X-Men Oneshots

Our Kind of Normal (Alex Summers)

The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, casting long shadows across the vast lawn of the X-Mansion. Y/N stood at the edge of the property, arms crossed, staring out at the fading daylight. She came here often when she needed to clear her head, the quiet solitude of the outdoors helping her think. But tonight, something was different. Her mind was full, heart racing with thoughts she couldn't shake off.

And then she heard it—the familiar sound of footsteps approaching from behind. She didn't even need to turn around to know who it was. She'd recognize that energy anywhere.

"Hey," Alex's voice came softly as he stopped beside her, his presence solid and grounding.

"Hey," she replied, her gaze still fixed on the horizon.

For a moment, they stood in silence, side by side, both of them taking in the peace of the moment. It was something unspoken between them, the way they always gravitated toward each other when things felt overwhelming.

"What's on your mind?" Alex asked, his voice gentle but with that edge of curiosity he couldn't quite hide.

Y/N sighed, finally glancing over at him. He had that easy smile on his face, the one that always made her feel like everything was going to be okay. But tonight, it wasn't enough to push away the turmoil in her chest.

"Just... thinking," she said vaguely, her arms tightening around herself.

"Thinking about what?" Alex pressed, stepping closer, his shoulder brushing against hers.

Y/N hesitated for a moment, unsure if she should spill everything. But then again, Alex wasn't the kind of person she could hide things from, not for long. He always seemed to know when something was wrong, and he always made it better, even if it was just by being there.

"Everything," she finally said, letting out a long breath. "I mean, this whole mutant life... all the battles, the risks. Sometimes, it feels like there's no room for anything else. It's exhausting."

Alex's expression softened, his brow furrowing slightly as he studied her. "Yeah, I get that. It's like we're always on edge, always waiting for the next fight."

Y/N nodded, grateful that he understood. "Exactly. And I don't know... sometimes I just wonder if we're ever going to get a break, you know? Like, is this it? Are we ever going to have... normal?"

The word hung in the air between them, almost foreign in its simplicity. 'Normal' wasn't something they had the luxury of anymore, not with everything that came with being part of the X-Men.

Alex let out a small laugh, though it was tinged with sadness. "Normal's overrated, don't you think?"

She smiled faintly, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Maybe. But still... it'd be nice to feel like we have a future that's not just fighting."

He was quiet for a moment, his gaze shifting from the horizon to her face. There was something intense in his eyes, something that made her heart skip a beat.

"We do have a future," Alex said softly, taking a step closer. "It might not look like what other people have, but it's there. You just have to know where to look."

Y/N looked up at him, her heart suddenly pounding in her chest. The way he was looking at her—like she was the only thing that mattered in the world—it made her feel like maybe, just maybe, things weren't as uncertain as they seemed.

"And where should I be looking?" she asked, her voice quieter now, almost a whisper.

Alex smiled, a genuine smile that made his blue eyes sparkle in the fading light. "Right here."

Before she could respond, Alex reached out and took her hand in his. His touch was warm, steady, grounding her in the moment. Y/N felt the tension in her shoulders ease just a little, her heart racing for a completely different reason now.

"Y/N," Alex began, his voice soft and serious, "I've been thinking about a lot of things lately too. And I realized that no matter what happens—no matter how crazy things get—I want you there with me. I don't care if our lives aren't normal. I just care about us."

Her breath caught in her throat at his words. She had always felt close to Alex, always felt something more simmering just beneath the surface, but hearing him say it so openly—it was overwhelming in the best way.

"You mean that?" she asked, her voice barely audible.

"Of course I do," Alex said, his hand tightening around hers. "You've been the one constant in all of this. You keep me grounded. You remind me why we do what we do. And... I don't want to lose that. I don't want to lose you."

Y/N felt her heart swell, emotions bubbling up inside her. She had always cared about Alex—more than she'd ever let herself admit. But hearing him say it out loud, hearing him tell her how much she meant to him... it made everything feel real.

"You won't lose me," she said, her voice steady despite the whirlwind of feelings inside her. "I'm not going anywhere, Alex."

He smiled, a look of relief washing over his face. "Good. Because I don't think I can do this without you."

Y/N stepped closer, her free hand reaching up to touch his face, her thumb brushing against his cheek. "You'll never have to."

In that moment, everything seemed to fall into place. The uncertainty, the fear, the chaos of their lives—it all faded away, leaving just the two of them standing together, a future finally feeling possible.

Without another word, Alex leaned down and pressed his lips to hers in a soft, tender kiss. It was gentle, like the start of something new, something they had both been waiting for but never dared to reach for until now.

When they pulled back, Y/N smiled up at him, feeling lighter than she had in days. "Guess we'll figure out our version of normal, huh?"

Alex grinned, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. "Yeah. Together."

As the last of the sun dipped below the horizon, casting the world in shades of twilight, Y/N realized that maybe Alex was right. Maybe normal wasn't all it was cracked up to be. As long as she had him by her side, she could handle anything the world threw at them.

And that was more than enough.