nextgenerationmarvel

Anybody who happened across Brooke Wyngarde would find her in a very warm, friendly, and gracious mood indeed. In fact, the hellacious little empath was giving off vibes of contentment like it was on clearance at Neiman-Marcus. For anyone who knew her well, this was probably an incredibly weird, off-setting thing for them to feel from her. But there it was. Brooke, actually happy and not snapping at anyone, or trying to tear anyone down.

Granted, that could change at any moment.

At the moment, Brooke was seated in one of the Mansion's many common areas, a pitcher of strawberry and basil iced tea at her side, along with a small platter of cucumber sandwiches. Her iPad was carefully nestled in her hand and she was trying to read that day's issue of Women's Wear Daily but instead kept on flashing back to her night with Alexander.

God, but that night had been perfect in ways she hadn't ever thought it could be. It had been everything she'd expected, and more still. She'd never felt as worshipped, or as loved, before. Feeling another flash of heat passing over her, Brooke reached out and took another drink of her iced tea. It did nothing to cool her down.

Is the first time like this for everyone, Brooke wondered, or is this a special case?

Shaking her head, she tried to refocus on her paper but found that she couldn't. Brooke closed the Kate Spade iPad case and set the device down next to her. Oh who cares. I'm just going to revel in this.

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She caught the flushed cheeks. Rachel put the tea cup off to the side; it floated placidly where she let it go. She glanced at the tablet when a notification for something to look at popped up. Sage's filters still worked wonders.

"I'm guessing, just from observation mind you, that this has something to do with the 'maybe-boyfriend-type who may or may not want the spend the night every once in awhile.'" The hunch got a little more confirmed by the gossip bit Sage's filters had flagged about a whole apartment building orgasming at the same time.

"And you are sharing it with at least part of the campus." Except possibly Athos, whom Rachel sensed moving as fast away from the happy and content feelings as his green legs would take him.

"What?!" Mortification shadowed Brooke's face. She shot up again, staring at Rachel, entirely dumbfounded. "I can't...I can't affect more than three people at a time." And even working up to that had been hell. "What do you mean I'm sharing it with part of the campus?" On the bright side, though, at least Brooke wasn't a telepath. Instead of feeling things, they'd probably be getting lots of unwanted mental images.

The corners of Rachel's mouth turned up slightly for a moment. Not so much at Brooke's uncomfortableness but more about an insight into her powers. Apparently the empath still had more room to grow.

"You're transmitting contentment among other happier emotions. You're very relaxed, so it must be subconsciously. When you're purposefully using your powers, it's more like a baseball bat instead of a warm, fuzzy blanket." The telepath in the room had sent out a low-level signal that people should avoid the room she was in for the moment. Just a suggestion to go elsewhere for the time being. Not that Brooke showing she was happy was a problem, but the sudden mortification might worsen if others walked in on it.

"So, I'm like...a beacon of happy?" She breathed, calmed down. As long as it was only warm fuzzies that she was transmitting, and not something...hotter...she was okay. "I didn't think that was possible for me. I mean. Working my way up to influencing three people was not an easy task." But the fact that three wasn't the limit. Huh. "This is new."

"Currently, yes. Subtle influence." If it were more than just happy and toward the hotter end of the spectrum, Rachel would have shut it down. The school while in summer session still had plenty of hormonal teenagers in it. They did not need any more encouragement.

"We've never talked about potential, but this does show you can be on par if not better than your father in terms of extent of power." Rachel hoped it was for the good. That her putting many things on the line just to have Brooke here and learning wouldn't come back to bite the redhead in the 'I-told-you-so' butt.

"I didn't ever think my powers could work like that. I mean, okay, I know that on some level, I can sometimes...pass my emotions around and that other people with similar talents will pick up on them, but to have it be as widespread as it sounds like...that's new." She tilted her head. "Better than my father?" Brooke certainly liked the sound of that. If Manuel de la Rocha was the Xavier of empaths, then maybe Brooke could be the Jean Grey.

Or, you know. I could be my own person.

"That's going to require a lot more training, though." Maybe sex was the key to this.

Clearly, she needed to have more of it.

She really, really wanted to.

"Could be that you were holding yourself back. You have some of the most sound shields for someone of your age." While Rachel's younger cousin had some of the weakest. The yin and yang of Topher and Brooke on the same campus. "You've obviously relaxed. That could be a key to it."

She nodded. "It's in the realm of possibility. I can schedule more sessions for you. I won't be available for more than what we do, but Emma Frost is more than capable of teaching you as well."

Brooke listened intently. She knew she was generally high-strung. She had an image to maintain - a reputation, of sorts. She was always wonderfully concerned about how the world viewed her - though her ego and her shields tended to stop her from seeing or feeling things as they truly were.

"Okay," she said after a long moment. "Working with you and with Emma...yeah, I can do that." Granted, she meant that more about Emma than she did Rachel. After all, Brooke was considerably comfortable with Rachel, now.

She trusted her.

Emma on the other hand...well.

As long as Brooke behaved herself, right?

"I'd appreciate it, Rachel."

"She was instrumental in helping Stephanie," Rachel commented as she grabbed her tea cup from mid-air. "She is one of the professors here now. She'll push you in ways I won't, but it will be for your benefit."

Rachel still did not want to be in the same room when those two clashed. Even if she was positive Brooke would not come out the winner.

"You came to this school for help. I can make sure you get it. You're welcome."

"I'm well aware," Brooke replied. "And I am going to try to be the smart, mature woman here and accept Emma's aid graciously, and without any sort of cattiness." Clearly, having sex for the first time had done a lot for Brooke's mood and attitude.

How long was it going to last?

"Besides, I know Emma loves nothing more than being a teacher." And high-end clothing, which was one of the few things the two women had in common. "I can trust her in that, at least."

Afterheat

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