"Alright, stop crying already. I told you—I'm fine." Aiden's voice was firm but gentle as he reached for Jean's trembling hand. "And I meant what I said. Thanks to your ability last night, my telekinesis has grown stronger. If you don't believe me, watch closely."He extended his hand toward a table a few meters away, where a spread of food lay untouched.With a subtle pulse of power, plates, bread, fruit, and even a steaming bowl of soup lifted smoothly into the air. The food floated in perfect formation, drifting across the cafeteria like an orderly parade. One by one, each dish stacked itself neatly onto a tray, then hovered over to Aiden before settling gently onto the table in front of him.The other students turned their heads at the spectacle, whispering among themselves.Jean blinked, tears still clinging to her lashes, but the sight finally brought a smile to her lips."You pig," she said, her voice breaking into a laugh. "You eat so much!""Haha, it's a blessing to be able to eat!" Aiden grinned, already reaching for a loaf of bread."Holy cow, Aiden—can you really eat all that?"Danny appeared then, balancing his own plate of food. His eyes went wide at the mountain of dishes piled high in front of Aiden."It's fine," Aiden replied with a carefree wave. "I have a huge appetite."Jean glanced at Danny, guilt flashing across her face. But when she saw him sitting down with his usual cheerful expression, she breathed a sigh of relief.At least Danny seemed unharmed from last night's mishap.Still, her conscience gnawed at her."I'm sorry, Danny," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Last night… it was my fault."Danny tilted his head, confused. "Huh? What happened last night?"Before Jean could confess, Aiden smoothly cut in. "Nothing serious. Jean was just tired and went straight back to her room, so she didn't explain."Danny blinked, then shrugged it off with a laugh. "Oh, no big deal then." He waved his hand casually and dug into his food.Jean bit her lip, her eyes softening as she cast a quick, grateful look at Aiden. Her lips moved in the faintest whisper—"Thank you, Aiden"—but he was already devouring his food, oblivious to her quiet words.---After classes that morning, Aiden tugged Jean aside."Come with me," he said.She frowned. "Where are we going?""To the garden. I need your help."Jean hesitated but followed him anyway.They passed through the lively grounds, where groups of students played basketball, tossed a football back and forth, or sprawled in the grass under the warm sun. The sound of laughter filled the air, a stark contrast to the tension twisting inside Jean.Finally, they reached the old tree where they had sat together two nights ago to stargaze. Its wide branches cast a pool of shade over the grass, shielding them from the midday light.Aiden turned, his expression unusually serious."Jean, I want you to do it again," he said firmly. "Use your telekinesis on me, just like last night. Push against me with everything you have."Her eyes widened in shock. "What? No! I can't—Aiden, I might hurt you again. I nearly—""You are the master of your ability," Aiden interrupted, his voice calm but unwavering. "Not the other way around. If you don't learn control, it will keep hurting people. But I know you can do this. And I trust you. I know you won't hurt me."Jean froze. His words sank deep into her chest, disarming the fear clinging to her heart. She stared into his dark eyes, and in them, she saw no hesitation, no doubt—only faith.For a long moment, her lips trembled, caught between refusal and belief. Then she inhaled slowly, her gaze hardening with determination."…Alright. I'll do it."Aiden's lips curved into a small, proud smile. "Good. I'm ready."Jean nodded, her posture straightening as she drew in a deep breath. Her delicate features shifted into focus, and her sapphire eyes narrowed with concentration.Aiden braced himself, drawing his own telekinesis tight around his mind like armor.The moment came swiftly.A ripple of invisible energy surged from Jean, crashing into him like a tidal wave.Buzz—!Aiden's brain reeled. For a heartbeat, the world went white, then black, as though lightning had struck the core of his skull. A deafening ringing filled his ears, drowning out everything else.Then, through the haze, he thought he heard it—an ethereal cry, faint and distant, like the song of a bird echoing through a canyon.His nose stung. A warm droplet fell to his lips. Metallic, bitter. Blood.Not good…Before he could steady himself, his vision collapsed into darkness. His body went limp, falling hard against the grass.The last thing he heard before his consciousness fled was Jean's desperate scream:> "Aiden!!!"---He floated in darkness.There was no ground, no sky, no light. Only an endless void stretching in every direction.Then came a voice.> "Aiden…"Soft at first, like the call of a child."Aiden!"Again, but this time, deeper—feminine, mature, carrying a strange undertone of longing and desire."Aiden!!!"The third cry was no longer gentle. It was a roar, low and bestial, echoing with fury.The darkness trembled.Then—"Cawww!"A bird's screech tore through the void, shattering the silence.Flames erupted all around him, crimson and wild. Fire spread in every direction, consuming the endless dark.And in the heart of those flames—wings. Vast, blinding wings.A fiery silhouette loomed, and the shadow of a great bird stretched across the burning horizon.The Phoenix.Aiden's heart pounded as the inferno consumed him.---With a sharp gasp, his eyes snapped open.The dark void was gone, replaced by a white ceiling.For several seconds, he lay dazed, trying to process the transition between dream and reality. The image of the fiery bird lingered in his mind, etched there with terrifying clarity.He shifted slightly, and only then noticed the warmth beside him. Turning his head, he saw a figure slumped against the bed. Fiery red hair spilled across the sheets.Jean.She had fallen asleep at his side, her hand still resting near his arm, as if she had held it until exhaustion overtook her.Aiden's lips curved in a soft, almost bittersweet smile. Slowly, he lifted his hand and brushed her hair gently, the fiery strands slipping like silk through his fingers.Jean stirred at the touch. Her lashes fluttered, and her sapphire eyes blinked open.For a brief second, she simply stared at him in disbelief. Then her expression crumbled."Aiden… you're awake! Thank God, you're alright!"She threw herself forward, wrapping her arms around him. Her voice cracked with sobs as she pressed her face into his chest.The sudden hug startled him, but he quickly recovered, raising a hand to pat her head softly."Don't cry, Jean. I'm fine. See? I'm right here."It took a long time before her sobs quieted, before she reluctantly released him, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.Just then, a familiar voice called from the doorway."Aiden, you rascal. You really don't make things easy for people, do you?"Charles Xavier wheeled into the room, his face a mixture of relief and sternness. "Do you realize you've been unconscious for two and a half months?""What?!" Aiden blinked, shocked.Two and a half months…He turned inward, remembering the Phoenix's burning wings in the void. His stomach tightened. That power… Jean's power… it's terrifying.But outwardly, he smiled faintly. "I'm sorry, Professor. I made you all worry."The door opened again, and Hank and Danny rushed in, both faces bright with joy."Aiden!" Danny exclaimed, hurrying to his side. "You've been out forever! What happened? Were you sick?""I'm not sick, don't worry." Aiden smiled, waving it off. He couldn't exactly admit that Jean's uncontrolled power had knocked him into a coma again. That would only crush her with guilt.So he swallowed the truth.What mattered now was reassuring the people around him.Charles, Hank, Danny—all of them sighed in relief seeing him awake and alert.But none more so than Jean.She sat quietly at his side, her hands clenched in her lap, eyes still wet from tears.Perhaps because Aiden was the first who had treated her without fear. Or perhaps because her own power had nearly destroyed him, and she carried that guilt deep in her heart.Either way, Jean Grey's bond with Aiden had just grown deeper.And neither of them realized it yet—but the fiery shadow Aiden had glimpsed in the void was only the beginning.-
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