… Ororo Munroe (Storm)
The control room was silent.
Not the calm kind of silence — but the kind that comes after a painful truth.
The main screen had removed the red seal from the field. In its place: the result.
Aidan Quinn's Team – Victory.
But no one in the control room celebrated. No one even looked surprised.
"They didn't win through brute strength", Hank said, breaking the silence with a quiet, analytical tone. "Or pure strategy", he added.
"They won through synergy", Charles followed. "Instinctive, organic and unexpected."
Ororo kept staring at the frozen image of the simulation: Raven floating in the center of the field, her eyes still glowing violet, the tower's core darkened behind her.
The simulation had ended before any system could register the final metrics.
It just stopped.
Because she wanted it to.
"The Danger Room has never failed to register a shutdown…" Hank murmured, genuinely impressed. "But this time, it reacted like it was facing something above its protocols. Like it… surrendered."
Logan said nothing — but Ororo noticed. He was tense. Arms crossed, jaw locked, eyes unblinking.
"This isn't just raw power", he finally muttered. "That girl… Raven… she didn't fight for Aidan. She shaped the battlefield so he'd never need to fight at full force."
"And he knows it", Charles said softly. "Just like Jean seems to have figured it out too. Each of them is starting to discover who they really are… and the most incredible part is, they're doing it together."
Ororo nodded slowly. Not because she agreed, but because she was still processing it all.
Jean had revealed something in that chaos. Taken command. Seized control.
And Aidan… he was no longer a mystery. He was a defined force now.
But what truly sent a chill down Ororo's spine — not fear, but deep respect — was Raven.
She'd only appeared at the end, but everyone knew she'd been there all along.
Orchestrating. Adjusting. And when the time came — ending it.
"She wasn't recruited", Ororo said quietly. "She came of her own will."
Whether for this simulation… or for the mansion itself.
Charles turned toward her with a knowing smile, understanding exactly what she meant.
"Because she's not here to learn", he said. "She's here to walk beside him."
Logan exhaled hard, crossing his arms tighter.
"So what do you think happens now, Charles?"
Professor X stayed silent for a beat, then answered: "If they stay together… they won't just grow."
They'll change everything around them.
And Ororo… she felt he was right. Because some mutants awaken on their own. But others…
Others set the whole world on fire the moment they find their match.
...
The sound of laughter led Ororo to the gardens.
The afternoon sun filtered through the tall trees, casting patterned shadows on the freshly cut grass. The breeze smelled light and clean, carrying the faint scent of the flowers from the inner courtyard — a far cry from the tension of the Danger Room.
And there they were.
The winning team.
Gathered under one of the old oak trees like the simulation hadn't just flipped the school's emotional balance upside down. Jubilee was talking nonstop, hands flying everywhere as she retold what sounded like a legendary war story.
"… and then BAM, all the ice shattered! Bobby didn't even see it coming! And then Kitty phases through the wall like she's gonna catch someone off guard— and there's Rogue like, 'Hey, sugah!'" She laughed, clapping her hands.
Jean smiled, more reserved. She chimed in here and there, adding details, but her eyes gave her away — her mind was still racing. She was still in the field. Evaluating. Thinking.
At the center of the group, leaning against the tree trunk, was Aidan. Relaxed, like it had all been just another casual training — but the gleam in his eyes said otherwise. He was satisfied, but not smug.
And next to him… Raven. Sitting cross-legged, upright and quiet. She listened to Jubilee's hype, Jean's comments, even the indirect praise tossed her way.
But she didn't respond — didn't need to. Her presence said everything.
"And then Raven, like… appeared midair like a divine signal!" Jubilee threw her arms up. "And the Danger Room? Just obeyed. Total queen moment."
"Hm", was all Raven said, eyes on the horizon.
But Aidan smiled. His hand was resting lazily in Rogue's hair, who was sitting beside him, legs tucked up, leaning gently against his leg.
Her face, though? Nearly as red as Jean's hair. Every time Aidan ran his fingers through her hair — absentminded, almost automatic — Rogue seemed to melt a little more. But she didn't pull away. Didn't tell him to stop. If anything, she leaned closer.
When Ororo approached, they noticed. Jubilee was the first to wave, full of energy as always.
"Ms. Munroe! Did you see that?! 'Cause I am so ready to be bumped up to the next X-Men championship. Like, now!"
Ororo smiled, holding back a chuckle. Jean sat up a bit, smoothing her hair, but without any rush to explain herself. She met Ororo's gaze with a mix of respect and quiet defiance. Ororo gave her a small nod — recognition.
Raven didn't move. Her eyes met Ororo's for a second. No challenge. No invitation to speak.
Just… equals.
And as for Aidan…
He looked up with that crooked half-smile.
"What's up, Storm? You here to congratulate us or scold us?"
Ororo crossed her arms and tilted her head slightly.
"A little of both. The win was impressive. How you won… even more so."
Rogue tried to sit up at her voice, but Aidan gently pulled her back down, still playing with her hair.
And she let him.
"You fought like veterans", Ororo went on. "But you also fought like something else."
"Like what?" Jean asked, genuinely curious.
Ororo looked at her for a beat, then at the group — Jean, Aidan, Raven, Rogue, Jubilee.
Each one a little unbalanced. Each one holding barely-contained power.
"Like you were made to work together. Like, for some reason… this was inevitable."
The words lingered. Rogue lowered her head. Jean looked away. Jubilee — surprisingly — fell silent.
Raven just kept watching.
Aidan? He answered with his usual smirk.
Ororo stayed where she was, arms crossed, as the group slowly settled back into the quiet comfort of victory. She observed each one: Jean, thoughtful. Jubilee, miraculously quiet. Rogue, pretending not to enjoy the head pats. Raven… just being Raven.
And in the center, leaning against the tree like it was a beach chair— Aidan.
She stepped forward.
"Aidan", she called, her tone a mix of curiosity and challenge. "Now that you've beaten Scott's team… shattered the school's most solid formation… what's your next goal?"
Heads turned. Jean looked at him sideways, clearly curious. Rogue raised an eyebrow. Jubilee started to grin.
Even Raven glanced toward him — just slightly.
Aidan blinked slowly, the grin spreading across his face like he'd been waiting for that question all day.
"Next goal?" he echoed. "Hmm…"
He tapped his fingers in Rogue's hair — she huffed softly but didn't move away.
"Well… I was thinking of sneaking into the kitchen, stealing Hank's cookies, and blaming it on Kurt."
"Or… maybe world domination. But that'd get boring too fast."
Jubilee laughed. Jean shook her head, already expecting something like that.
Ororo raised an eyebrow.
"I'm serious, Aidan."
He looked at her with that usual expression — the one that always seemed like he was seconds away from making a joke… but every now and then, let something real slip through.
And this was one of those times.
"I didn't have a goal with all this", he said honestly, still smiling. "Scott came to me, threw his challenge, tried to measure me with his ego stick… so I did what anyone reasonable would do."
"You struck back?" Jean murmured.
Aidan waved a hand.
"Striking back is when you get slapped and return it. I just… broke his stick."
Ororo crossed her arms tighter, trying to hide the grin.
"So this wasn't about proving anything?"
"Nah", he said, snapping his fingers. "If I wanted to prove something, I'd have given a monologue before the fight. Maybe with a dramatic rain effect. This was just… giving the universe a little balance, y'know?"
Rogue let out a muffled laugh. Jean actually laughed this time. Raven just closed her eyes like, of course that's how he'd answer.
And Ororo, finally, sighed and smiled too.
"You're still a pain, Aidan."
He leaned against the tree, grinning wide.
"And I haven't even started trying."
… Aidan Quinn
Most of the crew was still out in the gardens, celebrating the win like it was the end of the World Cup. And honestly, with all the drama packed into that Danger Room match, it kind of made sense.
But I had better plans.
We were heading to the library — that quiet sanctuary only she actually used. The late afternoon sun was hitting the tall windows, casting long shadows over the polished wooden floors. Well… Raven was heading to the library. I was just walking and invited myself to tag along.
Like a good emotional parasite who ignores boundaries… until she decides she's had enough.
"Why aren't you with them?" she asked, without looking at me.
The question was dry, but not accusing. Just curious — the way she always was, like she was watching a statistical anomaly.
"I figured I'd spend the rest of the day with the MVP of the match", I said, hands in my pockets. "Priorities."
She didn't answer — of course she didn't. But I saw the corner of her mouth twitch. Raven showed affection like a rock gives off heat — slow, and only if you stayed close long enough.
We turned the corner toward the old hall.
The part no one would ever notice — not Jean, not Charles, not Logan — was what my eyes could see.
The Six Eyes.
They let me see through almost everything. Energy density, vibration, psychic flow — and in today's fight, I saw it all. While everyone thought Jean was leading, Rogue was flanking, and Jubilee was making noise…
Raven was redrawing the battlefield without ever stepping out of the shadows.
She bent the terrain. I saw how the alleys became traps before Bobby even realized he was cornered. How Kitty's latent fears bubbled up just in time for Rogue to appear. How even Scott's morale began to crack before we ever got close.
All of that…
"That was you, wasn't it?" I murmured, eyes forward, casual. "You manipulated the entire field."
Not an accusation. Just… a fact.
She kept walking, calm and steady.
"Why?"
She stopped in front of the library door. Didn't open it. Just stood there. Then after a moment, she said: "Because they needed to lose."
Just like that. No emotion or pride for that.
"So it wasn't just because you wanted to crush the ego of the guy who had the audacity to challenge me in front of you?"
Raven let out a sigh — the kind only she knew how to do. With her whole soul. But she didn't deny it.
I stepped a little closer, letting my shoulder barely brush against hers.
"I like the way you protect people, Raven. It's… hot, quiet, and absolutely terrifying."
She finally looked at me. Just for a second. And even with her hood casting shadows on her face, I saw it — that small but intense glint in her eyes.
She opened the door, walked inside. Didn't wait for me.
Of course she didn't.
She was Raven.
But even without saying a word… she wanted me to follow.
… Jean Grey
The late afternoon felt lighter somehow.
Shadows stretched down the mansion's hallways, casting soft silhouettes across the old windows. The sound of footsteps and voices had quieted — like the whole school was trying to process what had happened earlier.
Jean walked alone, her fingers gliding along the hallway wall, almost absentmindedly.
She felt… a strange electricity under her skin. Not anxiety. Not tension.
Life.
The simulation had changed something in her. Taking the lead — giving orders, laying out strategy, being listened to — it hadn't been part of the plan. But once it started, she just... did it. And in the middle of the chaos, the adrenaline, the pressure… Jean felt something new.
Or maybe something old, finally slipping free. A part of herself that had always been there, suffocated beneath expectations, rules, and the limits she placed on herself.
And now? Now she felt lighter.
Freer.
Jean Grey always tried to control everything. But maybe… it was time to stop holding back so much.
"Pretty night for someone that deep in thought", came a soft voice behind her.
Ororo approached slowly, hands clasped behind her back, not in teacher mode. Just… a friend. Someone who understood.
Jean gave her a small smile.
"I'm still trying to process what happened in there."
Ororo nodded, leaning against the wall beside her.
"You led. Confidently, naturally and most important of all… you liked it."
Jean laughed, a little embarrassed to be seen so clearly.
She was the psychic, but somehow Ororo always read her better than anyone.
"Yeah. It felt like… finally taking off a tight outfit I didn't realize I'd been wearing for too long."
Ororo gave her that calm look — the kind that saw more than it said.
"It was just a simulation, Jean. But what you did in there… that wasn't simulated."
Jean stared into the empty hallway.
"I thought I'd feel scared or heavy. But all I felt was… power."
Ororo smiled. "And is that a good thing?"
Jean hesitated. "I think it is."
"Then trust that. Trust yourself."
The pause that followed was comfortable, until the sound of footsteps interrupted. They both turned as Rogue walked down the hall like someone who knew exactly where she was going.
Jean noticed it right away. The way Rogue walked — direct, without hesitation.
But his thoughts... were something else. It was a declaration. A decision already made.
"Hey", Rogue said with a casual nod. "You guys seen Aidan?"
Jean replied, "He went with Raven. To the library."
Rogue nodded. Then — without pause, without a flicker of doubt — she asked: "Which room is his?"
Silence fell. Jean and Ororo exchanged a glance. That question wasn't just a question. It was a message.
Jean understood.
Tonight… Aidan would be with Rogue. It was the untouchable girl's way of saying: "Tonight, I want to live too."
Jean didn't respond with words — she didn't need to. Rogue was already turning the corner when Jean quietly pointed the way.
No shame. No hesitation.
And Jean? She stayed still. Her heart ached — not from jealousy. It was more like… hunger.
She had opened a door inside herself. And now… all that mattered was what came next.
And she knew. Sooner or later...
It would be her turn again.
… Rogue (Anna Marie)
The room was so quiet you could hear your own heartbeat — and, of course, the sound of Rogue moving. She stood in front of the mirror, checking herself. Lightly tinted lips, thin fabric gloves. Nothing flashy. Nothing that screamed "look at me." Just enough for her to know she looked good — or at least like she was trying.
Behind her, Kitty sat on the edge of the bed, arms crossed, eyes narrowed like she was debating whether to lecture her or just walk out.
"Are you sure about this, Rogue?"
It wasn't judgment. It was real concern — the kind that comes with the title best friend.
Rogue adjusted her collar, pulling her sleeve down over her wrist.
"Aidan's not like the other guys", Kitty said, still not letting it go. "He's… different. Intense."
"I know", Rogue muttered, grabbing her jacket. She'd noticed — how could she not?
"It's not just the intensity", Kitty stood up, voice softer, like she knew something. "It's the way he looks at you. Like he already knows what you're gonna do. Like once he chooses you, there's no going back."
Rogue paused at the door — just for a second.
"Who said I wanna go back?"
Kitty bit her lip, halfway convinced.
"You've seen Professor Ororo. Jean too. Everyone's pretending not to notice, but it's obvious. He… devours. Not literally, but… you know. Physically. Emotionally."
Rogue turned fully now, her gaze sharp and clear.
"And what if it's a test?"
Kitty blinked. "A test?"
"Maybe I just wanna see what happens when I stand there. Right in front of him. No hiding. No apologizing for wanting something."
Kitty opened her mouth. Then closed it again.
She didn't respond — didn't have to.
Rogue had already made her choice.
…
The walk to Aidan's room felt longer than it should've. Maybe it was the echo of her own footsteps. Maybe it was just the weight of what she was about to do.
But strangely… Rogue was calm.
Her whole body on alert, sure — but not from fear. It was anticipation. That kind of electricity that hums under your skin when life finally decides to get interesting.
She stopped in front of the door and took a deep breath.
She knocked. Five seconds passed.
Then Aidan opened it — wearing nothing but a pair of dark shorts slung low on his hips. Bare chest, lean muscle, just enough to make anyone stare. Veins barely visible, hair messily perfect whether on purpose or not. Neck exposed and — of course — that look.
Eyes a bright, piercing blue, glowing even in the dim hallway light. And that goddamn beauty mark under his left eye, just to remind how unfair the universe is it was to people with a thing for bad boys.
Rogue froze for half a second and swallowed hard.
The desire hit her — straight and sharp. Not a surprise, but with him... it was more. Not just want — it was danger. The kind that makes you forget why you were protecting yourself in the first place.
Aidan looked her up and down. Not rushed, not surprised. Just interested. Like he'd been waiting — like he already knew exactly what she was gonna do.
"Rogue", he said, that rough voice laced with casual irony. "You bringing me my prize?"
She took a breath and met his gaze. Because running wasn't an option.
"Came to find out what you do when someone knocks on your door, Sugah."
Aidan smiled. That slow, dangerous kind of smile.
He stepped aside, giving her space to come in. No questions or theatrics.
Just… acceptance.
To take whatever she was ready to give.