Thorn • Scott Summers

thirteen

"Why are we here?" Florence said, looking around skeptically. She walked towards the Sequoia she had made, looking towards the base of the satellite. "Are you throwing me off the satellite?"

"What is it with you and the satellite? It seems like you yearn for it." Erik said.

"I don't! I'm just making sure!" She defended. "Why are we so secluded?"

"No reason that concerns you, I just wanted a break from all the children."

"Thank God, me too."

"You are awfully irritable, aren't you?"

She shrugged.

"I've seen the exception, though."

Florence groaned and rolled her eyes. "Can we get on with whatever it is we're here to do?"

Erik laughed, crossing his arms. "Alright, as you wish. Charles did the whole 'rage and serenity' thing, right?"

She nodded. "Did he do it to you, too?"

Erik nodded as well. "In the moment, you don't know whether you should kill him or thank him for showing you the memory."

"Exactly! That's what I felt. You know, he said I remind him of you when you were younger."

"He's mentioned that to me as well. I think so as well."

"You do?"

Erik walked around, pausing. He spoke up, looking to the distance.

"You're angry at the world. Filled with rage and pain and fear. Wondering why your life played out the way it did, wondering why you are the way you are, why people treat you the way they do. You tell yourself human relations are toxic but you can't run from the connection you have with certain people."

Florence stared at him in disbelief. He turned around, his watery eyes meeting her own.

"You're confused." He paused. "I was confused."

She stammered to find the right words. The only thing she could say was, "Did Charles tell you all this?"

"No," he said, pausing for a moment. "I see my younger self in you. Maybe that's why I'm so patient with you, because I've not forgotten what those emotions feel like."

She stood in awe, staring at him. After he saw she wasn't going to say anything, he spoke again.

"Great minds think alike, Florence."

She sniffed in humor, looking down.

"Hank said I don't have to check in daily with him anymore. Since I've learned to use my mutation when I want to."

"That's good, but are you able to control it when you're angry?"

She shook her head.

"Good." She tilted her head. "It's better for battle that way. Although Charles insists I help you learn how to control it in the situation."

"Better for battle?"

He nodded, and Erik began walking forward. Florence followed and they stayed in silence for while.

"Do you know about Apocalypse?" He said abruptly, breaking their silence.

"Um, sort of. Hank kind of told me what happened, but none of the others ever talk about it. Seems heavy."

"It was. Did Hank tell you I was on his side?"

Florence turned her head to him quickly, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.