๐ผ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฟ๐๐ ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐ | ๐ธ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ท๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐บ๐๐๐๐๐๐
Hello my lovelies! This is gonna be the start of a new series on here, where I codify the origins of my X-Men OC Melanie in fic form! I'll be posting here and on AO3 eventually*, and I'm so excited to share it with you. This is my first time writing and posting a fic publicly, so please feel free to give me constructive criticism or share any insights you may have! So, without further ado, I am proud to present:
โญ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ฑ๐ข๐ฏ ๐๐ซ๐ข: ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ข ๐๐ญ๐ฌ๐ซ ๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ก๐ซ๐ฆ๐ค๐ฅ๐ฑ ๐๐ฏ๐ข๐๐ฏ๐ถ
Warning, this media contains: Violence, canon-typical (anti-mutant) bigotry, alcohol use, and strong language. Reader discretion is advised.
*Want to read this on AO3? Have a link! https://archiveofourown.org/works/69018851/chapters/178832696 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tonight was a good night.ย
The warm glow from behind the bar counter painted her face in soft shades of yellow and red, turning her blue eyes to a pale green-ish color in their light. Melanie brought her glass to her lips, savoring the burn as the liquor went down. Tonight was a really good night. She wasnโt too far from home, in a little place off Bedford that had cheap drinks and didnโt judge. They never said it, but they never turned away anyone at the door, no matter how ratty your coat was. Theyโd even let her crash in the back once when a really bad blizzard had gone through.ย
Melanie was here to celebrate tonight; this drink was her dessert, because sheโd made enough tonight to pay for a real, hot meal. Not a bad day for a street thief. When all you have are your sticky fingers, days like today feel like a national holiday. She even had enough to grab the subway home, instead of having to walk. She took another sip of her vodka soda, humming softly as the buzz settled over her. Being drunk was always a strange experience for her. Other people got sleepy or giggly when they drank, but Melanie? Booze seemed to open her up to everyone around her. Their thoughts drifted in like voices through radio staticโbite-sized pieces of other lives, there for a flash and then gone. Love. Hate. Sadness. Joy. She couldnโt say she liked it. But she couldnโt help it. Her control always slipped a little when she was buzzed.ย
She was lifting her glass to her lips again, when a sudden barrage of thoughts exploded through her mind. Hurryโshut upโkeep it hiddenโitโs almost timeโMelanie felt her blood run cold. The thoughts slithered and hissed, dripping with malice. Dread latched its claws into her stomach. She stood up so fast she almost overturned her stool, trying to flee. But as she did, the door swung open, and a quintet of men dressed in food delivery uniforms entered. The one in front with a scruffy straw-colored beard looked to the bartender, asking where he and his boysโthatโs how he phrased it, โme and my boysโโcould drop off their package. Not delivery. Package. Fuck. This could get bad.ย
The bartender looked a little unsure, but directed them to the loading dock and mercifully, the men filed out. Melanie didnโt hesitate. She slapped down her money, grabbed her bag and coat, and made a beeline for the door.ย
She knew Friends of Humanity when she saw them.ย
She had gotten the door open and was just about to make a run for it down the street, when she crashed headfirst into a broad chest. She toppled back, tripping over her feet, and wouldโve crashed into the floor if a pair of large hands hadnโt caught her shoulders.ย
โWhoa! Iโm so sorry, maโam, are you alright?โ A tall, square-jawed man helped to right her, his eyes hidden behind a pair of red-tinted glasses. Melanie, still rattled from the collision and the adrenaline, spluttered a minute before responding.ย
โO-oh! No sweat, man, Iโm fine.โ She said, dusting herself off. She mustโve looked like sheโd seen a ghost, because the manโs brow furrowed in worry. Her eyes flicked past him, and she realized he was part of a group: behind him stood a short, grumpy-looking man in a flannel, a cigar clamped between his teeth; a tall, redheaded woman with striking green eyes, her hand on the bespectacled manโs shoulder; another man in a brown leather jacket, with dark hair and an easy smile on his face; and a girl not much younger than her, with a bright yellow coat, retro visor shades, chewing bubblegum like it was nothing.ย
โDonโt mind him, heโs got bad eyes,โ The girl in the yellow coat joked, and it mustโve been a running joke, because the man with the red glasses sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. The girl pushed up her shades and smiled warmly at Melanie. โHey girl, Iโm sorry if this sounds, like, totally weird, but did you just see a bunch of dudes dressed like delivery men?โย ย
Melanieโs hair stood on end. Were these people with them? Fuck, if that was the case, she needed to get out of here now. She moved to push past them, her eyes darting around wildly to try and see if any of them would attempt to stop her, when she and the redheaded woman locked eyes.ย
The effect was instant. Like a head-on collision, Melanieโs telepathy rebounded, and all at once, she and the woman knew each other like sisters. Mind reader. Telepath. Mutant. They were the same. It was so intense the room spun, Melanieโs skin prickling like her whole body had fallen asleep.ย
Melanie shook herself, and the woman did too, as sheโd stumbled back from the psychic reverb. She and Melanie regarded the other with surprise and awe. Though Melanie didnโt relax. The redheaded woman moved to speak, addressing the man with the glasses. โScottโโ
โYou need to leave,โ Melanie said immediately. Despite the incredible psychic power she felt from the woman, she wasnโt about to send what was now clearly a group of mutants to their deaths. If the FoH was here, it didnโt matter what their powers were. Theyโd find a way to kill them, and it was likely the innocent bar patrons would suffer, too. โThe men youโre looking for, theyโreโโ
โFriends of Humanity scumbags. We know, lady.โ The man with the cigar said gruffly. He took a drag and blew a smoke cloud that sent the girl in the yellow coat coughing. โAinโt nothinโ we ainโt seen before. So just stay outta the way and let us handle the goons.โย
The man in the brown jacket grinned. โDonโt worry, Hit-and-Run,โ he said with a wink. โMore to us than what meets the eye. Especially with Scotty.โย
Scott opened his mouth to say something in retort, and Melanie moved to finally get the hell out of this place. But then she saw the redheaded woman pale, and suddenly she was being shoved out of the way. She barely had time to register the womanโs scream of โLook out!โ. One moment she was nearly free, the next, a place that had sheltered her for years erupted into chaos.ย
The Friends of Humanity had shouted to their cohorts that they had companyโhow they knew they were mutants, Melanie had no ideaโthe short, hairy man unleashed wicked silver claws with a sniktโthe man wit the glasses had swapped them out for a bright yellow visor, and fired a powerful laser back at the goons with their strange purple arm blastersโthe redheaded woman summoned immense psychic energy as she, the girl in the yellow coat, and the man in the jacket charged.ย
Melanie was frozen for a moment. Confused, disoriented, afraidโฆangry. Those sons of bitches. The Friends of Humanity truly couldnโt let anyone catch a goddamn break. This was the one place that had made her feel safe in years. She knew these people. She could see themโregulars, some who bought her drinks on occasion, or gave her coins for the jukebox, the veterans who were homeless, tooโcowering under tables or worse, from the blasts from their gauntlets. Motherfuckers!
Melanie lifted herself from the floor, gathering her wits as she turned to the battle. Fists, claws, fireworks, psychic blasts, and lasers flew in volley after volley, her fellow mutants doing their best to protect the patrons and beat the FoH back. Melanie rushed forward, and felt the familiar burn in her eyesโjust like the feeling you get when tears are about to fallโand she knew her eyes had become ink-black as the buzz of both the alcohol and her powers surged forward.ย
There was a crackle and a crash as Melanieโs telekinesis ripped a gauntlet blaster away from one goon and slammed the other into a wall. She ducked under a swipe from the man with the claws and levied a kick to the chest of another extremist, which sent him tumbling backward over the bar counter. Pain suddenly exploded in her back, with the smell of singed hair and melted fabric. Bastard had shot her. She turned, baring a fanged grimace, as she yanked the man towards her with her powers, levying a punch across his jaw that laid him out flat.ย
โHeh, not half bad, lady!โ Came the gruff voice of the man with the claws. โFigures weโd find a broad as tough as you in a place like this. Small world.โ He slashed through another goonโs gun. โFuckinโ Sentinel tech; these bastards have way too much of this shit.โย
โNot for long,โ Scott said sternly as he and the redheaded woman rounded up the remaining Friends of Humanity. But as they did, the man that Melanie had kicked over the bar staggered to his feet, and made a last dash for the door.ย
โWe got a runner!โ Chimed the man in the brown jacketโwell, not anymore, seeing as heโd suddenly transformed into a woman who was some kind of ninja with a sword made of glowing pink energy. Heโshe?โleapt after the escapee, but missed. But Melanie was hot on the fleeing terroristโs heels.ย
She exploded out into the chilly evening, looking wild and enraged as she chased him. Melanie reached out with her powers, yanking the man off balance and sending him tripping and skidding into an alleyway, where he crashed against a dumpster, sliding to the ground panting and swearing.ย
โYou goddamn dirty mutie!โ He snarled at Melanieโs approach, blood dripping from a cut on his forehead and sweat slicking his skin. His breath came out in steaming huffs, curling away into the icy air. He spat in her direction. โYouโre a goddamn demon. A freak of nature. Even if we donโt put you down, someone will, you filthy mutant bitch.โย
Melanie narrowed her eyes at him. โFor someone who wants to protect humanity so bad, you sure put a lot of those innocent people in danger.โ She said coldly. The manโs face purpled in rage, and he opened his mouth to retort, but suddenly his jaw snapped shut not of his own accord. Melanie glared down at him with her blackened eyes.ย
โYou know, I kind of get it,โ She said, crouching down in front of the man. โYouโre scared. I would be, too, knowing thereโs people like me out here.โ Her eyes narrowed, and the man squirmed. โPeople that can make your body do things against your willโฆpeople that could get in your head and make you forget anything, like how fucking hateful you are, how bigoted, how cowardly.โ His jaw clenched tighter, enough that she could hear his teeth creak. โI could kill you,โ Melanie said. โOr destroy your mind.โ She let him sweat a bit. Then she straightened, and the man gasped, released from her telepathic hold.ย
โBut that wouldnโt fix anything,โ She said sternly. โYouโd just be a martyr. So I want you to live. Live, knowing a dirty mutie spared your life. That someone you think is so beneath you has more kindness in her than you do in your little finger.โ Using her powers, she tore a piece of metal free from a nearby railing and used it to pin him there by his shirt. โHave fun telling the cops what an asshole you are.โย
She turned to go, and was met with the group from the bar racing around the corner.ย
โThere you are!โ Exclaimed the redheaded woman. Her eyes darted between Melanie and the pinned FoH goon, looking pleasantly surprised. โNice job. Are you hurt?โย
Melanie shook her head. โNo, Iโm good. What about everyone at the bar?โย
The girl in the yellow coat piped up. โAll good! Nothing worse than some bruises or burns. We called an ambulance, stayed with them until the cops showed up.โ She leaned past Melanie and whistled at her handiwork. โDang. Kudos to you, girl, you got skills.โย
Melanie flustered a bit. Sheโd just been angry. She was honestly a little miffed at herself; losing her temper like that was dangerous out here on these streets, even if she was justified. โI just wanted to keep people safe.โ She said, โThat place has been my watering hole for a while now.โย
โStill, you held your own. Most people wouldโve frozen in that scenario.โ Scott said. โAnd because of you, those people in the bar didnโt get more hurt, or worse. Thatโs nothing to sneeze at.โ Scott took in her ragged appearance. โDo you have somewhere safe to stay tonight?โย
Melanie bristled at that. Sheโd already attracted way too much attention, and she didnโt need any handouts. They were nice, but she wasnโt a charity case. โYes,โ She said, a little too sharply. โLook, Iโm a big girl and Iโve got enough for the subway. I donโt need a babysitter.โย
The redheaded woman frowned. โThat may be true,โ She said. โBut weโre not trying to make you into our project. Weโre trying to help. We mutants have to stick together, donโt we?โย
Melanie tensed at that. Mutants stick together, always and forever. She shook the memory from her mind, unable to meet their gazes.ย
โWe wonโt force you,โ Scott said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a business card. โBut if you need a safe place, come find us.โย
Melanie took the card, looking at the glossy blue letters on the silver card stock. An X within a circle was embossed on the back, but it was the words on the front that gave her pause.ย
Xavierโs School for Gifted Youngsters, 1407 Graymalkin Lane, Westchester, New York, Salem Center.ย
โJust think it over.โ The girl in the yellow coat tossed over her shoulder as she and the others began to walk away, waving at Melanie with a sympathetic look on her face.ย
โWait!โ Melanie called out. She read the card a second time, then a third. โThis placeโฆitโs a school for mutants, right?โย
Scott nodded. โAnd a safe haven. A place to be yourself, to learn about your powers, without the risks of life out here.โย
Melanie gripped the card tightly. Alright then. Her mind was made up.ย
โIโm coming with you.โย
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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