Gambit x Reader

New Blood

"Sometimes the greatest gifts come wrapped in the greatest burdens." -- Professor Charles Xavier

Morning settled over Westchester in shades of pale gold, sunlight filtering through the towering oak trees that surrounded Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. Dew clung to the freshly cut grass, the grounds still quiet before the younger students spilled outside for classes.

The mansion looked almost impossibly peaceful.

White stone gleamed beneath the early sun.

Birds perched along the roofline.

If someone didn't know better, they'd think it was nothing more than an old family estate tucked away from the rest of the world.

They'd never guess it housed some of the most powerful mutants on Earth.

Or that beneath it sat the most advanced mutant training facility ever built.

Or that the jet slicing through the morning clouds carried the school's newest resident.

Y/N pressed her forehead lightly against the Blackbird's window.

Clouds rolled beneath the aircraft like waves.

In her lap rested a thick novel she'd intended to read during the flight.

It was still on page three.

She'd been too nervous to focus.

Her duffel bag sat by her feet, along with two taped-up cardboard boxes full of books that she'd insisted on bringing despite Hank's gentle suggestion that they could always order more later.

"You know," Beast said from across the cabin, adjusting his glasses as he looked over a tablet, "I believe this officially makes you the first student whose luggage weighs more in literature than clothing."

Y/N blinked, then looked down at the boxes.

"...Probably."

A small smile tugged at Beast's face.

"I suspected as much."

Silence settled comfortably between them.

Unlike many people, Hank McCoy had never seemed bothered by quiet.

He simply returned to reading.

Y/N appreciated that.

She hadn't expected the headmaster to send one of the X-Men to pick her up personally.

She especially hadn't expected him to be... Beast.

Growing up, she'd only heard whispers.

Mutants existed.

Heroes existed.

The X-Men were real.

But seeing one sitting across from her, reading scientific journals between flights as though escorting nervous recruits was part of a normal Tuesday...

It still didn't feel real.

"You've gone awfully quiet," Hank observed without looking up.

"I've... mostly been quiet."

"Touche."

That earned him the smallest laugh.

Progress.

The mansion appeared through the trees.

Y/N's stomach tightened.

This was it.