𝑺𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒓 "𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒃𝒐𝒍𝒕" 𝑺𝒄𝒐𝒕𝒕

laylily

I've been back for minutes and Gabbey is already bullying me into taking care of myself and making good choices. 😠

"I am, indeed, hocusing and pocusing. But I'm not neglecting my roots. I've been adjusting to my more manual control over my eyes now that I don't need the ruby quartz. It's funny to feel like a trainee again in some ways, remastering the fundamentals."

She wasted no time throwing herself into a tight hug like she was one of his daughters. "More like scrolls. But you were missed. I just needed some time away to sort myself out. I hope no one's been causing you trouble in my absence?"

"Come on, Max. I know I've been away, but must we be so forma—get down here, my neck hurts like this."

"Why are cars flying through—oh, right. Obvious answer."

"See, I knew you'd approve. And I promise to bring anything I borrowed back in one piece."

Summer sharply inhaled, her back pressed against the wall. She regained her composure and smirked.

"They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right? And I think the gutterpunk look is a contrast to my recent witchy fey aesthetic. Besides, don't I at least do your look justice...?"

Oh no, I broke her and she's speaking in the third person.

"There's no evidence of that.

Unrelated, but this top is a little snug..."

Okay, Halloween costume finished!

Dressing as Illyana? No, that's preposterous. She's a friend.

I'm completely unrelated hit video game character, Magik!

(Did a lot of this costume come from Illy's closet? No comment.)

"I think freedom of speech is fundamentally important."

(Ben says something)

"Voice boxes were a mistake in evolutionary design."

One thing you have to appreciate about Ben Reilly is how consistent he is. It's not consistently good, but it is consistent.

not all humans are monsters just like not all mutants are heroes.

doesn’t mean we destroy everyone.

"Wrench. I really should have said wrench."🤦‍♀️

Well, having a feral demon running around might throw a kink into quiet Netflix time, admittedly.

So dramatic. Summer can also just turn the lights off and close the blinds.

You can also just be on the couch. Max knows not to walk into my apartment without knocking.

No training today, no obligations, and I'm taking a day off from my studies. It all sounds like a lot of not wearing pants and binging Netflix in the apartment for today.

My wardrobe has definitely become more colorful since the incident. I feel like part of me wants to instinctively be dressing in flowers, and this is the compromise.

"No, I understand. The Darkchylde. That's a real concern," she admitted. "But I'm also not a fragile flower here; if Illy needs me to get her back in line, I'm going to do what I have to for her."

She smiled, always comforted by that protective instinct of his. "I promise to be safe. Yu has given me very clear guidelines about demons and soul magic, and I follow those guidelines." Mostly.

"And Illy wouldn't let anything bad happen to me in her realm."

"In the innocent sense. I think. Mostly. Like I said, there's a nymph haze hanging over a lot of my interactions. But she's been a wonderful person to talk magic with, and she's invited me to limbo, which I'm eager to take her up on."

Summer obliged to the stubby little beast, scratching the spot behind his ears. She sighed. "Who knows? We're all adults. We're living our lives, and I'm sure we'll iron out the details when we have time." She wasn't in a rush to have that conversation. "I've spent more time with Illyana lately."

"Haha, yeah. I mean, maybe. It's hard sometimes to know where things stand when I've been so wrapped up in my magic and the job. But the rumors are helpful regardless."

She snorted; that sounded like Remy and Rogue. "You should have more confidence in the girls. It is 2025, after all. But for the most part, they have behaved. It doesn't hurt that they hear rumors that I am seeing a god-tier psychic and a clawed Canadian. That usually gives them second thoughts."

"Of course. I don't plan on leaving the school high and dry. If I wake up in the woods or a strange bed, you will be my first call. It is nice having people in my life who have dealt with so much that my issues are just more of the same."

"Oh, you know. The rare desire to flee responsibility and dance in the forest. The occasional mischievous impulse. The instinct to use my allure to lead people astray. Little Chaotic impulses that I manage with meditation and training. But it does feel like super ADHD when I have deadlines."

She sighed. It was a fair concern. "No. Emma and Jean did a great job. No remnants of Sinister in the corners of my mind. Occasionally, I struggle with a memory, but when I'm reminded, it clicks back into place. The closest thing I get to delusions are stray 'fey thoughts,' which are fleeting."

Sure, you don't need to tell anyone.

I've been well. At this point, I'm breathing in Mana without thinking about it. I feel like a plant photosynthesizing sometimes, the way ambient nature energy leaves me refreshed. I also feel less drained after using my optic blasts. Things just... come easier.