Mutants: Normal

6-3: "Really?" siblings

Forgetting her anger, Hua frantically opened her closet doors and found it crammed with clothes that she didn't recognize and would probably never wear. It's probably that witch's stuff. She rolled her eyes rummaged around towards the back of the closet. There, her fingers finally found some of her own clothes. A shirt... Tank top? Close enough. Reaching into the mass of clothes, Hua managed to pull out a pair of military pants to match. She would have to make do with them, she decided, stripping her remaining lab outfit off.

Pulling on her randomly chosen clothing, she heard Shuigu calling her from the hallway. "Hua, they're back." As usual, his voice concealed all his emotions, but Hua expected he was as happy as she was to have some other company at the base. Since they had received their official positions at the base, Shuigu had been distant and composed when he spoke to Hua. Though Hua couldn't remember anything from before her time at the base, she would bet anything that he hadn't been this way with her before. The photo by her bedside confirmed that he had a sunny side, even if he never showed it to her anymore. And I still remember the first few nights, when we were completely unsure of our safety...

An impatient rap on the door. "Coming! You go on down!" Hua yelled in reply, now finished changing her clothes. Letting her hair down, she groaned realizing it was puffy in all the wrong places from being stuck in a bun most of the day. Deciding the boys had seen worse, she quickly combed her fingers through it and tore open the door, rushing down the corridors.

Shuigu flinched as she practically flew past him. "Well, somebody's excited today," he drawled loudly after her.

Sarcasm's better than nothing, she thought, increasing the distance between them. She dodged around a few workers, scientists and military men who had entered the halls, tensely anticipating the return of the other mutants. They all shot her looks, but she ignored them, knowing the only one who'd follow to greet those returning was her brother. As a matter of fact, in about five seconds Shuigu had pulled up beside her, matching her pace perfectly.

"What's the hurry? You look mad. Something happened." This all sounded monotonous, but Hua had known her brother long enough to see that he was grinding his teeth. Translation: worried.

Talk about overprotective, she thought, rolling her eyes.

Let's try to make it so he doesn't worry too much... "It's nothing really. This new girl that I don't really like has been assigned to my sleeping quarters. It lowkey sucks." Understatement of the year. At this point, Hua wanted to throw up at the thought of having to exist in the same lifetime as Teria. The same room is making me consider seppuku.

"Is that so? You sound like you've succeeded in making an enemy pretty quickly." There was a slight teasing note in his flat voice. "Are you scared that she'll steal the love of your life from you?"

Hua blushed furiously as she stopped in her tracks. "I don't like Fang! I keep telling you that!" An image of the smirking mutant flashed through her mind before she could stop her imagination. Had the image lingered a split-second longer, Hua would have waved her hand in front of her face in a desperate attempt to avert her attention. Ugh, I'm sure any attraction is just physical...!

Her hand was about half-way to her face when Shuigu spoke again. "Ah, but your face and hand say otherwise," he pointed out. He had come to a full stop a millisecond before she had, as if he had read her mind.

"Well, this time you're wrong!" Hua countered smugly, her thoughts—thankfully—directed elsewhere. "The guy she's going after is you! And man, do I feel bad for you! She looks like she'll be a real hassle to deal with—she seems like the type who tries to come on to you twenty-four-seven!"

"Really?" he said, raising an eyebrow though his voice was unimpressed. "Just the way I like 'em."

Hua searched his face for any sign that what Shuigu had just said was a joke but she found none. He had become closed to her again. He can't honestly like a girl like her, can he?

"What?" he asked, noticing her intense stare.

"Nothing," she turned away quickly. No way that's possible! But if it does come to that...

Nope, not even gonna consider it!

Hua started walking again; Shuigu trailed behind her. They stopped in front of the lobby doors, and Hua was aware that the rest of the base seemed to have fallen silent. Normal employees and military at the base didn't like to get mixed up with the mutants, but at the same time they also didn't like the idea of sending their prized weapons out into the larger world. Hypocrites. They presented themselves during events in their life without actually getting involved, and as spectators they were always judgmental.

Right now, Hua was aware of numerous eyes watching her.

She felt a strong hand on her back. "Just ignore them," Shuigu whispered, his voice dripping with disdain. "They aren't worth anything to us."

Hua nodded, noticing his lack of composure. "You haven't said the word 'us' in a while."

"Really?" Hua couldn't hide her disappointment.

He was gone again.