「 The Professor & I 」VOLUME II

(280) You Bet I Will

Charles' POV

Ensuring that Lynn's mildly shivering frame was duly protected under the covers, I strutted across the dim space to join Raven by the shrouded windows. Her plate was already half polished by the time I arrived at the table and I slipped into my chair with a severely contrasting lack of interest in the psychedelic display of food.

"Are you seriously just going to sit there?" Raven denounced, tiny chunks of organic matter spewing through her brimming mouth, as she stared at me with a skeptical gaze and I simply shrugged, calmly sipping on my glass of freshly pressed juice.

"It's your loss, Charles. This is absolutely delicious," Raven applauded zealously and eagerly plunged her fork into the slice French toast on my plate, greedily transferring it onto her own.

"Honestly, Jubilee is such a talented chef. She could open her own restaurant if she wasn't an X-Man," Raven remarked in a dramatic tone but I could only pay attention to the continuous series of subtle glimpses she was throwing at Lynn between her jumbo bites and spirited statements.

"When will you stop acting so flippant?" I challenged listlessly, watching as the serrated edge of her knife pause between the slit it sawed through the saccharine-drenched bread.

Without warning, Raven chucked her cutlery and the dense silverware clanged raucously to the porous china as she plopped back into her chair. Instinctively, I swept my eyes to Lynn and my heart instantly felt lighter as I observed her serenity unperturbed by the spiteful cacophony.

"What do you expect me of me, then, Professor?" Raven retorted in a defiant tone and I faced back, only to find her bitter gaze piercing into my eyes.

"Grieve like you and all your little children?" Raven confronted with a stern expression.

"Someone needs to keep things sane around here, Charles," she reprimanded with utter seriousness glazing her words.

"And I believe you're usually that person," she highlighted cheerlessly, gulping down the remainder of her orange drink.

I stared at her silently, gradually allowing the wise lecture to absorb. My brain replayed her claims on repeat, rapidly realizing the truths that materialized in staggering amounts.

It was not her maturity or her audacity that was shocking, but my oblivion to the lingering negligence that was boldly exposed.

"I'm sorry," I apologized faintly, pinching hard on my nose bridge as I took in a large breath to compose myself.

"Normally, I'm in control. But there are those days when she reigns over me, and... I just can't help it," I confided in pure guilt, sheepishly shutting my eyes.

"Especially not when she's this indisposed," I stressed in a wretched, and almost quivering, tone when my palm was met with the warmth of Raven's.

"She's going to pull through for you. You know that," Raven encouraged kindly.

Her voice was quieter, yet much nearer than before. Fluttering my eyes open, I glanced up, noticing her cupping my palm as she crouched to my left. As she gently squeezed my hand and maintained a sincere eye contact with me, a substantial sense of comfort proliferated from within.

Like the flowers that gloriously blossomed in the spring, alleviation readily unfolded over my doubtful heart. Like the vivid colours that unchangingly vanished in the winter, uncertainty was casted into obscure parts.

Raven smiled at me, her light pink lips contouring into an elegant curve embellishing her wondrously fair skin. Surrounded by a lusciously bouncy mane, her face beamed with sheer faith that promptly eradicated gloom from the room and reignited my confidence.