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Glaring Decipher
Chapter Eleven:
The next day Magneto stood in front of his class from behind his desk. He saw a few of them eye the stack of papers on the desk.
"Good evening, everyone. I'm certain you're wondering what these are for," he said as he placed his hand on top of the stack of papers. "This would be your first test," he told them all. This was met with a chorus of groans and lot of anxious students.
"Guys," Rogue started to say with a laugh. "There's no failing out of the institute," she pointed out as a few eyes turned to look at her. "This is for his benefit," Rogue said as she pointed at him as he picked up the tests and started to hand them out. "He wants to make sure he's teaching methods are working. And if they ain't, evaluating each one of us individually will give him the insight he needs to properly plan the rest of the course. So, everyone relax and just answer each question the best you can. The only one under any real pressure here is Magneto," Rogue finished.
"As she said," Magneto said, "Anything you don't know, you will by the time we've completed this course. Please just do the best you can," he said before he made eye contact with the girl again. "Rogue, hallway for a moment, please?" he asked. She stood up and he followed her out of the classroom. He kept the door open, to ensure the students didn't decide to talk among themselves. Even if they spoke quietly, the class was going to be able to hear both of them. They would have to keep the conversation PG.
"You already know all the answers to questions on this test, don't you?" he asked.
"Yup," she smiled.
"Did you know the answers before you absorbed me?"
"Which time?" she asked again. "It happened three times, didn't it?"she asked with a smirk. His eyes widened at her choice of words. Yes, it had been three times she absorbed him. He wasn't going to dignify her quote with a response. She was clearly just trying to get a reaction from him. Why was she allowed to do that, when he wasn't?
'Because, she didn't stalk me for weeks,' he reminded himself as he placed his hands in pockets: trying to appear casual and relaxed. "Go mediate," he ordered.
"Are you kicking me out your class?" Rogue asked.
"Training your powers is a better use of your time than answering questions we both know you already know the answers to. You don't need me to tell you that," he said. She let out a sigh.
"No, I don't" she sighed. "I just kinda like giving you a hard time," she said.
"I've noticed," he said dryly. "Which is why I was thinking perhaps you could help me with the curriculum? Truth be told, you know the learning habits of everyone in that room far better than I do. The test results will only tell me so much. I could use your insight," he told her. She smiled at that.
"What would be my title? Co-professor or teacher's assistant?" she asked.
"Teacher's assistant, for now," he answered. "We'll see how well you and I work together and how much input you're able to give," he said.
"I'll say yes on two conditions," she said as she crossed her arms over her chest. This was going to be interesting.
"Which are?" he asked.
"When we're arguing about how you should teach something, and trust me its' gonna happen, you actually listen to me and take my advice into full consideration. No pulling rank and stubbornly sticking to your original idea. If I'm pushing you to change something more than three times it's because I'm right, you're wrong and you need to listen me. Your class and their understanding of the material will improve," she said.
"And the second?" he asked.
"When the time comes for a lesson on ethics, I'll write the entire thing from start to finish and when you teach it no Machiavellian improvisations," she said strongly. He smirked at that. "You wanna teach a class on ideology, fine, but present it for what it is. No propaganda," she finished strongly.
"I wouldn't dream of it," he said smoothly. She gave him a look: both of them remembered how he had confessed to planning just that. But now that the class had heard the topic be brought up, he wouldn't be able to slip anything in. She had just single highhandedly foiled his plans. Perhaps it shouldn't surprise him. Despite her willingness to keep his secrets, she was still an X-Man.
"Can you agree to all that?" she asked. He just smirked at her.
"You have yourself a deal," he said as he held out his hand to her. She met his smirk as she took off her glove and shook his hand. As he expected the girl did not absorb him. It had only been a day since she had started to practice this skill and already she was showing improvement.
"Good," she smiled. "I'm gonna go mediate," she started to say. He looked down at their hands and raised an eyebrow. He knew the girl would understand the question he attempting to ask without words. "This," she started to say as she tightened her grip on his hand," isn't the only thing I'm working on. I told you how my ability to obtain control goes away?" she asked. Yes, when she absorbed someone.
"Yes, you did," he said.
"I'm trying to figure out, what aspect of my powers causes me to lose that ability. It doesn't make sense that absorbing someone can do that. Not, when that's my main offensive tactic. Maybe it's a mental block I put up by accident or only one aspect of my powers that I can separate from the rest and learn to control. Or maybe once I get enough practice absorbing it'll stop having that effect all together. I don't know, but it's something I gotta work on. So far mediation's been the key to getting any type of control over my powers. The nightmares, this," she said looking at their hands again. "So, I'm gonna go mediate for forty minutes. Afterward, I'll help you grade tests?" she asked.
"Forty minutes," he agreed. "We'll meet here?" he asked.
"Nah, let's just met in your room. We're gonna end up going there anyway," she said. True enough, he was just surprised she was willing to admit it out loud. On second thought, if they acted as though they had something to hide, people would start to ask questions neither of them were willing to answer at the moment. But if they were blunt about their nonsexual activates, possibly the household would accept their time together at face value. Perhaps this was the best strategy. "I'll help you grade for a while and then I'll knock you unconscious?" she asked.
"Alright," he said with a smirk. "And we're still going for the run tomorrow after dinner?" he asked.
"Ah crap," Rogue exclaimed.
"What is it?" he asked.
"I forgot, I'm supposed to be on dish duty tomorrow night," she told him.
"Beast is supposed to help me with dinner preparations. I'll talk to him tomorrow: ask him if he'll be willing to switch jobs. I'll fairly certain it won't be a problem. Be in the kitchen about five pm," he ordered. She smiled at that.
"Okay," she smiled before she started to turn away from him. "Oh," she exclaimed as she turned back to face him.
"Yes?" he asked.
"Don't start grading without me okay? I have an idea I wanna run by you about the course," she said.
"Very well," he said with a nod. She smiled.
"See you in a bit," she smiled as she turned away from him and started to walk away. So, now he was sleeping with his TA? Well, it was a vast improvement over sleeping with one of his students. But there would still be an issue if it became public knowledge. He was honestly glad that Rogue has wanted to keep this between them.
'At least for now,' he thought to himself.
Later, Magneto sat at his desk in his bedroom. He was looking over the tests when he heard a knock at the door. He pushed his chair out and turned to face the door as he used his abilities to open the door. His eyes met Rogue's: he noted the smirk on her face as she entered the room: closing the door behind her.
"How was your mediation? Productive?" he asked as she walked over to him.
"I think so," she smiled before she leaned down and kissed him. His eyes closed at the feel of her lips on his. He cupped her cheek as he stood up. She let out a little moan as he pulled her against him. Her arms wrapped around his neck as they deepened the kiss.
She pulled back a minute later
"I could get used to that," she smiled.
"You should," he smirked. She laughed at that before he leaned down and gave her another peck on the lips. "So, what is this idea of yours?" he asked.
"Can I see the rubric?" she asked. He hesitated for a moment as she moved out of his arms: both of them walking over to the bed. "You finished the rubric, right?" she asked as she sat down.
"I'm afraid not," he answered.
"You been working on it for a week," she exclaimed.
"I know," he said annoyed, mostly at himself. "I was waiting for to see the test results before I finalize it," he said. She raised an eyebrow at that.
"You aren't planning to use their results as examples on the rubric, are you?" she asked.
"Not their exact wording, of course-" he started to answer.
"But enough so they would know where you had gotten the ideas? You can't do that," she exclaimed. "You're supposed to be inspiring them to do better. Not giving them a constant reminder of the level they started the course. It's insulting," she said firmly. "Let me see your notes," she ordered. He hesitated. "Now, please," she said strongly.
He sighed as he walked back over to his desk. He picked up his notepad and walked over to the bed. He sat down next to her as she took the notepad from his hand. He watched her open and briefly look over each page: barely taking five seconds to look at each page. The rubric was broken down into the core subjects he had thought would be best for a foundation in strategic thinking. He had given each subheading six degrees of understanding.
"Okay," she said. "You got, pretty much, all of it down. You're just missing the details on the different levels of understanding which makes sense. You've never taught a course like this before. And with the way you over-power everyone, you've never had to take into account the different levels of understanding in a combat situation," she said.
"But you have?" he asked.
"I know a lot of things about people that I shouldn't. A lot of the conversations I have, or overhear, I have to remember what I'm supposed to know instead of what I actually know. It's different with each person and I have to account for their level of intelligent. Sometimes I can get away achknowledging things I shouldn't. But most of the time I have to make sure I don't say or do something it'll give away my knowledge. It just- it's makes people uncomfortable. Most people don't even realize I got my own brand of telepathy. They just think it's all about the powers and knocking people out. Which is kinda the way I prefer it," she said.
"I doubt that," he said darkly. She sighed.
"I like talking with you because you don't judge me for it," she said as she glanced up at him. "You know I know everything about you and you don't consider it a violation of your privacy. You just think, I'm using my abilities to their full extend: which I am and I do. I hate not knowing things. I fucking hate being blindsided," she exclaimed.
"Well, it's fortunate that deceiving you is actually rather difficult," he said with a smirk. She laughed at that.
"Yeah, I guess," she smiled as she looked down at his notes. "Do you have a pen?" she asked. He nodded as he used his powers to bring one over from the desk. She took it from the air as she turned back to the pages. "Okay, new plan. I'm gonna finish the rubric and then you'll grade the tests tomorrow," she said.
"We only have an hour or so before you should turn in for the night. I doubt you'll have time to complete it," he said. She let out a laugh.
"Max, as much as I love seeing that look of child-like wonder in your eyes every time I exceed your expectations," she said.
'Child-like wonder?' he repeated back to himself with a raised eyebrow.
"Do yourself a favor and stop underestimating me," she said strongly with a smile. "If I say I am capable of doing something, just take my word for it," she said. "I wouldn't say I could do something if I couldn't. Okay?" she asked. He just kept her gaze for a moment: staring into her eyes. That ever present look was there and still he didn't know its' meaning.
"I'll try," he answered after a moment. She smiled at that.
"Good," she said. "Are you thirsty?" she asked. Before he could stop it, his mind flashed to the taste of her, he remembered licking his fingers and the heated expression on her face as he did so. He shook his head as he attempted to clear the thought from his mind. That had not been what the girl had meant: there was work to do. "Max?" she asked.
"I could use a drink," he admitted.
"How about tea?" she asked. "Would you mind making us some?" she asked. He could use a minute to recompose himself.
"Alright," he said pleasantly as he stood up. "I'll return shortly," he told her.
"Take your time. I ain't going anywhere," she said with a smile. He returned the smile before he headed out the room.
Thank you for reading! It's the weekend so I'll probably end up posting again Sunday or Monday :)
Please let me know what you think?
Speaking of which:
Sissiewest: Thank you! Fascinating is definitely what I'm going for! Glad you're enjoying it. :)
Jahunta4974: Thank you! I manage to find time for everything ;) I'm glad you're enjoying the point of view! Rogue knows too much for it to be from her point of view I like revealing who she is though these interactions. Especially, since Magneto is the only one who Rogue is opening up to about how her powers work and how they effects her as a person
Logan is still on the team, so is Ororo and everyone else. It just hasn't come up where Magneto, Rogue and Logan have all talked in the same conversation. Logan has been one of the people present at every dinner scene: included in my "everyone" statements. I'm sure he'll have a speaking role in the future: I'm just sure when yet.
So, far Logan's sense of smell hasn't been an issue. They have been careful and with the open amount of time they are spending together now, it will make sense that they smell like each other (A little). Just so you know, (I wasn't able to put it in the fic, because Magneto was asleep) but after they had sex the first time, Rogue did take a shower in his private bathroom before she returned to her room. And the gyms in the sub-levels also have a couple of showers: for post-work out cleansing. Pretty much, they shower a lot and so far it's not an issue :)
NCISProbie: Thank you! Hoped you enjoyed this update! :)
RogueNya: Thank you! I'm trying not to have them move too fast. I'm still questioning if I should have had them have sex so soon. But I think given their sexual history together it's believable that both of them have been waiting to cross that line with each other for almost a year and were both eager to get there. And yeah, Magneto is still getting to know Rogue. It's going to be a while before they fall into "I'm super comfortable with you/it feels like we've been together for years" vibe. I'm personally dating myself right now, which has helped with writing this story. :) I've been getting to know a few people and it's interesting trying to figure someone out, just based on the information that they're providing me with. I've felt a bit like an integrator myself on a few dates I've been on :)
Again, glad you're enjoying it and I hope you liked this chapter too! :)
