cashmere, cologne, and white sunshine

@heiresss

Some people came to the clinic for every little thing. Some could only be dragged in when they were half death and bleeding to death. He honestly wasn’t sure which was worse.

He was busy with another patient when he overheard a voice complaining about not wanting something to leave a scar. It sounded like the kind of problem Cullen could deal with on his own, but something told him to just…go check. Just in case. He finished what he’d been working on, sent the person on their way, and headed a few beds down where the complaining was coming from. “I’ll take over. What’s uh…what’s the problem?”

Fiamma had just gotten through her rant (one that ended with the demand to see the “real” doctor) when Josh approached. She knew instantly that he was the one who was able to help and therefore the person with some significance, especially if she wanted to to avoid undue scarring. 

“Because I’m working on other things.” Cerebro was taking up all of his time and energy these days—that on top of his increasing entanglements with the government meant that Gabe had very little time to think about anything else. He held his hand out and let her drop the dampener in his hand. He immediately reached into his pocket and took out his multitool, starting to pry apart the covering. “It’s not going to be easy, but I can give it a try. Where’d you get this?” 

Fiamma made a scoffing sound. It was hard to believe that there were other, more important things to focus on, but she was satisfied that he took it from her. She made a face at the question and brushed her hands together, as if merely touching the device had sullied them. “Some agent that wasn’t paying attention.” Despite her disgust, she couldn’t hold back a smirk. “He’s in trouble, too.”

“Well, your crystal ball didn’t see this one coming, did it. Do your powers only work when it doesn’t matter?” Phoebe snapped back with her bitchy comment even though she knew it was uncalled for. However, Esme being locked away put her on edge. Especially because she couldn’t do anything yet. “What is supposed to be happening?” Her eyebrow raised as she asked her question.

“I can’t just tune in to what’s relevant,” Fiamma snapped, bristling at the reminder that her power wasn’t as controlled as it could be. It didn’t help that she’d come to understand her abilities and accepted them much later than it seemed most had. “All I know is that someone’s going to try to break her out. Some guy. And not a mutant.” 

“Idiots might take them seriously.” But June couldn’t deny that she was at least marginally intrigued - not by the props, but by what abilities might be hiding behind them. And the girl herself didn’t seem even remotely aware that she might be in danger. Always a bonus. June always took care to look very non-threatening. Even her incredibly poisonous nails just looked like a fresh manicure. “What would they need to dampen?”

Anton’s reaction would’ve been the same if he had been on the receiving end of such news. Anything that dealt with babies was so out of character for him, that he even had moments where he wasn’t sure if he were dreaming or not. None of this felt real, as if it shouldn’t be happening in the first place. “Believe me, I’m still in shock. But yes, seriously.” At Fiamma’s next flurry of questions, he had to mirror her expression by lifting his brows and holding up a hand, as if attempting to stop her. He knew he wouldn’t be able to—she tended to march to the beat of her own drum. “I didn’t think anyone needed to know,” Anton replied simply and with an amused smile on his face. His expression softened just slightly before continuing, “Her name’s Kara. I highly doubt that you know her—she’s not like us.”

Fiamma put her hands on her hips and made a face. “Just don’t name it North or, like, one of those dumb fad names.” She waved her hand and shrugged. “Those are going out of style.” It was difficult to relate to the idea of a baby in any way aside from referring to it as an accessory. “So secretive,” she huffed, even though she didn’t seem sincerely offended. It wasn’t as if she’d told Anton anything overly personal, including the fact that she was a mutant. She blinked at the news and tilted her head, curious. “What do you mean?” Did he know? When he said like us, is that what he meant? She wracked her brain as she tried to recall anything strange about him. Was he a mutant and she’d never even suspected the truth?

“What are those supposed to be?” She asked, pointing toward the stones in front of her. She didn’t bother answering her question, mostly because she hadn’t decided yet. Obviously, the girl was in District X for a reason. June was already trying to guess what powerset might lead one to the nonsense she was looking at.

“Lucky you, pulling weeds is easy. You’ll pick it up like that,” he snapped his fingers, then pointed in the direction of the greenhouse. “You might even surprise yourself and actually like it.” He highly doubted that, but stranger things had happened.

There was nothing more to discuss about it. Scott wasn’t going to budge, and he seriously doubted Fiamma would leave over dirt. Not when it had taken desperation on her part to talk to him in the first place.

“Right.” Fiamma didn’t even pretend to entertain the possibility. She didn’t dislike the task because it was difficult. What she hated was being hot, dirty, and doing something that took maybe half a brain cell. This was supposed to be a school for gifted youngsters. 

Though the girls liked to consider themselves above base emotions, to say they had been run down since Esme being captured was an understatement though they had different ways of showing it. While Sophie openly fretted and worried, Phoebe instead closed herself and was more aggressive than usual. After class, Phoebe gathered her stuff as Fiamma whispered to her. “I doubt a glorified fortune teller is going to be that useful.” Phoebe said, shooting her offer down as quick as it came. As Phoebe was about the file out, she stopped and turned to look at Fiamma, sighing as she gave in. “What did you have in mind?” After all, Esme did all she could to rescue herself and Sophie. She had to do the same.

Fiamma stood a little straighter and her eyes narrowed. “I suppose the ability to see the future isn’t useful in a tight situation at all,” she said sarcastically, turning to go back to her desk where she left her bag. When she heard Phoebe stop, she looked over her shoulder, her hand on her hip. “Oh, nothing,” she said breezily. “I just thought you might be interested in seeing the action. We aren’t part of it, but it’s supposed to be happening today.” Her visions were limited when it came to particular details, but she knew enough.

Anton had nearly forgotten about Fiamma. He had been so wrapped up in Kara and the mess the city had found itself in to really register that she had just vanished. Part of him didn’t care much about where she had been, but he felt the need to ask anyway, if only to be polite in regards to the conversation. “Busy,” he started without looking at her. “I found out that I’m going to be a father, so I’ve been a little preoccupied with that.” He cocked a brow. “Where have you been? I haven’t seen you around recently.” His eyes drifted down towards her skirt and he regarded it for a moment before deciding that, yes, it was pretty hideous and no, he did not like it. Anton shrugged. “I think it looks fine. Stop worrying.”

Gabe barely looked up when she spoke, just continuing to read his book at an almost impossible speed as he lay sprawled across the sofa. “Something like that,” he replied absently, flicking to the last page of the chapter before dog-earing the corner and folding the book shut. “Why do you want to know?” he asked. Even though he was living in District X now, he could never be too careful. It was hard to trust other people. And he certainly didn’t like it when people knew too much about him in advance. 

“Uh huh. So how come you haven’t figured out a way to counter those power dampener things?” The way she saw it, something like that should be first priority. Rolling her eyes, Fiamma glanced around before removing one from her coat. “Figured I’d give this to you. If you’re not the guy who might figure out how to disarm them, pass it on to someone else. I’m not the technical type.” What she had been able to do was foresee when one would be left unattended, a serious breach in protocol that would result in the agent being dismissed. As if she cared.

“People better suited to it than you? You have two working hands. That’s the only requirement.” And even that was negotiable, depending. “The only thing keeping you from doing the job is the time you’re spending complaining about it. If you’d like to borrow a pair of mud boots, I can probably dig some up somewhere.”

He smiled indulgently for about two sectioned before his expression grew grim and he walked over toward her. “I realize that you’ve been living a charmed life, but I’m not going to make an exception for you just because other people usually do the work for you. We all pitch in here. We all contribute. This might not be what you do forever, but it’s what you’re going to do now.” Scott had taken on that very distinct “leader of the X-Men” tone. There was no room in it for arguing. “If you want to stay here, those are the terms. Are we clear?”

“Two hands that aren’t used to pulling weeds or whatever it is I have to do.” Fiamma’s hands weren’t used to getting dirty. She’d rather sit back, sip some lemonade or a mimosa, and tell someone else what to do instead. Wasn’t that the point of having some ultra special DNA? Being able to do things that no one else could? Why did it mean they had to be farmers?

“A palm reading?” June glanced toward the stones, which looked like nonsense. Because they were nonsense. “Are you going to give me a sales pitch for essential oils, too? Ask me what my sign is?” She typically wasn’t one for too much banter, but some things were too stupid to ignore.

Even though there were far bigger, more important things for him to deal with, he still had the every day duties to deal with at the school. Apparently one of those included Fiamma Fontaine having a tantrum outside the greenhouse. Scott wasn’t entirely surprised.

“It’s going to develop your not starving skill.” His tone was more light-hearted than he felt. He’d made up his mind not to direct other frustrations at the students. Even the difficult ones.

@heiresss

June had not (and would not) move her lab to District X, because she wasn’t into self-sabotage. But its existence did present a unique opportunity for her. She technically met all the criteria to be here, and until someone bothered to look close enough and figure out who she was, no one would stop her.

She had spent several hours in the days since the barrier went up simply observing. Practically everyone in District X was of potential use to her. It was just a matter of deciding on the ones she wanted.

Not everyone was as thrilled to be there as she was, though. That was made abundantly clear when she heard loud complaining nearby and turned to see a very well dressed young woman. District X had not managed to encompass a great many stores, restaurants, and the like, and while everyone seemed to have the necessities…it didn’t extend far beyond that. Some people were evidently out of their comfort zones.

Fiamma didn’t like being on the fringes of society. She was accustomed to having access to the finer things. Here, she felt stifled - and it didn’t help that she was apparently a mutant, which meant there were people who thought of her as less than. It was difficult for her to even think about. As someone who was used to feeling superior to others, the tables had definitely turned. 

Scowling, she tapped her foot as she stared down at the useless heap of divination stones. This was apparently a common medium for people like her, but she couldn’t help but consider it to be an utter waste of time. She’d rather look at a convoluted equation.