Hey everyone, it's my fic's three year anniversary! I'm so happy. My goal for the year was to write 24 chapters! Two a month, and with this chapter I've done just that! Woo-hoo! Thank you to everyone who's been reading this fic!
Taunting Repartee
Chapter Forty- Eight
Charles watched with a sigh as Rogue walked down the hallway. He was surprised when she stopped.
"Emma, Gray?" Rogue asked as she turned around.
"Yeah, sis?" Graydon asked.
"Would you mind- I mean, if Prof has any more questions about the emergence or the Commodore's part in it: would ya mind answering his questions?" she asked.
"Rogue, just order us too," Miss Frost said bluntly. Rogue let out a sigh.
"Answer any questions they have," she ordered. Graydon nodded at her with a smile. "Thanks," Rogue said; smiling slightly as she turned around and headed into the elevator.
"Rogue," Charles called out; before he could stop himself.
"Yeah?" she asked as she turned her head towards him.
"...Thank you," he said suddenly. Rogue stared at him for a brief second before a smile came to her face. Charles could feel everyone's eyes on him; waiting for him to explain. "I don't know the full extent to which I owe you thanks. I know now that in the past few weeks you have single-handedly saved my life twice. I don't know how many others. I have been horrified to hear the details of what you have endured on our behalf."
"All while performing a duty that is supposed to be mine," Charles continued. "For that I am truly sorry and I don't know how I will ever repay you for protecting everyone; for putting our freedom and happiness before your own. I am unbelievably grateful to you for everything you have done for this family," Charles said as he could feel the tears forming in his eyes.
"How could I do anything else?" Rogue asked with a smile.
"Quite easily, I'd imagine," he said darkly. "All you would have had to do was say yes to being with man we all know you're falling in love with. You could have ended your torment at any time with a single phone call," he said. Charles watched her eyes grow distant.
"...Yeah, I could have. Can't tell ya how many times I wanted to," she said with a short laugh. "But that ain't who I am," she shrugged. He smiled at that.
"...I wish I could be more helpful to you in this fight against him, I honestly do, but it appears that all I'm doing is stifling your efforts. Magneto has made it clear that he does not appreciate my efforts to assist you. If he had his way none of us would be aware of any of this," Charles said.
"If Magneto had his way, he never would have let me come back here. I'd still be his captive in Jericho," she said.
"What the hell is-" Wolverine started to say enraged.
"I'll explain that more on Sunday," Rogue added quickly.
"Whatever you need, Rogue," Charles said. "Please take all the time you need. And if there is anything I can do to help, please, do not hesitate to ask," he finished.
"That's goes for me too," Hank said.
"And me," Ororo said with a small smile.
"...Whatever you need, kid," Wolverine said under his breath with his arms crossed over his chest.
"I know that I haven't answered everyone's questions, but thank you for trusting me enough ta know that I'm acting in the X-Men's best interest. I appreciate it," Rogue said with a smile before she headed into the elevator.
'And your own, best interest, of course,' the fragment laughed as she rolled her eyes. 'Not that you haven't earned it, my girl. Because, you most certainly have,' he pointed out as she pressed a button on the lift's controls.
'I know, it's just...I wish it didn't make everyone so damn uncomfortable,' she sighed. The fragment let out a short laugh.
'After all the discomfort you have dealt with for their safely? They wouldn't be here if you hadn't interfered. They owe you their freedom. Charles owes you his life. Being with me makes you happy, does it not?' he asked.
'You know it does,' she smiled.
'If they can't understand and accept that simply truth after everything you've done for them then they don't deserve your loyalty, Anna,' he said strongly. Rogue took a deep breath. '…But, I suppose that's a conversation for another day,' he said.
'Yeah, it is,' she said.
The next few days flew by for Rogue as she worked on the truce. She hosted argument after argument in her mind with the fragment and by Friday afternoon she was done. She was still going to go everything one or two more times, but that could wait until the morning. The document was over twenty pages long and she could state with confidences that she had covered everything. She couldn't wait to meet with Magneto to make it all official. But first she was going to go enjoy watching a movie with her brother and just relax.
'Rogue,' she heard the Professor say in her mind as she called for the elevator, 'Quicksilver is here to speak with you,' he informed her. Rogue let out a sigh.
'Is he outside?' she asked before the doors opened. The Professor was in it.
"Yes, just outside the elevator,"he answered as she got in.
"Thanks, Prof," she told him as she pressed the appropriate button.
"The others are insisting that they come with us tomorrow," he told her as the doors closed. Rogue let out an annoyed sigh. She didn't need this.
"You know why that's a bad idea, Prof," she said.
"Yes, I do. I know you would rather go alone," he said.
"Yeah, I would but I made sure that you'd get to be there," she said as the lift started its ascent.
"Thank you," he said.
"Yeah, no problem, but did you explain that the less people are there the easier it is for me to deal with him?" she asked.
"Yes," he answered.
"And you told them that it's easier 'cause I can call him out on his bullshit?"
"My argument did not convince them," he said dryly.
"Did you remind them all that they agreed to give me whatever I need to make this all go through smoothly?" she asked annoyed.
"I believe that promise was the only thing that kept them from going to you instead," he said. She glanced down at him; he looked tired.
"Thanks for dealing with that for me," she said.
"You're welcome," he said. "But as you know Rogue, this truce is going to affect all of us. They feel they have the right to be present while the terms are being decided upon," he said.
"They have a point, expect the terms have already been decided upon," she said. The Professor glanced up at her confused. "That's what I've been doing the past few days. That's why I manipulated Magneto into giving me more time. And that's why he was upset once he realized what I had done: proud and upset," she said.
"He's proud when you deceive him?" he asked curiously.
"Yeah," she answered as the doors to the elevator opened. Rogue exited the elevator to see Pietro waiting; his foot was tipping a mile a minute. She could tell he was bored. "We'll have ta-" Rogue started to say.
"Finally," Pietro exclaimed. In half a second he was right in front of her "That's from Magneto," he told her holding out a letter for her. She took it. "Magneto said that your agreement-" Pietro started to say.
"Didn't say anything against written words, as opposed to spoken, so this letter and any response I give to him through you is not going to jeopardize our rapport," she said dryly as she rolled her eyes.
"Yeah," Pietro said looking at her with a raised eyebrow. "That's exactly what he said," Pietro said bewildered. Rogue shrugged as she opened the letter.
She read to herself: "Dear Anna. I realized shortly after we spoke last that there is an issue I have been meaning to bring to your attention. What that issue is I will not state in this letter. It is something I have lied to you about in the past: for that I apologize. But in my defense, given your mental state, during the emergence, I thought it best to keep that revelation from you for your own sake. After the emergence, I must admit, that it slipped my mind. I expect that you will reprimand me for both my judgment and folly, but so be it. Once you feel you are ready to hear about this, please, just ask, and I will inform you all about this issue." It was signed, "Your bastard."
Rogue laughed softy as she finished reading.
"Hey, what's so funny?" Pietro asked as he ran to Rogue's side. She closed the letter as promptly as she could but she wasn't fast enough. "Your bastard?" he asked confused.
"It's a joke, Pietro, between me and him," she explained.
"Another one? What is going on between you too?" he asked frustrated.
"That question ya gotta ask your, father. He wouldn't want me answering it for him and I respect Magneto enough not ta try and come I in between ya all's relationship," she said. Pietro just stared at her. She rolled her eyes. She was surprised when he grabbed onto her arm and pulled her a few steps away from the Professor.
"So, which side are you on?" he whispered.
"Both, I guess," she responded. "It's complicated," she shrugged.
"My dad said the same thing," Pietro commented.
"Must be true then," she huffed.
"If you were going to get so close with my dad you might as well have stayed in the brotherhood," he said with a laugh.
"After what Mystique did to me? No fucking way," she exclaimed. Pietro looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "How have I never told you this?" she asked herself.
"You switched sides remember. We stopped talking," he reminded her.
"Right," she said shaking her head. Having all the fragments in her mind was a good way to get information, but sometimes even she couldn't track of what the fragments knew and what their live counterparts were unaware of. "So, I first moved to Bayville thinking that the X-Men were Mutant hunting,"
"What?" Pietro laughed. "Them? Mutant hunters?" he asked in disbelief.
"Yeah, I know," Rogue sighed annoyed. "But both Mystique and Irene told me that. They were my mothers, I believed them. I don't have to tell ya how stupid that lie was. I absorbed Mystique to find out the truth and I learned they lied ta me, do you know Mystique did?" she asked.
"No idea. What did she do?" he asked quickly.
"She threw a boulder at me sending me off a cliff and into a river. I nearly died. If the X-men hadn't been there who knows if me and Scott would be okay," she said.
"Holy shit," Pietro said. "She tried to kill you of calling her out on a lie?" he asked.
"Yeah, she fucking did," she said annoyed.
"Really? On that lie. With your powers don't you, like, get information or something?" he asked. Rogue nodded. "Then how did they expect you not to find out?" he laughed. Rogue's eye widened. Irene had to have known she would figure it out. "It's like they wanted you to join the x-men," he laughed. Rogue's eyes met the Professor's. He looked just as shocked as she did.
"Yeah maybe," Rogue muttered to herself.
"Quicksilver is there any other reason you needed to come aside from delivering that letter?" the Professor asked as he moved closer to them.
"Oh, right, a response," Rogue muttered. "Look, just tell Magneto I said, I know he's got the memory of a goldfish but, I ain't gonna hold it against him," she said with a small smile. Pietro raised an eyebrow.
"Seriously? That's what you want me to tell him?" he asked with a laugh.
"Yup," she said. "You got it or do you need me to repeat it for you?"
"No, I'll remember," he said. "Later, Commodore," he said with a salute. They both watched him run off. With a sigh Rogue walked over and sat down on the edge of the gazebos. Her mind was reeling.
"She had to have known," she mumbled to herself in disbelief. "That stupid lie was pro-" she started to say out loud. 'Who idea was it?' she demanded to know as she closed her eyes. For the first time in months she allowed her mother's fragment to front and center in her mind.
'It was both of ours. We came up with it together,' Mystique answered. 'Both of us felt that you might join the x-men if you thought they were a respectable team.'
'You were wrong. I would've sided with family if either of ya felt like acting like we were one,' she thought enraged.
'Rogue,' Mystique started to say; her tone sounded desperate. She knew what her mother was about to say. She had had to listen to this speech too many times already. How she was sorry. How she was only trying to protect her. How much she loved her and wished they could have a good relationship, if only she would leave the x-men and come back to her, come home…
'Get back with the others,' Rogue ordered as she felt tears running down her face.
'But, Rogue,' Mystique tried to say as Rogue started to push her back. Mystique was fighting her this time.
'Raven, you heard your daughter. Return to the others,' Magneto ordered. She let out a sigh as she felt both Magneto and Mystique fade to the back of her mind. She opened her eyes a moment later as she brushed tears off her face. She watched the Professor open his mouth to speak.
'I don't wanna talk about it," she said quickly. "I don't even wanna think about either of them, right now. Where the hell was I?" she asked.
"You have already decided upon the terms of the truce," he said gently.
"Right, Max is gonna argue a point or two from it, but he knows I've already had these arguments with him this week. And he knows that what's written in the draft is already a compromise that me and the fragment agreed on. He's apologizing, he not gonna make a big deal out of the little things as long as he gets a portion of what he wants," she said.
"And what does that mean exactly? What are you offering to give him?" he asked alarmed.
"One day of my time: Saturdays," she answered. "And I'll keep the title of second in command," she said rolling her eyes. "I'll be both an X-Men and his Commodore. But I'll be the commodore in name only. I ain't gonna use that power and Max isn't gonna force me to," she said.
"For now," the Professor pointed out darkly. Rogue let out a sigh.
"Yeah, for now," she said sadly. "...I'll deal with that when he starts being an ass again. But right now, I don't have to think about that yet and I don't want too. I wanna get this done with and then I just wanna relax for a while. Fucking breath," she exclaimed. "…Maybe that selfish of me," she started to say.
"Selfish?" the Professor asked astonished as they made eye contact. "Rogue, it would have been selfish if you had left with Magneto and forgot about the rest of us: if you had put your peace of mind before ours. In all that you've told me I can't recall one instance in which you've done that," he said. "You have done nothing wrong," he stressed.
"...Not even sleeping with Max," she asked. The comment clearly caught him by surprise. She watched his eyes widened. He took a deep breath as he looked away from her. She gave him a moment to absorb the information.
"...Prof," she said after a minute had passed, "I'm happy when I'm with him. I really am. I feel safe and loved. And there's something I wanna tell you, just so you know. I'll say it once, and I won't bring it up again unless you ask me about it, okay?" she asked. He glanced back down at her and nodded. She paused giving the Professor a moment to brace him-self.
"Sex with that man is amazing and I wanna do it with him again and again," she smiled. She hesitated at his revolted expression. "...And he also still wants to help me get control over my powers. That's what we'll be doing on Saturday's. Can you handle that?" she asked. "Can you watch me leave to go be with him knowing what we're gonna do and still welcome me back into your home?"
"Our home," he corrected immediately as he made eye contact. "This is your home, Rogue, you will always have a place here," he told her.
"Thanks," she said softly with a smile. "...So, is that a yes?" she asked. He let out a sigh.
"I don't believe I'll ever be comfortable with this," he said.
"I'm not asking you to be," she shrugged.
"And I still wish to discuss the possibly of Stockholm Syndrome. If that is the basis of your feelings for him than I do not wish for him to have more time to strengthen that corrupt bond," he said. She paused for a moment. She knew he was going to bring this up again.
"Maybe this is a mistake," she started to say, "Or maybe it's gonna be the most rewarding relationship of my life. Or maybe he's gonna break my heart... I know that you're only trying to protect me. That you don't wanna see me get taken advantage of and I appreciate that, Prof. But think for a second about what that phrase implies... ," she said as she watched the Professor take another deep breath.
"In order for someone to be taken advantage of, there has to be so kind of deception: some truth their hiding: some lie they've told to keep the other person in the dark. But me and Max's relationship?" she asked with a smile. "His mind is gonna be an open book for me. I'm gonna have access to everything. He ain't gonna be able to lie to me. Both of us are gonna know that. I mean right now, I have this letter in my hand," she said glancing down at it. She paused.
"Would you mind reading it?" she asked holding it out to him. He looked at it for a moment before he took it. The sat in silence for a minute as the Professor read.
"What do you think he lied about?" the Professor asked her.
"I'm not sure," she said. "But whatever it is, it's gonna make me mad. He knows that. It's why he sent the letter once he remembered about it. He didn't want me to think he was trying to hide anything. He's being really careful. He knows he fucked up. He used to throw apologies around. Just say the words, but they meant nothing and we both knew it."
"I remember this one time I asked him if he was sorry enough to stop. He said no and I told him that his apology wasn't worth shit cause of that. But that ain't the case anymore," she smiled. "He's not just telling me what I wanna hear ta help me calm down. He's actually taking action, going out his way to make his apology real. Things are really changing for the better; between me and him. For the x-men," she said. "We won't have to worry about Magneto or the brotherhood anymore. We can just live our lives in peace. Isn't that a good thing?" she asked.
"Rogue, of course, it is," he said.
"… Look, my point, what I was getting at, is that I know what I'm getting into with Magneto. I understand the risks. I am fully aware of what's he capable of, what's he's done, what he's willing to do. I know his faults, all of them. And despite all that, I ain't running away. I want to give his and my relationship a shot. What I'm really asking from ya right now is to respect my right to make that decision for myself; mistake or not," she said. The Professor let out another sigh.
"When you put it like, how can I say no?" he asked; he sounded tired.
"You really can't," Rogue smiled. "It's kinda why I asked like that. I mean, I meant every word I just said," she added quickly.
"I know you did," he said with a sigh. There was silence between them for a moment. "...Alright ...alright," he said finally.
"Really?" she asked stunned. She hadn't thought any argument would be able to convince him.
"Yes," he sighed. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but yes... I just hope you don't regret this," he said.
"Me too… but it's my decision to regret," she said with a smile. "Thank you for respecting that," she said. He nodded, almost dismissively. "Prof, really," she said as she made eye contact with him, "it means a lot to me," she stressed. He held her gaze for a moment.
"...You're welcome," he said after a moment.
"...Look," she said changing the subject, "if Ororo, Mr. McCoy, and Logan really wanna come tomorrow then okay. But I need to go talk to Max about it first, alone," she said. "He's apologizing, so he's gonna say yes. But I need ta, at least, make it look like I'm asking," she told him with a smirk. The Professor let out a soft laugh.
"Very well," he said.
The next afternoon Rogue got out of the car to see Magneto standing in front of his restaurant. There were only two cars parked in front of it. She guessed they had the place to themselves. Rogue threw the backpack, containing the lap-top, over her shoulder as she watched Mr. McCoy helping the Professor getting into his wheelchair. Ororo exited the car as Logan got off his bike.
'He is not gonna be happy about this,' she thought as she took a deep breath. As she stepped closer to him she could see his eyebrow raised. He was clearly wondering what the others were doing here. "Hi, Max" she said softly as she studied him.
"Hello, Anna," he said as he took a step closer to her.
"Could we go inside for a minute?" she asked him.
"Alone?" he asked mockingly as he held the door for her. "I didn't think Charles had the stomach to allow such a thing," he said as she walked passed him into the restaurant. She just shrugged as she heard him walked behind her. He didn't press the issue any further as they walked in silence through the restaurant, into the large back room and into his office. She placed her backpack on one of the chairs facing his desk. She let out a sigh as she turned to face him.
There was a moment of silence as the two of them searched each other's gazes.
He walked up to her and cupped her face. She felt her cheeks flush with color as he leaned down and gave her a quick peck on the lips; his powers flowing into her. He started to pull away but she pressed her lips into his: prolonging the kiss as she put her hands on his chest. She heard him groan against her lips as she deepened the kiss. He put his hand around her waist; pulling her up against him.
The first thing she did with was gain access to the X-Men's electro-chemical singles. She had no intention of using them but if she had access then Magneto would have to fight her for control if the situation went south. She only needed to hold her advantage for a few seconds to teleport everyone to safety. In that respect she felt secure.
Next, she scanned the building with his powers. She found what she was looking for: there was a mutant inhibitor field in the basement of the restaurant. As far as she could tell, there wasn't any DNA sample loaded into it but she still wasn't willing to take that chance. She used his powers to take control over the machine. As she was about to rip it apart Magneto broke the kiss. He stared down at her incredulously as he moved his hand from her cheek to her shoulder. She had been caught.
"...Ya can't blame a girl for being overcautious. Not after everything you've put me through," she explained breathlessly. Magneto stared at her for a moment. She watched a smirk appear on his face before he started to chuckle.
"No, I suppose, I can't," he chuckled. "But Anna, you could just ask," he said.
"Okay, promise me," she said.
"...You have my word I will not use that machine on you today without your consent," he said.
"Thanks," she said.
"…Always, my girl," he whispered into her ear.
"Then why did you include the word today in that promise," she asked with a smirk. He backed away from her ear and stared down at her; he was clearly annoyed with the comment. "I'm just teasing ya, Max," she said as she looped her arms around his neck. "Thank you, for everything you've done for me in this apology. I appreciate all of it," she said earnestly. He let out a sigh.
"You're welcome, Anna," he said before their lips met for another kiss. "…How have you been the past few days?" he asked.
"I've been busy, but okay," she said. "How've you been?" she asked.
"My schedule has been hectic as well. How far did you get into the draft?" he asked.
"I finished it," she told him with a smile.
"From you, Anna Marie, I expected nothing less," he said. She smiled at that.
"…Do ya mind the others being here?" she asked.
"Yes," he commented dryly.
"But ya gonna deal with it?" she asked.
"...I want to say no," he said.
"But ya ain't gonna?" she asked. He met her eyes.
"Will I finally be finished apologizing for past offenses?" he asked.
"As long as you don't repeat any of them, then yeah, you will be," she answered.
"... Fair enough," he said thoughtfully before she stepped away from him.
"Would ya mind going to get everyone while I print out the draft?" she asked as she picked up her bag. "Or I could show you where the files are first and then-," she started to suggest.
"It's alright, Anna. I'll return with your family in a moment," he said before he exited the room.
Magneto walked outside of his restaurant to find Charles and his entourage waiting. They all looked a bit nervous.
"Magneto, I realize this isn't what you and Rogue agreed to-" he started to say.
"That's hardly necessary, Charles. You're welcome to join us. Please come inside, all of you," he said pleasantly before he turned. He heard Charles let out a sigh in relief as he turned to walk back into restaurant.
"Where's Rogue?" he heard Mr. McCoy ask as they started to walk through the restaurant.
"In my office printing out the truce," Magneto answered.
"Your office?" Miss. Munroe asked.
"Yes, this is my restaurant: one of many," he answered as they entered the back room. Rogue glanced up at him with a small smile. She was holding copies of the truce in her hands.
"So, let's get started," Rogue said she walked closer to them. She handed him a copy of the draft. He opened it and started to read as she handed copied to everyone else.
The first thing that caught his attention was the note at the top of the page. It read: "Anything written in German is only in your copy of the truce, Max." He glanced up at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Keep reading," she ordered. He turned back to the page. She was asking to meet every Saturday from ten in the morning to ten in the evening; as long as his schedule allowed him. He was allowed to cancel their Saturdays, but she wasn't. She was, however, allowed to ask him if he would be willing to cancel.
There was actually a note in German that read: 'I reserved the right not to speak to you or touch you at any time, for any reason.' The truce was only granting that they would be in the same room as one another for that time.
He couldn't help but chuckle as he took a seat to the far left of the table. Rogue took a seat next to him and Charles next to her: Miss Munroe next to him: Mr. McCoy next to her: and finally Wolverine next to him.
Twelve hours a week of uninterrupted time with his girl. He had no arguments with that issue. However, he was not looking forward to debate any of x-men would spark about allowing them so much time alone. She was also demanding that they spend at least three hours a week working on control over her powers. For this, she was allowed to cancel their training sessions, but he was not. He, however, was allowed to ask her to consider spending less time on her training but she had the final word on the matter.
Any other time they spent together per week was up to their mutual digression. However, he was not allowed to come to the institute's grounds without her or the Professor agreeing to it first. And he was not allowed to enter the mansion without the Professor's permission.
He flipped though the next few pages. There was a long list of things he was being asked never to do again.
'Nothing unreasonable,' he thought as he read though her demands. Mostly it consisted of things he had done to her and the x-men before. Kidnapping Anna Marie Creed or any other person she considers family without her approval, blackmailing Anna Marie Creed or any other person she considers family without her approval, threatening Anna Marie Creed or any other person she considers family without her approval, attack any person Anna Marie Creed considers family (Although he the x-men attacked him or any of his people, he and his people had the right to defend themselves with non-lethal force)
He was being asked to promise not to attack the mansion or any other resident someone Anna Marie Creed considers family without her approval, occupying the mansion or any other resident someone Anna Marie Creed considers family, etc
The list went on and on for nearly ten pages. The wording was carefully chosen, he could tell. It was iron clad.
The one paragraph that stood out to him, of course, was the note in German: "You will never threaten, enact, or mention telepathically enslaving anyone I consider family without my approval. You think of yourself as mutant kind's leader, their savior who will never allow them to suffer through genocide. Why would you want any of them to suffer through enslavement? Just because none of them would be aware that their free will has been stolen, does not make it right. I know you know that, Max." He read over that paragraph a few times. On his third reread Rogue glanced at his paper.
"You okay with that?" she asked.
"Of course,' he asked her. She smiled at him.
"Then turn the page," she teased. He chuckled as he did as she instructed.
Before leaving the institute; Charles had asked told his associates the summation of what Rogue and he had talked about the day before. They had agreed to host their own arguments telepathically before bring anything up a loud. Charles Xavier glanced up as he heard the sound of Rogue and Magneto laughing together. This was followed by Wolverine growling under his breath.
'Logan, please, you know how sensitive this situation is,' Charles projected into his mind. The growling stopped. He held back a sigh as he turned back to his own copy. On his first read through he couldn't think of anything to comment on.
'Charles,' Hank thought to him, 'twelve hours a week, seems a bit much doesn't it?' he asked.
'I agree, but I already told Rogue I would respect her right to see who she pleases; including Magneto,' Charles told him.
'Charles, she you're ward, isn't she? She's the teenager. You're the adult. If you wish to forbid her from seeing a man-' Ororo started to think.
'If this instance, I would agree with you, Ororo. But objecting to this, here, could very well start a war. Or Magneto might just kidnap Rogue again out of frustration with the rest of us. Rogue has made it clear that we would not be able to find her if that happened. I know Rogue may seem relaxed but this is still a very dangerous situation. Any comment could set him off,' Charles said darkly.
'Looks like he's in a good enough mood,' Wolverine said irate.
'Nevertheless, after everything she has fought though to keep her-self and the rest of us safe, I am not willing to jeopardize Rogue's freedom over a few hours a week. A few hours she wishes to spend with him. Rogue has made that very clear to me as well,' he thought.
'…So, we do nothing?' Hank asked.
'Again,' Wolverine added infuriated.
'Yes, I'm afraid so,' Charles answered.
Magneto continued to read the truce. There was a long list of events Rogue was committing to never tell anyone else about. It included: details about the inner workings of his powers (although she reserved the right to teach another control over their powers using any theories she had learned from him or the use of his powers) details about his bank accounts (she was also promising never to use any of the money he had stored in various banks without his approval), business locations, base locations, and any other buildings he owned. "Unless Anna Marie Creed has Max Eisenhardt's approval," was a phrase that was used constantly.
"Anna," he said. "There is one change I would like to make," he said as he used his powers to bring a pen to his hand.
"Yeah?" she asked as she turned towards him.
"Here," he said pointed to the draft.
"Page twenty-six," Rogue supplied for everyone else's benefit. He was actually on page twenty-eight in his copy but he supposed the x-men did not need to be aware of that. He saw them quickly turning the pages before he glanced down at his paper.
"Here, where you're agreeing not to use my funds without my approval. I'd like to change that sentence to read: 'Anna Marie Creed will not take funds out of any of Max Eisenhart's bank accounts without the approval of Max Eisenhart's or the fragment of Max Eisenhart that resided in Anna Marie Creed's mind," he said.
"I could really take advantage of that-" she started to say.
"You could, but we both know you won't. Anna, I'm a billionaire," he stressed. "And if you'll allow it, I'd like to dote on you. But I also wish to make certain that in the event of an unforeseen emergency you have access to funds that may assist you. As long as you have the fragment's approval then do as you please with my money," he finished.
"Are you sure?" she asked. He nodded. "Okay, write it in," she said happily. He proceeded to do so before he continued to read.
At one point the list of information she was commenting to keep between the two them just consisted of dates. With this he now had certainly that whole blocks of his life were off limits to Charles. He read over those pages for a few moments. She hadn't missed a thing. He chuckled when they got to the more resent dates: the times they had spent together. She had written in German: "I will speak freely about what we have talked about and what we have done in the past, present, and future to anyone I chose too (Not including any of the sensitive information noted below). If you have a problem with me using this freedom then as a couple we are never going to work and you might as well let me know now before we pursue our relationship any further."
"Well?" Rogue asked him; she had been reading over his shoulder.
"I have no issue with anything written on this page," he said before he glanced down at her lips. "Pretend I just kissed you," he said in German. She laughed in response.
"Keep reading," she smirked in English.
"Yes, Commodore," he chuckled. She let out a short laugh.
"I should punch you for naming me your second in command without talking ta me about it first," she said.
"I had promised not to speak with you until today. It was a pressing issue. I found it could not wait," he argued jokingly.
"Bullshit," she laughed. "Bull, fucking, shit, Max," she said with a smile. He chuckled.
"Are you entirely again the ti?" he started to ask.
"No, it's fine. I'll keep the damn title," she said as he chuckled again. "Did you send Pietro to tell everyone I'm the Commodore, or did you do it?"
"I took care of it myself, as you requested," he answered. "It occurred to me after Pietro returned with your message, the first one," he added. "That if I had sent him to inform everyone that they might have thought that Pietro was playing some kind of a joke on them. And if I was unreachable, for whatever reason, then you would not be able to use that power I had giving you because of their disbelief," he said.
"Well, it's a good thing you thought of that," Rogue said. He glanced over at her; an annoyed expression on his. So, he had made a mistake. She had caught him before that mistake might have cost them anything. "I can't imagine how long it must have taken you to go over all the pros and cons of that extremely important decision," she said mockingly as he let out an annoyed sigh. He turned back to the draft in his hands, deciding to ignore her comments. She was right he knew. He was willing to let her have a few comments. She was clearly enjoying making poking fun at his mistake. He turned past all the pages listing dates from his life and found himself on the last page.
"… It's not like you rushed it or anything," Rogue said a few moments later.
"Are you done patronizing me yet?" he asked irritated.
"I'm gonna be honest, Max. I got a few more of these up my sleeve. You know, I'm pretty sure I spent a good, thirty-forty minutes thinking of things to say about your decision. Which has got ta be, at least, twice as much time as you spent making it," she laughed. He let out another sigh.
"Are you done?" he asked dryly. "Is there anything else you would like to add? Anything at all?" he asked.
"…You're a dumbass when you don't have time ta think," she smirked.
"I'm aware," he responded; which was met with Rogue laughing, "that's why I usual allot a necessary amount of time to strategize. It's why I gave us the extra three days before the emergence to rework that plan," he said.
"I thought it was because you wanted to get me into bed," Rogue laughed in German.
"That was well," he chuckled as he glanced over at her. She laughed softly.
"Keep reading," she ordered. "Oh, hey you're on the last page," she said as she glanced down at his copy. His eyes followed hers to his copy. It was a signature page: meant for both him and Rogue to sign.
Above the signatures there was one more paragraph in German: "If you and I ever decide to stop seeing each other, the terms in this truce will still be respected until Max Eisenhart and Charles Xaiver set aside time to discus another truce. I hope that if our relationship doesn't work out that you won't instantly want to take control over the x-men. I hope that you would respect and still care about me enough not to want to hurt me or the people I care about. So, please, if having my trust ever stops mattering to you than don't go crazy and destroy the truce out of anger. Every X-Man is still a mutant. And even if they don't want it, they could benefit from an alliance with you and yours. Please give them that option. I promise not to get in the way of any future alliances you might form with Charles Xavier"
"I do not foresee that ever being necessary," Magneto said in German.
"Of course, you don't now, but if that ever happens I need to know that you won't hurt any of them. I don't know if we're going to get married, like you've thought about, or if this is just temporary. But what I do know is that I want to be with you, right now, because that's what's going to make me happy. But I don't want to be emotionally blackmailed into staying in this relationship. Do you want that for me?" she asked in German.
"No, of course not, Anna," he answered immediately.
"Then I need you to agree to that, so I don't have to worry about it anymore," she said. He let out a sigh.
"Very well," he said. She smiled before he turned back to the first page of the draft and went through it one more time. He was satisfied with what was written. He called the pen back to his hand and signed the last page.
"You're signing it?" Charles asked in disbelief.
"Yes," Max answered as he turned the paper of to Rogue. "You're turn, my girl," he said as he held out the pen to her. She glanced down at the pen for a moment.
"If we do this now then I gonna need to go home first. If I ain't then people might think you've kidnapped again and threatened Prof and then into silence. I need to let everyone know I'm fine. I'd have to meet you at the Café later: like five o'clock. We'll have about five hours this Saturday. We'll start the full twelve next week," she told him. He let out a chuckled.
"Agreed," he said with a smile before she took the pen from him.
"Hey, wait a minute," Wolverine started to protest.
"Wolverine, if you would please turn to the last page of the truce?" Max asked pleasantly. Wolverine growled under his breath as he turned to the last page. "You will see that there are lines for two signatures: not three, not six, just two. And those lines are meant for my-self and Anna Marie. She is the one who prepared this truce. She spent days on it and it's very well done. I made one change, you all heard, but I heard no objections as we did so."
"I do not feel the need to change another word of what Rogue has written in our agreement. So, yes, Anna," he said turned back to Rogue, "please sign, and then we can both get on with our lives," he said with a smirk. Magneto watched her laugh for a moment before she looked up at the Professor.
"Prof, you've read through the truce twice already and you haven't said anything. I'm gonna sign it," she told him. Charles nodded with a sigh. He watched her sign the truce, flip back to the first page and hand him the truce. "That's your copy," she said as she glanced up at him. "Mine's up here," she said pointing to her forehead.
"Just to be clear, I can stop apologizing now/" Magneto asked.
"Yup," she smiled as she stood up.
"I'll see you around five then, my girl," he smiled as he stood up. He leaned in and kissed her forehead. 'I love you,' he thought as his mind flowed into hers.
"I know," Rogue muttered as he pulled away. He smiled at that.
Thats it for this chapter! For anyone who is interested I've posted a new story. Individual Repartee! It's going to be a series of one shots detailing the lives of some people from this fic. The first chapter is all about Amelia Voght and her wayward home for children. Feel free to check it out!
