X-Men First Class: The Fox's War

Chapter 3: Xavier Mansion

Of course, since she was in fox form again, her puppy eyes were twice as irresistible as they were in her human form. It only took one look for Charles to have his heart shatter for her.

What's wrong Symph? He asked with concern.

Sean is stepping on my tail, and I'm really cramped under this bench. I may be flexible as a fox, and foxes may live in burrows, but I'm not fond of cagey spaces... Came the pitiful little response.

Charles smiled sweetly and looked up at Sean. "Banshee, could you move your foot up a bit so Symphony can get her tail loose?" He asked the young boy.

Sean looked down, and lifted the foot that was causing most of the trouble.

As soon as his foot was gone, Symphony shot out of the small space, moving to lay on everyone's feet, happy to be free of the cramped hole.

Thank you. She thanked Sean and Charles.

Charles chuckled as Erik leaned down to pat Symphony's soft fur.

Symphony licked her lips, not minding the attention at all, until Erik reached a slightly bruised point on her shoulder, making her shift uncomfortably.

Erik looked puzzled and lightly fussed with the fur to get a look at the skin beneath.

"Charles." He called his friend's attention to what he was doing.

"What is it Erik?" Charles asked, leaning forward as much as he could without bumping into Erik's head.

"Where did this bruise come from?"

Charles scrunched his brows and took a look at the bruise on Symphony's shoulder as best he could, before Symphony wriggled away.

"I don't know..." He muttered with a frown.

Symphony just looked at the two of them innocently, before trying to stand up and walk in between everyone's feet without losing her balance in the moving vehicle.

Charles chuckled and shook his head as Erik grinned at how cute it actually looked, with the expression of confusion and concentration on Symphony's fox face.

After her third attempt, Charles lent down to pick her up, and place her on his warm lap, allowing her to curl up comfortably there, laying her head on his arm, and a paw just beside it, watching everyone with quiet glistening eyes.

Eventually Symphony drifted off to sleep like this, and her paw draped right over Charles' arm as her head lolled back some to nestle in the crook of his arm.

It wasn't until it was time to get out of the truck that anyone dared speak a word, for fear of disturbing Symphony, and ruining the heartwarming image she'd presented.

Charles got out first, carrying Symphony in his arms as she slowly woke up, blinking at the sunlight.

Before long, everyone was gathered in front of the mansion, staring at it in awe.

Even Symphony got down out of Charles' arms to wander towards it, looking at it in astonishment.

"Honestly Charles." Erik teased lightly. "I don't know how you ever survived living in such hardship."

Raven moved forward as she spoke. "Well," she began, putting a hand on Charles' shoulder. "It was a hardship softened by me."

Charles smiled as he wrapped an arm around her and kissed her head.

Symphony looked on in mild frustration, though she couldn't think of why she'd be frustrated. She only knew that her blood suddenly ran hot, and her body began to shake a little as an unusual anger rose in her gut.