Marvel owns the X-men, no profit is to be made from this work.

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Doing what she did best, Jubilee ransacked the racks of clothes that Raven kept around for some reason or another. Already having more than enough items in her maybe pile that was tossed across her guardian's bed, a dress caught her eye that spoke to her of possibilities. Clearly meant to be a bit more revealing than it was as she held it up against herself, it sparked a question that begged for a man's opinion. Luckily, she had one on hand.

Closing her eyes, she tip toed up to the shower where Pietro was getting ready for the day, completely unable to stop her mad giggling as she crept forward, "Hey, whatcha think about this?"

"What the fu...!" Pietro started to shout, all until the sound of his foot slipping across the tub overtook him, followed immediately by a dull thud.

"...uh, Pete? Petey? Hey, Maximoff?! C'mon, tell me you're okay, cuz believe it or not, I got my eyes closed here dude."

"Argh...what?!"

Tempted to crack an eye, she resisted and instead held the dress for show having kept it tucked behind her back until she knew she had his full attention. Hearing only the spray of the shower, rare worry crept along her spine along with an uncommon sense of self-consciousness.

"Pete?"

"Sorry, yeah. Uh, yeah, it looks nice."

Wondering just where his thoughts had been wandering, while cool, the dress was nothing like the one Rogue had gone and tailored especially in mind for her.

"Nice? Like...I don't look like a complete dork nice, or..." ...you know, pretty like last night nice? Except she couldn't bring herself to ask that, not with the knowledge that Pete was standing naked right there beyond her closed eyes, which she had very much clenched tightly shut now.

"Lee?"

"Yeah?

"Get dressed already."

"...okay."

Turning sharply on her heel, it was with a quick and hurried step that she raced back with to the safety of the dressing screens that stood around Raven's otherwise open bedroom. Hearing a creak of taps as she pulled off her borrowed shirt, it was while fastening the strap of her bra that she found a new question to ask, "Hot or cold?"

"What?" Pete barked, if just with a hint of irritation crawling into his voice.

"Nothing, just got me wondering if it was the hot or cold you cranked up."

"I'm officially ignoring you for the rest of this shower..."

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"The Waldorf Astoria? That's where Raven has the children?" asked Charles.

"Don't be absurd," Scoffing at the very notion of either Jubilation or Pietro spending a night at the hotel without getting kicked out, Erik did enjoy his love's sheer disbelief, "It's only where were meeting her, at noon I might add. That gives us more than enough time to enjoy a bite for brunch."

"This is why you were looking up movie trivia earlier wasn't it?"

"Ghostbusters. He slimed me. Noon. That was her message, and since we know she is not in California that only leaves here."

Walking in silence, Erik knew of course that Charles was puzzling over his confession. As all the times before, his love realized it at last, and without relying on that crutch that was his telepathy, not that he ever would pry without a very good reason.

"This was it? Your code, yours and Raven's? Movie trivia?" His laughter delightfully dancing about the busy street, Charles looked on Erik with open admiration, having learnt another secret his fiancé had kept for so many years.

"A bit more effective before any twit could simply look these things up on their phone, but yes."

"For goodness sake, that argument Moira once had with her superior about expensing rentals makes so much sense now. I simply thought having them play in the background helped her think."

Having the tables turned on him, Erik looked on Charles with a wry smirk, "So she did figure it out? Was that before or after Raven and I switched to enjoying obscure French cinema just to confound the CIA?"

"If I were to hazard a guess, before."

Waiting at a light, a glance at one bystander's phone showed again the news of the day, the dramatic attack upon Senator Kelly. Joining the throng of pedestrians making their way across as the light changed, Erik thought it the right time and place to ask after that.

"Yes, I called him. Though I was forced to leave a message with his aide," remarked Charles, his weak smile still infuriating.

"I hate that."

"What? My knowing you well enough that I don't need to be a mind reader to know what you're thinking about?" Laughing lightly, Charles reached for his hand, a touch that Erik did not shy from.

"I was going to say my being predictable enough that you knew exactly what I was going to ask."

Dragged back a few stumbling steps beyond the bustling foot traffic, in holding Charles's hand Erik found that promise they'd sworn together beneath his thumb, gently stroking the ring with a thought towards the day that promise became vows.

"Why don't we see if I can't guess what you'll order, then, while we wait for Raven?"

Smirking as he laughed, Erik slipped his hand further until his and Charles's fingers became entwined together for the walk to the luxurious hotel.

"Now, I am wondering if that sister of yours had the foresight to make a reservation."

"She bloody well better have..." hissed Charles, loathe of the very thought that had him showing up unannounced expecting a table.

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"...and pancakes. I'll also have three of each kind of sausage you have, bacon - regular and Canadian, a coffee, a tea, um, and a chocolate milkshake. Did you get all that?"

"Honey, that's most everything we have on the menu..."

"I know."

Sitting alone at the booth with Doug, seen as how Logan had run out to go and make a call, Kitty kept her expression neutral as the waitress looked from her to the jackass who'd be picking up the bill. With a whistle that said somebody was up shit creek with no paddle, the lady walked off to the kitchen to pass along the order.

Fixing her coffee the way she liked it, a hit of cane sugar to a shot of cream, turning the empty sugar pack into a tiny work of origami gave her an excuse not to look across the table at Doug.

"Kitty? I, uh, I knew that you liked me."

Peeking up from her horrible paper craft crane, the moment his and her eyes met, his fell to his own cup of coffee, only to nervously glance up a second later. Watching him take a sip of his coffee, still straight black, his wince made her realize two things. One, he'd forgotten to add two sugars and two creams to it, and two...he was just as nervous as she was. Tearing open two packs of plain white sugar, she obliged him to pour them in just so she could stall for a little longer, having now two more origami cranes to make.

"You, you knew? How?"

Lost to the ringing of his spoon as Doug stirred in a splash of cream, the white sugar packs proved far more agreeable to becoming a crane, two down...only nine hundred and ninety-eight more to go until she could have her wish granted.

"I can also intuitively read body language as easily as I can understand any other language."

Paused by this admission of his, she set down the first real paper crane next to the botched one. Twirling the empty pack between her fingers, she finally looked up to see Doug waiting for her from across the table that kept them apart.

"Oh." Pursing her lips as she considered this, Kitty glanced across the table to smile at Doug, "So, what's my body language say now?"

"You're relieved, but wary. You're also not so angry anymore, or at least I hope I'm reading that last part right."

"As in I'm not so pissed at Logan for what he did, huh?"

Smiling sheepishly, Doug gave a shrug which begged she not shoot the messenger. Shifting around so she could have a gander out at Logan still making that phone call of his, yeah, she didn't mind it so much that he'd gone and left his mic hot while she ranted.

"What about lips?" Asked as an afterthought, Kitty wondered just what it was Logan was saying out there beyond the window.

Slipping back down to her seat, Doug stared at her with his cheeks burning a blazing red. Like a deer in the headlights he sat frozen, and as she wet her own lips she knew that he still thought she meant body language. Well, that was fine too. Tucking her feet beneath her, Kitty leaned against the table to let her body do the talking. Slowly Doug found the courage to meet her half way, the kiss that followed shy and timid, a clumsy thing that ended with them quietly chuckling together at noticing how they held each others hands.

But to see Doug turn instantly embarrassed stole away her heart in an icy grip that had it skip a beat, worrying then that he didn't like her in the way she liked him, that it had all been some big mistake he suddenly regretted...

"Wait, you meant can I read lips?"

Snorting with laughter, Kitty found the passion of that inflamed moment to once again kiss him, though this time only on the cheek, "Yep."

"Yeah, lips are easy." confessed Doug.

"You couldn't, maybe then tell me what Logan's saying? Could you?"

Leading his eyes along with her own, a glance over her shoulder saw that she was too late given the fact that Logan was on his way back. Falling back to their respective sides of the booth to try and get their 'Oh shit!' surprise under wrap, Logan joined them without more than a second look.

"Just tell me you ordered already?" Looking like his usual grumpy self, Logan waved over a waiter serving the counter for a mug of coffee.

Giving Doug a kick under the table to keep him from spilling the beans, Kitty led the way in nodding to that very question of Logan's.

"So, was that call mission critical?" asked Kitty.

"Nah, just Rogue givin' me the jist of her grocery list. Consider yourselves drafted once we're done with our looksee, so feel free to throw on a few things fer the trouble."

Breakfast and shopping? Kitty instantly found her coffee plenty interesting knowing what was coming along for that very same breakfast Logan was footing the bill for.

"Pinky swear and no take backs?"

"Sure kid, I owe ya that much..."

Making a legal and binding pact as far as school rules were concerned, Kitty visibly paled at the sight of one harried waitress bringing along a huge platter of food with her.

"Alright honey, I got your hash browns, home fries, waffles, pancakes, breakfast sausage, sausage patties, brats and even bangers. Here's your eggs, scrambled, poached, hard boiled, and sunny sided up, including that omelette ya wanted with no peppers. Bacon, regular and Canadian as ordered, a tea, and that chocolate shake you wanted too, right with whipped cream a even cherry on top."

Not even rambling off everything she ordered did it look like so much food until it sat there taking up most of the table. Playing innocent, she grabbed a plate of scrambled eggs to pile on a little of each kind of sausage the diner had to offer. Finally though she buckled under the weight of Logan's silence, "Uh, help yourself?"

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"Alright kiddies, I'm back!"

Carrying a tray of coffee in one hand and shopping bags in the other, Raven fell short as she walked through the slatted wooden doors of the freight elevator. At the island of her kitchen was a ghost of her past, or so Pietro looked sitting there dressed only in an undershirt and slacks. Fresh enough from the shower that it clung to him, his hair was slicked back to dry of its own accord.

"What?" Pietro asked at noticing her standing there.

Shaking off her stupor, it was with a smile that she walked up to him, "Sorry, it's nothing. You just reminded me of your father for a moment."

Setting down the coffee, she handed him one bag in particular filled with everything he'd need for the day. Jeans, drawers, boots, even a watch, all of it designer, she'd splurged given that the Waldorf Astoria had recommendations for attire, thinking chic was far more Maximoff's speed. The last was vintage, and picked with him in mind.

"How did you...?" Pietro asked as he held up a Pink Floyd shirt.

"Know? I called my daughter, you've met her right? Rogue? She sent me a few pictures to help me find something you'd like. Speaking of daughters, where is that little scamp I'm responsible for..."

"She's accessorising."

"That explains why it's so quiet, thank you. Oh, there's a dressing screen just over there where you can get changed in private."

Snatching up her own coffee and the sickly sweet abomination she knew Jubilee to enjoy, Raven was but a few steps towards her room when she turned back, "And Pietro? I'm sorry about earlier."

"Don't worry about it."

Leaving the boy in peace, Raven found Jubilee sitting cross-legged upon her bed amidst an assortment of sunglasses, a few hats, and a treasure trove of jewellery that ranged from necklaces, bracelets, bangles, and earrings, most of it just cheap costume stuff. The centerpiece though was a dress that she herself hadn't worn in years. Of a floral print set against a pallet of bronze and gold, the pleated skirt would be nearly calf length on Jubilee, even if she had bought it with a mind towards it being brazenly short.

"A dress? Uh oh, must be more serious than I thought." Passing off the Starbucks horror, Raven settled down on the edge of the bed to play a game of mixing and matching with a few items.

Picking out a set of gold hoop earings, she held them to Jubilee for consideration. Setting them with the dress, her smile said she liked what she saw, searching now among the brass bangles for a few that looked small enough not to slip right off a certain someone's slender wrists. Throughout all this, though, Jubilee sipped at her coffee in the moody silence of a girl searching for the proper comeback to a bit of teasing.

"No, no, ah...yes, perfect."

With only a couple of hats left of the pile that Jubilee had picked out, Raven found one that suited not only the dress, but the girl herself, a rust orange woolen cloche with a slender ribbon and bow. After that, the sunglasses were easy, a pair of ridiculously large round-rimmed ones fit for the Sixties.

Inspecting herself in one of the many mirrors that loitered around Raven's many racks of clothes, Jubilee found a girl smiling back at her, if only a little stubbornly at first until the warmth came shining through.

"Thanks, 'Stique."

"You're welcome, but you're still grounded. Here, your phone for the next two weeks."

Tossing over a burner that didn't have any of the latest features, let alone internet access, her ward glumly accepted it.

"No texting?" Jubilee asked with the dubious squint of one searching for a loophole.

"No texting and no internet unless it's for homework. Which I might add, Hank will be helping you with just to keep you on the straight and narrow. But, and only if you behave, I'll let you keep this outfit. Deal?"

"Deal."

"Good, now go get dressed."

Giving the girl a pinch to send her on her way, Raven had a thoughtful look at the pile of hats littering her bed. Tilting her head just so, it was a moment of inspiration that reminded her of something Erik had forgotten at her place long ago. Strolling through her racks of clothes, there on one sat a hatbox. Taking it up reverently between her fingers, she cracked the lid with her thumbs for a peek inside. Smiling, it was just the thing to complete a certain someone else's outfit.

"Pietro? Are you decent?"

Being a little bad as she stole a glance out to where she had directed the boy, he stood there mostly dressed for the day in his jeans and vintage shirt. The watch he wore had been bought on a lark, the thick leather strap suiting him, just as did the few necklaces he wore which had clearly taken their inspiration form some aboriginal culture or another with beads of wood and common gemstones. There was just one thing missing...

Wandering up to him, she handed him the hatbox which his father had left beyond more than a decade before. Pietro looked up expecting answers, but she simply gave a shrug in reply that told him where he could find them. Popping it open, he pulled out a classic fedora of that grey which had become the uniform of so many men after the last World War.

"It was your father's, he probably forgot I even had it. After collecting a little too much dust I finally decided to have it properly cleaned and boxed for storage."

Turning it over between his slender fingers, he tried it on at last, giving it just a little tilt to the right as he did. Smiling, Raven took a step back to admire the boy who so reminded her of Erik now that she knew.

"So, how do I look?" Pietro asked, if just a little guardedly.

"I think you look good, but I'll let Jubilee have the final say. Now, I should be getting dressed myself."

Turning on her heel, Raven wandered away to those racks of clothing of hers to find something to a long overdue homecoming. Six weeks had turned into six months before she knew it, and perhaps even then some. Trying the pretty blonde on for size, as she passed Jubilee looking so stylish, the impulse for a silky black peppered with grey struck her.

"Whoa, looking good there, Maximoff! Damn, you got a lil Johnny Depp going on that I dig."

Grinning at Jubilee's approval, the children could keep themselves occupied for just a little longer. Trying styles now, even Charles and Erik could wait. Noon sharp she had said, but like any gentlemen she expected they'd come early. As for herself and the children? Fashionably late would be perfectly acceptable...

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