DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the characters, if I did they'd have better clothes and more to choose between, and there'd be more hugging, because we all like to see hugging.
(This is my little Public Display Of Gratitude for LaceyLou76 - who accurately predicted Jonda for this installment; anon goddess - who desired updates; and Bloodypassion - who also desired updates. Here you all are, tell me what you think.)
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~Scarlet Letter~
Sequels And Surprises
Kurt bampfed in balancing a tray on his tail-tip and hanging from the chandelier. This was a fairly normal occurrence so Rogue let it go and finished blow-drying her hair, motioning him to put her breakfast tray on the desk, which he did through a series of complex acrobatics that seemed to suggest he lacked a spine in the medical sense.
"Type O, sis? You're in a good mood," he commented, jerking his thumb-like appendage towards her stereo where Peter Steele was indeed serenading his sister via the medium of Black No 1. Rogue just smiled at her adoptive brother and said,
"Well, it's a good day today. Ah'm goin' ta see Wanda and listen to her review of her new favourite book and then we'll probably catch a movie or something."
"Ah..." Kurt nodded in understanding. Rogue's good days were the ones that were as normal as could possibly be engineered with the majority of her social circle being mutants. She liked days with as few unnatural goings-on as at all possible, and going to see a friend to talk about books was to Kurt's mind about as normal as you could get when you were Rogue. No wonder she seemed happy. She wrinkled her pert little nose and then broke out in a grin reserved for appreciation of food.
"Aw, Kurt, ya got me bacon and eggs? Ya big fuzzy elf, c'mere..." she gave him a hug that smelled of lavender and ruffled his blue bangs affectionately.
"You're the best brother in the world," she said, and he returned the hug a little shyly. He still wasn't quite used to her good moods. They were more frequent now but he sometimes felt unsure as to how he should react. Mostly he just returned the gesture and pretended it was all very normal.
"Ya got any plans today?" she asked as she sat down next to her breakfast and picked up the cup of coffee he'd also had the foresight to bring her. He shrugged.
"Was gonna go and see Amanda but she has to visit her grandmuzzer so I'm just going to stay at home and see what happens." His sister gave him a sympathetic look over the rim of her cup.
"Ya'll miss her don't ya?" He nodded and sighed, but kept the little smile on for her sake.
"Yeah but it's okay. We see each other when we can and zat's fine... besides, her parents can't resist the fuzzy dude for long!" Rogue laughed with him and made a mental note to get him something good as a thanks-for-breakfast gift.
"Who can? Now get goin' while Ah eat mah bacon an' Ah'll see ya later, alraght? Be good while Ah'm gone!" He nodded, made the peace sign, and bampfed away to God only knew where. She wished for a moment that she could do something for him and Amanda, but like she always did when her thoughts strayed to possible way she could help them, she came up blank. She certainly doubted it could help if she went to talk to Amanda's parents. 'Hey, Ah'm Kurt's Goth mutant sister, and he's a great guy really if ya can ignore the blue fur.' Yeah, that just wouldn't work. She ate relatively undisturbed bar a text message from Pietro expressing his relief that Rogue had been right and Wanda seemed much better after her alone time, and took the tray downstairs with her where she met Ororo in the kitchen.
"Good morning, dear, how are you today?" the weather goddess gave her a sunny smile which Rogue returned gratefully. She had been worried that the student's mother-figure might be upset with her after learning the truth about she and Wanda's excursion the previous day, but her concerns appeared to be unfounded.
"Mornin' Storm, Ah'm fahne. Ah'm goin' ta see Wanda, check up on her. She was kinda out of it las' naght," she said, putting away her breakfast things and facing the older woman, who was observing her with a very strange sort of pride.
"You give her our regards then, and tell her we're all so proud of the two of you. You did so well yesterday, handling things all on your own and the Professor agrees with me that you showed yourself to be more than capable of making decisions in a tight spot." Rogue blushed under her warm gaze, and Storm added, "I'm so proud of the way you've grown, child." Before Rogue knew it, she was enjoying one of Storm's patented, Clucking-Mother-Hen-Hugs, and she felt a sudden moment of clarity. This was what normal kids felt every time their real mother hugged them. Pulling away, she gave Ororo a watery smile and said,
"Thanks – for everythang... Ah'll be back later. Call me if y'all need me fer anythang." Storm watched the girl run out of the kitchen with a glowing look, feeling rather than hearing Logan sidle up to her.
"Stripes know yet?" She shook her head.
"Rogue has been through so much lately, the professor thought it would be best to give her some space while things are still peaceful before we give her that kind of responsibility." Logan made a grunting noise that Storm knew from long experience meant he approved.
"Girl's been like my own daughter since she got here," he confessed, and Ororo turned to face him with a triumphant grin on her lovely face.
"I thought you'd never admit that." Logan shrugged.
"I don't have to admit anything t' you, you know everything that goes on around here before it happens anyway." Storm smiled and shook her head.
"You and me both," she laughed.
"Yeah, maybe." Logan crossed his arms across his considerable chest and raised an eyebrow at her.
"But those kids are damn lucky to have you, 'Ro."
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"Wanda! You've got visitors!" "Hmmm?" Wanda was sprawled on the settee, re-reading the end of her book, completely ignoring the rest of the world when the book was snatched from her hands and she was forced to sit up and pay attention, about to hex the offender. Rogue just laughed at her offended expression.
"Awww, c'mon sugah, Ah jus' wanna see it! Freddy let me in," she said sweetly, and Wanda rolled her eyes at her.
"I thought you were Toad again – he was doing that earlier because he wanted to know what was so great about 'some book'." It was clear from the way she said it that 'some book' was clearly definitely some book, and that she was more than aggravated at Toad's inability to keep himself to himself. They already knew he had no chance in hell of ever being appreciative of literature. Rogue grimaced. That would have earned him a place on her shit list too.
"Asshole," she said casually, flicking through the first few pages of Wanda's book. "Ya wanna go get the sequel?" she asked, noticing the shifty look in Wanda's eyes.
"Umm... I kinda already made Pietro run down and get it for me – I was just reading the best part again because it's so good..." The guilty look she sent the red-and-black gift-wrapped rectangle lying on the table Rogue earned her a laugh and a big hug, as the Southerner tried to keep from accusing her of things Kitty would want to accuse her of later.
"Y're really into this aren't ya? Ah haven' seen ya read somethang twice lahke this since ya read The Picture Of Dorian Gray," she said with incredulity dripping off her tongue, and Wanda nodded enthusiastically.
"It's just so moving, the way he's written the characters and the atmosphere and everything, it's just perfect, he's a genius!" Rogue raised an eyebrow.
"Ya sure ya aren't runnin' a fever, sugah?" Wanda stared her down.
"Don't be a bitch. Read it and you'll see what I mean. Go home and read it right now." It was said imperiously and she coupled it with a stately point towards the door that practically made it an order, and Rogue just smiled and said,
"Sure, honeypie, if that'll make ya happy, Ah'll leave ya with ya dream book an' call ya later." This seemed to please Wanda who gave her a hug and followed her to the doorway of the living room where she was camped out.
"I want a full review when you call me, no weaselling out of it with a 'it's nice'. Brutal honesty!" she said seriously, and Rogue nodded, saluting.
"Jawohl, mein Führer!" she snapped out, clicking the heels of her steel-capped combats together, and Wanda gave her a shove.
"Go! Go forth and read! Read like the wind!" she called after her, and Rogue waved over her shoulder at the witch, who nodded once in assurance that she would indeed have her full review later, and then disappeared into the living room again to get busy with her sequel.
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Rogue was about to let herself out, but it seemed the fates had other idea for she opened the door and almost stepped on someone who took three steps back, gave her a big smile and said, "Terribly sorry Sheila, I'm lookin' fer Rocky."
The wicked smile that curved around Rogue's purple-lacquered lips made him take another half-step back, and she chuckled to herself. This would no doubt be an interesting addition to Wanda's perfectly planned day.
"Ah don't know if Lance is in, Freddy's in the kitchen an' Wanda's in the living room. What are ya doin' here anyway, Pyro?" He shrugged.
"Like I said – I need t' see Rocky about somethin'. What are you doin' here?" She smiled around the fangs the gods hadn't seen fit to give her but which were no doubt in the original blueprints and said as innocently as she could manage,
"Ah was just here to borrow a book from Wanda. If Lance is in, he'll be in the garage, but Ah'd ask Fred if he knows where he is if Ah were you. Bye..." she waved at him as she strode down the driveway, and dissolved into fits of giggles as soon as she was out of sight. This would be hilarious, she'd need to get the run-down from Kitty later because one thing was certain – the level of humiliation this foreboded would never make it to Wanda's version.
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The giant Fred had directed him to the garage where Lance was busy doing something messy to his jeep, and the hand the other teen reached out to him was covered in oil. So flammable, so tempting. Dragging his eyes away and putting his best foot forward, however, he just said, "G'day mate, I'm here about that room y've got up fer grabs. Offer still open?" Lance grinned and nodded and wiped his hands on the filthy rag he'd hung from his belt loop.
"Yeah, sure, if you can front me two hundred for the first half of this month then it's all yours," the amiable Avalanche said, looking Pyro over. Tall, lean, with a shock of fiery hair and a ready grin, he only really knew the Australian mutant from battle, but from what he'd heard he would fit right in at the Brotherhood. A meaty hand descended on his shoulder and he looked up at the Blob expectantly. Fred didn't usually get involved in things that were money-related, but if he had something to add it would likely be important.
"Lance, we gotta run this by Wanda first..." Fred reminded him, looking around him furtively as though they were doing something inherently wrong. Lance glanced from Pyro to his friend thoughtfully.
"Guess you're right. Toad doesn't care and Pietro will go with whatever Wanda says but it's her call," he turned his attention to Pyro again, who was observing them with a detached sort of look that made them think of people who were pretending to listen in class so as to avoid detention. His eyes even looked a little glassy.
"Then we'll go an' run it by the Sheila," he said cheerily, surprising them by suddenly seeming to be very much in the loop, and Lance gave Blob a look as Pyro started to walk away. Fred nodded to his comrade-in-arms who promptly held Pyro back.
"Er – you've never been formally introduced to Wanda, have you?" he asked, and the Australian shook his head.
"No. Sheila's a total mystery ta me, mate. All I know is her Daddy was a righ' bastard to 'er an' she's really close ta that Rogue Gambit likes ta stalk in his free time," Lance raised an eyebrow at Blob and looked back at Pyro nervously.
"Riiiight... Well, thing is, Wanda's a little... She can be a bit moody sometimes, and – " Fred interrupted him.
"She's a nice girl but she's got a temper on her so if she tells you to do something, just do it. An' she likes to be left alone when she's reading. Oh – and don't wake her up if she's taking a nap. And if she blows stuff up and doesn't tell you why, don't ask." Lance nodded, glad that Fred had been able to sum it up without making her sound like she should still be in an asylum.
Pyro just smiled at them. "I can do that," he said, in a tone that did very little to dispel Lance'' general unease.
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They stood in the doorway, looking at the Scarlet Witch who was twisted into a strange position on the settee, humming something to herself and deeply engrossed in her new book, none of them wanting to disturb the peace. And so it came to pass that Pyro did it for them, and Lance Alvers experienced another of those odd palpitations he'd started having since Wanda came to live with them. He did the unthinkable – he knocked on the door. Wanda tilted her head back to look at them upside down. And the look on her face threw the Brotherhood Boys. It was a mixture of surprise, disbelief, and something Lance recognised from Kitty's many fangirl-moments. That special brand of shocked devotion that stemmed from a deep-seated, irrational desire to own the object of the admiration. Lance felt his life flash before his eyes. He put a hand on Blob's arm and said his final goodbye to the world, wishing he could have held Kitty one last time.
"Pardon me luv, but I think your mate here has somethin' he'd like to ask you," Pyro said charmingly, and Wanda's eyes widened. It almost looked like she'd been born with her brother's speed because she was suddenly sitting up, her book had vanished, and there was a look on her face directed at Lance of 'yes?'. It took him a little longer to overcome his abject terror, and when he did, he covered the awkwardness by sitting across from her on the edge of the armchair's seat and putting on his reasonable-adult face.
"Wanda, you know we put out the word that we had a room going spare, and we need the cash so we're renting it? Well, Pyro here's come to ask if he can rent it off us. He's got the money, we just wanted to make sure this was all okay with you before we promised him anything - you know, cos you live here too and you're our only girl and we didn't want to spring this on you or anything, but – "
"He can stay." Lance looked at her as though expecting conditions, but she just gave him the wake-up eye-roll and stood up.
"I'll be in my room," she added. "Give him his key, show him the house, let him know the rules. And when Pietro gets back tell him about this before he gets all huffy. Tell him I gave the go-ahead for it, he'll be okay with that." She brushed past Pyro on her way out, and the Australian gave Lance a cocky wink.
"Don' see the problem, mate," he said innocently, turning to Fred who seemed to have decided to pretend all was well with the world and that Pyro shouldn't be lying on the lawn, eviscerated, for calling Wanda anything but her real name.
"On with the tour, eh?"