I'm just Jubilee

Jubilee couldn't stop giggling, her exhaustion momentarily forgotten as she leaned on a boulder for support. "Aron, I gotta say, for someone who talks about focus and control, you sure know how to lose it!" She doubled over, laughing again. "Your hair, though! Gone. Poof! That was priceless."

I groaned, pinching the bridge of my nose. Thanks to my healing factor and Phoenix, my hair came back, but she won't let this one go. "Jubilee, let's just move on, okay? You wanted to see your potential. You saw it. End of story."

"Oh no, this isn't the end of the story. This is going in the official records. I'm calling it 'The Naked Jellyfish Incident,'" she teased, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes.

I shot her a mock glare. "Careful, Jubilee. I still have control over your training schedule, and I can make it ten times harder."

"Yeah, yeah," she waved me off, a playful smirk still lingering. "What's next, oh great coach? Another dimension? Maybe you'll summon a black hole this time?"

"Funny," I said dryly. "Next, we focus on refining your control. You've unleashed your raw power, but now it's about precision. No point blowing up a mountain if you can't aim at a moving target."

Jubilee straightened, her expression shifting to something more serious. "Okay, fine. I get it. But... thanks. For real. I know I joke a lot, but you're right. I've been holding back for so long, I didn't think I had it in me. You're helping me see what I can actually do."

Her sincerity caught me off guard for a moment, but I shrugged it off. "Don't get all mushy on me now, Jubilee. Just focus on improving. That's all the thanks I need."

"Pfft, sure. Just admit you like hearing it," she quipped, but there was a warmth in her tone.

The night stretched on as we worked on smaller, controlled bursts of energy. I set up a series of moving targets. A mix of holograms and physical objects. I told Jubilee to hit them with proper control. The first few attempts were rough; her blasts either missed entirely or obliterated everything in sight.

"You're overthinking again," I said, dodging an errant plasma bolt. "Feel the energy flow, but don't let it scatter. Direct it like you're pointing a laser."

"Yeah, yeah, laser. Got it," she muttered, her brows furrowed in concentration. 'As if I can concentrate after seeing that hot bod.' She extended her hand, the energy gathering more tightly this time. She fired, and the bolt zipped through the air, hitting a holographic drone dead center. It exploded in a satisfying burst.

"Bulls-eye!" she shouted, punching the air.

"Better," I said, nodding. "Now do it ten more times without missing."

"Slave driver," she grumbled, but she was smiling as she reset her stance.

The next morning, the exhaustion finally caught up with her. Jubilee sprawled out on the cracked ground, her arms and legs splayed like a starfish. "I'm dead," she declared. "You've officially killed me."

"Good," I replied, sitting on a rock nearby. "That means you're working hard."

"Hard? I feel like my soul left my body three hours ago," she said, groaning. "Can't we take a break? Eat something? Sleep for a week?"

I chuckled, tossing her a water bottle. "Fine. Rest for now. But don't get too comfortable. We're just getting started."

She groaned again but managed a small smile. "You're insane, Aron. But thanks. I think I'm actually starting to believe I can do this."

"That's the idea," I said, leaning back to watch the sunrise. "And trust me, Jubilee... this is just the beginning."

The silence of the cracked, barren land stretched around us as Jubilee lay sprawled on the ground, exhausted. I sat a few feet away, sipping water, observing her. Her powers were improving, no doubt about it. But her focus still wavered too much. And right now? Her mind was drifting again.

She kept sneaking glances at me... You know, quick and almost imperceptible, but I caught them every time. Her expression was unreadable, at least to anyone who wasn't me. I knew better. I always knew better.

Her thoughts were an open book, no matter how tightly she tried to shut it. Why's she even thinking about that right now? I tilted my head, tuning in just enough to catch a thread. And when I did, it almost made me choke on my water.

Muscles? My ass? Seriously, Jubilee? Her thoughts were running wild, and they weren't about improving her energy control, that's for sure.

'I bet Kitty gets to have all the fun,' she was thinking. 'She's probably jumping his bones every night, lucky girl. Ugh, that ass though… why is it so perfect? Damn it, Jubilee, stop! Focus! But seriously, how is it fair that Kitty's the one dating him when...'

I rolled my eyes and casually got up, brushing dust off my pants. She didn't even notice. She was too busy drooling.

I walked over, letting her stew in her increasingly absurd fantasies until I was standing directly above her. "Hey," I said, voice flat.

"Huh?" she blinked up at me, startled.

I reached out and flicked her lightly on the forehead. "Focus, Jubilee. I can feel your thoughts bouncing around in every direction except where they're supposed to be. And frankly, if you're gonna fantasize about me, at least wait until I'm not standing right here."

Her face went from exhausted to horrified in a second. "Wha—WHAT?!" she squeaked, scrambling to sit up, her cheeks blazing crimson. "I wasn't! I mean... I didn't...!"

"Yeah, yeah," I cut her off, smirking. "Save it. You were staring at me like I was a dessert platter at an all-you-can-eat buffet. Subtlety isn't your strong suit, Jubilee."

She buried her face in her hands, groaning. "Oh my God, just kill me now. Please. Just... vaporize me."

"Tempting," I said, crouching down to her level. "But no. You're too valuable and good-looking. Besides, Kitty would kill me if I turned you into a pile of ash."

That only made her groan louder. "Don't bring her up! This is humiliating enough already." She peeked at me through her fingers, her voice quieter now. "You didn't hear... all of it, did you?"

I raised an eyebrow. "You mean the part where you were jealously imagining Kitty and me doing things together? Or the part where you were ogling my ass?"

Her hands shot up in surrender, her voice a strangled squeak. "Okay, I get it! I'm a terrible person. Just... shut up about it, okay?"

I leaned back on my heels, enjoying the show as Jubilee tried and failed to keep her composure. Her cheeks were practically glowing now, a shade of red I hadn't even known was possible.

I tilted my head, letting a slow grin spread across my face. "Relax, Jubes. I'm just messing with you... mostly." My voice dropped a notch, teasing but smooth enough to make her squirm. "But, for what it's worth, I'm flattered. I didn't know I had such a devoted admirer."

She groaned, burying her face in her hands again. "Why are you like this? I just want to crawl under a rock and die."

I chuckled, reaching out to gently nudge her shoulder. "Hey now, no hiding. You're too cute when you're embarrassed."

Her hands dropped, and she blinked up at me, wide-eyed. "C-cute? Me? You're joking, right?"

I shook my head, my grin softening into something more sincere. "Not joking. You've got this fire about you, Jubilee... this energy. It's not just in your powers; it's in everything you do. And yeah, it's... kinda irresistible."

She blinked again, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. "I... uh... you..." she stammered, her voice cracking. "Are you... flirting with me?"

"Maybe," I said, leaning in just a little, enough to watch her face light up like one of her plasmoids. "Or maybe I'm just being honest for once."

Her expression shifted, a mix of confusion, nervousness, and... hope? "But... what about Kitty? And Jean? Aren't you, like, with them? You are with Jean, right?"

I tilted my head, considering my words carefully. "I am," I admitted. "But it's not as simple as you think. Kitty, Jean, and I... we've got an understanding. We all love each other, so we decided not to hold back. Everyone's on the same page, and no one's left out."

Her jaw dropped. "You got a harem?! Are you serious? That's a thing you guys just... do?"

I shrugged, a little sheepish. "It works for us. And, to be honest... I'd like to see if it could work with you too."

Jubilee stared at me, utterly dumbfounded. "Me? But... why? I mean, you've got Kitty and Jean. They're amazing! And I'm just..."

"You're Jubilee," I interrupted, my voice firm but warm. "You're strong, stubborn, and way more powerful than you give yourself credit for. You're funny, passionate, and yeah... you've got this way of making things brighter just by being around. Why wouldn't I want you in my life?"

Her lips parted, but no sound came out. She looked at me like I'd just handed her the moon on a silver platter, her emotions flickering across her face like a kaleidoscope.

"I... I don't know what to say," she finally whispered.

"Then don't say anything," I replied, leaning in closer. "Just think about it. No pressure. No rush. But I'm serious, Jubilee. I want you—every fiery, stubborn, amazing part of you."

Her cheeks flushed again, and she let out a shaky laugh. "You're... something else, Aron. You know that?"

"I've been told. And no need to hurry and decide. Take your time, maybe talk to Jean and Kitty," I said with a wink, standing and offering her a hand. "Now, how about we take a break before I embarrass you to death? Food and rest sound good?"

"Ok. Alright." She hesitated, then reached up to take my hand, her grip surprisingly firm. "Yeah," she said softly, a small, almost shy smile curving her lips. "That sounds good."

**[POWERSTONES & Reviews]***

If you like my work, you can support me on:-

www.patr eon.com/UnknownMaster

[15 advance chapters] [No double billing] 

---