Wounds in time

Posted on Thu Dec 15th, 2022 @ 21:15 by Phoebe Hunter & Robert Closeley

Chapter: Days of Future Past
Location: London
Timeline: 1988
1740 words - 3.5 OF Standard Post Measure

Robert leaned back, the wood of the rattan chair creaking under his movement. It was to be a rare sunny day on the British Isles, "you know everything I'd say, everything I'd consider saying out loud." He folded his arms across his chest and let out a long breath through his nose. "You can disagree with them all you want, at least the IRA are willing to fight for what they believe in."

Phoebe rolled her eyes as she looked up from the book she was lying on the floor looking at. “Many people are willing to fight for what they believe in but they do not believe in blowing up things that do not quite align 100%” Phoebe responded as if it was something completely normal that was discussed every day.

"I know you sometimes wished you could blow up something you don't agree with." He took in a deep breath, he could almost taste the potential of her mutant powers on his tongue. He pushed back a bit further on the chair and the front two legs lifted slightly off the floor. The times they had indulged in both their powers and raced through a hundred different potential timelines at the same time. He knew he was going to miss it. "I'm thinking of taking a more active role in mutant rights."

The woman rolled onto her back and stared up at him for a moment. There was a huge difference between wishing and doing, it was a huge difference in her mind. “Is this before or after you fall and crack your head open?” She demanded as the chair lurched backwards and Phoebe leant out grabbing the leg of the chair to stop the event that was about to happen and the blood that would ruin the top he wore.

"Potentially." Robert leaned forward again as she pulled the chair back into its normal position. He cupped her face with his hand, "what would I do without you, my little Oracle." He planted a kiss on her forehead, right between the eyes where according to folklore the third eye of future peering individuals was located. He had met a mutant with an actual third eye once, but it was on the back of their head. Very different experience. "I need you with me."

“Well right this moment you would be muttering more swear words than the end of a night out without me but I'm sure you would have a lot more trouble in your life.” She murmured as he cupped her face and kept her close. “Me? Or my abilities?” She wondered having started to think recently that he was only biding his time.

He shook his head at her, "our abilities are an extremely important part of who we are. Don't you understand? It makes us different." He had wanted to say better, but he knew she wasn't ready for that type of rhetoric. "I need you. All of you."

“Robert we’ve been fooling around for two years. I am fully aware of how my abilities make me unique and an asset to anyone.” It was why she had been so unwilling to risk a relationship with anyone.

"Asset? You sound like one of those government spooks." He slid down from his sit to come to his knees next to her on the floor. "You're not an asset. You're a beautiful woman. A person with unique abilities." He kissed her, the connection almost automatically leeching some of her abilities into himself. The familiar sensation of the flows of time, and the endless possibilities of this conversation, washed around him. "There are people like you and me out there. People that need purpose in their lives." What he meant to say was leadership, direction, from a strong guide. Someone like him. All of this he didn't say, he barely dare think it lest some potential future revealed itself to them where he did. "You and me. Together. We can help so many of them."

“I would make a terrible spook.” Phoebe lied. She already knew every possible continuity that she ended up as an MI13 agent, it was just a matter of when not if. The kiss was teasing and tempting to so much promise if she allowed herself to full. “We could but that would bring you and l out in the spotlight and I thought you wanted to keep me a secret?” She wondered pulling him forward so he was lying on the floor with her.

"You're too good to keep secret." Robert wrapped his arms around her. "We could be together. We could be the biggest names in mutant rights. We could really change things." He held her close and made sure that his powers were doing their thing.

Phoebe closed her eyes as she felt the familiar electrical current that signified he was using his abilities on her. “One day you are going to do that and not like what you see.” She whispered. “Then why have we been playing this game for two years if we are meant to be that?” She asked turning on her side to look at him. She had noticed subtle changes in her boyfriend recently but was too scared to look into where it was leading.

"Things... evolve." He smiled at his own choice of words. "What we couldn't be two years ago is what we need to be now." He held on to her hands and squeezed them slightly. "We need to seize our destiny, and shape it as we see fit." It was something that was a hell of a lot easier to manifest with powers that allowed you to see the potential results of your actions.

Phoebe said nothing for a long moment just stared at him trying to work him out without resorting to her powers to see what was happening. "Lot of talk for someone who nearly just cracked their head open." She finally decided on her words.

Robert smirked and kissed her again, "I did say I need you."

"You did but something has changed in you... in us recently." She finally broached the subject with him deciding to open the floodgate of what would be would be.

"Have you not been following the news?" He pointed out the window, to no place in particular. "The USSR is crumbling, the stories coming from beyond the iron curtain." He had to bite his tongue not to fly off into a rant. "The way our people are treated, it's... not right." He wanted to draw similarities with world war two but knew he wouldn't be getting away with it in front of her. "And we're just sitting idly by, hoping that someone else will see the light and fix it for us." He shook his head, "I grow weary of sitting around."

"I watch the news. We watch it over breakfast together so I see it the same as you." The woman said running her hands along his shoulders in a soothing gesture. "It is not right but... So how do you plan to change it hmm?" She asked the more logical question trying to tame the passion she could feel brewing.

"We need to find people that are like-minded. They're trying to divide us, but we need to stand united against them. Show them we're a force to be reckoned with. A people they can't ignore." Robert knew in his heart that he was losing her, that if he went down this path he would go down it alone. She wouldn't be swayed. He didn't need her pre-cog skills to know that.

"This is madness, Robert. You are talking about us vs them and that is the type of thing that creates wars and death. They are not ignoring us that is the problem. Foolish people are making them scared and when people are scared they lash out and hurt." Phoebe said pulling her hands back and wrapping them around herself. "People were scared of me and where did that lead?" She demanded knowing he knew her past.

"They are ignorant and stupid, and the politicians are all using that to get them all riled up. Someone should stand up for us." Robert pushed himself up from the floor and stood towering over her. "They are talking about registration acts. Might as well slap a yellow star on our chests!"

“But what happened to me was from our own people so be mindful,” Phoebe said slowly as she rose to her feet not willing to be cowered by him or anyone else. “They’ve been talking about that act for years Robert.” She tried to soothe knowing it would be impossible at this stage. They had been together long enough for her to know his moods and passions.

"It's different. You know it is. There's a change in the winds." Robert his gaze was stern, but he avoided Phoebe's eyes. He knew that if she had a chance to get through to him he would waver in his convictions. As he had done in the past. She had this pull over him. Nothing nefarious or invasive. Just the way she understood him like nobody else. This time he didn't want to waver. He didn't want to hesitate or stall any longer. There were things happening and he wasn't going to be on the sideline watching it unfold like a powerless sheep. He was going to take the power he needed. "I'm sorry Pheebs, but if even you can't see that, with all of your powers, then I think our people might truly be lost."

Phoebe saw the way he was avoiding her gaze and backed up emotionally and physically by wrapping her arms around herself. “I am going to bed.” She declared. “I am sorry too Robert.” She said over her shoulder.

"Sleep tight." Robert sat down in the chair again, looking out the small window over a busy London street. He didn't know where this path would take him, and he didn't have the guts to peer into the future to find out. What he did know was that a decision had been made and that it had set him on a track, one that it would be difficult if not impossible to deviate. Perhaps there was such a thing as fate. He knew at least what role to play, for the benefit of his people.

With or without Phoebe.