Under the Iron Fist

Chapter 12: An Unexpected Encounter

After another long day shadowing Magnus, Jax decided to blow off some steam in the facility's gym. As he entered, the familiar scent of sweat and metal filled his nostrils, bringing a small sense of normalcy to his otherwise surreal life in the Sanctuary.

Jax was midway through his routine when he noticed a small, scrawny kid struggling with the bench press. The boy's face was scrunched up with effort, his freckles standing out against his reddened skin as he tried to lift a bar that was clearly too heavy for him.

Concerned, Jax quickly made his way over. "Hey there," he called out, keeping his voice friendly. "You might want a spotter for that. Mind if I help?"

The boy's blue eyes widened as he looked up at Jax. "Oh, um, sure," he stammered, clearly intimidated by Jax's muscular frame.

Jax gently took the bar, easily lifting it back to its rest. "I'm Jax," he said with a smile. "What's your name?"

"Milo," the boy replied, sitting up and wiping his brow. "Thanks for the help."

"No problem," Jax said, sitting down on a nearby bench. "You're pretty young to be in here alone. Where are your parents?"

A shadow passed over Milo's face. "They're... not here. I live with Elina now."

Jax's ears perked up at the familiar name. "Elina? The healer?"

Milo nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! She took me in when I had nowhere else to go. She's really nice."

Jax felt a surge of warmth towards Elina, impressed by her kindness. "That does sound nice," he agreed. "So, what brings you to the gym, Milo?"

Milo's cheeks reddened slightly. "I... I want to get stronger. My power isn't very useful in a fight, and I want to be able to protect people, like Elina protects me."

Jax felt a pang in his heart, recognizing the determination in the boy's eyes. "That's a noble goal," he said softly. "But you know, strength isn't just about muscles. What's your power, if you don't mind me asking?"

Milo hesitated for a moment, then slowly began to lift off the bench, hovering a few inches in the air. "I can float," he said, a mix of pride and embarrassment in his voice.

Jax's eyes widened in genuine amazement. "That's incredible, Milo! There are so many ways that could be useful. Have you thought about combining your floating with other skills?"

Milo's feet touched back down as he considered Jax's words. "Not really," he admitted. "I've just been trying to get better at controlling it."

Jax leaned in, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "Well, how about this? I could help you with some strength training, and maybe we could brainstorm some cool ways to use your floating power. What do you say?"

Milo's face lit up with excitement. "Really? You'd do that?"

Jax nodded, feeling a genuine smile spread across his face for the first time in days. "Absolutely. We've got to stick together in here, right?"

As they began to work on some appropriate exercises for Milo's age and build, Jax felt a renewed sense of purpose. Here was a chance to make a real difference, even if it was just for one kid.

"So, Milo," Jax said as they wrapped up their impromptu training session, "tell Elina I said hi, okay? And maybe we can do this again sometime?"

Milo nodded eagerly. "Definitely! Thanks, Jax. You're really cool."

As Jax watched Milo leave the gym, a small spring in his step, he couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope for the future. With renewed determination, Jax returned to his workout, his mind already planning for the challenges ahead.

*****

Milo burst through the door of their apartment, his feet barely touching the ground in his excitement. "Elina! Elina!" he called out, his voice echoing through the space.

Elina emerged from the kitchen, a warm smile spreading across her face at the sight of Milo's enthusiasm. "Hello, Milo. How was your day?"

Milo launched into a rapid-fire account of his experiences, his words tumbling out almost faster than he could speak them. "It was amazing! My friends and I played a new game at school using Zoe's light. Lily can talk to me without disappearing now, and Ethan said I was part of his team and he would protect me. We learned about the history and practiced using our abilities!"

Elina listened intently, her heart swelling with joy at Milo's excitement. It was a far cry from the scared, lonely boy she had taken in not so long ago.

"That sounds wonderful, Milo," she said, watching him glide to the couch. "I'm so glad you're making friends. How do you feel about your classes?"

Milo's face scrunched up in thought. "They're interesting, but sometimes hard. The teacher says I need to work on my control, but he also said I'm making good progress!"

Elina nodded encouragingly. "That's great news. I'm proud of you for working so hard."

"Oh!" Milo exclaimed, suddenly remembering. "And after school, I went to the gym to try and get stronger, and I met this really cool guy named Jax!"

Elina's eyebrows raised in surprise. "Jax? What was he like?"

Milo's eyes shone with admiration as he described his encounter. "He's super strong, but really nice too. He helped me when I was struggling with the weights and even offered to train me! He showed me some exercises and said we could think of cool ways to use my floating power."

Elina listened carefully, a mix of emotions playing across her face. She was glad Milo had found a positive role model, but she couldn't help feeling a twinge of concern about Jax's involvement with Magnus.

"That was very kind of him," she said carefully. "Did Jax say anything else?"

Milo nodded vigorously. "Oh yeah! He told me to tell you 'hi' from him. Do you know Jax, Elina?"

Elina smiled softly. "We've met, yes. But I'm surprised he remembers. He seems like a good person."

Milo's smile grew, "No one could forget you Elina, you are too amazing to forget!"

"Thank you Milo. I think your amazing too. It sounds like you had quite the adventure today," Elina said, pulling Milo into a hug. "How about we celebrate with your favorite dinner?"

Milo's face lit up even more, if that was possible. "Spaghetti and meatballs?"

Elina laughed, ruffling his hair. "You got it, kiddo. Come on, you can help me in the kitchen and tell me more about that game you played at school."

As Milo continued to chatter about his day, Elina's mind raced with possibilities. Perhaps Jax could be an ally in their quest to improve life in the Sanctuary. But for now, she pushed those thoughts aside, focusing on Milo's infectious enthusiasm.

As they moved to the kitchen together, Elina felt a warmth in her heart. Despite the challenges they faced, moments like these reminded her of the joy and hope that still existed in their world. And with Milo's growing confidence and new connections like Jax, perhaps positive change was on the horizon for the Sanctuary.