Marvel: Sin Lord

It had been a week since the New Mutants snatched Kitty and Doug from right under their noses, and Emma Frost had been relentless ever since. Training sessions had gone from grueling to borderline torture, with no room for error. Every misstep earned harsh criticism, and every success was brushed aside like it didn't matter.

The Hellions were worn out, their usual banter silenced by exhaustion and frustration. Even Inarius, who usually thrived under pressure, felt his patience wearing thin.

By the end of the week, during yet another punishing session, something snapped inside him.

"That's enough!" Inarius shouted, stepping forward as the others stared in shock.

Emma turned to him, her icy gaze cutting through the room like a blade. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," he said, his voice steady despite the knot in his chest. "We did our best out there. You weren't there, but we fought hard, and we almost won. It's not our fault Illyana teleported them away. So why are you punishing us for something we couldn't control?"

The room fell silent, the tension thick enough to choke on.

Emma took a step toward him, her expression unreadable. "You're bold, Inarius. Perhaps too bold."

"I'm not afraid to speak the truth," he shot back, his grey eyes locking with hers.

Her lips pressed into a thin line, and after a moment of silence, she waved a hand dismissively. "Go to your room. Now."

Inarius clenched his fists but didn't argue. He turned on his heel and left the room, feeling the weight of her gaze on his back the entire way out.

Later that evening, Emma called the Hellions into her office. They filed in, unsure of what to expect, but the icy demeanor she had worn all week was gone. Instead, she looked... tired.

"I owe you all an apology," she said, her voice softer than usual.

The team exchanged surprised glances but stayed quiet.

"I've been hard on you," she continued. "Too hard. This past week has been stressful, and I took it out on you. That was wrong." She looked at each of them in turn. "You're my students, my team, and I should have treated you better. I'm sorry."

The Hellions relaxed, the tension in the room dissipating as her words sank in.

"Let's put this behind us," Emma said, her tone warmer now. "Dinner is on me tonight."

Dinner was lively, a welcome change from the gloom that had hung over them all week. The Hellions laughed, joked, and ate like they hadn't seen food in days. Even Inarius cracked a smile as Tarot and Jetstream teased Empath about his disastrous attempt to flirt with one of the new kitchen staff earlier in the week.

Afterward, as Inarius made his way back to his room, Emma's voice called out from behind him.

"Inarius, a moment."

He stopped, turning to see her standing in the hallway. She gestured for him to follow her back to her office.

When they got there, Emma sat behind her desk, her usual poise returned but softened by a hint of vulnerability.

"I wanted to apologize to you specifically," she said. "I was especially hard on you, and you didn't deserve that. You've been my most promising student, and I see so much potential in you. I pushed you because I thought it would make you stronger, but I forgot to consider how it might feel for you. For that, I'm truly sorry."

Inarius was caught off guard by her sincerity. He hadn't expected an apology, let alone one so heartfelt.

"It's okay," he said, his voice quieter now.

Emma smiled faintly and stood, walking around the desk to place a hand on his shoulder. "You're important to this team, Inarius. And to me. Never forget that."

Before he could respond, she pulled him into a brief hug. It was unexpected but not unwelcome.

"Go on now," she said, stepping back. "Get some rest."

When Inarius returned to his room, he found Empath lounging on his bed, flipping through a magazine.

"What took you so long?" Empath asked without looking up.

"Emma wanted to talk to me," Inarius replied, smirking.

Empath raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what did our esteemed White Queen have to say?"

"She told me I'm her most prized student," Inarius said, puffing his chest out dramatically.

Empath rolled his eyes. "Of course she did. You're her little golden boy."

"And you're just jealous," Inarius shot back, grinning.

"Jealous? Of you? Please," Empath said, tossing the magazine aside. "You couldn't handle the attention I get."

The two bantered back and forth, their jabs growing more exaggerated and ridiculous until they were both laughing uncontrollably.

Finally, they settled down, the laughter fading into comfortable silence.

"You're not so bad, Morningstar," Empath said, his tone lighter than usual.

"Right back at you, Manuel," Inarius replied, smirking as he turned off the light.

As they drifted off to sleep, the tension of the past week felt like a distant memory. For the first time in days, Inarius felt truly at ease.