Future Seedling

"Hey, you okay?"

Emma's eyes opened a few minutes later. Her whole body was hot and sweating, a brief blazing fire shone across her blue eyes.

*RUMBLE!*

Ray, Jean and Annie felt it. It was like a breeze but stronger it pulled them up and down but not with enough strength. If they had paid more attention, they would have noticed the small rocks and pieces of dust levitating before falling back on the ground.

"T-That... hurt" She groaned and held her head; the first person she saw was Ray, who was holding her; next to him were a worried Jean and Annie. Emma noticed that her top was soaking and there was water nearby. 

"What happened?"

"You were pipping hot! We tried to give you some water to drink..." Jean said.

"... for drinking or bathing... I'm soaking!".

The blonde protested, and she noticed that her top, skirt, and hair were also wet.

"Emma, you were literally red because of how hot your body was... you were burning," Ray confirmed, "We were about to call an ambulance, but we didn't know if it had anything to do with your powers".

"I'm smoking hot, yeah?~" She held the back of his neck, veins almost popped up in Jean's forehead; Ray tilted his head a little, wondering why she stated the obvious. 

"Yeah, you're smoking-"

He sighed and let her go; she fell back on the ground hard.

"You're not a gentleman!".

"If you can make jokes, that means you're okay".

...

Emma recovered soon after, with more questions than answers but recalling the words of the bird, 'You can't tell Ray and Jean about me'.

"What happened to you? Was I the cause?".

"I just had a minor mishap. That's all".

The four sat on the ground; during the time she was unconscious, Annie went to some corner shop to get water, juices and some ice cream on request.

"Here, we got some ice cream to cool yourself" They all had an icedloli. It was already five o'clock afternoon. Jean and Emma stared at each other awkwardly.

"Don't look at me like that! I didn't do anything to you!" Jean insisted.

"I know. Stop screaming, please. I still have some migraine" Emma groaned and held the right side of her head, the fact that she was asking so politely instead of being downright insulative, that told them the seriousness of the matter.

"What happened exactly?" Ray asked her.

Emma thought for a second what bullshit she could come up with to explain.

"Because we are both telepaths, the moment I entered her mindscape, there was a psionic clash between her and me. That's why I passed out and had an adverse reaction" she groaned, already feeling it coming.

"You passed out, and I didn't? Doesn't that mean I'm stronger than you!?"

Victory was all over her face. Jean boasted to the skies that she had knocked her out without even trying. 

"You see, Ray? I'm stronger than her! You don't need this weakling!"

"No! It is not like that, Ray. I just toned it down to not injure her mind and ended up unconscious as a result!" She explained herself and lounged, pinning Jean down on the ground again, "Don't get so arrogant for no reason!".

"Yeah, bullshit. I'm stronger than you!" Jean pressed her ice lolly against Emma's nipple, staining her top. The blonde gasped, blushed and stared at Ray once before going totally berserk.

"Come here, bitch! I'll clean the floor with you again!" 

"Then I'll knock you out again!"

...

The wrestling started again; Ray and Annie watched them while enjoying their ice cream.

"I wonder why they fight like that. It is like they're fighting for a man~" She giggled and gave Ray a sidelong glance; it was evident.

"You think so?"

"I do, don't you?".

"I think when two ladies are astounding, beautiful and eye-catching, they naturally try to outshine each other. They're both gorgeous, so that must be the reason".

Jean and Emma froze for a second before continuing, redder than before. Annie sighed in defeat; he would forever ignore people's feelings.

"I'm surprised that you haven't joined in, Annie. You're just as gorgeous."

"A-Ah? M-Maybe I can achieve what I want without fighting." She smiled, licking her lolly rather seductively. 

"And what is that?"

Her countenance changed for a second; she approached and sat beside him.

"Don't play a fool with me. I'm not them, you know what I want".

Ray laughed, his eyes shining coldly as he watched the wrestling redhead and blonde.

"You're no fun".

"Is it fun for you to watch two girls fight for you?" She took her saliva-soaked lolly and drifted it along the edge of his arm

"I don't know. At the very least, it doesn't make me feel empty".

"..." Annie stared at Ray, who didn't say a word after that, but she felt a subtle feeling of desolateness, or at least, that's what she felt.

**

** 

After a lot of bickering, those two finally sat down in front of each other, grasped the other one's hand... and started doing some weird ritual in which they both levitated out of the floor with their eyes closed.

After that point, Annie and I felt a bit like outsiders. I originally called Emma to train Jean, and I imagined it would be something like this, but I didn't count on Annie being there with us either. 

"Should we go? Who knows how long that will take?" I told her.

"But what about them? Is it okay for us to leave like this unannounced?"

"I'm sure Emma can drop off Jean once they finish; don't worry about them. Trust me, this will take some time".

"Ray, these two have been fighting all day..." Annie didn't feel confident; I don't blame her.

"They may look irresponsible, but they're both good girls; I trust them".

She sighed, hooked her arms with mine, and we both departed the Bronx. I took the chance to call Veronica and see how things were going.

"Is everything okay on your side, Veronica?".

"Nothing suspicious so far. Thanks for worrying... w-where are you?"

"Huh, I'm hanging out with a classmate; I should be home in about two hours or so. I may do some groceries before coming back." She usually doesn't care about what I'm doing, but since she asked, she's trying to change... I won't be impertinent. 

"If you do, could you get me some acetone? That way, I won't have to stop by the pharmacy and can drive straight home. Thank you!"

"Alright, I'll get it sorted. Talk to you later" I hung up, and she sounded happy. 

"Who was that... Veronica?" Annie frowned, as if trying to recall if there was any beautiful upper or underclassman named Veronica in our school. My reputation is ruined.

"That's my mother".

"You call her by name?" She stuttered, couldn't conceive such a thing.

"It is complicated. We don't get along, but we're trying to change that."

"Hope it gets better~".

Annie was a sweet girl. I decided to take her to a restaurant first since it was already afternoon, and we had no chance to get anything for lunch. Also, we're a bit far from Brooklyn; it would take long, even in Emma's Ferrari. So it was better to have a meal before going underground.

"You didn't have to..."

"Of course, I had to; I can't let you go back home hungry; what would your dad think of me then?".

We stopped by a Chinese restaurant at her request; it seems that's the food she likes the most. We ordered and waited. 

"How does it feel to be a mutant?" She asked me in a lower tone. We chose to sit upstairs where it was empty, but you never know. 

"It feels wonderful. Like a lot of possibilities open up to you. Good ones and bad ones, too," I emphasized, leaning forward, and so did she. 

"Which one do you feel most compelled to take?".

"The bad ones have more potential, to be honest," I was honest, she fidgeted.

"My mom always told me that there were good mutants out there, but they were very scarce; most were evil".

"Your mother is being very biased".

"But mutants tend to become criminals", She pressed.

"Mutants tend to take advantage of their powers. In a world where your existence is denied and stepped on if you're a mutant, the only way forward is to become a criminal. If I can't find a job where I can use my mutant skills to make a living. What other option do I have? Wouldn't you agree?".

"Is there not an option where you never use your powers and live a normal life?".

"If you're hungry and have nothing to put on the table for you and your family during the cold evening. Can you still live a normal life, choosing not to use your powers?".

"..."

The more we argued, the more her fist clenched in resignation.

"You're right. I feel like I'm still too immature for this topic; I don't know why I raised it, hehe~"

"Because you feel concerned? Are you concerned about something?"

"I'm concerned for you and Jean. Now that I know that you're both mutants, I wonder what I can do to help you... not go down that path".

'It may be too late for me already'.

"We're still kids, Annie. Kids make decisions as they go, and they make mistakes too. It is too early for us to have this conversation. Instead, we should be having another conversation".

"What conversation?"

"The one in which you tell me why you rub your butt against my crotch in the car".

!!!

She gasped, perhaps not expecting me to raise the topic so brazenly. But if she can seduce me so brazenly, why can't I raise the topic? I haven't stopped anyone's advances, and I have done so consciously. 

"That was quite bold of you, to be honest. I have you as someone assertive, but I didn't think you'd be that assertive".

"If I don't pull out the guns, won't I lose? Mom always said you must work hard for what you want".

I smiled, and the waiter brought us our juice and meal. 

"I think you're a very nice girl, Annie. That's why I'll tell you now. I feel attracted to both of them" I wanted to come clean with her before she got into something that she didn't want to.

With Emma and Jean, it is different. I want the two of them, not only romantically... but also because I want them by my side. I want their powers. 

I want them as my allies. But things become complex once feelings have risen and become equation variables. 

I can't stop Jean or Emma's advances because doing so would mean that I have chosen the other, and it would push the other away. 

'How can I keep them both?' I have been wondering, and sadly, I'm not a telepath to know what they're thinking. But just going by the way, they have been fighting all day, which tells me there is absolutely no way they can coexist for my sake.

Or at least that's how it would be. But it is women we're talking about. So I will leave them alone for some time to see what happens. What happens between them when I'm not in the picture? 

In Annie's case, I don't have those inhibitions. She's a nice girl, but that was it. She had nothing to offer to me except her innocent, noble heart. Until today. 

I must research this SHIELD organisation and General Candace Phillips, whom even Emma seems cautious about. 

We had our meal a bit awkwardly, as Annie seemed to be deep in thought as she ate. 

"You have feelings for them".

"Uhm?"

"You have feelings for them, but you're not going out with them".

"That's true".

"Why? Why not just choose?" Annie frowned, "Are you playing with them? Are you that type of guy?"

"I'm not. It's because I can't choose right now... I'm not in that position." I answered. 

"Then what's stopping me? What's stopping me from trying to win you, Ray?"

"Nothing, really... I don't know what you all see in me. I'm just some guy with a below-average power," I laughed.

"You, Ray Stark, don't know what is it that makes you so splendid. But I think that matters little. I think you're a wonderful person, and you saved my life... I'll never forget it~" Annie giggled and pointed her fork at me with rolled-up sweet and sour noodles, a big piece of chicken at the end. 

I munched it and smirked.

"You won't give up?".

"I won't give up, no matter what... and I'll let Jean know that I'm serious too" Her gaze was serious. 

I pulled out my seat a bit and patted my lap, "Come here then".

!!! 

She blushed marginally, watching me as if asking me if I was for real... I didn't nod or shake my head, letting it all up to her. 

Annie walked around the table and sat on my lap, hugging the back of my neck. It was only the two of us on the second floor anyway.

"I like this quite a bit~," She said. 

I rolled some noodles and presented them to her.

"Ah~ uhm~ it tastes better now"

"Glad that you like it".

I fed her, and she fed me, like a couple, until we finished the meal. She was blusing marginally, heart fluttering I imagine. And I, too... felt happy. 

"What do you want to be in the future, Annie?"

"Like... after graduating? If I'm going to college?"

"Yeah, what's your plan?"

"I want to join the Air Force and follow in my mom's footsteps. My father always tries to convince me to work in an office, but I don't want to; I want to be like my mom."

"Work hard to achieve that, then... I'll have your back".

She put both hands on my shoulders, "Really?".

"Yeah, I'll do everything I can to make it happen. So work hard in getting into SHIELD".

"Thank you," She embraced me hard.

I guess I must be the only person around her who encourages her to follow this path. A woman in the army never has it easy. 

"What about you, Ray? What do you want to be when you grow up?"

"Me? An engineer, businessman, I guess... I never thought about it deeply," I answered neutrally; those would be just side trades in the end. 

"Then, if you have my back, I'll have your back too, Mr Millionaire Businessman~" 

She joked around, unaware that I was already a millionaire. I'll see how far she can go and how much I can support her. Well, I imagine an insider in SHIELD will also be useful in the future.