Disclaimer: I am making no money from this, just enjoying a sense of escapism from an ordinary life

Scene Nine

Wandering the house and grounds by himself, Cyborg had to admit he was impressed. It wasn't really his style, but the luxurious glamour of the Institute did have a certain 'bling' to it. Taking a turn at the smell of oil, he entered the garages where the X-Vehicles, aircraft excepted, were kept. Between the black X-Van and Gambit's motorcycle, an attractive female behind greeted him as Blaze got something out of the boot of her silver convertible.

"Nice," Cyborg whistled, making Blaze stand up and turn round, soccer ball in her hands. She was prepared to be flirtatiously affronted, but immediately realised Cyborg was taking about the car, not the previous view of her he had. "She yours?"

"Every inch," the redhead replied, tossing her hair back over one shoulder and bouncing the football on the concrete floor.

"How's she do for weapons? You got laser canons or heat seeking missiles under there?" Blaze replied with a small smile, "Nope." Cyborg didn't believe her, asking instead, "What then? A sonic gun under the bonnet, or maybe cutting disks over the wheel arches? That'd be kinda retro, but it could come in useful…"

"She's all natural Cyborg," Blaze told him, fluttering her eyelashes. "There's no weapons on her."

"Why not?" Cyborg couldn't quite take the concept, "You guys obviously got the technology to pull it off."

"I don't need them," Blaze explained, meeting Cyborg's one human and one machine eye without blinking. Her own brown orbs flamed with her mutation, and power seemed to suddenly swell around her. "Oh," Cyborg gasped, "Okay then, I guess…"Blaze smiled, her power dissolving again, before turning and walking out through the open garage door, dribbling the football along in front of her across the grass with her hips swaying. Cyborg couldn't help but watch her go, jaw slack and meekly bewildered.

"Gambit listen to me will ya? I just don't think that this is such a great idea…" Rogue and Gambit came into the garage, with the Southern Belle a few paces behind the Cajun.

"Easy Rogue, dis ain't no big deal," Remy told her charmingly, taking both her hands in his, "You jus' let the grown ups worry about what's best, eh?"

"You are unbelievable!" Rogue snatched her hands back and stormed off to the house. Gambit just turned his back on her with a shrug, looking Cyborg over coolly instead. Then he followed Cyborg's gaze to the departing Blaze, coming to stand by the part-mechanoid's colossal shoulder.

"Like what you see mon Ami?" he asked, voice neutral. Cyborg hadn't even started to form a reply when Gambit's tone changed to threatening. "She's outta bounds, got it?" Again the Cajun didn't wait for a reply, following Blaze at a lope until he caught her up.

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Rogue was in a foul mood by the time she crashed into Raven in the upstairs part of the house.

"What you doin' snoopin' around up here?" Rogue demanded, to which Raven stoically replied, "I wasn't snooping. We were invited to make ourselves at home here. I was merely exploring, trying to find a place of solitude."

"Yeah well good luck." Rogue grunted, pushing open the door to her room and going to the window. Raven followed her, hovering a few inches off the floor.

"You don't trust us, do you?" Raven asked. Rogue flung open the window and let the cool air wash across her face as she answered, "What's to trust? We don't know you, but we've let you into our home an' showed you all our secrets…"

"You're the brightest one of the X-Men I've met." Raven replied appreciatively, tossing back her hood. "I don't trust any of you either. This is all just too sudden for me."

"Tell me about it…" Rogue sighed, spotting a familiar pair talking out in the gazebo above the cliff face in the grounds. As she watched, Blaze took Gambit's hand, raised it above her head and turned a dainty pirouette under his arm. Rogue scowled, as Raven followed her gaze and raised an eyebrow. "You're jealous of them, aren't you?"

"What, no!" Rogue got defensive, "What's to be jealous of? Those two couldn't get it together if the world depended on it…"

"If you say so," replied the Teen Titan, "How about we go see if those pizzas have arrived yet? All this not trusting people is giving me an appetite."

"Sure," Rogue turned from the window and gave Raven the slightest hint of a smile. "Thanks Raven."

"You're welcome," Raven answered, starting to smile herself, "Just don't think that this means I trust you already."

"Likewise," Rogue almost laughed, "C'mon, I'm starved."