AN: Since today is my birthday, I decided to go ahead and release a bonus chapter! Coincidentally, Daredevil is getting added onto Marvel Rivals today as well. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy the chapter!
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"Ah, Wyatt. It's good to see you, my boy. I do say, you and Wanda make quite the pair on the dance floor," Erik offered Wyatt and Wanda a charming smile as he approached the group. "Perhaps… in life as well?"
"Yeah, no," Wanda muttered. "Don't ever say anything like that again, Creepy Deadbeat."
"…" Wyatt said nothing, deciding to stare at Erik instead. In turn, Kitty walked forward and grabbed Wyatt's hand with a defiant look.
Erik chuckled at the varied expressions on the faces of the young adults before him, completely ignoring the sharp glare Kitty shot in his direction. His comment, meant to disrupt Wyatt and his daughter's focus, held an unexpected kernel of truth that he couldn't ignore.
Thanks to his well-placed informant within the school, Erik had been closely monitoring Wanda's steady advancement in mastering her abilities. The raw potential she exhibited was nothing short of astonishing. With Wyatt's careful mentorship guiding her along the way, Wanda was not just learning but evolving rapidly into a formidable mutant.
As Erik observed their budding relationship, he found himself captivated by the extraordinary possibilities that a child born of these two could embody. The implications were staggering if such a child were to inherit Wyatt's remarkable knack for atom manipulation in tandem with Wanda's mastery over Chaos Magic.
This hypothetical offspring could very well rise to unprecedented heights of power, crossing the threshold of mortality to possess a god-like essence. The mere thought sent a shiver of excitement through Erik, igniting his imagination about the incredible future that lay ahead.
As Erik was lost in his thoughts, Wyatt approached Scott. "I don't like this, but we need to let it go—for now. We can't risk causing a commotion tonight of all nights."
Scott nodded hesitantly. "As much as it annoys me, you're right. I just don't understand what the Professor is thinking."
With a subtle flick of his wrist, Scott signaled his team to withdraw, their faces a mixture of wariness and recognition as they retreated a few paces. The air was thick with unspoken tension as they cast wary glances at Charles, Erik, and the rest of the Brotherhood—old rivalries casting long shadows over the gathering.
"Now then, let's all return to the celebrations, shall we?" Charles said with an easy smile, his eyes twinkling in an attempt to ease the fraught atmosphere. His tone was warm, but the strained silence in the room hinted at the lingering mistrust brewing beneath the surface.
••o••o••o••
"I don't understand either," Logan huffed as Wyatt, Wanda, and Scott stood in front of him. They were outside, keeping a safe distance from the event. The rest of the team was monitoring the Brotherhood as they indulged in the night's festivities. "Chuck believes that now that everything seems to be working out for mutants, Magneto will suddenly see reason. That act of his is enough proof for Chuck to buy into it."
"After everything that's happened—all the attacks and schemes—how are we supposed to believe that Magneto isn't the mutant purist he used to claim to be?" Scott said, clearly frustrated with the situation.
"The fact that Magneto is walking around the Professor without his helmet is a strong show of faith. But he's definitely planning something, and whatever it is has to be big," Wyatt added.
"He has to be. Pietro... he told me they have big plans for the future," Wanda said, hesitating at the end and unwilling to disclose her relationship with her twin brother.
"What? Pietro? Do you mean that jerk with silver hair? Why are you talking to him?" Scott asked suspiciously.
Wanda, clearly annoyed by Scott's attitude, glared at him. "Hey, watch it. I'm just trying to help. It's not like I went out looking for him; he came here. So how about we focus on how poor the security measures are at this place?!"
"Easy, you two. We're all on the same team," Wyatt quickly interjected, moving to stand between them with his hands raised disarmingly. "We need to concentrate on Magneto and make sure nothing goes wrong tonight. This is the first official event ever held by mutants in the world; we have to put our best foot forward. That means no fighting and definitely no scaring the other guests."
"Wyatt's right," Logan nodded. "I hate this situation as much as you three, but this is Chuck's decision... I just hope it doesn't come back to bite him in the end."
••o••o••o••
What Wyatt had anticipated as a calm and enjoyable evening quickly morphed into a tense affair as he made his way through the grand Ballroom, a deep frown etched on his face.
Beside him, Kitty had visibly lost her earlier exuberance, her demeanor clouded as she tried to brush off the heavy weight of Lance's lingering gaze from across the room.
Earlier in the evening, when Wyatt, Scott, and Wanda had wandered off to converse with Logan, Kitty found herself awkwardly navigating Lance's unwanted advances. Their relationship had always been complicated, teetering between friendship and something more, and now it felt more strained than ever.
Kitty couldn't deny the past attraction she had felt toward Lance. His bad-boy charm and his confident attitude had drawn her in like a moth to a flame. But since Wyatt had entered her life, those old feelings had faded into the background, eclipsed by the warmth and sincerity she found in her new relationship.
"Back off, Lance! Wyatt's my boyfriend now, so stop it!" Kitty had exclaimed earlier in the night, her voice carrying a mix of frustration and decisiveness as she confronted him in the dense crowd of elegantly dressed attendees.
Lance's face had transformed at her words—shock and anger flickering across his features, revealing just how much he had miscalculated their connection.
"What?! You're dating that guy! A nobody! But I thought we had a connection!" he had shot back, incredulous and hurt, his tone laced with disbelief.
The memory of that exchange annoyed Kitty, and her grip on Wyatt's hand tightened instinctively as they stood with their friends—Kurt, Amanda, Jubilation, and Samuel—amidst the pulsating energy of the gathering.
As she stole a glance to the side, her heart raced when she caught sight of Lance, his eyes still fixed on her. Caught red-handed, he quickly averted his gaze, turning abruptly to scrutinize a nearby painting, as if it held the answers to all his questions. Kitty sighed, a mix of emotions swirling within her as she tried to focus on the joyful chatter around her and not let Lance's lingering presence ruin the evening.
"Unbelievable," Kitty muttered and took a drink of her water.
"Man, this is so messed up," Kurt said as he watched Frederick and Todd devour several plates of food, causing other guests to look on in disgust as they ate with little regard for manners. "Are we just supposed to act like nothing's wrong? Why didn't the Professor at least give us a warning?"
"Probably because everyone would object to it," Jubilation replied, creating a small spark in her hand. "While I may not have the history you all do with these guys, I don't like Magneto. He almost killed Wyatt in Nevada."
"He might have killed Doctor Robert that day, too," Samuel chimed in as he ate some shrimp. "I don't like him. He creeps me out."
"He can't be that bad. He's old and looks kind of nice," Amanda said, glancing toward Erik, who was chatting and mingling with several wealthy and influential guests.
"Nice? Nice?! That guy is evil!" Kitty exclaimed, looking at Amanda with disbelief. "He manipulated Rogue into thinking we were the bad guys, and there was the time he kidnapped several of us and turned Scott and his brother older and against us! He's seriously messed up, so I'm not buying his nice guy act for a second."
"Kitty's right," Wyatt said. "Whatever Magneto is up to, it involves this school. Otherwise, he wouldn't be here. For now, we just need to keep an eye on him and the Brotherhood."
Everyone exchanged knowing glances as they discreetly continued their investigation into Erik and his Brotherhood, their eyes scanning the room for anything unusual.
However, as the evening wore on, they found no evidence to support their suspicions.
Although the Brotherhood members spoke in rough tones and conveyed an air of intimidation, their behavior was surprisingly controlled amid the festivities. They mingled with the crowd, sharing raucous laughter and boasting tales of their exploits, yet maintaining a surprising level of decorum that left Wyatt and the X-Men on edge.
The lack of any startling incident only heightened the unease among the X-Men; instead of alleviating their concerns, it deepened their frustrations. Each member felt the weight of the unresolved tension, wondering what hidden motives might lurk beneath the Brotherhood's seemingly careless facade.
"You know, I thought Atomic would show up," Todd said, shamelessly strolling up to where Scott, Jean, Evan, Kitty, Rogue, Kurt, Wanda, and Wyatt were sitting. "I wanted to ask him for a favor. You guys are all friends with him, right? Is he coming or what?"
"Why would we tell you anything?" Scott replied, glaring at Todd with his arms crossed.
"C'mon, man. Help a fellow mutant out! That's what this event is for, right?" Todd smirked as he motioned to the extravagant Ballroom.
"Leave them alone, Toad," Pietro said, joining Todd. "They won't talk." He then locked eyes with Wanda, who frowned.
"What do you even want with him anyway?" Wanda asked. "After all that crap in Nevada, he won't help you guys, even if you beg."
"Hey, I didn't have anything to do with that crazy stuff! I did my job, so why can't I get my gold?!" Todd exclaimed before realizing his slip. "Uh, I mean, I just want his autograph?"
"Really? That's all you want? Just his autograph?" Rogue asked with a smirk.
Todd grimaced and looked around nervously. "Ugh… yes?"
"Then I think we can manage that!" Rogue said playfully, wrapping an arm around Wyatt's shoulder with a grin. Her bare shoulder gliding against his neck. "An autograph shouldn't be too hard to get."
"Uh," Wyatt muttered as he looked away.
"Hey, you," Lance growled as he strode up to the table, his piercing gaze fixed intently on Wyatt. "You. Me. Outside, now."
"This guy… Lance, back off!" Scott interjected, rising to his feet with an annoyed look. "Can't you see we're all trying to get along? Tonight is important."
"Lance, this isn't the time—" Jean started to say, her voice laced with concern, but Lance's hand came down hard on the polished surface of the table, startling the other guests and drawing their eyes.
"I don't care about some fancy-ass dance or whatever," he spat, his tone low and dangerous, dismissing the shocked expressions surrounding him. "My problem is with him!" He jabbed a finger at Wyatt, his voice rising. "What does she even see in you, anyway? Are you even one of us?!"
Nearby, Ororo was about to step in, but hesitated when Wyatt subtly raised a hand, a calm yet firm gesture that made her frown. After hesitating, she nodded, trusting him to manage the situation.
"Lance! Stop it!" Kitty shouted, her voice cutting through the tension.
Wanda glanced between Lance and Kitty, a realization dawning on her. "Really? You're upset that KitKat is dating another man instead of you? That's just... pathetic," she remarked, her tone laced with disdain.
Lance's fury flared at her words. He turned to Wanda, and her smirk only fueled his rage. Just as he leaned toward her, fury in his eyes, Wanda's own glowed an ominous red, her power crackling to life as she prepared to throw him across the room. But before she could act, Wyatt moved swiftly, catching Lance's wrist in a firm grip.
"Okay, let's take this outside," Wyatt said, his voice steady and calm, releasing Lance, who was taken aback by his speed.
Without further ado, Wyatt stood tall, straightening his crisp suit with deliberate movements. "I apologize for the disturbance, everyone. It won't happen again," he said politely, glancing around at the other guests before striding toward the exit.
A satisfied grin spread across Lance's face as he quickly followed, eager to prove that he, in all his bravado, was the superior choice for Kitty.
As the two young men exited, the tension in the room shattered. Everyone stood, animated and uncertain, their curiosity piqued.
"Should we do something?" Ororo asked, concern etched on her face.
"No, let's let Wyatt handle it," Hank replied, his calm demeanor unshaken. A reassuring smile spread across his face. "I trust him to manage this without any issues."
Ororo nodded, her worry easing somewhat. The two teachers moved off to mingle, working to create new connections for the school amid the lingering tension from the confrontation.