"Professor, it's Kurogai. Long time no see."
Kurogai's voice echoed through the communicator.
And the moment his voice transmitted across the line, a sharp tremor rippled through the walls of Professor X's office—not from the Professor himself, but from Jean Grey, who had just stepped inside to deliver a file. Her psychic aura flared violently the instant she heard Kurogai's voice.
She hadn't seen him in six years.
Not since the day he vanished without warning.
At the time, Kurogai had just begun breaking through Jean's defenses, drawing her in with a dangerous charm. And just as her heart began to fall—he was gone. No letters. No calls. No trace.
Now, without any explanation, he was back.
"Where the hell have you been?!"
Jean didn't wait for an answer. Her psychic energy yanked the communicator out of Professor X's hand. Her eyes flared with emotion as she barked into it, "Kurogai, where did you go?! Why did you disappear for six years without a word?!"
"Jean…?"
Onboard the X-Jet, Kurogai paused, caught off guard by the tension in her voice. He gave a helpless smile. He understood. He truly did.
He'd left just as she was beginning to open her heart. Now, hearing her voice shake with emotion, he could feel the weight of what he'd done.
"Jean, I—"
But before he could finish, the line went dead.
The communicator sparked. Jean's hand trembled slightly, then crumpled the device unintentionally. The metal warped under the pressure of her uncontrolled telekinesis.
In her panic, Jean turned to the Professor. "I broke it. What if he thinks I hung up on purpose?"
Professor X let out a long breath, fighting the urge to rub his temples.
"Ororo can replace the phone. It's not a problem," he replied calmly, sensing the storm of emotion in Jean's aura.
"No, I mean Kurogai… what if he misunderstands? What if he thinks I'm still angry?"
Charles blinked. "Jean," he said flatly, "your first worry is whether your ex-crush thinks you're mad at him? After all this?"
Before Jean could respond, a golden spark burst into the room.
A circular portal unfurled from thin air, its surface shimmering with arcane energy. And out stepped Kurogai—calm, composed, and far too charming for Jean's frayed emotions.
"You came," Jean breathed, stunned.
"I was worried," Kurogai said softly, stepping closer. "The call cut out, and I sensed your energy spike. I thought… maybe something had gone wrong."
Jean flushed, tucking the ruined communicator behind her back in embarrassment. "It—it wasn't on purpose. My powers just… slipped."
Kurogai's gaze softened. "I'm not upset."
The tension between them shifted. Jean's heartbeat quickened as his eyes locked on hers, steady and intense. Whatever grudge she might have held melted under that gaze. In that moment, everything she had wanted to say over the past six years felt unnecessary.
Professor X cleared his throat.
"Kurogai. You've been gone a long time. And now you return, in the company of Logan, no less. I'd like to know why—"
"I'm sorry, Professor," Kurogai cut him off politely but firmly. "We'll talk later. Right now, I have a very important matter to discuss with Jean."
Before Charles could object, Kurogai took Jean's hand and opened another portal. The two stepped through together and vanished.
The office fell silent.
"…A very important matter," the Professor muttered to himself, alone now. "That can't wait. But national security can."
He let out a long sigh. "I'm too old for this."
---
Elsewhere — A Hidden Sanctuary in New York
The golden halo faded as the two emerged into a quiet, elegant loft nestled above the city. Hidden by cloaking spells and wards, it was a place no one—not even Wanda—knew existed. Kurogai had built it years ago as a contingency.
Now, it was perfect for this moment.
"Why didn't you reach out?" Jean asked quietly, still holding his hand.
Kurogai turned to her, his expression unreadable.
"I should have," he admitted. "But I wasn't ready to drag you into what I was becoming. What I had to do. I didn't want you caught in the middle of it all."
Jean looked away, trying to stay composed. "I didn't need protection. I needed… an answer."
Kurogai stepped closer.
"I missed you," he said.
Jean blinked. The warmth in his voice struck her harder than she expected.
His hand rose slowly, brushing her cheek as if seeking permission. She didn't flinch. She leaned into his palm, her breath catching just slightly. A single touch—a connection they were never allowed to share before.
Everything unspoken surged to the surface.
Jean's voice was barely above a whisper. "What are you doing?"
Kurogai's lips curved in a soft smile. "Making up for lost time."
The tension between them no longer felt awkward—it felt inevitable. As if all their separate paths had led back here, to this one moment of clarity.
For once, it wasn't about fate. Or power. Or survival.
It was about them.
And Kurogai was certain—this wasn't just a reunion. It was a beginning.
---
100 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter
200 Power Stones = 3 Bonus Chapters
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