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Chapter 8 – Confessions
Rahne's room, the Institute, 11:35 p.m.
'No way am I gonna fall asleep t'night' Rahne reflected, 'I got too much on me melon." She and the rest of the girls had stayed up talking until 11:15 p.m., mostly Kitty and her trying to change Jubilee's plan of action. The girl was hard headed though, and stuck to her guns. Rahne thought maybe Jubilee was a little nervous about going out with Sam, and made this plan so she wouldn't be alone. 'Bullocks to her, right? She can deal with Sam herself, she didn't have to force her an Kitty into her schemes!'
She wondered what Mally was doing right now, was he watching TV, thinking of the girls at the mall? Was he already asleep? She bet he would be cute when he was sleeping, his whiskers twitching as he dreamed. 'O me great granny, I'm being such a GIRL!' she mused, wondering why she was acting so crazy. 'Well, I guess I am a girl, so that makes it OK?' she wasn't sure. She started noticing boys about 2 years ago, really noticing them, and she had had a few crushes, but nothing like this. She thought about Mally every other second, and she got weird jealous at the mall for no real reason. She hadn't realized she had such a predatory side to her, but she could guess where it came from. She was a part wolf after all, and they are predatory and territorial.
'Just my luck, now I'm going to turn into a jealous bitch as I grow into womanhood.' She wished Moira was here, she could always make Rahne feel better.
"Well, I'm not gonna make meself feel betta lying here like a bump," she said to herself. "Might as well go have a spot of cocoa." Rahne got out of bed, grabbed her robe, and headed downstairs.
Outside the Gate House, 11:35 p.m.
Mally was looking down at a Polaroid picture his Pappy had taken about 10 minutes ago. It was shot of Mally, surrounded by Spider-Man, The Thing, Power Man, The Human Torch (Flame on, mind you!), Mr. Logan, and CAPTAIN AMERICA!
'Maybe someday there'll be a picture like this in the newspaper,' pondered Mally, 'with a headline like "The Super Seven Save The WORLD!", or something like that. Rippa!' he giggled like a school boy.
The heroes had gone back inside the gatehouse to finish a poker game. Pappy had told Mally to go back to bed, so the men could finish. Mr. Logan told him he would PT him to death if he told anyone what was going on at the Gate House. They had talked about some really important 'growing up' things, namely girls. Mally had never had a girlfriend, so their help and advice was great.
Mally felt his belly rumble. 'Guess I'll go back to the mansion and hit the sack,' he thought, 'But first I'm gonna stop by the kitchen for a snack. I think a big stinky veggie sub will work. Mmmmmm......'
He began to hop towards the mansion, covering the eighth mile distance quickly.
The Kitchen, the Institute, 11:45 p.m.
Rahne stirred the warming pot on the stove, mixing the cocoa in slowly. She hadn't bothered to turn on any lights save the stovetop light; even in her human form, she had pretty good night sight. Not like Wolverine, to be sure, not in her human state. 'This is jest what I needed, something sweet to make me have sweet dreams.', she thought, secretly hoping Mally was in those dreams.
Mally was designing his sandwich in his head as he headed down the hall to the kitchen, trying to be quiet, as to not bother anyone. 'I think extra onions are on order tonight, as I'll be going to bed afterwards, and it won't bother anyone if I "blow my horn" all night long. Yeah, and peppers too, me thinks, and a big glass o' milk to boot!' He turned the kitchen lights on as he walked thru the doorway.
"EEEP!" He quickly turned to look at where the noise came from, and only saw a set of greenish eyes and a red mop of hair peering over the island countertop. "Hello, what's this? Rahne? I'm sorry, I dint mean ta scare ya. Just came to make a sandwich before bed." He put on a big nervous grin, totally freaked out because the topic of tonights pow wow with the heroes was standing 10 feet away from him, and they were alone.
"You dinnat scare me, I was just......thinking about someone -, ah something and making me cocoa, and then the lights came on and......" she said quickly turning back to stir her drink. "Ye dint scare me, anyhows. Where have ye been tonight anyway, ye gots grass all over ya big floppy feet." She regretted saying that as soon as it popped out of her mouth.
Mally smiled reguardless. "I like me big floppy feet ,thank you very much, all the better to...uh...well...ah..." He couldn't think of anything witty to say about his feet. They were big and floppy, and she was right, they were covered with grass from his hopping about tonight. "Right, then. Well, I was up talking to me Pappy and Mr. Logan about ...stuff." It wasn't really a lie, he just didn't mention the heroes.
"What kinds of 'stuff'?" Rahne asked, looking over her shoulder at him.
"Aw, you know, just stuff, stuff you talk about with...other guys." He got an idea. He didn't know how good of an idea it was, but he went with it anyway. "Hey, Rahne, if I show you something, can you be 'mums the word' about it? I mean, REALLY keep a secret?"
Rahne turned around to face him, making eye contact. "If ye asked me ta keep a secret, I would, til the end o' me days." She took her cocoa off the burner, hoping he believed her.
Mally actually smelled the fact that she was telling the truth, one the 'animal-senses' bonuses. He pulled the picture of himself and the heroes out of the pouch on his kilt. "Lookit this, it's what I was doing tonight. Look!" He was excited in anticipation.
Rahne moved over to him and looked at the picture he was holding down to her. "Begorrah! Look at you, ya bloody boy, in tha middle of all those super-types! God almighty, where did ye meet up with those blokes? They certainly weren't at the corner store buyin' milk and cookies now, were they. How'd you......?" She was at a loss for words, staring at the picture.
"Well, that's a part of the secret. They were up at me Pappy's Gate House, playin' cards with Mr. Logan. Mr. Logan set it up, and they were drinkin' pints an toking on cigars, so that's why its gotta be all hush-hush, ya know?"
"So you talked about...'guy stuff'...with some of the greatest heroes ever?" Rahne squeaked, smiling a little now herself. "Must be nice. I mean, its not like She-Hulk, the Invisible Girl, and the Wasp are gonna show up here to help the lassies out."
"Yeah, I know. I feel really lucky, ya know. And they were real good guys, even the Captain, who I thought would be really tight, right? Crikes, I think me Pappy made the Thing shed a tear, even though he tried to hide it. An me an Spidey had a quick 'jump-off' before we took the picture!" Rahne looked at him with a 'who won' look on her face. "Well, Spider-Man can jump higher by far, but I beat him by a fly's wing in the standing long jump."
Rahne smiled. "An what were you all gabbing about that made the Thing cry? I didn't even know the Thing COULD cry!"
Mally looked down at his feet. "Well, me Pappy can get dramatic at times, and his Scots accent adds more passion. His mates used to call him 'Mr. Connery' at times." Rahne scrunched up her nose smirking. "I think the Thing just got caught up in the moment."
Rahne crossed her arms, waiting for Mally to really answer her question. "Well...we were talking about guys and girls, relationships, and the fact that I just forced myself not to think of 'normal' girls after me change. I didn't think any of them would find me their type of guy. I am a little different, ya know." He said, flopping his foot on the floor.
Rahne thought about that for a second. 'I guess he HASN'T had a chance to be with girls the way other teenage boys do. I didn't really take that into consideration."
"I didn't mean it when I said ye feets were floppy, I jest opened me gullet before thinking about it. I'm sorry." Mally smiled and waved her apology away.
"No Mally, really, I'm sorry. When I snipped at you in the mall the other day, I didn't mean it either. I think my noggin' hain't been workin' right the past couple of days......since we came to pick you up." Mally looked at her with a puzzeled look on his face. "When Mr. Logan and I saw ye fight those dingos that night, I thought ye were neat lookin'." She took a deep breath. "The next morning, when I could see tha color of yer fur, and your eyes shining......well, I thought you were beautiful." She quickly turned around to pour her cocoa into a cup, and to avoid his gaze.
Mally didn't know what to do. 'Man, this is so confusing! Did I just here a girl say I was beautiful? A pretty girl? Me? Kanga-Man? What do I say? What do I do?' His mouth got dry, and the fur on his palms got damp.
Mally walked over to stand right behind Rahne. "Hey girl, I think yer very pretty too. But..."
Rahne spun on Mally. "But what?! What, am not pretty enough for ye? I know I'm no Jean Gray or Miss Jubilation Lee, but I –"
Mally put his hand over her mouth. "No, No, not that ya silly git! I happen to think you are prettier than any picture I has EVER SEEN, an yer hair shines to me like a setting sun." Mally spit out. He stopped for a second after, not believing he had said what he said. "It's just that I never thought a girl like you would like me. Ever. You surprised me."
Rahne took his hand off her mouth, but did not let it go. "Mally, you want to know why I like ye? Is that it?" He nodded, looking her in the eye.
"I'll tell ye why," she said, "because, not for one minute since I laid eyes on you at your home, have I felt uncomfortable around ye. Yeah, I feel weird inside, and all flippy-floppy, but never uncomfortable with you. Most boys make me feel kinda shy, and I can't really see them giving me too much attention. Maybe its because I'm so short, but sometimes I think they look right thru me. Especially if I'm with Jean, or Jubilee, or even Ms. Munroe sometimes."
She paused, taking another deep breath. "I didn't ever feel that way with you."
Mally smiled at her. "Good, I'm glad ye feel that way. I......I guess I hoped you'd feel that way." He looked at the picture, still in his hands. "Here, take this. It's for you, I think.", he said handing the picture over.
"Ye cannot give me this," Rahne said, shaking her head, "This is yours! Where else are you gonna get a picture of yerself with all yer heroes?"
"Well, I'll tell ya what, dingo,", he said, smiling, "You keep it fer me. I trust ya ta keep it safe, and then every time I see you, I'll think of it, and it will remind me of this night."
"So seeing me will remind ye of the night ye met yer heroes?" Rahne asked.
"Nope. Seeing you will remind me of the night we talked, ya know, right now and all. So I won't ever forget."
End – Chapter 9 – Hello, Evil...