[h1][b][i][color=MediumSpringGreen][center]James Kingston[/center][/color][/i][/b][/h1]
[center][img]https://i.postimg.cc/MKVmbk8X/image.png[/img][/center]
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[center][color=MediumSpringGreen][b]Location[/b][/color]: Lincoln Memorial
[color=MediumSpringGreen][b]Skills[/b][/color]: N/A[/center]

Anyone who said things moved in slow motion at the end was a fucking liar.

James had let out a sigh of relief when Sunshine managed to send the X-Cutioner reeling. It would give them a few seconds to shut his bombs down and disarm him even if it didn’t completely neutralize the threat. Thank God for Sunshine’s lack of impulse control because they’d gotten bogged down by a gaggle of the group claiming that there was no point in doing anything because their plans sucked. Everyone walked into this knowing there was almost no chance of survival but they had to do something and talking in circles and shutting down things with no alternates was the opposite of helpful. But Sunshine fixed that and now they had to act. 

Of course, it wasn’t that easy. The X-Cutioner shrugged off whatever Sunshine threw at him and James felt his blood run could. He pushed out the conversation, wracking his brain for any idea that could possibly help them out of this god forsaken situation. He glanced around, noting Sapphire and Max’s absence, and that sparked a thought. He wasn’t entirely sure how Max’s portals worked but if they could create a pressure differential… 

He hadn’t realized the Mutant Underground were already making their move. His head snapped up at the tell tale crackle of electricity, the EMP pulse racing towards the X-Cutioner, and everyone knew, there was no lingering doubt: They’d lost. James felt like he was suffocating as he saw everyone he’d worked with, suffered with, cried with since the beginning of this whole ordeal, gathering around their certain death and he didn’t have enough time, he couldn’t let them die dealing with this bullshit. But he didn’t have time as the X-Cutioner detonated the bomb. 

He didn’t think, he just did. He latched onto Casper, knocking him to the ground, and hunched over him, covering him as best he could. He distantly registered the cold, bitter and harsh, as he did his best to memorize the face of the man he loved, to apologize for not taking him up on his offer, to let him know that he loved him with everything he had until the every end and he’d never want to change him for the world, as everything came to a frigid halt.

 He wished he had more time.