Chapter 121 – Home

[2009 – September]

Feeling Jean's slender fingers brush through my hair while listening to her quiet heartbeat, the warmth of her soft skin seeping into my palm through her abdomen, I felt a rare kind of inner peace that even my small epiphany a few days ago couldn't compare to.

Simply being with her like this while her melodious voice rang softly in my ears as she read line after line, I felt grounded and at ease, as if nothing else mattered but the two of us at this moment.

I had sensed Jean's unease and delicate state but it wasn't just her that needed me, I needed her just as much as she gave me a place to just be me.

Here, I wasn't a powerful mutant that was targeted by god-knows-how-many organizations, nor was I the brother of the White Queen of the Hellfire Club or even a member of the Frost family, for that matter. At this moment, I didn't have to think about all the threats outside and those malicious people who were vying for a piece of this world.

For her, I was just Elijah and the only thing I needed to know at this moment was that she loved me, which she did. It was freeing in an entirely different way than the freedom I was chasing after, which made it incredibly precious in its own way.

I didn't know when but it was probably around an hour and a half later when she stopped reading and set the book aside with her telekinesis. She didn't say anything though as she just continued her ministrations.

Her soft hands continued to comb through my hair, her delicate fingers tracing over the skin of my neck and diving into my shirt as she drew fine lines over the muscles on my shoulders and upper back.

She was so careful and attentive with her caresses, her love shining through in every one of her movements as we lay there in intimate silence, the soft leather cushions accommodating our entangled bodies.

I hadn't known this kind of tranquil intimacy in my last life, this kind of love that told me that we just belonged to each other, our souls just matching pieces of a puzzle.

And while there were many uncertainties about this life that I had yet to figure out, I started to realize that I would never be able to share this kind of bond with someone else. I still felt drawn toward Laura, and I cared about her deeply, but this kind of love was simply unique and irreplaceable.

Closing my eyes for the moment, I didn't even notice it as I fell asleep at Jean's side.

…

Slowly coming to myself, I raised my head from the warm and soft chest that I had used as a pillow.

"Finally awake, sleepyhead?", Jean whispered softly as she smiled up at me lovingly, her fiery hair draped around her as she rested her head on the leather cushion beneath.

She looked hauntingly beautiful with her shining green eyes and her pert little nose while wearing one of my dark-blue hoodies, the oversized sweater making her seem smaller and even more adorable.

Resting on my elbow, I couldn't withstand the temptation as I leaned down to leave a kiss on top of her little nose, which caused her smile to widen as she let out a small bell-like laugh, her hands coming to rest on my cheeks.

From the corner of my eye, I noticed a book land on the coffee table and understood that Jean must have been reading another book while I had been sleeping.

Wrapping my other arm around her waist, I lifted her up as I turned us around, my back sinking into the soft cushions while Jean came to rest atop my body, her soft curves and meager weight feeling just right when pressed against my chiseled form.

She didn't say anything, much less protest, while or after I moved us. Resting her head atop her arms on my chest, she just looked at me with a smile before leaning up and pressing her lips against mine for a soft kiss.

"How long was I asleep?", I asked quietly after we broke our kiss, my hand coming to cradle Jean's cheek while brushing back a few strands of her fiery hair.

"Just an hour.", she said softly, her head resting in the crook of her arm as she looked up at me with a smile, the fingers of her other hand brushing over my jaw and neck gently.

I looked into her beautiful eyes, my hand tracing her side as I suggested quietly: "How about taking a walk through the city, get some fresh air?"

"Okay.", she replied with a whisper but didn't move as she just kept looking at me with her lovely eyes.

Smiling lightly, I held her by the waist, my hands moving lower as I stood up and just carried her with me to our bedroom, earning a smile from Jean as she buried her head in the crook of my neck, inhaling my scent while leaving behind a small kiss and a teasing bite before I set her down in front of our closet so that we could change.

We both practically just switched our sweatpants for something else, which in my case was a pair of blue jeans while Jean put on a pair of black yoga pants and some thick socks.

I took this chance to use my Farsight for a moment to check up on Peter, something I had done since yesterday to keep track of his development. I wasn't so much interested in what he was up to as I was in knowing the rough timeline of the events surrounding him.

I had seen Peter find his father's leather briefcase yesterday after school and knew that he had sneaked into OSCORP a few hours ago as an intern. Though a quick glance told me that he wasn't home yet and neither was he at OSCORP anymore, which probably meant that he was on his way home after having been bitten by one of the spiders.

Deciding to not think about this anymore, I turned back to Jean and watched her finish dressing up while I did the same.

Grabbing a light-blue denim jacket and styling her hair in a loose braid, Jean was ready for our walk after putting on some red sneakers, still wearing the dark-blue hoodie of mine that just managed to reach below her perky backside. I, on the other hand, was wearing a dark-green hoodie with my blue jeans and a black jacket.

Taking Jean's hand into mine, upon which she directly grabbed onto my forearm with her other hand while pressing herself against my side, I brought us to a secluded alley somewhere in New York City.

We spent the next one and a half hours just strolling down the streets as she told me about the book she had been reading.

It was some science-fiction/romance mix about a young man who lived in a society where everybody's lives had been planned out from the moment of their birth, including their mates.

The main character's mate had apparently faked her death at the beginning of the book to escape this premeditated fate, though she had left clues behind for him so that he could join her in life outside the system if he was brave enough to follow those clues.

The book's name was Crom, and I was very intrigued by the plot, while Jean complimented that it was well-written even though she feared the ending wouldn't be as good as she hoped it would be.

Naturally, we talked about other things as well, including my music and her studies, while walking aimlessly through the lively streets of this big city.

I knew that doing something so simple was still a novel experience for Jean, as her telepathy had not allowed her to be this carefree before. Even school had been more akin to torture for her before than the normal everyday experience that it should have been, not to mention walking down the streets of one of the most densely populated cities in this country.

There was this childish joy in her eyes the entire time while we made our way through the concrete jungle while talking about whatever came to our minds.

"Look, there.", Jean nudged me softly at some point, looking in the direction of a small cramped Chinese restaurant that didn't look too inviting, "Yukio and Ellie told me about this place. It's supposed to have great food even though it looks a bit run-down."

"Do you want to try it?", I asked her, seeing the eager look in her beautiful green eyes.

A smile drawing the corners of her lips upwards, Jean nodded as she quickly pulled me towards the little restaurant, clearly excited to try something new: "Let's order something and take it home for dinner."

I had nothing against that as I was not particularly picky about food. And in the worst-case scenario that it proved to be unpalatable, I could always tease Yukio and Ellie for their lousy recommendation, so it was a win-win situation either way.

Still, the moment Jean said the words 'take it home', I could feel my heartbeat sped up momentarily.

Home.

I couldn't help but turn my eyes to Jean who was by my side, a soft glow awakening inside them. Sensing my gaze, Jean too turned to face me, smiling beautifully as she met my eyes.

Stopping for a moment, she tiptoed while leaning against my chest, leaving a soft kiss on my lips before she stepped back again, her eyes shining with tenderness.

"Come.", she said softly, pulling me along with a loving smile. Home.