Pietro poked at the glass. "I'm still not drinking this." He pushed it over to Fred. "You try it."
"Hey! I'm not gonna die on account of you being scared of her. YOU drink it!"
Pietro bit his lip and then looked at Todd. "Don't even think about it."
"Lance?"
"No."
"Rogue! My invulnerable best friend! I always liked you best!"
She stared at him flatly. "Ya actually think that's gonna work on me?" He nodded despite himself. She sighed. "Fine, give it over. Ah'm just takin' a sip though."
She took a tiny fraction of it and a startled look crossed her face before she coughed slightly.
"Iknewit!Shetriedtopoisonme!"
Rogue shook her head, then spoke, voice raspy. "Just potent. Really potent." Her eyes went wide and she convulsed slightly, then went completely back to normal. "Ooh, damn. Ya gotta try this shit." She swirled the glass in her hand a bit. "Is she allowed to give us this?"
"Probably not. I don't think I should drink it..."
"Aww, c'mon, it'll be fun. Remind me to ask her what this is."
Pietro still looked a bit reluctant.
"Hell, I'LL take it if y' don' want it, homme."
No longer hesitant, he snatched it up, drank it all in one gulp, and blinked. An involuntary shudder shook his frame slightly. "Woah. That was... different. I wonder if that's what absinthe is like." He eyed the glass dubiously. "That's supposed to be green though."
"What's absinthe?"
"Outlawed in America and most European countries, has opium, I can't remember what kind of liquor, and I think a few other ingredients. Some of the famous artistic geniuses drank it... A few of them went insane though, now that I think about it..." he informed them.
"And you know this how?"
"Umm..." He offered them a half smile. "I read a lot?"
"Fine, be a spoil-sport," Tabitha huffed, then smiled before retrieving her arm from over his shoulder.
Lilith came back with Remy's new fork and grinned when she noticed the empty glass. "How did that feel?"
"Verr good," Pietro slurred, messing around.
The waitress laughed. "No more for you!"
"Hey, what is that anyway?" Rogue asked.
"'Sapphire Lightning.'"
"Never heard o' it," Remy said as she handed him the fork.
"A drink ya haven't heard o'? Such a thing exists?" the southern girl teased in a shocked tone.
He didn't smile. "Ap'arently." Everyone present gave a mental wince at his cold tone.
"That's because the only one who knows how to make it is James," Lilith told him, in an attempt to break the sudden tension.
"James?"
"Our bartender. Won't tell me how to make it though. I quote, 'You would use its power for evil.'"
"You probably would," Pietro said under his breath.
"Oh, and after I gave you that nice drink too. I get to know what's in it when he's dead though." They gave her disbelieving looks. "Seriously. He showed me his will."
"Y' get a real interestin' mixture o' people workin' here..."
Lilith snickered. "I can't believe you even said that, considering who you're sitting with."
"Lil, stealing my customers, are you?" Courtney asked, grinning as she arrived at their table. She handed out desserts, stacking some empty plates on one of the trays to help clear up some place. Fred immediately dug into one of his. Lilith took the other tray from her and began to help.
"Just keeping them warm for you."
"What's that?" she questioned glancing at the empty glass in front of Pietro. "Or rather what WAS that?"
"One of James' specialties."
"Oooh... Those have a nice kick don't they?" She looked closely at Lilith. "You had one too, didn't you?"
"A lady doesn't kiss and tell."
"Thought so." She grinned suddenly. "Did you tell them his last name?"
"No. You know how he hates that."
"It's too good not to share though!" The turned to the others, eyes alight with amusment. "It's Bond. James Bond. Like the spy. He's British, and he even has the blue eyes and black hair!"
"You realize if he hears you telling people that he'll cut you off?"
"Shhh!" She held a finger to her lips. "Our secret."
"Aren't y' bot' underage anyway?"
"Gotta love James. 'Bloody stupid American drinking laws. 'Ere you go, luv.'" Lilith grinned. They stared at her.
"Y' REA'LY can't do accents, chere. Y' know dat, right?"
Lilith began to giggle. "But it's so funny! He gets that adorable pinched look and starts swearing at me."
Courtney shook her head and gently patted Lilith on the shoulder. "He really should stop giving her those."
"I only had one!"
"One is more than enough for you, hun. Believe me."
"I should be insulted, shouldn't I?" Pietro cleared his throat. Lilith turned to look at him. "I didn't ask for your opinion."
"Ummm, Lil, why don't we get rid of these plates and check on the rest of the desserts?"
"Okay, sure," Courtney nodded to the others and walked away with Lilith.
"Don't you think it's a bit odd that she's drinking on the job?" Pietro asked.
"A girl like dat? Non."
"Someone sensible please answer me."
Remy huffed, but Rogue spoke up. "Think o' it this way: if she's had a drink she'll be more mellow, an' if she's more mellow she'll be less inclined ta cause ya physical harm."
"This is true."
"Oh, my God, I think this is the best thing I've ever tasted in my life!" Tabitha practically moaned after taking a small bite of the culinary creation in front of her.
"Ya're not gonna go all 'When Harry Met Sally' on us, are ya?" Rogue asked cautiously, watching the other girl.
"Oh, please do," Pietro invited with a wicked grin.
Tabitha ignored him and indulged herself in more of her dessert. She squeaked, keeping a moan in. Before Pietro could say a thing, she held her finger up, a warning scowl crossing her face.
Fred licked his lips, twiddling his fingers together as he decided where to start. His stare shifted among the six plates in front of him, right to left, left to right...
"Geez, just pick one, Blob," Todd said in an exasperated tone, distracted by Fred's choosing practices, while trying enjoy his cherries jubilee. Remy chuckled once again at the dessert Todd had decided on and received glares from both females at the table because of it.
He put his hands up defensively. "Désolé!" He turned his attention back to his apple pie, still smirking.
Rogue ate her first forkful of the chocolate cheesecake. Her eyes widened and then slitted with pleasure. "Mmmm..." The contented, almost purring sound was more suited to a bedroom than a public place. Remy's attention was no longer on the pie in front of him. In fact, it was taking all the control and thieves' training he had to not react visibly. Rogue licked her lips and took another small bite, clearly savoring the taste. Remy's head stayed lowered to the plate, his forked stayed poised so he could take another bite of his delectable apple pie, but his eyes traveled slowly, reluctantly over to Rogue. She was completely oblivious of his gaze, absorbed in her third bite. Another purr sounded from deep in her throat.
'Merde, does she have t' do dat?!' It was taking everything to keep him from jumping her, literally. His free hand slunk underneath the table... reaching over near her thigh... 'Stop dat,' he told himself. 'Dis is 'xactly what Lance was talkin' 'bout. She's just baitin' me...' His hand shook involuntarily from being held at such an awkward position right next to her leg. 'But dat noise... Dieu.'
"Hey, Remy?" She looked at him with those same eyes full of so much passion. 'Mus' turn 'way... Can' fall int' her eyes...' "Do ya wanna try it? Ah couldn't eat this without sharin' it with ya. It's too damn good."
Remy opened his mouth to speak, and she looked at him as if asking for the final "go ahead." He got an idea. "Sure, sounds like y' been enjoyin' it." She smiled slyly and gently fed him a forkful. 'Damn, dis is good...' Once again, he fought to keep his real emotions hidden. "Eh, it's alright," he lied. "Cheesecake's nev'r been my t'ing."
"Oh," she said, bringing back the fork to her plate. Her eyes showed a slight defeat. 'He wasn't s'pose t' act like that...' "How's yoahs, then?"
"Y' want t' try it f'r y'self?" He held his fork out with a bite of apple pie. She leaned in and closed her lips over the golden colored dessert, slowly dragging her teeth over the fork as if to get every last taste. Remy had never wanted to be a piece of flatware so badly in his life. Her tongue reached out to get the bit of filling still on her lips and she swallowed. 'Oh, now dat's just cruel, chere.'
"The cheesecake's better," she said after a moment.
"Mat'er o' opinion," he responded, just before popping another bite in his mouth.
"It definitely is," she whispered huskily before turning back to her cheesecake. Both of the southerners got the feeling they were being watched and simultaneously raised their attention to the hanging mouths of everyone at the table. "What?"
"Oh.my.God," Pietro muttered.
"You said it," Lance whispered. All the boys had similar expressions, and Tabitha winked at Rogue as if to say "good job".
Rogue went back to enjoying her desert, bite by agonizingly slow bite. Remy went back to trying to control his overactive libido. She was NOT helping.
'Come on, homme. Y're mad at her, 'member? Oui. Pissed off. I don' care how damned hot- T'oughts like dat not helpin', LeBeau. Y' want t' be whipped f'r de rest o' yer life? Just- Merde. Dat can't be legal... It's indecent. It's almost obscene. Dieu, I want t'- Non! Dat way lies de pat' t' ruin! Keep calm... If dey keep lookin' at her like dat I'm going t' have t'- Not in a crowded restaurant y' won'... So focus on Rogue... De sounds she be makin'! An' dat look on her face! She has t' be doin' it on purpose! Alright, DON' focus on Rogue. Focus on yer pie. Dat's right. Nice pie. Y' like pie. Pie y' watched Rogue eat... She had her mouth on dis very fork... Dieu, I need a drink...'
Without thinking, he got up and walked over to the bar. Rogue watched him go, thinking she might have gone too far. 'Why isn't he respondin' ta this?! He usually eats this sorta thing up.' She pouted internally.
TBC...
"Hey! I'm not gonna die on account of you being scared of her. YOU drink it!"
Pietro bit his lip and then looked at Todd. "Don't even think about it."
"Lance?"
"No."
"Rogue! My invulnerable best friend! I always liked you best!"
She stared at him flatly. "Ya actually think that's gonna work on me?" He nodded despite himself. She sighed. "Fine, give it over. Ah'm just takin' a sip though."
She took a tiny fraction of it and a startled look crossed her face before she coughed slightly.
"Iknewit!Shetriedtopoisonme!"
Rogue shook her head, then spoke, voice raspy. "Just potent. Really potent." Her eyes went wide and she convulsed slightly, then went completely back to normal. "Ooh, damn. Ya gotta try this shit." She swirled the glass in her hand a bit. "Is she allowed to give us this?"
"Probably not. I don't think I should drink it..."
"Aww, c'mon, it'll be fun. Remind me to ask her what this is."
Pietro still looked a bit reluctant.
"Hell, I'LL take it if y' don' want it, homme."
No longer hesitant, he snatched it up, drank it all in one gulp, and blinked. An involuntary shudder shook his frame slightly. "Woah. That was... different. I wonder if that's what absinthe is like." He eyed the glass dubiously. "That's supposed to be green though."
"What's absinthe?"
"Outlawed in America and most European countries, has opium, I can't remember what kind of liquor, and I think a few other ingredients. Some of the famous artistic geniuses drank it... A few of them went insane though, now that I think about it..." he informed them.
"And you know this how?"
"Umm..." He offered them a half smile. "I read a lot?"
"Fine, be a spoil-sport," Tabitha huffed, then smiled before retrieving her arm from over his shoulder.
Lilith came back with Remy's new fork and grinned when she noticed the empty glass. "How did that feel?"
"Verr good," Pietro slurred, messing around.
The waitress laughed. "No more for you!"
"Hey, what is that anyway?" Rogue asked.
"'Sapphire Lightning.'"
"Never heard o' it," Remy said as she handed him the fork.
"A drink ya haven't heard o'? Such a thing exists?" the southern girl teased in a shocked tone.
He didn't smile. "Ap'arently." Everyone present gave a mental wince at his cold tone.
"That's because the only one who knows how to make it is James," Lilith told him, in an attempt to break the sudden tension.
"James?"
"Our bartender. Won't tell me how to make it though. I quote, 'You would use its power for evil.'"
"You probably would," Pietro said under his breath.
"Oh, and after I gave you that nice drink too. I get to know what's in it when he's dead though." They gave her disbelieving looks. "Seriously. He showed me his will."
"Y' get a real interestin' mixture o' people workin' here..."
Lilith snickered. "I can't believe you even said that, considering who you're sitting with."
"Lil, stealing my customers, are you?" Courtney asked, grinning as she arrived at their table. She handed out desserts, stacking some empty plates on one of the trays to help clear up some place. Fred immediately dug into one of his. Lilith took the other tray from her and began to help.
"Just keeping them warm for you."
"What's that?" she questioned glancing at the empty glass in front of Pietro. "Or rather what WAS that?"
"One of James' specialties."
"Oooh... Those have a nice kick don't they?" She looked closely at Lilith. "You had one too, didn't you?"
"A lady doesn't kiss and tell."
"Thought so." She grinned suddenly. "Did you tell them his last name?"
"No. You know how he hates that."
"It's too good not to share though!" The turned to the others, eyes alight with amusment. "It's Bond. James Bond. Like the spy. He's British, and he even has the blue eyes and black hair!"
"You realize if he hears you telling people that he'll cut you off?"
"Shhh!" She held a finger to her lips. "Our secret."
"Aren't y' bot' underage anyway?"
"Gotta love James. 'Bloody stupid American drinking laws. 'Ere you go, luv.'" Lilith grinned. They stared at her.
"Y' REA'LY can't do accents, chere. Y' know dat, right?"
Lilith began to giggle. "But it's so funny! He gets that adorable pinched look and starts swearing at me."
Courtney shook her head and gently patted Lilith on the shoulder. "He really should stop giving her those."
"I only had one!"
"One is more than enough for you, hun. Believe me."
"I should be insulted, shouldn't I?" Pietro cleared his throat. Lilith turned to look at him. "I didn't ask for your opinion."
"Ummm, Lil, why don't we get rid of these plates and check on the rest of the desserts?"
"Okay, sure," Courtney nodded to the others and walked away with Lilith.
"Don't you think it's a bit odd that she's drinking on the job?" Pietro asked.
"A girl like dat? Non."
"Someone sensible please answer me."
Remy huffed, but Rogue spoke up. "Think o' it this way: if she's had a drink she'll be more mellow, an' if she's more mellow she'll be less inclined ta cause ya physical harm."
"This is true."
"Oh, my God, I think this is the best thing I've ever tasted in my life!" Tabitha practically moaned after taking a small bite of the culinary creation in front of her.
"Ya're not gonna go all 'When Harry Met Sally' on us, are ya?" Rogue asked cautiously, watching the other girl.
"Oh, please do," Pietro invited with a wicked grin.
Tabitha ignored him and indulged herself in more of her dessert. She squeaked, keeping a moan in. Before Pietro could say a thing, she held her finger up, a warning scowl crossing her face.
Fred licked his lips, twiddling his fingers together as he decided where to start. His stare shifted among the six plates in front of him, right to left, left to right...
"Geez, just pick one, Blob," Todd said in an exasperated tone, distracted by Fred's choosing practices, while trying enjoy his cherries jubilee. Remy chuckled once again at the dessert Todd had decided on and received glares from both females at the table because of it.
He put his hands up defensively. "Désolé!" He turned his attention back to his apple pie, still smirking.
Rogue ate her first forkful of the chocolate cheesecake. Her eyes widened and then slitted with pleasure. "Mmmm..." The contented, almost purring sound was more suited to a bedroom than a public place. Remy's attention was no longer on the pie in front of him. In fact, it was taking all the control and thieves' training he had to not react visibly. Rogue licked her lips and took another small bite, clearly savoring the taste. Remy's head stayed lowered to the plate, his forked stayed poised so he could take another bite of his delectable apple pie, but his eyes traveled slowly, reluctantly over to Rogue. She was completely oblivious of his gaze, absorbed in her third bite. Another purr sounded from deep in her throat.
'Merde, does she have t' do dat?!' It was taking everything to keep him from jumping her, literally. His free hand slunk underneath the table... reaching over near her thigh... 'Stop dat,' he told himself. 'Dis is 'xactly what Lance was talkin' 'bout. She's just baitin' me...' His hand shook involuntarily from being held at such an awkward position right next to her leg. 'But dat noise... Dieu.'
"Hey, Remy?" She looked at him with those same eyes full of so much passion. 'Mus' turn 'way... Can' fall int' her eyes...' "Do ya wanna try it? Ah couldn't eat this without sharin' it with ya. It's too damn good."
Remy opened his mouth to speak, and she looked at him as if asking for the final "go ahead." He got an idea. "Sure, sounds like y' been enjoyin' it." She smiled slyly and gently fed him a forkful. 'Damn, dis is good...' Once again, he fought to keep his real emotions hidden. "Eh, it's alright," he lied. "Cheesecake's nev'r been my t'ing."
"Oh," she said, bringing back the fork to her plate. Her eyes showed a slight defeat. 'He wasn't s'pose t' act like that...' "How's yoahs, then?"
"Y' want t' try it f'r y'self?" He held his fork out with a bite of apple pie. She leaned in and closed her lips over the golden colored dessert, slowly dragging her teeth over the fork as if to get every last taste. Remy had never wanted to be a piece of flatware so badly in his life. Her tongue reached out to get the bit of filling still on her lips and she swallowed. 'Oh, now dat's just cruel, chere.'
"The cheesecake's better," she said after a moment.
"Mat'er o' opinion," he responded, just before popping another bite in his mouth.
"It definitely is," she whispered huskily before turning back to her cheesecake. Both of the southerners got the feeling they were being watched and simultaneously raised their attention to the hanging mouths of everyone at the table. "What?"
"Oh.my.God," Pietro muttered.
"You said it," Lance whispered. All the boys had similar expressions, and Tabitha winked at Rogue as if to say "good job".
Rogue went back to enjoying her desert, bite by agonizingly slow bite. Remy went back to trying to control his overactive libido. She was NOT helping.
'Come on, homme. Y're mad at her, 'member? Oui. Pissed off. I don' care how damned hot- T'oughts like dat not helpin', LeBeau. Y' want t' be whipped f'r de rest o' yer life? Just- Merde. Dat can't be legal... It's indecent. It's almost obscene. Dieu, I want t'- Non! Dat way lies de pat' t' ruin! Keep calm... If dey keep lookin' at her like dat I'm going t' have t'- Not in a crowded restaurant y' won'... So focus on Rogue... De sounds she be makin'! An' dat look on her face! She has t' be doin' it on purpose! Alright, DON' focus on Rogue. Focus on yer pie. Dat's right. Nice pie. Y' like pie. Pie y' watched Rogue eat... She had her mouth on dis very fork... Dieu, I need a drink...'
Without thinking, he got up and walked over to the bar. Rogue watched him go, thinking she might have gone too far. 'Why isn't he respondin' ta this?! He usually eats this sorta thing up.' She pouted internally.
TBC...
