No you're not hallucinating this is actually Krac adding something into the mix once more. I know, I know I should finish some of my many hanging stories but given my time away I thought I'd start back with a pair of short character studies. They were inspired quite a bit by three specific songs: Nikka Costa's 'Push and Pull' as well as Kelly Clarkson's (WHAT? I know...but these are the only two songs of hers I've ever liked.) Irvine/Chivas. Rogue's portion is represented by "Irvine" while Remy's is "Chivas". I'll try to have the companion piece up in the next couple days hopefully. Hope you enjoy.
Disclaimer: As always I do not own X-Men Evolution or any of the goodness that surrounds it. Nor do I own the songs mentioned that inspired it. I've accepted this just stop rubbing it in Stan Lee.
Push and Pull-Irvine
The darkness of the bathroom was broken by pools of candlelight spaced about the counter and side of the bathtub. Warm water lapped the edge of the porcelain with tiny white caps of foam gracing it's surface-the scent of vanilla filled the small room from both the candles and bubble bath. The scent wafted through the air, coming to caress the nostrils of the girl laying partially submerged in the tub soothing away some of her daily worries.
Only her face broke free of the bathwater, her hair fanned out around her head. The chestnut and white undulating softly with the tiny tides that surrounded her. Her face was stripped bare of its normal mask of cosmetics and even with her eyes closed there was a vulnerability that graced the strong features. Her chin stubbornly cleft, eyes tilted ever so slightly, the sprinkling of freckles that dusted her nose standing in stark relief on her milky skin.
Skin.
The bane of the girl's existence-a constant enemy without reason or rhyme. It defined her-burdened her-cut her off from the world and the people around her. Skin made her different even amongst her mutant companions. Something that seemed so harmless and incidental to others was a matter of life and death-sanity and insanity-for her. A never-ending battle to make sure that her mutant 'gift' didn't harm those around her-keeping herself cut off from physical contact with other living things.
Skin was what made Rogue a Rogue.
Learning to deal with her burdens was almost as much of a struggle for Rogue as her quest for control over her power. Since her arrival at Xavier's the program had been tailored to match both her schedule and her temperament. Meditation and martial arts as well as weekly therapy sessions that had started a few weeks previously after her return from New Orleans. The Professor was determined that Rogue wouldn't bottle things up any more for the good of her health-and to possibly prevent her from throwing anyone else over a cliff.
Below the surface of the water her bare hands clenched and unclenched at the thought of her adopted mother and the trouble Mystique had put her through over the years. Rogue wished that she could feel the anger she used to feel at the mention of the shapeshifter but now there was only an overwhelming emptiness. Things had finally reached a watershed for Rogue and the young woman couldn't summon up any emotion now. She would never admit it but meditating had helped-had in fact become the reason why every night before bed Rogue would soak in the tub.
When you have the voices of everyone you've ever touched ringing through your head day and night it can be hard to clear your thoughts. It had been a complete accident that Rogue had found the sensory deprivation provided by a barely lit bathroom and a tub full of water. If any one asked the gothic girl she would have happily hoisted the blame on her long time roommate Kitty Pryde's obsession with girly things.
The truth was though that Rogue thoroughly enjoyed these moments where she could let that all go and just be. No artifice or attitude getting in the way. Just her and the water caressing her skin in the way a lover would probably never do if things remained the way they were for Rogue. As far as she could remember there was only ever one other time she felt that free.
Of course that memory brought a different surge of emotions to the fore of her mind leaving even Rogue to wonder if they were really as angry as she wanted them to be. Loath though she was to admit it Rogue had enjoyed her time in New Orleans even though Re…Gambit hadn't been entirely up front with her about the reason he'd brought her there.
Brought.
A smile twisted her full pale lips at the very word-it sounded so polite-too polite to describe the fact that Gambit had drugged and kidnapped her in order to solicit her assistance. She had to hand it to him though-it had been a ballsy move-between her temper and Wolverine's daddy issues Gambit might have been better off facing the Rippers alone.
Despite the warmth of the water suspending her body Rogue shivered remembering vividly the feel of swamp water on her skin when they'd gone overboard. Lifting her leg out of the water Rogue pressed her bottom of her foot against the tiled backsplash. She had wanted to be angry at him for what he had done-hell she should have been royally pissed off. The only problem was that Rogue understood why he did it-and her parting words to Gambit in the bayou remained true to this day. He'd done the wrong thing for the right reasons.
Groaning Rogue lifted her upper body from the tub and pushed her streaming hair away from her face. Sliding back she pulled the plug and levered her body into a standing position to grab her towel that had been waiting on the toilet. With the gurgle of water running down the drain as accompaniment Rogue dried off her body and wrapped the towel around her hair turban style before sliding into the long, black terry cloth robe with a hood that Kurt had gotten her for her last birthday. Gathering her belongings Rogue tried to clear her thoughts of Gambit.
He confused her, challenged her, infuriated her and most damningly of all he understood her. They had bonded in their time together and while Rogue held no illusions that it meant anything to him that taste of normalcy had been an answer to Rogue's prayers. They may not have been friends or remotely close to being more than that despite the obvious attraction they held for each other but the trip had allowed Gambit to gain Rogue's respect. She wasn't likely to ever admit that she found him gorgeous but Rogue could handle him knowing that he was okay in her books.
Her mind flitted to the queen of hearts he'd given her that had found a home deep inside her sweater drawer. She'd kept it because Rogue was pretty sure that was Gambit's way of saying the same thing to her. Gathering up her belongings Rogue cracked the bathroom door and let the built up steam be vacuumed out by a comparatively cold blast of dry air. Silently and barefoot Rogue made her way to her room-it was empty with Kitty being out on a date with what ever flavour of the week was on tap. She didn't even bother turning on the light.
Setting her toiletries down on her vanity Rogue stalked across the room to her dresser and pulled out a black tank top and shorts that she would wear to bed. Her robe slid over her skin and pooled at her feet as she stepped into the shorts. Rogue stretched pulling tension from her spine before pulling the tank top over her head and smoothing the fabric down over her curves. Bending over Rogue scooped up her robe to hang it on the peg she'd put up in her closet when a flash of white caught her eye.
There leaning against the forest green of her pillows and duvet was a playing card-the queen of hearts. A lump rose in Rogue's throat as she spun around searching the shadows of her room for any sign of an intruder. A bubble of near hysterical laughter exploded from her mouth directed at herself more than anyone else. The card told her exactly who it was that had been in her room and Gambit was too good a thief to leave a trail that she'd be able to find.
Picking up the card in her empty hand Rogue moved towards the French doors that led from the room to the balcony outside. Moonlight reflected off her pale flesh so stark in contrast to the clothes she had just put on as she started out into the night wondering where Gambit was hiding. He'd watched her for months before abducting her and the card only served as his way of letting her know that he was on the job again.
Unbidden a portion of a Kelly Clarkson song ran through Rogue's mind-it was a song that Kitty had played over and over again when she thought about Lance. As far as pop songs went it wasn't that bad-but Rogue would never say that out loud. Humming the words under her breath Rogue placed her hand on the glass briefly and offered a small smile before pulling the curtains closed, "Are you there…Are you watching me…"
She trailed off the melody keeping the tune in her mind-it was a song Rogue had identified with to her own surprise and now with a second queen of hearts in hand the impact was all the more jarring. Pulling her covers back Rogue slid into bed and set the card under her pillow before grabbing her ipod and hooking the headphones into her ears. Against her better judgement Rogue skipped to the song-'Irvine' and let the haunting refrains lull her into sleep with the card clutched in her hand.