The X-Project

While attempting some kind of normalcy Marius runs into one of the more aggressively well-balanced new additions to the mansion. She makes him choke, he makes her fall out of a tree, and the parameters of the relationship are set.




It was no use. This model may have been lighter than the last, but it still had the old one's problem of adjusting to sudden changes in respiratory demands. If he could just have hit his stride long enough to get his breathing and heartrate normalized . . . but his body had never had the opportunity to fully recover after his first accident in June, and the next three months hadn't done anything for his health. He was out of condition, and because he was he couldn't get back into condition. Not unless he wanted to jog in half-shift, anyway. And he didn't. The world just didn't look -- right.

So running was a wash. Panting harshly, Marius leaned against a tree and fumbled with his waterbottle, unscrewing the top and then slipping the straw beneath the lip of his respirator so he could take a slow drink. Moira had warned him months ago he needed to be careful with hydration; after all the scarification his body had no way to cool itself. No way to avoid it. Or no way he would be taking, that was.

The day had been too nice to waste indoors and Angel had left the rest of the terrible trio doing...well, whatever it was that boys did when girls--even tomboys--weren't around. There was a hint of fall in the air, and the trees had looked like fun so she'd headed into the forest.

It'd taken her a while to climb up but, then again, it wasn't like she was Kyle who could cheat. Stupid lack of claws.

Hearing someone below her, she hooked her legs around a branch and flopped over so she could peer at them upside down. "Hello!"

Marius choked on his water, a normally uncomfortable experience made even more interesting when one already required assisted breathing and had a small secondary tube running down own's throat to effect this necessity. Weeks depending on a respirator and Marius still wasn't used to it. It was loud, for one thing. For another, he wasn't used to the ensuing spray getting caught half an inch from his face.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to scare you that much!" Angel said and then it was followed up by a loud "Eeek!" as she lost her dubious grip on the tree limb and fell off. Luckily for her it was a short trip and there was some soft landing in the form of a pile of leaves that exploded on impact.

"No . . . worries," Marius sputtered in spite of the vast discomfort of second-hand water now dripping from inside of the mask. It occurred to him somewhat belatedly there was a small flailing redhead a few feet away, and courtesy might possibly be appropriate.

"Here, you all right?" he asked, half-moving from the tree. "I rather try to keep the stunning bit non-literal."

Don't set the leaves on fire don't set the leaves on fire don't set the leaves on fire.

Mantras rocked. Popping up from the pile, Angel rubbed her head. "I'm good, I landed on my head so nothing is broken. Whoa, slightly dizzy though from the hanging and falling bit." She squinted up at the guy and tried to place him. Nope, no clue, so she stuck out her hand, leaves and all. "I'm Angel."

"Marius. Affectionately known as the boy who eats people." He looked at the hand, but didn't move to take it. Marius held up his free hand to display the mouth and its ring of teeth. "Apologies, I don't shake. Wouldn't bite, but I find the drool a bit hard on the first impression."

"Oh, I'm sorry!" She flushed a bit but then leaned closer to get a better look. "...they're kinda cute."

"Yes. Adorable. You should see them made up. They look quite fetching in Pink Daiquiri Lipstick. Jen--" The stumble was only momentary, barely a hitch in his voice. Marius caught himself and continued, "Well. Let's just say they do make for lively dinner conversation."

"I'd say Cherry Red would be a better color, all things considered. Do you ever feel the need to hold up your hands at people and go "Raar"?" Tapping her chin, she grinned up at him. "Or that could be, you know, just me and my poor sense of impulse control."

"I confess it is not unknown. Alas, I am naturally predisposed to fits of Raar. Suppose I should mention I have a Condition. It's rather like diabetes, except substitute possible coma for blind rampage an' unavoidable calamity. It's what you might call a special needs mutation." Marius cocked his head at her, assessing her aura. "You're an energy-projector, right? Should ever we find ourselves in such dire straits, I would advise against the obvious solution. Also have a nasty tendency to flip powers. May not hurt us, but the surrounding area might take a bit of a beating. Tends not to be fun, and we could both probably do without the havin' out with Mr. Marko later."

"Woooow, I think you're power gives me a headache. And one of my uncles has diabetes and he tends to flip out. He also believes he's a ninja so that may not have anything to do with the diabetic part of it. And yep, fire power...oh, that would be bad. Mr. Marko hasn't eaten me yet for setting things on fire. According to Mr. Haller, we're kind of like Chinese food to Mr. Marko...hungry again soon after so I might be safe." Angel held out her arms, sending leaves and twigs flying. "I'm little enough to be just an appetizer."

"Yes, my mutation does indeed seem to induce massive migraines. No worries, there's no quiz. An' Chinese food's about right. Energy projectors aren't a favourite. Fast metabolisms, see. Tends to run out on you at unexpected times." He turned his mind from the horrifying sight of Jennie's hipbones protruding sharply above the waistband of her jeans. Marius shook his head, sloshing the contents of his waterbottle around in one hand. "Again, no worries. Barring my little incidents it's by appointment only, an' you're a bit on the small side. The redheaded she-demons can be counted upon to provide nourishing snacks, but it's a bit like donating blood. Prefer to leave the volunteer somewhat more'n half-full, you know."

It wasn't an unfamiliar speech, but it felt strange to give it again after all this time. Even stranger throwing it on a new student, particularly one this cheerful and unconcerned . . . but that was part of the deal. It always had been, even if he hadn't promised Mr. Wagner.

Besides, despite his inclination not to like anything right now, Marius thought he might like Angel. And he didn't think he could stomach anymore accidents with people he liked.

The boy shrugged, plucking the straw from the bottle. "Anyway. Thus concludes the Marius Laverne Mandatory Public Service Announcement, to be followed by a complex series of bloody annoying beeps. Thank you for your attention."

Closing her mouth with an audible snap, Angel shook her head at him. "Was that the Cliff Notes version? Tell me that was the cliff notes version or else I'll cry and get leaves stuck to my head. And with the whole snacking on me thing...I'd probably give you indigestion, kinda like eating hot peppers or something. Ew."

"Yes, it was somewhat condensed. Ah . . ." Marius sighed and raised his hand again. "All right. The short, comprehensible version, sans polite yet obtuse lack of detail. I crave bone marrow. Mutant, specifically, an' if I don't get it on time I go on a bloody rampage until I do. I extract it with these little beauties. Under proper medical supervision of course."

As the last words came out he marveled at the total lack of emotion he felt. Once it had bothered him to have those restrictions. To not be allowed even the luxury of feeding himself without someone else's permission. There was nothing he could do about the deficiency; shouldn't he at least be allowed to control something?

Shows what I knew.

“Oh.” Angel leaned back and eyed Marius, obviously going through all the information he had just told her. This was the guy who’d been with Jennie over in Europe…other than that, she didn’t know much. That and he’d had a door fall on him once because of her suitemate. “Ew, that’s gotta not be so much fun. Are there upsides to your mutation?”

"Get powers along with the life-sustainin' marrow, for a bit at least. Don't mind that so much. Opportunity to see how the other half lives an' that." He thought of running through the woods on all fours with Rahne's power, or the beautiful simplicity of viewing the world through Forge's. Being able to breathe with . . . Yvette's. Angel's new suitemate.

"And you?" Marius asked the other girl, making a small gesture towards her with his waterbottle. "Do you find there's an upshot to the wide and wonderful world of pyrotechnics? Not all firealarms an' property damage, one should hope."

Angel grinned. "I can eat flames," she said cheerfully. "I'm liking that part and the whole flame resistant thing. Now that'll come in handy. I kind of miss feeling chilly, though, but not all that much. And my metabolism is insane so I can kind of keep up with Kyle with eating stuff."

"I should indulge that if I were you. I am quite the advocate of keeping up with the rigorous demands of one's mutation. Glad to hear of the relative lack of accompanying trauma. It is a small yet important detail that shall no doubt serve your mental health well in the trying days to come." Marius was tired, suddenly. A few months ago he could have happily carried on in a powers-conversation for hours, if only for the forum of expounding upon the stupidity of his own. Now, even with someone like Angel, it just felt like a chore. He was sick of dealing with it. Sick of it all.

Marius nodded back down the train from whence he'd come. "Well, I should be off. My presence shall no doubt be missed. It was a pleasure. I shall look forward to a practical demonstration of the fire-eating at some future date."

Tilting her head, which caused leaves to fall, Angel just smiled at him, an innocent and evil smile. "Oh, I think I'll hold that to you," she said. He seemed like a boy who needed to get out more. Maybe she'd stalk him.

"I am ever at your service." Marius' answering bow lacked its usual flourish, which anyone who knew him would have noticed. Fortunate, then, that Angel didn't.

The boy straightened and smiled a little woodenly behind the respirator as he turned to leave. "Call it the privelege of beauty."

"...call it the privelege of being stalked..." came the giggled response which, thankfully, he didn't seem to have heard.