「 The Professor & I 」VOLUME II

(185) Perfectly Useless

"Hey..." James hummed as he shrugged his shoulders, disallowing me any further refuge, and I reluctantly looked towards his face opposite us.

"Look, they're perfect," James claimed in an encouraging tone but I swallowed awkwardly, looking away.

"Perfectly useless," I mumbled dejectedly under my breath.

Despite living cheerier days and being more on terms with my condition, there bound to be times it still haunted me like it was dragging me into an abyss.

And this was surely one of them.

"Sweetie, we've been through this," James scolded in a stern manner as he tugged on my waist and I gazed up at him sheepishly.

"They may be useless but you're not," he comforted, looking earnestly into my eyes.

"You are tougher than what you suffer. These are the marks that flaunt your performance. Every one of them, a sign of your battle that ended victorious," James persuaded with unwavering conviction.

"You are brilliant and I love you no matter what," he declared uncannily.

I examined him strangely, curbing the urge to read his mind as he probably unintentionally evoked a couple of wondrous memories, and a stray tear slowly trickled down my face. Spontaneously, his compassionate expression collapsed into a ghastly one and he hurriedly carried me into the bathroom, sitting me atop the short counter.

"Hey, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I should not have done that," James frenziedly apologized as he tenderly caressed my face and dried it with his thumb.

"No... No, it's not that..." I sobbed, drawing him into a firm hug.

"Then would you tell me what's wrong?" He probed warily, gingerly stroking my hair as I rested my head against his well-defined abs.

"It's just... It's just, I never thought you'd say that to me," I confessed quietly and looked up to see his expression finally relieved.

"I've been wanting to," he proudly informed, bending over to plant a delicate kiss to my lips and I passionately returned the favour this time, leading us into another make out session.

"I think we are thoroughly behind schedule," he reminded as we pulled away from each other and I giggled, nodding in embarrassment.

By the time we had our original task accomplished and James meticulously dressing me back into that ridiculously childish one-piece, the sun had rose. Licking my room with beams of yellow hues, the natural illumination certainly highlighted my exhaustion from my interrupted slumber. As I stirred lethargically in bed, trying to shade my eyes from the glares, James scurried to shut the opaque drapes, reverting my room to darkness, before rejoining me.

"Go to bed. I'll wake you before the hearing, alright?" James affirmed, his rich Scottish accent spilling over the words he breathed into my ear as he ran his fingers through my locks.

"Thank you," I slurred tiredly as he cuddled me, softly lulling me to sleep.

Assumably, I dozed off rather quickly, not remembering anything else until he gently shook me awake approximately thirty minutes prior to the live telecast. Routinely washing up, I speedily propelled myself to the living room and tediously transferred myself onto the couch.

"Good morning," I greeted, automatically intertwining our fingers, as James courteously delivered my bowl of cereal.

"It's nearly noon," he corrected haughtily, playfully ruffling with my hair as he switched on the television and conscientiously propped up my inanimate legs onto the seat cushion of my chair.

Merely sitting on my sofa, I munched on my breakfast and despite not being granted the honour of experiencing his enticing touch at all, I delightfully enjoyed the massage James was enthusiastically giving my insensible limbs as I awaited the broadcast of the hearing, yet it felt nerve-wrecking even when I was miles away.

Calm down, my love, Charles suddenly voiced into my head as my display transformed from the reporters on site to the interior of the large auditorium filled with government officials and other related personnel.

Excuse me, Xavier. I think you're the one making me nervous, I retorted jokingly as I blurted a chuckle.

"What's so funny, sweetie?" James prodded, snaking his arms around my waist.

"Oh, nothing. I'm just excited to see Jean on TV," I answered nonchalantly, leaning comfortably into him.

The cameras soon scanned their way across the packed arena and I spotted Charles in the far corner laughing as he shook his head bashfully, but he was not the only one my perceptive eyes picked out from the huge crowd.

XXXXX

We are finally heading towards X-Men the movie! I hope you guys have enjoyed James/Lynn interactions so far 😌

Do note that I am only loosely following the movie plot and some of the upcoming scenes will be reminiscent but not entirely similar 👍🏻