Archive of Our Own ^beta

Becca Constance Simon-Pinette fell into an easy morning routine in the old mansion she lived in with the X-Men. Every morning, she left the barn that she slept in around 6 AM and quietly walked up the stairs, careful not to wake anybody. She snuck into the bathroom and showered the way her mother taught her to - 15 minutes of hot water followed by 15 minutes of cold water, to flush out the toxins in her body. She then thoroughly dried her hair before braiding it - making sure that nobody could so much as sneak a glance at her hair when it was in an unkempt state. Such a thing would be unbecoming for the Simon-Penette family, after all. She then got dressed, applied her make-up and, once she was finished, slipped back out of the bathroom and trekked down to the kitchen to join Valentin and Hotoru for breakfast.

And, every morning, Sofia would be waiting outside of the bathroom. She’d wave at Becca, stammer out a hello, and then run into the room.

And, every morning, the shower didn’t run for several long minutes after Becca had left, despite Sofia’s apparent enthusiasm to start the day. Nor did the toilet flush or… anything really.

What was she doing in the bathroom? What was Sofia’s routine like?

This stood out as suspicious to Becca and, out of concern for her teammate, she lingered behind one morning. Watching from the door as Sofia pulled out a container of pills from the medicine cabinet, poured herself a glass of water, and swallowed a pill down.

Becca was so shocked that she nearly gasped in surprise, her jaw hanging open with concern.

She would have to take prompt action.

…

“Sofia is a drug addict. We should stage an intervention.”

Valentin and Hotoru exchanged a glance, before turning to face Becca. Neither seemed to match Becca’s level of concern.

“Look. If you have been smelling pot, I’m pretty sure that’s Rogue and Gambit,” Valentin said. “Sofia’s clean - and, even if she wasn’t, who cares?”

Becca chewed on the side of her mouth, concerned. She’d have to follow up on the discussion of reefer later - but she was on a mission right now. “We should care. We are her friends.”

“Whatever people need to get through the day is no business of mine,” Hotoru replied. “Friend or.. otherwise.”

Becca groaned. She wasn’t going to take this lying down. From the inside of her jacket, she produced the illicit substance. Holding onto the box with two delicate fingers, trying not to touch it directly, she held out Sofia’s drug stash in front of her friends. “I have it on good authority that Jitter has been taking two of these pills every day.”

Despite Becca’s daring heist, her friends didn’t seem impressed by her. In fact, they both looked furious. Offended, even.

“Fuck, Becca,” Valentin said with a groan. “You stole her meds?”

“Language!” Becca chided. “I am taking her drugs away from her!” Becca narrowed her eyes. She thought her friends loved Sofia. When you love someone, you must protect them from all that threatens them. Isolate them from the scary parts of the world. Yet they won’t even isolate Sofia from her drugs?

“That’s her medication. She needs that,” Hotoru declared. His voice dipped low as he spoke. Becca was lucky that she had been trained not to show emotion, otherwise, her friends may have realized how scared she was.

“It’s drugs,” she said, standing her ground. “Nobody needs drugs.”

“Some people do,” Valentin countered. “Jitter does. They help her become herself. And, even if they did not you won’t make progress by just taking them away from her. Don’t touch someone’s shit without permission.”

Becca was prepared to continue her arguing but found herself getting stuck on Valentin’s phrase.

They help her become herself.

Sofia was a mutant. Perhaps these little blue pills weren’t drugs after all… but something needed to help her with her mutation. Perhaps a cure, so she could become normal. Whatever it was... It was her business.

“Fine. Okay. I will return them.”

“Do that,” Hotoru said. His tone didn’t make it sound like a suggestion.

Becca swallowed nervously. 

“I will.”

…

The following morning, when Becca left the showers, she saw Jitter waiting for her turn as always. Before the mutant went in, Becca tapped her on the shoulder.

“I am afraid I owe you an apology, Miss Yong.”

“Alamak!” Sofia yelped, jumping backwards at the unexpected physical contact. “I mmmean. Why?”

Becca produced the drugs from her pocket. “I took this from the cabinet. They are yours,” she said, handing them to the visibly shocked Jitter. “I was concerned that you were unhealthily dependent on them. Valentin and Hotoru told me that I was wrong.”

“Oh,” Sofia said, meekly taking the box back herself. “Thanks.”

“I hope you can forgive me,” Becca continued, apologizing confidently - head high, shoulders back. It helped that Becca had rehearsed this apology in the mirror beforehand. “Please do believe me when I say that I am trying to learn more about people like you… as I am worried Ember may be one of you.”

Jitter stared at Becca, unblinking for a few moments. If Becca didn’t know any better, she would think the woman was trying to use her powers to parse the meaning of her apology.

“You think your horse is trans?” Sofia asked, incredulously.

“Huh? I am concerned Ember may be a mutant. What does trans mean - is that a type of mutant?”

“NNNEVERMIND,” Jitter stuttered out, waving a hand dismissively. “Thank you for giving them bbback to me.”

“Of course. Please let me know when you have thought of a punishment for me.”

Jitter’s eyes went wide again. “Pppunishment?”

“I have wronged you,” Becca said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “I will not feel right until I have been suitably reprimanded.”

Sofia blinked a few more times, looking at Becca closely. There was a distant sadness in her eyes.

“Wwell, I sometimes forget to take mmmy meds,” Sofia eventually admitted. “When wwwe have a lllot going on… That’s why I wait by the shower every morning… If I do them first ttthing, I won’t forget…”

“So you would like me to remind you to take them? So you do not have to wait for me to be done in the bathroom?”

“If ttthat works?”

“Certainly,” Becca said, offering a hand out in a handshake, which Sofia took in a clammy grip. “Thank you for your clemency.”

“You’re welcome. Would you like to gggo get breakfast?”

“I’d love to, but you should take your meds and take a shower first,” Becca replied.

Sofia’s cheeks flushed slightly as she realized she had already forgotten the task at hand. “Right! That’s what I was dddoing!” she stammered out. “Thanks Beca!’

Becca smiled, watching as Sofia dashed into the bathroom. She added a note to her internal routine. 

Wake up, shower, find and talk to Sofia.

Perhaps adjusting to life among mutants wouldn’t be so hard after all.