Romance

If you don't have to spend hours cleaning up your barf at the end of this chapter, then you must have a very strong stomach.  It's just that we've never really written anything other than humor so we got a little out of hand.  You have been warned.

"That was really fun Scott." Said Jean as she and Scott got out of his car.  But as they walked into the institute, Jean couldn't help but think that her frequent dates with Scott were incomplete.  She felt as though she was just going through the motions when they went out to the movies or to concerts.

"You want to hang out for a little while?" Scott asked.

Jean looked at her watch to see it was eight o'clock.  "Actually, Scott…" she said nervously.  "I'm feeling kind of tired.  Do you mind if I just call it a night?"

"Oh." Said Scott.  "Sure, Jean."

Jean slowly meandered back to her room and lied down on her bed.  Something was missing but she didn't know what.

Pietro couldn't live on watching television and eating poorly prepared sandwiches for the rest of his life!  Something felt out of the ordinary on Friday nights when he would sit at home with the other members of the Brotherhood.

What was it that made him feel so awkward all of a sudden?  Usually, he was just fine with this lifestyle but suddenly he couldn't stomach the feeling that he would be alone for the rest of his life.  This didn't make him feel like himself, and that was always a bad thing because if Pietro wasn't Pietro, then who would be awesome and fast?

"Are we doing anything today?" asked Pietro.

"No." chimed the Brotherhood.

Pietro sighed.

"Pietro, are you feeling all right?" asked Fred.  "You seem down in the dumps."

"Wait, Charles, are you sure that that is what Fred's personality is like?" Beast questioned.

"Yes." Lied Professor Xavier.  "I know all their personalities.  All the mutants are like my children and I know my children."

"Well, all right." Said Beast.  "I trust you since you're Professor Xavier."

"I am." Said Pietro.  "My life feels so empty.  I feel as though I've sped too far ahead in my life and now I have to wait for everyone else to catch up."

"That happens all the time though." Said Todd.

"Yes…" Pietro agreed.  "But still…"

"I think you need a lady friend, Pietro man." Said Lance.

"You think so?" said Pietro.  "I feel that way too.  I feel so empty and I feel as though…if I had a woman to fill that empty gap in my heart then maybe…maybe I might just be able to find myself and continue."

"There's a dance tonight." Said Lance.  "Maybe you can find someone there."

"I almost forgot about the dance!" said Pietro.  "Thanks Lance!  Maybe I should go and get ready now!"  Then he ran upstairs and ran back downstairs all ready to go.  "All right!  Let's go!"

The four best friends journeyed to the dance.  It wasn't too far of a hike, but with Pietro dragging his feet, the trek seemed to drag on forever.

"Aw man, look who's here!" came a voice as the Brotherhood finally entered the dance.  "I bet they're gonna start a fight!"

They looked up to see the X-Men standing over them.

Pietro was about to come up with a clever, witty comment to shoot back at them but something held him back.  He was distracted by a casual flip of hair by a certain redhead.  One whom he was supposed to hate, but couldn't help but love

"NO CHARLES!!!" Beast yelled.

"What?!" Professor Xavier said, nearly jumping out of his wheelchair.

"Don't make it so obvious so early!" Beast answered.  "You can't say 'love' within the first page!"

"Oh come now, Hank, we've written almost a page and a half." Professor Xavier said.

"Yes but you had to make that fancy large title to that took up quite a lot on the page." Beast pointed out.

"Oh very well." Said Professor Xavier.  "We can have a dance contest…or maybe a snowball!  And THEN a dance contest!  With the partner who you were dancing the snowball with!  And of course, Pietro and Jean will…"

"Stop, Charles!" yelled Beast.  "Why would the reader have to read our fanfiction if you're just going to say the whole story right now?"

"You're right." Said Professor Xavier.  "Let's go.  I'll do that last line over again…"

Pietro was about to come up with a clever, witty comment to shoot back at them but something held him back.  He was distracted by a casual flip of hair by a certain redhead.  One whom he was supposed to hate, but couldn't find himself to do so.

"We're just trying to enjoy the dance, Summers!" said Lance.  "Isn't that right, Pietro?"

Pietro paused nervously.

"PIETRO?" Lance said more forcefully.

"Um!" said Pietro.  "Right!  Uh…yeah!"

Jean watched the boys bicker amongst themselves and couldn't help but laugh a little.  Something about the way Pietro appeared to be so coy kind of gave her the impression that maybe he was just putting on a tough guy image and was actually a very sensitive boy.

"Jean, what do you think?" asked Scott.

"Uh, what?" Jean said, looking at Scott.

"You want to dance?" Scott asked.

"Oh…um…sure Scott." Said Jean, taking one last look at Pietro and then taking Scott's hand.  Pietro watched them leave and sighed longingly.

Jean danced with Scott, but she could feel her feet sluggishly moving to the quick tempo.  Scott appeared happy, but she couldn't help continuously glancing back to Pietro who was coolly leaning up against a wall with his arms crossed.  He was alone, since the other members of the Brotherhood had soon left his side due to his melancholy mood, and Jean grinned a bit and thought about how Pietro would dance to a fast song.

"Do you want something to drink, Jean?" Scott asked over the booming music.

"To drink?" Jean asked, glancing at where the drinks were.  Exactly the opposite side of the room as Pietro…and it would take Scott a long time to push through the crowds and find her again.  "Yes, Scott…that would be nice."

"Okay!" said Scott as he hurried off.

Jean didn't know exactly what compelled her to, but she slowly walked towards Pietro.  Pietro noticed her and looked away meekly but glanced up at her as she finally made it over to him.  The silence was awkward and the air was thick between them.  The music slowly changed from its fast beat with the loud bass to a slow, sweet song.

This song reminds me a little of Jean…Pietro thought to himself.  Should I ask her to dance?  She's standing right here…

Pietro looked Jean in the eyes.  She was a little taller than he was, but he was still growing.  But she was waiting for him and he knew that she would not ask him so it was now or never.

"Um…Jean?" he said slowly.

"Yes." Said Jean immediately and then she blushed.

"Really?" Pietro said, his eyes lighting up.  Jean nodded.  "All right!"  He took her hand and led her onto the dance floor.  She wrapped her arms around him and he around her and then they began dancing.  They swayed slowly and Pietro knew that if he could make this moment last forever, then he would give up his mutant power.  For once, he didn't mind things going slowly.

"I have to say…" said Jean.  "I came to this dance with Scott…"

"Oh…?" said Pietro quietly.

Jean nodded.  "But…" she began as Pietro's heart leapt up into his throat.  "I don't see why I can't dance with you too."

Jean slowly moved her hands down Pietro's shoulders and on his arms that rippled with muscles that were hidden under his sweater.  Slowly, she put her hands on his chest, and moved downward

"Uh…hold it Charles." Said Beast nervously.  "You're getting a bit graphic.  This is Jean we're talking about.  And Pietro."

"…So?" said Professor Xavier.

"Also, I just have to say, I don't think that Pietro has muscles." Said Beast.  "Especially not rippling ones."

"Well, in my opinion, he DOES." Said Professor Xavier.

"All right…" said Beast.  "But just be careful with what you describe.  Try to keep it…PG-13."

"Very well…" sighed Professor Xavier.

"Jean," said Pietro, grabbing Jean's wrists.  "You're here with Scott."

"Not anymore, Pietro." Said Jean.  "Right now, I'm here with you.  And I like living in the moment."

Pietro had waited years to hear those words, but he couldn't help but think about what would happen if Scott came back to this.  Scott would probably accuse him of seducing Jean.  "What if Scott comes back?" Pietro asked.  "What if he sees us?"

"We have to leave." Said Jean.  "Because of Scott comes back, I won't see much more of you, now will I?"

"All right." Said Pietro, grabbing Jean's hand and quickly, VERY quickly, pulling her out of the dance.  They stood outside of the building and looked up at the stars.

"I know where we can go." Said Jean as she lifted herself and Pietro from the ground with her mind powers and the two drifted into the sky.

"I'm flying!" Pietro exclaimed.

"Where are they going?" asked Beast.  "What's your trail of thought?"

"I was thinking they could go back to the Brotherhood house."  Professor Xavier replied.

"How about they go to a field and then…get it on?" Beast suggested.

"I know." Said Professor Xavier.  "They could fly up to a cloud and point out constellations and THEN get it on?"

"A cloud…" sighed Beast.  "That's so romantic…"

"Where are we going, Jean?" Pietro questioned.

"It's a special place." Said Jean.  "I used to go with Scott all the time but we never did much except look around anxiously."  Jean took Pietro higher and higher into the sky until she finally stopped and rested the two of them gently on a cloud.  They lied back and looked up at the star constellations.

"And that's Ursa Major!" said Jean, pointing at a constellation.

"Wow, Jean, you're really smart." Said Pietro.

"I study really hard." Jean answered.  Pietro felt a bit awkward at the announcement of school, so he tried to change the subject.

"I never knew lying on clouds was possible." Said Pietro.

"It is." Jean answered, turning over and facing him.  "If you have the right heart."

"Jean, that is so beautiful." Said Pietro, facing her as well.  "I expect so much to come from one as beautiful as you."

"Pietro…" Jean whispered.

"Yes?" Pietro asked.

"I love you." Jean answered.

"You really…" started Pietro but he couldn't finish what he was saying because Jean had pulled him for a kiss.  It was a long, wet kiss and Pietro could feel Jean's confident tongue

"Charles, this is beautiful writing." Said Beast.  "I am tearing at the eyes.  Tears are coming down like waterfalls.  Look at them Charles.  Look!  But still, you must remember to keep it PG-13."

"This IS PG-13, Hank." Said Professor Xavier.  "What I'm about to write is rated R."

"What were you about to write?" asked Beast.

"The sex scene." Said Professor Xavier.  "How does this sound?  Pietro unhooked Jean's bra…"

"No, Charles." Said Beast.

"No good?" Professor Xavier asked.  "Well, how about this.  With his quick hands, Pietro easily removed…"

"It's not the wording." Said Beast.  "It's just that's a little to graphic."

"Oh fine…" said Professor Xavier.  "But how are we going to describe their sex scene?"

"We won't."

"Then how will this be a romance story?"

"Maybe it won't be."

"Then what will it be?"

Beast thought for a moment.  "Well, the one genre that's almost as good as romance is tragedy.  Everyone loves reading about other people's pains.  Maybe Jean can become pregnant…"

"Jean…pregnant?" Professor Xavier said, rubbing his chin.

"I know it would never happen in real life…"

"No, no, I'm not disapproving…" said the professor.  "I think it's a marvelous idea.  So, you're saying we should switch our writing style to tragedy?"

"I think that's where our story will go from here."

"Very well…" said Professor Xavier.