Disclaimer: "It's just A little crush Not like I faint Every time we touch"

(An: The song "Crush" happened to be one of the ones they played on the radio this morning (as you might be able to tell by the disclaimer) and that made me think Jubby and then this spilled out. I like writing Jubilee. She's fun.)

I've been best friends with Bobby Drake ever since I came to the Institute. And I've been in love with him for about as long.

I mean, I'm seventeen. I'm not really looking for commitment. And he's an X-man. What are the odds of him wanting to be anything more than friends with me, a scrawny little shrimp who's definitely last pick for any open spot on the senior team? Not high enough for me to take that bet, I'll tell you that.

That doesn't stop me from hoping. That doesn't keep my breath from catching whenever he touches me. That doesn't stop me from wanting to kiss him blind whenever I see him.

I don't think he'll ever see me as anything but a kid sister, though.

&&&

It was one of those friends-at-first-sight things. I thought he was funny, and he thought I had the balls to help him pull off some of his more insane schemes.

It was just a friendly crush back then. I was only fourteen, after all, and he was cute and really nice- not sullen or shy like the other boys.

Besides, some of those looks he gave me with those blue eyes and some of the things he did were pretty encouraging.

I was at the school for less than a year before Magneto brought out his stooges.

I was so scared when we were locked in the mansion. Not for me, but for Sam and Rahne and Ray and... Bobby. I'm not sure if he noticed how close I'd stuck to him that day. The whole time I wanted to grab his hand, to have him hold me close, just in case...

But nothing happened that day.

And when I had to leave a week later, I barely found Bobby before I had to go. He was lurking on the edge of the mansion and clearly avoiding me.

I didn't say anything about that, though. I just hugged him. For some reason, this surprised him, but he hugged back after a moment. Then he said, "I'll miss you, Jubes."

"I'll write," I replied, "but only if you promise not to call me Jubes again."

He laughed and walked me back to my parents's car. I just waved because I knew if I said anything I'd cry.

When I came back a year later, I thought I was over Bobby. We'd kept in touch, but the thought of him didn't make me heartsick anymore.

Boy, was I wrong.

When he answered the com at the gate with his usual "Xavier's Haunted Mansion, how may we freak you out?" I nearly fainted. I'd heard him over the phone while I'd been away, but this was different. This was Bobby, sitting in the tech room of the mansion not twenty feet away.

It was only when a confused "Hello?" sounded that I realized how long I'd been standing there, my knees weak.

"Open the damn door, Drake," was my response. Eloquent? No. Fitting? Not really. A good way to say "I love you?" Definitely not.

"Jubes?"

"Don't call me that! It's Jubilee, dammit!"

There was a surprised noise from the other end and the gates swung open. I shook my head, both at Bobby's and my own foolishness, and shouldered my backpack a little better. I headed up the road, resisting the urge to squeal at the thought of seeing those blue eyes again.

Bobby was waiting for me when I got up to the door. He eyed me suspiciously. I had changed quite a bit, trading my shoulder-length hair for a shorter spikier look, and wearing a lot more makeup than I had back then. "I wasn't aware I ordered the Jubes 2.0."

I snorted and pushed past him. "Loser," I said. "Is that all you have to say to me after I've been gone all this time?"

"What were you expecting?"

"I missed you, nice to see you, even a freaking 'hello' would've sufficed," I replied.

"Jeez, Jubesy, who upped the rating?"

I put a little extra shake to my walk, feeling his eyes on my back. "Are you complaining, Bobby?"

"...No, no, I'll keep my mouth shut if you'll keep doing that," he responded. He dashed up and slung an arm around my shoulders.

I snorted again and shoved him off. "No such luck, Drake."

This is pretty much how the next year went. Me and him teasing and pranking and annoying each other, with that painfully tantalizing hint of flirting mixed in.

But, just like before, nothing ever came of it.

&&&

Most therapists would take one look at the case I've stated and spout something like "Commitment phobic" or "Afraid of change." And maybe I am. But I see it more as "Why change something good?"

&&&

I sighed, twisting a strand of my slightly longer hair. I still keep it a lot shorter than it had been at fourteen, but Bobby said he liked it this length. And of course, what Bobby likes is usually paramount in my mind.

I've done everything I can think of to get him to turn my way- well, everything except actually telling him how I feel, that's just crazy talk- but nothing doing. And frankly, I'm frustrated.

So that's why I'm sitting on the side of the pool, swinging my legs and muttering to myself about the nerve of that boy.

He kissed me earlier today, and that was just cruel.

Well, it wouldn't have been, except for the circumstances.

Oh, it had started well enough. My cheeks turn red as I think of the incident.

For a few brief moments, it'd been everything I'd wanted. I was sitting in the common room, studying my geometry, when Bobby came over. I looked up, raising an eyebrow. "In case you haven't noticed, Drake, I'm studying."

Bobby leaned over and slammed my book shut. "It can wait, short stuff. We've got bigger fish to fry."

I stood up, indignant. If there's one thing I can't stand, it's being called short.

Bobby smirked at me. I was about to start in on him, when he grabbed my hand and dragged me out of the room.

I jerked my hand out of his grip, taking a few steps back from him and trying desperately not to blush. "What do you want?" I sputtered.

Bobby searched my eyes for a moment. Then he grinned again, but there was a nervous edge to it. He leaned forward and whispered in my ear. "This," he replied, and then he kissed me.

And for about thirty seconds, my world was perfect. Just me, Bobby, and nothing else.

But it all shattered when I kissed back. After a few seconds, he backed off. I thought, for a second, I saw equal parts fright and desire in his eyes, but that's probably wishful thinking on my part. He leaned into the common room. "Kurt," he said, "you owe me five bucks."

For a moment I just stared at him, in shock. He'd kissed me because of a bet? "You-!" I yelled. And then I slapped him. Hard. It left a bright red mark on his cheek. He deserved it. And then I ran off, hearing him call my name, my actual name, instead of Jubes or some variant.

I ignored him, though, because there's just so far I can stretch before I snap.

I shiver a little and pull my coat tighter around me. It's freezing out here, seeing as it's the middle of December. But I'm not going inside. I hid out here because I knew this would be the last place anyone would look. I can tough out a little cold. It matches the feeling in my heart.

I bury my face in my hands. I don't hear anyone coming until they sit down beside me. "Whoever you are," I say, still covering my face, "you are a bastard for not leaving me alone."

Whoever it is wraps their arms around me and presses up against me, strong and warm. "Aw, Jubesy, isn't that a little strong?"

I scream when I hear Bobby's voice. Not a squealy type scream, but a true, spazzed-out scream. And then I shove him into the pool.

I uncover my face, to discover Bobby happily doing the backstroke in the water, spitting some out of his mouth. It's cold enough to be uncomfortable for me, but just right for him.

"You are a bastard, Robert Drake," I reply. "I thought we were friends."

"We are friends," Bobby responds, and by the look on his face this was clearly the last thing he was expecting.

I stand up and step back a few feet.

Bobby swims over to the ladder and pulls himself out of the pool. He runs his hand over his sopping-wet clothes, freezing them. He shakes and the delicate layer of ice falls off. He walks toward me. I walk an equal distance back, wishing I could run but unable to tear my eyes from his. He runs a hand through his hair, looking at the ground for a moment. "Look, Jubilee," he murmurs. "I'm sorry about what I did. I can understand perfectly if you don't feel the same way. It's just..." He trails off, seeing the frown disappear off my face.

"What did you just say?" I ask.

"It's just?"

"Before that, you idiot."

A slight blush comes into Bobby's face. "I can understand if you don't feel the same way?"

"Yeah, that," I say, coming a little closer.

He looks at me hopefully.

"So you kissed me because you wanted to?"

"It's kind of more complicated than that, but yes, that's the basic idea," he replies.

"Then shut up."

He gives me an odd look, the one that always comes before "Huh?" for him, but before he can get to that, I kiss him.

And this time, he doesn't back off.

&&&

Scratch what I said before. There's a perfectly good reason to ruin a good thing. You have to in order to make way for something better.

(That was really fun. Jubby's just so cute. Review if you think the same... -wink-)