In response to a challenge from Jennifer Jolie. Challenge: The X-Men play truth or dare. Was supposed to be a comedy, but didn't end up that way so much.
Enjoy, please review :)
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"Truth or dare?"
They all giggle nervously in the chilly night air; Alkali Lake—despite its status as a popular vacation spot—is becoming increasingly cold and damp, the mist clinging to their skin. They can see each other's silhouettes in the moonlight, eyes glistening in the dim light.
The four of them sit on the beach with thick pine trees backing them, Jean leaning against Scott with a tiny smile gracing her lips, Scott scoffing as he gazes skyward. Logan's got a smirk on his face, mind already at work at what he can torment the others with. Ororo looks far too pleased with herself.
"Let's start with you, Jean, c'mon! How 'bout it?" Storm goads, smiling tentatively. Jean only shakes her head, and finally, at Scott's whispering in her ear and Logan's mumbling of "oh here we go again" she smiles and says "Dare."
They are pensive for a moment more, before Scott exclaims, "I've got one! I've got one…" Before anyone can reply, he shouts his dare out; it echoes in the trees and bounces back to him.
"I dare you to swim to the bottom of the lake!" He finishes triumphantly, while Jean glances up at him in skepticism. Logan and Ororo both groan in unison, "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!" "What challenge is there in that?" "You didn't even ask her to do it naked, what kind of man are you?"
Scott looks mildly troubled and confused, "I thought it would be a challenge—"
"We won't even be able to see if she does it!"
But Jean is already off, slender frame against the glimmering lake. The waves lap at the shore and there is the muffled splash of Jean diving in. She is gone.
Storm sighs, "Well this isn't fun, we can't wait for her to get back, now there are only three of us!"
"Now it's your turn Scotty boy," growls Logan ominously. They cannot hear or see Jean, and there is only the stillness of the air and the low hum of an airplane far up into the sky.
For a moment, Scott considers the ominous Truth, but decides that there would be far greater dignities to be lost through such an option. With Dare he can at least get away with running around the forest naked, or something stupid and juvenile like that, something immature that Logan would come up with.
"Dare."
Logan does not hesitate and Scott is suddenly seized with regret; Logan's got a mischievous gleam in his eye as he raises one hand and points, wordlessly, into the sky.
"I can see a satellite up there, bub, shoot for it." Logan is smiling ruthlessly at Scott as he stutters and tries to look confidently exasperated and mercilessly patronizing at the same time. He only manages to look severely daunted.
"Logan, that's- that could have consequences…I mean, lots of people could see, my god I don't even know how far my beam reaches in how many seconds, I could knock it out of the air—"
"Don't care."
Storm remains silent. This was her game and she's torn between maybe impressing Logan and being smart, because she kind of likes him and this is kind of like high school, and she doesn't want to become the tightass Logan sees Scott as.
Jean is still gone.
"Guys, what about Jean? Where is she?"
"Do it."
The air is completely still. Scott purses his lips and lifts his gaze skyward. It is barely visible, but they can see the tiny glow of a satellite tracing its way across midnight.
There is a huge splash from the water and Scott hurriedly releases control over his quartz glasses, sending a red beam skyward. It goes farther in seconds than he's ever known it to do and for a moment he could swear it jumped and started expanding outward.
It stops suddenly after only a few moments and there is no explosion; the satellite continues across Scott's red tinged gaze.
Ororo and Logan look back at him, and for a moment, he takes small joy in the fact that he could swear a glimpse of fear showed through Logan's smartass exterior. The emotion disappears and through clenched teeth Scott growls at them.
"In the morning the Professor will know we've been out here. THE WORLD will see a huge red destructive beam and they'll think its aliens, or mutants come to destroy the world and—"
"Shut up."
Ororo's quiet voice cuts through the tension: "Your turn, Logan."
Inwardly, Scott is screaming JEAN! Because he has no idea where she is.
Logan pauses, and glances towards the lake. They all assumed that Jean could telekinetically work with the water, or else just be smart enough to give up. "Do you think we should look for her?"
"Your turn, Logan," Ororo more forcibly whispers. When did their voices become so low? They don't know, but this isn't as fun as it was in the beginning. It's nothing really, not even a meaningful game at all, their dares aren't life changing, but the night seems…off…somehow.
"Truth."
Logan chooses truth because he has no past; there are only so many things they can ask him.
It is immediately obvious Scott is stumped; he has no quick comeback and grumbles in annoyance, glancing nervously towards the lake.
But Ororo looks oddly tempted, oddly shy and pensive. She sneaks a glance at him before turning away and murmuring, "Would you ever go out with me?"
There is a sharp intake of breath, and both Scott and Logan can tell she's blushing in the darkness.
She knows she's not usually this silly or this emotional, but she's not as clever as they make her out to be sometimes. And it isn't as lighthearted as she'd hoped; some part of her seriously expected him to smile and say "Sure" but she realizes this game turned out a lot more heated and a lot less fun than it was supposed to be. None of this is really important or even groundbreaking, but now she realizes she was just stupid.
"Ororo…I-I really like you but…you're a friend and I…" Logan's quiet, sincere grumbling trails off. Storm sighs and whispers, "It's Jean isn't it? I mean…" Scott huffs in the background and there is still no Jean in the quiet late night.
In the awkward pause, Ororo suddenly collects herself and forces out a solitary word:
"Dare."
Neither of the guys knows what to ask her, but both are seized by the same twisted thought.
Freeze the lake.
And simultaneously, both shake their heads and question what the hell they were thinking, before glancing at each other with unease.
Neither of them really knows what to ask anymore. They're both thinking in twisted ways and neither of them wants to hurt Ororo anymore than she's been hurt tonight.
"I dare you to be above all of this…Storm; you're the only one who's ever been above all of this…" Scott's firm voice trails off into the night, and before Ororo can even reply, a shout echoes from the trees behind them.
"GUYS!" They all jump at the suddenness of Jean's cheerful voice, echoing off the still lake and silent forest.
"Guys! I went all the way down, I mean, to the very bottom! I was able to shield myself telekinetically…I felt stronger than I ever have…it was amazing! What did you…" She too trails off when she can see they're obviously not laughing or having a mildly good time.
"What's wrong? Was I gone for too long? I'm really sorry—"
"Let's just go home," Ororo whispers.
I dare you all to meet me in my office once you have done so.
They all jump at the sudden mental announcement, Jean shouts loudly, "PROFESSOR!" and Scott's mouth drops open in shock and horror. There is no further intrusion, and they wearily trudge back to their car—Ororo in shame, Scott in anger and embarrassment, Logan in mute fury, Jean in confusion.
Back at the mansion, they meet the Professor in his office and awake the next morning with a lack of sleep but not much else.
Truth or Dare Jean.
Truth.
You will not remember this night.
In the days that follow, none of the young X-Men ever really remember that night, but Xavier thinks of it often. He sometimes thinks that based on what he heard and saw, all of them are better off not remembering it again.
His old age lasts so much longer than his youth ever did.
In his youth, he never played Truth or Dare. As they age, they forget why it was ever fun.
"Truth or Dare?"
"Send Jean to the bottom."
"Freeze the lake."
"The spares mean nothing."