Chapter Text
Tumnus fidgeted in his seat, nervous under Professor Xavier’s very… clear gaze. He had once heard that his own bright blue eyes could be unnerving, but he had never had the chance to experience it first hand. He had in no way thought this man would make him feel more exposed then he generally felt when showing others his true form, though it wasn’t like he had much experience in that area.
“So, you are telling me that you can generally mentally prevent others from noticing your... natural appearance?” Professor Xavier asked him, hand poised to take notes.
“Ah, y-yes, precisely.” Tumnus licked his lips. “Otherwise I feel like it would have been hard going through day to day life, ah, I suppose, looking as I do.” He clutched at the red scarf hanging from his neck.
Tumnus was well aware that he looked like something out of Greek mythology rather than rural England. Or, to be more precise, he had lived most of his life figuring that he was a faun, given the fact that he had goat legs, rounded ears which stuck out, and small horns. He could only have supposed that his father (who his mother rarely spoke of) had also been a faun, and perhaps had had the same gift of illusion Tumnus had. He had never suspected that he was anything like a mutant, not until he received a phone call from one Professor Charles Xavier.
“Remarkable.” The professor scribbled down the answer and smiled with delight, looking for all the world like a boy with a new toy. “Not only do you have the physical appearance of a faun, you have the ability to project the illusion of a human body. Do you find this physically draining? Have you always had the power to do this? For that matter, have you always held this appearance? Did any of your parents hold similar mutations?”
Tumnus tried to wrap his head around the rapid-fire questions. “W-well, my mother says I was born with this appearance, and sh-she was about as normal a-as it gets. I never, ah, knew my father, and mother didn’t like to talk about him. I was pretty secluded from society until I was around ten years old, and then I discovered that I could… hide myself. It comes pretty naturally, and I-I’m able to, ah, hold it for long periods of time, though if I become ill or-or tired, my control tends to slip.”
Professor Xavier was writing with fervor now, exclaiming “Amazing!” or “Fascinating!” in equal parts. When Tumnus finished the man seemed almost atwitter with excitement. “I knew that Hank’s mutation was fairly animalistic, but until recently I never have met other mutants born with such physical features. Do you mind if I…” He put his fingers to his temple and gestured.
Tumnus, confused at first, nodded, hoping he covered his nervousness well. He had already been informed that the professor was a telepath, and had been excited to meet someone who had abilities similar to his own, even if Tumnus couldn’t read minds or take control of others' thoughts like the professor could.
Professor Xavier squeezed his eyes shut with focus, a slight frown forming. Tumnus felt an odd sensation in his mind, alien but not unkind. He tried to relax and let it enter, though a small part of his more primal instincts balked against the intruder.
“Remarkable,” Professor Xavier breathed. “Just like Michelos, I’ve never felt something quite like it. Not entirely human, yet not completely animal. As if there was static interference…” He gave a teasing grin. “Though you are much more hospitable than he was.”
Tumnus felt the presence fade out as the Professor’s hand fell. His voice betrayed a light tremor, a bit shaken at the experience. “M-Michelos, Professor?”
Professor Xavier wheeled out from behind his desk, coming to a stop next to him, and placed a comforting hand on Tumnus’ shoulder. Unlike most physical interaction it didn’t startle him, the professor projecting kindness and understanding. “You are no longer alone, Tumnus. There are people here who are going through their own transformations as they begin to understand their powers. And, oddly enough, one of those students holds a mutation very similar to your own.”
“H-how so?” Tumnus asked, nervousness and excitement fighting it out in the base of his stomach at the notion.
“I think it would be best if you saw for yourself.” The professor gripped his metalic wheelchair tires and began to move towards the door.
+++
The first thing Tumnus saw as he entered the room was the fact that it was an absolute mess. Food containers, clothes, trash and dirty plates lay on the ground in a lake of disuse, a small footpath of wooden panels leading to the bed, winding haphazardly along the floor. The second thing he noticed was that the bed, more of a nest of blankets than a proper resting place, contained a man, hungrily gnawing on an ear of corn, and that sight was more than enough for Tumnus to forget all about the room’s abysmal condition.
The man was… muscular. Far more defined than Tumnus’ slight frame, though still lean, almost like a greyhound. His build was made all the more obvious given his current shirtless condition, and despite the fact that Tumnus was in a similar state of dress it made the faun strangely embarrassed and fidgety. The man was wearing khaki pants- thank goodness- though they were unbuttoned and unzipped, allowing for a generous amount of the light trail of hair traveling from his lower abdomen to his… well, traveling downwards, to be shown.
The man left off from gnawing, throwing the cob to the floor and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. His face was undeniably handsome, clean-shaven with clear grey eyes that were directed at Tumnus in an unsettling way. His auburn hair, mostly straight but slightly curled at the ends, went just past his ears. Far tamer looking than his own chestnut curls, Tumnus thought, trying to pay mind to anything but those eyes.
Professor Xavier cleared his throat in a disapproving way. “Michelos, I have asked you to look after your room.” He sounded more like a father than a teacher.
Michelos gave a grin, and it was entirely too much tooth for comfort. “My apologies, Xavier, I’m not used to civilized company I suppose.” His voice was all confidence with an Irish lilt, and despite answering the Professor his eyes were still attempting to capture Tumnus’, who at this point had resolutely decided that the corner of the room needed his attention.
“P-Professor, i-i-if I may ask,” Tumnus stuttered, nearly shaking, “wh-wh-why did you s-say that M-Michelos was similar to me?” He hadn’t really questioned the statement before, but had naturally assumed that the Professor was talking about another mutant with his appearance. Did Michelos hold a power similar to creating illusions?
A clatter of plates caused Tumnus’ gaze to return back to Michelos, who had decided to- with little grace- stand up, and the fact that the man decided to suddenly undress forced him to look away again, meeting the gaze of an equally embarrassed Professor.
Professor Xavier gave a forced smile. “He may not have the social grace to tell you, but Michelos is trying to show you his mutation. Like you, he’s lived most of his life hiding it, though he’s able to physically transform into his human appearance. This, of course, does not allow him your ability of… modesty, when he switches between forms.”
Tumnus couldn’t help but spare a glance with this new information, and was surprised to see coarse, brown fur snaking up the man’s - or no, he wasn’t a man, only he was, they were both mutants, that’s right - legs, his feet forming into hooves. Dark horns, more demonic looking than his own as they curled from the sides like those of a mountain goat, spiraled outwards as his face took on an animalistic look.
And there, standing in front of him, was something far more primal and hungry looking than a faun. No, Tumnus knew exactly which mythological creature he was, or well, that’s not right, what he would be mistaken for. A satyr. And he was stalking towards Tumnus with a look that determined didn’t even begin to cover.