MAGNETIC ATTRACTION
Part Three
The next morning, everyone was awakened at nine-thirty, and when Rogue arrived to the meeting in the mess hall, she was the only other member of the team (other than Remy LeBeau, and Magneto of course) who had bothered to get dressed. Looking at the tired crew of mutants in their pyjamas, there was very little enthusiasm there, it seemed. These were not morning people.
Rogue thought to herself that Logan would have kicked many asses back at the Mansion if the young mutants had shown up to a meeting dressed in pyjamas, their hair all messed. Judging by Magneto's expression, she wasn't the only one who thought this in bad taste.
Magneto hadn't started the meeting yet, he was still waiting for others to arrive. Wanda seemed to be one of them. Magneto and Remy LeBeau were at the other side of the large mess hall, out of earshot, talking quietly to each other, their faces both serious. Rogue glanced towards both men curiously as she pulled a chair out and sat down; she saw Remy throw her a brief smile and a wink. She looked away quickly, feeling slightly ill-at-ease with this. Her eyes shifted to across the table where she saw Tabitha Smith who was clad in a rather revealing polka-dot top which seemed to have gotten the attention of both Pietro Maximoff and Remy LeBeau, who kept throwing the occasional glance at the girl's chest.
"Hey," Rogue said, trying to sound bright, and seem at least thankful to see her. "Ah didn't know you'd joined."
"I arrived late last night," explained Tabitha, she had a pink nail file out and was filing away at her purple glitter acrylic nails with expert precision. "I went solo for a while, but it's too boring. I thought about going back to the institute but the whole X-Men thing is just way too strict. At least here, I don't have a curfew," said the blonde, her blue eyes gleaming with mischief.
"Know what this meeting is about?" Rogue whispered across the table.
"I have no clue, all I know is Gambit has something to do with it."
"Oh?" asked Rogue, she leaned over the table a little more to listen as Tabitha whispered back.
"Him and the living Magnet have been whispering and mumbling for the past ten minutes since I've been here," Tabitha picked up a juice box from the table and took a long sip as her eyes travelled up and down Gambit's lithe frame wistfully. After releasing the straw from her lips, she said, "is it just me or did he get a lot hotter?"
"Ah..." Rogue began but couldn't quite find the right words as she let her eyes raise to his chiselled face, his dark intense eyes, his brown hair, which had grown out much more since she'd seen him before the summer. It hadn't been until now she'd noticed that he had gotten rid of that ridiculous goatee. "Ah don't know. Ah've never really thought of him that way..." she shrugged. It was a lie of course. Rogue had definitely noticed how good looking the boy was, and how he'd seemed to have become more appealing as time had worn on. Everything about him was perfect from the straightness to his teeth to his deep tan, his shiny brown hair, and his absolutely flawless complexion.
But these days, Rogue refused to let herself admit that she found any boy attractive. She'd already gone through the heartache of wishing for the attention of one boy she could never have, and she wasn't about to let herself go through that again. Any young good looking man in real life, no matter how many inches away he may be from her physically, may as well as be just as untouchable as an actor in a film, or the good looking front man of her favourite band.
No point in wanting what you can't have, Rogue reminded herself as she threw a quick glance in Remy LeBeau's direction. She wasn't all that sure she would have actually wanted him even if she hadn't been plagued with poisoned skin. "Ah don't think Ah could actually ever think of him like that."
"Oh come on, how could you not?" Tabitha cooed. "The accent, the eyes...there's just something about him. I definitely wouldn't say no to letting him rock my world."
Rogue rolled her eyes at Tabitha. Tabitha was the kind of girl who was rumoured to have that 'wouldn't say no' attitude to most good looking young men. After Tabitha had left Bayville some time ago, the rumours about her wild ways and adventures with the young men of both basketball and football teams at the High School had circulated for months. Rogue wasn't sure if any of it was true, but Tabitha's general attitude and ease with young men in general seemed to indicate there may be some seeds of truth in it all somewhere.
"He likes to use girls, you know," Rogue said quietly; she hadn't meant to. She hadn't even really been referring to sex, but rather to the time he'd dragged her to Louisiana under the pretence it'd been for her benefit only for it later to turn out that he'd intended to use her and her powers to rescue his no-good adoptive father. Rogue immediately wished she hadn't spoken further.
"I've heard those rumours too," Tabitha admitted as she went back to her expert nail filing, "heard all sorts of stuff about him.."
"Like what?" Rogue asked.
"He only ever does the one date thing, and he always gets lucky. From what I hear, no girl has ever turned him down."
"How was your first night in new home?" came a deep voice, thick with Russian accent. Rogue turned to her left to see Piotr Rasputin taking his seat. Piotr was in a robe, at least, his hair slightly mussed and his face needing a shave. The creases from his pillow had left faint lines on the left side of his handsome face.
"Oh, it was fine," Rogue admitted. Truthfully, it hadn't been the most comfortable bed she'd ever slept in, but once she had fallen asleep, it had been a very deep and restful sleep. She'd even woken up feeling rested. Part of her wondered if it was that she'd been more tired than usual due to having spent quite a few sleepless nights trying to decide whether she would see Magneto or not. The other part of her thought that perhaps the restful sleep had come courtesy of the feeling that perhaps finally, she may get somewhere with her powers.
"Hey, you know Gambit well, right?" Tabitha glanced over towards Piotr, Rogue could see the blonde weighing the large Russian up with that same almost lustful expression she'd had for Remy.
"Somewhat," admitted Piotr, he gave a shrug, which to Rogue seemed quite uncomfortable and awkward.
"Is it true he's never been turned down for a screw?" Tabitha asked crudely.
Rogue's cheeks grew hot, and as she glanced towards Piotr, she saw that his had as well. He looked away from both girls, and replied with slight fluster.
"I honestly could not say."
"I've heard he only ever does the one date minimum. No second dates ever."
Piotr did not respond.
"Oh come on, surely you must know if that's true."
"I have no idea. What Gambit does in his personal time is his business...not mine," Piotr responded, he seemed to be hoping the subject would be dropped altogether.
"Wanda," said Magneto loudly as Wanda finally entered the mess hall. She'd decided to dress, although she was still slightly under-dressed for a Saturday morning. She'd have been under-dressed for clubbing on a Saturday night, Rogue decided as she glanced up and down at the young woman. A scarlet red basque pushed her breasts up impressively to where Rogue would have mistaken them for silcone. Her pierced naval was exposed and a pair of extremely tight wet-look leggings showed the exceptional tone of her slender legs.
"Yikes," said Lance Alvers, who was sitting at the very end of the dining table, munching on a donut, "who let Elvira out of her coffin?" he asked as he put his feet up on the table.
"Same person who's going to put you in one," snapped Wanda. The air seemed to crackle in response to her irritability. The chair Lance was sitting on collapsed beneath him, the legs just breaking entirely. Rogue, having already noted all the chair was extremely sturdy (at least gathering by the one next to her taking the weight of Piotr Rasputin), only gathered Wanda's powers had affected the chair. It was hard to say if this was a deliberate act or accidental; regardless, Lance had gotten what he deserved.
"Wanda," hissed Magneto.
Wanda just smirked and took a seat at one of the other tables, casually crossing one leg over the other.
Magneto glanced at everyone, seeming to mentally count heads, "Is everyone here?" he asked.
"Yes," and "yeah, whatever," came the disgruntled mutters of everyone who would rather be sleeping in this fine Saturday morning.
"I'd like to make a few announcements," said Magneto, clasping his hands together, "first, Tabitha will be joining the team," he gestured to Tabitha who stood up and gave a dramatic bow.
"That's all we need, another bathroom hog who always uses all the hot water," Lance muttered. "You touch my car, I'll kill you," he warned the blonde, who in response, gave him the finger out of Magneto's view.
Magneto continued, "The second announcement, is that I've finally decided, since the team is now fully formed, that you should have a leader who can go out with you into the field, when I cannot."
Pietro stood up, "you know I'll make a great leader, dad."
"No you won't, sit down, and be quiet," Magneto warned.
Pietro's face dropped as Magneto gestured to Remy LeBeau, who was standing by the wall with his hands behind his back. Rogue saw the mixed expressions of everyone. Those like Piotr, and Tabitha, they did not seem all that bothered by the prospect of following Remy LeBeau's orders. On the other hand, Lance Alvers, Pietro Maximoff and Wanda Maximoff all looked very conflicted on the subject.
Rogue raised an eyebrow at Remy, who repeated the gesture back to her with a simple smirk. At least I won't be following orders from Quicksilver. He'd probably get me killed, Rogue thought to herself.
"Why him?!" demanded Pietro furiously, still standing, his face going red.
"The anger you're exhibiting now only confirms my choice was the correct one," pointed out Magneto.
"He's a hick and a sneak thief! What does he know about running a team?"
Rogue could see from where she sat that Remy's face had darkened a little; he gave Pietro a look that meant business, and Pietro's expression changed to one of almost slight regret, as if he knew he'd pay for his words later in private.
"Those who do not wish to follow Gambit as a leader are free to leave the team entirely," offered Magneto, folding his arms and frowning.
Pietro closed his mouth and sat back down, he turned away from his father and from Gambit; his expression was foul, his blue eyes seemed almost black with fury. Rogue caught the look of triumph that was brief on Remy's face before Magneto continued speaking.
"Gambit will decide when training schedules are to begin, he will decide what you will do in the field, and you will all take orders from him without question. Understood?" No one answered, but Magneto took it that it was none the less. He placed a hand on Remy's shoulder, "you are now in command. Do as you will," he stated, and he turned promptly on his heel and walked away, leaving the room entirely. The heavy thud of his plain black boots echoed as Magneto moved further and further away from the mess hall.
All of the members of The Acolytes were staring at Remy LeBeau, some still seemed to be quite disbelieving that the young man had just been appointed leader.
Remy took charge as soon as Magneto was completely out of earshot; he had a cold look of determination that Rogue wasn't all that familiar with. She thought it amazing how the change of expression could almost make him look like a completely different person from the boy she'd been joking with here in the mes hall only last night.
"First things first," Remy began, he glanced around at them all, "when you're all called to a meeting like this in the morning, you dress for it. You were all given fifteen minutes to get your asses here, and most of you are still in pyjamas. Magneto weren't happy, and I ain't either. If we'd had to take off for a fight immediately after the meetin', then we'd be wastin' time waiting for you to get your asses in gear to be ready."
Pietro snorted in contempt at this new rule.
"Your first trainin' session is going to be tomorrow morning. At five am."
Almost everyone in the mess hall groaned, and even Rogue did inwardly. She'd almost believed for a moment that coming here would be an escape from things like five am training sessions.
"I don't care if you like sleepin' in on a Sunday. If you ain't dressed and ready at five am sharp tomorrow morning...then there's consequences. Magneto given me rights to hand out punishments to anyone who goes against what I say."
"Are we done here?" Pietro asked coldly, he looked at a non-existent watch on his wrist.
Remy moved towards the boy, spinning his chair towards him, and putting a foot up on the v of space left between Pietro's legs, just narrowly missing kicking him in the groin, "you wanna start with me so early, Quicksilver? No one is holding a gun to your head here. If you want to leave the team, then there's the door," he gestured to the door at the end of the room, "don't let it hit you in the ass on the way out."
Rogue folded her arms, feeling a slight chill over her. It was odd how very strict and almost bully-like Remy LeBeau could be in a position of authority. Intimidation from Remy seemed to work rather well on Pietro, as the young boys face paled, and his eyes widened just a little.
"That's it for now," Remy removed his foot from Pietro's chair, "you can all go do whatever. Enjoy your Saturday, because tomorrow it's time to get to work."
"This isn't over," Pietro got up out of his chair; using his powers, he had left the room faster than the speed of light.
Remy put his hands in his pockets casually and leaned against the nearest support pillar casually, giving a smirk, "no, I expect it isn't," he said, more to himself than anyone else.
Everyone began to filter out of the room slowly, mumbling and whispering amongst themselves as they went. Rogue remained seated, watching them all, wondering if this was really going to work with Remy in command.
She'd almost expected Remy to leave the room too, but he'd remained, he was leaning into the pillar still, arms folded, eyes focused on the door as the last person left and the door closed.
"You're kind of a hard-ass," Rogue admitted, when they were finally alone.
Remy snorted a little and shrugged, he rolled his head, it giving a soft crack as if in protest. "Leadership 101," he threw a glance in her direction, "you don't make friends, you make enemies."
"Ah don't like bullies," Rogue stood up and pushed her chair under the table.
"It's not bullying," Remy responded matter-of-factly. "It's more like...intimidation. And it works with immature jerks like Quicksilver. All talk, but when it comes right down to it, he knows I could beat him in a fight."
"But he's faster than you," she pointed out. "Way faster."
"Fast isn't everything," Remy explained. "You push through something fast, you're more likely to make a mistake. His body and movement may be far faster than mine, but his mind sure ain't."
Rogue hovered by the table, "Ah never figured you for the leader-type."
"Not quite Cyclops, Am I?" Remy smirked at her knowingly, making her cheeks turn red at the thought he may know her feelings about him.
"They won't make it easy for you, you know," Rogue quickly tried to change the subject.
"They'll find it goes both ways," Remy responded, "I'm not about to make it easy on them either, and the harder they try to make it for me, the worse it'll get for them," he replied. "I can give as good as I get, and I ain't afraid of mutiny."
Rogue listened to him, her eyes travelling along the slightly cracked walls, and the dirty floor tiles, "Can Ah ask a question?"
"Sure," he responded, watching her as she moved.
"It's been botherin' me ever since I came here yesterday and saw the exterior."
"Go on," he offered.
"Why is this place such a shithole?"
Remy laughed, "it is?"
"Damp walls, old fashioned televisions, the sofa is about fifty years old, the tables are made out of tires and old bits of wood. Ah mean...what gives? Magneto has money, Ah've heard the Professor say so, so...why aren't you guys all in a nicer place with good furniture and a proper bedrooms?"
After a moment, Remy pushed himself away from the pillar and met her at the other table, "you're right. He does have money. Bucket-loads of it, actually. And you're right, this place is a shithole, at least...it is compared to what you're used to, which is a nice cosy big mansion with good antique furnishings and feather pillows."
"I just don't understand if Magneto has bucket-loads of money...why are you all living like this when this place could be so much nicer..." Rogue gestured around them.
"You probably wouldn't believe me if I told you the real reason he chose this place," Remy admitted.
"Try me," Rogue folded her arms, examining his sharp face in the harsh overhead lighting.
"Lets compromise. How 'bout first, you tell me if I was right about my guess that Magneto's gonna try and help you fix your powers," Remy offered.
She couldn't explain why she felt so defensive when it came to this, and so she reacted instinctively, "How about Ah kick your ass and tell you to go to hell," she replied, and she move to walk by him, only for him to grab her arm and yank her bank gently.
"Rogue," he said, his voice serious, "I'm teasin'," he stated, "Just kiddin' around."
"Yeah? Do Ah look like Ah'm laughin'?" Rogue demanded icily.
"No. And I don't blame you. May have sounded cruel, but I said it because I'm tryin' to make a point."
"And what's that? That you're a dick?" Rogue demanded coldly.
"That you're touchy about this...if you'll pardon the wording," he explained matter of factly, "come here..." he led her by the arm back to the chair she'd been sitting in and he pulled it out for her and urged her to sit.
Rogue sat down, folding her arms stubbornly and looking away from him.
Remy sat opposite her, he leaned forward on the table a little, "you're in the Acolytes now. This ain't the X-Men. These people ain't gonna give you space to breathe, they ain't gonna be nice to you, and be sensitive and compassionate like your friends were," he explained.
Her eyes raised to his; eerie black with ruby red irises stared back at her. The odd thing was that there was an almost sincere expression on his face.
"I'm a master at lying and hiding how I feel about things, Rogue," Remy continued, "that's how I can tell that you're trying to hide that the reason you're here is because of your powers..."
"If Ah am here because of that, it's none of your business," Rogue shot angrily.
"Yes, fine, it's none of my business," he admitted, "I agree. Absolutely," he nodded.
"So why the hell are you picking on me now?"
"Because I wanna make sure you're tough enough to handle it when the others start asking you about it. You show the kind of reactions to them that you just showed me...and damn, they're gonna eat you alive. Especially Quicksilver. You give him the opportunity to get to you and he'll continue doing it."
Rogue's eyes fell to the table, her stomach churned. She hated this conversation and wished he'd just leave her alone.
"Magneto asked me to make sure I help you in any way I can," Remy admitted, "and I will. But take my advice. Don't cut yourself and wave the blood around for the sharks, okay?" he stood up. "And to answer your question," he gestured to the mess hall, "this place is a shit hole, because for one thing, Magneto believes if you give people everythin' they want, they ain' gonna work for it."
"And the other thing?" Rogue asked, feeling queasy from their discussion moments ago. She felt incredibly foolish that she'd completely chased the bait that Remy had laid out for her.
"You'll find out tomorrow morning at 5am," Remy smirked as he headed for the door. "Enjoy your Saturday."
As Remy was leaving the mess hall, Tabitha entered once again, making it obvious as she walked by him that she was looking him up and down and admiring. She offered a flirtatious smile, and he returned it before he disappeared out the door. Rogue rolled her eyes at them both.
"Two minutes in the door, and you already have visitors," said Tabitha as she danced across the room.
"Huh?" Rogue rubbed the back of her neck absently.
"Scott and Kurt are outside the gates. They're here to see you. Pietro gave them the finger and told them he wouldn't let them in."
Rogue sighed, "where's the key to the gate?"
"I have no clue," Tabitha shrugged, "I'm new here too, remember. Anyway, one of the rules is we're not allowed to let people in."
As she walked through the warehouse to get outside, she passed by a few her new team, them giving her strange looks having already most likely heard the news that the X-Men were already here visiting. Instead of saying anything to them, she kept her head low, and went outside, and crossed the loading bay. It was just as Tabitha had said, Kurt and Scott were outside of the gate.
Rogue pondered why Kurt hadn't just teleported himself and Scott from one side to the other. Were they afraid to? Or was this simply restraint out of respect? Either way, they were on two different sides of the fence, and Rogue couldn't deny that right now, she definitely felt the irony of that.
"Hey," Rogue greeted, her head even lower than before. It was odd, she thought; she knew she should feel no shame in having left to come here, and yet, having Scott look at her that way...she felt immediate shame and embarrassment that made it hard to even look at him.
"Rogue, what's going on?" Scott asked immediately.
Rogue raised an eyebrow, he seemed on the edge of a tyrade.
"We were eating breakfast and you didn't show up, then the Professor drops this bombshell that you've left to join the Acolytes? No reasons given. What gives? Why'd you just up and abandon us?"
She moved to the bars of the gate and put her hands on them. She noted there was now a good length of chain and a padlock around the gates. "Ah needed a change," she replied, she couldn't meet Scott's eye, and it had nothing to do with the fact that he was wearing his ruby-quartz glasses.
"A change? You've joined the biggest band of trouble makers in Bayville," Scott pointed out.
Kurt's expression was one of hurt, he put his hands on the bars, they were close to hers, and so she moved back a little, despite she was wearing gloves. "Come on, Rogue. Is this some kind of undercover mission or something? You can't seriously want to stay here..."
"Listen, Ah know it's way out of left field..." Rogue looked around the loading dock to avoid looking at either of them, "Ah just need some space."
"From the X-Men?" Scott asked, sounding slightly incredulous.
"From everything," Rogue responded quickly.
"Just come back with us," Kurt pleaded, "whatever the problem is, we'll figure something out," he promised.
"It's not that simple," she sighed.
"Come on," Kurt sighed, "you don't belong here. You belong with us."
"Ah don't belong anywhere, right now," Rogue admitted, feeling the truth of this.
"So you're just turning your back on us, huh?" Kurt's expression was even more clouded with hurt than before. She wondered if perhaps he was upset more about the fact she hadn't spoken to him about this before she'd gone and done it. Kurt had always felt a bond with her due to their odd circumstances and connections with Mystique; he'd always seen her as a sister figure, and Rogue could see just by the look on his face he took this as the betrayal of family rather than a friend simply leaving to try a different avenue.
"Kurt, Ah'm not turning my back on anyone. Ah'm still around...we're still...friends, we'll still probably see each other. Ah just...need to get away."
"But to go to Magneto?" Kurt admonished, his voice getting higher. "You know what he could do...he could hurt you, or turn you against people..."
Rogue looked over her shoulder uneasily, wondering if Magneto could hear this. Admittedly, she certainly couldn't blame Kurt for his assumption about this. Past experience had taught her that she was always at risk of being used to do harm to others.
"Kurt...go wait in the car," Scott said, putting his hand gently on Kurt's shoulder.
"But..." Kurt looked at Scott in disbelief.
"Go."
Kurt began to walk away, but then he stopped, and turned back to Rogue, gazing through the bars at her with a slight shake of his head, "you didn't even say goodbye to us..."
"Ah'm sorry..." she responded, truly meaning it, although she doubted it was really worth anything to him right now.
"Kurt...go," Scott gestured to the car, which was parked about twenty feet away.
Kurt did as he was told, although Rogue could see he was reluctant to do so. He gave one last pleading look to Rogue before he walked towards the car.
"At least tell me why you're here, Rogue," Scott requested, leaning closer to the bars, their faces were so close she could smell the toothpaste on his breath, and his fresh cologne. The cologne she'd always liked up until the day Jean had decided to admit she liked it too.
"Ah can't," Rogue chewed her lip, "Ah'm sorry."
"Oh come on. You just take off, not even a word or so much as a goodbye. You at least owe me an explanation," Scott responded.
Rogue stepped back from the bars, "Ah don't owe you anything, Scott."
"We're friends, aren't we?" Scott pointed out.
She didn't mean to, but she scoffed, "when was the last time we hung out together? Just me and you? When was the last time you spoke two words to me when it wasn't about me borrowing your car, or me catching a ride with you and Jean, or your giving me orders in the Danger Room or out on the field?" she demanded.
"Rogue..." he reached through the bars towards her, but she was already moving back towards the warehouse.
"We haven't really been friends for a long time."
"I was always your friend."
"Then you'll understand when Ah say that Ah had to leave. Ah have to do what's best for me, Ah just have to do what's right."
"How is this right?" Scott gestured to the place. "How is being with them right?"
"How is it wrong?"
"It..." Scott smacked his hand against the bar frustratedly, "it just is."
She examined him momentarily as he looked away from her, his face grim and his jaw set. For one brief moment, she thought of all the things she'd always liked about him. His determination, his handsome yet sometimes far too serious face, and the way he always spoke softly to her. Back when she'd first left the Brotherhood to be with the X-Men, the hope that she could get close to Scott had been one of the contributing factors.
"Ah don't have any reason to stay, any more, Scott," she spoke candidly. She wondered if he understood what she meant.
"Of course you do, Rogue," he replied to her warmly, he gripped the bars, "you have a million reasons..."
"Name them," Rogue suggested.
"I...uh..." he drew a breath.
"Exactly. You can't think of them either..." she snorted, "Ah don't get along with anyone anymore...Ah'm no further along with my powers than Ah was when Ah joined the team, and Ah've probably gone as far in my training as Ah can go."
"What about your friends?" Scott asked quietly.
"Ah'll still see everyone...at college...around," she put both hands on the bars and sighed. "Ah'm not leavin' Bayvile, after all. Just...leaving the Institute and the X-Men."
"Please reconsider..."
"Tell everyone Ah'm sorry Ah didn't say goodbye."
"Rogue..." he pleaded, took a hold of one of her gloved fists which was curled around a bar and he tried to hold it there tight, even though she couldn't see his eyes, she had the distinct impression they were locked to hers, "don't do this."
Rogue pulled her hand awkwardly away from his, her glove almost slipping off in the process. She turned and began the walk to the warehouse. She couldn't look back, didn't dare even glance over her shoulder, "bye, Scott."
After stepping inside the warehouse, she felt immediately like sobbing after this encounter, although she couldn't explain even to herself why. Being in such close vicinity of the other Acolytes, she refused to let one single tear shed. Instead, she sucked in a deep breath, pulled herself together, and made her way down to her new room to unpack her things, intent on making this her new home.
End of Part Three