Thicker than Water
By Todd Fan
Dislaimer: "Bored is good, bored is safe".
*****
YEEEEY!. Thanks all for your reviews, you have renewed faith in my work *hugs everyone*. Yes.....i'll stop that now...I apologise for my Russian accent, like my Irish one..it isn't very good.
***
Chapter 20 - Love is a fickle thing
****
"Oww, don't hit!".
"Then get the chords right!".
John was starting to regret his decison to let Sidney teach him how to play the guitar If he'd have known she was such a...vilolent teacher, he wouldn't have bothered. He stared at the guitar in his arms, trying to figure out eactly HOW his hand was supposed to go on the blasted thing.
"I'm trying!", he said, "this isn't exactly easy, Sheila".
"Don't call me Sheila", said Sidney, "oh, come here, let me show you....again".
She reached over and grabbed his hand, putting it on the guitar and moving his fingers until they were in the right place.
"There", she said, "try now".
John gave her a look before sighing and plucking at the string, suprised to find a perfect chord.
"Hey, i DID it!", he said cheerfully.
"Yeah, but there's alot more to go yet", said Sidney, "we're gonna train day and night until you can do this on your own".
"Am i allowed to sleep and eat?", asked John with a chuckle, "how about bathrrom breaks?".
"Only when i tell you", said Sidney, completely serious, "now, try again".
John sighed, next time, he'd just take a beating instead.
***
Logan had been out on the open road for about an hour now, he loved his bike, it gave him the freedom he rarely got in the Institute. A revving from behind him made him come out of his happy state. He glanced to see another motorbike pass him quickly...Sabertooth's motorbike. Logan gave a low growl at the obvious challenge. So, he wanted to race, did he?. Logan revved up his bike and took off in hot persuit. Unfortunately, Sabertooth was already way ahead of him, by the time Logan caught up, Sabertooth had pulled up in a docking yard and was removing his helmet, sniffing the air. Logan pulled up beside him, removing his own helmet, she scent of Dagger and Vivian wafting in through the breeze.
"No one remembers the losers that came in second place, Runt", said Sabertooth with a smirk.
"Shut up, Pops", growled Logan, "lets try an' focus on the job, huh?".
"Fine by me", Sabertooth growled back, "they're in that boat house over there".
"I know", said Logan, "you're not the only one with inhanced senses, ya know".
With that, Logan stormed off towards the boat-house, he stopped at a window that was just above his head, thus he had to stand on his tip-toes to look through it.
"Well, 'la de da'", quipped Sabertooth, walking over, seeing through the window easily, he glanced down at Logan, "ya need a boost?".
His reply was a frustrated growl and the sound of claws popping out.
"Okay, geez, i was just askin'".
"Just shaddup!", hissed Logan. "we're SUPPOSED ta be stealthily watchin' 'em".
"I'm a cat", said Sabertooth flatly, "stealth is my middle name".
"Funny, i thought it was Mildred", said Logan, not missing a beat.
***
Piotr was sitting quietly on the other side of the Common Room, sketching Sidney teaching John how to play the guitar. He found her a fasinating subject to draw. Her feline traits, her fur, her whiskers, her tail, things that she saw as marks of ugliness, that showed off her mutation, to an artists eyes were completely different. To this aritists eyes, they showed off a natural beauty and inner strength of heart that Piotr found a joy to draw.
"Well, well, dis is interesting".
Piotr blinked. What the heck WAS it with people sneaking up on him and looking at his work? He glanced around to see Remy looking at the picture, then glanced at Piotr with a smirk.
"What?", asked Piotr, looking at the picture, "what is interestink about this?".
Remy smirked, crossing his arms and resting them on the back of the couch, making a point of taking his time with the answer.
"It seems to Gambit dat you've been drawing de cat girl quite alot lately, non?", he said, a smirk on his face.
Piotr cleared his throat.
"Really?", he said, trying to sound suprised, "i did not notice".
"Remy noticed", said Remy, "maybe Remy sense a little bit of a t'ing here?".
Piotr rolled his eyes.
"Maybe it is none of 'Remy's' buisness", he said flatly.
"Ahhh so you admit it", said Remy, giving Piotr a poke.
"I have not admited anythink", said Piotr, standing up and leaving, more than a little ruffled.
"Ahhh but you don't deny it either, mon ami!", Remy called after with a chuckle.
****
Storm sighed as she walked into the kitchen, she had just been tending to her plants, having to use a watering can instead of the way she had become used to. But tending to her plants was still tending to her plants, and whichever way she did it, it always left her at peace. She noted Rogue sitting on one of the stools reading, appareantly engrossed in her latest gothic novel, she didn't even glance up as the Goddess stepped into the room. Forge gave her a nod of acknowledgment from where he was standing by the oven, waiting for something to finish cooking. She sighed and sat down at the table, closing her eyes and taking a breath.
"Mmm, something smells good", she said, then glanced at Forge, "what are you making?".
"Vegetable Lasagne", came Forge's reply as he popped on oven gloves, fishing inside the oven and pulling out the dish, "want some?".
Storm considered this, after a few....unpleasant experiences with Kitty, Bobby, Hank, and more recently, Jason's cooking 'adventures', she had become wary about eating food she didn't make herself. But it did smell good, and she WAS hungry.
"Yes please", she said.
Forge nodded, getting out another plate next to the two already out and serving up the food. Rogue gave a grunt of thanks when he put her plate in front of her, not looking up from her book. He then passed a plate over to Storm. She looked at it before taking a deep breath and preparing herself for the worst. She carefully took some on a spoon and put it in her mouth...the fact that it was the best thing she had tasted took her completely by suprise. She glanced up to see Forge looking at her with a raised eyebrow, as if waiting for her opinion.
"This is..delicious", said Storm.
"Err..thanks", said Forge, with a modest..and slightly embarssed chuckle, "i do try".
"He can make anything he desires AND he is a good cook", said Storm, "is there no end to your tallents?".
"I can't rub my belly and pat my head at the same time", Forge admited with a chuckle.
This brought out a small laugh from Storm...she hadn't laughed for a while. Neither noticed Rogue arch an eyebrow from behind her book. From outside, there was the sound of Max barking, Ebony hissing and the sound of a certain dragon doing his best attempt at a roar. Forge sighed.
"I'd better go break it up before Wanda's 'precious' cat gets hurt", he said, "'scuse me, ladies".
With that he left the room, Storm watched him go before Rogue spoke up.
"Ah saw that"
Storm turned around to see Rogue looking at her from above her book.
"Saw what?", replied Storm, tring to act natural.
Rogue put down her book and smirked at Ororo.
"You were FLIRTING with him".
"No i was not!", said Storm quickly.
"A'hm a teenager, Ororo", said Rogue, crossing her arms, "a'h know flirting when a'h see it".
"I was not flirting", insisted Ororo, spinning her spoon idly around in her Lasagne.
"Uh huh, ya'll keep telling youself that", said Rogue, taking a bite out of her own meal, "man, this IS good!".
****
Back in the Common Room, Sidney had finally got John to play out the first line of 'Waltzing Matilda'..which he was told to practise constantly while she went for a break.
"Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda, you'll co....OH FOR GOD'S SAKE!".
Alex glanced out of Jane Eyre to look at Roberto, who looked on the verge of some sort of mental breakdown.
"You okay Robbie?", he asked.
"No, i am NOT okay!", said Roberto, "that damn song has been in my head all day!. I wouldn't mind as much, but he plays the same line every time!. What's the point?!".
"That's all he can play", said Sam from where he was lying across a chair, his long legs almost hitting the floor from even that angle.
"But it's driving me crazy!", hissed Roberto, glaring as the Aussie carried on oblivious.
"I have to agree", said Mystique, "i think i may just kill him".
"What IS a Jumbuck....anyway?", asked Bobby suddenly.
Everyone looked at Sam.
"What?", said Sam, looking up, "just 'cause a'h grew up on a farm doesn't mean a'h know what every animal on the planet is".
He put his hands behind his head and gave a defeated sigh.
"It's a sheep".
"Really?", said Mystique, "i thought it was a goat".
"I thought it was some kind of rabbit", said Ray.
"Nope", said Sam, "It's a sheep".
******
In the garden of the institute, Gina was happily making all the plants grow, since Storm had lost her powers, the youngester had promised to take care of the ones in the garden until Ororo got her powers back. Gina concentrated on a patch of wilting roses, her eyes flashed green and the roses sprang to life as if they were freshly blossomed.
"There you go", she said gently, putting some water from the watering can on them, "bet that feels better".
It was then Jamie fell out of the tree he'd been sitting in not-watching her. As if she had known he had been there all along, Gina flicked an arm out, not even turning to look around. The grass quickly rose up and cushioned Jamie's fall, he didn't even multiply.
"Ciao, Jamie", she said with a chuckle, turning around and lowering the grass back to the ground.
His cover blown Jamie cleared his throat and gathered what was very little left of his dignity.
"Err..hi Gina", he said, waiting for the ground to grant his plea of swallowing him up, "errr...thanks....that was a quick save".
"I knew you were there", said Gina simply, carrying on tending to the plants, "the tree told me".
Jamie could have kicked himself...but he was having trouble handling himself on his own right now..let alone any more of him.
"Oh", yeah, THAT was smoothe, king of smoothe, right here....God, why hadn't the ground eaten him up yet?, he'd settle for a lighting bolt.
"You're funny", said Gina with a giggle, then added, "Lei sono carino troppo".
Jamie blinked, he hadn't got a CLUE what had just been said to him, but hey, just knowing he'd made her laugh made him feel great. He rubbed a hand behind the back of his neck and took a deep breath.
"Oh...umm Gina", he said, pretending as if he had just remembered something, "when we were talking..a few days ago..i was about to tel..err ask you something..but then Scott interupted and..errr well...okay..here goes".
He took a deep breath, when Gina suddenly pointed at him, putting a hand over her mouth. 'Oh man, she's gonna shoot me down before i even get to ask her', he thought..until he realised she wasn't pointing at him..rather behind him. He turned around in time to see Lockheed fly into him, knocking him to the ground with a thud. Within seconds, there were four other Jamie's on the floor. Lockheed gave a squeak and flew back off. The clones stared at the dragon in a silent prayer for him to self-combust.
"You okay?".
All the Jamie's turned to look at Gina, kneeling down and looking at him...errr...them worriedly, holding out a hand to help him...them up.
"Fine", said all the Jamie's in a unison of bliss, one Jamie blinked and sucked all the other Jamie's into him, "err..yeah..i'm okay".
Without thinking, he took Gina's offered hand and let her pull him back up, bringing him face to face with her. He gave a nervous squeak and stepped back, realising he was probably blushing like a beetroot.
"Errr..i gotta go...do a....thing", he said, rushing off, leaving Gina looking more than slightly confused.
*****
There we go, another chapter down. Oh when our Italian lass, Gina says 'Lei sono carino troppo', to our happless Jamie, she said 'You're cute too'...well acording to the translator anyway. Everyone, awwwwwwww! Incidentally, a Jumbuck IS a sheep, i have 'Waltzing Matilda' on CD, LOTS of 'Waltzing Matilda'...7 tracks worth of the song. I put it on repeat while writing the 'Jumbuck scene' to better understand Roberto's pain. It also has 2 extra tracks which explain all the Aussie terminology from the song :) What else? Oh, i didn't make up the Forge being a good cook, he was a good cook in the comics, so..yeah..i can't take credit for that. Anyway, please do review, until next time.... .
By Todd Fan
Dislaimer: "Bored is good, bored is safe".
*****
YEEEEY!. Thanks all for your reviews, you have renewed faith in my work *hugs everyone*. Yes.....i'll stop that now...I apologise for my Russian accent, like my Irish one..it isn't very good.
***
Chapter 20 - Love is a fickle thing
****
"Oww, don't hit!".
"Then get the chords right!".
John was starting to regret his decison to let Sidney teach him how to play the guitar If he'd have known she was such a...vilolent teacher, he wouldn't have bothered. He stared at the guitar in his arms, trying to figure out eactly HOW his hand was supposed to go on the blasted thing.
"I'm trying!", he said, "this isn't exactly easy, Sheila".
"Don't call me Sheila", said Sidney, "oh, come here, let me show you....again".
She reached over and grabbed his hand, putting it on the guitar and moving his fingers until they were in the right place.
"There", she said, "try now".
John gave her a look before sighing and plucking at the string, suprised to find a perfect chord.
"Hey, i DID it!", he said cheerfully.
"Yeah, but there's alot more to go yet", said Sidney, "we're gonna train day and night until you can do this on your own".
"Am i allowed to sleep and eat?", asked John with a chuckle, "how about bathrrom breaks?".
"Only when i tell you", said Sidney, completely serious, "now, try again".
John sighed, next time, he'd just take a beating instead.
***
Logan had been out on the open road for about an hour now, he loved his bike, it gave him the freedom he rarely got in the Institute. A revving from behind him made him come out of his happy state. He glanced to see another motorbike pass him quickly...Sabertooth's motorbike. Logan gave a low growl at the obvious challenge. So, he wanted to race, did he?. Logan revved up his bike and took off in hot persuit. Unfortunately, Sabertooth was already way ahead of him, by the time Logan caught up, Sabertooth had pulled up in a docking yard and was removing his helmet, sniffing the air. Logan pulled up beside him, removing his own helmet, she scent of Dagger and Vivian wafting in through the breeze.
"No one remembers the losers that came in second place, Runt", said Sabertooth with a smirk.
"Shut up, Pops", growled Logan, "lets try an' focus on the job, huh?".
"Fine by me", Sabertooth growled back, "they're in that boat house over there".
"I know", said Logan, "you're not the only one with inhanced senses, ya know".
With that, Logan stormed off towards the boat-house, he stopped at a window that was just above his head, thus he had to stand on his tip-toes to look through it.
"Well, 'la de da'", quipped Sabertooth, walking over, seeing through the window easily, he glanced down at Logan, "ya need a boost?".
His reply was a frustrated growl and the sound of claws popping out.
"Okay, geez, i was just askin'".
"Just shaddup!", hissed Logan. "we're SUPPOSED ta be stealthily watchin' 'em".
"I'm a cat", said Sabertooth flatly, "stealth is my middle name".
"Funny, i thought it was Mildred", said Logan, not missing a beat.
***
Piotr was sitting quietly on the other side of the Common Room, sketching Sidney teaching John how to play the guitar. He found her a fasinating subject to draw. Her feline traits, her fur, her whiskers, her tail, things that she saw as marks of ugliness, that showed off her mutation, to an artists eyes were completely different. To this aritists eyes, they showed off a natural beauty and inner strength of heart that Piotr found a joy to draw.
"Well, well, dis is interesting".
Piotr blinked. What the heck WAS it with people sneaking up on him and looking at his work? He glanced around to see Remy looking at the picture, then glanced at Piotr with a smirk.
"What?", asked Piotr, looking at the picture, "what is interestink about this?".
Remy smirked, crossing his arms and resting them on the back of the couch, making a point of taking his time with the answer.
"It seems to Gambit dat you've been drawing de cat girl quite alot lately, non?", he said, a smirk on his face.
Piotr cleared his throat.
"Really?", he said, trying to sound suprised, "i did not notice".
"Remy noticed", said Remy, "maybe Remy sense a little bit of a t'ing here?".
Piotr rolled his eyes.
"Maybe it is none of 'Remy's' buisness", he said flatly.
"Ahhh so you admit it", said Remy, giving Piotr a poke.
"I have not admited anythink", said Piotr, standing up and leaving, more than a little ruffled.
"Ahhh but you don't deny it either, mon ami!", Remy called after with a chuckle.
****
Storm sighed as she walked into the kitchen, she had just been tending to her plants, having to use a watering can instead of the way she had become used to. But tending to her plants was still tending to her plants, and whichever way she did it, it always left her at peace. She noted Rogue sitting on one of the stools reading, appareantly engrossed in her latest gothic novel, she didn't even glance up as the Goddess stepped into the room. Forge gave her a nod of acknowledgment from where he was standing by the oven, waiting for something to finish cooking. She sighed and sat down at the table, closing her eyes and taking a breath.
"Mmm, something smells good", she said, then glanced at Forge, "what are you making?".
"Vegetable Lasagne", came Forge's reply as he popped on oven gloves, fishing inside the oven and pulling out the dish, "want some?".
Storm considered this, after a few....unpleasant experiences with Kitty, Bobby, Hank, and more recently, Jason's cooking 'adventures', she had become wary about eating food she didn't make herself. But it did smell good, and she WAS hungry.
"Yes please", she said.
Forge nodded, getting out another plate next to the two already out and serving up the food. Rogue gave a grunt of thanks when he put her plate in front of her, not looking up from her book. He then passed a plate over to Storm. She looked at it before taking a deep breath and preparing herself for the worst. She carefully took some on a spoon and put it in her mouth...the fact that it was the best thing she had tasted took her completely by suprise. She glanced up to see Forge looking at her with a raised eyebrow, as if waiting for her opinion.
"This is..delicious", said Storm.
"Err..thanks", said Forge, with a modest..and slightly embarssed chuckle, "i do try".
"He can make anything he desires AND he is a good cook", said Storm, "is there no end to your tallents?".
"I can't rub my belly and pat my head at the same time", Forge admited with a chuckle.
This brought out a small laugh from Storm...she hadn't laughed for a while. Neither noticed Rogue arch an eyebrow from behind her book. From outside, there was the sound of Max barking, Ebony hissing and the sound of a certain dragon doing his best attempt at a roar. Forge sighed.
"I'd better go break it up before Wanda's 'precious' cat gets hurt", he said, "'scuse me, ladies".
With that he left the room, Storm watched him go before Rogue spoke up.
"Ah saw that"
Storm turned around to see Rogue looking at her from above her book.
"Saw what?", replied Storm, tring to act natural.
Rogue put down her book and smirked at Ororo.
"You were FLIRTING with him".
"No i was not!", said Storm quickly.
"A'hm a teenager, Ororo", said Rogue, crossing her arms, "a'h know flirting when a'h see it".
"I was not flirting", insisted Ororo, spinning her spoon idly around in her Lasagne.
"Uh huh, ya'll keep telling youself that", said Rogue, taking a bite out of her own meal, "man, this IS good!".
****
Back in the Common Room, Sidney had finally got John to play out the first line of 'Waltzing Matilda'..which he was told to practise constantly while she went for a break.
"Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda, you'll co....OH FOR GOD'S SAKE!".
Alex glanced out of Jane Eyre to look at Roberto, who looked on the verge of some sort of mental breakdown.
"You okay Robbie?", he asked.
"No, i am NOT okay!", said Roberto, "that damn song has been in my head all day!. I wouldn't mind as much, but he plays the same line every time!. What's the point?!".
"That's all he can play", said Sam from where he was lying across a chair, his long legs almost hitting the floor from even that angle.
"But it's driving me crazy!", hissed Roberto, glaring as the Aussie carried on oblivious.
"I have to agree", said Mystique, "i think i may just kill him".
"What IS a Jumbuck....anyway?", asked Bobby suddenly.
Everyone looked at Sam.
"What?", said Sam, looking up, "just 'cause a'h grew up on a farm doesn't mean a'h know what every animal on the planet is".
He put his hands behind his head and gave a defeated sigh.
"It's a sheep".
"Really?", said Mystique, "i thought it was a goat".
"I thought it was some kind of rabbit", said Ray.
"Nope", said Sam, "It's a sheep".
******
In the garden of the institute, Gina was happily making all the plants grow, since Storm had lost her powers, the youngester had promised to take care of the ones in the garden until Ororo got her powers back. Gina concentrated on a patch of wilting roses, her eyes flashed green and the roses sprang to life as if they were freshly blossomed.
"There you go", she said gently, putting some water from the watering can on them, "bet that feels better".
It was then Jamie fell out of the tree he'd been sitting in not-watching her. As if she had known he had been there all along, Gina flicked an arm out, not even turning to look around. The grass quickly rose up and cushioned Jamie's fall, he didn't even multiply.
"Ciao, Jamie", she said with a chuckle, turning around and lowering the grass back to the ground.
His cover blown Jamie cleared his throat and gathered what was very little left of his dignity.
"Err..hi Gina", he said, waiting for the ground to grant his plea of swallowing him up, "errr...thanks....that was a quick save".
"I knew you were there", said Gina simply, carrying on tending to the plants, "the tree told me".
Jamie could have kicked himself...but he was having trouble handling himself on his own right now..let alone any more of him.
"Oh", yeah, THAT was smoothe, king of smoothe, right here....God, why hadn't the ground eaten him up yet?, he'd settle for a lighting bolt.
"You're funny", said Gina with a giggle, then added, "Lei sono carino troppo".
Jamie blinked, he hadn't got a CLUE what had just been said to him, but hey, just knowing he'd made her laugh made him feel great. He rubbed a hand behind the back of his neck and took a deep breath.
"Oh...umm Gina", he said, pretending as if he had just remembered something, "when we were talking..a few days ago..i was about to tel..err ask you something..but then Scott interupted and..errr well...okay..here goes".
He took a deep breath, when Gina suddenly pointed at him, putting a hand over her mouth. 'Oh man, she's gonna shoot me down before i even get to ask her', he thought..until he realised she wasn't pointing at him..rather behind him. He turned around in time to see Lockheed fly into him, knocking him to the ground with a thud. Within seconds, there were four other Jamie's on the floor. Lockheed gave a squeak and flew back off. The clones stared at the dragon in a silent prayer for him to self-combust.
"You okay?".
All the Jamie's turned to look at Gina, kneeling down and looking at him...errr...them worriedly, holding out a hand to help him...them up.
"Fine", said all the Jamie's in a unison of bliss, one Jamie blinked and sucked all the other Jamie's into him, "err..yeah..i'm okay".
Without thinking, he took Gina's offered hand and let her pull him back up, bringing him face to face with her. He gave a nervous squeak and stepped back, realising he was probably blushing like a beetroot.
"Errr..i gotta go...do a....thing", he said, rushing off, leaving Gina looking more than slightly confused.
*****
There we go, another chapter down. Oh when our Italian lass, Gina says 'Lei sono carino troppo', to our happless Jamie, she said 'You're cute too'...well acording to the translator anyway. Everyone, awwwwwwww! Incidentally, a Jumbuck IS a sheep, i have 'Waltzing Matilda' on CD, LOTS of 'Waltzing Matilda'...7 tracks worth of the song. I put it on repeat while writing the 'Jumbuck scene' to better understand Roberto's pain. It also has 2 extra tracks which explain all the Aussie terminology from the song :) What else? Oh, i didn't make up the Forge being a good cook, he was a good cook in the comics, so..yeah..i can't take credit for that. Anyway, please do review, until next time.... .