First Steps

… Aidan Quinn

The apartment was quiet, lights dim. Outside, the city was wrapped in light rain and wet reflections on the windows.

I came in without ceremony.

Closed the door with my foot, tossed the keys on the counter, and dropped my wet jacket somewhere — probably on something Raven preferred to keep dry.

She was sitting on the couch, legs crossed. A blanket in her lap and her hair a mess.

And of course — judging me with her eyes.

"You're late", she said without looking away from the TV, which was playing some documentary about killer owls or something just as specific.

"And you're still awake. Coincidence?" I teased, walking straight to the couch.

She didn't answer. Which, coming from Raven, meant: do whatever you want, but I'll complain internally until I fall asleep.

So I did.

Flopped onto the couch with zero shame and… dropped my head right into her lap.

She didn't even fake surprise.

Just looked down at me with one raised brow and the weight of pure disappointment.

"You're way too big for this."

"Too late, Raven. You adopted me", I said, eyes closed, already relaxing. "This is mandatory affection now."

She sighed, but didn't push me off.

Which, from her, was basically a hug.

"If you drool on me, I'm smothering you with a pillow", she muttered, running a hand through my hair absentmindedly.

"No promises. It was… a long night."

She didn't ask, but made that little nasal sound — Raven's way of saying got it.

Then the Company device buzzed in my pocket.

I pulled it out with one hand, tapped the screen, and watched the message appear:

[You've captured Jean Grey (T8) – Marvel]

Credits Received: 120

"Huh… well, look at that. Jean's officially in the retinue", I said like I was reading a weather update.

"How romantic", she replied flatly. "Should we pop champagne?"

"Only if it's that cheap bottle we accidentally bought. Really sets the mood."

She turned back to the TV.

"You're building a harem."

"Harem's a bit strong. I prefer 'emotionally bonded spiritual collective with frequent physical benefits.'"

"Hm. So… a cult."

"If I start a religion, will you be my high priestess?"

She gently tugged on my hair.

"Only if I get to sacrifice you in the name of world peace."

I laughed, eyes still closed.

"Remind me to put that in my official bio: 'Sacrificed by Raven. Died as he lived: audacious.'"

We stayed like that for a while.

Not saying much. No tension.

Just the muted sound of the TV, distant rain tapping on the windows, and her slow, steady breathing as she let me take up space.

Jean was in — officially. Credits were piling up fast, and with them came new options.

But for now?

It was just Raven.

And the most uncomfortably comfortable lap in the world.

"Hey, Raven…" I mumbled, half-asleep. "If I vanish in the middle of the night… promise you'll at least hide my body right?"

"Only if I have time to bury it before the morning patrol", she replied, way too softly for the threat to be real.

I smiled again — and knocked out right there.

Of course I did.

Where else would be better?

...

I woke up to the sound of the coffee maker hissing and the smell of strong coffee filling the apartment.

My head was still resting on Raven's lap. She was now leaning forward with her phone in one hand and a mug in the other.

How could someone look that put-together this early in the morning? Probably the demon in her DNA.

"Time to get up", she said flatly, like she was announcing a funeral.

"I had a dream you said that too, but it was a lot more affectionate", I mumbled, stretching— right before a pillow smacked me in the face.

I got up, threw on whatever — black shirt, obviously — and twenty minutes later, we were back in the car.

Raven drove like she trained in war zones. Precise, fast, and completely uninterested in traffic laws.

We got to the Mansion before the sun had fully risen. The gates opened like they already knew she wasn't going to wait.

And just like that, we were there.

Walking side by side through the garden, still damp with morning dew — like two students who never really looked like students.

The breeze was light, and the Mansion was just starting to fill with voices, hurried footsteps, and some kind of chaos downstairs — probably Logan yelling at someone about coffee.

But on our side?

Quiet.

Until it wasn't.

"Aidan!" The voice came from somewhere in the garden — firm, clear, and absurdly familiar.

Jean.

She stepped out from around the greenhouse, hair loose and bouncing, wearing a top way too fitted to be called casual. And next to her…

Rogue.

Jacket open, face calm, but eyes locked in.

Raven looked at the two of them, then at me.

"I'm leaving before this turns into a Taylor Swift music video."

"Thanks for driving me and not dumping my body in the Hudson."

She gave a two-finger wave and headed into the Mansion.

I waited for impact.

Jean got to me first, stopping just close enough, flashing that smile that said we need to talk, but also I'm going to be cute until then.

"You disappeared", she said, arms crossing.

"I come back better when I vanish."

She rolled her eyes.

Rogue arrived next, stopped beside me, and gave a small shoulder bump.

"Sleep well, Sugah?"

She said it casually, like it was nothing.

Jean raised an eyebrow and smiled. That unspoken tension between them had apparently turned into… mutual awareness.

"Where'd you sleep?" Jean asked, all casual — but her eyes had that glint.

"On the couch with a very special pillow. Shaped like sarcasm. Smelled like Raven", I said with a theatrical sigh.

Rogue scoffed, but Jean smiled. The two of them seemed more focused on each other than on me.

"We were gonna invite you to morning training", Jean said. "Logan wants to test the reflexes of 'certain destabilizing elements' around the Mansion."

"He actually said that?"

"Exact words", Rogue added. "And he was smiling. Which is never good."

"I love being feared by Canadian werewolves", I muttered, stretching my arms like I was welcoming the new day. "Alright, ladies. Lead me to my punishment."

They flanked me, and the three of us walked inside together.

...

Second day in a row of "special training" with Rogue, right after surviving morning drills with Logan.

The dude really loved testing someone's reflex limits.

Rogue was back in front of me, sleeves rolled up, eyes half-lidded, standing in that "let's just get this over with" pose.

"Alright, gorgeous. Ready for another round of killer-mutation on/off?"

"You say that like I've got a hidden switch on the back of my neck", she replied with a small smirk. "And don't call me 'gorgeous' while you're depowering me— it sounds sketchy."

"I could call you 'Queen of the Genetic Apocalypse' if you'd rather."

"… Gorgeous is fine."

Kitty, sitting off in the corner, made a face like she was watching two adults play with a live outlet. Jubilee rolled her eyes, chewing her gum with way more aggression than necessary. Jean was levitating a metal bar, pretending she wasn't paying attention — but the gleam in her eyes said otherwise.

And Raven, of course… seated, legs crossed, staring like she was conducting a full NASA-grade evaluation in silence.

I reached out to Rogue. She grabbed my hand like she already knew exactly what was coming.

Her touch had never worked on me — and she'd tested it enough — in every way possible — to be sure. But it was kind of addicting, seeing that flicker of surprise fade from her eyes every time I touched her.

I activated All For One.

Her mutant power flowed into me with that familiar weird feeling — like dragging a soaked blanket through your mind.

"Power off."

She opened and closed her fists experimentally.

"I feel light. Like… 'eight hours of sleep and no fear of touch-induced homicide' light."

"That feeling has a name. It's called 'quality of life.'"

I returned her power, and the flow rushed back like an inhale.

"Power on."

She let out a deeper exhale.

"I can tell now. It used to all feel tangled. Now it's like… a rubber band behind my head. I can feel it stretch and release."

"Body metaphors? You're turning into a gene philosopher", I said, arms crossed.

Jean commented nearby, "Maybe because she's had room to stop being in constant defense mode."

Kitty shot her a "wow, that was deep" look. Jubilee just muttered, "Still weird. He takes your power, gives it back, and no one explodes?"

"Not yet", Rogue replied, eyes closed. "Which is a solid start."

I stepped back.

"Alright, your turn. No training wheels."

She took a deep breath.

Started working internally. Trying to feel that rubber band, like she described.

Jean stopped spinning the metal bar. Jubilee stopped chewing. Kitty leaned forward a little.

And then—

A flicker.

I saw it. Only with the Six Eyes, but it was there.

For a second, Rogue's power pulled back. A flicker of inactivity.

Then it returned.

She opened her eyes.

"Did I… do that?"

"Almost. You touched the switch. It just slipped out at the last second."

She slapped her thighs, excited.

"Damn! I was so close! I almost turned off my kill-gene by myself!"

"And it's only day two. Imagine day five", I grinned. "We'll have you flipping that thing on and off faster than a sketchy public bathroom light."

Kitty blinked.

"That was a weird image."

"It's what I've got today", I shrugged.

Rogue stepped up, placed her forehead against mine.

"Later, you're turning that fucking power off again. But just so I can sit on you with no one watching."

"What if everyone does watch?"

She smiled. "Sounds like your problem, Sugah."

She walked off and sat next to Kitty.

Jean floated to the ground with the grace of someone who definitely wasn't eavesdropping — but her smile said otherwise.

"Your method's weird."

"But it works."

"That's what makes it weirder."

Jubilee chewed again and said, "Are we training here, or are we in a live-action dating sim?"

Raven stood up.

"If it were a dating sim, there'd be options. And only one of us here has a real shot."

"Raven, please. No hard truths before 4 p.m.", I muttered, raising my hand.

"Call me when someone becomes an actual threat", she said as she walked out the door.

Jean looked at me, brow raised.

"Was that a compliment or a warning?"

"With her? Probably both."

I smiled, then looked at Rogue. Head tilted, eyes narrowed — like she was planning.

She'd felt it. Even if just for a second.

And that was all she needed.

Control.

Right at her fingertips.

With my help — or without it — she was getting there.

And i was loving watch every second of it.

...

Now, with a rare moment of peace — no mutants asking to train, no girls throwing glances my way, and not even Raven silently judging me — I decided to scroll through the Company's catalog.

After capturing Jean, plus the Defense rebates, my credits had gone up to a total of 209.

Here's the catch: Jean is listed in the catalog as Tier 8, without the Phoenix Force fragment. But the Jean I captured is Tier 6, as shown in my retinue.

What does that mean?

That the Company knows exactly what she could become.

And they paid me for it.

But the best part? I could finally afford the perk that's been sitting in the back of my mind since I realized the full scope of my job as a Contractor.

[Trajectory. Agreement.] — 200 credits.

What is it?

Nothing less than the final boss version of the perk I bought before — [I Want Out.] — now on steroids, with a jetpack and a red carpet to infinity.

Multiversal portals, unrestricted access to space and time. Travel between parallel universes, alternate timelines, mirrored Earths, even full-on multiverses… just by thinking about it.

Wanna go to Antarctica right now? Easy, just show me a picture. Wanna visit the world of Naruto, Bleach, One Piece, Evangelion, the entire DC Universe? Right there at your fingertips.

Ghost universes, collapsed realities, nightmare worlds, forgotten dimensional layers?

Also yes.

No cooldowns, no locks, no permission required.

I grabbed it, obviously.

Remaining balance: 9 credits.

Then came phase two of the plan: I sold back [I Want Out], which I never actually used. Resale value: 16 credits. Not bad for a perk that was just gathering dust.

Now I had unrestricted mobility… and some spare change for future dimensional snacks.

Next step? Planning a trip with my retinue.

Forget beach days in Genosha or bootcamp training in Krakoa.

I'm talking real interdimensional vacations.

Like a picnic on Namek. Picking up fruit that gives you weird powers or having a team of teen ninjas call me sensei.

Or taking Raven to see Gotham — from a safe distance. Maybe show Jean what her future would've looked like in a timeline where she doesn't blow up the planet.

Might even visit a world where Rogue was born without the mutant gene.

She'd probably ride me until my soul left my body for that.

Ping.

Agent H: Tonight. 10PM. Be free.

Oh? Hill dropped in?

Ah. That Hydra base they found, right?

Doubt there's anything useful in that nest of recycled Nazis, but it's a formal invite to punch bad guys.

No paperwork, no judgment.

How could I say no?

You: Just send me the location.

And with my shiny new multiverse perk freshly installed, I could go there and back before the pizza even got warm in the microwave.

Or, more importantly…

Be back in time to spend the night with Rogue like she asked.

With emphasis on how.

Ah, the joys of living as a Contractor…

Multiverse to explore. Villains to punch. Too many girls to manage.

But hey — someone's gotta handle the dirty and sexy work.

… Susan Storm

The break room in the Baxter Building was quiet that morning. An unusual kind of silence — rare, almost precious.

Sue sat on the couch, barefoot with her legs crossed on the cushion, a cup of tea cooling in her hands. Her eyes were locked on nothing — or maybe on everything swirling in her mind.

In front of her sat Jennifer — better known to the world as She-Hulk, but in moments like this, just "Jen" — taking up half the armchair with that relaxed attitude of someone about to throw truth bombs like she throws cars. Both of which she was very good at.

"So…" Jen started, stirring her own drink, "let's talk about your love life. Or more specifically— the complete lack of one."

Sue raised an eyebrow, not even turning her head.

"Seriously? That's the topic?"

"It's a valid topic", Jen shrugged. "You're always waiting. One eye on the lab, the other… on Reed."

She said his name gently — too gently to be honest.

"I'm not waiting for anyone", Sue replied with a sigh.

"Sue", Jen leaned forward, elbows on her knees. "That guy's spent the last two months more in love with a chain of genetic mutations than with the woman he's lived with for years."

"We're not together anymore", Sue said flatly.

"But you still act like you are", Jen shot back. "Like it's just a break. Like it's temporary."

Sue finally looked at her. The blue in her eyes carried the weight of someone who had already told herself that — too many times.

Jen softened.

"I get it, okay? I've been there. We wear these suits and suddenly start thinking we only exist when we're saving the world. That anything outside of that is a luxury. Feeling is a luxury. Loving is a luxury."

"You live in the middle of battles too", Sue tried to deflect.

Jen smirked with that calm, confident mischief she wore so well.

"Yeah— but I still make time for between-the-sheets battles too. You should try that sometime. You're amazing, Sue. Smart, strong, gorgeous… and still holding out hope that Reed Richards is gonna snap out of a quantum analysis long enough to remember there's a woman waiting for him?"

Silence.

Sue looked down.

Jen didn't back off.

"It's not wrong to wait. What's wrong is putting life on hold while you do. You deserve to be wanted, touched… at the very least, seen by someone who actually shows it."

Sue didn't answer right away. She just lifted the cup to her lips.

The tea was cold.

"And then there's the kid", Jen added, like she was tossing the comment out casually. "Aidan Quinn."

His name hung in the air like static.

Sue frowned slightly, but didn't deny the recognition.

"What about him?"

"Oh, nothing. Just that he flirts with you. Looks at you like he wants to devour and decode every inch of your DNA. And honestly? He may be younger… but he's quite a hunk."

Sue let out a quiet laugh, shaking her head.

"Jen…"

"I'm just saying! That smile, that body, that 'I-know-more-than-I'm-letting-on-but-I'll-let-you-find-out-slowly' vibe? And don't even get me started on those ridiculous eyes. You're not made of stone, Sue."

"He's… intense."

"Exactly. You need someone who reminds you what intensity feels like."

Sue turned her gaze back to the window. Clouds were piling up on the horizon, heavy. It wasn't raining yet, but the sky looked full of signs.

"I don't know if I'm ready for that."

Jen stood, stretching her arms overhead.

"No one ever is. But the world doesn't wait, Sue. And sometimes… what you need isn't someone who's in the same lab as you. It's someone who sees you as the priority— not a distraction."

She walked off, but tossed one last teasing glance over her shoulder.

"And if you do decide to do something about the kid… just give me a heads-up. Because if you don't go for him, I will."

Sue laughed a little — but deep down, something ached.

Not because Jen was right.

But because she already had been thinking about it.

And Aidan's gaze — sharp, direct, interested — had already crossed the line Reed stopped seeing a long time ago.