X-Men Oneshots

Neglected (Charles Xavier)

Y/N's POV

The evening was supposed to be fun—just a casual night out with Charles and some friends. We hadn't had many opportunities for outings lately, both of us swamped with work and responsibilities at the school. I was excited to finally spend time together outside of the mansion, away from the endless distractions. But somewhere along the way, things had taken a turn.

As we sat around the table at the restaurant, I watched Charles engrossed in conversation with the others, barely acknowledging me. His laugh echoed across the table, and the more I sat there, the more I felt like a shadow in the background, unseen and unimportant.

I tried to join in a few times, but every comment I made seemed to fall flat, overshadowed by the witty banter between Charles and his friends. I swallowed my frustration, forcing a smile as I sipped my drink, but the knot in my stomach grew tighter with every passing minute.

It wasn't just the conversation—it was the way he barely even looked at me all night. Like I was just... there. The more I tried to rationalize it, the more the hurt gnawed at me. I felt sidelined, like I didn't matter.

By the time we were on our way back to the mansion, the silence between us was deafening. I couldn't hold it in anymore.

"You didn't even notice me tonight, did you?" I finally blurted out, unable to keep the edge out of my voice.

Charles's POV

Her words hit me like a cold slap. I glanced over at her, confused. "What are you talking about, Y/N?"

Her expression was tight, her eyes shimmering with frustration. "You spent the entire evening talking to everyone else. I felt like I wasn't even there!"

I blinked, taken aback. I hadn't realized she was feeling that way. "I wasn't ignoring you—"

"You didn't say more than three words to me the whole night, Charles!" she cut me off, her voice rising. "I tried to join the conversation, but you were too busy laughing and joking with everyone else."

Y/N's POV

His confusion only fueled my anger. How could he not see it? I wasn't asking for all his attention, but I wanted to feel like I was part of the evening, not some invisible bystander.

"I felt like I didn't exist," I continued, my voice shaking now. "You know how much I've been looking forward to this, but you were too caught up in everyone else to even notice me."

Charles's POV

I stared at her, guilt creeping in as I realized what I'd done—or rather, what I hadn't done. She was right. I had been so caught up in reconnecting with old friends that I hadn't thought about how she might be feeling. But the idea that she felt sidelined—it hurt more than I could express.

"I'm sorry, Y/N," I said quietly, pulling the car to a stop as we reached the mansion. "I didn't realize... I never meant to make you feel like that."

But it was clear my apology wasn't enough to soothe her hurt. She shook her head, her eyes full of pain.

Y/N's POV

"It's not just tonight, Charles," I said, my voice soft but firm. "Lately, I feel like I'm always second to your work, to your friends, to everything else in your life. I'm tired of feeling like I'm not a priority."