Far away from the twinkling lights and joyous laughter of the evening celebrations, the senior members of the X-Men, along with the Brotherhood, convened in the expansive, dimly lit training grounds of the mansion. The air was crisp, carrying whispers of anticipation as they prepared for an impending confrontation beneath the vast, starry sky.
"You can't be serious, Wyatt," Jean said, her voice laced with exasperation as she watched him toss his jacket onto the dewy grass with a flick of his wrist. "Fighting Lance over something as trivial as jealousy is so juvenile."
Wyatt let out a quiet, steady breath as he rolled up his sleeves, revealing his toned forearms glistening under the soft glow of the moonlight. "I know it is, but we can either move this outside or risk ruining the Winter Ball with all this teenage drama."
"I, for one, can't wait for Lance to learn his lesson," Scott interjected, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "Land a good one for me, Wyatt."
"Scott!" Jean snapped, turning to her boyfriend with a fierce look, her brow furrowed in disapproval.
"I'm with Glasses here," Wanda chimed in, her arms crossed and a playful glint in her eye. "I can't wait for Wyatt to wipe that smug grin off Mr. Betamales' face."
"Kitty, shouldn't you intervene?" Jubilation asked, glancing at Kitty, whose cheeks flushed with a hint of bashfulness. "I mean, the two are practically fighting over you."
"I know, right? It's like every teenage girl's dream come to life," Kitty replied, a mixture of amusement and embarrassment etching across her features. However, her smile quickly faded, replaced by a sigh of defeat. "Still, I already tried talking to him on our way here. Lance wouldn't listen at all. He's dead set on this."
Jubilation let out an exaggerated sigh, clearly exasperated. "Boys…"
"Hey!" protested Kurt, Samuel, and Evan in unison, their voices a blend of indignation and confusion, as if they were unjustly accused of some treachery.
On the other side of the clearing, the younger members of the Brotherhood gathered in a tight circle. Lance was rolling his shoulders, trying to ready himself, while Pietro, Frederick, and Todd rallied around him with a barrage of enthusiastic cheers and playful banter.
"You got this, Lance! Go out there and show him what you've got!" Todd yelled, his voice booming as he punctuated his words with a triumphant fist pump that cut through the tension like a knife.
"Let him have it, Lance! That'll teach him for acting all tough!" Frederick added, his mouth half-full with popcorn from the large bowl of snacks he'd brought along—a mixture of salt and butter making the air taste buttery and warm.
"Yeah, man! Bop him right where the sun doesn't shine! How about I tie his shoelaces together before the fight? It'll only take me a sec!" Pietro grinned, his eyes sparkling with mischief and excitement.
From beside a sturdy oak tree, St. John leaned back casually, arms crossed, a smirk playing on his lips. "Really, Lance? You're really going to fight that guy over some girl you haven't even gone out with? That's just sad, if you ask me," he mused, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
"Shut it, Smoke Breath!" Lance shot back, his frustration flaring as he glared at St. John, who merely chuckled at Lance's indignation.
"He's got a point, Lance. This is kind of lame," Irene chimed in, letting out a weary sigh. Her milky eyes staring off into nothingness. "Let's just go back to the dance. We have a job to do, remember?"
"I don't know, Irene. This sounds like fun!" Tabitha grinned as she looked over to where Wyatt was talking to his friends. "Still, he doesn't look like much. This fight won't last long. Especially if he isn't a mutant."
"Whatever. Just remember not to use your powers. If we cause a disturbance tonight, we're in trouble. Magneto made that perfectly clear. Got it?" St. John said with a stern glare.
As the mention of his father echoed in the air, the childlike excitement in Pietro's eyes faded, replaced by a calm determination. "He's right... Just punch his teeth out, and let's get back to the party. We don't want to upset Magneto. Not tonight."
Lance felt the urge to voice his disagreement, but he ultimately nodded in agreement. The atmosphere was thick with tension, a reminder of the ominous warning Erik had issued to them all before the event began.
Tonight was pivotal for the Master of Magnetism; it was the first step in a complex plan that needed to unfold without a hitch. While the temptation to unleash his powers and crush Wyatt on the spot surged within him, Lance knew better than to defy their leader. Especially after seeing what he was capable of during his fight with Atomic.
"Yeah... I got it. No powers," Lance muttered begrudgingly, his gaze shifting toward Wyatt, who stood across the field, looking calm and unworried about what was to come. "Still, I'm going to wipe the floor with him so badly that Kitty won't even want to look at someone with such a messed-up face."
Back on the other side of the field, Wyatt sighed as he felt a growing headache at the situation he found himself in.
This is annoying. I thought stuff like this stopped in high school… then again, everyone here but me is in high school. Wyatt thought.
Seeing that Lance was seemingly ready for their fight for Kitty's affections, Wyatt decided to get it all over and began to head over to meet Lance head-on. But before he got too far, Kitty grabbed Wyatt by the forearm.
"Wyatt… don't hurt him, please?" Kitty asked.
Watching nearby, Wanda glared at Kitty in annoyance.
Just whose side are you on? Wanda thought.
"Don't worry, Kitty. I can sorta understand where Lance is coming from, at least to an extent. I won't fight; I'll just help him get whatever it is that's eating him out of his system," Wyatt said, gently squeezing Kitty's hand, offering her a reassuring smile.
As he did, Lance glared at the intimate exchange, a low growl rumbling in his throat. With a surge of pent-up frustration, he marched toward Wyatt, his stride tense but purposeful.
When they met at the center of the field, the air between them thickened with unspoken tension. Lance's face was twisted with anger, while Wyatt stood calm and composed.
"Do you really think this will help? Kitty isn't a prize to be fought over. She's her own person, Lance," Wyatt stated firmly.
"Shut it, Nobody. I don't know where you crawled out from, but you don't belong here," Lance spat, his initial rage now simmering beneath the surface like a volcano ready to erupt. "You don't belong with her."
Before Wyatt could muster a response, Lance lunged forward, delivering a wild haymaker.
Time slowed for Wyatt as he instinctively stepped back, watching Lance's furious fist slice through the air like a meteor. As the punch missed its mark, Wyatt sidestepped gracefully, displaying an agility that made Lance's blows look clumsy and inefficient.
Their clash erupted into a chaotic dance of strikes and evasions. Lance unleashed a flurry of powerful punches, each one fueled by his growing embarrassment and anger, while Wyatt fluidly danced away, gracefully evading every strike aimed at him. The sheer skill with which he dodged left half of the onlookers astounded.
On the left, the Brotherhood watched in bewildered silence, their expressions shifting from anticipation to disbelief as their teammate flailed against what they had assumed was an ordinary guy. They soon started to recognize that Wyatt was far from average.
On the right, the X-Men maintained a nonchalant air, their eyes glimmering with confidence as they awaited Wyatt to conclude the skirmish so they could resume their evening plans. They knew well enough that even if they all teamed up against Wyatt, they wouldn't stand a chance.
Feeling the sting of humiliation at his continued failures, Lance's face flushed crimson as he glowered at Wyatt. "Stop running away, you coward!" he barked, his frustration boiling over.
Wyatt sighed and came to a stop.
Thinking that he had finally tired out his opponent, Lance dashed forward to land a devastating punch on Wyatt's face, but all of a sudden, Lance's world flipped in the blink of an eye.
"Gah!" Lance gasped as his back impacted the ground from the over-the-shoulder flip Wyatt had performed.
"Enough, Lance. There's no point to this. Kitty's made her choice, and you have to respect that," Wyatt said as he bent down to offer a hand to Lance. "Let's stop this."
A loud smack filled the air as Lance slapped Wyatt's hand away. "Let's stop this?" Lance repeated. "You want me to stop after you've made a fool of me in front of everyone? Are you stupid?!"
Lance jumped to his feet and glared at Wyatt. The earth beneath the field began to tremble slightly as Lance began to lose control of his emotions and abilities.
"Lance, stop-"
"Shut the hell up!" Lance hissed and tried to tackle Wyatt, only for him to grab Lance by the back of his neck. In a snap, Wyatt pushed Lance down into the ground while twisting his arm into a rear arm lock.
"Lance!" Frederick and Todd yelled.
"Enough," Wyatt said, his voice strong and firm. "This is over."
"You haven't won... I'm not finished yet," Lance growled through the dirt. His angry snarl turned into a cruel smile as he chuckled. He knew his next words were vicious and juvenile, but he was too angry to care. "That redhead—she defended you earlier. She likes you, doesn't she? It's obvious by the way she looked at you while you two clowns danced together... So, how about this? How about I take her instead? I'll show her how much better I am when I shove my dick down her throat-"
Wyatt's patience ran out.
He could handle anyone throwing insults or attacking him. But he drew the line when it came to those he called his friends.
In a flash of heat, Wyatt felt his anger overcome his composure, and in that moment, he accidentally increased the strength in his hold, inadvertently twisting Lance's arm. A loud, wet snap cracked through the field as he dislocated Lance's arm.
Lance's pained scream escaped into the ground, muffled and desperate, sending a shiver down the spines of the onlookers.
Wyatt, realizing what he had just done, quickly released Lance. "Lance, I-I didn't..."
"Back off!" roared Pietro, his voice a mix of fury and urgency. In an instant, he zoomed in, his speed making him a blur as he launched Wyatt backward with a forceful shove. The impact felt akin to being hit by a speeding car, sending Wyatt hurtling through the air.
Wyatt grunted upon hitting the ground, the rough grass scratching against his skin as he rolled to regain his balance. As he flipped onto his feet, he straightened up just in time to see Frederick and Toad charging at him, their faces twisted in anger, ready to avenge their friend's injury.
"Bastard!" Frederick screamed as he stomped across the field.
"You'll pay, asshole!" Todd yelled.
"Wyatt!" Wanda and Kitty exclaimed in unison, their voices filled with urgency as they rushed toward his side. But before any of the X-Men could reach him, a majestic hawk swooped down, landing decisively between Todd, Frederick, and Wyatt.
The hawk instantly transformed, its feathers melting away to reveal Mystique, her blue skin glistening under the night sky. She turned her piercing gaze onto Todd and Frederick, and the sharpness of her stare was enough to freeze them in their tracks.
"That's enough," Mystique said firmly, her voice laced with authority. Her attention shifted to Lance, who cradled his shoulder with a grimace, the pain evident on his face. "We've indulged your antics long enough tonight, Lance. After all the rigorous training we've put you through, it's disappointing to see you falter against someone who's not even part of the X-Men." The venom in her words made Lance wince, a mix of anger and shame flashing across his features as he glanced away.
"Since you're so eager to act as Lance's cheerleaders," she continued, her tone dismissive, "Quicksilver, Toad, Blob—take him back to the base. You four are finished for the night." Her words brooked no argument, leaving no room for defiance.
The three of them nodded, understanding the weight of her command. They weren't about to challenge Mystique's authority, especially as she stood there, her expression steely yet playful, a blend of mischief and seriousness.
Turning to Wyatt and the remaining X-Men, she offered a conspiratorial smile that felt strangely disarming. "I apologize for their behavior. I trust you can find it in your hearts to forgive them after the mess they made this evening?"
Wyatt's gaze flicked toward Lance, who shot him a look filled with bitter resentment as he grasped his injured shoulder. As Pietro, Todd, and Frederick began to walk away, Wyatt felt disappointment settle in his chest like a heavy weight.
He nodded with a deep, resigned sigh, signaling that he understood the situation, yet wished things could have gone differently.
"Excellent. Now then, let's all return to the festivities. Shall we?" Mystique smiled warmly, her eyes sparkling with mischief, as she began to walk back toward the mansion. The remaining members of the Brotherhood followed in a loose formation behind her, exchanging glances filled with a mixture of admiration and uncertainty.
"Wyatt, what was that?" Kitty asked, her brow furrowing as she approached him, concern evident in her voice. She took a glance over at Lance but focused on Wyatt. "What happened? What did he say?"
Wanda stood a bit farther back, a reluctant expression on her face, her gaze flickering between Wyatt and Kitty, as if she were wrestling with her own thoughts.
The others clustered nearby, their expressions a mix of confusion and curiosity, silently urging Wyatt to explain himself. It was rare to see him react so strongly; the unexpected outburst had startled them all.
"I… I messed up," Wyatt admitted, his voice tinged with frustration. "I lost control when he…" His eyes quickly darted over to Wanda, a sudden flash of confusion flickering in his gaze, before he quickly returned his attention to the ground. "Nothing… it was nothing," he muttered dismissively, trying to hide the turmoil brewing just beneath the surface.
"That redhead—she defended you earlier. She likes you, doesn't she? It's obvious by the way she looked at you while you two clowns danced together," Lance's words played in Wyatt's head like an echo.
No, Wanda doesn't like me like that. We're just friends... right? Wyatt thought, a storm of confusion brewing in his mind.
As he felt the unsettling tremor in his hands from the moment he had dislocated Lance's arm—an action that had echoed with a sickening crack—he found himself lost in a whirlwind of introspection.
As if a cloth were suddenly removed from his head, a sudden clarity washed over Wyatt. He recalled the countless moments when Wanda had lingered her gaze on him, her soft green eyes glinting with emotions he had always misunderstood.
Her bright and melodic laughter seemed to dance in the air during their playful banter. He now recognized how her cheeks would bloom with warmth, framing her soft smile as they exchanged lighthearted jabs. The affection in those simple gestures rushed back to him, painting an image he had been too blind to acknowledge.
Wyatt cast a sidelong glance at Wanda, locking eyes with her in a moment that felt suspended in time. A small, tentative smile flickered across her lips, the corners trembling as if fighting back a tide of deeper emotions.
He then turned his attention to Kitty, his new girlfriend, who was observing him with a questioning expression. Her brow knit in concern, she scrutinized him carefully for any hint of injury from the rough encounter with Pietro that had seen him hurled across the field.
Here I am, parading my new relationship before someone who has feelings for me. A dear friend.I'm... the worst. Wyatt thought, his heart heavy with the realization.
For the rest of the evening, Wyatt and the others immersed themselves in the festivities of the Winter Ball.
The atmosphere, filled with shimmering decorations and the sound of laughter, provided a stark contrast to the tension that lingered just beneath the surface.
While they tried to keep an eye on the remaining members of the Brotherhood and Erik, the night unfolded without incident. There were no heated arguments, no skirmishes between rival factions—just an uneasy truce that left the X-Men on edge.
This unexpected calm only deepened their unease. Scott and several other members exchanged wary glances, unable to shake the feeling that Erik was up to something sinister. Could it be that his intentions were genuinely as he claimed? The thought did not sit well with any of them, and the lingering doubt gnawed at their minds.
Meanwhile, Wyatt found himself drifting through the night, his thoughts a tumultuous mix that consumed him. His interactions felt distant and muted, as if he were watching himself engage in conversation rather than participating fully. His friends' laughter and chatter faded into a background hum, barely registering as the weight of his own worries took center stage.
When the time to leave finally came, he said goodbye to Kitty with a promise to arrange their first official date soon.
However, the words felt empty even as he spoke them. With one last glance over his shoulder, he took to the skies as Atomic, opting to focus on fighting crime instead of confronting his own thoughts and feelings. He disappeared into the night, leaving Kitty standing alone, her brow furrowed in concern.
In the solitude of her room, Wanda sat on the edge of her bed, strumming her guitar with a wistful expression.
The soft notes echoed through the air, tinged with a sense of longing that mirrored her heart's ache. On the nightstand nearby, a framed picture of her and Wyatt sharing ice cream on a sunlit street in Manhattan stared back at her, its brightness almost mocking in the dim light of her room.
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AN: Apparently, there are three YouTube channels featuring my story as audiobooks. I'm not sure if I should be annoyed or flattered. However, I'm not a big fan of the AI voices they use. Would it kill them to actually read my story out loud?