Title: The Bets Rating: G Verse: X-Men Evolution Summary: The guys play a card game and bet more than they want to lose. Disclaimer: I own none of the original Marvel X-Men characters. They are used without permission and not for profit, only the enjoyment of the fans. Warnings: Mention of beer, cigars and gambling.
"The Bets"
"Ja read 'em and weep!" Kurt gloated and displayed his cards out on the table. Groans from Scott and Evan echoed. Logan tossed his cards face down, the royal flush hidden to Kurt's three of a kind. `Let the kids have their fun.'
"Man," Evan whined, "Are you sure you're not cheating? No one is that lucky."
"The blue fuzzy one is lucky." Scooping the pile towards him, his tail swung side to side like a victory flag.
"Calm down elf, five hands ain't that good." Popping another beer, Logan drank then began gathering the cards up.
"Lucky at cards, unlucky at love," Scott quoted then winced. Kurt's tail and expression both dropped. "Hey, I'm sorry," Scott apologized, placing a hand on his shoulder. `Dumb dumb dumb Summers.' he thought while Logan shuffled the deck and Evan glared at him. Then Evan started joking about his school day to Kurt. Ever since breaking up with Amanda two weeks before, Kurt had been more a silent gargoyle statue than his normal mischievous self. Even Kitty had been hard pressed to get a smile out of him those first few days. Hence, guys night out tonight. With the girls all gone to a movie, cards and soda was the rule, except for Logan's beer.
`Thank God he isn't smoking one of those cigars of his,' Scott was grateful. Only the posted No Smoking signs everywhere had saved them from being fumigated. Peering around the darkened hanger, the space felt smaller and more private somehow. Scott grinned at that mental observations then grimaced at his meager pile of nickels.
Logan finished shuffling and remarked, "How about winner takes all this hand? End the suffering of you two boys?"
"Yah right," Evan sarcastically replied, twirling one of his mutated mini spikes.
"Sounds good to me," Kurt smirked.
Raising an eyebrow, Logan gently reminded him, "You up to losing that much on one hand?"
"I got a better idea…"Scott paused, waiting for the bait to be taken."How about we bet something more personal?" Seeing blank looks, he explained it out. The next morning he regretted ever thinking of it in the first place. Adjusting his visor yet again, he checked his appearance one last time. He reluctantly headed for the Danger Room and Jean.
"Now, how do I tell her Logan is escorting her to the picnic next weekend?" Sighing, "Still, I got off luckier than the other two." Passing through the main doors, he automatically checked everyone and nodded to Kurt. Nightcrawler walked over, hand on his stomach and a pained look on his face.
"I'm going through burger bomb withdrawals already. And I still have a week to go. What vas I thinkin'?" Trying to keep a straight face, Scott didn't answer. Then the girls started giggling at something behind them and he knew. Smirking, they turned around and watched Evan walk in, wearing Rogue's costume and a white streak dyed down the center of his hair. To his credit, he never flinched as the laughter started.
