Guess Who's Coming To Dinner
Disclaimer: Guess what? still don't own the X-men. The title is from a movie with Sydney Poitier and I highly recommend it and any other movie he's ever been in
Five hours later the X-men were in the Danger Room, successfully fighting for their lives against a plague of Brood warriors. Four hours later Sam was in the kitchen getting two pots out of the bottom cabinet. As he was bent over Jubilee felt it hard to resist slapping him on the backside as she passed by. Sam, surprised by the swat on his behind, quickly raised his head, only to have it hit the inside of the cabinet. "Ow," he yelled as he dropped both pots on the floor and placed his hands on the injured part of his head. He winced at the pain and the knot slowly forming on his head.
"Oh geez Sam, dude I had no idea that would happen," Jubilee apologized quickly, "Is your head ok? Anything you want me to do and I'll totally do it. Is your head ok? I am soooo sorry."
"Just help me do the dishes when supper's over," Sam said, trying not to get mad at his friend.
Jubilee hated doing the dishes, but she saw that in this case she had no choice. "Definitely, do you want me to get some ice for that…"
"Nah, that's ok I just need to get my mind off of it. I'll put some ice on it before I go to bed."
"OK cool, um so what're you making," Jubilee started to fidget, wondering when the yelling would begin.
"Hotdogs, since most everybody goes out on Saturday nights anyways and that's all I know how to make" Sam said as he picked the two small pots off the floor and placed them on the stove.
"Sweet! Well I gotta go help Hank in the lab, but I'll see you at dinner," Jubilee said as she began walking to Beast's lab.
"See ya then," Sam waved and then when he had made sure Jubilee was out of range yelled, "Ouch!"
One hour later Bobby and Sam sat down and began eating. Hank and Jubilee had called up from the lab and said they would be another half hour. The rest of the X-men had gone their separate ways for dinner. "Hotdogs, baked beans, and corn on the cob, way to go Sam," Bobby said with a mouthful of beans, "by the way how'd you get that knot on your head." Sam wasn't about to give Bobby anymore ammunition so he just said, "Bumped mah head on one of the cabinets." Bobby nodded and continued to chew thoughtfully. Sam saw something brewing in Bobby's eyes and simply waited for the other man to spit it out.
Bobby finished his hotdog, wiped his mouth and said, "Listen Sam in all seriousness I want to apologize for the pictures and the gags ok?"
"Alright," Sam said, still suspicious of what was going on in Bobby's mind.
"OK so why don't you take Jubilee out on a date sometime?"
"Why don't you Bobby," Sam fired back with a smile.
"She's more like my little sister or maybe it's my older sister," Bobby pondered and then shook it off. "Either way she's like family to me Sam. You on the other hand haven't been with us that long and you're just now getting to know her better."
"Yeah Ah guess, but…"
"Country! These hotdogs are great," Jubilee yelled from the kitchen. Sam's mouth automatically shut and then opened again to say, "Glad you like 'em Lee. So what were you and Beast doing in the lab?" Bobby just smirked and went back to eating his food.
"We were attempting to understand the properties of Mr. Starsmore energy field and what, if anything could be done with his condition," Beast answered while putting food on his plate.
"Did you find anything," Bobby asked before smiling at Sam and motioning with his head towards Jubilee so only Sam could see.
"I believe we may be on to something, but it will take time," Beast said before sitting down. Afterwards the conversation strayed from research to when the next baseball game would happen. It would have been a normal conversation for the X-men there, except that when Jubilee went to the kitchen to get another glass of tea or looked away Bobby would purposefully look at Sam and motion with his head at Jubilee. At one point Jubilee caught the motion and said, "What's up Drake?" "Uh nothing," Drake said, twisting his neck, "just trying to work out this kink in my neck."
"Would you like to have a look at that Robert? It may be something serious," Hank asked after finishing his second plate. "Uh, no, I'm alright. Thanks anyways Hank," Bobby said evenly. "Very well then I shall retire to my lab for the rest of this beautiful Thursday night." "Later Beast," Jubilee said, "and it's Saturday night." Beast just smiled and said, "Of course it is." Bobby also got up from the table and smirked at Sam before saying, "I think I'll keep you company for a little bit Hank. Gotta make a twinkie stop first though." "I shall see you then," Hank said all the more happy for having someone to keep him company in the lab.
"Well Country looks like it's just you and me tonight," Jubilee said, leaning back from her plate and tilting the chair on its back legs. "Yup," Sam said, thinking ever so slightly about what Bobby had suggested earlier, "Reckon we better get those dishes done, otherwise the food's just gonna dry to the plate."
"Alright just give me a minute."
Sam nodded at that, but got up and began clearing the dishes from the table away. He took them to the kitchen and began to fill up the sink with water. "Why not just let the dishwasher do the job Sam," Jubilee asked curiously.
"Ahm just used ta doing the dishes by hand Ah guess; it's how we did everything on the farm."
Jubilee got up and made her way to the kitchen, "It sorta makes sense Country, but when I was homeless I got used to eating out of a dumpster, but I don't do that anymore."
"Yeah Ah guess, but Ah like washing the dishes by hand, did you ever lahk eating out of a dumpster."
"No, but you did what you had to do. So how can you like washing dishes by hand? I mean your fingers get all pruny and greasy from the water and it takes forever."
"Yeah, but it helps me to just relax and think about things. Life ain't always about rushin' to the next thing ya know."
"See that's what I like about you southern people you're so laid back. ZZZZ" Jubilee mimicked.
"Well Ah gotta tell ya somethin' Jubilee and you gotta promise me you won't tell anyone."
"Yeah? What is it," Jubilee asked as she inched closer to Sam at the sink.
"Well the main reason Ah lahk washing dishes by hand is because with a dishwasher you cain't do this," Sam said before throwing a large handful of sudsy water at Jubilee, thoroughly soaking her. He cracked up laughing at the now dripping wet Jubilee. She was stunned not so much by the water, but by the attacker. Sam had never been one to play a prank, not in the time she had known him at least, but she had to admit this one hadn't been bad. Of course he would pay with his life, but she had to admit that her respect for him went up a couple more notches. "You're dead Guthrie," Jubilee said before scooping a handful of water and then throwing it at Sam, who was laughing so hard he didn't have time to move out of the way. Bobby walked by on his way to the lab with a handful of twinkie boxes and began to laugh. Sam had immediately run back to the sink for more ammo after his first soaking, but Jubilee had retaliated with two more handfuls before running from her opponent. This plan didn't work as Bobby had left a small slick of ice before heading on towards the lab. Jubilee slipped and failed to get up before Sam caught up to her, a smile on his face. "Um I surrender," Jubilee asked meekly, seeing the evil that smiled stood for.
Sam stood over her and seemed to ponder the request and smiled again. "Alright, let's get the dishes done, we'll finish the fight later," he said and offered his hand to her. When he had pulled her up they walked back in the kitchen and began to wash the dishes, few as there were. After they had finished Jubilee ran the back of her hand along her forehead as if she was exhausted. Sam smirked at the exaggeration. "So what're we going to do now Country? Work's taken care of and nobodies around to bug," Jubilee said.
"Ah don't know, we could try finishing that movie we watched a couple weeks ago."
"We could just skip it and sleep on the couch together again," Jubilee said with a flirty wink of her eye, which made Sam blush a bright scarlet.
"We could do that," Sam drawled, "but I kinda like not fighting with Logan as much as possible. How about a nice round of twenty one questions?"
"Bring it on Country."
"Alright Ah'll meet ya in the rec room in about five minutes, gotta head to the men's room."
"Alright see you in five," Jubilee said before heading towards the rec room. As she walked she remembered the conversation that she and Hank had while setting up in the lab.