The laughter was something he'd gotten used to. He trudged throuhg the hall, not drawing attention to himself in any way. He wished he were smaller, invisible. The last thing he wanted was to endure a bout of teasing. It would take time he didn't have. His father's study was always a kind of haven, and he slid quietly into the room, expression dead serious.
"Dad, I have to talk to you."
Scott was on the phone, and nodded, jotting on a notepad. 'Just a minute. Important call.' Darius nodded and sat, fidgetting. He hated waiting, and this seemed like the longest time he'd ever had to wait. He knew better than to interrupt, though. Anything he had to say was much less important than whatever the person on the phone with Scott had to say. Beside, knowing Scott, he already knew something was going on.
Despite his conditioning, Darius fidgeted the whole time, which was ten minutes, but felt like twelve hours. Finally Scott hung up, and looked at his son expectantly. “Well?”
“The Purifiers are planning an attack on Madison Square Garden during Dazzler’s reunion concert.” He blurted it all out quickly, glad to no longer be waiting. Scott looked at him, as though he expected there to be more. Finally the older man sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
“How did you get this information? I thought Christopher was our mole in their ranks. You’re assigned to Humans First, as I recall.” There was irritation in Scott’s voice, and Darius felt his heart sink like a stone.
“Sir, Chris gave me the information, since his telepathy doesn’t work on you or Mom.” Darius was the only one who was vulnerable to it.
Scott nodded. “Duly noted. Thank you Darius.” The man’s tone was dismissive. Darius nodded and stood meekly, leaving without further words. He crept through the hall, head hanging. He knew that Scott was busy, and that annoying distractions were pointless, but this felt important. It was a heavy blow to be reminded of how useless he was.
He passed Emma’s classroom on the way out of the institute, and this was the only time he sped up. He didn’t want her to see him. It always brought on a new barrage of criticism. He knew it was for the best, but it was so hard to listen, and when it came down to it, they both knew what Emma’s main complaint was: Darius just wasn’t special enough, and she had two worthwhile sons who deserved more of her attention.
She caught a glance of him out of the corner of her eye, and her lips pursed together. Stand up straight, for God’s sake. If you want people to take you seriously, act like you’ve got some pride.
Darius did as commanded, but his eyes remained glued to the floor. He skirted around the dorms, and went through the kitchen door, thankful no one else had stopped him. He slid into one of the cars in the garage and decided he needed a drink. If something happened and the X-men did have to fight, he wanted to be out of the way. Watching the people who should have been his peers doing things he had thought he’d be able to do for almost his whole life was bitter, even if he knew whining was unbecoming.
When he got to the coffee shop, he settled in with a book. It was a rather good one, and the hours passed peaceful and caffeinated. He even cheered up a little, and decided to go home before he got locked out. He smiled at the girl behind the counter, who rolled her eyes. Not bothered (he was used to it by now), he slid into his car and turned on the radio, to see what was going on.
The news was talking about an attack that had occurred during his coffee break. Dazzler was among the casualties, and the numbers were supposed to be around the hundreds. He swerved, and nearly hit someone, he was so surprised. How could that have happened? Surely the X-men should have taken care of that.
When he got home, the place was in disarray. Dr. McCoy greeted him at the door, and Darius could tell from his expression that it was bad. “Ah, Darius. Welcome home.” Henry launched into an explanation that Darius didn’t understand, and he felt lost. He nodded and smiled, and Henry stopped after a minute, sighing. “I forgot. You need to go to the Medical Bay immediately.”
That was easy enough for Darius to understand, and he bolted downstairs, slamming the door open. Chris was laying on a bed, pale. Scott was still missing, but Emma was at Chris’s side, crying. She turned when Darius entered, and then stood, furious. “You knew this was going to happen.”
Darius froze, confused. “I told Dad- This isn’t my fault.”
Emma shook her head, anger obvious in every motion. “How dare you blame this on Scott! You’re responsible for their deaths. Why didn’t you tell us what the Purifiers’ plan was? If we’d have known what was going on, we would have responded differently.”
Darius nodded, glumly. Emma made a noise that was a mixture between fury and grief. “Get out of here, Darius. I hope I never see or hear from you again.”
Darius nodded, leaving quietly. This was his fault. All his fault. How had he been so stupid?
"Dad, I have to talk to you."
Scott was on the phone, and nodded, jotting on a notepad. 'Just a minute. Important call.' Darius nodded and sat, fidgetting. He hated waiting, and this seemed like the longest time he'd ever had to wait. He knew better than to interrupt, though. Anything he had to say was much less important than whatever the person on the phone with Scott had to say. Beside, knowing Scott, he already knew something was going on.
Despite his conditioning, Darius fidgeted the whole time, which was ten minutes, but felt like twelve hours. Finally Scott hung up, and looked at his son expectantly. “Well?”
“The Purifiers are planning an attack on Madison Square Garden during Dazzler’s reunion concert.” He blurted it all out quickly, glad to no longer be waiting. Scott looked at him, as though he expected there to be more. Finally the older man sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
“How did you get this information? I thought Christopher was our mole in their ranks. You’re assigned to Humans First, as I recall.” There was irritation in Scott’s voice, and Darius felt his heart sink like a stone.
“Sir, Chris gave me the information, since his telepathy doesn’t work on you or Mom.” Darius was the only one who was vulnerable to it.
Scott nodded. “Duly noted. Thank you Darius.” The man’s tone was dismissive. Darius nodded and stood meekly, leaving without further words. He crept through the hall, head hanging. He knew that Scott was busy, and that annoying distractions were pointless, but this felt important. It was a heavy blow to be reminded of how useless he was.
He passed Emma’s classroom on the way out of the institute, and this was the only time he sped up. He didn’t want her to see him. It always brought on a new barrage of criticism. He knew it was for the best, but it was so hard to listen, and when it came down to it, they both knew what Emma’s main complaint was: Darius just wasn’t special enough, and she had two worthwhile sons who deserved more of her attention.
She caught a glance of him out of the corner of her eye, and her lips pursed together. Stand up straight, for God’s sake. If you want people to take you seriously, act like you’ve got some pride.
Darius did as commanded, but his eyes remained glued to the floor. He skirted around the dorms, and went through the kitchen door, thankful no one else had stopped him. He slid into one of the cars in the garage and decided he needed a drink. If something happened and the X-men did have to fight, he wanted to be out of the way. Watching the people who should have been his peers doing things he had thought he’d be able to do for almost his whole life was bitter, even if he knew whining was unbecoming.
When he got to the coffee shop, he settled in with a book. It was a rather good one, and the hours passed peaceful and caffeinated. He even cheered up a little, and decided to go home before he got locked out. He smiled at the girl behind the counter, who rolled her eyes. Not bothered (he was used to it by now), he slid into his car and turned on the radio, to see what was going on.
The news was talking about an attack that had occurred during his coffee break. Dazzler was among the casualties, and the numbers were supposed to be around the hundreds. He swerved, and nearly hit someone, he was so surprised. How could that have happened? Surely the X-men should have taken care of that.
When he got home, the place was in disarray. Dr. McCoy greeted him at the door, and Darius could tell from his expression that it was bad. “Ah, Darius. Welcome home.” Henry launched into an explanation that Darius didn’t understand, and he felt lost. He nodded and smiled, and Henry stopped after a minute, sighing. “I forgot. You need to go to the Medical Bay immediately.”
That was easy enough for Darius to understand, and he bolted downstairs, slamming the door open. Chris was laying on a bed, pale. Scott was still missing, but Emma was at Chris’s side, crying. She turned when Darius entered, and then stood, furious. “You knew this was going to happen.”
Darius froze, confused. “I told Dad- This isn’t my fault.”
Emma shook her head, anger obvious in every motion. “How dare you blame this on Scott! You’re responsible for their deaths. Why didn’t you tell us what the Purifiers’ plan was? If we’d have known what was going on, we would have responded differently.”
Darius nodded, glumly. Emma made a noise that was a mixture between fury and grief. “Get out of here, Darius. I hope I never see or hear from you again.”
Darius nodded, leaving quietly. This was his fault. All his fault. How had he been so stupid?
pissed off