Chapter Two: Feelings Askew
"Okay guys, we're here. Let's go now. Ah'm tired." They got out, Kurt trying to carry the girl. Kitty came over.
"Need help?" He shook his head and picked her up, bamfing away. Kitty sighed and hurried inside. Professor?
Yes Kitty?
We have the mutant
Yes, okay, thank you Kitty.
Let me know when she's okay
I will.
She went up to her room and sat on her bed, picking up her book. She let out a shaky breath.
"Maybe I haven't read far enough…" She gazed at the book. It gave a sudden pulse, glowing red for an instant. Kitty blinked, but it was gone. "What was that?" The book seemed fine. Kitty groaned. "That's what I get for not getting enough sleep. Oh well." She set the book down and stood, walking out. She closed the door slowly, calling for Rogue. On the nightstand, the book pulsed again, flashing red.
"She'll be fine Kurt."
"Are you sure, Herr McCoy?"
"Yes, just a mild reaction to stress. Finding out you're a mutant can be very surprising." Beast spoke from experience of course. Kurt nodded.
"I know…"
"I'll let you know when she wakes up." The boy nodded and bamfed away. Beast looked down at the girl.
"I wonder what her mutation is…"
"Rogue!"
"Wha'? Ah'm reading!" Kitty went into the living room and sat on the couch next to Rogue.
"Sorry…have you ever…like…liked someone who…doesn't seem to return your feelings?" Rogue glanced up from her book with confusion.
"Wha' are ya talkin' about Kitty?"
"Uh well…I'm not exactly sure myself…I just…like…never mind." The small teenager jumped up and ran off towards the grounds. Rogue frowned.
"Wha' is with that girl?" She stood, going upstairs to finish her book. When she got into her room, she noticed a book on Kitty's nightstand and glanced at it. "'The Art of Seduction'…wha' the hell? Why is Kitty readin' somethin' like this?" She flipped through it and sat down "Hmm…maybe Ah'll just read the first chapter."
When Kitty got outside, she noticed Lance's jeep parked out by the gates. He was leaning against it and watching her with a slight smile. She sighed and made her way over.
"What are you doing here Lance?" He moved closer to the gate.
"Following you. Why?"
"Lance, like, you have to understand that I'm tired of you, like, pretending to hate me, then saying you don't. I don't know if you do or not. I don't want to, like, play stupid games like this." Lance frowned and stepped back.
"Come on Kitty, I would never hate you."
"You could have fooled me." He turned and Kitty noticed that some of the Brotherhood were in the van, watching them. "Are we supposed to be entertainment for your stupid friends now?" He glanced behind him and glared at Pietro and the others.
"No. They're just being assholes."
"Then why do you hang out with them?"
"Because, Kitty, they're the only friends I have."
"Am I your friend?" she whispered, starting to tear up. Lance's eyes widen as he moved closer.
"Of course you are…" He sighed, "Can't you come out, or phase me in? This is kinda weird." She reached her hand through the bars and pulled him through.
"Is that better?"
"Yeah…" He grinned at her and she gave him a teary half-smile. "So…how's that book you have to read?" Kitty blinked and looked away.
"Oh yeah…it's pretty good…"
"What's it called?"
"Uh…Modern Judaism."
"You're reading a book about your religion? That sounds boring…"
"Well…it sorta, like, is." She leaned against the wall next to the bars. "But…I don't mind, I guess. What about your book for history?" Lance looked confused for a moment before replying.
"O-oh yeah. It's pretty…boring, but you know, I don't have a choice or anything." Kitty nodded and looked around.
"So…like, how's school going for you?"
"It's pretty much how it always is. Me skipping, teacher's not caring. Yep. Still can't wait for spring break of course." Kitty giggled.
"But you never miss chemistry."
"Of course I don't" He smirked at her "There's no way I'd miss hanging out with my awesome lab partner. She's cool, and pretty hot." Kitty laughed again "But sometimes she can get on my nerves. Though her valley girl talk is cute." She blushed pink faintly and looked down. "Oh hey, speaking of which, I'm here to take that mutant." Kitty's face immediately drained of color.
"Excuse me?" she whispered. Lance, like the idiot he sometimes is (especially with girls) didn't recognize the danger signal, which was waving a bright red flag in his face.
"That mutant. Hand them over." Kitty took a step back and stared at him with horror.
"You…just came…for the mutant?" Lance suddenly looked unsure.
"Uh…yeah…I mean…"
"Do you, like, want her!"
"Do I what?"
"I don't know, the way you were 'reminded' about her. It seems like maybe you might have an interest in her. If you do, that's fine. But you better tell me, I said I was tired of games!" There was the sound of a car door closing, but the arguers didn't notice as a tall man with dark brown hair and demon red eyes walked towards them.
"I am not interested in her, I already told you, I'm trying to make the Brotherhood larger!"
"But gaining a girl in process wouldn't be bad, right?"
"Kitty, come on! I don't even know the mutant's name! I don't even know what she looks like!"
"That just shows how low your standards have gone!" Remy stepped closer to the entrance of the Institute, looking through the bars.
"Hey you two, would you mind tellin' Remy where Rogue is?" Lance and Kitty totally ignored him as they continued.
"My standards have not changed! If anything, they've risen!"
"Oh really? Does that mean you're going out with older girls, or just more expensive ones?" Lance blinked and stepped back, eyes darkening. Remy frowned
"Hey! You two that are yellin' at each other! Could Remy possibly have a chance to talk to Rogue?" They didn't notice him yet again as Lance's face was a reflection of pure rage. Fear flashed across Kitty's face for an instant before she glared right back at him.
"Maybe you should go find some whore right now!" Lance closed his eyes for a minute.
"Kitty…you've left me no choice." But before he could clench his fists, the gate exploded and he jumped back, in front of Kitty. Remy stepped calmly onto the lawn and looked at them coolly.
"You left me no choice. Remy's goin' ta find Rogue now." He stalked off as the two confused persons stared after him.
"I think he just said 'me'…he must have been really mad." Mumbled Kitty. Lance nodded slowly. Kitty glanced at him "You just…stepped in front of me…" Lance turned around to face her, moving back slightly.
"Of course I did." He snapped. She looked back meekly. "I mean…Kitty…you're the only girl I'm interested in. I'd do anything to protect you…I'll see you later." He walked back to the jeep and hopped in, driving off as Pietro winked at her. She stuck her tongue out back at him before turning away and starting to walk back up the sloping lawn to the large building. Her feelings were a total mess. She wasn't sure if she was mad, sorry, sad, or incredibly happy. Probably all of them. Is this what Lance did to her?
Rogue was a fast reader, obviously with her being sort of a loner she had to find something to occupy her time. So with all the reading she did, she was very quick. In the book she "borrowed" from Kitty, she was already almost to chapter two. Until there was a light knock on the door. Rogue stuffed the book under Kitty's pillow and stood up sharply, calling out hesitantly.
"Uh…hello? Who's there?"
"Rogue? It's Remy." Rogue blinked, relaxing.
"Wha' the hell are ya doin' here, Swamp rat?" The door opened and he walked in slowly, glancing around before sitting on the edge of Kitty's bed. Rogue sat on her own bed. "How'd ya get past all the other mutants?"
"Come on, cherie, Remy wasn't a thief for more than half his life for nothin'. I've learned a few things." She nodded.
"Okay. An' why are ya here?"
"Ah, that is a good question cherie. Remy is here because he is interested in joining your…team."
"Like…the X-men?" She blinked Am Ah startin' to sound like Kitty? He nodded.
"Yes. Remy's interests no longer lie in the Brotherhood…and the Acolytes have disbanded."
"So…you're gonna join the X-men?"
"Yeah." He smiled "As long as dat's okay with you, cherie."
"Whatever, Swamp rat. Ah'm sure the Professor will be alright with that." Remy stood slowly and started towards the door. He stopped and looked over his shoulder.
"Well, now Remy will be seein' a lot more of mon cherie." Rogue picked up a pillow and threw it at him. He gave her a smirk before leaving with a wave. Rogue got up and grabbed the pillow, gazing at it.
"Wha' did Ah just do? Ah can't believe Ah just threw a pillow at him…wha' is wrong with me?" She tossed the pillow back on Kitty's bed before walking out. "Maybe Ah need something ta eat."
She made her way downstairs but stopped when she saw the scene taking place at the bottom. Remy was standing with a startled expression on his face. Standing five meters away was Scott, aiming his glasses at the surprised Cajun.
"Remy's not here to attack you! Remy's here to join your grou-"
"Like hell! You have to be here to attack! What other reason would you have! Being the sneaky little thing you are, I'm sure it wasn't hard for you to get in. And you broke the gate!" Rogue blinked. He had? Well that wasn't important at the moment. She noticed that Scott was starting to raise his glasses and jumped down.
"Wait Scott!" He stopped and looked at her, Remy following suit. "Remy is here ta join the X-men! Ya can't hurt him!" Scott stepped back, eyebrows furrowing as Remy smiled at her.
"I don't trust him…"
"It doesn't matter." Rogue gritted out "Ya can just have the Professor check him to make sure he's okay."
"Okay." He said, nodding "I'll do that. Come on Gambit." The Cajun followed him upstairs, waving at Rogue and whispering as he walked past.
"Thank you cherie."
"No prob…Swamp rat." They disappeared and Rogue sighed.
"Yet again…Ah'm so confused…" She wandered into the kitchen, grabbed an apple and sat down at the table. After a minute there was a loud bamf and Rogue looked up. Kurt was looking around slowly. His eyes fell on Rogue and he scurried over.
"Hey Rogue, have you seen Keety?" The southern shook her head. "I'm trying to find her to tell her about the new mutant. She vanted to know." Rogue shrugged.
"Well the last time Ah saw her was when she asked me somethin' about likin' someone an' what ta do about it." Kurt looked confused.
"What did you say?"
"Ah just said Ah didn' know what the hell she was talkin' about an' then she ran off." Kurt groaned.
"She is so hard to keep track of!" He bamfed away and Rogue shrugged, biting into her apple.
Kurt had bamfed practically everywhere in the mansion and still couldn't find Kitty. He hoped she hadn't gone anywhere. He was tempted to ask the Professor where she was, but didn't. He sat down outside and glanced around. After seeing that no one was there, he closed his eyes and leaned back. He pondered where Kitty was. A fleeting thought made him wonder if she had gone to the Brotherhood's.
Keety vouldn't do that though…she hates everyone there…vell maybe not Lance as much. I'm not sure how I feel about Keety…I know that she's my best friend but…there are other feelings… He gave a heavy sigh before continuing. I don't really vant to tell her about the new mutant. There's nothing to tell, Herr McCoy hasn't updated me yet. I just vant to talk to her. I don't know vhy...
Suddenly he stopped. There was a strange sound. It was a light tapping sound. Too erratic to be the ticking of a clock. He sat up, thinking it sounded familiar…it sounded like…Kitty's laptop! He jumped up and glanced around. He still couldn't see anyone.
Of course! Keety alvays types outside in trees!
He looked up instead and saw Kitty on the branch of a tree, not too far away. She was staring at the screen, typing madly. Kurt noticed that her hair was down and smiled. He didn't know why she didn't leave it down more often. But he definitely had to talk to her. He bamfed over and took a deep breath.