Chapter 5
Part I
Bobby Drake parked his silver Kawasaki Ninja in the garage and set his helmet on the seat. The house computer system welcomed him.
"Welcome home, Iceman. Blue Team and Excalibur are currently away."
He acknowledged and took the lift to the main level. Bobby shouldered his duffel as the lift stopped and stepped out; he had three flights of stairs to climb to his loft apartment, but he shrugged it off--it wasn't worth walking to the other elevator, in his opinion. He liked stairs. When he was climbing a staircase he didn't have to engage his brain. Midway up the first flight, he heard the sound of ice clinking in a glass.
Bobby peeked around the corner into the rec room. "Hey, Remy," he said softly. He'd heard the bad news; how was Gambit doing?
"Allo, Bobby. Comment vas-tu?"
"I'm good. Hey, hook me up with some of that?" He gestured at the bottle. Remy nodded and took out a second glass.
"Ice, ami?" Remy smirked slightly.
Bobby chuckled. "Sure, man." Remy dropped a handful of cubes into the glass and poured the amber-colored liquor over them. Bobby took it from him.
"How's it going, Rems?" he asked quietly.
Remy sighed. "Le's just say dis is de only bottle left in de liquor cabinet, Chill." Bobby nodded, settling onto a stool.
"You wanna talk about it?"
"Non."
"Okay."
They drank in silence for a moment. Then Bobby heard footsteps approach; Dice came into the bar half of the rec room. "Hey." She picked up a glass and went for some orange juice and seltzer from the bar.
"Bobby, dis is Dice. Kurt brought her home de other day." Dice offered her hand and Bobby shook it with a smile.
"Nice to meet you, Bobby." She smiled pleasantly. "If I may ask, what's your power?" Bobby took her glass and held it for a moment. Then he handed it back. "Oh, it's cold!" she exclaimed. He grinned.
"We call Bobby de Iceman, Dice." Remy's lip quirked.
"Well, I've got to get back to Ororo...we're gonna go shopping as soon as Dr. McCoy says she's clear to leave." She gave Remy and Bobby a parting smile and left.
Bobby whistled. "Wow, she's hot. A little tall for my taste, but that's no deal breaker."
Remy looked at him. "Really too bad dat she's so young, den," he said softly.
"She's legal, right?"
"Just barely." Remy swirled his glass. "Be careful, Bobby. Don't get burned. She got absorption powers, dat one. Might decide she don't like you et bang, you're in de infirmary."
"Wait, what?"
Remy grinned tightly, baring his teeth. "She suck de life out of you, Fraiche. Et aussi she know what you feel. So watch it. Maybe she make you tink you like boys."
"Thanks for the advice, bro. But I can take care of myself." He tossed back the last of his liquid courage and followed Dice's exit path.
Part II
Hank felt Ororo's leg with a gentle touch. "You should be fine. Just go easy on the ankle. Nothing broken, but we don't want to risk it." She nodded.
The infirmary door slid open. "Hey, Hank. Ororo. How's it going?"
"Good, Bobby." Ororo stood and rolled her down her jeans. "When did you get in?"
"Just a little while ago. Dice says you girls are going shopping?"
Dice smiled shyly. "I don't want to keep borrowing Ororo's clothes. I haven't got any of my own, except what I came in wearing...and those are pretty tattered."
They took one of the cars; Bobby volunteered to drive. He pointed out his motorcycle to Dice, who seemed suitably impressed.
"Where would you like to go?" Ororo asked.
"Well, I've always been fond of Target."
"Now, cost's no object," Ororo said quietly.
"No, really."
Bobby smiled. "Target it is. Maybe I can get some new Scooby-Doo boxers." That got the desired laugh from the ladies.
When they got there, Ororo excused herself to the restroom, leaving Bobby and Dice alone. "I know what you're trying to do, Bobby."
"What's that?"
"You're interested in me. You think I'm attractive. A new conquest, if you will. You're the clown and the playboy of the group." Her green eyes blazed into his; Bobby felt a shiver of heat and was suddenly very aware that they were in public.
"What are you doing to me?" he asked, gasping.
Dice blinked. "What?" Then she rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I'm...I'm sorry. Forgive me. It, well, it happens sometimes. I'm not quite in control of myself."
Bobby smiled suggestively. "No one is, Dice," he murmured.
"Stop it, Bobby." She looked away from him uncomfortably.
"Just tell me you really don't want me to mess with you, Dice, and I'll stop," he said. "But I think you don't want me to stop."
Her eyes flashed. "You're right, Bobby. I like the attention. You're a handsome man. But you know that, don't you."
Bobby shrugged. "Some have said that."
"I'm a writer by nature, Bobby. I observe life; I don't live it."
"Maybe you should try it," he breathed, moving closer to her. She inhaled sharply, and he felt a sudden rush.
"Please don't, Bobby."
He stepped back as Ororo came back toward them. "Where do you want to look first, Dice?" she asked, and Dice walked away from Bobby with her, casting a dark look at him.
Part III
Dice folded her new clothes and put them away, with Ororo's help. "Well, if you don't need me anymore, I'm going to go work on some things. Dinner's at six thirty."
"Thanks," Dice said.
She stood by the dresser for a minute, staring through the drawers. Then she felt a presence and turned around. It was Remy.
"Hey, fille."
"Hi, Remy. How are you?"
"D'accord, I think. De numbness wore off. But I'm gwan make it." He leaned against the door frame. "How 'bout you?"
"Good."
"Bobby tried to put de moves on you. I warned him, but de boy never listen."
"I can handle it, I'm a big girl. But thank you." She crossed her arms and leaned against the bureau. "When he flirts with me...I know what he's trying to do. I can't help but respond. And...I'm not really in control of my powers emotionally. I think I accidentally aroused him."
Remy laughed. "He deserves it. De Chill, he a dog." The Cajun shook his head. "He had to learn it all, you know. Remy got lucky. Part of my mutation is de power to charm."
"Really?"
"Oh, yeah."
Dice looked at him. "That sounds like a useful power..." But she was skeptical. "Show me."
"You sure?"
"Yeah."
He closed the door behind him; the whole mansion didn't need to know about this little demonstration. Dice felt suddenly warm, and he insinuated himself gracefully into her personal space. "Mm, Dice," he murmured, inhaling her scent. "Je te desire. Has anyone ever told you dat you are incredibly beautiful?" He ran a hand down through her hair, pressing his forehead against hers.
"Je crois que je tombe amoureuse, Dice."
She looked at him; her eyes were dark and she was breathing heavily. "Oh, Remy," she gasped.
Remy pulled back suddenly. "I need to stop now," he said, turning away.
"I'm sorry! I...I didn't mean to..."
"No. It's not your fault." He rubbed his forehead. "I went too far. You're very powerful, Dice. I think if you work on it you could use de empathic abilities you've got to do amazing tings." Remy wouldn't meet her eyes.
"What's wrong, Remy?"
Finally, he turned back towards her. Sweat had beaded on his lip and forehead. //She's too much like her...I should go, she's too young, we're vulnerable right now...I meant it too much...//
"I be fine, really. I just..."
Dice crossed the distance and took his hand. "I know you're hurting, Remy. I should not have asked." She looked into his eyes; Remy swallowed hard. "But I want you to know, Remy, that I can sense something in you. It fascinates me. I...find myself strangely attracted to you."
He found himself leaning closer. //I wish this was real.//
//It's real enough.// Remy heard the voice whisper in his head just as Dice leaned up to kiss him.
There was a knock at the door. They parted quickly, and Dice opened the door to see Bobby standing outside. "Hey, kid," he said. "Oh, hi Rems. I just came to get you for dinner, Dice." She nodded and they followed him out.
Bobby dropped back beside Remy. "Dude, you got lip gloss on your mouth." Remy wiped at it. "If you don't want me on your turf that's cool...I just thought you'd need some time, man. It's only been a few days."
Remy looked at him angrily. "It's not like that, Chill. You know as well as I do dat she got some kinda power...I still in love wit Rogue, even though she gone. Don't even suggest dat I'm not."
Bobby glanced at Dice, who had kept walking. "Yeah. Seriously gave me a boner at Target. We better watch out. She's a man-eater."
Part IV
"Professor, have you got a few minutes?"
"Of course, my dear." Dice walked beside his chair. "What's bothering you?"
Dice chewed her lip. "It's really hard to explain. Can I just show you?"
He nodded. Dice knelt beside him and let him place his fingertips on her forehead. She opened her shielding and let him inside. "Ah, I see," he said. "That is a problem."
"What worries me, Professor, is that I kind of enjoy the feeling of power. And...and I really am attracted to Remy."
"I'll work with you, Dice. I've helped people with far less control become totally in command. We'll find a way for you to wield your powers when and where you want." She thanked him. "Get some rest tonight. You're tired, and that makes it worse."
Part I
Bobby Drake parked his silver Kawasaki Ninja in the garage and set his helmet on the seat. The house computer system welcomed him.
"Welcome home, Iceman. Blue Team and Excalibur are currently away."
He acknowledged and took the lift to the main level. Bobby shouldered his duffel as the lift stopped and stepped out; he had three flights of stairs to climb to his loft apartment, but he shrugged it off--it wasn't worth walking to the other elevator, in his opinion. He liked stairs. When he was climbing a staircase he didn't have to engage his brain. Midway up the first flight, he heard the sound of ice clinking in a glass.
Bobby peeked around the corner into the rec room. "Hey, Remy," he said softly. He'd heard the bad news; how was Gambit doing?
"Allo, Bobby. Comment vas-tu?"
"I'm good. Hey, hook me up with some of that?" He gestured at the bottle. Remy nodded and took out a second glass.
"Ice, ami?" Remy smirked slightly.
Bobby chuckled. "Sure, man." Remy dropped a handful of cubes into the glass and poured the amber-colored liquor over them. Bobby took it from him.
"How's it going, Rems?" he asked quietly.
Remy sighed. "Le's just say dis is de only bottle left in de liquor cabinet, Chill." Bobby nodded, settling onto a stool.
"You wanna talk about it?"
"Non."
"Okay."
They drank in silence for a moment. Then Bobby heard footsteps approach; Dice came into the bar half of the rec room. "Hey." She picked up a glass and went for some orange juice and seltzer from the bar.
"Bobby, dis is Dice. Kurt brought her home de other day." Dice offered her hand and Bobby shook it with a smile.
"Nice to meet you, Bobby." She smiled pleasantly. "If I may ask, what's your power?" Bobby took her glass and held it for a moment. Then he handed it back. "Oh, it's cold!" she exclaimed. He grinned.
"We call Bobby de Iceman, Dice." Remy's lip quirked.
"Well, I've got to get back to Ororo...we're gonna go shopping as soon as Dr. McCoy says she's clear to leave." She gave Remy and Bobby a parting smile and left.
Bobby whistled. "Wow, she's hot. A little tall for my taste, but that's no deal breaker."
Remy looked at him. "Really too bad dat she's so young, den," he said softly.
"She's legal, right?"
"Just barely." Remy swirled his glass. "Be careful, Bobby. Don't get burned. She got absorption powers, dat one. Might decide she don't like you et bang, you're in de infirmary."
"Wait, what?"
Remy grinned tightly, baring his teeth. "She suck de life out of you, Fraiche. Et aussi she know what you feel. So watch it. Maybe she make you tink you like boys."
"Thanks for the advice, bro. But I can take care of myself." He tossed back the last of his liquid courage and followed Dice's exit path.
Part II
Hank felt Ororo's leg with a gentle touch. "You should be fine. Just go easy on the ankle. Nothing broken, but we don't want to risk it." She nodded.
The infirmary door slid open. "Hey, Hank. Ororo. How's it going?"
"Good, Bobby." Ororo stood and rolled her down her jeans. "When did you get in?"
"Just a little while ago. Dice says you girls are going shopping?"
Dice smiled shyly. "I don't want to keep borrowing Ororo's clothes. I haven't got any of my own, except what I came in wearing...and those are pretty tattered."
They took one of the cars; Bobby volunteered to drive. He pointed out his motorcycle to Dice, who seemed suitably impressed.
"Where would you like to go?" Ororo asked.
"Well, I've always been fond of Target."
"Now, cost's no object," Ororo said quietly.
"No, really."
Bobby smiled. "Target it is. Maybe I can get some new Scooby-Doo boxers." That got the desired laugh from the ladies.
When they got there, Ororo excused herself to the restroom, leaving Bobby and Dice alone. "I know what you're trying to do, Bobby."
"What's that?"
"You're interested in me. You think I'm attractive. A new conquest, if you will. You're the clown and the playboy of the group." Her green eyes blazed into his; Bobby felt a shiver of heat and was suddenly very aware that they were in public.
"What are you doing to me?" he asked, gasping.
Dice blinked. "What?" Then she rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I'm...I'm sorry. Forgive me. It, well, it happens sometimes. I'm not quite in control of myself."
Bobby smiled suggestively. "No one is, Dice," he murmured.
"Stop it, Bobby." She looked away from him uncomfortably.
"Just tell me you really don't want me to mess with you, Dice, and I'll stop," he said. "But I think you don't want me to stop."
Her eyes flashed. "You're right, Bobby. I like the attention. You're a handsome man. But you know that, don't you."
Bobby shrugged. "Some have said that."
"I'm a writer by nature, Bobby. I observe life; I don't live it."
"Maybe you should try it," he breathed, moving closer to her. She inhaled sharply, and he felt a sudden rush.
"Please don't, Bobby."
He stepped back as Ororo came back toward them. "Where do you want to look first, Dice?" she asked, and Dice walked away from Bobby with her, casting a dark look at him.
Part III
Dice folded her new clothes and put them away, with Ororo's help. "Well, if you don't need me anymore, I'm going to go work on some things. Dinner's at six thirty."
"Thanks," Dice said.
She stood by the dresser for a minute, staring through the drawers. Then she felt a presence and turned around. It was Remy.
"Hey, fille."
"Hi, Remy. How are you?"
"D'accord, I think. De numbness wore off. But I'm gwan make it." He leaned against the door frame. "How 'bout you?"
"Good."
"Bobby tried to put de moves on you. I warned him, but de boy never listen."
"I can handle it, I'm a big girl. But thank you." She crossed her arms and leaned against the bureau. "When he flirts with me...I know what he's trying to do. I can't help but respond. And...I'm not really in control of my powers emotionally. I think I accidentally aroused him."
Remy laughed. "He deserves it. De Chill, he a dog." The Cajun shook his head. "He had to learn it all, you know. Remy got lucky. Part of my mutation is de power to charm."
"Really?"
"Oh, yeah."
Dice looked at him. "That sounds like a useful power..." But she was skeptical. "Show me."
"You sure?"
"Yeah."
He closed the door behind him; the whole mansion didn't need to know about this little demonstration. Dice felt suddenly warm, and he insinuated himself gracefully into her personal space. "Mm, Dice," he murmured, inhaling her scent. "Je te desire. Has anyone ever told you dat you are incredibly beautiful?" He ran a hand down through her hair, pressing his forehead against hers.
"Je crois que je tombe amoureuse, Dice."
She looked at him; her eyes were dark and she was breathing heavily. "Oh, Remy," she gasped.
Remy pulled back suddenly. "I need to stop now," he said, turning away.
"I'm sorry! I...I didn't mean to..."
"No. It's not your fault." He rubbed his forehead. "I went too far. You're very powerful, Dice. I think if you work on it you could use de empathic abilities you've got to do amazing tings." Remy wouldn't meet her eyes.
"What's wrong, Remy?"
Finally, he turned back towards her. Sweat had beaded on his lip and forehead. //She's too much like her...I should go, she's too young, we're vulnerable right now...I meant it too much...//
"I be fine, really. I just..."
Dice crossed the distance and took his hand. "I know you're hurting, Remy. I should not have asked." She looked into his eyes; Remy swallowed hard. "But I want you to know, Remy, that I can sense something in you. It fascinates me. I...find myself strangely attracted to you."
He found himself leaning closer. //I wish this was real.//
//It's real enough.// Remy heard the voice whisper in his head just as Dice leaned up to kiss him.
There was a knock at the door. They parted quickly, and Dice opened the door to see Bobby standing outside. "Hey, kid," he said. "Oh, hi Rems. I just came to get you for dinner, Dice." She nodded and they followed him out.
Bobby dropped back beside Remy. "Dude, you got lip gloss on your mouth." Remy wiped at it. "If you don't want me on your turf that's cool...I just thought you'd need some time, man. It's only been a few days."
Remy looked at him angrily. "It's not like that, Chill. You know as well as I do dat she got some kinda power...I still in love wit Rogue, even though she gone. Don't even suggest dat I'm not."
Bobby glanced at Dice, who had kept walking. "Yeah. Seriously gave me a boner at Target. We better watch out. She's a man-eater."
Part IV
"Professor, have you got a few minutes?"
"Of course, my dear." Dice walked beside his chair. "What's bothering you?"
Dice chewed her lip. "It's really hard to explain. Can I just show you?"
He nodded. Dice knelt beside him and let him place his fingertips on her forehead. She opened her shielding and let him inside. "Ah, I see," he said. "That is a problem."
"What worries me, Professor, is that I kind of enjoy the feeling of power. And...and I really am attracted to Remy."
"I'll work with you, Dice. I've helped people with far less control become totally in command. We'll find a way for you to wield your powers when and where you want." She thanked him. "Get some rest tonight. You're tired, and that makes it worse."
