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"Erik, would you get another bottle of grapefruit juice, please?" Charles asked.
"How many people did you invite tonight?" Erik asked, begrudgingly pulling the bottle down from the top shelf of the cooler and putting it in the cart.
"Oh, just a… just everyone we know," Charles admitted.
"Ugh."
"You're the one who persuaded my sister to drop out of college to be on America's Next Top Model, Erik. I just want to support her, now that the damage is done."
Erik scoffed. "I never told her to be on America's Next Top Model, Charles. I didn't even know that was a real show. I merely encouraged her to be proud of her gift, and to showcase it to the world in whatever way she saw fit."
"Of course she should! After college. And maybe a master's."
"You know, in other countries, students take a gap year between high school and college. Many say it helps them direct their passions."
"So you're saying she went on Top Model as a gap year?" Charles asked.
"I'm saying college will be there when she gets back," Erik replied.
"Well, now she's going to be judged by Tyra Banks on national television."
"And so you need more grapefruit juice?"
"Yes, I've decided greyhounds will be the signature cocktail of our party."
"Oh?"
"Greyhounds are elegant creatures, forced to compete with one another for money."
"Ah."
"Also, I like gin."
"You should have led with that. Do we need more gin?"
"Of course, darling. I want this party to be perfect," Charles said. He rolled himself further into the store and paused to frown at the soup aisle.
"We don't need soup, by the way, our pantry is still stuffed from when you thought I was getting a cold."
"You were very sniffly, darling."
"Let's just get the rest of the things we need for the party," Erik said. He didn't roll his eyes, but Charles could tell that he wanted to.
"All right. Let's split up to finish our list--I'll get the liquor," Charles said, knowing he could reach it from his wheelchair, "And you get the mini-quiches. You know the ones? They're Raven's favorite."
They left Trader Joe's with their reusable shopping bags stuffed with enough supplies to last for at least two parties.
When they got home, Erik set about heating up the hors d'oeuvres while Charles prepared the bar. He prided himself on being an excellent host. While it was true that he had never before thrown a party for the premiere of a reality television show, he still had standards.
Erik brought a bowl of grapefruit wedge garnishes over to Charles and asked, "So, how many more episodes do we have to watch?"
"As many as Raven is on, I suppose."
"You mean you don't know how far she makes it?"
"No, darling, the producers make all the contestants keep it a secret. There's confidentiality paperwork and all that."
"Well, I know that, but she didn't tell you?"
"She told me nothing."
"So you really don't know?" Erik pressed.
"You know I'm not in the habit of prying," Charles said. Erik snorted, and Charles clarified, "Well, not with Raven, anyhow."
"All right. Well. What else?"
"Hmm?"
"What else do we need to get ready for the party?"
"Oh." Charles glanced around the living room, then at his watch. "We're in good shape, I believe. Moira said she'd bring dessert."
As if on cue, the apartment's buzzer rang. "It's me, my hands are full," Moira said. Erik opened the door and returned with his arms full of pastries. Moira trailed behind with a large bouquet.
"These are lovely, Moira, thank you," Charles said. "Did you make them?"
"Of course not, do you think I have time for that?" Moira asked. "I didn't grow the flowers myself, either."
"I'll get some water for those," Charles said.
"They're for Raven," Moira said.
"Of course. But we don't want them to wilt before she gets here, do we?"
"Shouldn't she be getting here soon?" Moira asked. "The episode airs in an hour."
"Yes, well," Charles said, rolling back from the kitchen with a vase. "You never know."
"She is coming, isn't she?" Moira asked.
"Of course," Charles said. "Of course she's coming. She just might not get here until the last minute."
Moira pulled out her phone and scrolled through. "She never RSVP'd to the Facebook event."
"She's my sister, she doesn't have to RSVP."
"Cut it out, Charles, there's something you're not telling me."
Charles sighed. "Well, I haven't heard anything from Raven lately. But I'm sure she'll be here."
Moira raised her eyebrow. "Lately? Like, not since yesterday?"
"Well… we may have had a small falling out."
"You didn't tell me that," Moira said. "So you haven't talked to her but you're sure she's coming?"
"Of course she'll come," Charles said. "She can't stay mad at me."
"Have you apologized to her?"
"Well, I--I dropped her off at the airport."
There was a moment of silence while Moira processed this. "You haven't talked to her since before she left to film the show?"
"Well--I don't think they were allowed to have their phones during the show. I--I texted her when she got back."
"You texted her," Moira repeated.
Erik said, "You didn't tell me you and Raven still hadn't spoken. I rather assumed you'd talked to her before planning a party in her honor."
"You two are unbelievable," Moira said.
"She's my sister! Siblings fight," Charles said. "And we make up."
"Mm-hmm," Moira said.
Charles said, "Erik, would you be a dear and bring the ice? It's almost 9."
"Of course," Erik said. He brought out Charles's heirloom silver ice bucket. Charles made a strong drink for himself, then for Moira and Erik.
While he was stirring, his TA, Jean, arrived with her boyfriend Scott. They grabbed drinks and settled on the loveseat.
The minutes passed and finally Charles said, "Well, I suppose we'd better turn it on. What channel is it on?"
"The CW," Jean said immediately.
"What number is that?"
"I don't know, I don't have cable," Jean said.
Erik looked it up on his phone, and they all glumly watched commercials for beauty products.
Nine o'clock rolled around without Raven, or most of their usual party guests. Charles left the bar and joined Erik on the sofa.
Moira, perched on her usual chair, asked, "Where is everybody?"
Charles shrugged. "It is a weeknight, I suppose…" He was a little disappointed, but mainly worried about Raven's absence. Was she still mad at him? Had she been in an accident on the way to the party?
Erik said, "Surely most of our friends have better sense than to watch reality television."
Charles elbowed him, and the show they'd all gathered to watch began with a voice-over from Tyra Banks, who proudly said, "The road to becoming America's Next Top Model is never an easy one. We've had thousands of girls apply, and we've had all kinds of special girls--petite girls, plus size girls, girls with disabilities, trans girls. This season, though, we have a group of very special girls. They're all mutants, but only one of them will go on to become America's first mutant top model."
Then it cut to a group of women milling around a hotel lobby. Everyone cheered when they caught a glimpse of Raven's usual blonde, blue-eyed form.
Charles had never seen America's Next Top Model before, but like most Americans, he had absorbed a general sense of what reality television was like, and so he was unsurprised when the episode cut away from the group to show brief interviews with each of the contestants. Tyra Banks and the other judges asked about their mutant abilities and why they wanted to be models.
One by one, they met Ororo Munroe, a stunning black woman with white hair, who controlled the weather and had a day job in a greenhouse. ("She seems overqualified," Erik noted drily.) Alison Blaire, who turned sound into light and "really wanted to be a singer, not a model," a sentiment that was decried by Tyra. Angel Salvadore, a Latina mutant with beautiful wings, which impressed the judges. A purple-haired telepathic martial arts instructor named Betsy Braddock. A woman named Irene Adler, with short brown hair and dark glasses, explained that she was blind, but her other senses were very keen and she was intrigued by the fashion industry. One of the judges privately wondered if the competition would be too hard for her, and Tyra said she thought Irene was striking, and she reminded them of a previous contestant who had apparently been legally blind. Charles wondered to himself how many top models there already were. It might be an even more saturated job market than academia.
Charles was surprised to see his family friend Emma Frost appear onscreen, but why not? She was beautiful, in and out of her diamond form. Charles only saw her a few times a year, so he supposed it wasn't too odd that she wouldn't have heard her plans. He winced when he heard the judges wonder if she might be too old to model.
There were fourteen women in all, and Raven was showcased toward the end of the group. Charles stifled a gasp when she walked into the interview room in her scaly blue form. Nude (and blurred).
The judges laughed, and Tyra said, "Well, we've seen some girls in some pretty skimpy clothes, but you're the first one we've seen come in here bare-ass naked."
"I wanted to show you all what I really look like. Mutant and proud," Raven said.
"Be that as it may, do you think you could be proud with some clothes on, honey?" Tyra asked.
Raven's skin rippled and a black bikini appeared on her body.
"Well, all right, you're gonna be putting fashion designers out of business!" one of the judges named Jay said.
"So, you can change your appearance at will, right?" Tyra said.
"Yes," Raven said. She shifted to take on Tyra's own appearance.
"Nuh-uh, there's only one Tyra, girl!" Tyra said.
Raven shifted back to her blue form.
"But from what I understand, you don't usually go around looking like this?" Tyra asked.
"No," Raven admitted. "I usually change to look more… normal."
"Could you show us your normal?"
Raven shifted again to her blonde, blue-eyed self.
"Now, what you call 'normal,' I call 'gorgeous..'" the other Jay said.
Raven shrugged. Tyra said, "Well, I love the blue! It's completely unique. I could see you headlining all kinds of high fashion shows with your look."
"Thank you," Raven said.
"It can't have been easy, growing up with blue skin," Tyra said.
"Well… I mostly didn't. It was just… easier to blend in."
"But now you're ready to stand out from the crowd, is that right?"
"That's right. I realized it's not my problem if others can't accept my beauty for what it is."
"Amen!" Tyra said. "Well, welcome to America's Next Top Model, Raven."
"Thank you," Raven said. She left to join the group. Tyra and the judges made a few more comments about what a competitive edge Raven's gifts could be in the competition, and then the show went to commercial.
"That's my girl!" Charles said.
"That was so brave," Jean said. "But is she okay? I thought she'd be here."
Charles shrugged. "I… I think she must have just lost track of time."
"Oh… too bad," Jean said.
The show came back, and the women had to prepare for their first photoshoots, which were to be swimsuit shots around the pool. Charles watched the other women with polite boredom. Raven appeared in blue skin and a metallic silver bikini.
Nigel asked, "You're doing the shoot like that?"
To Charles's horror, Raven started crying. His own eyes welled up in response. This was one of the reasons he hadn't wanted her to be on the show. He didn't want her to be exposed to this kind of cruelty.
On TV, Raven fled the photoshoot and locked herself in the bathroom. The cameras--and Tyra--followed. Tyra knocked on the door.
"Raven? You okay in there?"
"Yeah," Raven sniffed.
"You sure?"
"I'm fine."
"You don't sound fine, girl. What's going on?"
Raven sighed. Still crying, she said, "It's just--wh-when I was growing up, my brother always freaked out if I showed my blue skin at all. He--he was trying to protect me, I think-- but he just made me feel so, so ashamed of what I really looked like. But, I, at college I'd started learning more about--about mutant rights, and history, and I made some new friends who--who helped me feel more confident. And when I heard about the all mutant season of Top Model, I just thought--I thought maybe I was beautiful. Like the real me, not the--the blonde one. My brother didn't want me to come on this show at all. He thought I was going to embarrass myself."
Charles stared at the screen in horror. Was that why Raven thought he didn't want her to do the show? How had she misunderstood him so badly?
"You know, Raven, when I was younger, people made fun of my appearance, too. They called me five-head, because my forehead is so big. But when I got older, I realized it was the things that were different about me that made me the most beautiful. So I don't care what anyone says, except for the photographers I work with."
"Easy for you to say. You're frigging Tyra Banks."
"Damn right I am! And you're frigging Raven Darkholme. And I want you go out there and kill that photoshoot. I talked to Nigel--it was just a misunderstanding. He wasn't trying to tell you to change. He just wanted to make sure you were ready to start shooting. Of course, if you do go on to become a model, there will be people who want to try to change you, and you'll have to be ready to face that. You think you can do that?"
"Yeah," Raven said. She sniffed and left the bathroom. "Ugh, this is so embarrassing."
Tyra hugged her. "Honey, everybody has their ups and downs. You just gotta make sure the ups are what get on film."
Raven went back out and posed for what Charles believed to be perfectly competent photos, although he was barely able to focus on the show. Raven's words were still rattling around in his head, as he replayed the last conversations they'd had. He'd urged her to stay in school, he'd warned that reality television could be cruelly scripted…
Jean said, "Uh, you know what, I just remembered, I… have a ton of grading to do, we'd better get going."
"Oh, no, there's only 15 more minutes of the show," Charles protested weakly. "Don't you want to see who goes home?"
"Um, I'll check online," Jean said. "Thanks for inviting us!" she called, practically dragging Scott out behind her.
"Well," Moira said. "I guess you know why Raven didn't make it tonight."
"I had no idea she felt that way," Charles said.
"Really?" Erik asked.
"Well, not so… strongly, I suppose," Charles said, chewing the ice from the remnants of his cocktail.
He, Erik, and Moira watched in silence as Raven was declared the winner of that week's challenge and other girls, one by one, were declared to be still in the running toward becoming America's Next Top Model. Alison Blaire was sent home, as Tyra scolded, "There are a dozen shows for singers, Alison! This is America's Next Top Model, and we're not here for girls who think modeling is just a stepping stone for their careers."
Then, in voice-over, "Thirteen girls remain. Who will be America's first mutant top model?"
Charles clicked off the television. Moira said, "Erik, why don't you help me clean up? I think Charles has a phone call to make."
"Thank you, Moira," Charles said.
"Hush. Get dialing, Xavier," she said.
Charles transferred back to his wheelchair and rolled himself to the bedroom. He looked at the picture of himself and Raven on the nightstand. It was from her high school graduation; she was blonde in it. He sighed and pulled out his phone. He texted, "Congratulations! I'm so proud of you!" Then he dialed her number before he could talk himself out of it. It rang… and rang… and just when Charles had resigned himself to leaving an awkward voice mail, Raven said, "Hey."
"I wasn't sure if you'd pick up."
"I wasn't sure either," Raven said wryly.
"I… Raven, I'm so sorry. I had no idea this was that important to you, or that… how you felt."
"I know."
"Yeah?"
"Charles… on the show, I… there's the producers, and they're always trying to make you say something that will be good TV, you know? And as soon as I said that stuff about you, I wished I could take it back. I'm sorry, too."
"I just--I've always wanted to protect you, Raven. I never wanted you to feel ashamed. I just…"
"I know, Charles. But times have changed. And I'm not a little kid anymore."
"I know. You're a woman who appears nude on television."
"They blurred me!" Raven said.
"Well, I'm proud of you… and also very grateful to television standards and practices."
Raven laughed.
Charles said, "Why don't you come over, Raven? We have some mini-quiches left. A lot of them, actually."
"Yeah, sorry about that… I told people not to go to your party. I… didn't want them to see me say that stuff about you. I mean, they'll probably watch it anyway, but at least they won't be in the room with you."
"I suppose I appreciate that," Charles said. The phone line went silent for a moment, and he added, "I have leftover gin, too."
"Well, in that case, I'll be right over," Raven said, and Charles could hear the humor in her voice. Then she added, "Is it okay if I bring someone?"
"Of course! Who?"
"Um… I'll introduce you in person."
"All right," Charles said. His curiosity was killing him, but he didn't want to press her so soon after making up.
"We'll be right over. Heat up some quiches for me, I'm starving," Raven said, and hung up.
Charles smiled and went to the kitchen to prepare for his real party.
Raven hung up the phone and smiled at Irene, who was sitting next to her on the futon. "He's not mad at me," she said.
"Of course he isn't," Irene said.
"Hey, not all of us can tell the future."
"It doesn't take any special abilities to know that you and your brother will forgive each other. It's obvious that you two are very close, just from hearing you talk about him."
"I guess. But thank you so much for telling me to answer the phone. You were right," Raven said. She felt like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Watching the show back tonight--she remembered being mad at Charles, of course, but she hadn't clearly remembered what exactly she'd said on camera. It was pretty bad, and she felt awful, thinking about Charles watching it.
Irene squeezed Raven's hand. "You're very welcome."
"We should get going," Raven said.
"Are you sure you want me to come? Perhaps you would like privacy."
"Noo, I told him you were coming. I want him to meet you. Plus, his boyfriend will be there anyway." Irene hesitated, and Raven said, "Pleaaase? There's quiche. And gin."
"Well. If there's quiche," Irene said. Raven leaned forward and kissed her. Then she grimaced and changed her form to a nondescript hipster boy. The irony wasn't lost on her, but the show that had celebrated her blue form also required that she and Irene hide their relationship until it was revealed to the public on television, which they thought would be around the time episode 6 aired. In the meantime, Raven shapeshifted when she appeared in public with Irene. The show had just premiered tonight, but there had been promotional materials, and Raven was pretty recognizable.
Irene took Raven's arm with one hand and used her cane with the other, and they made their way from their Willamsburg apartment uptown to Charles and Erik's Upper West Side building. Irene raised an eyebrow toward Raven when the doorman greeted them. "I thought your brother was a professor? This place seems… fancy. I mean, the doorman was so polite," she said.
"Yeah, he teaches genetics at Columbia. That's why I go there, reduced tuition." Raven said. She almost left it at that, but she knew Charles lived beyond a professor's income. As they entered the elevator, she added, "There's some… family money. It's kind of complicated."
"Ohh!" Irene said, as if that explained something. Which Raven supposed it did. She felt a pang of guilt for not having mentioned that before. It hadn't seemed important, but maybe it was. Maybe she'd known it was important but just hadn't wanted to talk about it.
It was funny--after the intense experience of being on the show together, Raven felt like she and Irene knew everything about each other, but the truth was, they really hadn't known each other that long. And Irene's gift let her know some unexpected things, but definitely not everything.
Raven said, "It's Charles's birth family that had the money. I was adopted, so…"
"So?"
"So I wasn't in the Xavier will."
"That's fucked up!"
"Yeah, well… yeah. It was kind of a fucked up situation. Anyway, Charles tried to share his inheritance with me, but… I felt weird about it. I don't know. So that's why I waitress and stuff."
"And why you wanted to be in the running to win a one-year modeling contract with NEXT modeling, a spread in Mutation magazine, and a $100,000 contract with Guess?" Irene asked mischievously, in a mimicry of Tyra's voice.
"Exactly. Plus all the other stuff I told the producers about wanting to be a role model and all that," Raven said, as they left the elevator and walked down the hall.
"Naturally," Irene said.
"Oh, this is it." Raven changed back to her natural form, just as Charles opened the door, before Raven could touch the bell.
"Raven! So lovely to see you," he said. "And you're Irene! Oh, Raven, I'm so happy you made friends on the show."
"More than friends, actually. Uh, Charles, this is my girlfriend, Irene. Irene, my brother Charles." Raven stared at Charles, silently willing him not to embarrass her. A split second after she had that thought, she realized there was little Charles could do that was worse than anything Tyra and the producers had done. The thought was freeing, and she smiled.
"Oh! How wonderful," Charles said. His smile widened, and Raven wondered how'd she'd stayed mad at her stupid charming brother for so long. "Well, come inside. The quiche will get cold."
"Quiche! I told you there would be quiche," Raven said.
"I knew there would be," Irene replied.
"Such a know-it-all," Raven mumbled. Then she guided Irene to the loveseat and said, "Here, sit down and I'll bring you a plate."
From the kitchen, she heard Charles say, "Irene, this is my partner, Erik, and my friend Moira. Oh, let me get you a drink."
In his typical understated manner, Erik said, "Hello, Irene."
Moira said, "I can't believe there are two top models in here! Hi, Irene. You looked great on tonight's episode."
Irene said, "Technically, there is only one top model per season and we are contractually forbidden from telling you who it might be."
"Well, you know what I mean," Moira said.
"I still can't believe you watch this garbage," Erik grumbled.
"It's just fun, guilty-pleasure type stuff," Moira said. "Like how Charles watches terrible action movies and you do… whatever it is you do for fun."
"Erik doesn't like fun, Moira," Charles said.
Erik sighed. "Of course I like fun, Charles. Don't be ridiculous."
Raven came back into the living room with two plates of food, one of which she handed to Irene. Charles had left her a drink on the coffee table. She sipped it appreciatively; Charles always bought the good stuff.
"I'm only teasing," Charles replied, reaching over to squeeze Erik's knee. Erik gazed at him lovingly. Raven wondered if she and Irene would become a disgustingly cute couple like her brother and his boyfriend were. Irene would probably know, Raven thought.
Charles asked, "Now, Irene, if I may ask, what exactly are your mutant powers? I didn't quite understand what you meant, on the show."
"It's okay, Irene. You can tell him, if you want," Raven said.
Charles said, "Oh, dear, if it's something you'd prefer not to discuss--I'm just very curious. I'm not sure if Raven told you, but I'm a professor of genetics, with a specialization in the X-gene. And I'm a mutant myself--I'm a telepath."
"Yes, Raven had mentioned that," Irene said. "The truth is, I have the gift of precognition--I can see the future. But knowing that tends to make people feel uncomfortable--or greedy. So I prefer to be vague about it, much of the time."
"I completely understand," Charles said. "People hear 'telepath' and assume I'm going to be reading their minds all the time, as if their thoughts are all so very interesting."
"But how does it work?" Erik asked. "I mean, does it imply that everything is predetermined? How far in the future can you tell?"
"No. I see probabilities. The further away in the future something is, the more possibilities I see. But, for example, there's a 99% probability that Raven will spill her drink in the next 5 seconds."
"Dammit!" Raven said, righting the glass she'd just bumped with her elbow. "You couldn't have told me that 10 seconds ago?"
"I'm sorry, I wasn't focusing until it was too late."
"I'll get a dish towel," Charles said.
"Don't worry about it, I know where you keep them," Raven said. She got a towel and refilled her drink. Irene continued to explain her power to Erik and Charles, who were both fascinated in a way Raven knew would make Irene slightly uncomfortable before too long.
She settled back into the loveseat and started thinking of ways to change the topic, when Moira asked, "So did you already know how Next Top Model would end before you went on it?"
"Not exactly," Irene said. "I was just pretty sure it would be important for me to be on it." She turned and smiled at Raven. Raven smiled back--she knew Irene couldn't see it, but she just felt like smiling--and squeezed her hand.
Raven said, "So, did you guys enjoy the show?"
"Of course!" Moira said! Charles mumbled something positive. Erik averted his eyes.
"So, I have to ask, what's Tyra really like?" Moira asked.
"Oh, we signed non-disclosure agreements, so we can't tell you that," Raven deadpanned.
"Seriously?" Moira asked.
"Nah. I mean, we did, but not about that," Raven said. "Tyra is… I don't know, she's just like a force of nature. But I liked her."
"I did, too," Irene said. "She's unpredictable."
Raven giggled. "I'll say!"
"I thought reality TV was all scripted," Erik said.
"It is? Kind of? But also Tyra has like, no filter," Raven said.
"She does, though," Irene said. "It's just… not quite as effective as other people's filters. Not as effective as you'd expect a media mogul's personal filter to be."
"Yeah, that's a good way of putting it," Raven said, nodding thoughtfully. "But she is just really… open."
"What about--I have to ask--I read that Dwayne The Rock Johnson was a guest judge later on in the season?" Moira asked.
"Legally I can tell you nothing about whether or not I encountered Dwayne The Rock Johnson," Raven said. "But… unofficially… he smells amazing. Like sunshine."
"I knew it!" Moira said.
"So, overall... did you enjoy doing the show?" Charles asked. His tone told Raven he was really asking, not looking to say I told you so.
She said, "You know? I did. I mean, a lot of the challenges were really stupid, and it was exhausting, but also… it was really fun living in a house with all mutant girls. And I know it's just for ratings and stuff, but also I really do think it matters to show that mutants can be beautiful. I've already been getting so many tweets and stuff from other mutants… it's kinda awesome."
Irene nodded. "Yes. I see the show as an important step for mutant equality."
Erik said, "How wonderful that mutants can be objectified on television like everyone else."
"Erik! You're the one who told me I should do the show," Raven said.
"As I recall, I told you that you were a smart young woman and you'd figure out the right choice for yourself," Erik said. "How was I supposed to know you'd think that meant doing reality television?" But he was smiling his sharp little smile, so Raven knew he was joking. Ish.
"You're going back to school, though, right?" Charles asked. He was not joking.
"Yeah, yeah," Raven said. "I just took a semester leave. I'll start back up in spring semester, it's all worked out. But I was thinking…"
"Uh oh," Erik said drily.
She waved her hand at him and said, "No, I was just--well, Irene and I have been thinking, actually, about maybe trying to start an all-mutant sorority?"
"Really? First a model, now you want to be a sorority girl?" Erik said.
"No, not like that kind of sorority," Raven said. "Not that there's anything wrong with that kind of sorority. But like, the service kind."
"A fraternity, actually," Irene said. "Since it would be open to all genders."
"That's dumb, by the way," Raven said. "There should be a different word for it."
"Maybe we can invent one," Irene said.
"Interesting," Charles said. "Tell me more."
"Well, so, we were saying how it was really great to live in a house with only other mutants?" Raven said. "And, uh, the production crew, but whatever. And Charles, you and I had each other growing up, but a lot of mutants didn't. A lot of them were the only ones they knew. Well, you know that too, from your research and stuff."
"Yes, and I also opposed mutant-only dormitories, on the grounds of discrimination," Charles said.
"This is different, though, because it's not like the mutants would be forced to live there. And it could be kind of a community hang-out space, too, even for mutants who didn't live here," Raven said.
"You've been thinking about this a lot, haven't you?" Charles asked.
"Yeah," Raven admitted. She hesitated, then decided to blurt out, "I was waiting to talk to you guys… I mean I didn't… well, if we're seriously going to petition the school about it… we'd need a faculty advisor…?"
Charles beamed. "Raven, I'd love to."
"Actually, maybe I should do it," Erik said. Everyone looked at him, and he said, "What? I told you, I like fun. And it does sound like a good idea." He looked at Irene and added, "If you didn't already know, I teach engineering at Columbia." Then he turned back to Raven and said, "And I'm not related to you, so the school might look more favorably upon it."
"Okay, well… okay, we can think about that. Maybe we can have joint advisors? But thank you both so much!" Raven said. Irene smiled serenely. Raven added, "Also I wanted to--"
"Of course! The house!" Charles winced and added, "Sorry, I promise I wasn't reading your mind, I just realized. But it's a wonderful idea."
"Oh," Irene said. "The house!" Raven looked at her and Irene said, "I kept seeing a house, but I didn't realize… it makes sense now."
Raven said, "I didn't want to say anything about it until I talked to Charles."
"What house?" Moira asked.
"I, um, inherited a lovely brownstone near the campus," Charles said. "It wasn't the house where Raven and I grew up, but just something our parents purchased as a real estate investment. I don't live there myself because it's not terribly accessible, but… it could be renovated. Yes. Yes, certainly we could work something out to use the house for an all-mutant fraternity."
"A brotherhood," Erik said.
"Ugh, we seriously need a gender-neutral word," Raven said.
"A family," Irene supplied.
Raven squeezed her hand. "Yeah!"
Moira made a face and said, "Just be careful to avoid Charles Manson associations."
"Oh. Yeah. Well… we'll work on the name," Raven said.
"It does sound like a good idea," Moira added. She yawned and said, "I'd better get going. Some of us have 8am classes to teach. But Raven, lovely to see you, and to meet you, Irene. I can't wait to watch the rest of this season!'
They said their goodbyes to Moira. After she left, Raven said, "We should probably get going too, actually. But.. I'm glad you called, Charles. Thanks for having us."
"Of course, of course," Charles said. "Same time, next week?"
"We'll be here," Raven said. "And we'll bring some of the materials we've been working on, about applying to create a new fraternity and all that."
"Excellent. I'll start doing some investigating, as well," Charles said.
"Good night, mutant models. Get your beauty sleep," Erik said.
"You, too," Raven said.
"He's already beautiful enough," Charles said.
"Gross," Raven said. "Bye."
She changed back to her boring boy form and said, "Oh, by the way, we have to keep it a secret that we're dating until it airs on television, so, uh, keep that on the d/l."
"I'll tell Moira not to tweet about it," Charles said solemnly.
"Great, thanks," Raven said. She took Irene's arm and led her out into the hallway. In the elevator she sighed. "Whew, that went better than I thought it would. Did you know it would turn out okay?"
"It was very probable," Irene said. "There was also a slight chance that it would go very poorly."
"Oh. Well, I guess… thank you for not telling me about that in advance." Raven led her back out into the street and she said, "So what was the worst possible outcome?"
"Do you really want to know?"
"Yeah. I guess. I mean, it's too late now, right?"
"There was a very slim chance that your brother and his boyfriend would break up over this. Erik would continue on as our advisor, but your relationship with Charles would be extremely fraught."
"Eeesh."
"As I said, it was very improbable."
"Thank god," Raven said with a shudder. "But now everything's going to work out fine?"
"Let's just stay… we're both still in the running toward becoming America's happiest mutants," Irene said.
"You're such a dork," Raven said, before leaning down to kiss her.