(A month later)
Steph walked down the hall, stretching and yawning as she entered the kitchen to greet Bobby, Jubilee, Mark, and Hank, who were all sitting at their breakfasts.
"Hey Steph, you and Hank going on another date later?" Bobby said in between mouthfuls of Frosted Flakes. Hank, as usual, ignored the comment and Steph just arched her eyebrow at him as she poured Cocoa Puffs into her bowl. Mark glared at Bobby, clutching his spoon of Lucky Charms in a death grip, but Jubilee laughed and flicked some Fruit Loops at her friend.
"They're not dates," she said, "they're two friends who have both admitted (finally) that they love eachother going on little nights out, like to the movies and stuff, as friends, not lovebirds." Mark tried to keep the sneer off his face and instead looked down at his cereal as Steph sat next to Hank, nodding at Jubilee.
"Right gal, ya got it, good for you," she said. Jubilee just flicked another Fruit Loop at her, which ended up in Hank's coffee.
"Oops," she said. Hank chuckled as he fished the over-inflated purple Cheerio out with a spoon and set it next to his Twinkie on the napkin.
"Think nothing of it," he said a bit quickly. Steph looked at him but didn't say anything, and Bobby sighed.
"Well, if we're all gonna be stuck in the mansion today, I mean, aren't there any new evil plots to stop?" he asked. "It's like we're bored out of our wits until all the bad guys decided to throw parties everywhere and then we're so swamped we don't get any sleep for a month!"
"Not exactly parties," Steph said, rolling her eyes.
"That's one way to put it, for sure," Jubilee said. "But sometimes I do get tired of running around screaming when we go against the really ugly bad guys."
"Maybe you wouldn't do so much of that if you trained more and didn't loose it when we get out there," Mark said, and Jubilee pretended to be offended.
"I do not loose it," she said.
"Hey gal, you said it first, not him," Steph pointed out. Jubilee stuck out her tongue.
"Oh I get it, let's all like, gang up on Jubilee," she said.
"That's right," Mark grumbled, ignored by the others.
"A mission would be nice though," Bobby said, eyes wandering off. "I could use some time off the usual pace for a while, trade peace for a bit of rushing around and defeating the bad guys for a few days."
"Or perhaps none of you have done the required amount of training this week," Hank said knowledgably. "And are merely feeling the lack of danger and workouts physically and subconsciously?"
"Or maybe we're like, bored of the Danger Room and want some real action?" Jubilee replied.
"Would the professor get upset if we asked Magneto to start causin' trouble and let us fight him again?" Steph wondered. Hank shook his head.
"I doubt he would appreciate that," he said.
"Crap." The other three replied. They continued eating for a while in silence.
"You ok Hank?" Steph asked, noticing her friend twiddling his thumbs and shooting looks at Mark, Bobby, and Jubilee every once in a while.
"Don't even ask," Jubilee replied.
"He's been like that all morning," Bobby said. Hank coughed slightly as Steph blinked.
"What's up?" she asked.
"Oh," Hank said, jumping slightly and again glancing at the other adults. "Oh, nothing, really." He tried to smile, but Steph just looked worried.
"Told ya," Bobby said through a mouthful of cereal. Hank cleared his throat as the phone rang and Jubilee got up to answer it.
"Erm, Stephanie, would you care to take a stroll?" He asked. "I need to talk to you... in private."
"S-" Steph's reply was cut off when Jubilee, having located and answered the phone, looked over at the group across the room.
"STEPH IT'S KURT HE WANTS YOU TO GO VISIT HIM IN GERMANY AGAIN!" She yelled, making the others wince. Steph rolled her eyes.
"Hold on a second," she said to Hank, patting him on the arm and then flying over and wrestling the phone out of Jubilee's grip. "Kurt?"
"Ach, I've almost forgotten how loud Jubilee can be," he replied, a grin in his distant-phone-connection voice.
"Hey, how's it going?" Steph asked, "You an' Kitty find any new recruits yet?"
"A few," Kurt said dismissively. "But vot I really vanted to talk to you about vos-"
"Are you talking to Steph?" Steph could hear Kitty in the background. Kurt must have nodded, or Kitty already knew, because the next thing Steph heard was a "vot?!" and small scuffle, then Kitty's excited voice on the other end of the line.
"I heard you and Hank like, finally got together!" she said breathlessly.
"Kitty! I vos talking vith Steph-"
"In a sense, you'd say yes," Steph smiled, looking back at Hank, who must have known what she was talking about and smiled, still looking anxious to talk.
"Has he kissed you yet?" Kitty asked, in a voice holding nothing but delight and mischief.
"Kitty please, I need to talk vith her about-"
"No," Steph smiled, listening to Kurt in the background and the continued sounds of a chase for the phone. Kitty giggled. "An' would I tell you if he did?"
"I bet he has," Kitty laughed, "I can see it- how cute!"
"Be quiet," Steph said, turning away from the other X Men to hide her blush.
"Kitty!"
"Alright, alright! Listen-I like, gottago, Kurt's upsetnowand gettingthathorrible'pained' look on'isface," Kitty said, speaking so rapidly it was hard to make out what she was saying. "Pumme on speakerphoneaffer youfinishyour chat!" And with that there was the sound of another giggle and Kurt regained control of the phone. Steph chuckled.
"Had to chase her around again?" she asked, listening to Kurt's heavy breathing.
"Ja," he said.
"I would have thought you would be in better shape," Steph said.
"No, not vith her, she is still a vall valker," Kurt said. "Anyvay, since you already know vot I vant to ask, vot do you think?" Steph thought it over.
"How long? When?" she asked.
"Up to you, and you might bring Hank and Ruhko and Bucky vith you? Or at least your younger sisters," Kurt replied, sounding eager.
"Sure, I'd love t' see you again, it's been even lonelier here without you an' Kit stirring up trouble," Steph said. Kurt sighed.
"I know," he said. "But ve... Steph, after you and Hank and Ruhko vent missing-"
"I know, I know," Steph said, not wanting to hear her step father and friend's fears repeated.
"Kitty does not vant to return quite yet, I think she's ashamed that ve left," Kurt said solemnly. Steph snorted.
"She'll come 'round soon enough, then you guys can come back, if just for a visit." Steph turned around and shrugged at Bobby and Jubilee's questioning looks.
"Vell then, I'm sure the others vant to talk," Kurt said.
"Yeah," Steph said, putting the phone back in its cradle and activating the speaker, she could hear Kurt doing the same.
"Hey Jubes," Kitty said, "how is like, everyone?"
"Good," Jubilee smiled. "We all miss ya chika, and Hank's like, having to take furry blue man duties all on his own like, without Kurt's help. He's here, and so is Bobby and Mark and Steph."
"I'm sorry, my friend," Kurt said.
"No problem at all," Hank replied in the same quick tone, avoiding Steph's gaze, who had tilted her head and narrowed her eyes at him.
"What's going on Hank? What's wrong?" she asked as Jubilee and Bobby took over the conversation. Hank shook his head.
"Your stepfather is on the phone- it would be rude and inconsiderate to take you from the conversation," he said, biting his lip.
"I can call them anytime," she said. "If something's wrong-"
"Nothing's wrong, I'll assure you," Hank said.
"Hank," Steph said exasperatedly, touching his hand.
"I merely wanted to talk to you away from the others," Hank said quickly.
"About what?" Steph asked.
"So any new recruits?" Kitty was asking.
"One, he's a strange guy," Jubilee said.
"Hank," Steph said again in her best 'don't-make-me-worry-for-nothing' voice.
"I wanted to talk to you in private so-I-could-ask-you-to-marry-me," Hank blurted out all at once, then gasped at himself. Steph's eyes widened.
"What?!" Bobby and Kurt said, both completely thrown off. Clang! Mark had knocked over his bowl of cereal as Jubilee and Kitty gasped. Hank blushed so profusely his facial fur turned a crimson color and he seemed to be mentally slapping himself. The silence after was heavy, until Hank, looking directly at Steph sighed.
"That was not how I was hoping it would come out, allow me to try again," he shrugged. Then he got down on a knee and fumbled in his pocket for a second, taking out a small box and opening it, holding out the silver ring to Steph. "Stephanie, I love you more than my temporarily slowed mind could ever comprehend, right now I only know what my heart has been begging me to ask for a long time now, will you make me the happiest man in this world by becoming my wife?"
Steph stared at him, her mouth hanging open, the hand Hank held gone completely rigid in shock. For a long time no one uttered a sound, everyone stared at Steph, waiting for her answer. Hank began to look desperate for some reaction.
"I know there is an age difference," he said, almost pleadingly. "And I know now may not be the most appropriate time, but I need to know- sweet Stephanie, please!" but still there was no answer. A million and three thoughts were racing through Steph's head so fast she couldn't even glimpse them, and though she might have once or twice expected this to happen, now that it had finally come out all she could do was stare at Hank.
After a few moments Hank looked down, shoulders trembling and sagging slightly.
"Yes," he said after a moment, in a small, dejected voice. "Of course- I mean..." he looked up at Steph briefly, eyes pained. "I'm sorry- I've made a mistake," he seemed to choke on the words as he slowly got up and turned away, hand closing around the ring as he began to walk out of the kitchen. Mark's face had lit up and he was grinning now, triumph sketched on every feature.
"Hank!" Steph cried out suddenly, chasing after Hank just as he had reached the door. He stopped but didn't turn around, and Steph reached out a hand, putting it on his broad back. After a moment she turned him around and kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Hank seemed so surprised that it took him a moment to reply, but when they broke apart he grinned and put the ring on Steph's finger.
"It's gorgeous!" Steph breathed, staring at it, and then laughed and buried her head into his neck as he wrapped his arms around her. "Oh Hank, how could I ever say no?"
"....vot's going on?" Kurt asked finally from the phone.
Clunk!
Jubilee and Bobby burst out laughing.
"Did she say yes? Not? What's up?" Kitty almost sounded hysterical as Steph and Hank laughed and kissed again.
"M-Mark- Mark just fell out of his chair!" Bobby gasped through his laughter.
Kitty squealed.