Chapter Text
Olivier stood in the middle of the elevator, checking his phone. He looked over the train schedule to get to NYU since his car was in the shop. It was pretty unlucky his car had to go out right before his first day of classes, but he knew it could always be worse. Rico had offered him and Valentin a lift, but neither wanted their boyfriend to be late for his classes at Columbia University.
The elevator stopped, and the doors slid open. Olivier walked out without looking up from his phone, slamming into someone. He nearly dropped his phone but held on tight. Whoever he had bumped into was much weaker as they had been knocked to the ground. He heard a female yelp.
He gazed down to see a blonde young woman on the ground with her purse and blueprints scattered across the floor. Olivier kneeled down as the woman began to gather herself. “Sorry about that. I wasn’t looking where I was going.”
The blonde’s annoyed face softened when she looked up at Olivier, who offered her a hand. “Oh, that’s ok. I shouldn’t have been standing there.” The blonde took Olivier’s hand to help her back on her feet. Olivier grabbed the blonde’s things and handed them back to her.
“Thank you. I’m Jessica, by the way.” The blonde tucked a loose strain of hair behind her ear. She bashfully fluttered her shiny green eyes, reminding Olivier of his mother’s. The young woman was pretty enough to be a model, and she couldn’t be much older than himself.
“Olivier LeBeau.” He smiled back.
“LeBeau? Are you French?”
“Cajun on my father’s side.”
“That’s so cool. Do you get your eyes from your dad, too?”
“Mostly.”
“Oli, we’re going to be late for our train.”
Olivier looked over at Valentin, who stood at the entrance to their apartment building, amused by the whole thing. He then looked back at Jessica. “Right. Sorry again about bumping into you, Jessica.” He headed after Valentin.
*
Valentin and Oli headed down the street to the subway. “That girl was feeling you so hard. If I didn’t interrupt, she would be asking for your number by now.”
“She did forgive me pretty fast.”
“You didn’t charm her, did you?”
“You know I don’t use it for that.”
“Then how do you attract every hot person who steps into your orbit?” Valentin eyed his boyfriend with a knowing look. The young Cajun did have a habit of drawing eyes, but not because of his usual eyes. In some ways, Valentin was jealous of how easily Oli could draw others in without even trying.
Oli smiled at him the way he only did for him and Rico. If Valentin had a heart instead of a black hole, he was sure it would race at the sight every time. “I don’t know. How did I get one of the sexiest guys alive to fall for me?”
“You did have a way with words,” Valentin said. “Didn’t we meet something like how you bump into that girl? Except you and Rico were talking.”
“You seemed pretty lost in thought back then.”
“It was my first day,” Valentin said. “I've never seen so many Mutants in one place before. Besides…” Valentin had a strange longing a few weeks before he arrived at Jean Grey’s School for Higher Learning. When he met Oli and Rico, that longing feeling vanished. Something about the two boys made him feel wanted for the first time in his life.
“Besides what…”
The two were almost at the subway when the earth began to shake. Several people on the streets screamed. Valentin looked down the corner they were on to see Spider-Woman and the new Rhino battling it out. The Rhino’s mech-suit tore through the city street while trying to take out the superhero.
Spider-Woman shot her webs at the glass case that protected the pilot, pulling it off with her super strength. She then webbed the man’s face, blinding the man before his metal fist slammed her into the ground. The rhino swung his fist wildly.
A fist went flying toward a group of civilians. Valentin dashed between them, taking the blow to his chest. Valentin used everything within him to plant his feet to hold him where he stood so he wouldn’t be thrown back. The force of the punch made him spit up blood, but he held firm. He used the power he absorbed from the blow to hold the fist still. He knew he had no chance against the mech, but he didn’t need to.
Olivier flew up to the exposed cockpit. He pressed his hand against the Rhino’s cheek. The villain groaned with the mech collapsing on the street.
Valentin wiped the blood from his lips on the back of his fist. A fight with a supervillain certainly wasn’t how he planned on starting the day, especially considering-
Olivier landed. He headed in Valentin’s direction when Spider-Woman jumped between them. She lifted her mask up to her nose in the front. “Appreciate the help, Wildcard.” She leaned up to him, kissing Olivier on the lips. She then whispered something in his ear before he whispered something back.
Spider-Woman put her mask back on before shooting a web and swinging off. “See you around, handsome.”
The people flashed pictures and took video of the scene. The crowd began to gossip. “Spider-Woman and Wildcard from the X-Men are dating.”
“Wait, that’s Wildcard? I haven’t seen him in action for months.”
“Isn’t he the son of Gambit and brother to Rogue?”
“He’s so cute!”
“Wait, aren’t you Ransom from the X-Men?”
Valentin turned back to the people he had saved. “Yeah. I mean, I was.”
“We aren’t part of the X-Men anymore. We’re both just college students now.” Olivier stepped up by Valentin’s side, resting his hand on Valentin’s shoulder.
“But you saved us,” a little girl said.
“And you were like my favorite one. I thought all Mutants were scary until I saw you fight,” a teen girl said.
“Oh, thank you for saving us, young X-Men,” an old woman said.
This definitely wasn’t how Valentin expected to start his day. It was a good thing Rico wasn’t around, or he would have probably lost it. Of the three of them, he hated the superhero life the most. After graduating high school, the three had agreed to leave the hero's life behind.
However, that wasn’t Valentin’s biggest question.
*
Valentin pulled Olivier into an alleyway away from the crowd. “Dude, what was that?”
Oli shrugged. “I can’t help they recognized us from our X-Men days. We only quiet three months ago.”
“No, I mean you and Spider-Woman. You just made out with her and whispered something before she swung off.” Valentin poked Olivier in the chest. He knew Olivier could be a flirt; he was the son of Remy LeBeau, the ragin’ Cajun who was well-known as a flirt before marrying his wife. But flirting was one thing; making out with someone who wasn’t him or Rico was another.
A remorseful look came to Oli’s face. “I didn’t make out with her. She kissed me, and it was a diversion to know if I learned who the Rhino was working with after I touched him.”
“How would she even know that detail about your power? Not like you promote it on your social media.”
“Spider-Woman and I used to date.”
“Wait, what?”
“It was before I met you.”
Oli’s ex. Valentin wasn’t foolish enough to think Oli never dated someone before they met, he was already dating Rico he just didn’t expect it to be Spider-Woman. “Does Rico know about her?”
“Yeah. I dated her before me and Rico started going out. We were already roommates by then.”
“Looks like she still has a thing for you.” Valentin crossed his arms.
“I’m telling you she only wanted information.”
“Then tell her next time to ask first before she starts kissing.” Valentin headed down the alley away from Oli.
“Wait, Valentin. Where are you going?”
“To school before I get caught up in some other craziness.”
“How about I fly us there?”
Valentin waved him off. “No thanks.”
*
“Olivier, y-y-you’re in this class too?”
Olivier, on his way out of his first class of the day, turned around to see Sofia Yong, a Chinese Mutant who had graduated in the same year as him. He smiled at his friend from high school. “Yeah. I had no idea you were taking this math class.”
“I need it for my major. What about you?”
Olivier’s smile became more sheepish. “I haven’t decided on my major yet. I’m taking more general courses this semester.”
“Oh, really? I figured you three already decided on what directions you were going since you quiet the X-Men,” Sofia said.
“Rico and Valentin have. I’m… still trying to figure out my path.”
“I’m sure you will. Y-y-you were a great field leader in high school,” she said.
“Nah, Irene is a better hero, and Valentin made for a better team leader.”
“By the way, how is Valentin? I-I haven’t seen him since he moved into your new apartment.”
Olivier rubbed the back of his neck. “We got into a bit of a fight today.”
“I hope it wasn’t because of me.”
Olivier and Sofia turned their attention to a brunette with a short haircut who approached them. “Mayday, you go to school here?” Olivier asked.
“And it looks like we share a class together.” Mayday Parker smiled at him. “Nice seeing you again, Oli.”
*
Valentin sat on a bench in the courtyard of New York University. His next class wasn’t for an hour, so he had some time to kill. The only problem was he couldn’t stop thinking of the kiss between Spider-Woman and Oli. It didn’t help that he was on a gossip blog that showed a picture of them with the headline: Spider-Woman and Wildcard kiss after defeating Rhino. He was there too! Those people would be pancakes if it weren’t for him.
It didn’t matter. He had given up superhero work. He would become a social worker to help unwanted and neglected kids. He wanted to help kids in the same situation he once was. He may have come from a wealthy family, but his parents were vain and didn’t love him because he lacked a physical heart.
The first people to accept him for who he was were Oli and Rico. He then met his other friends and fellow mutants at Jean Grey’s School for Higher Learning. Those years were the first time he had belonged somewhere, and he wanted to pass that forward. But did Oli really love him? The guy was a hell of a flirt who everyone loved. Maybe he simply got caught up in the vortex two years ago.
He pulled up Rico’s number. His finger hovered there momentarily, wondering if he should message him about Oli. You’re just jealous of him, a voice echoed inside his head. Maybe he was jealous. Girls didn’t throw themselves at him like they did his boyfriend. He was confident enough but couldn’t deny how much easier things seemed for Oli.
Valentin leaned back on the bench as he sighed. As much as he liked Oli and Rico, something about their relationship felt off. Was he jealous of what they had? Had he rushed into this whole poly thing too quickly at their suggestion? Or maybe he wanted out, wanted something more ‘normal’ than what they had? Then why did it hurt so damn much to see Oli kiss someone else?
His head had never hurt so much trying to understand his relationship with the young Cajun. And it made no sense to him. Wasn’t high school supposed to be the drama years when you were getting to know yourself? Why was his first day of college the most confusing day of his life?
His phone rang then. When he checked to see who was calling, it was Rico.
*
Jessica sat in her luxury apartment, scrolling through her phone. Olivier LeBeau. She had looked up everything the internet had on the boy she had bumped into that morning. He was eighteen and had just entered college, making him four years younger than her. She certainly didn’t mind a younger man, especially one as cute as him.
The son of the X-Men’s Gambit and the first Rogue, the brother of the current Rogue and Rebecca LeBeau. He had two roommates, Rico Richards and Valentin Correa. His hero's name is Wildcard, and he is known as one of the current leaders of the X-Men teams.
She certainly liked how he looked in that hero costume. It showed off all the goods and pictures of him commanding his team. He could command her anytime. Olivier was born in New Orleans, Cajun country; as he told her, he was Cajun on his father’s side. She could imagine him whispering sweet French nothings into her ear.
Jessica then spotted a new News story on her page. She opened it to see Olivier being assaulted by Spider-Woman. The headline said they were making out, but she could tell he didn’t want her. She remembered how hard he was flirting with her before his roommate rudely interrupted them. How dare Spider-Woman steal a kiss from her man!
*
Valentin still didn’t understand how he ended up being the one who had to calm Rico down about the whole Spider-Woman thing. But Rico had many questions and was about to ditch his next class to confront Oli. Valentin had to suggest they all talk about it together tonight when they got home. Sadly, that only made him anxious and unfocused. He was only halfway through the day, and he was exhausted. Plus, he still had his part-time job to get to so he could keep saving up for his own ride.
He was on his way to the cafeteria to get some food, hoping it might help, when he heard whispers among the other students.
“Who are they?”
“I think they’re dating.”
“Which ones?”
“Maybe all three.”
“Dude has a ho on each arm; talk about pimping.”
Who was everyone talking about? Valentin looked in the direction that had caught everyone’s attention. His eyes went wide at the sight. Olivier headed toward the cafeteria with Sofia and some brunette chick he had never seen before, chatting up a storm.
Sofia was the first to notice him. She waved to him. “Valentin! H-h-how are you?”
Valentin balled up his fists, sticking out his bottom lip as Oli kept talking to the other girl. Sofia had to tap him on the shoulder, so he took his attention off the girl and looked at Valentin. Olivier’s shoulders dropped.
The three of them were definitely going to talk.