C R Y O N A U T
noun [krahy-uh-nawt]

A person whose body has been preserved by the technique of cryonics.

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You decided to avoid acknowledging him ever since he finalised his decision. You couldn't believe he was going ahead with his plan, regardless of you raising the facts of the entire deal and constantly telling him that it was a bad idea.

"Are you still mad at me [y/n]?" Charleds questioned sadly and you got up from your seat and walked over to Hank at the other side of the lounge, "Come on, love. Don't... Don't block me out-"

You sighed and rubbed your head then turned to Hank and smiled forcefully. He glared at you with pity and you rolled your eyes.

"Fine FINE!" You sulked as you walked over to Charles and crossed your arms, "Talk Charles."

He watched you with disbelief, "I talk? Wow... You're the one who's acting unreasonable-"

"Unreasonable?!" You scoffed then shook your head, "Am I the one who's risking my life for s-s-some irresponsible and stupid experimental study Charles? NO I'M NOT!"

He stared at you with complete shock, unable to comment on your attitude. You sucked in a sharp breath and you looked to the floor, "Y-You're going to go away for a long time probably and I-I-I can't-"

He held your hand and kissed its top. You stopped talking and sat on the couch beside him, looking deeply into his eyes. "I told you that this is trustworthy [y/n], I will be alright."

"BUT I WON'T!" You buried your face in your hands and started to cry. He pulled you into a hug and rubbed your back slowly. Charles kissed your cheek then stroked your hair.

"Don't worry about me alright?"

You pulled away and looked at him tearfully, "But I love you Charles, I'm supposed to worry about you."

He rested his forehead against yours and sighed, "Please don't... It hurts me to see you like this."

You moved away and bit your lip, "Ch-Charles don't do it-"

"I have to [y/n/n]," He shook his head slowly, "This is going to help make a breakthrough in scientific discovery and I want to be a part of that."

You clenched your jaw then snatched your hands away from his. You got up suddenly then strutted out of the room towards the kitchen to pour yourself a drink. You suddenly felt the urge to get extremely drunk and wash your worries away.

*****

You watched from the doorway as they took his vitals and asked him questions. You bit your nails out of being concerned and anxious. They injected him with who knows what kind of substances. He could have an allergic reaction or something and it made you feel very uneasy.

"Miss [y/n]?" One of the researchers called your name and you walked over to him, "Everything seems to be alright, Professor Xavier is healthy enough for the trials."

"Seems?" You raised your eyebrows, "Are you sure that he'd come back exactly the way he is right now?"

The researcher smiled slightly then nodded his head, "You have nothing to worry about, he will be in the best of hands."

You walked over to Charles slowly,the thought of the experiment racing through your head.

The Professor had signed up to take part in a study regarding cryonics; freezing the human body for preservation. This study is going to go on for decades and currently phase one only involves a few tests and simulations. In the very near future, the professor will be going for a test-run of the cryonics chamber.

You were terrified about that. There's a list of things that could go wrong and you didn't favour the idea of losing the one person who means the most to you.

Although his determination to find a new way of living in the future makes you... Happy.

"

Charles, how are you feeling?" You asked and sat beside him on a stool. You held his hand and kissed the top, while he smiled softly.

"Tired," He mumbled, "They took a lot of blood out of me. I think I'm going to..." He yawned widely and you ran a hand up his arm.

"Rest now, I'll come back later," You got up and kissed his forehead. As you walked out of the room, you looked back to him. While all the researchers dispersed you watched them gather their equipment. You switched off the lights when the room was empty then shut the door.

*****

A month later...

You paced down the hallway with anxiety, concerned for Charles. His body was currently submerged in low-temperature waters, unconslscious to the world around him. You feared that he wouldn't wake up from this phase-

Two doctors ran towards the room and you furrowed your eyebrows with confusion. "What's going-"

"Excuse me," A nurse hastened passed you then entered the cryonic chambers room. You followed her then reached t open the door but a security guard held you back, stopping you.

"Let me th-through, I know the man ins-side!" You yelled and glanced to a doctor approaching the room door, "What's going on?!"

"Nothing of panic ma'am-"

"Tell me what's going on!" You demanded and he gulped.

"Some complications have occurred with the equipment. We were trying to regain his consciousness but-"

You gasped and pushed yourself from the guard's grasp. You banged on the door and attempted to force it open but it didn't work.

The security guard rushed to you as a doctor exclaimed for you to stop panicking. A man in a suit opened the door with his keycard and you ran to it before it closed.

You stood inside the room awkwardly and dreading the outcome of Charles never waking up. You turned to the viewing window, numb towards the doctors banging on the glass and commanding you to step outside.

"Excuse me you're not supposed to-"

"Please tell me what's wrong? Is he going to wake up?!" You questioned but one of the doctors rushed to you and moved you forcefully to the door, "I LOVE HIM, tell me if he'll be okay NOW!"

"I'm sorry ma'am, you need to leave-"

SPLASH!

Someone gasped loudly in the room. You looked to the cryonic capsule with its lid off to the side and witnessed Charles grabbing the sides and struggling to sit up.

You shoved passed the doctor and ran towards Charles with relief. "Oh my lord Charles! Are you okay?!" You knelt down next to the tub and examined his face, "Thank God you're alive!"

He eyed every person in the room with a lost look on his face, as his body shivered with the cold water dripping. He was wearing a life-vest kind of swim suit, that covered his chest and his lower body till his mid thigh. His muscles were tense and hus eyes were red-

"Wh-What... Wh-Where-" Charles grabbed his head and yelled in pain. He started to convulse and you stared at him in horror.

"What's happening-"

"You need to leave the room right now!" The doctor said loudly and pointed to the door as another doctor grabbed your arms and pulled you up.

They crowded around the tub, checking the machinery and switching off the equipment while a couple of the other attendants prepared a syringe with some sort of sedative substance

"CHARLES!" You shouted and were pushed out of the room. All the commotion inside was cut off suddenly when the door closed.

*****

They lectured you about how your behaviour could have made the entire situation much worse, and how everyone who works here are trained for every kind of outcome. A lack of trust in these researchers and doctors could have resulted in Charles dying.

But you didn't care. You blocked the noise out and sat there completely vacant, no significant thought running through your mind. You felt as if you had received the news that Charles was long gone now.

"Miss [y/l/n], Professor Xavier would like to see you," The nurse informed and you got up from your seat hurriedly. You followed her to the room they have placed him in for resting.

She knocked on the door then you stepped inside. You saw Charles laying on the hospital bed, staring at the ceiling blankly.

"Charles I'm so happy-"

"Wh-Who... Are you another d-doctor?" He stuttered, "Could I have a-another pain killer-"

"What... Charles it's m-me," You stepped closer to the bed, tears glisten in your eyes."

"I'm sorry I've never... Maybe you have me confused with someone else," He said then returned his gaze to the ceiling. You felt lost about his current state, you had no idea about what you should do.

Tears streamed down your face, "Ch-Charles please don't-It's me [y/n]." You stood right by the bed and he squinted his eyes.

"Wait y-you... Come closer," He requested and you leaned towards his face, "You look very-"

He kissed you on the lips quickly and you at of up straight suddenly. He started to chuckle and you furrowed your eyebrows.

"I could never forget you love," He mumbled and you slapped his arm hard. You cried harder and walked away from the bed, burying your face in your hands.

"You're an asshole Charles!" You yelled.

"I'm sorry love, I was lightening the mood-"

"You could have died Charles! HOW WOULD I LIVE WITH THAT?!" You exclaimed and he frowned. He raised his arm to you, indicating that he wanted you to come closer to him.

You crossed your arms and refused to be in his proximity. "But I didn't die and I'm alright [y/n]," He commented and you glared at him.

You remained silent, unable to respond to anything he was saying. "And n-now you're just going to go back to the e-experiment like nothing happened," You said and looked to the floor in despair.

"No no no, I'm n-not... Doing the experiment. It's not safe, I'm telling them that I'm going to quit," He revealed, jittery, "They need to find a new willing participant."

You heart smiled brightly at his words. You didn't want him to do this experiment in the first place and now he's finally on the same page as you.

You wrapped your arms around his neck gladly and kissed his cheek. "I should have listened to you [y/n], you were right... You're always right," He whispered and you put a hand over his mouth lightly.

"You don't have to say all that Charles. Who knows, this could be the greatest study for the future," You said, "But regardless I'm happy to have you back."

You hugged him more tightly and he smiled, shutting his eyes and feeling comfort with the person he loves dearly.