"It can't always be about you. Life is a transformation— the wind blows, climate changes, birds chirp and trees burn." Mickalene Thomas
It took the X-Men another couple hours, but they eventually came up with a game plan of how they would get their school back and end Kezing, once and for all. Lilli had been worried that Cas could read their minds and discover their secret plan, but Hank and Professor X assured her that no mind readers could penetrate the barrier that surrounded the underground bunker. Cas had only heard Ororo's thoughts because she'd been out of the bunker and in the normal basement.
Their plan was simple: Kurt and Warren would still go and spy in Kezing's lair. Hopefully, most of the agents were staying at the Institute and the two could do more snooping with less chance of getting caught. If Kezing was there, they'd kill him. Cut the head off of the snake, and the rest of the agents would just disperse and everything would go back to normal.
Meanwhile, the X-Men would be monitoring the school and slowly, one by one, taking students and bringing them down to the bunker. Their aim was to get as many mutants out of harm's way as possible. And if Kezing himself decided to show up, the X-Men would know immediately and go up and kill him.
If Kezing mysteriously disappeared and was at neither his home base nor the Institute, Warren and Kurt would come back after a week and then the X-Men would figure out a new plan from there.
The X-Men were currently back out in the gigantic room that Professor X had said was supposed to be used for assemblies. They were all getting ready to send off Warren and Kurt. Hank was speaking to the two and going over how to use the devices he'd made, and the rest of the X-Men were milling about, making conversation and waiting for Hank to be done with the two.
Lilli was leaning against the wall with Ororo, who was pestering her with questions about her and Warren. Every time Ororo said Warren's name, Lilli's eyes involuntarily snapped over to watch him and a feeling of immense worry and agitation would flood her system. She was worried. Really worried. There was a very high chance that the two wouldn't make it back, especially if they went up against Kezing. It was a dangerous, high-stakes situation and Lilli felt that it was so unfair that two teenagers were risking their lives. It was all so messed up.
"Who all knows about you two?" Ororo was asking. Lilli pushed away her unhappy thoughts and decided to try and focus on being a normal, gossipy teenage girl for once. She cocked her head as she thought back to who all could possibly know about her and Warren's history.
"Um.. Jean, Peter, and you. And Cas," Lilli added quickly. "That's it."
"You know, I'm not even that surprised. He always seemed to have a soft spot for you," Ororo remarked.
"Really? I hadn't noticed," Lilli replied, musing. She'd been so focused on Cas and so sure that Warren was the bad guy that she'd never, ever considered Warren's feelings for her were anything more than platonic. Well... until they'd made out. More than once.
"Yeah, 'cause you were being mind controlled by Cas," Ororo snorted. "What a douche."
"Yeah, for real," Lilli agreed.
"So... you have to answer this honestly..." Ororo began in a gossipy tone. Lilli sighed inwardly. Great. What was she going to ask?
"What is it?" Lilli moaned, already not liking the conspiratorial grin creeping onto Ororo's face.
"Do you still like him?" Ororo asked. Lilli's eyes grew wide.
"What? No!" She exclaimed immediately, without even thinking. Ororo narrowed her eyes.
YOU ARE READING
feathers ↣ w. worthington iii
Fanfiction"You've got a lot of nerve showing your face around here again." "You've got a lot of nerve showing your face anywhere." *** Lilli finally got her wish- a normal life with a normal job and normal friends. She had her life planned out- she was going...
