ATTENTION! I HAVE FIXED THIS IN ADDITION TO REMOVING MY ONE SHOT CALLED RIOT GIRL AS FANFICTION IS THREATENING TO CLOSE MY ACCOUNT FOR HAVING SONG LYRICS I DIDN'T WRITE. WHILE I PERSONALLY SEE NO HARM AS LONG AS YOU SAY YOU DON'T OWN IT BUT I'VE HAD MY ACCOUNT FROZEN ONCE FOR A RULE THAT WASN'T A RULE WHEN I BROKE IT SO I'M NOT TAKING CHANCES. AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO DOES NOT FIND THAT FAIR? ANYWAY SORRY FOR ANY EXTRA CONFUSION.
Hey Everyone. This is my first attempt at a one shot. Coincidentally its also my first fic inspired by a song. Its a Romy (do you expect much else for my first?) I had no intention of writing this when I did. I was minding my own business and listening to an American Idol CD as I did my homework. And then, a certain Stevie Wonder song redone by A J Gil came on. And then a rabid plot-bunny came and savagely attacked me until the idea for this got through my thick skull. So here it is. Tell me what ya think. Oh and just cuz its a one shot doesn't mean I don't love reviews. I'll respond to them in the next chapter of Back in Diapers or 24 hours. Thanks a super poodle!
Disclaimer: Oh puh-lease! Do you own X-men? Do you own Stevie Wonder's works? Do you own teenage drama? I thought not. If you don't...why would you assume I do?
It had been a tough day. Well, a whole lot of them. Recently the Friends of Humanity had been making life Hellish for all mutants. Xavier opened his doors to all the persecuted in the states. It was way over crowded with an average of two to four kids to a room, and still more new recruits came. There were rumors that Xavier was going to open an expansion in Westchester and another on Muir Isle in Scotland.
Charles Xavier had allowed mutants of nearly every age in the doors of the institute. And most of the students were okay with it, even if they were stuffed into bunk beds and lost a whole lot of personal space. They felt sorry for the kids, some of them younger than ten who'd been discovered and driven out of their homes. But the kids freaked out when the list included Magneto's recruits.
The students who knew the brotherhood and Acolytes flipped out. There were fights and screaming matches. But the sad sorry fact was that Magneto had abandoned them and the majority of them were minors and had no homes to go to. Among the four of the boys that were old enough, Lance's parents had died when his powers came in, Piotr's parents were poor Russian farmers and couldn't afford to bring him home, and St. John and Remy were exiled by their families. So they admitted defeat and went to Xavier.
If that wasn't enough to put anybody on edge, not everyone got along so well. Rogue had already broken up Paige Guthrie and Ilyana Rasputin for fighting over a hairbrush; a fist fight between Pyro and Toad, initiated by the latter over a smile from Wanda; A huge brawl between Roberto, Ray, and Sam that Tabitha seemed to somehow be involved in; a power display from Bobby and Scott's brother Alex that seemed to be a competition in which the winner earned Lorna Dane's affections; broken up a battle of the royals while Amara, Jubilee, and a new girl Monet all wanted the bathroom mirror at the same time; and she'd stopped Jean and Emma Frost from completely assassinating each other for some attention from Scott, and this was all before two FOH attacks and the fetching of a new recruit from a mob.
Rogue had a strong desire to take an Aspirin and go curl up with a book until she fell asleep. So she walked down to the infirmiry pondering life in general. Being seventeen wasn't as sweet as everyone always made it seem. She should technically be starting her senior year in September but for safety's sake, the mutants were being home schooled. Xavier's was really turning into a school for mutants.
But the chaos didn't end there. Oh no. What happens when you lock a whole mansion of mutants together when most of them are teenagers? Other than the dinner shift workers at the local pizza restauraunt knowing the exact time somebody will call for a huge order of about sixty pizza's? You got it, romantic tension gets pretty thick.
The mansion's residents all had crazy soap opera style relationships. For a perfect example there was Scott and Jean. The older kids had not been surprised when they announced their engagement and then even got married. Things went well until they got back from their honeymoon and some of the new recruits were around. Emma Frost ignored the matching rings on their fingers as she expressed interest in Scott.
In true Summers tradition, Scott's little brother had troubles of his own. He and Bobby had both fallen for Lorna Dane, a girl who believed she was Pietro and Wanda's half sister.
Speaking of the Maximoffs, Wanda was having problems of her own regarding that flighty feeling called love. Toad will still obsessed with her in a vaguely stalker-esque way, but she wasn't sure she wanted to get herself into a relationship at this point and time. Of course this was a sharp contrast to her dear brother who had roughly six dates a night. It seemed as if Pietro and Tabitha were in a silent competition to sleep with as many members of the opposite sex as was possible, quicker than the competition.. Rogue suspected Tabitha was winning but she wasn't sure she wanted to know.
Even Rogue had her share of pursuers. Pietro had been awful flirty lately, she was probably one of the names on the very short list of girls in the mansion he had yet to charm into his bedroom, and she had no plans of becoming a name in his black book; Sam seemed shier around her lately; Colossus was spending time around her, though it was more in platonicly stoic understanding than romantic interest. Lance had gotten quite protective of her, and several of the newer recruits had definitely noticed her. Even Jamie who had just celebrated his thirteenth birthday was eyeing her appreciatively and blushing as red as Jean's hair when caught in the act.
But while all this was a bit flattering, Rogue couldn't help but notice that one certain suitor was missing. For a while when he first arrived, the Swamp Rat had been an obnoxious and horribly flirty mix between Toad and Quicksilver. Then all of a sudden he stopped. Not that she missed it, she told herself. But it was odd to have him go from flirting like he was God's gift to women, to acting quiet around her and walking around, being secretive and moody.
She shook her head as she boarded the elevator. It was probably as simple as he realized that he could get what he obviously wanted from somebody else, like Tabitha or one of the new recruits, at no personal risk. After all, the others could touch, and a whole lot of them used that ability frequently.
Rogue was thoroughly certain and disgusted as the elevator reached the desired floor. She went and knocked on Doctor McCoy's door.
"Come in." He called. She entered and didn't see him so she presumed he was in the new section of the lab, which he had set aside for his new hobby of photography.
He exited a few seconds later. "Ah, Rogue. Long time no see." He commented. "It's been a while since you ended up down here. What brings you to this part of the mansion today? I notice for the first time in a long while on a visit down here in which you are fully conscious."
Rogue sighed at the memories. "Yeah. Ah need an aspirin. Got a killah headache an' the chaos round here's makin' it all worse."
"I've noticed." He said wryly. "There is a reason I stay down here."
"Smart idea."
"So aspirin huh?" The doctor moved to a medicine cabinet and grabbed a bottle of the pain reliever. "I sense more is on your mind than just the hectic happenings of the FOH." He said sagely.
"Well yeah. Ah guess. All the new recruits and fights and everthin' ya know?" Rogue sighed. "An' all the romantic tension's so thick ya could cut it with a knife."
"There we go." beast smiled. "The heart of the matter. Pun definitely intended." He grinned at her. "Is there anything in particular you would like to discuss?"
"It's Gambit." Rogue admitted. "He's...changed. He used to be so flirty and obnoxious and now...he isn't." She frowned weakly.
"I see." The doctor nodded, amused. "Would you like to see the latest photos?" He asked suddenly.
"Sho' thin'." She shrugged. He led her to his photo lab. Several pictures were hanging on a wire drying.
"Wow. These are great." She examined them. They were from a pool party the kids had thrown a week previous.
"Thank you." The doctor bowed his head. "These are my favorite batch. Most especially this one." He pointed towards a group shot of all the original team, former new recruits and Magneto's teams.
"Yeah its great." Rogue admired it.
Beast grinned. "I appreciate that. So...you and Gambit?"
"Hah. No. He's probably off with a thousand other girls a night. He don' want no gal who can't even kiss him."
"Really now?" The doctor raised his eyebrows. He busily searched through his older photographs in a leather bound scrapbook. "Were you good at those pictures where you identify the differences as a child?"
"Ah guess so. Whah?"
"This is a picture taken the day after Gambit, and the other Acolytes and Brotherhood arrived. There was a party then too. How are they different?"
Rogue looked. "Well, in the first one, Wanda was all surly and standing with me away from everyone else. An' in the second one...Toad's got his arms around her. And in the first one, Kitty's hair was longer and in that dumb pony tail. Now its about a foot shorter. An' in the second one Kurt ain' wearin' his image inducer an' Tabitha went from a bright pink bikini to a black one piece. An' actually she looks a little distant in the second one. Not so...Tabby as she was in the first with Ray's arm around her and all...actually she's hanging back a little. And um...In the second one Pyro is wearing rubber duck floaties." Rogue noted skeptically, not sure where this was going.
"Perhaps you are a bit too observant." He smiled. He covered the inner parts of the picture with his large hand. The only two people you could see were Gambit at one end and her on the other. In his other hand he held up the second picture. "I meant these differences." She looked vaguely confused so he continued. "In this first picture all the others separate the two of you. He stands there with sunglasses and nothing but his swim trunks on. No shirt, nothing. He's smirking and if I move my hand slightly you notice that his arm is around Jubilee's shoulders. And here you are sulking, in full uniform, glaring daggers at me for insisting on the snapshot." He smiled gently as she smiled sheepishly. "And then we have this second picture. Exactly four weeks, three days, and two hours apart. You two are right near each other. Notice, he is wearing his X-men uniform. His non customized spandex uniform if I may add. His glasses are off showing those unique of his. He's smiling. An honest, genuine smile not a smirk. His hands? Well, one is holding a soda can. In the other hand he's holding out a water bottle to you. You on the other hand are looking more sweet and friendly than I honestly remember. You're twirling a lock of hair, which is longer and not forcefully straightened. I think, you got to be comfortable around each other. And still, today he wears sleeves and gloves. Do you think he needs them? Not when he's had his powers for a nice eight years. If you ask me, he likes being around you so he is willing to make you comfortable with who you are. You do the same for him. I believe you led him to believe that his eyes were beautiful just as he got you to appreciate your naturally curly hair. But then, nobody asked my opinion." His eyes sparkled in amusement.
"Ah'm not quite sure Ah get what ya sayin'..." Rogue hesitated.
"Rogue, if I may so bold, I do believe our resident Gambit has grown a bit attatched to you. And if you'll forgive me for saying so, he seems to have grown on you a bit as well." McCoy smiled softly.
"Well, uh...Ah gotta git upstairs. See ya." Rogue turned and headed up to her room, a whole new swirl of confusion in her mind.
As she was passing through the guys' dormitories the sense increase she'd gained from absorbing Logan kicked in. She heard Kurt singing along to some German song, Scott whispering how much he loved Jean, and a few boys arguing. She passed the showers and heard someone in the bathroom turning on the water. She shook her head and was about to head to her room when Logan's enhanced hearing allowed her to pick up talking.
"An' dis un's dedicated t' a tres special fille. Je t'aime Rogue. Even if y'll always hate me."
She recognized the voice and was shocked. She hurried upstairs and flopped down on her bed.
About half an hour later there was a knock on her door.
"Its open." She called as she closed the vampire book she'd been reading. In stepped Tabitha. Rogue raised an eyebrow at how edgy the girl looked. "What do ya want Boom Boom?" She asked in irritation.
"Um, well, I kind of put a camera in the guys bathroom for innocent purposes of course." The blonde smirked. "And I think you should see this recording from earlier. Don't worry, somebody put a bottle of shampoo in the way of the camera so all you see is a bottle of green shampoo. But I think maybe you should hear what's on this tape...I only listened in for the first few words but..."
Rogue raised an eyebrow. "That's Evan's camera ain' it."
"Yeah. But first, just so you know, he isn't what you think he is... he's really a sweet guy."
"Evan!"
"No. The guy on the tape...Do you want me to leave so you can watch in peace?" Tabitha asked unsurely.
"No. Ya have me really worried. Ah need ya in arms length incase Ah need ta kill ya. Ah ain' in a mood for chasin' ya down."
Tabitha gulped and sat down. She pressed play on the camera.
The door opened. Remy LeBeau stepped into the bathroom carrying a towel, his pajama pants, and looking sweaty and exhausted.
"Merde 's been a long day. (Merde means shit in French.)" He groaned and rubbed his shoulder. "Mebe Remy shouldn't 'ave done de danger room sim wit' Wolvie."
He looked in the mirror and sighed. "Look like deat' reheated. Mebe a shower'll help. Hopefully anyway."
He peeled his shirt off his back and dropped it to the floor. He opened the shower curtain and removed a bottle of shampoo. "Now whose is dis? 'Untangles fur leaving it soft and shiney?' Mus' be dat Nightcrawlah fool. Oh well."
The bottle was placed in front of the camera. Remy finished undressing and turned on the water. He climbed in and sighed.
"Why de long face, LeBeau." He asked himself. "Y' got it all, de cash, de adoration o' de filles...well all cept une. Dat mus' be it. Why does Remy care so much bout her. Dumb question LeBeau. She different. She de first fille not willin' t' do anyt'in t' spend time wit' y. She helped y' get confident wit' y' eyes. She so...special. An' she don' like y' at all." He sighed. "Kinda like dat song by Stevie Wonder."
"An' dis un's dedicated t' a tres special fille. Je t'aime Rogue. Even if y'll always hate me."
Remy proceded to sing the Stevie Wonder song "My Chèrie Amour" in a voice that was more beautiful than one would expect from somebody such as the Swamp rat. (THAT IS SO LAME THANKS A LOT FANFICTION! CURSE YOU! Anyway y'all hopefully know the lyrics, if not look 'em up online cuz I can't afford to get my self into any more trouble on this site).
Remy sighed and stepped out of the shower. "Remy don' know what t' do. I t'ink I be in love a fille who won' never love me back."
Tabitha stopped the tape and looked at Rogue as if expectantly waiting for an explosion. "I'll just go now. I just thought you should hear that."
Rogue blinked. "Was that really the swamp rat?"
"Yeah. He has a great shower voice." Tabitha grinned. "Great body too."
"Tabitha!" Rogue blushed.
"Oh come on girl. You have to have noticed. He's always hanging around you and you don't check him out?"
"Okay, its time fo' ya ta go away." Rogue's ears turned a brighter red.
"Ohhh! She's not denying it! She has noticed then." Tabby grinned. "So what do you like the most about him? His washboard abs? His chiseled pecs? His hulking biceps? Or maybe his oh so fine behind?"
"Tabitha, git out of mah room!"
"You are no fun. But anyway...so are you going to go out with him? Date him? Marry him? Have his kids?"
"OUT!" Rogue ordered.
"Sheesh I'm goin'. Don't think I'll let this drop. See ya." The blonde ran out of the room before Rogue could massacre her.
Rogue floppped onto her bed. "He really likes me? He sounded so sincere...maybe I should give him a chance?"
"Give who a chance?" Her roommate Kitty entered with a giggle. "Who was sincere? Does Rogue have a crush?" She teased.
"Does Kitty have a death wish?" Rogue scowled.
"Oh come on. Spill, I'll tell you something if you tell me."
"That's okay."
"Oh come on. Tell me! Does it have anything to do with Tabby running out of here chuckling?"
"Fine. She came in here to show me a video tape of...someone singing in the guys shower."
Kitty clapped a hand to her mouth and squealed. "Like, ohmigosh! You watched one of the guys take a shower? Who?"
"Mind outta the gutter Kit." Rogue's ears glowed redder. "Ah didn't see anything bad and it was just Gambit."
Kitty squealed again. "Oh, like even better! He's totally hot. He can sing?"
"Need Ah remind ya that ya got ya very own lovin' boyfriend ta dote on?"
Kitty smirked. "Well, I know that, but I can still like, talk can't I?"
"Why doncha go harrass him?" She pleaded.
"Rogue..."
"Alright.Geez Ah'll tell ya. Ya he can sing. He ain't too bad either. Apparently he likes meh o' somethin'. Don' know why. An' if ya squeal Ah'll throw ya out the window." She warned as Kitty stifled her squeal.
"So do you like him?"
"Kit..."
"Okay but he likes you! You'd be the cutest couple."
"If Ah say Ah'll give him a chance can Ah go ta sleep?"
Kitty squealed. When Lance found her outside the window drawing up plans for a wedding, he did not dare ask.
Okay well that's that. It's now fixed so I can't get in trouble for having the lyrics. Sorry for any confusion this whole thing caused and I hope fanfiction realizes how stupid this descision is. If any of you know how to complain to them, let me know alright? It would make everything a lot easier. I have a definite complaint to file. Ok well now I'm working on BID so see ya soon!
heart's desires chapter one version 2.2 completed 4-28-05