NOTE: Ah.finally moving the jubilee/bobby romance along, everyone can
breathe a sigh of relief. Hehe. Anyway, please review!
Jubilee brushed her long black hair back until it fell straight and silky past her shoulders. Her stomach grumbled slightly, and she suddenly realized that she had skipped lunch. "Damned if I have to fight in the Danger Room on an empty stomach," Jubilee mumbled and wandered into the institute's sprawling kitchen to investigate the contents of the well- stocked fridge. A hot fudge sundae, that's what I need, Jubilee thought, looking around in the freezer for the ice-cream.
A sound behind her caused Jubilee to jump and whirl around. To her relief it wasn't Bobby, but rather Jean who walked in, looking decidedly irritated. Jubilee fished out the carton of rocky road, and even in her bleak mood, fought a grin as Jean brusquely grabbed the carton of vanilla ice cream. Seeing her smirk, Jean gave her a look.
"What? Why are you staring at me like that?" Jean demanded, practically stabbing her spoon into the carton.
Jubilee shrugged. "It's just I don't think I've ever seen you eat ice- cream right out of the carton like that. Scott must have really messed up." Jean bristled immediately.
"What makes you think this had anything to do with that arrogant impressionable little-," Jean flushed, at Jubilee's shocked expression. "Okay, maybe I am a little angry. Scott is being so immature."
"Go figure," Jubilee commented absently.
"This is what happens when you have guys as friends. Things get so complicated," Jean said, sighing deeply.
"You're telling me," Jubilee muttered, taking another bite of ice- cream. Jean instantly picked up on her tone, and her eyes narrowed with concern. Jubilee looked up and gulped. Uh oh, Jean has that concerned- telepath look, Jubilee thought groaning inwardly as Jean stepped closer.
"You know, you and Bobby don't seem to be hanging out much together lately," Jean noted, scrutinizing Jubilee's face for a reaction.
"We've both been really..uh.busy," Jubilee said, fighting to keep her face neutral.
Jean frowned. "Well, if you get a chance, you should talk to Bobby. He's been acting really weird, and this morning he gave Duncan a black eye!"
Jubilee choked on a bit of marshmallow, and Jean used kinesis to bring water to her. After downing a glass, the shock drained the color out of Jubilee's face. "What.what do you mean? Bobby wouldn't do something like that!" Jubilee argued, her spoon suspended in midair.
"They got into a fight this morning, and Bobby admitted to starting it," Jean said firmly. The ice-cream was now feeling like a cement block in her stomach.
"Did he say why?" Jubilee asked hollowly, anger and confusion flashing through her.
"Duncan said it was just a big misunderstanding. He said for some reason that Bobby thought he was leading ~you~ on or something. Which is ridiculous because you and Duncan have never even-," Jean broke off, as she saw a mortified flush working up Jubilee's face.
"Well, I'm full. Gotta run," Jubilee said quickly, but before she could flee Jean blocked the entrance, her green eyes narrowed with stunned surprise.
"Did you date Duncan?" Jean sputtered.
"Uh, ...sort of," Jubilee began nervously, trying to back away. Angry telepaths weren't the safest people to be around in her experience. Jean's mouth formed a little "O'.
"What do you mean 'sort of?'" When did this happen? I can't believe it.Duncan never even ~mentioned~-," Jean was sputtering in confusion and anger. Jubilee closed her eyes briefly, still horrified that the disastrous date with Duncan had come to light. She was going to ~kill~ Bobby.
"If it's any consolation, I have never had and never will have an interest in Duncan Matthews. It ~was~ a complete misunderstanding," Jubilee said tersely, brushing her hair out of her blue eyes.
"Why didn't you tell me that Duncan had asked you out?" Jean demanded.
"I didn't really think it was ~worth~ mentioning. He's not even my type!" Jubilee said defensively. But Jean was pacing tensely across the kitchen, her hands fisted. Damn Bobby. Damn him for putting her in this situation.
"If he wasn't your type, why did you say yes?" Jean asked, crossing her arms in front of her chest.
"Because.because I didn't..I don't know why anymore," Jubilee said defeated. She saw Jean's face soften a little, but her hands remained clenched.
"It's not your fault," Jean said after a long moment, sighing. "Maybe Duncan misread things." Then she lifted her head and gave Jubilee a speculative look. "You know, Bobby fought him on your behalf. He thought Duncan had broken your heart or something."
Jubilee let out a dry, pained laugh. "Ha, as if that's possible. Duncan is too dumb to even-.oh oops. Sorry, Jean," Jubilee began quickly, catching herself but Jean just shook her head slightly.
"No, it's okay. I guess Duncan is kind of...slow," Jean said delicately, pursing her lips. Jubilee laughed and Jean joined in.
"Understatement of the year."
"Yeah, I guess maybe..I don't know. Duncan so simple it was almost appealing, you know? But he's a jerk, and I should've known he'd do something like this. It's just, I've been so busy with everything," Jean trailed off, looking lost in thought.
Jubilee took this as her cue to leave. But just as she left to exist, Jean gave her a small smile. "I think you ought to talk to Bobby. He cares about you."
Jubilee stiffened. "Lately he hasn't been caring about anyone but himself, or Samantha. And today's fight was just a misunderstanding, like you said. It didn't mean anything," Jubilee said fiercely.
But Jean's raised eyebrow caused Jubilee's cheeks to flush. She didn't dare read more into Bobby's actions this morning as anything but one friend sticking up for another. But maybe Jean was right. Maybe it was finally time for her to talk to him.
Jubilee brushed her long black hair back until it fell straight and silky past her shoulders. Her stomach grumbled slightly, and she suddenly realized that she had skipped lunch. "Damned if I have to fight in the Danger Room on an empty stomach," Jubilee mumbled and wandered into the institute's sprawling kitchen to investigate the contents of the well- stocked fridge. A hot fudge sundae, that's what I need, Jubilee thought, looking around in the freezer for the ice-cream.
A sound behind her caused Jubilee to jump and whirl around. To her relief it wasn't Bobby, but rather Jean who walked in, looking decidedly irritated. Jubilee fished out the carton of rocky road, and even in her bleak mood, fought a grin as Jean brusquely grabbed the carton of vanilla ice cream. Seeing her smirk, Jean gave her a look.
"What? Why are you staring at me like that?" Jean demanded, practically stabbing her spoon into the carton.
Jubilee shrugged. "It's just I don't think I've ever seen you eat ice- cream right out of the carton like that. Scott must have really messed up." Jean bristled immediately.
"What makes you think this had anything to do with that arrogant impressionable little-," Jean flushed, at Jubilee's shocked expression. "Okay, maybe I am a little angry. Scott is being so immature."
"Go figure," Jubilee commented absently.
"This is what happens when you have guys as friends. Things get so complicated," Jean said, sighing deeply.
"You're telling me," Jubilee muttered, taking another bite of ice- cream. Jean instantly picked up on her tone, and her eyes narrowed with concern. Jubilee looked up and gulped. Uh oh, Jean has that concerned- telepath look, Jubilee thought groaning inwardly as Jean stepped closer.
"You know, you and Bobby don't seem to be hanging out much together lately," Jean noted, scrutinizing Jubilee's face for a reaction.
"We've both been really..uh.busy," Jubilee said, fighting to keep her face neutral.
Jean frowned. "Well, if you get a chance, you should talk to Bobby. He's been acting really weird, and this morning he gave Duncan a black eye!"
Jubilee choked on a bit of marshmallow, and Jean used kinesis to bring water to her. After downing a glass, the shock drained the color out of Jubilee's face. "What.what do you mean? Bobby wouldn't do something like that!" Jubilee argued, her spoon suspended in midair.
"They got into a fight this morning, and Bobby admitted to starting it," Jean said firmly. The ice-cream was now feeling like a cement block in her stomach.
"Did he say why?" Jubilee asked hollowly, anger and confusion flashing through her.
"Duncan said it was just a big misunderstanding. He said for some reason that Bobby thought he was leading ~you~ on or something. Which is ridiculous because you and Duncan have never even-," Jean broke off, as she saw a mortified flush working up Jubilee's face.
"Well, I'm full. Gotta run," Jubilee said quickly, but before she could flee Jean blocked the entrance, her green eyes narrowed with stunned surprise.
"Did you date Duncan?" Jean sputtered.
"Uh, ...sort of," Jubilee began nervously, trying to back away. Angry telepaths weren't the safest people to be around in her experience. Jean's mouth formed a little "O'.
"What do you mean 'sort of?'" When did this happen? I can't believe it.Duncan never even ~mentioned~-," Jean was sputtering in confusion and anger. Jubilee closed her eyes briefly, still horrified that the disastrous date with Duncan had come to light. She was going to ~kill~ Bobby.
"If it's any consolation, I have never had and never will have an interest in Duncan Matthews. It ~was~ a complete misunderstanding," Jubilee said tersely, brushing her hair out of her blue eyes.
"Why didn't you tell me that Duncan had asked you out?" Jean demanded.
"I didn't really think it was ~worth~ mentioning. He's not even my type!" Jubilee said defensively. But Jean was pacing tensely across the kitchen, her hands fisted. Damn Bobby. Damn him for putting her in this situation.
"If he wasn't your type, why did you say yes?" Jean asked, crossing her arms in front of her chest.
"Because.because I didn't..I don't know why anymore," Jubilee said defeated. She saw Jean's face soften a little, but her hands remained clenched.
"It's not your fault," Jean said after a long moment, sighing. "Maybe Duncan misread things." Then she lifted her head and gave Jubilee a speculative look. "You know, Bobby fought him on your behalf. He thought Duncan had broken your heart or something."
Jubilee let out a dry, pained laugh. "Ha, as if that's possible. Duncan is too dumb to even-.oh oops. Sorry, Jean," Jubilee began quickly, catching herself but Jean just shook her head slightly.
"No, it's okay. I guess Duncan is kind of...slow," Jean said delicately, pursing her lips. Jubilee laughed and Jean joined in.
"Understatement of the year."
"Yeah, I guess maybe..I don't know. Duncan so simple it was almost appealing, you know? But he's a jerk, and I should've known he'd do something like this. It's just, I've been so busy with everything," Jean trailed off, looking lost in thought.
Jubilee took this as her cue to leave. But just as she left to exist, Jean gave her a small smile. "I think you ought to talk to Bobby. He cares about you."
Jubilee stiffened. "Lately he hasn't been caring about anyone but himself, or Samantha. And today's fight was just a misunderstanding, like you said. It didn't mean anything," Jubilee said fiercely.
But Jean's raised eyebrow caused Jubilee's cheeks to flush. She didn't dare read more into Bobby's actions this morning as anything but one friend sticking up for another. But maybe Jean was right. Maybe it was finally time for her to talk to him.