The sun was high in the sky when the New Mutants gathered their belongings to leave the Massachusetts Academy. After days of deliberation, they had made their decision—to return to Xavier's under Magneto's guidance.
Inarius stood with the Hellions at the front of the school, watching as the New Mutants prepared to board the sleek black jet that would take them back to their old lives. Despite everything, he felt a pang of sadness. Over the past weeks, they'd gone from rivals to allies, and in some cases, even friends.
Magneto stood by the jet, his imposing presence commanding the scene. He spoke quietly to Emma, their exchange looking more civil than tense. Meanwhile, the New Mutants approached the Hellions to say their goodbyes.
Sam was the first to step forward. "Ah just wanna say thanks," he said, looking at the group. "Ah know we didn't start off on the best terms, but y'all helped us more than Ah could've imagined."
"Yeah," Rahne chimed in. "It's hard to admit, but ye made a difference. Thank ye, truly."
The Hellions nodded, a mix of pride and discomfort on their faces. Manuel, of course, looked as smug as ever, but for once, he kept his mouth shut.
When Illyana stepped up, Inarius felt his chest tighten. She was dressed in her usual black and gold armor, her Soulsword strapped to her back, but her expression was softer than he'd ever seen.
"You," she said, pointing at him with a faint smirk.
"Me?" Inarius raised an eyebrow, though he felt heat rising in his cheeks.
"You're not bad with that sword of yours," she said, stepping closer. "Don't get too cocky, though. I could still take you down."
He chuckled. "I'm sure you could, Magik. But I'd put up a good fight."
To his surprise, she smiled—a real smile, not her usual sarcastic grin. Before he could say anything else, she closed the distance between them and hugged him.
Inarius froze, momentarily stunned, but then relaxed and awkwardly returned the hug. As she pulled back, she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.
"You're not so bad yourself, Inarius," she said softly, her blue eyes locking with his for a moment before she turned away.
Inarius stood there, flustered and uncharacteristically silent, as the rest of the New Mutants filed onto the jet. He quickly regained his composure, clearing his throat and pretending he hadn't just turned several shades of red.
Magneto gave Emma a final nod before boarding the jet himself. The engines roared to life, and within moments, the jet ascended into the sky, taking the New Mutants back to their home.
As the Hellions began to disperse, Emma approached Inarius. She studied him with a knowing look, a faint smile playing on her lips.
"Don't let it distract you," she said, her tone teasing but gentle.
He rolled his eyes but couldn't suppress a small smile. "I won't, Ms. Frost."
But as he walked back to the academy with the others, he couldn't help but reach up and touch his cheek, where Illyana's kiss had landed. For the first time in a while, he felt a strange warmth—a flicker of something he couldn't quite name.