I got kinda hungry,” She shrugged.

“I was waiting in your classroom,” Erik mentioned casually.

“Oh, shit, sorry I uh,” (Y/N) wasn’t sure what to say. Why would he wait for her? Why couldn’t he just show up to the dance with Raven and leave (Y/N) alone?

“It’s okay, anyway, I wanted to ask you something,” Erik glanced at Raven, who was pretending to mind her own business but was failing miserably, “You know, you’re not as subtle as you think you are,” He huffed in annoyance.

“Fine, fine, I’m leaving,” Raven stomped off.

“Erik?” (Y/N) set her empty jello cup aside, “you wanted to ask me something?”

“Right! Yes, I did, I do,” Erik bit his lip and shifted nervously.

“Well?” (Y/N) asked impatiently. She didn’t want to sit there while he told her he asked Raven to the dance and if she could help him with something to woo her or something.

“Sorry, I was wondering if you might want to go with me to the dance?” He spoke quickly.

Wait, what? “Wait, what?” (Y/N) asked surprised.

“Will you go with me to the dance?” Erik asked, meeting (Y/N)’s eyes.

“I- what about Raven?” She asked confused. Why would he ask her out and not Raven? Was this a pity date? Is that why Raven was okay with it?

“What about Raven?” Erik asked just as confused as (Y/N). What did Raven have to do with their date?

“I mean, why are you asking me and not Raven?” (Y/N) asked getting frustrated with Erik.

“Because I don’t like Raven, I like you” Erik laughed joyously. He had thought it was pretty obvious. He always dropped everything he was doing to help (Y/N). He made stupid jokes just to hear her laugh, he always tried his best to show off his powers whenever they were teamed together. Their most successful training session was when he showed her how he could lift their jet plane. 

(Y/N) sat in disbelief. Erik liked her? How had she not realized before? She thought back to all the times Charles would tease her, she assumed he was teasing her, but come to think about it, Erik was always the one who got flustered and angry. (Y/N) assumed it was because he really didn’t like her, but it turns out the complete opposite was the truth.

“You really like me?” (Y/N) asked softly.

“I do,” Erik agreed, “So, would you want to accompany me to the dance?”

(Y/N) nodded almost too eagerly, “Yes, I would love to!” She grinned.

Erik smiled and stepped between her legs, “can I kiss you? Or is that pushing my luck?”

(Y/N)’s cheeks flushed, her breath hitching, “No, it’s not pushing your luck.”

Erik leaned forward, looking from her eyes to her lips, “good,” He pressed his lips to hers in a gentle passionate kiss.

[anarcho-smarmyism]

“The Civil War also brought an unprecedented period of corruption to American life. The role of shady financiers and politicians on the take grew rapidly. Much of this centered around the railroads. In 1872, the greatest political scandal in American history to that time shook the administration of Ulysses S. Grant. Major stockholders in the Union Pacific Railroad created a sham company called Credit Mobilier of America, gave it contracts to build the railroad, and then personally profited from those contracts. They used stock in the company to pay off their allied politicians,which included Grant’s vice president Schuyler Colfax and future president James Garfield . . . Politicians were for the rich to buy.

Workers resented this corruption and blamed the railroads for the increased inequality they faced. They had good reason to do so. IN building the Northern Pacific Railway, the financier Jay Cooke overextended himself. When Cooke’s company declared bankruptcy in 1873, it started a downward spiral that sent the economy into a severe depression. Eighteen thousand businesses went under during the Panic of 1873 and unemployment reached 14 percent. Workers responded by taking to the streets to demand jobs, especially in New York, where unemployment reached 25 percent. Tompkins Square Park became the center of organizing, with over one thousand workers attending rallies there. . .

Newspaper editors and capitalists exploded in indignation over class-based organizing. Calling the demonstration the American version of the Paris commune, the 1871 socialist uprising in France that briefly ruled Paris before its brutal suppression, the capitalists demanded police repression of the workers. On the day of the demonstration, over eight thousand workers met at Tompkins Square Park. Sixteen hundred police officers attacked them, savagely beating the protesters with clubs while horse-mounted police cleared the streets. Samuel Gompers remembered, “Mounted police charged the crowd on Eighth Street, riding them down and attacking men, women, and children without discrimination. It was an orgy of brutality. I was caught in the crowd on the street and barely saved my head from being cracked by jumping down a cellarway.” The police arrested forty-six workers, mostly unemployed immigrants who could not afford bail, and the movement died under the weight of oppression.”

-A History of America In Ten Strikes, Erik Loomis

[xaviersrpg]

CHARLES XAVIER is the mutant son of wealthy physicist, Doctor Brian Xavier, and his wife, Sharon Xavier-Marko. His identical brother, Philip, was sent away to a boarding school in the United Kingdom shortly after Charles' mutant abilities emerged, leaving only Charles and his step-brother, Cain, as youngsters in the mansion. Dr. Marko favored his gentle, smart step-son to his own son, which led to Cain bullying the young Charles. Charles would later meet Raven Darkholme when she snuck into his home and, ecstatic to meet someone else like him, he quickly invited her to live with him and his family, which she accepted. 

After the death of Charles' mother and step-father and the subsequent departure of Cain from the mansion, Charles began studying at Harvard, later graduating with honours. After finding out that his brother had a daughter, Charles decided to continue his studies at Oxford University and reached out to Philip only to receive nothing in return. It was shortly after completing his thesis on genetic mutation that he would meet CIA Agent Moira MacTaggert, a meeting which would spiral into the creation of Xavier’s School for the Gifted’s First Class. Erik Lehnsherr and Charles Xavier would bond closely during this time, and so would Moira and Charles as a romantic spark blossomed between them. Moira and these young mutants were instrumental in the Cuban Missile Crisis, an event which rendered Charles unable to walk... and at the end of it all, after sharing a kiss, Charles wiped Moira’s memories of him and what went down in Cuba entirely.

Her knowledge of his home and the mutants within endangered not only himself but the others, too. In 1965, Professor Xavier officially opened the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters. During that year, however, America assumed a direct military role in the Vietnam War. As the war escalated throughout the mid-late 1960s, many students and staff at the school were drafted into the military, and ultimately, the school was unable to function. By the early 1970s, Xavier's school was defunct, and he reverted his mansion to a private residence once again. His estate had also fallen into considerable neglect and disrepair, and so had he.

By the late 1960s and early 1970s, Xavier himself had become somewhat of a recluse, living a mainly solitary life in his mansion - save for McCoy, who helped Xavier tend to the affairs of his estate. This period of his life only ended when the revelation that Raven would try to kill Bolivar Trask, ensuring the downfall of mutant and humankind’s future, was revealed. Charles, Hank, Logan and a newly recruited Quicksilver set out to recruit Erik Lehnsherr in order to stop her. With Raven stopped, also saving the President of the USA in the end, Charles Xavier returned to his mansion to reopen his school.

Charles’ face claim is JAMES MCAVOY and he is OPEN TO APPLICATIONS.

[i-drink-and-i-write-fics]

Against The Odds

Chapter 8: The End of The World

Summary: Will Charlie be in time to save the President?

“Kurt, we need to go now!” Nightcrawler appeared in a puff of blue smoke and grabbed Charlie. “Meet us at the school, Stark!”

And they were gone in a puff of smoke. Inside the bunker, Jean was using her powers to protect Ben and Mike. Logan, Thor, and Vision were squared off against Psylocke, Angel, and Magneto as Clint and Cable tried to get the kids to safety. Kurt and Charlie popped in between Jean and Apocalypse.

“Bring back Wanda,” was all Charlie said and Kurt left again.

“You could have made this very easy, my child.”

“I swear to all the gods listening if you call me that one more time I’m kicking your nuts up into your throat.” Charlie lashed out and her blue powers wrapped around Apocalypse.

Off to the side, Charlie heard Logan cry out in pain as Magneto used his powers. Thor tossed him back with a bolt of lightning as Vision phased out to avoid being hit with either of Psylocke’s weapons. Kurt popped back with Wanda who immediately added her red powers to Charlie’s fight.

“Kurt, once Jean joins us you need to get Mike and Ben out of here! Anywhere safe!”

Apocalypse began to create a portal to try to save himself, his anger evident on his face. “You are only delaying the inevitable.”

“Thor, a little help!”

The demi-god focused a bolt of lightning on Apocalypse’s growing portal, breaking it down as quickly as it could form. Jean dropped her shield to help Wanda and Charlie. Kurt used that moment to grab Ben and Mike but was taken out like a bowling pin when Erik tossed Logan into him.

Erik tried to use that opening to grab Ben himself, but Charlie didn’t miss a beat. She held up one hand, holding him in place as her blue powers continued to mix with Wanda’s red and Jean’s orange.

“I’m not making the same mistake twice. I won’t let you distract me from beating him. From saving my family.”

“What about my family?! Will you do anything about them?!”

“I am so sick of your fucking whining, Erik. I get it. Trust me, I know what it’s like to have a family member die and it be your fault. But frankly, it’s getting to the point where you are looking for an excuse to harm people. At some point, you have to decide if you’re the villain or the hero of your story regardless of what happens to you. Get off the fence!”

Her last words were punctuated by throwing Erik into the bunker wall. Before she could refocus, Psylocke sliced Charlie’s midsection with her psychic blade.

“Charlie!!” The pain in Ben’s voice was unmistakable.

Mike pulled out his gun and yelled at Kurt. “Get him out of here!”

“No, wait-”

As soon as Ben was gone, Mike opened fire on Psylocke, not thinking about her powers. She stopped all the bullets after they barely left the gun and turned them to face Mike. But she never got the chance to return fire.

Her face began to contort in pain. Her hand that created the psychic sword went to her side at the base of the ribs. The bullets dropped to the floor once she became distracted and Mike slowly looked around, keeping his gun pointed at Psylocke.

Charlie was on one knee, one hand pressing down on her wound while the other was pointed at Psylocke. There was a mixture of pain and rage twisting her features. She slowly closed her hand and Psylocke cried out in pain.

“You could have made this easy. Just taken his ass back to Egypt and buried him in his old cave. But instead, you helped him come for my family. For me. Don’t worry, I’ll make this quick.”

In a move that seemed almost synchronized, Charlie closed her fist causing Psylocke to break down to the molecular level just as Jean and Wanda ripped apart Apocalypse. Mike was starting to relax until he saw Charlie collapse onto the floor.

“Oh, God,” she panted. “She got me better than I thought.”

Mike’s gun clattered to the floor as he rushed to kneel by her. “Hey, you just hang in there. Ben would never forgive me if I lose the other important woman in his life.”

Charlie laughed. “He may since it wasn’t your fault I wasn’t around to save Margaret.”

“At least there isn’t much blood,” he gently put one arm under her neck and the other under her knees before getting to his feet.

Charlie coughed, “that’s because my powers are keeping it inside. We need to-”

More coughing stopped her. Mike yelled at Jean, “is there a medical bay here?!”

“Yes! Follow me!”

The pair ran out of the bunker and down the hall, Jean using her powers to toss every door open along the way.

Mike kept talking to Charlie to keep her away. “Stay with me, Charlie. Don’t close your eyes.”

“Don’t tell me what to do,” she coughed.

Mike chuckled and Charlie smiled at the sound coming from his chest. “There’s that sass. Margaret had it, too.”

“A shame you never saw us together. We always drove Jacob and Ben crazy. But maybe I’ll get to see them.”

“No talking like that. Ben needs you and I need-”

“Need what?”

Mike sighed as he set Charlie down on a hospital bed. “I need to apologize to you. Properly. Yes, I had bad past experiences with mutants. But you helped me see past that.”

“Careful, Agent Banning. Some may think you’re going soft.”

Mike laughed. “Smartass.”

Hank put a hand on Mike’s shoulder. “We need you to leave. She needs a sterile environment.”

He nodded and turned to leave until he felt a hand on his arm. Charlie smiled up at him. “I’m holding you to that promise, Agent Banning.”

Mike smirked down at her. “I look forward to it.”

But as soon as he was in the hall, Mike leaned against the wall and slid to the floor. He was racked with guilt over the time he wasted not treating Charlie and she took a knife to the stomach for him and Ben. His mind went back to the night in the cabin where Ben called him out for checking out Charlie earlier when she had been tending to their wounds.

“She’s been through a lot and she may not trust you. But I think she would be perfect for your stubborn ass.”

He never thought the President would be ok with a Secret Service Agent dating a family member, but Ben was different that way. And now he could see why. But he didn’t know Charlie at all and she would be cautious of him after that scene he made back at the compound.

There was a sound of air popping and Ben was standing in front of him with Kurt. “Wanda called saying it was over. Where is she?!”

Mike gestured behind him. “In surgery.”

Ben ran his hands over his mouth before shouting, “FUCK!”

That snapped Mike out of his pity party. Yeah, he may have boned the one chance he had at getting to know the woman he was beginning to develop feelings for, but this was Ben’s sister-in-law. His family and last link to Margaret after his son.

He got up and pulled Ben into a tight hug. “She’ll be ok, Ben. Hank and Jean are working on her right now. She used her powers to keep from bleeding out. Charlie will make it.”

Ben clung to him like a drowning man to a life-saver. “I don’t know what I’ll do if I lose her before I can make amends. It was all Margaret wanted. For me to quit so she could have her sister back.”

“She’ll live, Ben. I know it. You know it. She’s too stubborn to let death take her.”

“If I lose her, Margaret will never forgive me. I’ve loved these two women: my wife and the only sister I ever had.  I can’t lose her, Mike.”

Ben broke down in sobs and all Mike could do was hold him as both men awaited the fate of the woman who chaotically came into their lives.

Chapter 9

[knives-out20]

Magnetic Push - Erik Lehnsherr x Male!OC - Part 4

Fandom: X-Men: Days Of Future Past (2014)

Pairing: Karmel Rosenstein (OC) x Erik Lehnsherr

Warnings: Swearing, Gay, SELF HARM, Spoilers for X-Men: Days Of Future Past,

Notes: Welcome to Part 4! The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) references ahead. Karmel’s hair tied up looks like this, for future reference:

Karmel adjusted his tie as he walked down the plane aisle, Erik in front of him, buttoning up a blue shirt. "I always knew I left a tie at Charles' mansion" he groaned, flattening it down. Karmel pulled his suspenders up and over his shoulders, Erik reaching for a newspaper on the table in front of Logan.

Logan's claws shot out, landing on the newspaper so that Erik wouldn't read it.

Karmel instantly grew his thorny vines out, aimed at Logan.

"Karmel." Erik softly called.

Karmel groaned, reeling his vines back into his body- but slowly. He followed Erik further down the plane, the man calling "imagine if they were metal" over to Logan.

Erik sat down on a long seat that had its back against the side of the plane. He pulled Karmel down to sit beside him, draping an arm around the blond's shoulders.

Karmel leaned his head on his hand, glancing over at Logan when Erik asked him a question.

"Where did they dig you up?" Erik asked, not looking over at Logan, but clearly aiming the question over at him.

"You're gonna find this hard to believe, but, uh..." Logan started, leaning forward in his seat. "You sent me. You and Charles, from the future."

Erik looked over at Logan, clearly confused. He crossed one leg over the other.

Before Karmel could ask about his own whereabouts, the plane took off. He leaned his head on Erik's shoulder, who only pulled him closer. To Karmel, one of the best feelings in the world was having Erik's arm around him. Or both of Erik's arms. Either way made him just as content.

Erik and Karmel felt Charles' eyes on them, but took on the responsibility of not giving Charles the satisfaction of looking right back at him. 

Erik leaned down, to whisper to Karmel. "You feel him, too?"

Karmel nodded slightly. "It's fuckin’ weird. Can you say something-?"

Erik nodded back. "How did you lose them?" He asked Charles, still not making eye contact.

"The treatment for my spine affects my DNA" Charles answered, Karmel being the first to look at him.

"You sacrificed your powers so you could walk?" Karmel questioned.

"I sacrificed my powers so that I could sleep."

Karmel sat up straight, reaching a hand up to hold Erik's fingers. He did so in a way where two fingers gripped Erik’s, the others holding onto the cuff of his sleeve. This way, Karmel’s wrapped-up arm wouldn’t be exposed and questioned. He didn’t wanna talk about that right now. Or ever, if possible.

"What do you two know about it?"

"We've lost my fair share" Erik admitted.

"Ha" Charles sarcastically laughed. "Dry your eyes, you two. It doesn't justify what you've done" he shook his head.

Erik shook his head in return. "You have no idea what we've done."

"I know that you've took the things that mean the most to me" Charles raised his eyebrows.

"Well maybe you should've fought harder for them."

"If you want a fight, Erik, I will give you a fight!" Charles exclaimed, Erik and him standing up in unison.

"Sit down!" Logan called.

Karmel gestured a hand at Logan, "let him come" he muttered.

Charles gripped Erik's shirt. "You abandoned me, both Karmel and you! You took her away, and you abandoned me!"

"Abandoned you?" Karmel snapped, glaring at Charles. "You TOLD me to go with Erik, remember, numb-nuts? You gave me that 'go, it's what you want' bullshit that nudged me over the edge, to Erik!"

"Angel," Erik started to list off. "Azazel. Emma." He continued, everyone on board noticing how the plane started to rock a bit. 

"Erik..." Karmel softly called, gaze melting down when it landed on him.

"Banshee. Mutant brothers and sisters, all dead! Do you know how many times I almost lost K-Karmel, too?" Erik's voice rose, Charles letting go of him as the plane started to dip. "Countless others, experimented on" he added, cups and plates crashing to the ground when the plane tilted."Butchered!"

"Erik!" Hank called from the cockpit, Karmel steadily standing up.

"Where were you, Charles? We were supposed to protect them! Where were you when your own people needed you? Hiding, you and Hank! Pretending to be something you're not!" Erik went off, Karmel catching himself onto the first thing he could grab, to keep standing.

"Erik-" Karmel called, placing his hand on Erik's shoulder. "Erik, please" he pleaded, grip tightening a bit. 

And that's what shut him off. Hearing Karmel's voice, feeling Karmel's touch, that's what calmed him down. "You...Abandoned us all, Karmel and myself included" he exhaled, the plane wobbling back to normal. Erik looked down, panting gently before locking eyes with Karmel.

Karmel cupped his cheeks, Erik’s entire body facing him. "Focus on me, okay? Focus on me, my eyes, my voice, okay, Erik?" He quietly instructed, looking Erik up and down. "Deep breaths, alright, honey? In...and out...In...and out, just like you told me" Karmel repeated, watching Charles retreat into the cockpit. "I'm here, Erik. I'm alive. I'm still with you" he mumbled, patting Erik's cheek.

Erik softened into the touch, taking the deep breaths Karmel told him to do.

"So you were always an asshole" Logan noted, the comment directed at Erik. ”And you were always...quirky” he added, a lost gaze caught onto Karmel.

“I wouldn’t call myself ‘quirky’, but there is definitely something wrong with me” Karmel agreed.

Erik's eyes left Karmel's and locked with Logan's. "I take it we're best buddies in the future" he scoffed, sarcasm dripping with every word.

Logan grinned, looking up at the pair. "I spent a lot of years trying to bring you down, bub."

"How does that work out for you?" Karmel egged Logan on, arms wrapping around Erik in a tight, loving hug. 

"You're like me, both of you. You're survivors" Logan tilted his head, looking at the mess Erik made. "You wanna pick all that shit up?"

Erik raised his eyebrows, turning around to look at what he had done.

Karmel pulled away from Erik, balling his hands into fists. Vines shot out from his body and wrapping around every discarded piece of furniture he saw. Karmel lifted them all up and put them back where they originally were. He was desperate to ask Logan about himself, but held off from it. The idea of the future being a surprise felt fun. And normal.

***

It was night time. Charles was back where he was seated earlier, and Karmel lay across where Erik and him sat earlier.

Only this time, Karmel was fast asleep. A gin bottle was loosely gripped in his hand, thankfully closed so that it didn't spill anywhere. Erik tied up Karmel’s hair earlier, so it wouldn’t disrupt him in his sleep.

Logan hadn't moved an inch. He stared down at Karmel; so this is the esteemed Karmel J. Rosenstein, huh? Erik's one and only, Erik's ride or die, Magneto's dearest Climber. 

An alcoholic, orphaned bisexual with unapologetic anger issues and daddy’s ugly ties. What a guy.

Logan listened to Karmel's soft snores, wondering what it was that Erik saw in this guy. He took in the fact that first impressions happened to be rough. Maybe later on, he'll catch a glimpse of what Erik sees.

Erik walked down the aisle, holding a chess board in his hands. He stopped in front of Charles, putting it down on the table in front of him. "Fancy a game? It's been a while."

Charles drank from his glass, looking up at Erik. "I'm not in the mood for games, thank you."

Erik poured himself a glass. "I haven't had a real sip in ten years...neither has Karmel. Coincidence you had some gin lying around, hmm?" He inquired, eyebrows raising.

Charles gulped. "I like gin."

"Certainly not enough to keep a bottle of it on a plane, yea? Unopened, at that" Erik pointed out, turning to look at Karmel.

Logan caught the smile Erik grew when his eyes landed on Karmel. It's how Logan himself looked at Jean...No, it wasn't even close to that. It was far from that. Man, Erik is whipped. Logan held back a chuckle- the Erik in his future still smiles like that when Karmel's the center of attention in any way, shape, or form.

Charles followed Erik's gaze. "I see your feelings haven't changed, hmm?"

"Haven't budged a bit" Erik nodded, turning back to Charles. He sat on the arm of the long seat Karmel slept on, slowly drinking from his glass.

“His hair’s grown.”

“Karmel having longer hair than you, that’s a sight I never thought I’d see” Erik exhaled through his nose. ”Looks quite nice though, doesn’t it?”

“Not what I’m used to...” Charles shrugged, eyes falling on Karmel’s arms. ”What happened to his arms?” He asked stiffly. 

Erik set his jaw. ”That...” He started, a helpless look overtaking those beautiful eyes of his. ”I’ve had the misfortune of being asleep in our cell, while Karmel was wide awake. Left alone to his devices.”

Charles gulped, nodding.

"Karmel has secrets he doesn’t want to tell me. And I wish he would.” Erik’s tone was low, gentle. It was as if Karmel was still awake and he didn’t want Karmel to hear him.

Charles’ gaze diverged over to Karmel. He still didn’t want to get inside Karmel’s head, never again, at that.

“We didn't kill the President" Erik confessed, reaching a hand down and curling his fingers around Karmel's; like a baby, Karmel's grip on Erik's fingers automatically tightened.

"The bullet curved, Erik."

"Because we were trying to save him. Karmel volunteered to use his vines to grab it, but...that would've exposed us" he corrected. "They took us out before either of us could save him."

"Why would you try and save him?"

"Because he was one of us."

Charles' expression changed for a second, before he coldly scoffed, looking up.

Erik's expression didn't change. He was dead serious.

Charles shook his head, "you must think me so foolish. We've always said they would come after us."

"I never imagined they'd use Raven's DNA to do it."

"When did you last see her?"

Erik clicked his tongue, standing back up and moving to sit in front of Charles. "The day Karmel and I left for Dallas."

"How was she?"

"Strong, driven."

"How was...he?" Charles inquired, eyes trailing over to Karmel.

"Protective, actually. Karmel is tender...Karmel is beautiful. Though if I tell him, he’d say I’m such a liar. Karmel is...Karmel is a mystery- Kamel is not a nobody, though.” Erik shook his head.

"Erik. How was he?"

Erik opened his mouth, thinking. "He was...we are..." He shook his head, smiling. "I love him, Charles. I really don’t know what else you want me to say, or expect me to say. You watched me slowly fall for him, all those years ago, and I still am, to this day. You should be proud of Raven, though, Charles. She's out there fighting for our cause-"

"Your, cause" Charles cute him off. "The girl I raised, she was not capable of killing-"

"You didn't raise her, you grew up with her. She couldn't stay a little girl forever, that's why she left."

"Karmel and her left because you got inside their heads."

"Don't bring Karmel into this. You know as well as I do that his morals struck closer to mine than yours, from the moment you met him" Erik pointed a finger at Charles. "And besides, that's not my power. Karmel made a choice, she made a choice."

"But now we know where Raven’s choice leads, don't we?" Charles inquired. "She's going to murder Trask, they're going to capture her, and then they're going to wipe us out."

"Not if we get to her first" Erik claimed. "Not if we change history tomorrow..."

Charles stayed silent.

"I'm sorry, Charles...For what happened, I..." Erik looked down at the table. "I truly am." He apologized, looking up at Charles with puppy dog eyes he copied off of Karmel.

Charles threw back the rest of his drink. "It's been a while since I've played" he cleared his throat, adjusting himself in his seat.

Erik sighed silently. "I'll go easy on you. Might finally be a fair fight" he chuckled.

"You have the first move."

Erik looked down at the board, moving his first piece with his mutation. He kept his eyes on Charles, immediately standing up and turning to face Logan. Erik used his mutation to point a fork at Logan, "what do you think you're doing?" He hissed.

Logan was knelt down by Karmel, dangerously close to his arm. He raised an eyebrow and froze, looking up at Erik. "I got...instructed, by you in the future. To go see a friend of Karmel's and grab something for him."

"Grab what?" Erik pressed.

Logan gestured down to his hands. He held a brown, braided leather bracelet with a silver, metal clasp.

Erik's breathing calmed. "His bracelet...We haven't seen it in ten years."

"Or those?" Logan asked, gesturing to an old belt that lay across Karmel's waist, along with a black leather jacket he had draped over Karmel, as a makeshift blanket. "Some blue-haired kid, he's kickin' it at Karmel's place. Kept this stuff for him while you and Karmel were locked up. Future-you demanded for me to get these for him, both of these" he explained, clasping the bracelet around Karmel's left wrist. "What's with the hissy-fit, huh? They're clothing accessories."

Erik licked his lips. "I gave him that bracelet shortly after I met him, it was a gift. That belt belonged to Karmel's uncle. It's a long story, but, uh..." he rubbed the back of his neck. "Thank you for listening to me. These mean a lot to Karmel."

Logan nodded, "you can fix up Karmel's belt. Future-you would've killed me for so much as looking at him the wrong way" he joked.

Erik nodded, walking over and sliding the belt onto Karmel's pants. "Blue hair, blue hair...Grimm" he quickly connected.

"Grimm" Charles repeated from behind Erik, in an airy tone. "What a wonder."

"Hey, didn't you-" Erik turned back around once the belt was successfully on, but he quickly caught the 'don't' look that flashed across Charles' face. He nodded. "Sorry."

Charles waved his hand dismissively. "No, that's alright. It was for the best, for him."

Erik nodded, looking down at Karmel. His knuckles grazed Karmel's cheek, the blond shifting where he lay. Erik couldn't imagine breaking up with Karmel- it was unheard of.

[hearteyes-for-killmonger]

2. REBIRTH

Rule 1: The human whose name is written in this journal shall die.

This was someone's handwriting. Probably some bizarre joke or elaborate social experiment. "What the fuck is this," Erik mumbled in disgust staring at the words. Someone's sick sense of humor? He reclined in his leather chair waiting for someone to tell him he was being recorded. Looking at the office phone on his desk, he anticipated the ring. At any moment, Gloria would call up and he'd return the prop to whatever production, laughing it off while refusing to sign the release. He checked his watch. Any minute now. His fingers drummed on the desk in wait.

In the meantime, the first few pages of the journal had been ripped out. Whoever dropped this book had obviously taken out what they didn't want to be seen and they'd left instructions on the inside of the front cover along with some foreign symbols, symbols Erik had never seen before.

Rule 2: This entry will not take effect unless the writer has the person's face in their mind when writing his/her name. Therefore, people sharing the same name will not be affected.

"An elaborate prank," he mused. "Someone has way too much time on their hands." Flipping through the blank pages, he closed the journal and tucked it into his black Burberry London suitcase. Out of sight, out of mind. Reawakening his computer, he decided to split his new tasks into smaller responsibilities and divvy them out to his staff including the task of updating the user control panel for the network. He could be home in time to surprise Mika for dinner afterall.

🎶 I spent my whole life tryna make it, tryna chase it/ The cycle of a black man divided, tryna break it/ You take a loss, shit don't cry about it, just embrace it/ Minor setback for major comeback, that's my favorite/ My nigga L said, "You do a song with Nip, K. Dot he a better Crip"/ I said, "He a man first, you hear the words out his lips?/ About flourishing from the streets to black businesses?"🎶

Turning off the engine, Erik let down the garage door and exited the vehicle walking through the front door of his Rockridge craftsman home. "BABY," he called stripping off his black wool blazer to drape over his arm. Immediately he heard footsteps rushing in his direction before his woman appeared, colliding into his chest.

"Oh Captain, my Captain," Mika swooned. Her glasses were fogged and her auburn dreads were in a messy bun on top of her head. Her eyes were dewy and mildly pink. He shook his head, putting it together.

"Again?"

"It was either this or go to the protest and you forbid me to go. Besides, it's like therapy for me," she sighed. "Dead Poets Society and Good Will Hunting.. Don't look at me like that. I needed to be elevated! Too much bad news," she frowned. He knew exactly what she was feeling. He felt it too. He followed her into the kitchen where his plate sat covered in aluminum foil. It was still warm since he wasn't late like she'd expected. Kissing Mika on the forehead, he draped his blazer on the back of his chair and set the table, opening the bottle of Pink Moscato he'd purchased on the way home to pour two glasses.

"Tell me about this case."

"Well I told you about the police brutality. You've probably seen the hashtags by now. Erik? I wanted to cry. I took this job to stop shit like this and now it's happening right under my watch in my city. I knew that cop, Erik. And now when I look at him I wonder what that badge means to him--What mine means. Without it, would he shoot me like he shot that boy?"

Erik chewed silently, letting her question hang in the air. They both knew the answer, he didn't have to speak it and make things worse.

"I had a horrible case aside from that.. I've been trying not to think about it, but--" she sighed rubbing the deepening crease between her brows. "I saved a little boy today.. he was eight years old and now he has to go into the foster care system because his dad killed his mom and his sister. I-- I was too late to save them."

"You saved one and to that one, it makes all the difference."

"Now that we have the father in custody, he and his lawyer are claiming that the murders were due to a mental illness and he's got the prior diagnosis to support it. If he gets off in court because of this, I will scream. Erik, I will shoot him myself. He took a baseball bat to a child's head, Erik. A twelve-year-old girl."

Laying down his fork and knife, Erik stood walking around the table to squeeze and rub Mika's shoulders, smoothing out the balls of tension. Her head rolled and she exhaled, her body relaxing. His lips pressed gently into her jaw and he dropped to one knee, pulling her fork from her hand and grabbing both of her hands in his.

"Mika? You are great at what you do and no one could've done it any better. You saved a boy's life today and you didn't kill the other two, he did. That's on him, not you." He kissed her knuckles as her soft eyes gazed upon his. The rest of dinner went by with lighter conversation. He let her go on as long as she needed to talking about Robin Williams and his therapeutic presence in cinema and after doing the dishes, it was time to retreat into his office as was his usual routine.

He booted up his computer and logged into his emails. There were four new ones of importance relating to business. His work was never done it seemed. Reaching into his black suitcase, he pulled out a gold-colored flash drive, but paused when his fingers touched the spine of the leather journal. Who wrote this shit?

Rule 3:  If the cause of death is written within the next 40 seconds of writing the person's name, it will happen.

Rule 4: If the cause of death is not specified, the person will simply die of a heart attack.

Rule 5: After writing the cause of death, details of the death should be written in the next 6 minutes and 40 seconds.

He had to take it in. The cursive semed to be written in something similar to ink but not quite. "These dumbass rules." Imagine someone sane coming up with something as ridiculous as this.

The black pen on Erik's desk shined, daring him to pick it up as his eyes flickered between it and the blank page. Nah, Erik, chill. You buggin out right now.

Erik grabbed his computer mouse, clicking to wake the computer. Clicking onto his favorite internet browser, he typed in the name of the boy who'd been shot by the cop earlier in the day. Jayson Miller. Noting various tweets, posts, and videos, he paid especially close attention to the protest that was happening in the neighborhood. Police were lined up and it was a matter of time before the National Guard got involved. He searched to find the name of the cop who'd shot Jayson but his name was protected. He decided he'd watch through the videos instead. That didn't turn up much.

An idea struck him. He knew he probably shouldn't, but the fact that he could do it and get away with it made him do it anyway. From his computer, he dusted off his old skills from high school and early college, cracking into Mika's work assigned computer from his own. He was able to easily hack the police database and find the cop on duty when Jayson got shot. Picking up the pen, he jotted down the name.

Phil Mathers.

He'd seen the guy a few times himself. Phil seemed the type to do something questionable for a few bucks and a vacation. Reading the report written by Phil himself, it read like the typical "he had a weapon" rhetoric of fear. It was as good as an admission of guilt.

"Fourty seconds to die? We'll see."

He waited for the report to come of Phil's death. Anything. Then he realized, he probably wouldn't hear about it so soon. He decided to cruise the internet in search of another current crime before stopping short realizing the most obvious option. Holding his pen, he wrote the second name.

Ronald Clump

Counting down silently, he leaned back in his chair to watch his screen. He'd refreshed the page and clicked around about six times.

"Well, guess that settles it.. This some old bullsh-"

The President of the United States suffers a heart attack.  9:22 PM.

The pen dropped from Erik's hand rolling into the floor as he gaped at the screen. A quick search showed two more sources confirming that the president had indeed passed.

"What the fuck? Nah. No. This isnt real. That was a coincidence, his old ass was in his last days. No." Jumping up, he paced the floor in disbelief. "He was gonna die anyway, it wasn't me." Stroking through his beard anxiously, he looked over to the journal sitting open on his desk. It was impossible. It didn't make any sense. He had to try it again--just to see. Because no way did this old journal have anything to do with what just happened. That would make him a murderer.

One more time.

Shutting down the computer, he moved to the bathroom he shared with his girl, showering, brushing his teeth, and running the electric massager through his scalp. When he got to bed, Mika was sitting up watching a stream of the protest. He gently took the phone from her hand exiting the stream and placing the device on a charger. He could feel her annoyance. If she couldn't be at the protest, she wanted to at least see it to feel that she was there. "Give your mind a rest, Mika. You've consumed enough death and destruction for a day." That seemed to give her pause as her face turned thoughtful, a small sigh releasing.

"You're right," she conceded laying on her side. He climbed into the bed beside her, looking her in the eyes. "Erik, I'm tired."

"I know. So am I."

A kiss on her forehead led her eyes to shut and soon he felt that she'd drifted off to sleep. After fifteen more minutes, it was clear that she had. Lifting from the bed silently, he walked into the closet pulling a pair of North Face joggers and a matching hoodie. Over the hoodie, he wore a black North Face vest and and black leather Saint Laurent Lenny sneakers. The journal, he tucked into the vest with a pen clipped inside.

While Mika slept, it was time to put the journal to the test. He swept downstairs and through the front door pulling off in his matte black Audi R8. Destination: Fruitvale.

Tag list: @muse-of-mbaku  @goddessofthundathighs  @panthergoddessbast  @thadelightfulone  @misspooh  @marvelmaree  @youreadthatright  @forbeautyandlife  @theunsweetenedtruth  @bidibidibombaclaat  @myboyfriendgiriboy  @dameshaemonique  @blackpantherimagines    @vikkidc  @hidden-treasures21  @mysidefanting  @hold-me-like-a-heart-beat  @syndrlla97  @winteroflife  @thotyana-in-this-hoe    @texasbama  @gingerylimonte  @princessstevens    @magic-madness-heavensin  @wawakanda-btch  @scrumptiouslytenaciouscrusade  @wakanda-inspired  @blackgirloneshots  @thegucciwaffle  @thiccdaddy-mbaku    @purplehairgawdess  @indigoxsummers  @cccccx1    @dynastylnoire  @iamrheaspeaks  @blowmymbackout   @they-call-me-le  @theblulife  @raysunshine78  @sheisexcellent @fd-writes @soufcakmistress @ju5tp34chy

[sidcrosbybro]

Pittsburgh Penguins 2018/19: Explained

Since we're about to kick off with the playoffs, I figured I'd do an updated silly explanation of the Penguins. So here goes...

Players

Kris "Tanger" Letang - a fashion icon who loves to tweet about how much he loves his team. Incredible two way defenseman. Loves to yell at the refs. It's not Tanger if he's not arguing.

Evgeni "Geno" Malkin - fashion disaster. NHL101. One of the best, if not the best, players in the league but constantly overlooked. Shouldn't be able to skate as gracefully as he does on such long legs. Has the softest hands. Would kill a man for Sidney Crosby.

Sidney "Sid the kid" Crosby - Captain Dad. Takes on rookies like it's his job and ninety percent of the comments from players about him is that he's great at making newbies feel welcome. Has adopted so many sons. Really likes candy. Is already a legend and isn't slowing down. Will probably take over the world at some point. Loves his teammates, especially the rest of the core. Has specially commissioned paintings of him and the boys hanging in his house. President of the Evgeni Malkin fan club.

Jake "Guentz" Guentzel - young but mighty. Really put all his heart into playing and came out from under Sid's wing like a champ. Won't stop scoring. Likes golf. Wrote a book report on Sid once.

Justin "Jultz" Schultz - Also known as Jeff. Amazing defenseman, literally don't know what we'd do without him. Missed a bunch of this season with a broken leg but thank God he came back. Has a fake tooth he just carries around with him for interviews. Best friends with Olli Maatta.

Olli Maatta - for a long time we all thought he was super quiet and shy and then at the 2016/17 cup parade we turned out to be very very wrong. Boy went buckwild and passed out on his own balcony. Soft and fluffy. We love him. Best friends with Justin Schultz.

Brian "Dumo" Dumoulin - looks like your typical frat boy but actually doubles as one of the best/most underrated defensemen in the league and the Ultimate Wine Connoisseur. Loves his wife and his dog more than anything. Team DJ but doesn't know what indie music is.

Matt "Cully" Cullen - (A.K.A Dad) Was with us for a few years, left us for a season and was meant to retire in Minnesota but then came back for 18/19 because he Missed Us Too Much. Not convinced he'll ever stop playing tbh. Has the funniest kids and loves his family.

Phil 'The Thrill' Kessel - ...Is a Stanley Cup Champion. Shy boy who doesn't like cameras. Plays like a God. Really loves his dog, Stella. Super Supportive Brother of Amanda Kessel. We are so blessed to have this man on our team.

Patric "Horny" Hornqvist - resident Swedish Viking. Was part of the iconic duo of Horny and Hags but this season stole that from us. Very shouty and very happy. A net-pest who upsets most goalies in the league. Allergic to wearing clothes.

Bryan "Rusty" Rust - soft boy. Great at breakaways and his job in general. Went through a period of time where empty nets just really weren't working for him to the point it became a team meme. Works really hard and deserves nice things.

Matt "Muzz" Murray - elite!!! Crazy good at his job and is going to be a complete legend one day. Has two giant Newfoundlands who are adorable. Was a mentee to Flower and It Shows. Works with charity a lot and is so humble. We love this boy.

Tristan Jarry - eyebrows!!! Also very good at his job. Sully once had to tell him to be LESS calm because he's so chill. He doesn't even break a sweat making insane saves. Fantastic dude.

Zach Aston-Reese - "ZAR" - looks like he should be in the wilderness chopping wood. Looks AMAZING when he gets into fights. Soft and lovely, works really hard for this team and deserves his place here. Poor boy won't stop getting injured though. Half of the iconic nose & eyebrows squad.

Garrett "Willy" Wilson - other half of the nose and eyebrows squad. Has freckles for days. Captain of WBS and it shows. BIG, looks like he could Kill, but is actually very soft spoken and has a little bit of a lisp. Loves kids and loves Pittsburgh. Deserves only the best.

Dominik "Domino" Simon - people can personally fight me about Dom, I love him. Had a bit of an up and down season but he'll be okay!!! Underrated two way player and trusted by Sully. Looks like a chick that just hatched for Easter.

Chad "Roo" Ruhwedel - used to play roller hockey a lot! We don't see him much but he's a good guy. Works hard and gets along with Sid a lot.

Jack Johnson, A.K.A. "JJ" - was Sid's roommate in school. Has a lot of stories about him he either can't or won't share about him. Had a questionable start but has been really really helpful to the whole team as of late. So big.

Theodore "Teddy" Blueger - somebody please let this boy get some rest. Looks like he has a cold 90% of the time but definitely doesn't play like it. He's going to have an amazing career. Jesus Christ.

Marcus "The Dragon" Pettersson - acquired him from the Ducks this season and it was definitely worth it. He's tall, young and has a play similar to Dumo's. Who knows, maybe in a few years he'll be just as unstoppable as him?

Jared "Canner" McCann - along with Bjuggy, Canner experienced maybe the most stressful move from his old team to the Penguins. Left Florida and showed up for their first game two minutes before the anthem started. Looks a bit like Guentz when he has his helmet on. Insanely good addition to this team, could not be more grateful for him.

Nick "Bjuggy" Bjugstad - like Canner, has been an incredible acquisition. You will hear his name pop up about 100 times a game because he never stops working for it. Just wow.

Erik Gudbranson - Large Man. He can really steamroll them. He's too new for me to know That Much about him but boy can he send opposing players flying.

Zach Trotman - called up from WBS recently. Looks a bit lost sometimes like he's not 100% sure where he is or what he's doing but he's a good guy.

Head & Assistant Coaches

Mike "Sully" Sullivan - Head Coach. Angry Bird. Loves his team, expresses his pride in the guys constantly, but is not afraid to yell. Has a good relationship with his players and makes good decisions most of the time. Unless it's an empty net. He really likes them. The fans wish he didn't.

Mark "Rex" Recchi - Assistant Coach. A kind guy who works hard and backs Sully most of the time. Looks after his players. Top notch dude.

Sergei "Gonch" Gonchar - Assistant Coach. Basically a second father to Geno, housed him when he first came to Pittsburgh. Played with him and Sid for a little while. Is permanently done with the whole team. Absolutely beloved.

Jacques Martin - Assistant Coach. Responsible for 'Jacques Squad' which was an incredible penalty team group the last few seasons.