Disclaimer: I do no own X-Men Evolution, or Avril Lavigne or her song Naked. Which is why I am poor. Very, very poor.
Authors Note: Okay guys, this is my first song fic so be gentle. If you haven't already figured it out, it's talent night at Bayville High and Rogue got caught in the cross fire of a desperate music teacher and an angry principle. Enjoy. Oh, and this is most likely a one shot, and unlike my other one shots, no one dies. Its just fluff.
Talent Show
'How'd Ah git mahself inta this?' Rogue thought to herself as she peered out the side of the curtain on the stage of the Bayville High School auditorium and out at the crowded seats at the people gathered for the annual talent show. She caught Kitty's eye and the younger girl waved excitedly as Rogue offered a half wave. All the students of Xavier's were gathered together, talking and laughing, while they waited to see their friend perform.
Rogue continued to scan the room and stopped on another pair of eyes. Unlike the ones of her friend, these made all the blood rush to her face and butterflies began to dance in her stomach. 'Ah told him not ta come,' she groaned internally as the grin grew over his face and he winked mischievously over at her, causing her cheeks to redden further. She ducked quickly back behind the curtain and headed back to the group. "We got a full house y'all," she said to her fellow performers as she joined them.
Amanda smiled at her and they all began talking excitedly again, but Rogue's mind wandered elsewhere, reflecting back to the day that started this whole mess.
It hadn't been the first time she'd ditched out on her third period class to have an early lunch with her boyfriend, a term that still seemed foreign to the untouchable despite the fact that they'd been secretly dating for the past six months. It was just the first time that she'd gotten off the motorcycle and bumped right into Principle Kelley.
'Ah should consider mahself lucky Ah guess,' she thought as the program began and she hurried to take her place behind the scenes, waiting for her moment on the stage. The choir teacher, Ms. Moore, who happened to be passing by at the time, talked Kelley into forcing Rogue to participate in her talent show rather than the two months after school and Saturday morning detention that he originally had in mind. Ms. Moore was great, one of the few teachers who hadn't joined the mutant hating bandwagon when the Sentinel attack had happened, and one who had fallen in love with Rogue's voice one afternoon. Little did the short gray haired woman know, she'd also saved Rogue from six months of Logan's early morning danger room sessions in the process.
She looked towards the stage where Amanda was performing a Jewel's 2 Become 1 to a captivated audience, in a pale blue dress. Rogue snuck a peak out towards the audience and saw her brother's cheeks reddening intensely. "Good thing he's got that image inducer on, or else he'd be purple," she muttered before ducking back behind the stage. Her turn was coming up and the butterflies began to tango in her gut as she nervously fidgeted with her elbow length black silk gloves.
"Don't worry Roguey, you look great," Pietro whispered next to her as she shot a glare at the sliver haired speed demon.
"Don't call meh Roguey," she growled and then looked down at her dress. It was beautiful, but then, everything he picked out for her was. It was silk and long, past her four-inch heeled knee high boots, with slits up to her thighs. It rose up and encircled her abdomen, making a diamond around her belly button, which her and Kitty had went and gotten pierced for the occasion, and crossing over her breasts, tying delicately around her neck, leaving her back bare. The entire dress was a deep red color. "And thanks," she added as an after thought as she checked her hair once more, which had been pulled into a French twist, with two white curls falling to frame her face.
"Anytime," Pietro grinned and took his place on stage with his two assistants, performing a sad magic show, with both girls dressed in skimpy suits complete with bunny ears and puffy white tails.
"Rogue you're up next," Ms. Moore said, rushing over to the young Goth's side. "And you look wonderful!"
"Thank ya Ms. Moore," Rogue smiled, still pulling at her gloves. "Ah'm a little nervous though."
"Oh don't be darling. You're going to be great. Just remember to breathe, and if it gets rough, picture everyone in their underwear," she patted Rogue's gloved elbow before starting for the stage for the next announcement. Suddenly she paused and turned back to face Rogue. "Everyone but Principle Kelley that is."
Rogue grinned and tried to keep from laughing as the older woman rushed onto the stage.
"Wow, that was the worst yet man," Evan groaned as Pietro and the girls bowed, both giggling like idiots.
"Yeah, but like, Amanda was totally hot, wasn't she Kurt?" Kitty asked, elbowing her blue friend and laughing as his expression reddened again.
"Okay guys cool it, Rogue's up next," Jean smiled before looking at her boyfriend, who was eyeing part of the audience intensely. "Scott? Is something wrong?" she asked concerned.
"The Acolytes are here," he said indicating a few rows down where John, Remy and Piotr sat staring at the stage. John was flipping his lighter looking bored as hell, while Piotr sat stoically waiting for the next act. Remy on the other hand was fidgeting slightly and looked a little nervous. Well, as nervous as the Raging' Cajun ever looked, and had a large bouquet of red roses setting in his lap.
"So what? Maybe one of them is dating one of the students," Jubilee said as she continued to drool over the group.
"I don't trust them. They could mean trouble. What do you think we should do Professor?" Scott asked looking over to his mentor who sat next to Hank, Ororo and Logan at the end.
"Enjoy the show Scott, until they give us reason to do otherwise," Charles replied as Ms. Moore rushed on to the stage.
"Thank you Mr. Maximoff, Miss. Keenly and Miss Dodson for that lovely show. Our next performer is our own Rogue, here representing The Xavier Institute, and will be gracing us with Avril Lavigne's Naked. Applause sounded and Ms. Moore left the stage and Rogue walked slowly to her place center stage where the microphone stood waiting.
She had a confidence about her, but she wondered if anyone else could tell it wasn't real, as she shook internally. She took a deep breath and looked out across the audience, waiting for her music to begin, and growing more nervous by the second as all the disapproving faces stared back at her. It reminded her of the psyches in her mind, only quieter. Finally her eyes fell on her friends, each waving to her or showing some other sign of encouragement. She sent them a small smile and finally her eyes found a certain pair of red on black orbs from earlier and suddenly, all her fears melted away. She wasn't on stage anymore. She was in his apartment again, just the two of them, and he was waiting for her to sing. Then the music started, and her eyes never left his.
"Ah wake up in the mornin'
Put on mah face.
The one that's gonna get meh
Thru another day.
Doesn't really matter
How Ah feel inside.
This life is lahke a game sometimes."
Her voice rang out loud and sweet, sending a kind of lull throughout the crowded auditorium.
"Vow, Ich had no idea that Rogue could sing like this," Kurt breathed, taken aback by his sister's lovely voice.
"Like, no kidding. I totally don't know how she's doing it. I'd be terrified down there," Kitty whispered back as they continued to watch their friend in awe.
"Then you came around meh,
The walls just disappear.
Nothing to surround meh
And keep meh from mah fears.
Ah'm unprotected.
See how Ah've opened up.
Oh you've made meh trust."
Remy tried his best to remain calm and collected, especially since the X-Men were just a couple of rows away and were still unaware of his and Rogue's relationship. Although, he was determined that their ignorance of the fact would end tonight. Yet that was the last thing from his mind right now, as he watched her perform he couldn't help swelling with pride at the accomplishments of his girlfriend on the stage. Not just because she was conquering her fear of performing in front of a crowd, but also because the song was so true. She'd let down her walls for him, and vice versa, and it had helped both of them to make so many strides, including this one. And the fact that despite the people around him, he knew she was singing for him and him alone and that made it that much better.
"Cause Ah've never felt lahke this before
Ah'm naked around you, does it show?
You've seen right thru meh and Ah can't hide.
Ah'm naked around you and it feels so right."
In her mind Rogue was in a world all her own up on the stage. She had a vague recollection of being in the Bayville auditorium, but in her mind she was standing in the middle of Remy's living room, his arms wrapped around her, and swaying with him to the beat of the music. There she was safe, loved and accepted for everything she was.
On the stage, the emotions she was feeling were taking effect on the crowd. It seemed like everyone was on the edge of their seats, mesmerized by the girl in front of them. The loner they'd seen walking the halls with her mutant friends. Never alone and yet, always alone so it seemed. Yet on stage tonight she was anything but as she poured her soul into the song that spilled from her blood red lips like wine from a bottle.
"Yeah, yeah. Ah'm trying to remember
Why Ah was afraid
To be mahself and let the
Covers fall away.
Ah guess Ah've never had someone lahke you
To help meh, to help meh fit in mah skin"
"My word, I am afraid I never knew she had this kind of talent," Hank whispered to the Professor as they all sat, enchanted like the rest of the audience by one of their best students.
"It is truly remarkable Hank, I must agree," Charles answered, as he felt the emotions pouring off of Rogue. She had let down all of her external walls, managing to hold on to the ones that kept her psyches at bay, but letting a few of her more recent, and more intimate thoughts out as she sang. "I believe we will learn more about our young Rogue tonight than we had been expecting," he added, smiling softly.
"Ah've never felt lahke this before
Ah'm naked around you, does it show?
You've seen right thru meh and Ah can't hide.
Ah'm naked, around you and it feels so right."
"She is beautiful comrade," Piotr leaned over and whispered to Remy as he watched the look of pride on his young friends face. "You must be proud."
"Oui mon ami, she is. And merci," Remy's smile grew as he looked down at the flowers, wondering briefly how they could be adequate enough for the beautiful woman on the stage, and not for the first time wondering what she saw in him. Pushing that thought aside, he returned his eyes to her own and winked at her, mouthing "I love you."
"Ah'm naked, doesn't it show?
Ah'm naked, oh, yeah.
Oh oh, Ah'm naked around you, does it show?"
Rogue smiled at the sentiment, and whished, not for the first time, that he was psychic and could read her thoughts, and the love she was sending him. If someone had told her a year ago, when they met on the battlefield, that she'd fall in love with, that he would be the one to teach her how to touch and how to love, she would have told them they were nuts and sent them to Xavier to have their head examined. But now, everything was so different, and so wonderful, and Rogue found herself, not for the first time, grateful beyond words.
"Ah'm so naked around you and Ah can't hide
You're gonna, you're gonna see right thru
See right thru me and Ah can't hide
Ah'm naked around you, Ah'm so naked around you
And Ah can't hide, you're gonna see right thru baby."
As she ended the song, a burst of applause was heard as the auditorium rose from their seats, whooping and cheering. Rogue smiled and blushed at the sounds of whistling and appraisal before she bowed slightly and made her way off the stage, blowing Remy a kiss before she left.
"Did you see that?!" Scott asked, as he caught the gesture and saw who made the motion of catching it.
"Scott, control yourself," Xavier stated firmly. "Now sit down. There are more performers to see."
Rogue was moving in a daze as she walked from the back of the stage with Amanda, looking for her friends. She'd pulled on a trench coat she borrowed from a certain Cajun, not trusting herself to control her powers and emotions right now. She'd been hoping that Remy might be able to catch up to her first, and was more than slightly disappointed when she found the X-Men waiting near the stage.
"You two vere amazing!" Kurt exclaimed hugging his sister and then moving to kiss his girlfriends cheek.
"Yeah, like totally awesome," Kitty agreed as everyone began speaking, eager to congratulate the two.
"Thanks y'all," Rogue smiled, still on an adrenaline high from the evening. Suddenly she saw Scott bristle. She followed his gaze and saw three very familiar forms approaching.
"What do you want?" Scott asked threateningly as Remy, Piotr and John stopped in front of the group, Remy's eyes pinned on Rogue.
"Just came to wish the little Shelia congratulations," John stated, aching for a fight, but trying to ignore his maniac urges. Remy had asked them to come just in case things got dicey. He'd decided that tonight was the night that the X-Men found out about him and Rogue since he knew how much not telling them was killing her. So John was going to be a good friend for once and not screw this one up. Besides, since Rogue started dating Remy, John hadn't lost a dime to the Cajun on poker night and he wasn't about to mess that up.
Rogue's breathing increased slightly as she looked into Remy's eyes. 'What's this crazy Swamp Rat doing?' she thought, trying to figure out why he was standing in front of her friends like this. 'What do Ah do now?'
'Why don't you speak to him my dear,' Charles voice answered her, causing her to turn and stare at the Professor. 'I believe it's what he wants.'
Rogue turned back to Remy who had taken a step closer to her and was handing her the loveliest bouquet of red roses she'd ever seen. "For y' mon chere," he whispered, handing her the flowers and taking her gloved hand, kissing it softly. "Y' did bon."
Rogue shook her head slightly, as she noticed her friend's shocked silence, and decided to make em really stare. Quick as lightening she threw herself into Remy's arms, her lips finding his easily in a passionate kiss.
When they finally broke apart the rest of the auditorium had cleared, leaving only the X-Men, Acolytes, and Amanda, whose parents were out of town and couldn't come to the big night, but made Kurt record it for them, staring at the couple. Rogue smiled up at Remy and rested her head against his chest in a rare public display of affection, as he wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Mind telling us what the hell's going on here Stripes?" Logan growled dangerously, eyeing Gambit as he tried desperately not to gut the cocky Cajun where he stood.
"Everybody, ya know John and Piotr right?' she asked indicating the two men behind her with her hand as she rested more against Remy. "And ya remember Remy LeBeau? Mah boyfriend."
The shock silence once again returned to the group as everyone stared at her before looking at Scott, waiting for him to blow a gasket.
Scott stared at the two of them for a long moment, noticing not only the smile in Rogues eyes, but also a contentment that he'd never seen there before. Finally he spoke to Remy. "You love her?"
"Oui."
Next he looked to Rogue. "Do you trust him?"
"With everything Ah got."
"Fine. The until you give me reason otherwise, so do I," and he held out his hand for Remy to take.
"Ya mean that Scott?" Rogue asked as she watched Remy take Cyclops hand.
"Yeah I do," Scott answered, this time being the one to shock the group. "Congratulations."
"Merci mon ami."
The End.
Authors Note: Yeah, I'm kinda rusty at this. I haven't written anything all semester and it was starting to drive me insane. Hope you guys like it! R&R please. (Only if you liked it though. If you didn't I'm sorry.)