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***
- Phewhhh... Okay... Hoo...
I'm not implying anything, but if Thanos, Galactus, whoever else is going to attack earth, now's as good a time as any.
- Damn sun. - I looked up at a peaceful sky that wasn't even cloudy.
Speaking of which, I haven't been kidnapped in quite some time, have I? Hopefully it won't happen now, as I stand in front of the gates of the mutant school. All alone. So defenceless and not even going to resist, what's the matter, I can even get into the boot myself, no trouble at all!
- Haa... Life is painful. - Rubbing my cheeks and ruffling my hair, I took a deep breath and walked outside the gate to face the consequences.
...A couple of lonely glances back at the road, hoping for a white van with the promise of ice cream or puppies inside.... But the damn road was so peaceful that even the deer came out onto it, nodding resolutely in my direction.
.....
Of course, I could have driven to the estate itself instead of to the gate, which would have saved me a couple of minutes. However, I need this walk to clear my head, to calm down a little.
- I shouldn't care what people I'll never see again think of me, should I? - I didn't care in the past. Have I changed?
Although maybe the problem here is that their perception is false, whether it's positive or negative doesn't matter, and it's the fact that it's false that I care? On the other hand, why should that still float me?
- Haa... - Remembered that part of my behaviour was kissing and stuff.
Who knows how they felt about that? Kissing is kinda considered not such a big deal, right? Although some of them mentioned about it being their first, sort of? And therein lies the rub, for for some, a first kiss can indeed be a big deal.
Felt icky about my thoughts of running away and how I shouldn't care about what happened. Albeit unintentionally, even against my will, but I was the one who might have hurt their feelings. And in situations like this...
- It's worth admitting you were wrong and trying to make amends. - came out of my mouth in front of the stairs to the school entrance.
.....
- Peter?! - where I was immediately greeted by Useless. - Why didn't you call after you'd finished your business at the station? We would have sent a car for you.
In fact, I should probably reflect on how unintentionally I hurt the feelings of others, even while being sane and in control of my body. Come to think of it, my loose attitude to life has led to some pretty eccentric behaviour at times. Perhaps it's time to start paying more attention to others and the environment in general.
- It's all right, it wasn't a long journey, so don't worry, Miss Rayanne. - I said in a calm tone, not forgetting my friendly smile. It's just like the textbooks.
- ... - There was a long silence and eyes that had forgotten how to blink. - God! What have they done to you?! Have they brainwashed you?!
With great anxiety evident all over her face, Besp-Ripley pounced on me.
- No, it's nothing like that. - Bespol-Ripley exhaled quickly, taking my word for it so easily. What's a Besp-Ripley soul to do? - Just out of interest, did anything about me seem strange to you last night?
- Apart from your disappearance? - Ripley elbowed me with a smirk, teasingly. - 'Otherwise, it seems unremarkable, why?
- What about my outfit that day?
- Oh, right, well done for bringing some personality to your character, you've been looking a bit bland, so at least you'll be different! - I'm really trying, aren't I? Anyone could be my witness, right? - You don't know how to pick out shoes, though.
...
I put my hands on her shoulders.
- Hold on to your job with both hands and both feet... - she tilted her head in question. - After all, you are indeed, in the extreme, useless.
Everyone has their limit, and I'm no exception.
.....
Just as I was about to leave to say hello to the guys and then go look for the girls my body was hitting on yesterday, Useless called out to me, telling me that Professor Xavier was waiting for me, and that after meeting her they were waiting for me at the end of filming.
Hoping that the restless one didn't want another demonstration of her abilities through a guessing game, I strode into her office.
- Hello, Mil-...?! - I met the blonde in white at the entrance, suddenly frozen in place. - You're jerking off to rule 34, aren't you?
- Which one of us isn't? - Whoa! How did she find out?!
- I wonder how. - Putting her fingers to her chin, she walked into the office, leaving the door open.
.....
- Peter? - With a strange look of surprise, the restless-... - Would you stop reminding me of guessing numbers?
Ahh... I see now, they're inside my head. And if Xavier, Grey's teacher hiding in the corner, is clear, then the blonde must be Emma Frost?
- You know me? Э?! - she froze in shock as soon as I visualised one rule in my head.
- You what?! - It's funny, but I'm generally pretty good with squid, boiled or dried.
- Professor, Emma?! How can you even imagine that-kyayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!! - If you're going to do it, why don't you reveal your dirty fetishes?
.....
Yeah, it's pretty embarrassing when your sexual fantasies, literally fantasies, are made known to outsiders, but it could be worse, they could find out where I hide my stash.
- No, I've been pictured naked and stuff more than once, but to do this? - Frost stood somewhat uncertainly, covering her body.
- How does an octopus even release white ink? - Xavier wondered, too seriously for such a question.
- Or maybe I didn't have any effect on its mind? - Grey said with relief.
- So what was it all for? Invitation and brainwashing. - I hope there's no misunderstandings this time.
- Well... I've been made aware of an incident between you and Jean. Can you please tell us about it in person?
Dick, dildo, penis, cock, hoo--
OK, their faces are calm, so I don't think they're reading my mind. I wonder if I should tell the truth, or let Gina Grey slip away? I mean, in the canon, she's kind of on the side of the good guys, after all.
- Well, she decided that dinner meant sex afterwards, then she had a little bit of a breakdown and decided to blow it for me, that's the short of it. - although who knows what she's like in universe 11 canon?
- Can you-- Not in a nutshell? - With a wry smile and sweat on her forehead, Xavier turned.
-Following Peter's retelling of that night-.
- And then I acted like a chump for the rest of the day.
Throughout the whole story, they listened to me extremely attentively, without interrupting or asking questions, with serious mien on their faces. In a way, I even started to worry about the teacher. There was no telling what my words would be fraught with. On the other hand, what would happen if there was a guy in my place without a system that had protected my personality from disappearing...?
- Well. - folding her hands under her chin, Xavier began. - I'm sure this whole situation was a big misunderstanding. - I agree, in principle. - But... You should be more careful from now on.
- What? - Suddenly, the irritation is starting to rise up inside of me.
- Don't get me wrong, what Jean tried to do was wrong. - Tried? - But it's no wonder she misunderstood the signals from such an attractive young man. - Signals? What's she talking about?
- We mean that, hey, without her trying what - that would be a bit of pathetic behaviour on her part, you know? - Not even close, Emma. - And bottom line, she's never done anything serious to you, has she?
- Peter, I'm sorry, I was out of line and I'm sorry, but I thought you wanted this. I mean, you came to me and we had a nice talk before. - и?
- Um. What the hell? - Up until that point, I was pretty calm about what happened, but after that nice chat.... - We all understand the concept of personal victim responsibility in accidents, right? - I didn't let them get a word in edgewise. - Didn't realise it involved making excuses for the perpetrator. And yes, I'm not speaking in a legal sense, not in terms of adding context, but in a moral sense. There was no signalling, I had no place to sleep and accepted the offer to sleep over at her place. Whether she wanted coitus or thought it was waiting for her, I'll tell you a big secret to avoid such an outcome, you can use speech. - I'm getting hotter by the second.
- Dude, chill out, you went to her room at night to "sleep over", yes the situation got heated and what happened happened, but all of this could have been avoided if you had been more careful. - Why do I feel like some people have a particular fetish for letting things slide?
- ...In a dormitory at school. With a teacher. Be careful, really? - and why did I get provoked and go off-topic for that? I'm sure they'll start demagoguing how anyone can be a demon.
- Young man, we're truly sorry that our words hurt your feelings. - Yeah, my feelings are the problem here. - We're just saying it's all over and it was all a misunderstanding.
- It worked out this time. - hell, why waste my time here, I've got a film to go to and then apologise afterwards. - Look, I believe a man can learn from his mistakes, and we all make mistakes. But I sure as hell don't believe a lesson can start with an apology like, "I'm sorry, I screwed up, but it's not my fault"; it's more likely to start with an apology like, "I'm sorry, I screwed up."
Not wanting to waste any more of my time, I bowed out of the office and headed back to the lobby, the argument continuing in my head.
*****
- Well... - Emma began, looking at the door that closed with a slam. - Things hadn't gone very smoothly.
- We need to give it time. - Charlize exhaled and relaxed her shoulders. - He's been through a rough experience, he must be under a lot of stress. A good signal is that he doesn't seem hostile.
- Really? - Jean asked with a guilty face.
- Towards the school and mutants in general, I meant. - Charlise lowered her eyebrows. - Jean, there was a certain sense in what he said, you have to make it up to him.
- I'm not sure I can do that.... He's already taken my apology alone in stride.
- Give him time to calm down, and then try again. You know it's not right to leave it like this.
While the professor did what she did best - show faith in her charges, and Jean went deep into her thoughts, Emma continued to stare at the door with a smirk raising an eyebrow.
**Peter**.
Ripley walked me to the set, then left to talk to the other assistants, the producer and the director. I headed over to the guys sitting on the couch.
- Oh! [Laughs] (gasps) Peter! - they all jumped up as soon as they saw me. Jude gave me a hug.
- 'Are you alright? - Arnold patted me on the back.
- Why don't you sit down? - Alex made room.
- ... - Ricardo silently saluted.
Literally by force, Jude and Arnold, smiling and showering me with questions, sat me down on the couch.
- You certainly surprised us. I know you're a weirdo, but you've got to watch your step. - Jude patted me on the shoulder as if to scold me.
- Weirdo? Really, Jude? The bloke's got balls like a bull and you're calling him names? - Arnold rushed to argue with him, typical.
- Decided not to show off your outfit today? - Alex, on the other hand, decided to ignore them, starting the next topic. - Look, I remember I said you didn't stand out or something, but bro, you don't have to be so out of your skin.
- Hmm? You want Ricardo to give you one of his leather jackets? I think you'll go for the spiky one with the skull in chains.
While everyone was actively engaged in conversation, only Sang-hyun was sitting on the sidelines, silently scrolling through his smartphone screen.
- Boys! We're filming in fifteen minutes! - Ripley shouted.
The boys got up and went to the other room, continuing to share their personal opinions in arguments and regarding clothing, I was dumbfounded by the delay for a couple of seconds.
- Hey...
And the reason why I was dumbfounded was the one who kept fiddling with his phone as the others started to leave, now stopping me by grabbing my shoulder.
- Let me get this straight...
- ...Let's? - After a couple of seconds of waiting, I said.
- I don't know how to say thank you, I think it's stupid.
- Okay?
- Я... Anyway. Shit. - I'm not sure if idols are allowed to swear. And judging from the way Sang-hyun abruptly closed his mouth with bulging eyes, the guess was correct. - What do you want? Tell me and I'll do it... Seriously.
He scratched his fringes in embarrassment, then turned away and walked with a confident stride after the guys. Memories of Glenn and I flashed through my mind, and I smiled and....
- Hey, what are you doing?! - I swung at Sang-hyun from behind, putting his head in a weak wedge.
- Don't worry, you don't owe me anything.
- Asshole, you ruined my hair. - I'm sorry, but it doesn't work like that. I'll pay you back, you'll see.
From the outside, we probably look like friends. And maybe we can be in the future. Who knows, maybe my friendship with them will be even stronger than with Glenn.... Maybe I could have a jet-length contest with them. The ultimate proof of true friendship between men.