DISCLAIMER

Characters and trademarks are the property of Marvel, 20th Century Fox and the genius that is Stan Lee. No money is made by the author for this work of fiction.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Currently unbeta'd. Please inform me about any mistakes and I'll correct them.

Chapter 03

Rogue

Sweat clung to his forehead in the midday sun as Bobby stared lazily skywards through the leaves and branches at a too blue sky. With a dejected sigh he turned from the sight back to the scribble of Math problems that were no closer to being solved now then they were the twenty odd minutes he had been reclined in the shadow of an old oak tree on the grounds. With a wipe of his brow, he tapped his pencil on the notepaper for a few moments, before tossing the implement down in the centre of the notepad and closing it with a snap. Looking up he saw another problem he couldn't solve. Evan Ross.

The blond boy was a stone's throw away on the skate ramp, turning tricks with his board. It had been a week since 'the event' as he liked to think of it, with St John 'Pyro' Allerdyce, and things had yet to cool down. Whilst playing pool, Evan had taken on a particularly difficult shot which required the blond to effectively bend himself over the table. Nothing wrong with that in itself, apart from the rather embarrassing pose.

However, whilst the blond was in his compromising position, the thermokinetic had plainly seen the resident pyromancer (or pyromaniac as some say), checking out the healer's denim clad butt. Worse still, when Storm had interrupted them, the pyromancer saw that Bobby had seen him looking. Like an idiot he had tried to call the other boy out on it (in the privacy of the empty common room, mind), but the slightly older boy reacted heatedly, saying he was out of his mind and summoning a fireball to his hand. The brunette subsequently got his butt out of there, and since then it was like living with a landmine.

All week John had been sending him death glares. Bobby couldn't stand to spend too long around the pyromancer as he could feel the boy's amber eyes burning holes into him. It was a problem since they shared a room. The brunette had been nervous to return even for sleep, in case the pyromancer went back on his promise he made in their first meeting about not putting a pillow over his face. And when he was around, the other teen would play death metal loud enough to wake the dead, and keep it going until the other students complained enough for the staff to put a stop to it. The brunette could understand why John was reacting so strongly, but what was so bewildering and what he couldn't wrap his head around was that St John Allerdyce, call me Pyro or I'll kill you, could be gay.

The fire elemental would have been the last person on Earth Bobby would have ever suspected to be gay. Never in a million, billion, trillion, quadrillion years would the thought have ever crossed his mind. His roommate was nothing like any supposed gay guy he had ever seen, although admittedly the only gay guys he had ever seen were on TV. But then, he caught John staring at Evan's shapely backside bent over a pool table. His extreme and continued reaction was just evidence that there was truth to his accusation. But that Pyro would like Evan, was just weird.

The thermokinetic focused in on the smaller blond boy. Evan was swooping down the U-shaped skate ramp, building speed. When he reached the lip of the opposite side he would grind along the lip before coming back down to repeat the trick on the opposite side.

The healer was wearing a grey shirt with the sleeves ripped off, and tight skate pants, a wide band of white and a few lines of red stitching making up the pant seat with black checker leggings. With his petite frame, even tan, pale green eyes and white skater-boy hair, there was no denying whatsoever that Evan was cute. Bobby would wager he'd be firmly in the 'hot' category given a few more years. But appearance aside, the moment the boy opened up his mouth, affluence and acumen came tumbling out. Although the healer was modest beyond compare, his measured responses, wide-ranging vocabulary and casual but exceptionally well developed intelligence just screamed upper-class.

Given that Pyro's favourite putdown for Bobby was 'rich boy', and Evan obviously came from a heck of a lot wealthier stock than he did, for the mutant to hold any interest was bizarre. But given that Pyro actively sought out the boy, held back the worst of his venom, actually listened to what the blond told him to do and obeyed, in addition to observing his pool table proportions, the evidence spoke for itself. That didn't make it any less strange though.

Watching the blond pick up speed, the healer launched himself across the flat of the U-shape shooting up into the air at least ten feet, twisted his body doing somewhat of a handstand on his board, before bringing his feet back down in time to roll the worst of the impact out. The thermokinetic's eyebrows rose. That was impressive.

The blond smiling to himself, shifted off the ramp apparently done for the day in time for lunch. He headed towards the steps jumping up the grind along the length. Bobby stood up and brushed the leaves from his pants. Picking up his notebook he saw Evan grind along a low set bar out of the corner of his eye. As if in slow motion, he saw the boy's board wobble unexpectedly, and shoot out from under him, the young teen falling sideways to the concrete, with a muted impact, the board hitting with an audible crack.

Bobby sprinted the short distance arriving in a few seconds to assist the boy wobbling to his feet.

"Are you hurt?" he asked, taking the boy's light weight as he lifted him up.

"Just my pride I think," Evan said somewhat shaken. Bobby could feel the boy's heart racing beneath his hand. Bobby followed Evan's gaze as he looked over to see a skateboard wheel roll away a short distance and topple over.

"And my board apparently," the healer added flatly. "Thanks," Evan remarked, turning to look Bobby in the face.

"No problem," the brunette replied as the healer pulled himself out of the loose grip to sit down on the metal bar that served as a divider from a small garden bed, and started inspecting himself for any damage.

"You're not hurt?" Bobby asked again.

"Mmm, no doesn't look like," the blond said with a shrug as he bent his arm to look at his elbow.

"Not even a scrape."

Looking around he searched for his skateboard. Bobby saw the board lodged between a couple rocks on the edge of the garden and he moved over to pick it up, making a brief detour to pick up the lost orange wheel. The healer wordlessly accepted it when the taller boy passed it over. Evan fiddled with the wheels hoping to reattach it, but abandoned his efforts with a sigh.

"I guess that was too much to hope for," the blond muttered, rubbing his neck.

"You were lucky you didn't break more than your board," Bobby remarked.

"Maybe. But then I can't heal skateboards," Evan replied, standing up and tucking the board under his arm.

"Were you heading to the cafeteria for lunch?"

"Yeah, I was," Bobby said, stepping in line with the smaller youth as they headed back towards the mansion a short distance away.

"So why aren't you inside on a hot day like today?" Evan asked curiously, as they stepped out from under the sun onto the mansion terrace, walking into the hallway.

"Thought I'd try doing my algebra homework outside." Bobby muttered. "You done yours yet?"

"Mmmhmm," the boy replied. Bobby laughed. No surprise there. Evan smiled faintly.

"Do you need any help?" Grey-green eyes examined Bobby's expression attentively. Bobby flushed in embarrassment.

"Um...no I'll be right. I'm not stuck I just haven't really..." Bobby trailed off speaking as a certain pyromancer rounded the corner in the distance ahead. The thermokinetic's throat became dry when he felt the glare Pyro levelled at the pair of them. Scowling the teenager turned around heading another way. Exhaling heavily Bobby turned to face Evan, who was looked at him with a look that a parent might reserve for a child caught in the act of a misdeed.

"Wanted to do your algebra outside, or just avoiding John?"

"It's not like that it's..." the brunette floundered at Evan's stern expression.

"Complicated," he finished lamely.

"Clearly," the healer intoned coolly. "Look Bobby," the shorter teen said taking Bobby's arm in his grasp.

"I'm not an idiot. I know something is going on between you two."

"There's nothing going on," the thermokinetic protested wide-eyed.

"Uhuh." Evan said not convinced. "Well whatever..." Evan's voice trailed off suddenly and his eyes become unfocussed.

"Uh, Evan?" Bobby asked in confusion. The glazed look disappeared from his eyes and the blond blinked a couple times, and then returned his focus on the thermokinetic.

"The Professor wants to see me. Whatever is not going on with you and John, sort it out will you. The two of you mean a lot to me. Don't make me pick between you." The healer released his arm and walked off leaving the brunette standing there with a lost, abandoned expression on his face.

Bobby was tapping his pencil on his textbook nervously. Class with Storm was about to start and he had yet to have seen the blond healer anywhere. He didn't like the way his last conversation with his friend had been a tad rushed, and he felt the boy had almost been mad at him over the thing with Pyro. Though if he had noticed the change in mood between the two elementals, he wondered who else may have noticed.

Piotr, aka Colossus, said he hadn't noticed, although self-admittedly said he hadn't been paying much attention. Kitty on the other hand had seen the pair were more testosterone fuelled; her words, than what was typical for them, but didn't know why Pyro was pissed at his roommate. Thankfully no one had worked that out. The brunette was pretty sure if a rumour was started that Pyro liked boys, the blame would be cast at him. Likely not the only thing cast too.

Bobby froze when said male rounded the corner. Pyro scowled darkly when he caught sight of him. The brunette wasn't comfortable at being alone in a hallway with a pissed off pyromancer, but upon thinking about the cool shoulder Evan had given him about the ongoing spat, he drew near to the boy. John's amber eyes narrowed in distaste as the boy stepped close.

"Hey, have you seen Evan?"

"No. Why, lose him did you?" the teen retorted. Bobby sighed this was really difficult.

"I was talking to him earlier just before lunch, but he got a message to go see the Professor. Have you seen him at all?"

"Evan doesn't need you to hold his hand, frost-face. If you haven't seen him, maybe it's because he realised how pathetic you are."

The thermokinetic clenched his teeth in frustration.

"Look! Evan noticed that you're acting more hot-headed towards me than usual. He doesn't know what it's about, but he's noticed something's up. If you don't want him to figure out..."

"He won't figure out anything, because there isn't anything to figure out. He'll only get a wrong idea if you tell him one," the pyromancer said hostilely stepping into the boy's personal space, staring at him through narrowed eyes. Bobby swallowed nervously. It was tough trying to get words out and not back away quickly from the fire mutant.

"How about we just forget that, that err, that anything happened and we just go back to how things were a week ago," Bobby offered. Pyro gave Bobby a level glare, and the thermokinetic could feel his hands start to sweat.

"So what do you say?" Bobby pressed. "Nothing ever happened."

"Nothing did happen," the amber-eyed teen said hotly.

The sound of people drawing near, their classmates, grabbed their attention. The brunette wanted to get a decision from the other mutant now, so he didn't want to have to go through this experience again on a second try later on. He wiped his sweaty palms hastily on his jeans.

"We're cool then?" he asked, holding out a hand to shake. There were several long moments whilst Pyro just stared at him, the brunette could practically see the wheels in the boy's head turning as he waited for the pyromancer's decision. When it came it was sudden. Pyro's hand thrust out and shook his hand, but let go quickly.

"We're cool."

Bobby smiled, and feeling rather proud of himself, went to go join Kitty waiting outside the room for class to start. "If you touch me again, I'll set you on fire, rich boy," Pyro drawled from behind him. Bobby smiled even as the fourteen year old girl affectionately known as 'Shadowcat' sent him a confused look. Things were back to normal.

When the resident healer had finally deigned to show his face part way through class, a beautiful brunette girl that Bobby had never seen before, was in tow beside him.

'The Professor must have wanted to have him show her around like he did with me when I arrived,' Bobby thought, as Evan and the new girl took up the two empty seats to his right. He noticed she was wearing gloves, despite the warm weather. Glancing past the girl to the healer, he made eye contact, nodding at the strange apparel. Evan just shrugged nonplussed. He hadn't asked. Bobby examined the girl.

The teen was rather beautiful and she smiled shyly when she saw the attractive boy appraising her. Pyro, seated in front of him, noticed his roommate checking out the girl out of the corner of his eye. Shifting his hands behind his back, the mutant clicked his lighter, a small fireball forming in his hand, the glow drawing the girl's attention like a moth to a flame. She wasn't the only one either. Quite a few students in the back row had their attention grabbed by the covert actions of the powerful fire elemental.

Seeing the amazed look in the girl's eyes, Bobby edged a hand towards the fireball, and a thin mist flowing from his hand, touching the flame, freezing it solid in moments. Gravity took care of the rest.

Crack!

The frozen flame hit the ground shattering, causing Pyro to sit up straight in his chair in surprise, guilty-faced. Storm looked up.

"John," she said in warning.

"Sorry," he returned automatically looking sheepish. The woman returned to explaining what was on the board. Bobby smirked. The girl smiled at him.

"Hi. I'm Bobby" he said leaning over to the beautiful girl. "What's your name?"

"Rogue"

The brunette smiled, and placed his hand on her desktop. When he lifted it there was a rose made of ice.

"Welcome to mutant high."

The teen leant up against a tree, hidden in the early evening shadows watching the blond healer.

"I'm going to go high this time!" The healer called out, swinging his arm to throw a small rubber ball into the air. The ball went up in arc, passing over the head of a lithe form that sprung up in the air six feet to catch it, landing gracefully on all fours, tail swaying contently.

"Nice catch, Zak!" the blond boy called out as the ball was swiftly returned to the owner, the young mutant darting off a distance again in expectation of another throw. The amber-eyed mutant rolled his eyes, and shoved off of the tree approaching the mutant silently from behind. The rubber ball returned to the healer's hand once more, it was rapidly cast off into the distance, a nimble young Mutant in hot pursuit.

"Hello, John," Evan said, turning around. Pyro scowled. He thought he would have surprised the boy for sure.

"It's creepy that you knew who it was without turning around," the pyromancer said taking up a loose stance beside the blond.

"And you watching me from behind a tree Isn't creepy at all?" Evan put forth, throwing the ball once more for the energetic young mutant.

"Nope," the pyromancer said flatly, causing his companion to chuckle. The ball went flying again.

"I settled things with icy-pole," he put forward. The grey-green eyed boy eyed him speculatively for a moment.

"Good," was the simple reply. John frowned, he had been expected a more congratulatory answer.

"Don't you want to know what it was about?" he asked, referencing the cause of the week long skirmish.

"Do you want to tell me what it was about?" the healer asked rhetorically, fixing his enthralling eyes on the other boy. John swallowed nervously.

"...No" he said in decisive tone. The healer's eyes dimmed slightly, but gave no other outward sign of emotion on the matter.

"Okay," the healer said simply, looking away towards the rapidly approaching tailed mutant.

"Okay?" the pyromancer echoed hollowly.

"I treat Bobby like shit all week long, and you don't even want to know why?"

For some reason Pyro felt angry. Betrayed. Evan should ask why. Evan should care enough to ask why. His fisted clenched tightly, and he could feel the thrum of blood in his ears, the warm rise of heat in the back of his neck.

"Ball!" a small voice announced. He looked down to see the mutant Zak standing in front of the blond healer, a red rubber ball held over his head in both hands like a trophy, a hopeful look on his face. It pissed Pyro off.

"That's enough for today, Zak," Evan commented. The young mutant's face fell momentarily, dejected at the end of his playtime. But a moment later he was darting off across the endless lawns towards the mansion, leaving the two older mutants alone on the grounds. John was startled as he felt a hand clasp his arm gently. The smaller mutant's look was powerful and the pyromancer found he was unable to break grasp or gaze.

"If you don't want to tell me about it, I'm not going to make you tell me. We've known each other for a couple years now. I'd like to think we are friends-"

"We are!" John interjected. Evan smiled sadly.

"Bobby comes from a good family, he doesn't realise..." Evan paused, thinking of how to word his answer.

"He doesn't know what it was like for you. ...I ...I can guess."

John's throat went unexpectedly dry and he wanted to protest, but couldn't say a word his defence. His body sagged as his anger bled out in an instant. Arms snaked around his waist, and the boy realised, to his shock, he was being hugged. He hated it when people touch him, but this felt nice. Really, really warm, like when he used his powers, but more encompassing. He was held in the embrace for what felt like only a brief moment. Nowhere near long enough.

"If you want to talk," the voice said moving away. Several seconds later when the boy came to his senses, he turned to see Evan slowly walking off. John wanted to call after him, but his throat was closed. He couldn't. Soon the healer was out of voice range and eventually, out of sight as well.

John inhaled deeply to regain control of his breathing. He thrust his shaking hand into his pocket, removing his lighter. With difficulty he flicked open the cap and summoned the small flame to his hand, growing in size. It was not the same. Usually his powers made him feel good. Feel powerful and feel secure. Feel Safe. This was not the same. Not as good, not as secure, not as safe.

Not like him.

End Chapter

Author Notes:

This seems the natural place to leave things. I did have another scene in mind to end on featuring rogue (the chapter is named after her after all), but this chapter somehow became less about her being a spanner in the works and more about the boys' relationship. The unused scene will just be transferred to the next chapter. This might work better with the continuity actually. Here's hoping.

Response and Feedback appreciated.

Carlough: Thanks for another review. I Hope you enjoyed the new chapter and John's attitude/vulnerabilities.

TimaeusLover96: Thanks for reviewing, hope you enjoyed the new chapter.

Edit: Jan 12, 2011. Corrected a couple minor things the spell check didn't pick up on.

Edit: 30/08/11 Fixed a couple typos

Edit: 17/04/12 Fixed some punctuation