Emma Frost is tired of trying to be good (ice_queen) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2013-08-31 08:13:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, emma frost (white queen), nathan summers (cable) |
Who: Emma and Nate Summers
What: chatting
When: Early afternoon
Where: their house
Rating: pg
Status: complete
Emma was thoroughly relaxed when she came back from her session with Elaine. Scott got his chance to relax the previous night, she felt it was only fair. She liked her method better, anyway. The smell of the oils Elaine used filled the van, and kept her at peace even with the weekend traffic. She was smiling when she trudged into the house. Scott wasn’t around, but Nate was. She went to look for him, a soft, relaxed smile on her face.
Nate was, as almost usual, in the kitchen, making something new. He hmmed as he worked, dancing above the ground as he smiled and mixed things. His feet moved as if on solid ground, some one foot in the air, and and he was enjoying just using his powers for fun as things moved around the room, the oven preheated, and music played.
When he felt her, he smiled to himself. “Hello, Mom.” The scent around her floated to him, familiar and calming, and he breathed deep. “Mmm, good session?”
She nodded and went to the fridge to grab a bottle of water. “It was amazing, as always. How have you been, stranger?” She smiled at him and took a seat at the table.
Nate smiled softly. “Keeping an eye on everyone from my little pie in the sky. Mostly good. Worried about you, dad, Cora, Neena, everyone, really.”
“Is there something going on with Cora and Neena?” Emma didn’t know of anything happening, but she didn’t expect Elaine to tell her everything.
“Cora is just having more trouble adapting, and Neena is being Neena, with some trouble adapting to being both settled down and pregnant.” He smiled faintly. “Both are dealing with just themselves, mostly. Domestic issues, and normal ones, or as normal as the OC gets.”
“I suppose that’s better than what they could be going through.” Emma noted with a sigh. “But you never really answered my question. That’s what you’ve been doing, but not how. Have you been consumed by worry for all your friends and family?”
Nate looked down. “Sometimes, and sometimes anger. And sometimes, helplessness and frustration. And sometimes, wishing I had less morals and more conviction. And sometimes… a blankness.” Nate sighed. “I just hate how much people I care about are being hurt.” He shook his head. “I understand why my dream self struck out and created X-Force, now. Sometimes, if you want to do things, you have to be an outlaw.”
Emma couldn’t help but stare for a moment. She got to her feet when her sense returned, and went to hug Nate. Her chest felt tight, she was still speechless. Where had the little boy she’d met a year ago gone? What cruel world could have taken his hope from him so quickly? It took everything she had not to cry.
Then Nate hugged her tight and kissed her cheek. “Hang in there, mom, I’m not dark and twisted, just frustrated.” He nodded and sighed. And hugged her more. “I’ll treat you to shakes tomorrow.” He wanted to give her something nice.
I can hear you. My hope isn’t gone. I just have to deal with people more now. Then he smiled softly. Ever seen a person react to being smiled at constantly, by everyone?
She squeezed him tighter, then let him go. “No,” she laughed, her voice still a little shaky. “I haven’t.”
Nate grinned at her and kissed her hair, hugging her. “It’s fun!” Then he nodded as he stood there. “It’ll be okay, mom.”
“I don’t like who we had to be in order to bring down a small portion of Cerebus. It’s left me a little shaken.” She sighed, hugging him one last time before she sat down. “I wish Scott had taken you along instead of me. It went well, but it was a big strain. I had to get through a lot of resistance to clear the casino.” Of course she hadn’t mentioned it to Scott. She didn’t want him to feel any worse about what had happened than he already did.
“I’m sorry. I will hopefully make things easier soon, talking to Dad.” He knew he had to, even if he felt like it should not be his job. Seriously. But he was willing. Because… dad.
“Love you, mom. And I hope things get easier for all of you.”
“I hope they get easier for you too, darling.” She motioned for him to sit down. “We haven’t talked in awhile. When do you start school?”
Nate sat astride a chair and opposite her. “September 4th. A few days late because of some shifting of records after my last age up. Music and Art, double major, and a minor in graphic design.” He bounced. “I’ll do that by day, four days a week, and work in the evenings, five days, and have the rest free.”
“You’re insane.” Emma said, her tone fond. She smiled softly at him. This was more like the Nate she loved. “You know Father would give you a less stressful shift if you had a need.”
“That’s the shift I like, you know? Evening shift, with the night winds blowing, and with friends like Mavis there.” He nodded. He liked Mavis, and even Vanille, who he didn’t know that well. “It works out best that way, and gives me time to try to find some space on Earth to start making a more earthbound home, one to eventually move out into. Not that I don’t love you guys, but, if I do ever get together with Cora, when she is of age, I want to have more to offer her than a space station and a room in my parents’ house.”
Emma laughed. “I suppose it would be best to have your own space. I know things haven’t been. . . ideal between you and Scott. Having your own space is important.” It made her sad to see how things were between them, but they were both such stubborn men and it was such a delicate subject.
“It’ll be okay. In the end, we’ll find a way to be family without the rest of it interfering. It just will probably need distance.”
He smiled at her and poked her.
Emma nodded and grabbed his hand to squeeze it. “You know you’ll always be welcome here. I haven’t been your mother for long, but I’m rather attached to you.”
Nate squeezed hers in return. “Thanks, and the same to you. I loved my other mom, but you’ve given me something she never did, someone who accepted all of me and who treats me like who I am, nothing more, nothing less.”
“I’m sorry for how things worked out, but I’m so glad to have you in my life.” She hoped their daughter would be half as smart and strong as him.
Nate kissed her cheek. Then he poked her. “I love you too, mom.”