Chapter Six - Prom

It was finally here - prom night.  The girls had spent all day getting ready.  Or, at least, fussing over everything and laying out what they would need because it was too early to get ready.  Eventually, all of them, except Rogue, were gone, getting their hair done.  Ororo had offered to stay behind and do Rogue's hair for her, but Rogue had politely declined.  It would not have been fair to Storm if she had accepted the offer.  Of course, it was also much too dangerous.  She could probably figure out something to do herself.

Rogue had to fight down a wave of self-pity as she thought of all the things she couldn't do - like getting her hair done for a big event.  The Professor had said that Nire had suggested trying yoga, so, while they still tried everything else under the sun during their weekly meetings, she now did yoga on her own.  It hadn't worked yet, but it was still too soon to really tell.  Rogue prayed that this would work, so she would not have to miss out on more things.

Nire came back from wherever she went every day and saw Rogue doing absolutely nothing.  Nire had thought she would be busy getting ready, but no.

In a rare moment of kindness, Nire offered, "D'ya want me t' do your hair?"

"No, thanks.  Ah can do somethin' mahself."

"You sure?  Watcha gonna do?"

"Ah… Ah don't know."

"Hmm."  Nire sat regarding Rogue with a hand on her chin.  She looked scarily similar to 'The Thinker'.  "Ya know what would look good?  Somethin' like this."

Nire grabbed some paper and started sketching.  When she was done, she handed it to Rogue.

"The top of your hair is pulled back in a latticework pattern that makes it look like it's holding down the hair underneath.  The hair used in the latticework is pulled back in a half ponytail.  The ponytail is braided and twisted into a bun.  And your two white streaks are left free to hang."

"But there's no way Ah have enough stuff t' do that."  Rogue liked the hairdo, a lot.

"Yeah, bit I do… Somewhere… I think… Maybe…"  Nire commenced to searching through her knapsack, which seemed to hold everything under the sun.  She started throwing things onto the bed - clips, elastics, brushes, scrunchies, and more.  "Haha!  Tol'ja so!  D'you want me t' do it?"

"Umm…" Rogue was warring with herself.  Yes, she wanted it, and she couldn't do it herself, but it was too dangerous.  It was a bit pathetic that even the simplest things had to be thought over so long.  "Yeah, Ah guess so."

"All righty then.  Sit."  Nire stood behind Rogue for an hour, pulling and twisting and manipulating Rogue's hair into what she wanted.  She fastened it with little, tiny, baby elastics, and braided it in a  tight plait.  As she was finishing up pinning the bun, the rest of the girls came back.  At least, that's what Nire and Rogue assumed form the sudden increase in noise.

"D'you want these sticky-thingies in?"  Nire held up a pair of hair sticks.  Rogue nodded, and Nire stuck them in.

Jubilee bounced into her room as Nire was putting her stuff away.  "Hey Roguey!  Oo, that's neat!  Did Nire do it?  I like it!  What do you think of mine?  Did it come out good?"

Nire slipped out the door as Rogue answered the questions.  "Yes, she did, it looks awesome, Ah love it, it came out wonderful."

"We've only got a couple more hours left!"

Rogue rolled her eyes at Jubilee's enthusiasm.  But, it was catching, and Rogue found herself moving faster, too.


*  *  *  *  *

When Logan saw Rogue, his mouth (almost) literally dropped to the floor.  His eyes traveled slowly from her head to her toes, then back up.  Whoever had done her hair – he knew she didn't go out to get it done – was absolutely brilliant.  Rogue almost never wore makeup, but she had on just a touch tonight, making her face almost glow.  She had on a sheer body suit, of course, and her dress slid perfectly over it.  And, just as he had thought in the dressing room, it looked good on her.  What he hadn't noticed, was that the powder blue dress shimmered when she moved.  A small, white sweater covered her shoulders.  A silk scarf covered her neck, as always.  Even though it was a couple shades darker than her dress, it still marched perfectly.  She had on gloves of the same color that went to the middle of her upper arm.  The whole outfit was topped off by a pair of silver shoes.  Logan surreptitiously sniffed, and was pleased that she hadn't put on any heavy-scented perfume.  One of the things he absolutely loved about Marie was that she didn't use any body sprays or perfumes.  Not like all those other teenage girls, who invariably gave him a headache with all those disgusting scents.

"You look beautiful, kid."

"Thanks."  She smiled shyly at him.  He looked handsome in his suit.  Uncomfortable, but handsome.  She'd have to do something for him, really special, to thank him for doing this for her.

"Ready?"  Logan offered Marie his arm.  She took it – just as friends or not, she could at least pretend in her mind…

Logan had to give the rest of the graduating seniors credit – they didn't leave that little circle of bare space around Rogue, they didn't even seem to notice her dress (at least, not that way).  Logan could tell that she still felt uncomfortable, so he made sure they stayed near the walls, where there were fewer people.  With a start, he realized that there were going to be absolutely horrendous rumors and gossip flying around the mansion tomorrow.  Damn, he should have thought of that!  But one glance at the girl next to him told him it was well worth it.

The most memorable part of the evening for Rogue was when Logan was dancing with her.  He didn't have to, but he did.  Surprisingly enough, he was a good dancer.  His bad-ass persona covered up a pretty sophisticated interior.  Being that close to Logan caused Rogue to have to use all her powers of meditation not to become aroused – she knew that Logan would be able to smell it.  That would be beyond embarrassing!  What Rogue didn't know, was that Logan was doing the exact same thing.

Graciously (on Scott's part), and surprisingly so, when the teachers began dancing with the students, Logan and Scott traded partners (or maybe Rogue and Jean traded partners).  So now Scott was dancing with Rogue – and Logan was definitely jealous – and Logan was dancing with Jean – with a little less jealousy on Scott's part.

"Having fun?" the red-head asked ghim.  A grunt was his only response.  "My, my.  You can actually dance."  Another grunt.  "Is that all you're going to do?  Grunt?"

This time, he quirked an eyebrow at her.  "Sure.  Why not?"

Jean noticed Logan's eyes tracking Rogue and Scott around the room.  Then Bobby and Rogue…and St. John and Rogue… "A bit jealous, are we?" she asked, slightly amused.

Logan's eyes snapped to glare at her.  "No," he growled.

Luckily, before the conversation could be taken any further, Scott came back.  Unfortunately, this meant Logan ended up with…horror of horrors…Jubilee.  As quick as he could, he traded her for Kitty, then Kitty for Storm.  This gave him a space of time to think – a short space.  Was he really that obvious in what he felt for Marie?  He couldn't be…could he?  And then Marie was back, and he forgot about his pensive musings.  The rest of the night – for both of them – was heaven.

When Rogue got back to her room – late, late at night – she opened the door very quietly incase Nire was sleeping.  Of course, the girl was, but at the slight click of the opening door, Nire sat bolt upright, her hand groping by the side of her 'bed' for a moment before she relaxed.

"Have fun?" she asked, and there was no indication in her voice that she had been sleeping just moments before.  Rogue grabbed her pajamas and went into the bathroom to change.

"Yeah."  Rogue highlighted the evening for her, then came out and hung up her outfit.

Nire was silent and looked sad for a moment – she was remembering all the midnight dances and dinners she had gone to with…him…  Then she quickly seemed to mentally shake off the mood.  "Sounds like you had a lot of fun."

Rogue sighed happily, then switched off the light and fell asleep almost immediately.


*  *  *  *  *

Much later – or earlier the next day, depending on how you looked at it – Rogue was shaken awake by Nire.  She had never been gladder – she had been in the middle of a horrific nightmare.  In it, everybody – all her friends, the entire world – was dead, and she was dying, and it had terrified her.  She should have figured that after such a happy night, she would fall asleep only to be greeted by nightmares.

"Y'okay?" Nire asked.  "Looked like a nasty one."

Rogue gave a half-grin.  "Yeah."  She paused for a long time.  "Nire?  Are- are ya ever afraid of death?"  It was a random question, spurred by a random dream.

"Do I fear death?"  Nire gave a quiet, but harsh, bark of laughter.  "At home, I live with death every day.  I don't necessarily know if I'm gonna live t' see the next moment, 'r if me friends 'r family will.  I've have th' person standin' next t' me be almost mortally wounded.  An', even without all that, can ya prove t'me being dead is any diff'rent than from 'fore I 'as born?"

"So you're not afraid ta die?"

Nire paused, and smiled a bit sadly.  "Absolutely terrified.  I'm only fifteen – I've got me whole life t' live before me.  But, I s'pose I'm not so much afraid've death as the process…  Why?"

Rogue shook her head.  "Just a random question.  'Night Nire."

"G'night."