Still Holding Out For You
By Lady Trunks
Part 11

I am all review happy today. So many positive reviews. Cookies for everyone. ^_^ Umm, but real quick, who's buyin'?

Lady Aurra- Hmm... hints/tips/suggestions? The only thing I can think of right now is... Rietro rules... Which wouldn't exactly be any of the three. I guess it's something that I'll need to think about.
Carla- Foofy? I like that word. Glad you like it so far. ^^
J.Dax- Well, you wanted fluff, so fluff you got. And I agree non-constructive criticism is just a waste of everyone's time.
Lucky439- More you want, so more you got.
Mae- You can inflate my ego anytime. ^^
Ellen- I think you just indirectly paid me a huge compliment. Not only have I been to Silver Caress, I created it. (See, I really am a huge Rietro fan. ^^)
Roguechere- It actually was rated R, I switched it down. That's probably why you missed it too. And I'm your favorite after yourself?? That's so sweet (In a Pietro kinda way, which will make more sense after chapter 12).
Lunacat- Soon enough, I hope. Wouldn't want you to go into withdrawl.

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"A7."

"Miss. C9." Silence. "Well?"

"Hit." It was said grudgingly. "You're cheating, aren't you?"

"Now Roguey, would I do that to you?" It was asked with a mock innocent expression.

"In the blink of an eye, Piety. Which is probably the case. I thought I felt a draft. "Rogue glared suspiciously at the boy laying on the floor in front of her.

"Oh, stop being a sore loser. It's your turn."

"A10."

"Miss." Rogue groaned in frustration. "You're moving your ships, aren't you?"

"Of course not. C10."

"Hit. You sunk my battleship! Damn Rebel Infidels!!! May we strike you down with a nuclear bomb for your insubordination!!!"

"I think you take this game a little to seriously Roguey. Besides you lost fair and square so now you have to go with me."

Rogue rose to her feet stretching to relieve her stiff muscles after sitting on the floor for so long. "I don't want to go!" The goth protested furiously, pouting all the while. "Wouldn't you rather I did all your chores for a month or something? "

Pietro just smirked rising to his feet as well. "I can do all my chores for a month in less than an hour. Nope, we had a bet and now you must suffer the consequences."

"Anything but that! Why do you want to torture me?!" She looked at him pleadingly, desperate to get out of it. "Besides, I still think you cheated!" Pietro quickly shut the lid of his game.

He rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Now Rogue, it's not going to kill you." She snorted in disbelief at that statement but he continued unruffled. "People go to the mall all the time. You'll survive."

She sighed deeply, but reluctantly gave in... Ungraciously. "You are a very cruel and devious person Pietro and I will make you suffer for this." With that Rogue stormed off to get her stuff, when an idea came to her.

Pietro waited impatiently downstairs for Rogue, when she finally came down the stairs. His face got a shuttered expression at the grin on her face. He knew that look, and it didn't bode well for whoever it was aimed at… And at that time the unfortunate person was himself. "Let's go!" She said, the smile widening, which caused him to swallow nervously. No, it definitely didn't bode well at all. "I'm driving." She said, holding up a pair of car keys.

Pietro turned slightly pale at the site and his eyes widened. "Someone actually let you use a car?" Her only response was what could only be described as an evil laugh and he backed away slowly. "I think I'll just meet you there." He made to run out the door, but before he could escape she grabbed a hold of him and proceeded to drag him out to Scott's car.

"Oh no you don't Pietro Maximoff. If I have to go through the hell that is shopping then you have to ride there with me."

* * *

Twenty minutes later an extremely shaken and slightly green Pietro exited the car and practically fell to his knees in gratitude to once again be on solid ground.

"You know, for someone who can run at speeds of over 100 mph you really can't handle speed well." Rogue said with amusement, getting out of the car and locking it up.

"You almost broad sided a semi… TWICE! And even that bus of nuns flipped us the bird!! And I'm absolutely positive that the car is supposed to have all four wheels on the ground at all times!!"

Rogue just brushed the criticism off. "You really need to relax more. It wasn't that bad."

Pietro wisely refrained from commenting more on the subject and the color slowly returned to his face. When he was sure that he would be able to walk a straight line without his legs giving out underneath him, he headed for the doors of the mall with Rogue reluctantly following behind him. He instantly made his way to a popular clothing store, which made Rogue groan but she refrained from making a sarcastic comment.

"Why don't I wait for you in the food court?" She said quickly praying that it would work. However, he wasn't about to fall for it.

"No, you have to help me pick out a suit for the dance." He said resolutely, and grabbing her gloved hand proceeded to drag the resisting girl into the store. Deciding to try and not make a scene (anymore than had already been made) she followed him without further protest to the men's section where she stood uncomfortably while he searched through the racks of clothes. "Hmmm, what color do I want?" He asked, more to himself than Rogue.

"Black." She responded quickly.

He glanced up at her from the clothes with a questioning look, doubt in his eyes. "Are you sure? The last dance I wore a brown suit and I looked good."

"I'm sure. It makes the blueness of your eyes stand out more, plus your hair looks more dramatic that way."

"Well, Roguey," He batted his eyes lashes at her in an overly flirtatious manner, "I had no idea you had noticed my considerable charms."

She sighed dramatically, before responding in a completely flat voice. "Oh, yes Pietro my love. You're all I ever think about."

"HA! So you admit it! I always knew you had the hots for me." He responded with a huge grin on his face. In response she whacked him upside the side of the head with her hand. He rubbed the side of his head with his hand. "I didn't know that you were kinky though. I must tell you that I'm not into the whole masochistic thing. Sorry."

"I guess I'll have to find someone else to make use of the leather dominatrix dress and my collection of whips then." She responded dryly.

"Oh, mental image. Ditch the whips and I'll be your love slave anytime."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Find your suit so we can leave."

"Oh, you're eager to make me your slave?" He asked her arching an eyebrow.

"The beating part just sounds better all the time."

"Okay, I'm going to try these on. Try and think of me stripping while I'm gone." He dodged the tie she picked from a table and threw at him and laughing went to the changing rooms with a pile of suits. A minute later he was back.

"Find what you wanted?" She asked him with a hopeful smile, thoughts of escape on her mind.

"Yep, just needs some minor adjustments, and I can do those myself. Now it's your turn."

She blinked at him in surprised confusion. "My turn for what?"

"To find a dress. Preferably something short in black leather."

"I don't need a dress!" She protested, but he was determined and, linking his arm through hers, dragged her over into the women's section.

He quickly looked through a rack of dresses and started pulling some out and piling them into her arms. Soon she had a pile that she could hardly see over. "Pietro," she hissed at him. "I think that's more than enough. Now get rid of everything in the pile that is pink or anything pastel." With a huge sigh he did as she said leaving a slightly smaller pile. "Now hold these." She handed him the pile and began to plow through them, putting a lot of them away with comments like: Too short, Too ugly, Looks like something Jean would wear, Ewww, I'd rather shoot myself, and I'd rather shoot you.

When she was done there was a total of four dresses left, all in black. With a critical look over the four she finally chose one and put the other three away. "There," she said tossing it to him.

He shot her a disbelieving look. "Aren't you going to try it on?"

She shot him a mock shocked look, "What? You don't know my measurements?" She asked referring to the fact that all of the clothes that he picked out were the right size.

"I wouldn't say that. But I do want to see it on. Please?" He gave her the puppy eyes.

Rogue sighed, but picked up the dress and marched over to the dressing room to change. A few minutes later she stepped out and halted at the sight in front of her. Pietro was still standing where she had left him, but he was no longer alone. Cherry was standing beside him, smiling.

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