Knocking drags me from a dreamless sleep, my first night of actual rest in years. I bury my face deeper into the pillow, convinced I'm imagining it, until a voice cuts through my grogginess.
"Wakey wakey, fresh meat!"
The unfamiliar female voice jolts me awake. I roll over, squinting at the door as it swings open without my permission. A woman steps into my room with the confidence of someone who's never been told 'no' in her life. She's wearing a bright yellow trench coat over a pink crop top that leaves little to the imagination.
Holy shit. I know who this is.
"You're Jubilee," I blurt out, my brain still half-asleep but somehow dredging up this crucial piece of information.
Her face lights up with a smile so wide it should come with a warning label. "You already know my name?" She sounds delighted, like I've just handed her the keys to my soul.
"Uhh..." My mind races, trying to figure out how to explain that in my universe, she's a fictional character my friend Gabe wouldn't shut up about. The same friend who bragged about jerking off to her comic book appearances so much he claimed his 'dick skin would scab and fall off,' his exact words.
"Oh, that's fun," she says, saving me from having to come up with an explanation. She practically bounces into my room, carrying a breakfast tray that smells amazing. "I heard we finally got a new boy around my age, so I just had to check it out."
The way she's looking at me makes my skin prickle, like I'm a particularly juicy steak and she hasn't eaten in weeks. If Gabe were here, he'd already be four inches deep. But I'm not Gabe, and women, especially ones with superpowers who could probably fry my brain freak me the hell out.
"Thanks. Yeah, I'm Jack." I mutter, taking the tray from her. The food looks homemade, pancakes, bacon, eggs, and orange juice. I can't remember the last time someone made me breakfast.
I sit down at the small table by the window, trying to create some distance between us. It doesn't work. Jubilee plops down right next to me, our legs touching. I pull away instinctively, nearly knocking over my juice.
"So," she says, leaning forward, her eyes never leaving my face. "What's your power, Jack? The Professor wouldn't tell us anything except that you're new."
Despite my instinct to keep my guard up, I find myself relaxing a little. Her enthusiasm is infectious, and I'd be lying if I didn't notice how attractive she is, even if her intensity is mildly terrifying.
"I can heal," I say, watching her eyes widen with interest. "Professor Xavier also mentioned something about transferring wounds, but honestly, I have no idea what that means yet."
Jubilee leans in even closer. "Ooh, that's actually super cool!" She taps her chin thoughtfully. "Maybe you can, like, take cuts and injuries from other people? Like, they get hurt and you can just..." she makes a grabbing motion with her hand, "yoink it right off them?"
"Yeah, probably something like that," I say, surprised by her quick understanding. "I haven't exactly had a chance to test it out yet."
She nods, studying me with those intense eyes. There's a moment of awkward silence as I take a bite of pancake.
"So," I ask between mouthfuls, desperate to break the tension, "how old are you anyway?"
"Twenty," she replies with a casual flip of her hair. "Almost twenty-one next month."
"Oh, cool. I'm eighteen," I respond, stabbing another piece of pancake.
Her grin widens to borderline predatory proportions. "Legal," she says with a wink that makes me choke a little on my food.
"I, uh, guess so..." I manage after a coughing fit.
She fidgets with the sleeve of her yellow coat, suddenly looking uncharacteristically nervous. "So, um, I have a question..." she bites her lip, "it's, uhh, kinda sexual..."
I blink at her unsure how to handle this. "Uh, sure. Ask away."
"So," she starts, her fingers nervously tapping against her thigh, "is it true what they say about men getting, you know... blue balls?"
I bite the inside of my cheek, trying not to laugh. "Blue balls?"
"Yeah, like when guys don't... finish." Her cheeks flush pink as she makes a vague hand gesture. "Does it actually hurt?"
I can't help the chuckle that escapes. "Yeah, it can be pretty uncomfortable if you get interrupted in the middle of things. It's like this dull ache that just... lingers."
Jubilee groans dramatically, throwing her head back. "Man, that's so sad for you guys. I just can't imagine how difficult that must be."
I nod solemnly, unable to resist the urge to joke. "You have no idea."
Something shifts in her expression then, a flicker of determination mixed with nervousness. She gives me this awkward but undeniably flirty smile, like she's about to jump off a cliff and isn't sure if there's water below.
"Well, um," she starts, her words coming out in a rush, "if you ever, you know... have that problem..." She swallows hard, her confidence visibly crumbling with each word. "If you ever have blue... balls... I could maybe... help you with that."
I keep my face carefully neutral, even as my brain short-circuits. This gorgeous girl is basically offering to get me off, and I'm trying not to show how much that's affecting me. It's not like I've had any experience with women, I've always kept my distance after growing up with Mom's brand of 'motherly love.' But I'm still a teenager with a functional libido who's definitely fantasized about this kind of scenario.
"Yeah, maybe," I reply, aiming for casual but probably missing by a mile.
Jubilee's eyes suddenly widen like she's seen a ghost. "Wait, really?" she exclaims, leaning so far forward I think she might fall into my lap.
"Uhh, well..."
Before I can stammer out a response that would probably embarrass us both I spot Gene Grey in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest, looking like someone just canceled his favorite show. His auburn hair is perfectly styled despite the early hour, and his emerald eyes narrow as they dart between Jubilee and me.
"Hey, Jubilee," he says, voice dripping with disapproval. "What gives? Are you hassling the new guy already?"
Jubilee practically jumps away from me, her hands flying up defensively. "What? No! We were just getting acquainted."
I don't know why, but something in me doesn't want her to get in trouble.
"Jubilee and I were just chatting," I say quickly, offering Gene what I hope is a reassuring smile. "I'm really happy. She's my first friend here."
The tension visibly drains from Gene's shoulders, his stern expression softening around the edges. "Good," he says, nodding once. "That's... good."
Jubilee takes the opportunity to make her escape, backing toward the door with a mischievous grin. "I'll see you later, Jack," she says, giving me a wink that Gene can't see.
I wave goodbye, hoping my face isn't as red as it feels. Then it's just Gene and me left alone in my room, the silence stretching awkwardly between us.
Gene clears his throat, stepping further into the room. His gaze sweeps over the breakfast tray, lingering on the half-eaten food. "I see she brought you breakfast."
"Yeah," I reply, suddenly feeling defensive of Jubilee. "It was really nice of her."
Gene shifts his weight, crossing his arms over his chest. His perfect posture makes me feel like a slouching mess in comparison. He glances at the door Jubilee just exited through, then lowers his voice conspiratorially.
"Listen, Jack," he says, running a hand through his immaculate hair. "I should probably warn you about something. Most women here just want to fuck, alright? I know you're probably not used to that kind of... forwardness."
I nearly choke on my orange juice. "Excuse me?"
Gene gives me a knowing look, like we're sharing some secret male burden. "For mutants, only around twenty percent are men. The ratio is seriously skewed. So the hormone levels in this mansion spike whenever a new guy arrives." He gestures vaguely at my door. "Case in point."
"Oh," I say, processing this information. The gender dynamics of this world still throw me for a loop. "I didn't know that."
"Of course you didn't," Gene says with a sympathetic nod.
"Thanks for letting me know," I say, genuinely grateful for the heads-up.
Gene's face softens into something resembling actual warmth. "Us boys gotta stick together in this place," he says with a slight smile. "It can be a jungle out there."
I return his smile, feeling a strange kinship with this man I barely know. "Yeah, I appreciate it."
He nods once, apparently satisfied with our little bonding moment, and turns to leave. I watch as he reaches the doorway, his hand resting on the frame. Without turning back, his voice drops an octave.
"And one more thing..." he pauses dramatically. "Stay away from Scotty."
Before I can ask what he means, he's gone, the door clicking shut behind him.