Before the Worst

[ROUX]

1x1 (NoobxRed)


A prequel RP, set before Evan Grey's rebirth and before Darren Creed's departure from the X-Mansion.


Darren twirled the bat in his fingers as he stepped up to the plate, eyeing the pitcher mischievously. Sam smirked from the mound, yelling to his teammates mockingly. "Alright, everybody move on in!"


Darren just smiled, and pointed the bat towards "Cannonball", as if to call where the ball was going. The students that were standing off to the side to watch, laughed and cheered as Sam went into his windup.


It was a particularly sunny Friday afternoon, and everyone was glad to have gotten out of classes early. Seizing the moment, the older students had started a powered up game of baseball in the courtyard, and the upperclassmen were giving it their all. Kitty Pryde had scored five times, phasing through every person they had tried to tag her, and Pietro Maximoff had simply outrun everyone. The two teams were tied in the top of the ninth inning, and Darren readied himself for Sam's pitch, fully intending to hit the crap out of the ball.


Sam drew his hand back, and Darren tensed, the bat held over his shoulder, ready for the pitch. The ball rocketed toward him, and his eyes flashed silver as he let his power flow into the metal bat as it connected with the ball. Sam dived for it, and missed as it rocketed about a foot over the ground and into the outfield. Darren dropped the bat, and glanced at the catcher. "You might wanna tell your bat boy not to touch that," he said before taking off in the direction of first base, leaving the bat crackling with leftover electricity.

 

[WrittenHollowness]

As much as he wanted to play he knew better than to get involved in a game with his friends. Instead, Evan cheered happily from the sidelines as he watched his best friend send the ball out of orbit. The bat hit the ground, dispersing the electrical discharge and the game resumed. Evan brushed his shaggy black hair back. The sun was brutal on the field and he regretted the fact that his birth parents must have been the darkest haired people on the planet.


He sat back and looked at the sky. His life wasn't perfect, but it was okay. He lived in the mansion ever since his birth, watching different members of the X-Men come and go. When Evan wasn't attending school, he was helping the Instructors of the School train others. The only perks he got from that were the fighting skills and defined muscles. Everything else was all bumps and bruises.


Evan looked at the Sun, with a smile on his face. He wondered how hot it was, in the sky. All alone. And for a second, he felt bad for fact that something so powerful had to be so alone. Another crack of the bat broke his train of thought and he was back at cheering the gang on.

 

[ROUX]

Darren's team ended up loosing by two, the others gaining three more runs to surpass his one. he didn't really care, it was getting too hot to continue anyway. As the two teams finished trading "Good games," Darren grabbed his water off of a bench and sauntered off toward the group of people. Spotting his friend, he jogged over behind him before squirting him in the back of the neck with icy water. "Gotcha Ev," he said before taking a sip of it.

 

[WrittenHollowness]

"Dork." Evan responded, before pushing Darren. "Keep it up, I'll tell everyone about American Idol." he taunted, shoving his hands into the pockets of his cargo pants. They were headed back to the main building, passing the garden and fountain along the way. It was scenic if you had been visiting for the day. But for Evan, it was like a caged Garden of Eden. "Storm says you really ought to cool it with the happy-zappy," Evan mused as they strolled along side one another, "And Logan agrees. It may get out of hand."


'I may lose my best friend.' Evan thought. "Look, I'm not telling you to bow down to them, but at least listen?" he said, looking down as he walked. "For me?" he added, knowing it was a cheap shot.

 

[ROUX]

Darren scoffed, kicking a rock out of his path. "The only reason they said anything was 'cause I gave Quentin a seizure. The wuss...everybody knows how much of a jerk he is, I don't know why it matters," he added thoughtfully, before sighing and glancing at Evan. "I suppose I could reign it in a bit, If it'll keep Wolvie from forcing me to run extra laps every training session."


He ran a clawed hand through his hair, before putting it in his pocket to check his phone. "Well," He said, intrigued. "What are you doing tonight?" he asked Evan, his blue eyes still scanning his screen. "Not studying, I hope."

 

[WrittenHollowness]

Evan scoffed. He wasn't valedictorian, but he was in the top percentile. And, with senior year on the horizon, he wasn't to worried about school. "What is it that you are planning to ask me to do, even though you know damn well I will say yes?" he asked, a smirk playing on his lips. He tugged the edges of his green sweater. It was the only thing he had left from his birth mother. As luck would have it, it was frumpy enough to look like it belonged on him.

 

[ROUX]

He smiled back, before handing over his phone to Evan. "Apparently everyone's heading to the city tonight, something about a huge mutant-only club opening," he said, jogging up the steps and pulling open one of the doors to the mansion. "Honestly, I think it's awesome," he said with a grin. "What better way to piss off the FOH then starting a successful club right under their noses?"

 

[WrittenHollowness]

"I know it's easy to forget and all, but I'm a human." Evan quipped. Out of some unknown variable, Evan was born without abilities. He was as bland as a popsicle stick when it came to that topic. "Are you going to go?" he asked, wondering if Darren would join his fellow kind--if only for one night. "I can take care of myself. I'm pretty sure the kids would wanna play a board game. Or, I can get ahead on that new Final Fantasy game I picked up." He continued to stare at the groundas he trudged up the stairs, afraid to look up. Afraid that his best friend thought he was different.

 

[ROUX]

Darren shook his head and put his arm over his friend's shoulder reassuringly. "Heh, it's funny how you actually think I'd actually go without you," he laughed, trying to cheer him up. He stopped for a moment to look at Evan, an idea forming in his mind. "But yeah, I'm going. And so are you, one way or another. Man with the plan, remember?" He said, winking at him, before continuing to drag him down the hallway. "I got this."

 

[WrittenHollowness]

"Every time I hear that phrase, I regret it." Evan grumbled. He wanted to lean into the arm on his shoulder, but refrained. He wasn't special. What could he offer Darren that someone hotter, more unique, could? Besides, Evan wasn't even sure Darren liked men. 'That's besides the point, Grey.' he told himself as they ventured into the living room area. "So, what is this tactic you have, oh Grand Dungeon Master?" he asked, waving at some of the students as he passed by. Some smiled, while others high fived him and gave him shout outs. Everyone loved the Professor's adopted nephew.

 

[ROUX]

"Nerd," he teased, snickering at the DnD reference as they turned down another corridor. "You know that thing that Kurt wears on his wrist that keeps him from looking like a giant three fingered smurf?" He asked. "It looks sort of like the omnitrix now that I'm thinking about it..."

 

[WrittenHollowness]

"What does a Ben 10 reference have to do with anything in this universe?" Evan sneered, as he turned the corner and headed for the dining room.


"They'll need to expand this room at some point, with all the students we have been accumulating." he said, sitting down at the table when they finally got there. He then took out his reading frames out from within his pocket. It was a bad habit to have, but he didn't really give a care about it in the first place.


"Okay. I ask, once again, what is your plan?" Evan tented his fingers and allowed the gears to turn in his own head.

 

[ROUX]

Darren sat down across from him, leaning his elbows on the table."Right, so I figured that you could use it the opposite way, maybe to give you some odd features that a mutant would have." He said. "You could probably get it to look like anything. Heck, you could have wings if you wanted to," he chuckled, smiling across the table. "But if you go that route, I won't be able to help myself from using extremely cheesy heaven related pick-up-lines."

 

[WrittenHollowness]

Evan laughed at the prospect of being picked up on with a set of chicken wings on his back. "I swear, just try calling me an angel. I'll show you how much it hurt when I fell from heaven." he slouched in his chair, bringing his knees to his chest. He couldn't help but feel his heart swell.


'Chill out, he's not into you.' he thought. It didn't stop the smile that reached out from his center. It certainly didn't stop the blush that formed on his cheeks.


"Fine, I'll do it. How are you gonna get the device anyway? It should still be on Kurt's wrist."

 

[ROUX]

"Well, I know he's going on a mission tonight with some of the other X-Men, and he never uses that thing during missions unless he goes undercover or is going to be around a whole bunch of humans." He leaned back, stretching his arms above his head. "I'm pretty sure he won't mind letting a person as responsible as you keep it for one night." He said, grinning as he unveiled the last bit of his master plan.

 

[WrittenHollowness]

"I'm only the safe one because every time you borrow something, it either goes lost, gets sold, or just completely destroyed." Evan laughed. He looked down at his open palms and sighed in contentment. He'd always wanted to belong with his friends. And tonight, it would be possible. "I'm in. But the minute this goes wrong, we come home. Got it?" he said, using his stern "I mean business, Mister" voice with the boy.

 

[ROUX]

"Aye, Capitan," Darren agreed, happy that he'd found a way to include his best friend. Most of the time when Darren was off doing mutant-y things, he found himself wishing Evan was there doing it with him. His gaze flicked behind him, and he scowled as his least faforite pink haired nuisance wanted the hall, along with a couple of his lackeys. Though, to his amusement, part of that hairdo was burned away thanks to an earlier mentioned danger room session.


"You!" Quentin bellowed, storming over to their table, looking quite angry. "I'll have you expelled for this!"


Darren smirked mockingly at him, crossing his arms lazily. "Hey, Jimmy Neutron, love what ya did with your hair. Really brings out your eyes."

 

[WrittenHollowness]

Evan turned around to address the boy, but found himself holding in laughter toward the poor kid instead.


"Quintavius, your hair--it's kinda singed." He pointed out, covering his mouth. Of course it was the work of Darry. But, Evan had to admit: the kid had it coming.


"Are you going to be here tonight? I have to leave, and the kids have to be taken care of." he continued, sighing as he stood up. he scratched the beginnings of stubble on his face. He felt it mate him look rugged. Distinguished, even.


"And, by the way, you still haven't met the quota for your homework. Uncle Charlie is gonna get real tired of you slacking and just send you to Genosha." Evan taunted, pushing his glasses up on the bridge of his nose.

 

[ROUX]

Quentin scoffed, sticking his nose up at the question. "Of course I'll be here! I have no interest in taking part of Jell-O shots and strikeouts with hoodlums like him," he said indignantly, before eyeing him maliciously. "How are you going? You're not even a..."


He stopped at the sound of Darren's low warning growl, and backed up a couple spaces. "Whatever. Later losers," he amended, turning with his confused looking lackeys, and walking away.


Darren retracted his fangs, and looked back toward Evan. "Genosha huh? Help me buy a plane ticket for him?"

 

[WrittenHollowness]

"Darren, I'd help you shove him in a box with no return address." Evan snickered, standing up. "Come on, ya big lug. We have an Omnitrix to 'borrow'." he said, holding out his hand.


'How did I get caught up with the scariest teddy bear in this place?' he asked himself. He never really cared. They just sorta fit together, like water and dirt. Yeah, it made mud, but when you add a little fire, you have a foundation for a home. And that's what Darren felt like to Evan. A real home in this huge mansion-like prison.

 

[ROUX]

Darren nodded, taking it and standing up and following Evan out. As a group of students passed them, he tapped one of them on the shoulder. "Hey Anna," ha said, and she spun around and smiled at him, her brown hair pulled back except for a few ivory strands that framed the right side of her face. "Heya Darren," she replied, putting her hands on her hips. "And Evan too. What's up?"


"We're looking for Kurt. Have ya seen him?"


She eyed him suspiciously before she answered his question. "You're not planning to pull another prank on him are you?"


He shook his head. "Nah, the thing with the mentos took forever to clean up. Evan just needs to borrow something," he explained, and she nodded. "He's in the danger room."

 

[WrittenHollowness]

Evan followed the two as they headed down to the Danger Room. In the back of his head, he hoped it wasn't too cluttered in there. After all, he was the one who had to clean up if they suddenly got called on a mission. Rouge seemed to be in good spirits, her hands only partially gloved. And she was wearing a pretty dress...


"Is someone taking you out tonight, beautiful?" Evan asked, smiling widely at the thought. 'She needs a date. It'd be good for her.' He thought as they continued to walk.

 

[ROUX]

She smiled back at him, pleased that he'd guessed correctly. "Actually yes. Bobby and I are back together again," she she announced cheerfully, and Darren mentally groaned. He didn't particularly care for the Ice wielding mutant, he felt like Bobby never truly appreciated Anna in the first place. She was like a little sister to him, and after Bobby had cheated on her, he was the one that had to pick up all the pieces. He'd actually wanted to sock the little bugger in the face for quite a while, but he kept his expression neutral as they entered the Danger room, not wanting to ruin the moment.

 

[WrittenHollowness]

"What's with the stiffness, Darren?" Evan asked, almost feeling a vibe of brashness rolling off his friend. They entered the Danger Room, with the simulator still active. As usual in this situation, Evan stayed back while the other two got a little closer. After he broke his arm an incident with Colossus, rules had been put in play for Evan's safety.


He scratched his ear, hearing a sort of buzzing. It died down, but he still felt weird. "Hey guys, what sim is it today?" he asked, wishing he could at least watch. Evan spent all his life here, with most of the X-Men becoming people he looked up to. They weren't mutants to him--they were heroes.


He took his glasses off and stuffed them in his pocket. Reaching into another pocket, he pulled out a pack of fruit snacks and his beanie. Evan kept the oddest things on his person. Another one of his weird habits. He stuck his tongue out, his tongue ring glinting against the huge florescent lights, and emptied the entire packet onto it. 'That's my superpower--eating." he thought.

 

[ROUX]

Darren glanced at Evan upon hearing his question and mouthed the words 'tell you later', before joining Anna Marie by the floor. He watched as Nightcrawler and Cyclops fought of two huge sentinels, while trying to protect the frightened looking holographic mutants behind them from the blasts. After a few more minutes he retreated, going back to stand by Evan. "Its the sentinel civilian one again," he explained, leaning against the wall. "I'ts a lot more interesting when Logan fights them though, he does this thing where he can take its head off cleanly in one go," he added wistfully. He loved the danger room, as he felt like it was the only place he could fully use his powers and not get yelled at. It didn't count as killing if the things weren't even real. He glanced at the timer overhead, seeing that it would be over an a few more minutes.