Disclaimer: I do not own, nor am I making any money from, the X-Men movie-
verse. Duncan and Hana belong to Corrinth, as does Ilehana Xavier should
she be mentioned. Star owns Golan, should he be mentioned too. All other
OCs belong to me, especially Blaze and Jessie.
A/N: Post X2 spoilers, and spoilers for Corrinth's Guardians of Destiny, which incidentally is excellent so go read it! Reviews always appreciated.
Scene 09
The cool air billowed softly around the woman as she sat cross-legged on the grass decorated with evening dew. Her eyes were closed in peace and serenity as darkness continued to descend with ferocity, her breathing slow and even, soft hair brushing her cheeks like curling tendrils.
"What are you doing?" A child's voice asked, intrigued. Blaze didn't open her eyes as she smiled.
"Meditating." She let out a long sigh and opened her eyes to the darkness. "What are you doing out of bed?"
"Practicing." Jessica replied. Sure enough, as Blaze lifted a handful of fire as a torch, she could not see the child at all. "An' I couldn't sleep." Jess shook her head and concentrated, becoming visible again. "What's meditatin'?"
"It's a relaxation technique really. I was taught to use it a long time ago by a little old woman in Paris. With a few tricks Gambit taught me later on to keep my cool, it was, still is, the best and only way for me to control my powers." Blaze made an offer she knew Scott would frown upon, but she couldn't help herself. "Would you like me to teach you? I've already helped a few of the students, and even some X-Men..."
"Gambit?" Jess pried, trying to picture the Cajun sat, as Blaze was now, on the lawn in this secluded corner of the mansion's grounds, back to the house, old gazebo away to the side...
"No, as far as he's concerned its all mumbo-jumbo." There was tenderness in Blaze's voice as she remembered the few times she'd conned Remy into trying it, usually after a few beers. Mostly he'd been too self-conscious of sitting as she was now to relax enough, but then again he had looked more than a little ungainly...
"Then nah, no thanks." Jessica plopped herself down ungracefully on the grass beside the teacher anyway, mimicking her cross-legged posture with her chin supported in her hands. "I'd rather just gossip really, if you don't mind?"
"Of course not, what's bothering you Jessica?"
"I dunno, stuff. Why my parents haven't been to visit like they promised?" Blaze winced at the hurt in Jessie's voice, wondering if it was Jessie's adopted family's decision or Scott's that kept them away.
"You've not been here that long, Jess. And it's a long way to California from New York just to pop in for a few days. Maybe they're saving to come over for a longer visit."
"I guess..." Jessica didn't sound too convinced, and Blaze swore to find out as soon as the opportunity presented itself. But Jessie had already put her misery to one side, chin up and now thoroughly red-on-black eyes sparkling she spoke again. "So what's goin' on with Iceman and Rogue? Everyone says they're like, in love or something, but I've never seen them kiss?"
"They are." Blaze smiled, knowing that right now Rogue would be curled up asleep under Bobby's arm, both dressed head to foot in gloves, socks, thick training gear bound at wrists and ankles to stop it riding up, scarves and so on for the privilege. "But Rogue's power means she can't touch anyone without hurting them, Bobby included."
"Oh." Blaze could see Jessie was too young yet to truly understand the curse of Rogue's power. Good, innocence faded to fast... The child again pushed her thoughts aside to mull over later, living cheekily for the here and now she wondered how far she could press Blaze... "What about you and Gambit? You ever dated?"
"Maybe..." Blaze's eyes narrowed as she wondered what her daughter was up to? "Why?"
"Hey, don't get all grown-up on me." Jessie giggled. "I may be just a kid but I'm not stupid! I've seen the way you look at him..."
"Yeah? How's that?" Blaze defensively folded her arms across her chest, then dropped them again as she realised whom it was she was driving away with that body language.
"Like my Mom looks at my Dad," Jessie laughed as she illustrated her point by batting her eyelashes and making puppy-dog eyes. Blaze frowned at the irony of the child's words. "Or Cyclops looks at Jean."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Blaze griped with her pulse racing and feeling a little queasy round the edges. She did not need this right now!
"Yeah you do!" Jessie crawled onto her knees, looked Blaze right in the eye and held her mother's gaze. "You're in love with him, ain't you?"
Anybody else. Any other time or place. Even if Jessica had not made such startling eye contact, Remy's eyes daring her to deny it... Could Blaze lie to her daughter?
"Yes." An admission of defeat, uttered as a challenge. "I've been in love with Remy almost as long as I've known him..."
"Uh-oh." Jessie muttered looking strangely past Blaze. Blaze turned on the spot, motion freeing fireballs from her to light the dark up like day. Gambit stood there, holding two pizza boxes, dark trench coat billowing around him. And from the look on his face, he'd heard everything.
A/N: Post X2 spoilers, and spoilers for Corrinth's Guardians of Destiny, which incidentally is excellent so go read it! Reviews always appreciated.
Scene 09
The cool air billowed softly around the woman as she sat cross-legged on the grass decorated with evening dew. Her eyes were closed in peace and serenity as darkness continued to descend with ferocity, her breathing slow and even, soft hair brushing her cheeks like curling tendrils.
"What are you doing?" A child's voice asked, intrigued. Blaze didn't open her eyes as she smiled.
"Meditating." She let out a long sigh and opened her eyes to the darkness. "What are you doing out of bed?"
"Practicing." Jessica replied. Sure enough, as Blaze lifted a handful of fire as a torch, she could not see the child at all. "An' I couldn't sleep." Jess shook her head and concentrated, becoming visible again. "What's meditatin'?"
"It's a relaxation technique really. I was taught to use it a long time ago by a little old woman in Paris. With a few tricks Gambit taught me later on to keep my cool, it was, still is, the best and only way for me to control my powers." Blaze made an offer she knew Scott would frown upon, but she couldn't help herself. "Would you like me to teach you? I've already helped a few of the students, and even some X-Men..."
"Gambit?" Jess pried, trying to picture the Cajun sat, as Blaze was now, on the lawn in this secluded corner of the mansion's grounds, back to the house, old gazebo away to the side...
"No, as far as he's concerned its all mumbo-jumbo." There was tenderness in Blaze's voice as she remembered the few times she'd conned Remy into trying it, usually after a few beers. Mostly he'd been too self-conscious of sitting as she was now to relax enough, but then again he had looked more than a little ungainly...
"Then nah, no thanks." Jessica plopped herself down ungracefully on the grass beside the teacher anyway, mimicking her cross-legged posture with her chin supported in her hands. "I'd rather just gossip really, if you don't mind?"
"Of course not, what's bothering you Jessica?"
"I dunno, stuff. Why my parents haven't been to visit like they promised?" Blaze winced at the hurt in Jessie's voice, wondering if it was Jessie's adopted family's decision or Scott's that kept them away.
"You've not been here that long, Jess. And it's a long way to California from New York just to pop in for a few days. Maybe they're saving to come over for a longer visit."
"I guess..." Jessica didn't sound too convinced, and Blaze swore to find out as soon as the opportunity presented itself. But Jessie had already put her misery to one side, chin up and now thoroughly red-on-black eyes sparkling she spoke again. "So what's goin' on with Iceman and Rogue? Everyone says they're like, in love or something, but I've never seen them kiss?"
"They are." Blaze smiled, knowing that right now Rogue would be curled up asleep under Bobby's arm, both dressed head to foot in gloves, socks, thick training gear bound at wrists and ankles to stop it riding up, scarves and so on for the privilege. "But Rogue's power means she can't touch anyone without hurting them, Bobby included."
"Oh." Blaze could see Jessie was too young yet to truly understand the curse of Rogue's power. Good, innocence faded to fast... The child again pushed her thoughts aside to mull over later, living cheekily for the here and now she wondered how far she could press Blaze... "What about you and Gambit? You ever dated?"
"Maybe..." Blaze's eyes narrowed as she wondered what her daughter was up to? "Why?"
"Hey, don't get all grown-up on me." Jessie giggled. "I may be just a kid but I'm not stupid! I've seen the way you look at him..."
"Yeah? How's that?" Blaze defensively folded her arms across her chest, then dropped them again as she realised whom it was she was driving away with that body language.
"Like my Mom looks at my Dad," Jessie laughed as she illustrated her point by batting her eyelashes and making puppy-dog eyes. Blaze frowned at the irony of the child's words. "Or Cyclops looks at Jean."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Blaze griped with her pulse racing and feeling a little queasy round the edges. She did not need this right now!
"Yeah you do!" Jessie crawled onto her knees, looked Blaze right in the eye and held her mother's gaze. "You're in love with him, ain't you?"
Anybody else. Any other time or place. Even if Jessica had not made such startling eye contact, Remy's eyes daring her to deny it... Could Blaze lie to her daughter?
"Yes." An admission of defeat, uttered as a challenge. "I've been in love with Remy almost as long as I've known him..."
"Uh-oh." Jessie muttered looking strangely past Blaze. Blaze turned on the spot, motion freeing fireballs from her to light the dark up like day. Gambit stood there, holding two pizza boxes, dark trench coat billowing around him. And from the look on his face, he'd heard everything.