FIC: Looking Away From Chicago
Mar. 31st, 2004 01:53 am![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
aquariusfire.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
uc_xmen
Looking Away From Chicago
By: Dani Royer
Rating: PG
Fandom/Characters: X-Men comicverse, Dani/Xi'an.
Disclaimers: Characters aren't mine and they are being used for fun, not profit. Please do not sue.
Summary: Xi'an hadn't been sleeping. Written for the Fem-X.net weekly drabble challenge.
Author's Notes: This fic makes reference to the Mekanix miniseries and New Mutants (v2) #4.
Xi'an hadn't been sleeping.
At first I thought she was just adjusting to being back at Xavier's and all, but then I one night I saw her throw her phone to the ground and started whispering "why?". It all clicked that night and I remembered something from that night after her graduation.
"Let's just say she's a friend," she had said, "but there was a moment where it felt like she could be more. But, when I tried to talk to her about it...she's just not sure she...goes that way."
I had asked her if that was who the empty chair at her graduation was for, but Leong and Nga quickly changed the subject. They're good kids and they probably saved Xi'an from a difficult moment. She wouldn't even tell me the girl's name. I didn't think on it much before, but now that fact is picking at me. It had to be someone I know -- but we "heroes" tend to know a lot of people.
Whoever she is, she hurt Xi'an bad. I think they did a little bit more than 'talk' before the girl backed out. I don't think she backed out politely either and that just really pisses me off.
I slipped out of my room and headed towards the faculty kitchen, making sure to take the long way to pass by Xi'an's room. She's awake again, staring out her window. Looking towards the west; towards Chicago. I decided that I need to do something. It breaks my heart that anyone could hurt her like that. Worse that she would still pine for her. But I know Xi'an and hard she can fall when she does.
"Xi'an?" I whispered, poking my head into her door. She turns to look at me, but doesn't say a word. She doesn't look surprised to see me. My heart is starting to race and it's all I could do to calm myself as I enter her room. She motions for me to sit on her bed. I do and we were silent for a while; just looking at each other.
I finally can't take the silence. "What did she do to you?" I asked softly, almost hoping she wouldn't hear.
"She gave me everything," she answered equally as soft, "and then she took it all back."
I knew that'd be the answer, but I still didn't know what to say to that. "She was stupid," I tried in vain.
Xi'an laughed. Not a happy laugh though. "No, Dani, I'm the stupid one. I let myself be pulled into her. She was charming and familiar. I didn't have to hide this from her," she gestured to an old class shot on her dresser. I was right; it was one of us, and closer than I'd imagined.
"Who was it, Xi'an?" I asked without thinking. I already regret the question before I even finish it. Even more when she turned back to the window. I waited a moment, then I walked over to her, resting my hand lightly on her shoulder. "I'm sorry. I don't have a right to ask."
She didn't face me. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
"Wow, it must be out there then," I smiled, hoping to cheer her up.
She turned to face me. She wasn't smiling, but her eyes seemed less sad. "Point taken. Promise me you won't laugh?"
I almost laughed at that, but I restrained myself and nodded.
Xi'an takes a deep breath. "Kitty." She looked away before she could see my reaction.
Kitty was the Chicago girl. It all made a little too much sense.
"I'm a little surprised," I said truthfully. "I could see why you'd fall for her." I try to keep the rising anger out of my voice. Kitty knew how much Xi'an had been hurt in her life and she still didn't care.
"I thought that because I didn't have to hide from her, it would work," she whispered, "but then one day...she..." Xi'an started to cry, so I wrapped my arms around her and held on as tight as I could. I was far from friends with Kitty, but now, I'd almost consider her an enemy.
I needed to calm Xi'an down and try to get her to rest, "She was stupid, Xi'an," I whispered and began to guide her to her bed, "stupid and selfish."
We sat down on the edge of her bed as she began to tell me the full story through her sobs. I listened and stroked her hair and arms. After she had finished, her tears began to dry and her body relaxed more against mine. I still stroked her hair.
"I'm not falling again until I know she'll be there to catch me," she said, shifting in my arms to look me in the face.
I stared back at her, locking eyes with her.
*I want to catch you,* I thought, but didn't say out loud. She yawned. "You should try to sleep," I answer instead, using the yawn as a way out. I didn't know if she was talking about me, someone else, or just in general.
We break eye contact as she stood and lifted her covers. "Yeah, you're right."
I stood as well and began to head to the door. "I'm here if you need me, Xi'an," I called back from her door. She smiled and I turned to head out the door.
"I was talking about you" I hear lightly from Xi'an and it stopped me in my tracks. "What?" I asked stepping back into her room.
But she was already lost in a long awaited sleep.
By: Dani Royer
Rating: PG
Fandom/Characters: X-Men comicverse, Dani/Xi'an.
Disclaimers: Characters aren't mine and they are being used for fun, not profit. Please do not sue.
Summary: Xi'an hadn't been sleeping. Written for the Fem-X.net weekly drabble challenge.
Author's Notes: This fic makes reference to the Mekanix miniseries and New Mutants (v2) #4.
Xi'an hadn't been sleeping.
At first I thought she was just adjusting to being back at Xavier's and all, but then I one night I saw her throw her phone to the ground and started whispering "why?". It all clicked that night and I remembered something from that night after her graduation.
"Let's just say she's a friend," she had said, "but there was a moment where it felt like she could be more. But, when I tried to talk to her about it...she's just not sure she...goes that way."
I had asked her if that was who the empty chair at her graduation was for, but Leong and Nga quickly changed the subject. They're good kids and they probably saved Xi'an from a difficult moment. She wouldn't even tell me the girl's name. I didn't think on it much before, but now that fact is picking at me. It had to be someone I know -- but we "heroes" tend to know a lot of people.
Whoever she is, she hurt Xi'an bad. I think they did a little bit more than 'talk' before the girl backed out. I don't think she backed out politely either and that just really pisses me off.
I slipped out of my room and headed towards the faculty kitchen, making sure to take the long way to pass by Xi'an's room. She's awake again, staring out her window. Looking towards the west; towards Chicago. I decided that I need to do something. It breaks my heart that anyone could hurt her like that. Worse that she would still pine for her. But I know Xi'an and hard she can fall when she does.
"Xi'an?" I whispered, poking my head into her door. She turns to look at me, but doesn't say a word. She doesn't look surprised to see me. My heart is starting to race and it's all I could do to calm myself as I enter her room. She motions for me to sit on her bed. I do and we were silent for a while; just looking at each other.
I finally can't take the silence. "What did she do to you?" I asked softly, almost hoping she wouldn't hear.
"She gave me everything," she answered equally as soft, "and then she took it all back."
I knew that'd be the answer, but I still didn't know what to say to that. "She was stupid," I tried in vain.
Xi'an laughed. Not a happy laugh though. "No, Dani, I'm the stupid one. I let myself be pulled into her. She was charming and familiar. I didn't have to hide this from her," she gestured to an old class shot on her dresser. I was right; it was one of us, and closer than I'd imagined.
"Who was it, Xi'an?" I asked without thinking. I already regret the question before I even finish it. Even more when she turned back to the window. I waited a moment, then I walked over to her, resting my hand lightly on her shoulder. "I'm sorry. I don't have a right to ask."
She didn't face me. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
"Wow, it must be out there then," I smiled, hoping to cheer her up.
She turned to face me. She wasn't smiling, but her eyes seemed less sad. "Point taken. Promise me you won't laugh?"
I almost laughed at that, but I restrained myself and nodded.
Xi'an takes a deep breath. "Kitty." She looked away before she could see my reaction.
Kitty was the Chicago girl. It all made a little too much sense.
"I'm a little surprised," I said truthfully. "I could see why you'd fall for her." I try to keep the rising anger out of my voice. Kitty knew how much Xi'an had been hurt in her life and she still didn't care.
"I thought that because I didn't have to hide from her, it would work," she whispered, "but then one day...she..." Xi'an started to cry, so I wrapped my arms around her and held on as tight as I could. I was far from friends with Kitty, but now, I'd almost consider her an enemy.
I needed to calm Xi'an down and try to get her to rest, "She was stupid, Xi'an," I whispered and began to guide her to her bed, "stupid and selfish."
We sat down on the edge of her bed as she began to tell me the full story through her sobs. I listened and stroked her hair and arms. After she had finished, her tears began to dry and her body relaxed more against mine. I still stroked her hair.
"I'm not falling again until I know she'll be there to catch me," she said, shifting in my arms to look me in the face.
I stared back at her, locking eyes with her.
*I want to catch you,* I thought, but didn't say out loud. She yawned. "You should try to sleep," I answer instead, using the yawn as a way out. I didn't know if she was talking about me, someone else, or just in general.
We break eye contact as she stood and lifted her covers. "Yeah, you're right."
I stood as well and began to head to the door. "I'm here if you need me, Xi'an," I called back from her door. She smiled and I turned to head out the door.
"I was talking about you" I hear lightly from Xi'an and it stopped me in my tracks. "What?" I asked stepping back into her room.
But she was already lost in a long awaited sleep.
very interesting
Date: 2004-03-30 11:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-03-30 11:40 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-03 10:09 pm (UTC)