A/N: Have you guys seen the episode "Shadowed Past" lately? (Well, not on TV since they finished it) It's the one where Rogue has dreams of Mystique's memories and Kurt finds out that Mystique is his mom. Well, I happened to see Evan in a sleeveless shirt in that episode while I was working on this fic. Needless to say, I floated...
Rogue stopped the bike in front of a newly built house. She got off and quickly straightened her hair and clothes. Then her gaze roamed over the house, and she was impressed with how it turned out. She walked up the cement steps and rung the doorbell. It made a clear ringing sound, very different from the last one.
She still didn't know why she came here; it was probably the wrong time. But something had been eating at her and she needed to clear a few things up. So she waited, shifting from one foot to the other, growing more uncomfortable by the minute.
Finally, the door opened. "Hey."
"Hi," she said with a smile and stepped in.
Hakan walked the streets with his hands in his pockets, a happy expression on his face. Rogue was quite an individual, and even though she couldn't touch like his brother, he was hoping for a future with her. He felt as if he could trust her…enough to lend her his precious motorcycle. Her being a mutant would make their relationship even more interesting, especially when she introduced Eyrie to this Professor Xavier of hers.
He let out a wistful sigh as he thought about his brother finally meeting people like him. Eyrie's childhood had been a difficult one ever since his powers kicked in at the tender age of nine. Hakan had been a caring older brother, and he protected Eyrie from many of the sorrows that could befall a young frightened mutant. He couldn't wait for his brother to meet Rogue…they would definitely get along. She was supposed to meet Eyrie later for lunch at their house.
A small smile lifted Hakan's lips as he thought about the pretty goth girl. As soon as she'd walked in the classroom, he knew that there was something different about her. And he knew that there was something different about her friend Evan, too. He chuckled quietly as he considered himself having his own mutant power that detected other mutants. But seriously, Rogue was special. He'd never had a relationship before, never even kissed a girl. And with Rogue's condition, he probably never would. But he'd find a way to get around her powers. She was too good a catch to give away, too beautiful a person to let go.
And besides, he thought with a very wide smile, she was full of surprises. Her little "escapade" last night was most intriguing.
"Dammit, this sucks!" Evan growled loudly after driving around town for three hours with no luck in finding her. "Now I gotta go back to the institute."
He turned the car around, about to do just that, when he realized that he was almost out of gas. Sighing heavily, he proceeded to drive to the nearest gas station. He got out of the car and started to fill her up when the voice he wanted to hear least in the world called out to him.
"HeyDanielsfancyseeingyouhere," Pietro said as he zoomed over to him.
"What do you want?" Evan barked.
Pietro's eyebrows rose in surprise. "What'supwithyou? Roguethrowyououtoftheapartmentalready?"
Evan glared at him. "How did you know about the apartment?"
"Everyone knows about it," Pietro replied, speaking slower. "Right, guys?"
"Uh, yeah!" Fred called from their jeep.
Lance was trying in vain to shoot the gasoline in the tank, but with Todd hopping in the jeep, he could barely get a drop in.
"Toad, would you cut it out?" he snapped.
"Shouldn't have given me that ice cream cone, yo," the other boy said, still hopping. "I'm hyper."
Evan was developing a headache from watching Todd's movements, the smell of the gasoline, the stress of not being able to find Rogue, and lack of sleep. "Just buzz off, Maximoff, I'm not in the mood for your crap."
"I'm not in the mood for my crap, either. Actually, I came to you to ask about Rogue."
Evan's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What about her?"
"Whoa, no need to look at me like that. Just wanted to know how she was doing."
"Why? Why would you care?" Evan demanded.
"Jeez, what IS it with you? Can't I ask about a former family member?"
"No, cuz she's part of my – of our family now. With the X-Men." Flushing, he finished filling Scott's car and paid through the Pay-At-Pump slot. Then, without another word to Pietro, he started the car and drove away.
The silver-haired boy watched him go, his face serious. Did something happen to Rogue?
Rogue waved goodbye, disappointed that the person she came to talk to wasn't home. Oh well. Maybe tomorrow. Right now she needed to get back to the apartment. She had a feeling that Evan wasn't home, and she needed to change her clothes again for her lunch meeting with Eyrie. She straddled Hakan's bike and thought about where he would be while she was with Eyrie.
She kept thinking about this until she reached the apartment garage. Quickly, she made her way to her apartment and opened the door slowly. She peeked in and, when she was convinced that Evan wasn't home, hurried inside.
Rogue wasn't normally one who worried about appearance, but Eyrie wasn't just anyone. He was another mutant who had powers similar to hers. She dug through her bags and was, for the first time in her life, glad that Kitty had snuck different clothes into her wardrobe. She held up a simple pair of hipster flares, a long-sleeved but snug fitting lilac shirt, matching green gloves, and a pair of white tennis shoes. She dressed quickly then went to the bathroom to check out herself. Her usual goth makeup wasn't on, and she decided to leave it that way. Maybe she could change her hair…
Busy trying out different hairstyles, she didn't hear the front door open. Just as she decided to tie her hair in a ponytail with her white streaks streaming down the sides of her face, Evan walked in…shirtless.
The two stared at each other for a long while, both mesmerized by the other's appearance. Rogue took in Evan's well-muscled chest, shoulders, and arms while he gazed into her face void of makeup, her clothes, and her hairstyle. Then–
"Hey! Get the hell out of here! I'm not finished!" Rogue screeched.
"What the !#$& did you think you were doing, riding out of here on some #$& motorcycle! I've been looking for you all morning, and I still want your $#$&(&$# explanation!" Evan yelled.
Rogue tried to push him out, vaguely aware of her palms on his firm chest. He was apparently aware of it as well, for he was pushed out rather easily at first. Then he reached out and grabbed her gloved wrists and pulled. She stumbled forward into him and felt them falling. His strong arms wrapped around her and held her to him as he took the full impact of the fall. Rogue got the wind knocked out of her, but she was sure that Evan was feeling worse. She tried to roll off him, but his arms still kept her in place.
"Evan, you okay?" she croaked out.
"Ow, yeah," he replied.
"You wanna let me go?"
"Huh? Oh." His dark cheeks glowed red as he loosened his hold.
She got off him and brushed herself off. Clearing her throat, she said, "I gotta go."
"Wait," he called but she'd already walked out the door. "Damn."
She missed being in his arms. He'd always made her feel secure, especially when she needed the comfort. And that was what she needed right now as she rode Hakan's motorcycle to meet Eyrie.
She followed his directions to another set of apartments. This looked bigger and better kept than the apartment that she and Evan lived in. She was nervous…what if they didn't like her? What if she accidentally hurt them? Only one way to find out.
Evan had taken a shower and was once again searching for Rogue. He had a stony expression on his face as he drove around again.
Why exactly am I doing this? So she was somewhere last night. So what? She's all right. Why do I still want to know where she went?
He frowned as he realized that he was wasting his day over something unimportant. Just as he was about to drive back to the apartment, he saw the guy in Rogue's class walking in the other side of the park.
"Hey!" he called out and drove over.
Hakan saw him and waited, a smile on his face.
Evan glared at him as he pulled up. "All right, tell me where you took Rogue last night."
Hakan tried to keep the amusement out of his eyes. "She didn't tell you?"
"No."
"Then maybe you're not supposed to know."
"The hell with that – I have a right to know where my friend's been all night and since she's not about to tell me, I'm asking the punk who was with her!"
Hakan shifted into a contemplating position. "You shouldn't get so angry. It'll give you high blood pressure."
"Quit being a smartass, I want to know where Rogue's been!" Evan yelled.
Hakan was enjoying provoking the boy's temper. He checked his watch. "I'm sorry, but I have to get home. Nice talking to you…Evan, was it? Later." He turned and ducked into a narrow space between two nearby buildings.
"Get back here!" Evan roared after him. Then, feeling a headache coming on, he decided to just go home.
"Please, come in," Mrs. Caraway invited. She was a pleasant looking woman with graying hair, twinkling eyes, and a warm smile.
Rogue entered the apartment, still feeling nervous. "I – I hope you were expecting me, Mrs. Caraway. I'm not sure if Hakan got the chance to tell you about–"
"Oh, don't worry about it, dear. Hakan called us this morning and, in six minutes, told us all about you. He also said that you would be joining us for lunch. Amazing how fast that boy can talk sometimes," the older woman mused. "But come, make yourself at home."
Rogue nodded and sat timidly on the sofa. She felt like an invader of their home. The apartment was nicely furnished and very clean. She didn't belong here, with her gothic ways and cursed skin hidden underneath Kitty's clothes. Before she could ask herself again why she was here, a boy with long brown hair tied in a ponytail and blue eyes so much like Hakan's walked in. Like his brother, he looked young for his age – around thirteen or fourteen. He was wearing a blue sweater, baggy jeans, and gloves. He smiled shyly at her, and she couldn't help but smile back.
"Ah, Eyrie. This is…um…" Mrs. Caraway's brow furrowed as she realized that Hakan hadn't mentioned Rogue's name.
"Rogue. Just Rogue."
"Yes…Rogue, this is my younger son, Eyrie. Now why don't you two acquaint yourselves while I make lunch?" Mrs. Caraway suggested and disappeared into the kitchen.
Eyrie sat down on the sofa opposite of Rogue and smiled again, this time looking downward. "Hi," he said in a soft voice.
"Hi," she replied. They sat in awkward silence until she blurted out, "So you're a mutant?"
He looked up again and nodded, pain flickering in his eyes.
Ouch. Shouldn't have asked that one.
"Um…did Hakan tell you about my powers?" she tried again.
His expression was surprise. "You're a mutant, too?"
Apparently, he didn't.
"Yeah."
"What can you do?"
Rogue held up her gloved hand. "I absorb people when they touch my skin. Memories, mutant powers…they all flow into me. I usually knock them out or put them into a coma. It's not a pleasant feeling."
"But they still live," Eyrie guessed. He looked at his own glove-clad hands in despair. "I can't touch at all. At least you – even if just for a moment – can touch another person. If I so much as tap someone's skin, they die."
Rogue didn't know what to say. What would one say to a boy who just told them that he could kill with the slightest touch?
"Hey." She reached out and enfolded one of his hands in her own. "I live at an institute…well, not right now since I'm on Evan-watching duty, but it's Xavier's School for the Gifted. Your brother suggested that I take you there to meet the Professor. He'll want to help you control your power, like he's helping me. So you want to come over some time?"
Eyrie looked at her with a hopeful expression. "Could I?"
"Of course."
"And no one will treat me like a freak?"
"We're all mutants at the school. You don't have to worry about them, although you still have to be careful…"
"So we're sort of alike, you and me. We have to stay away from people so we won't hurt them."
"No, you don't have to stay away. I just choose to. It's easier that way for me." Rogue gave his hand a squeeze. "How about I take you for a visit after Evan and I are allowed back?"
"I think I'd like that. Yeah."
Wanda looked up, annoyed, when the boys burst through the door, embedding the doorknob in the wall again. "You guys really should try to enter in a less loud and damaging way."
"Says the girl who almost destroyed half the city looking for her father," Lance retorted.
"I wasn't right in the head, you moron," she snapped.
"I'll say," he muttered and walked toward the kitchen, only to find himself attacked by the dishes. "Wanda!"
Pietro walked in, looking uncharacteristically serious. Wanda saw him and frowned.
"What's wrong with you?"
"We met Daniels at the gas station. He was really pissed off about something. I think it had to do with Rogue."
"Hmm, did they get in a fight?"
"I don't know, but I do know that she disappeared. Did you by any chance see her anytime today?"
"Actually, you missed her," Wanda replied, turning back to the television. "She was just here a few hours ago, looking for one of you."
A/N: Sorry this chapter took a while to post up. My computer had a virus and a bunch of wurms, and my parents freaked out. So let's summarize:
Rogue went to see someone this morning, apparently one of the Brotherhood boys. Hakan spent the morning walking around …and he's supposed to see her tonight. Evan encountered the Brotherhood at the gas station and went home, where he and Rogue had an awkward moment. They ended up falling to the floor, then Rogue got up and left, both feeling embarrassed. While Evan later encountered Hakan at the park, Rogue went to meet Eyrie and decided to take him to the institute when she was allowed back. Then we find out that it was Wanda who Rogue had spoken to at the beginning of the chapter and she stayed to wait for one of the boys, and probably ate breakfast while she was there.
I have a bunch of quizzes to study for this week, so I'm not sure when the next chapter will be coming. Reviews would be nice.
