Mutants V.S. Humans

.:TIMESKIP:.

The next morning, the sun woke Ben up by blasting him right in the face, he closed his eyes as he sat up, "Dammit." He rubbed his smarting eyes, 'Wakey, wakey Erika. School time, park trip today.'

Erika awoke, and smiled. 'Me see Beast?' She asked, with a happy tone. She loved going to the park.

'Yeah, we'll both see Beast. And Mirriam.' Ben got up and picked Erika up at the same time, 'Now, come on kiddo, get dressed and grab your stuff for school, we'll be going there first, before the park.'

Erika giggled, and wiggled out of Ben's grasp. She got herself dressed, and got her school stuff, putting it at the front door. Waiting for Ben, she hummed a tune Beast had taught her, and sang to her when he had found her in the forest all those years ago.

Beast growled slightly as he searched his room for the first aid kit he carried when he helped take the kids on field trips. Walking on all fours, he smelt the rubbing alcohol, and unburied it from a pile of towels covered in blue fur. Chuckling to himself, and shaking his head, he muttered, "Always in the last place you look, and the most uncommon of places." Rolling his eyes, he exited his room, and went to Ben's and Erika's room. Banging on the door, he yelled, "You guys coming?"

Erika jumped slightly as she heard someone banging on the door. Hearing Beast's voice, she giggled, and opened the door. Once the door was open, she leapt at him.

Beast caught Erika, and boosted her onto his back. Entering the room, he closed the door behind him. "Hello little one." He said in a happy tone.

Erika smiled, and hugged him from behind, for she was on his back. 'Hello Beast.' She said, happily. 'We go to park?'

Beast chuckled, and rolled his eyes. "Yes, we are going to the park, but we have to wait for your father."

Erika sighed, and nuzzled in between his shoulder blades. 'Okay.' She said, as she decided to wait patiently for Ben.

Ben came hopping out of the bathroom, one pant leg on, and trying to get his other leg into the other one, 'Sorry, my mind was... elsewhere.'

Finally getting his cargo pants on right, he took a comb out of his pocket and forced his hair to resume it's usual shape, unlike the bedhead he sported a moment ago.

Going to his bedside table, he unlocked one of the drawers and pulled out a holstered Jericho 941 and clipped it into place under his left armpit before grabbing his tan leather jacket and putting it on. The outline of the handgun could barely be seen from outside.

Directing his thoughts at Beast, so that Erika could not hear him at all, 'I have a bad feeling, I usually bring the gun when I get those feelings.'

Beast chuckled as he saw Ben, and shook his head. Seeing him take his guns, and hear Ben's projected thoughts, he growled slightly.

Erika looked at Ben, and laughed out loud. Hearing Beast growl, she patted him on the shoulder. 'Beast okay?' She asked.

Ben sighed, 'Eri, I wasn't all here earlier. Daddy was lost in a thought. Time doesn't like me much.' He chuckled as he remembered his newest ability.

Blocking Erika out again, he directed his thoughts at Beast, 'Give me a break. I've been paranoid since I had a bit of an odd dream the first night after I took Erika in. Why do you think I'm always a bit jumpy?'

Erika nodded, and rested her head between Beast's shoulder blades.

Beast rolled his eyes, and nodded. "Let's go." He said, as he turned to walk out the door.

Erika yawned, and gripped Beast's fur tightly, making him wince. She closed her eyes, and fell asleep.

Beast chuckled, and shifted Erika on his back, so that he wouldn't drop her. "Looking forward to the field trip?" He asked Ben, before walking out the door.

Lightly jogging to catch up, Ben admitted, "Yeah, I am. But a good bunch of screaming kids? Not going to help my paranoia right now." Hesitating for a second, he said quietly with a slight flush of his cheeks, "It's not just the field trip that I'm looking forwards too."

Beast laughed, and sniffed the air. He could smell Ben's feelings, and he shook his head.

Erika awoke, as she heard the words Ben had spoken, and asked in a tired voice out loud, "Why daddy happy?"

Beast chuckled, but said nothing.

Ben chuckled like Beast, 'Don't worry about it Erika. I'm just a little... giddy...' His trail of thought faded away.

Erika rolled her eyes, but didn't argue. She placed her chin on Beast's shoulder, so that she could see where they were going.

Beast twitched under her, as he carried her. "You're getting too heavy for this." He said, in an amused voice.

Erika, lost in thought, just made a sound like, "uh huh", and was silent.

Ben reached over and ruffled her hair, 'What'cha thinkin' about, kiddo?'

((Reach park at my next post after you.))

Erika, startled, jerked, and would have fallen off, if Beast hadn't grabbed her legs tightly. Looking over at her father, with a clearly annoyed face, she stuck out her tongue, and was silent.

Ben chuckled, 'No falling asleep kiddo. We're here.' Ben stopped at the gate that led into the park, he spotted Erika's class and Mirriam.

Opening the gate, he gestured for Beast and Erika to enter before him.