Disclaimer: I own Susana,
nobody else. Lifehouse owns the song
"Hanging By a Moment, which I feel permitted to use since I went and saw them
with MB20 and Everclear. Anyone who
knows a proper way to dance to the aforementioned song is welcome to clue me
in. I really have no idea how you dance
to it.
Notes:
sound
*thought*
} telepathic conversation {
Setting:
Aqua. Saturday evening, about 9:00 PM
Susana
stepped back onto the dance floor just as a song ended, so she was able to get
back to where Jono stood with relative ease.
Sidling up behind him, she bumped him with her hip, smiling as his
indignant expression changed to one of amused exasperation when he realized who
she was.
}Have
a good trip?{ he inquired. }I really
don't see why you gels wear shoes that try t'hurt you. It's not very smart, you know.{
"Yes,
as a matter of fact, I did. Apparently
you and Angelo are getting quite a bit of attention. And I'll explain the shoe logic later."
}Oh,
shite...should we be goin' soon, then?
If we're gettin' attention, I mean?{
"Absolutely
not...I meant a good sort of attention.
The 'wow, did you see that guy' kind of attention."
}Yeah,
well...I do have th'image inducer on,{ he noted sardonically. }Doubt I'd be worthy of any kind of positive
attention without it.{
Susana
didn't dignify that with a verbal response.
Instead, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his face down
so his eyes were on a level with hers.
Dropping a kiss on his bandages, right where his lips would have been,
she sent a thought into his mind.
}You're worthy of all kinds of positive attention. Double entendre completely intended.{
Jono
was quite sure that if he had a mouth, it would've just gone dry. If it hadn't at the kiss, it definitely
would've at her next words.
}You
up for company tonight after we get home?{
Giving him a meaningful look, she leaned forward against his chest.
}Err...yeah. That would be...great.{ *Smooth, Starsmore. Real smooth. Now you just have to not embarrass yourself
before you get home.*
Just
then, Susana felt a tap on her shoulder.
Turning, she saw Jubilee and Angelo trying to wipe the amused, slightly
awkward expressions from their faces after finding their friends in such a
position. She stepped back to Jono's
side and wrapped an arm around his waist.
"Hey, guys, you having fun?" She
smiled a bit too brightly as she said it.
"Yeah,
this place is great! I gotta go out
with telepaths more often, if all the 18 and over places are this cool." Susana was glad to see that Jubilee seemed
to have regained her normal high spirits.
"How
about you, Ange? You're lookin' a
little peaked there. Too much
dancing?" She smiled at his surprised
expression. "I heard a couple of girls
talkin' about you in the bathroom. They
thought you were really hot, and one of 'em seemed very impressed with your
moves. Shall we dance? I'd like to see said moves for myself." He held out a hand, and she took it. He whisked her off into the surrounding
crowd as a new song started, leaving Jono and Jubilee standing awkwardly on the
floor.
}D'you
want anything to drink, Jubes?{
ventured Jono.
"Sure,
that'd be great. Ange is a surprisingly
good dancer. I hadn't realized how much
of a sweat I'd worked up out there."
She wiped one hand across her brow, then gave him a concerned look. "You feelin' ok, Sparky? You don't look so hot..."
}Yeah,
I'm fine. Susana just said somethin'
that surprised me, is all. Soo...sounds
like you and Ange were gettin' kind of friendly out there. Wot's goin' on with that?{
Jubilee
looked down and blushed, then turned away from him. She leaned across the bar and ordered a drink, then turned back
to him while she waited. "Well, I dunno
really...but Ange is being...not very Ange-like. I'm not too sure what to make of it. He's being...nice, and flirty."
}Well,
Jubes, you are growin' up. He must've
noticed.{ His eyes crinkled in a
grin. }You enjoyin' yerself?{
"Yeah,
I think I am." She turned back to the
bar, where the bartender had reappeared with her drink. The song was ending, and she looked out at
the floor for Angelo and Susana.
Spotting them she turned to Jono.
"Tell them where we are, will ya?
I don't want to have to start waving my arms like a fool."
Jono
turned towards the dancers leaving the floor, scanning for Susana or Angelo so
he could tell them to come to the bar.
Finding Susana, he sent her the message, adding }Tell Ange, will ya,
gel?{
Moments
later, Angelo and Susana separated from the crush of people and joined Jubilee
and Jono at the bar. "You couldn't get
him to dance either, Jubes?" Susana
smiled, emphasizing her flushed skin, then reached for Jubilee's drink. "May I?"
Jubilee pushed the drink towards her and she sipped from it. "Thanks, Jubes. I gotta say I'm impressed
with you if you can keep up with this guy...my aged and infirm butt is
completely worn out." She stuck out her
tongue, crossed her eyes, and let her head roll back in a mockery of fatigue.
"Jubecita,
may I have this dance?" Angelo ignored
Susana and extended a long fingered hand towards his so-called date. Sighing, she took it and followed him back
into the milling crowd after instructing Susana to go ahead and finish the
drink.
"You
enjoying yourself?" Susana inquired over the edge of the glass. Jono raised an eyebrow, and she realized he
hadn't been able to hear what she'd said.
She sent the thought to him.
}Yes,
actually, I am. Going out with you
seems to be a good idea.{
}Damn
straight it is. Everybody wants
to hang out with me, 'cause I'm the coolest. Not that I'm, you know, conceited or anything.{ She grinned impudently at him. }Come on, you know you want to laugh.{
}Who
says I'm not?{ He picked up her hand
and pulled her towards him, wrapping one long arm around her back. }How about you, gel...having fun?{ She looked up at him and nodded earnestly,
eyes wide with surprise.
}Of
course I'm having a good time. Believe
it or not, you're a fun guy, Mr. Starsmore.
But, as a favor to me, do you think you could keep the alpha-male
possessive gestures to a minimum in the future? You know, restrain yourself from pulling me across the floor and
all that? Not that it wasn't fun,
but...well, I'm none too steady in these shoes.{ As if to emphasize her words, someone in the crowd bumped her in
the back and she thumped heavily against Jono's chest. }Whoa, sorry bout that. See what I mean?{
}Don't
be sorry...I'm not.{ She looked up at
him in mild surprise. *He's actually
being flirtatious...what's up with this?
Might as well make the best of it while it's here.* stretching up on tiptoe, she pressed another
light kiss to his image's lips, then bumped the tip of her nose against
his. "That, Sir, is the logic behind
the shoes. Platforms solve lots of
height difference problems. Ok, so it
helps if you're leaning against the bar and making yourself easier to reach,
but still...the shoes are at least partially responsible."
Just
then, the DJ came over the club's sound system and announced that they were
winding down for the night, so he expected to see everyone out on the dance
floor. Steadying herself, Susana looked
out at the dance floor. "If they play a
good song, will you come dance with me?"
Jono weighed the odds of that happening, then nodded when he concluded
that the odds of a song he considered good getting played here were slim
to none. Straining to hear the song, he
slumped when he caught the intro.
Extending his hand with a resigned, 'I lost my gamble' air, he took her
hand and began winding his way through the bar patrons.
Susana
cocked her head, trying to hear the lyrics the raspy-voiced singer was
singing. They passed under a speaker,
and she paused for a minute, tugging on Jono's hand to halt him.
Forgetting
all I'm lacking
completely incomplete
I'll take your invitation
you take all of me now
I'm falling even more in love with you
letting go of all I've held onto
I'm standing here until you make me move
I'm hanging by a moment here with you
Recognizing the song, she turned
from the speaker and nodded for him to continue. Reaching a group of people dancing, she and Jono followed their
lead and began dancing, or more accurately swaying, to the music. As the song
ended, Jono pulled Susana close in a hug.
}You about ready t'go, gel?{
Without looking up or separating from him at all, Susana nodded into his
chest.
}Yeah...you want to both try and
find Ange and Jubes?{
}Sounds good, although I'm pretty
sure that if we find one, we find both.
There's a little something going on there.{ He crinkled as she jerked her head up to look at him.
"What?!?"
}Yep...apparently he's noticed
that she's grown up. She doesn't seem
to mind too much.{
A/N-yeah, but
it seems Marvel hasn't. Do they
remember being 14 and how much it sucked?
I do. Obviously they do not, or
they would've let Jubilee grow up some in the past however many years. End rant.
}Well then...{ She reverted back
to telepathic speech. Her verbal
outburst proved how surprised she'd been at his pronouncement. }Ok, found Angelo. You're right, Jubes is with him, and they'll meet us outside the
door. Shall we?{
He followed her as she meandered
through the crowd and out the door, and was surprised when she pulled a
slightly bent cigarette from a pocket of her bag, holding it lightly between
pursed lips as she pawed through the bag for a matchbook.
}Where'd you get that?{
}Did you really think Angelo was
the only delinquent student at the academy?
Wasn't too rough...he just thinks I was maybe bein' a little more friendly than
usual, nothing he'd act on, though.{
She was laughing at him as she bent her head and cupped her hands around
the match, then tossed it to the ground beside her. }Besides, honey, I was born in N'awlins, just like Gambit. The city kinda breeds pickpockets an'
thieves an' such. Somethin' in the
water, I think. Do you want any of
this?{ Exhaling, she waved her cigarette hand in the air and reached for his
hand with the other.
}I definitely wouldn't
object. I feel like I'm imposing
though, getting in your mind. Are you
sure you don't mind?{
}As long as you don't get up there
and start poking around at random, I'm fine with it.{ She quieted and inhaled, then sent the sensations- the taste of
the smoke, the feel of it in her mouth
and throat, the slightly scratchy feeling as it hit her lungs, even the feel of
holding the lit cigarette to her lips- all to his mind.
}Thanks.{
}Don't mention it. Especially since Ange isn't aware of my
illegal tendencies just yet.{ She
dropped the half-smoked cigarette and ground it out under one of her platforms,
then smirked as the subject of her statement showed up pulling a re-enthused
Jubilee along behind him.
"Do we hafta go now?" whined Jubilee.
"Sorry Jubes, but you and Ange
still have to deal with curfew...I think Emma's given up on us old folks."
"Susana, amante, you're definitely
not old folks." Angelo said, giving her
his most winning smile.
"You know, you're right. 'Old folks' wouldn't have been able to steal
one of your smokes right outta your pocket."
She giggled as he pulled the pack out and cursed softly in Spanish as he
realized she was telling the truth.
}If you two are done, we can go
anytime now.{ Jono interjected.
"Ok, Amigo, got the keys right
here...umm..maybe here? No. Madre de Dios!" Angelo was starting to get upset when Susana reached into her bag
and pulled out a key ring.
"You want these, Skin?" She tossed the keys across the space between
the mutants, and he caught them with ease, stretching his hand a bit flatter
and wider to improve his chances.
Without a word, he turned and walked to the Jeep. She followed meekly, then Jono and Jubilee
shrugged and fell into step behind the two.
The ride home was fairly quiet, as Angelo drove, Jubilee fiddled with
the radio, and Susana leaned against Jono's warmth. When they arrived back at the mansion, Susana stopped Angelo
before he could go in. "I didn't mean
to piss you off. Sorry if I did."
"It's ok, chica, I was just thinkin' about things. No soy enojado. Don't worry about it." And having said that, he loped off after
Jubilee, who was headed to the girls' dorm.
Susana turned to Jono.
}You still up for company?{
}Of course. After you, my lady.{ he bowed deeply, and she laughed.
}You are aware you're not required
to play the courtly English gentleman all the time, right?{ She tossed the
thought out as she walked to the boys' dorm outside entrance.
}You think I'm playing a
role?{ He sounded upset, and she
stopped at the door to reassure him.
}Of course not. I think you mean what you say, but you're
not required to say everything you do.{
He pushed the door open behind her, then nudged her through it and
towards the basement.
After a stumbling, profanity- and
threat- laden trip down the basement stairs, she was in the basement, on what
she supposed was a level floor beneath the layers of bottles, magazines,
papers, and clothes. Stumbling to the
chair she'd nearly fallen over the other day, she braced herself on one elbow
and used her free hand to unbuckle her shoes.
Slipping off of the high platforms, she set them on the stairs and
walked to Jono. "You know you're going
to have to help me out here, right? I
ditched the shoes so I had some chance of walking across the floor down here without
dying...so the height thing is an issue again..."
She started briefly at an
unexpected mental intrusion- he was urging her to join him on the Astral
Plane. After a moment's thought, she
was standing on a milky white runway in the middle of a vast empty darkness. Someone else's thought nudged her mind, and
she turned to see Jono as he would have been had his powers not manifested so
dramatically. He spoke, and she saw his
lips move at the same time as she heard his voice in her head.
"I'll help you out, provided you
get closer to me, gel." He held out
both arms in invitation. She took a
hesitant step toward him, then two more decisive steps. Then, suddenly, she was in his arms, and all
consideration of the strangeness of the Astral Plane was gone, abandoned in
favor of paying attention to Jono and the fact that yes, he seemed to be a very good
kisser, at least in this situation. She
stepped back, shaking her head.
"This is nice, but rather...not
private. I don't like that Emma could
show up any moment. I like her, but in
a parenty/authority figure-ish way. You
know, how you don't want your favorite teacher to know what you do when you and
your sweetie are alone? Shall we
adjourn to the real world? I promise it'll be
worth your while." She looked up at
him, scoring lines on her bottom lip with her teeth as she waited for his
answer.
Then, suddenly, she was plunged
back into the darkened basement and Jono-the physical Jono- was there as
well. They collapsed onto his bed, and
she was suddenly much less concerned about possible interruptions.
