Fervent Feelings

X3 Chapter 15 - I Wish You Were Here To See It

A bright light pierces through my closed eyelids, forcing me to instinctively squeeze them tighter, trying to block it out. The warmth of the room surrounds me, enveloping me like a comforting hug from someone larger, someone safer.

"Y/N..." A soft voice calls out, pulling me from the depths of sleep.

I open my eyes, blinking rapidly as I adjust to the light. The gentle chirping of birds fills the air, and I notice a butterfly fluttering across my line of sight. The warmth of the sun caresses my skin, and I realize I'm standing in the field by my childhood home. Before now, I could barely remember what it looked like, I was too young to remember.

Spinning slowly, I take in the familiar surroundings. My gaze falls upon a bench in the distance, where two figures sit with their backs to me. My heart leaps, and I nearly stumble as I rush toward them, the swishing of the tall grass filling my ears. I come to a halt beside the bench, my breath catching in my throat as I recognize the two men.

"It's you," I murmur, astonished, my eyes wide with disbelief.

Alex turns to me, his long blonde hair brushing past his shoulder. He flashes me a grin, his pearly whites gleaming in the sunlight. "Yeah, it's been a while," he says, his voice warm and familiar, and I realize, I had forgotten what he sounded like...

"Y-you... you're here," I whisper, a tear escaping and tracing a path down my cheek.

"Of course, I'm here. I've always been here," Alex replies, rising from the stone seat. "We've always been with you." He places a supportive hand on my shoulder, his touch grounding me.

I look past him to the other figure on the bench. It's Scott, a teenage version of him before his mutation awakened. They both look exactly as they did when I first met them—young, full of life. Scott stands, brushing off his clothes with that familiar smirk.

"We couldn't help but keep a close eye on you," he says, his tone light but full of affection.

"Eye—eyes..." I stammer, getting lost in Scott's gaze. It's been so long since I've seen him without his glasses, and the sight of his clear, unshielded eyes practically whisks me back in time.

"We love you... you know that, right?" Scott's brows furrow in that reassuring way he had, and he steps closer, his presence soothing.

"But it's my fault that you're—" I try to speak, but my voice falters, unable to finish the thought.

Before I can continue, I'm engulfed in a pair of strong arms. Scott's hand cradles the back of my head as he pulls me close, and another set of arms- Alex, wraps around us both. We stand there, the three of us, not saying a word, but the emotions between us speak louder than words ever could—the regret, the sorrow, the love, the warmth, their unyielding protective nature.

Then, just as suddenly as it appeared, the warmth dissipates, leaving me cold and in darkness.

I groan softly in my sleep, tossing uncomfortably as I start to wake. My head pounds as I force my eyes open, focusing on the open windowsill. The wind whistles through, bringing with it a chill that contrasts sharply with the warmth I felt in my dream.

"Hey," a gruff but gentle voice calls out from behind me, an arm wrapping securely around my waist. "Are you alright?"

I turn over, meeting his concerned gaze. The worry etched into his features is unmistakable. "Yeah, just a strange dream..." I whisper, trying to shake off the lingering emotions from the dream, yet unable to fully let go of the embrace I just lost.

I place a hand gently on top of his, squeezing it in reassurance before slowly removing it from me. "I'll be back. I just need to get some air," I whisper, feeling the remnants of the dream still clinging to my senses.