Title: Underneath It All
Fandom: X-Men (comic verse with slight alterations)
Pairing: Jean Grey/Emma Frost
Rating: PG
Notes: Somewhat AU, basically after Genosha Scott takes off and Jean finds herself spending much more time with the Institute's newest addition, Emma Frost.
Disclaimer: Don't own them, though I do covet them.
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Part 21
A week later …
Jean took a deep breath and then exhaled, her breath ruffling her hair for a moment as she bounced on the heels of her feet outside of the dining room. She and Emma had been avoiding the meal rushes since Scott's return preferring to dine out, sneak into the kitchen after the dinner rush or take their meals in Emma's room. She knew that the blonde wasn't exactly thrilled with her request to keep a low profile, but she wanted to give things a little while to settle down before officially appearing in public together. That being said, she knew that the faculty was aware of what was going on between them and that staying away any longer would begin to look suspect or worse would begin to look like an admission of guilt or shame. Emma had been away most of the day on Frost Industries business so Jean figured that this would be the perfect opportunity to test the waters and if they were too stormy then she'd simply warn Emma away when the blonde returned to the mansion.
Jean pushed through the doors her eyes immediately scanning the faculty table for a familiar mane of white hair. Spotting Ororo and seeing an empty chair beside her Jean relaxed slightly. Ororo had told her that she would have her back, but having her at her side would work just as well.
"Evening," Jean greeted forcing a smile on her face as she slipped into the chair next to Ororo sweeping her gaze around the table her eyes holding on Scott's sullen figure for a moment before she reached for the water pitcher. "What's on the menu?"
"Meatloaf," Bobby responded after Jean's question met dead air as everyone was too busy surreptitiously staring at her. "It's not exactly Cornish dame hen or some fancy crap like that, but at least it's not broccoli and tofu."
"Broccoli and tofu?" Jean questioned as Hank passed over a bowl of rice to her. Bobby nodded and shuddered. "I take it you were responsible for that?" Jean continued looking over at Ororo who frowned at Bobby slightly.
"It …" Ororo started to say.
"Don't tell me tastes like chicken!" Bobby exclaimed. "It doesn't taste like chicken. It doesn't taste like anything. It's like chewing paper … only spongy, which is worse. And even if it did taste like chicken, I'd rather just have chicken," Iceman went on gazing around the table his expression saying 'am I right, or am I right?'
"It was Szechwan tofu broccoli with fried rice, and it was quite a popular selection with our female students," Ororo responded looking at Bobby steadily. "Every night can't be Sloppy Joes or franks and beans."
"Yeah, but can't new at least taste good?" Bobby complained. "Tofu is like eating water. Well, water that is disturbingly chewable."
Jean relaxed a little more and began to eat as Bobby and Ororo continued to playfully argue with other, the other members of the table quickly being drawn into the discussion. It was awkward – as she had expected – when she first sat down but things were improving, even though she could still feel eyes on her and sense the others tension about being around her and Scott knowing that he had moved out of their room and that she had practically moved into Emma's. However she realized that only time would be able to alleviate those stares.
Turning her gaze away from Kitty who was practically rolling her eyes out of her head at something Rogue had said, Jean focused on Scott again. He hadn't said a word since she had sat down, he hadn't even looked at her but she couldn't say that she was surprised about that either. She considered contacting him telepathically so that their conversation would be private but she didn't want to upset him. Dinner was going better than expected and everyone was making an effort to make it as comfortable as possible and if Scott wanted to ignore her instead of fight with her then she would leave it at that for the moment.
xxx
Jean didn't need to look up when the conversation at the table died to know that Emma had just entered the room. Turning to look behind her, Jean saw Hank rise from her side and offer his chair to Emma. Emma smiled at him and they held each other gaze for a moment before Hank opened and shut his mouth without speaking shaking his head. Jean momentarily wondered what her girlfriend had said to him telepathically however as Emma approached the table and seated herself beside her, Jean was distracted by the tense air around the table once more.
~Has it been like this all evening?~ Emma sent to her a moment later as Ororo passed the salad bowl over to the blonde silently.
~Not exactly~ Jean responded.
~Lovely~ Emma replied knowing exactly what that meant as she glanced up to meet the faces that were staring her.
"Thank you," Emma said looking each one of the people gawking at her in the eye. "I know I'm breathtaking. Can someone pass the wine?"
The comment seemed to do its job and break the ice a little or at least enough that people guiltily averted their gazes so that they were no longer outright staring at Emma, except for Scott whose gaze had been trained on her mercilessly the moment she had walked through the door.
"As long as the food train is moving, does anyone know where the gravy is?" Kitty asked looking around the table as Emma received the wine bottle and poured herself a glass before absently turning to top up Jean's glass as well.
"Frost probably took it," Scott responded coldly his gaze shifting from Jean's glass to Emma's face. He had promised himself that he would keep himself in check when the time came that they would all be face to face but the familiarity of Emma's actions had rattled him. Jean had kept her promise to stay away from him for a while and other than the morning at the pool had managed to keep Emma away from him as well, but he knew that the day would come when they wouldn't be able to avoid each other anymore. The knowledge that he would have to see them together day in and day out tortured him and he seriously considered leaving the school again, but he couldn't do it. He couldn't abandon the team again. Besides the mansion was his home, these people his family, and he wasn't going to let Emma Frost chase him out, let alone prove the woman right by leaving once more. That being said, not nearly enough time had passed for him to be able to even tolerate the sight of the blonde.
Jean sighed softly after Scott spoke and prepared to speak before Emma could respond afraid of what the blonde would say in response.
"Actually, I did," Emma replied pleasantly smiling at Scott almost chummily before Jean could speak. "Good eye Cyclops," she continued winking at him before holding the gravy bowl out for Kitty.
Scott's jaw clenched and he squeezed the fork in his hand until his knuckles began to turn white. Not for the first time he wished that Emma was a man so that he could just cold cock her one.
"Professor, you were talking about the arrangement of the teams," Ororo said in the brief silence that accompanied Scott and Emma's little exchange.
"Yes," Professor X responded. "Indeed I was," he continued focusing everyone's attention away from Scott and Emma for a moment. Jean knew that he had been communicating with Scott telepathically all meal long, probably trying to distract him or comfort him. She had spoken to the professor weeks before about her feelings for Emma after her chat with Ororo. He had advised her to seriously think about the consequences of her actions and not act rashly, but that ultimately the decision had to be hers. She knew that meant that he thought exploring her feelings for Emma would be a mistake, and though he hadn't said anything about it, she knew that he displeased with the decision she had made.
"With Scott back," Xavier continued. "I think it would be best if we returned to our original team assignments."
Jean looked over at him surprised. She was on Scott's team but when he had left had been moved over to Ororo's. She had thought that she would stay with Ororo since she was certain that Scott wouldn't want to have to spend more time with her than necessary. Besides that Scott was in charge of training new recruits and if they went back to the old roster that would mean Emma would be on his team as well, which would be awkward to say the least.
"Emma will stay with my team then," Ororo said in the silence that met the professor's announcement the tension around the table decreasing slightly at Professor Xavier's affirmative response. Once again Ororo had gracefully defused a potentially uncomfortable situation.
"Joy," Emma muttered in response to the announcement. "More chances to be electrocuted."
Ororo smirked at that and looked past Jean to Emma. "That was an accident."
Emma raised a questioning eyebrow. "Twice?" she asked dubiously causing a few snickers to go around the table.
Ororo shrugged. The second time really had been an accident. "At least now we know that your diamond form is resistant to electromagnetic forces," she volunteered helpfully.
"Anything for science," Emma responded flippantly holding Ororo's gaze before smirking slightly, "I'll have to make a note to update my résumé."
Conversation among others around the table resumed after that, the din of voices taking over and washing over Jean like the finest composed music.
~You truly are a goddess~ Jean sent to Ororo a few moments later thanking her friend for handling the situation. She was sure any attempts she would have made would have been far more awkward and much less appreciated.
~Anytime~ Ororo sent back warmly. She had promised to watch Jean's back.
Jean turned her attention to Emma a few seconds later as Warren leaned closer to Ororo to speak with her. Dropping her hand below the table Jean found Emma's and took it into her own. Outwardly Emma seemed completely unaffected but Jean could feel tension emanating from her lover.
~How're you holding up? ~
Emma reached for her wine glass. ~A meal with awkward silences and people who hate me. It's like being at a Frost family function~
Jean squeezed Emma's hand and then stroked the skin with her thumb tenderly.
~It'll get better~
~I try to avoid my family as much as possible, so …~
~Emma~ Jean interjected before the blonde could finish. Emma knew that wasn't what she was talking about.
~If you say so~ was the blonde's response though Jean could see the tension in her back lessen and felt her hand loosen and relax.
~It's already started. If I'm not mistaken you were just joking with Ororo~ Jean's happiness at hearing the teasing banter flowing to Emma with her thoughts.
~She keeps talking to me~ Emma replied with a sigh, though Jean could sense something that closely resembled fondness in the response. ~I suppose we've developed a rapport~
~I'm glad~ It pleased Jean to think that Emma might have someone besides her, Professor Xavier and Hank to talk too. Ororo was smart, funny, intelligent, and as loyal a friend as she had ever known, it would be good for Emma to have someone like that around her too.
~Yes~ Emma replied as she moved her fork around on her plate not really eating anything. ~It'll be good for me to make some friends. Do you think I should invite her to my pool party? There's going to be a clown and a pony!. She'll think I'm so cool. ~
Jean smirked and shook her head resisting the urge to lean into her lover. That was one of Emma's utterly huggable moments but a public display of attention would have been in bad taste. That meant that Jean had to content herself with moving her fork over towards Emma's plate to spear a baby carrot.
Emma made a jabbing motion with her fork as if to ward Jean off but then relented and allowed Jean access to her plate her eyes drifting across the table to Scott's. He was watching them again. They stared at each other for a moment and she wondered if she needed to prepare herself for round two. However as Jean's gaze returned to her Scott's drifted away, his shoulders slumping. He looked completely depressed and as Emma reached under the table and placed her hand on Jean's thigh as the redhead asked her how her meeting went, Emma felt an uncharacteristic pang of sympathy for how much it sucked to be Scott.
TBC...