"I just don't understand. I've run through all my behaviour as far as Rogue is concerned. All my actions, every word spoken, and I just can't think of anything that might offend! I don't know what I've done."
Charles considered the large, fury, blue man across the board. "I hardly believe you've done something to offend, Hank." He started, claiming a pawn with his knight. "She does become quite the recluse for a week or so after Logan leaves, he is like a brother to her after all, perhaps it's not you in particular."
"No." Replied Hank, his agitation growing. "She arrived safely to the end of her 'post Logan leaving' period about two weeks ago. No, I'm quite sure Rogue is avoiding me. And I don't know why." Picking up a Bishop from the board he began to fidget and tap against his thigh in agitation. "Almost every time we come across each other in a hallway she will either turn and find some other way to her destination, duck into the closest empty room or put her head down and walk past me as fast as her legs will carry her." Sighing, he looked down at the board and waved it off in irritation. "I can't focus."
Charles smiled secretly at the situation. Hank was nothing if not reasonable, calm and polite and he could see how much it agitated him that someone might think him less than any of those three. This will irritate him thoroughly until it is resolved. Though it does seem to be something more than just a disliking for rude people. He has grown quite affectionate of Rogue since his arrival. "Well lets think rationally about this. I'm sure we can wrap our minds around it. Has Rogue displayed any other strange behaviour that you are aware of?"
"I've noticed that she avoids meals to steer away from me." Replied Hank. Standing to lean against the window frame, staring out. "Worried about her dietary intake, I did think she had been skipping meals after all, I've followed her on a few occasions as she had been headed to the kitchen. I need'nt have bothered. I'm quite sure shes eating more now, nutritionally speaking, than she had been when she actually turned up for meals. Shes been making the strangest sandwichs I've ever seen. They have everything, protein, high fat foods, vegetables, even a fruit or two. Shes been eating the strangest foods in the strangest combinations. She also seems to be spending more time in the gym, according to her friends, and I'm quite sure I've seen her out jogging at night."
Turning again to face the Professor Hank was met with an amused smile and began to blush under his thick fur, he knew far more than just a casual observer would know, and now the Professor knew he knew. "I realise how young she is, I do. But I fear such knowledge has done little to assuage my growing affection for her. We used to spend so much time together talking in the medlab and then all of a sudden spring arrives and from one day to the next she can't bare to be in the same room with me."
Charles face lit. "Since the begining of spring did you say?"
"Give or take a few days, yes." Replied Hank. Seating himself again in front of the abandoned game.
"Ah." Said Charles with a quick shake of the head. "We hadn't had a problem with this in such a long time that It was put to the back of my mind."
"You've an idea?" Asked Hank, body perking slightly in hope.
"You say she has been eating more not only in quantity but in the nutritional sense, has been undertaking in more excercise and has been going to great lengths to avoid you since the begining of spring?"
"Indeed."
"Don't worry Hank. It is nothing you've done. The problem is rather personal actually, and rather embarassing for Rogue I would imagine."
"What is it?"
"You of course know the nature of Rogue's mutation." Asked the professor, continuing after the other mans nod. "The night Logan saved Rogue on Liberty Island she was so far gone that he had to touch her twice before her mutation was triggered. Three seconds the first attempt, a further three the second. So you can imagine how much of him she had had to absorb to be at full health at the end. Not to mention that she had absorbed quite a dose of him the night before."
"Yes, I understand." Replied the large, blue man.
"Well what isn't so commonly known is that because of said repeated, prolonged contact she has not only absorbed part of Logan, she also recieved a dosage of The Wolverine; his somewhat short temper, his instincts, and she has expressed wishes to be schooled in the art of fighting with knives when she starts training for the junior X-Men team."
"Fascinating." Replied Hank, brows knitted in thought.
"Quite. But she also recieved another particular part of the Wolverines nature which causes her difficulty come spring... his breeding cycle. It has adapted itself to her nature as hers has adapted to his and so the two have met on a saught of middle ground. During spring, due to her newly intergrated animal nature, Rogues sex drive peaks. But, and this is where the two natures have met on the previously mentioned middle ground, while the Wolverine craves sex in general during this period, Rogue only craves sex with the object of her affection."
As the implication of this sentance set in the usually eloquent doctor could manage only a "Huh?"
Smile growing wider he continued. "Indeed. It is also during this time that her apppetite for everything goes haywire, causing her to eat more, eat different things in strange combinations. She is subconsciously following the instinct to accumulate enough energy for the other 'activities' her primal nature is telling her to partake in. Since this first manafested she usually spends the majoraty of her time during the spring in the gym or jogging, working off the extra energy to 'take the edge off', I believe Logan once called it. We've only ever had this problem with Logan and one spring while she was involved with young Mr. Drake. Last Spring was easier on her because her crush on Logan had run it's course and she and Mr. Drake have long since broken up, but it would seem now she has developed quite an affection for you.
"Huh?" The blue man managed again.
The Professors head cocked to the side for a moment, forhead creased, only to straighten again. "It seems I'm needed, Hank. So I shal summerise this for you in a relatively simple sentence then take my leave: Rogue is in heat, Hank. And It would appear her sights have been set on you."