euphoria

Accepted?

"Ash? Can we talk?" The receiver looked up from her book, seeing Raven at the door in her natural form, upset. Ash gestured to the foot of the bed, sitting back as Raven sank down onto it, crossing her legs. "What's wrong?" Ash asked, concerned, closing the book, inserting a bookmark in.

"Do you think we'll ever be accepted?" Her yellow eyes pleaded for an answer, one that she could accept. "I know that if I say 'yes', I'd be lying to you." She said gravely, remembering what happened to her when she was younger, "People who can't hide their abilities, however beautiful they are, like yours, will always be shunned in one way or the other."

"Did that happen to you? I'm sorry, you don't have to confide in me."

"Oh no, it's quite alright. When my sister Jean and I were little, my powers started showing. My parents, they were terrified, and didn't know what I was. So in an attempt to 'knock the weirdness out', they beat me. And I couldn't tell Jean what was going on, because it would break her. But she'd notice the bruises a little, no matter how much I covered it up, saying that I had been in a fight or I tripped; she knew me too well. And when Jean found out what was happening, they got rid of me. Cast me out onto the streets because they were afraid. I fended for myself, for a few years at most. After that, I met Jean again. She kept on coming back to find me, and I tried everything in my power to make her feel like she wasn't lost. But when the police found out about me, I had to run, and left her wondering whether I'd come back. And with that, I changed my name and pursued a life where I knew no one would find me. Until Charles came along." She confessed, tears stinging her eyes. Raven listened, wide eyed, completely shocked. She thought that Ash would have been treated differently. Whenever they all were hanging together, she was always cracking jokes and sharing books that she'd written or read, much to the others' interest. But alone... she had no idea what she was like. But she did now.

"Why does Charles always regard you as extraordinary? Every one of us are as special as the other and he sees you as the best. I'm sorry if I sound jealous." She questioned, seething at the thought.

"I think that he's never met anyone who can block him out first try. I can tell that he's never had to think about whether people think that your eyes or skin are abnormal because his mutation is inside his head. And he's seen my memories, experienced what it was like, I think he thinks of me as fragile, so he essentially handles me with care." Ash explained, her voice wobbling and breaking. She hurt inside. More than anyone knew. Losing her parents after she gained her powers, then she lost Jean. Her powers were a curse, no matter how many times Charles praised them.

"And, if you don't mind me asking, what was your name before you changed it?"

"Ashlynn Harriet Cyrus Grey."

"I'm sorry if I was asking too much about your life. I can tell it hurts." She got up to leave, Ash following. "No, it's fine. You can always talk to me, my door's always open, metaphorically." Softly shutting the door, Ash sank down on the bed, loosening her hair and feeling the emotions flood back in. The familiar hot tears trickled down her face like a waterfall, the cool blackness of her closed eyelids doing justice to the stinging pain in her eyes.

"You're so extraordinary, Ash." Charles's hand stroked her cheek, a goofy, lovesick grin on his face as he stared directly into Ash's eyes, inching closer by the second.

"I'm not as brilliant as you say, Charles." Ash whispered in return, in a trance, her fingers absent-mindedly playing with his hair.

"I beg to differ. You're smart, strong, beautiful, and your eyes drive me crazy." He leaned forward, joining their lips together like two pieces in a puzzle, threading his fingers with the strands of her long hair.

"Miss Cyrus."

"Miss Cyrus!" Ash awoke with a jerk, coming into close proximity with Charles Xavier himself, already being in his suit.

"Come on, we have to suit up." He held out his hand, the smaller one grasping it, pulling her up.

"I'll be there." She replied, picking up her comb and running it swiftly through her hair.

"Raven left you a little something so you won't get cold, it's in your closet." When he left, Ash opened the closet to find a note.

I can't wait to see the look on Charles' face when he realises this is his jacket. He never used it and it'll look better on you.

Raven.

Ash took out a red leather jacket that matched her suit colour, trying to imagine Charles wearing it. Suiting up, she shrugged on the jacket and left, meeting the others in the dock, earning wolf whistles from Alex. "Quiet, Alex." Charles snapped, walking closer and bending by her ear, "Is that my jacket?"

"Raven said you never wore it."

"It looks better on you, if I'm being honest." Hank arrived, but he was blue, furry and had fangs.

"Hank!"

"It didn't attack the cells. It enhanced them." He confessed, ashamed, until Ash's voice pierced the air. "Hank, don't you see? It did normalise your cells."

"This is who you're meant to be. No more hiding." Raven continued in awe.

"Never looked better, man." Erik praised before being lifted into the air, Hank's hand around his throat. "Don't mock me." He growled, tightening his claws.

"Hank!" Raven cried, forcing him to drop Erik.

"It actually looks pretty badass. I've got a new name for you. Beast."