Griezz: The reason for my frustration is not that I thought in this particular instance that you were making requests. It's a pattern of behavior. It's not like I'm writing G-rated stuff; I acknowledge that the characters are grown adults. It's just that every time I hint at stuff, it seems like you try to speculate further or draw in more details… or that the sexy times is the only thing commented on and not any of the story that I put in a lot of work to write. Thus, my frustration. If you don't mean it to come off that way, then I'm sorry for the miscommunication. But that is where I'm coming from. :)


Chapter 9: You Can Hear Jean Chanting 'Now Kiss', Can't You?


The leaves were starting to turn in Westchester — which seemed to fascinate Noh all over again — but it was the promise of a bonfire to celebrate the equinox that brought him and Jubilee out into the forest to walk around a bit, hand-in-hand as always.

Noh was wearing his headphones around his neck as he kept pace with Jubilee on her wheelies down the path until they got into the more uneven ground and she had to slow down again. There was music down at the bonfire, and he was humming along to it even for as far out as they were.

They were almost caught up to the rest of the group when the sun started to set, and Noh pulled on Jubilee's hand a bit to stop her with a little grin. "Look at that," he said, gesturing to the sky. "The orange is the exact same shade as the leaves. It wasn't that way yesterday."

Jubilee grinned as she came to a stop and looked up at the sky with him. "Yeah, well, like I said, they're different every night."

"I prefer them when they are pink," he said, grinning her way. "Your whole world is green and blue — but at special times, it is pinks and oranges and yellows."

She turned to face him and couldn't help but giggle when she realized he was being totally serious. "Well, it takes work to look this fabulous."

He grinned wider at her and nodded. "Yes, you have to go to all those stores and try on clothes," he agreed with an almost teasing smile.

"It's just too bad you showed up so late in the year. Totally missed bathing suit season. And the fine art of tanning."

"That does sound interesting," he agreed, nodding along as they made their way to where the bonfire was already burning high and any of the X-Men and students that had significant others were already snuggled up.

Noh-Varr tipped his head toward where Ororo was sitting with Forge, perfectly and contentedly curled up. "So this is an excuse for couples?" he asked with a little smile.

"Like they need an excuse," Jubilee muttered quietly.

"Well, the rest of us can simply enjoy the music," Noh decided, offering Jubilee his other hand. "Let's dance." With that, he simply pulled her into a dance in the smoke and embers and the light of the fire, since the song was one that leant itself to one of the dances they'd learned in K's class.

There was a little bamf close by, and Kurt appeared, grinning, nearby. "I see you've been paying close attention to K," he said with an impish little smirk.

Jubilee glared at him for a second, though Noh seemed to miss the point and grinned Kurt's way. "She is an amazing teacher," he said earnestly.

"Yes, she is," Kurt said, the grin widening even more. "And our Jubilation has learned from her very well."

Jubilee stuck her tongue out at him. "Jealous?"

"Never," he laughed. "Everyone else is jealous of me, of course."

She rolled her eyes. "You're ridiculous."

"Hardly," he answered. "I'm simply observant."

"Go observe somewhere else," she said, waving her hand.

Kurt simply smirked at her and teleported off, though he appeared a moment later with Storm so that the two of them could pull off a magnificent dance — clearly showing off and grinning at the two teenagers.

"That isn't a dance we've learned yet," Noh said, watching the elegant waltz with an interested look on his face.

"That's because no one's picked the right music for that yet," Jubilee told him.

"Then I'll have to pick a song to learn it when it's my turn," he decided. "Though… I was considering the Ronettes for that as well."

"Well, stick around — you can do both," Jubilee pointed out.

He couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, I'm going to stay here for the foreseeable future," he said. "How else to protect the world than with those who have sworn to do it?"

"That… is a good point."

He grinned at her and turned back to watch Kurt and Ororo before he nodded. "I think… I can replicate a simple version of that. It's in threes…."

"I'll follow you," she said.

He grinned and then pulled her into what was a close approximation of a basic waltz step as they danced some more — and then got to dig into the snacks and just hang out with the rest of the kids when they were done dancing.

"Jubilee, can I ask you something?"

Jubilee shrugged up at Noh as she took a big bite out of her caramel apple. "Sure."

Noh gestured over to Monet and Everett. "If you are on the same team, why do you and Monet… she doesn't seem to like you."

"Well that's because she has terrible taste and she's totally jealous of not being on the team longest … out of our age group, of course."

"Then she is going to be upset for a long time, since you do not have time travel here," Noh pointed out.

"Pretty much."

Noh shook his head. "I suppose she will have to learn that before she can join the senior team."

"She's gonna have to learn a lot," Jubilee said heavily.

"Then, as the leader, should you not be helping her?" Noh asked, genuinely curious.

"If she'd listen at all? To anyone but the teachers?" She shrugged her shoulders. "Gotta be open to it."

"You are a lot more understanding of insubordination than I would be."

Jubilee very carefully avoided laughing outright, though she couldn't stop the smile. "Well … we're not very well structured in that way."

He smiled at her. "There is very little on your world that is structure," he said.

"Yeah, well. Most of the time, it's more interesting that way."

"I'm certainly learning the appeal," he agreed. By that time, a few of the others were splitting off from the group, and he tipped his head toward the forest. "Shall we go back, or did you want to spend more time in the firelight?"

"Actually, I think I might want to go down by the lake," she said slowly.

He grinned and got up to offer her his hand. "Then let me accompany you," he said. He let Jubilee lead the way out to the lake, which was quiet and still — so no one else had the same idea… yet.

Noh had gone back to wearing the headphones around his neck, but this time they were playing music lightly, and he was bopping his head slightly along to the music now that the bonfire was breaking up. "We should go to the mall again," he said.

"Sounds good to me," Jubilee replied quietly, pulling her shoulders up to her ears.

"Maybe we can explore some of the other stores," he said. "There was an entire store dedicated to candy — and I know you have a particular interest in that."

"I do," she said, smiling a little wider. "We're pretty sure they help charge up my sparkles."

"That would be sensible," he said with a nod. "I can do the same thing… but not just with candy. Anything organic, and I can use it to heal."

She frowned and looked up at him dramatically, letting her short bob shift with the speed. "Anything organic? That's … why?"

"Because I was engineered to survive and fight," he said with a shrug. "Not every battle has candy in it," he added, this time with a little smile her way.

"Well, it should," she said, hugging herself a little bit.

"If every battle had Pixie Sticks in it, you would have so much the advantage," he teased.

She couldn't help but smile a little at that. "Well that would be nice for a change," she said before she looked up at him, bit her lip, and very quickly gave him a little kiss.

He looked surprised for only a moment before he grinned widely and kissed her right back, though not quite so fast. He grinned at her again when they broke apart and then, to her surprise, started to very quietly sing one of his new favorite songs. "My thoughts are with you, holding hands with your heart to see you…"

Jubilee just stared at him, totally shocked and turning pink, though she couldn't stop smiling at him. So, she popped up on her toes to kiss him again.


A few days after the bonfire, Jean sat in on a session with Charles and Noh, curious to see how much progress they had made together. And while the other two had been doing this on a daily basis, Jean definitely had not been there for the gradual shift of some of the building colors to more yellows and pinks, so it was a lot more obvious to her.

Though more obvious was the fact that the previously pale green sky was now orange and pink, a perpetual sunset over their heads.

She couldn't stop grinning through the whole path down to the center of his mind, which honestly had the best view of the sunset.

She could barely bite back the little giggle that kept threatening to break loose, but she managed to keep her composure as Noh showed her the bare defenses that they were erecting in his mind. For someone who had never in his life closed his mind, it wasn't too bad, though he still had a long way to go.

But for as proud as Noh was of the progress he'd made, Jean was barely able to hold back the far more important matter at hand, only waiting until Noh was out of the room before she projected to Charles — knowing Noh could still hear her if she spoke out loud — I love what he's done with the place.

Yes, much more … colorful.

Jean laughed out loud. How long has that been going on?

Not long at all. Just the past few sessions, really.

Jean grinned. Oh, well, the sunset for sure, she said. But what about the buildings?

That's been I believe … since your night out drinking.

At that, Jean looked even more delighted. Charles. Charles. This is just… She grinned outright.

Good for both of them.

Oh, definitely, she agreed, grinning even wider. We have got to fix that Supremor problem, because these two? This is too cute.

Jean … his path is his to choose.

So we should let him choose it, she argued. He clearly likes her.

Charles couldn't help but laugh. "Yes. Well … let nature take its course."

"That's what I'm saying." Jean shook her head, still grinning. "I'm not saying push them together; I'm just saying… we should make sure he doesn't get jerked around."

"I know what you're saying," he said, shaking his head. "And I'm sure it will all work out as it should."

"Oh, it will," Jean said, already determined that she would help things along if need be. After all, this was too perfect.