Title: Not Another Cliche Love Story! Part 9.

Fandom: X-Men movieverse

Characters: ensemble

Rating: PG-13

Summary: AU, Ryro. Probably will be funny, not angsty and most likely a little cliche.

Author's Notes: Parts will probably be very short.

THE DINNER

John glanced around the table. His Thanksgiving dinners at home had been at his grandmother's house, and very stiff and formal. No one talked other then small 'pass the butters' and the before dinner polite, catch-up small talk. This, however, this was anything but stiff and formal.

Elizabeth (Marie's sister) was glaring, somehow, at both her fiance, her mother - who seemed either oblivous or was used to it - and anyone else who talked to her. Marie's little brother, who'd left the room when she tried to introduce them, was glaring at his plate. Peter looked confused, Mrs. D'Ancanto looked happy, and Mr. D'Ancanto looked bored. Come to think of it, that was how Mr. D'Ancanto almost always looked. Everyone bowed their heads and John, who'd noted another difference between his family and hers, decided to mess with Marie a little. She was so nervous about this dinner. While everyone had their heads down and their eyes closed, he picked up a green bean - lucky bean - and, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, dropped it into her shirt in the center. She looked up at him quickly but everyone'd finished praying and started eating, which prevented her from saying anything. He pulled him arms back and picked up a kernel of corn. If he was lucky, he might get to see that food again later.

He'd managed to get in a small piece of carrot, 2 green beans and 4 corn kernels down her shirt before any conversations started. Mr. D'Ancanto, surprisingly, was the first to speak.

"So, John. Are you sleeping with my daughter yet?"

John choked on his bite of mashed potatoes and withdraw his hand, along with the 2nd small piece of carrot, from her shoulders, looking at Marie for instruction. They hadn't slept together yet but they'd actually gotten really really close and he needed to stop thinking about that now. Marie paled and Peter blushed.

"Dad, are you entirely sure that's an appropriate subject for dinner?" He nodded towards 'Lizabeth, who'd taken to running aroung the table. Melissa rested her head in her hands.

"You think it's not? Well, alright then, Peter, how many times do you plan on knocking up my daughter before you actually marry her?"

"Not any more, actually, Dad, because the engagement is off!" The older sister stood, threw her napkin down and stormed out. Peter followed, now pale and shaking.

"So, John, you never answered my question."

"Uh, no sir."

"No, you didn't answer my question or no, you aren't doing the deed with my sweeter, younger daughter?"

"No to both, sir."

The man nodded.

"And how long have you been seeing each other?"

"A month, sir."

"Damnit, boy, stop calling me sir. And relac you're not being graded. So you've been dating for a month but you're not riding the hobbyhorse?"

"That's right." John didn't think he'd ever been more uncomfortable in his life.

"Is that normal?"

"I don't know."

"Are you a virgin?"

John choked on pure air this time, Marie muttering a mantra of 'I'm sorry' next to him.

"Are you a virgin?" Mr. D'Ancanto emphasized each word.

"No."

"Then you should know if it's normal or not."

"I guess."

"So is it normal?"

"I think normal is different for each couple."

"Really? Good for you, boy, you've actually got a pair."

"Thanks."

"I don't think it's normal though. Her mom and I did it on the first date."

"Uhhh.. Oh-okay."

Marie started laughing out loud. "Daddy, there are some things I - we - just don't want to know."

"Well, why not? Everybody has sex at one point or another."

"Not true, Dad. Nuns don't. Neither do monks." The 17 yr old boy finally spoke and even smiled at Marie. marie leaned over to whisper,

"He lives on technicalities."

"Don, sweetheart, I don't think that's any of our business and I'm sure they don't want to talk about it."

"Well, I'm not saying it's a bad thing just that I think it's different."

"Maybe thay're waiting for marriage."

"No one waits for marriage anymore."

"Some people do-" interjected the boy.

"Thanks." Marie beckoned to John to stand up and they made their way out of the dining room. She looked at him and burst into giggles.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that. It's my dad's test. If a guy can talk about sex or stand up for themselves, they pass. Relax, he likes you."

"Would he've if I'd said how far we have went?"

"Probably not." She smiled at him.

"Honesty to a certain extent, got it."

End Part 9.