Raven couldn't sleep that night. Long after Pepper and Rogue had drifted off to sleep, she lay awake, absently stroking Peppers silky ears. She shifted uncomfortably, her dog shifting to compensate, placing his head on her ankle. He lifted his head and yawned, looking at Raven tiredly. What's the matter? his voice echoed in her head. He tilted his head.
"I can't sleep," she whispered. He crawled up the bed until his head was on her shoulder. She wrapped her arm around him and he licked her cheek.
Are you homesick? He asked.
"Oh yeah, nobody has tried to slam me into the wall yet." The dog woofed softly, wagging his tail.
I like it here. Especially that girl, Jubilee. She's sweet and she thinks I'm cute.
"Everyone thinks your cute," Raven responded fondly, giving the dog an affectionate peck on the nose. Pepper responded with an affectionate nuzzle and a tired yawn.
Raven slid out of bed and gave a quick look over towards Rogue, assuring herself that her friend was still asleep before slipping quietly out the door, Pepper dragging tiredly behind her. "You don't have to come, ya' know."
Someone's got to watch out for you. He woofed.
Raven began to wish she had stayed in bed. Stumbling around in the dark in an unfamiliar place wasn't her idea of fun, even with Pepper brushing against her leg, telling her where she could and couldn't go. She finally found her way to the back porch, sitting down on the steps and Pepper placed his head on her lap. She scratched his ears and his eyes slowly drifted closed until he was asleep. She heard footsteps behind her and jumped, sighing when she saw Scott easing the door shut and sitting on the porch next to Pepper, who waved his tail a few times but otherwise ignored him. "Someone looks tired," Scott said with a chuckle, stroking his head.
It's three in the morning. Pepper growled. Raven smiled apologetically.
"You didn't have to come, ya' know," Raven said. Scott looked at her questioningly and Raven shrugged. "He's tired," she said simply. Scott nodded. "He doesn't like leaving me alone. He's pretty protective."
"Dogs have a tendency to be like that. You're a good boy, aren't ya' buddy?" Pepper growled and yawned.
I'm trying to sleep. Pepper dropped his head back down and was asleep once more. Raven shifted uncomfortably, never having been good at making conversation with anyone with less then four legs. Scott smiled, placing his hand on her knee.
"You're kinda quiet, ya' know." Raven nodded, her fingers absently twisting her fiery hair, staring at her bare feet.
"I'm not good with people," she said finally. Scott nodded, removing his hand as Pepper growled, awake once more. Finally, Raven stood. "I'm going back to bed," she said, beckoning Pepper to follow her. She darted up the stairs without giving Scott a second glance.
Pepper nearly growled when he felt Raven, once again, shaking him awake. "Wake up, Boy."
Bite me!
"Someone's grumpy," Raven told Rogue, who giggled. "Fine, you stay up here and sleep. I'm going down to get some breakfast."
Breakfast! Pepper barked, alert at last. Raven dug a pair of jeans out of the drawer, making sure they were clean before sliding them on along with her bra and tank-top, all black of course, while running a brush through her tangled red hair. Raven groped for her scrunchi under the bed. Pepper barked, tugging it off of the dresser. Raven began to roughly sweep her hair up, twisting it in the ponytail holder before grabbing her book off the pillow.
"You don't need that thing, Raven. Why doncha socialize for a change?"
"No," she said dryly. Pepper grabbed the book from her and ran under the bed. "Traitor," she snapped. He emerged, wagging his tail.
It's to early in the morning to strangle me, he barked.
"I wasn't going to strangle you. I was just thinking about having you fixed." With a yelp, Pepper dove back under the bed, emerging once more, this time with her book. Raven smirked as someone knocked on the door. Jubilee stood at the door, grinning sweetly. Pepper yipped and ran to her, wagging his tail.
"What's taking you ladies so long?"
"Raven and her dog are having an argument," Rogue said as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
"Pepper says that he likes your perfume."
"What perfume?" she asked "Oh, that? I was frying bacon this morning." Pepper sniffed her hand his tail wagging.
"He likes it." Raven and Jubilee giggled.
"Poor boy. I bet he's starved to death," she cooed. "Come on, ladies and Pepper. Let's go get something to eat." Pepper barked excitedly and Jubilee giggled again.
At breakfast, Raven met the rest of the kids, Kurt, Evan, Bobby, and Tabitha. She also met the three adults, other then Storm, that lived at the institute as well: Beast, Logan, and Professor Xavier. She smiled shyly as Pepper, being the ever effervescent canine, greeted everyone with a wagging tail.
Kitty was trying to get her to join in the conversation, but Raven politely declined, having no desire to join in the conversation. She wasn't sure she liked the girl yet, either. The others seemed to sense that she wanted to be left alone, that she wasn't much into talking, but Kitty continued. Evan flashed her a flirtatious smile, which she returned shyly. Bobby and Kurt seemed to like her, but they were boys and she was a breathing female, which meant they liked her as a given. She talked half-heartedly to Tabitha, who she sensed was the one she had the most in common with. Logan watched her suspiciously and she glared a challenge in his direction. His eyes softened but Raven's didn't. She didn't like adult men. They weren't to be trusted.
After breakfast, the group told her they were training in the danger room. This excited Raven, having no idea what the danger room was, but she liked the name. Rogue told her that it was a training course, helping them learn to control their powers better. "So, do ya' have a nickname?" Gambit asked her. Raven shrugged.
"Not really." Kurt threw an arm around her shoulder, causing Raven to gasp in fright. Kurt didn't seem to notice.
"So, you control fire, right?" he said. Raven nodded. "And you talk to animals?" Raven nodded again.
"You don't talk to people much, do you?" Evan asked gently. Raven shook her head.
"You need a good nickname. One that fits both of your powers," Kurt was going on.
"They call me Spyke," Evan said. "Tabitha is Boom Boom, Kurt is Nightcrawler, Scott is Cyclops, Bobby is Ice Man, Kitty is Shadow Cat, and Logan is Wolverine."
"And I have just the nickname for you," Kurt finally said. "We can call you Firefly. What do ya' think, Raven?"
"Firefly," she whispered, trying it out. Raven nodded, smiling at Kurt. He smiled back.
"Firefly it is," Kurt said triumphantly. Rogue placed her hand on Raven's shoulder with a giggle.