MAGNETIC ATTRACTION
Part Four
Remy had left the warehouse to go for a walk around the woodlands that lay at the back of the warehouse; it was a slightly cold Autumn Saturday. The leaves had already long turned deep red and gold and were floating around in the slight breeze as he walked.
He sighed to himself as he flicked ash into the crunchy leafy floor beneath him. His mind was whirling with thoughts and feelings, mostly about being made to take over this poor excuse for a team of mutants. His gut told him this was all a huge mistake, that Magneto – whether the idea was logical to him or not – had definitely made the wrong decision.
Half of the team were never going to conform to the idea of following Remy LeBeau's orders, and Remy wasn't altogether convinced he had the patience to deal with them long term. Certainly he could have dealt with this as a short term solution only, as long as there was very little responsibility involved.
At least two of his team would be former students of Xavier's. They would be willing to work in a team at least, willing to follow orders. If they can follow the orders of that one-eyed straight laced goody-two-shoes, Cyclops, then they shouldn't have an issue with what I say, thought Remy as he took a long drag from his cigarette and felt the smoke fill his lungs. His senses swimmed with the intoxication of it; it'd been his only cigarette all day.
He'd been so caught up in enjoying the cigarette and the solitude, he'd almost missed the sound of branches cracking underfoot. He glanced down at his own feet and realised that it had not come from him. He was being followed.
He exhaled, looking around of him, listening to the wind in the trees, the rustling of leaves and the sounds of branches clicking together overhead. A crow was nearby, making some noise, and a few smaller birds were singing shrilly. He began walking again, his back growing tense as he took another drag from the cigarette before using the nearest tree to stub it out so he could pocket it for later.
Another crack, and shuffling.
He turned and looked behind him, no one was there, but the bushes were rustling. He crept over quickly, reaching into the pocket of his trenchcoat for his bo-staff. Who was this? Had Cyclops and Nightcrawler come to make a fuss over their recruiting Rogue into their team?
"It'd be pretty stupid to try and start a fight with a man who hasn't got enough nicotine in his system," said Remy matter-of-factly, as he reached out and pushed the side of the bush. A fox rushed out in panic, and took off running away, disappearing into the brush. A quick light step came from behind him, he swung towards his would-be assailant, bo-staff up and forced whoever it was into a tree.
He was surprised and yet, somehow not surprised to see the deep blue eyes of Wanda Maximoff staring back at him. She seemed moderately impressed, but not shocked that he had his bo-staff pressed against her throat and had her pinned against the trunk of an old oak.
"Wanda..." he frowned, "what the hell are you doing?" he demanded, without releasing her. "Why are you following me?!"
"I wanted to talk," Wanda replied coldly to him, her eyes meeting with his, her full lips pursed together tightly, as if she were holding back something particularly nasty that she wanted to say.
"So talk," he commanded. He could tell by the crazed look in her eyes that today was one of those bad days she seemed to have more often than not. "You even take your medication today?" he asked. He wasn't particularly sure what medication she took, only that he'd seen in her cabinet next to her bed several different bottles of pills and boxes of tablets that she was definitely meant to be taking every morning. He'd heard Magneto ask her the same question every day for the past month; and as of yet, she'd still never given an answer.
Perhaps bringing up her medication had been the wrong thing to say this time around. In response, Wanda reached up, gripped the sides of his staff, and used it to propel him back, twisting them into a roll onto the leafy ground and pinning him down there, him with the staff at his throat now, her thighs straddling his waist. "Why didn't you tell me that he was making you leader?!" she demanded sharply.
"I didn't know," Remy spoke with a slightly constricted throat, he tried to swallow and put his hands against the staff and the thing was uncannily hot and seemed to be bending to her will. He glanced around them nervously, the trees were creaking ominously, as if they were bending to her will, threatening to break. The wind picked up, the leaves howled around them.
"Bullshit," Wanda loosened the staff slightly just enough to let him speak, "You knew last night when you came to your room."
"Does it matter? Even if I had known, I'd have been told not to say anything. You know what your father is like, he gives commands and he doesn't like to be disobeyed."
"I don't care! You should have told me."
"Why? Why is it any business of yours?"
Wanda's expression was conflicted. He wondered if perhaps she felt entitled to know simply because of the sexual nature of their relationship. "Did you even know Rogue was joining the team?" she suddenly demanded, her eyes squinting.
"Honestly had no clue," he said truthfully, "You mind movin' the staff? I can't breathe," he choked.
She took the staff away from his neck and she tossed it aside.
"What's it matter anyway?" he asked, coughing slightly.
"About Rogue?" she blinked.
"About me bein' leader. Why do you care? It ain't like you've ever done what you were told to. You always do your own thing."
"Yeah?" Wanda raised an eyebrow, "why does that sound so familiar?"
"Touche," he put his hands on her waist, unable to ignore the way her backside was pressing against his groin at this particular moment.
"It's not going to work, you know," Wanda warned, rolling her hips a little against him which caused him to take a deep breath through his nose and exhale through his mouth in a silent moan. "You'll never lead us, and that hard-ass act doesn't scare me."
"Doesn't it?" he flipped her over and pinned her to the ground, pushing his body into her and chuckling, "certainly scared your brother."
"I don't really feel like talking about him right now," she moved her head up and brushed her tongue against his bottom lip.
"Hmm, what you feel like talkin' 'bout then?" he murmured as he released her arms, he leaned down to kiss her neck. Right now, he needed a distraction from everything and Wanda's willingness couldn't have come at a better time.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her, "I don't feel like talking at all."
Rogue had gone for a walk around the warehouse; although Remy had given her a tour last night, she remembered very little of the layout, and felt the best way to get accustomed to it was to simply go exploring. There was a narrow spiral staircase leading to a catwalk upstairs upon which there was a small room at the end and a metal door leading outside. The room was marked 'storage' and Rogue quietly moved towards it and tried the handle. It was locked – she hadn't noted the large padlock on the door.
"That is Gambit's room," came a voice at her side and she turned to see that the door leading outside had opened, and Piotr was leaning in, looking at her curiously.
"Oh," said Rogue. "Ah didn't know."
"He locks it when he is outside or not home," explained the large boy, his blue eyes falling upon the large padlock. "Are you looking for him?"
"Not really," Rogue replied truthfully. "Where is gumbo, anyway? I've been all over this place and haven't seen him."
"He went out about an hour ago. I did not ask where he was going," Piotr responded.
"Does he have much to steal?" Rogue wondered aloud as she touched the large padlock, thinking it was a little over the top.
"He does not keep many things. I think he prefers his privacy," Piotr answered for her.
"Oh," she said again.
"Are you lost?" asked Piotr, seeming to wonder why she was up here at all.
"Ah was just...walking around, trying to get used to the place. Ah still don't know where everything is."
"If you need help, let me know," Piotr offered kindly, "Although I am not very used to this place, myself."
Rogue followed him outside; there was a balcony on the outside back of the warehouse, which had a decent view of the woods which were slightly uphill. Golds, reds and greens painted the landscape against a slightly grey sky, the wind rustled the trees and carried the sounds of crows. "Nice view," she admitted.
"Yes, it is best thing about place," said Piotr.
Rogue turned to see what he'd been doing out here; there was an easel set up, and one of the chairs from the mess hall. A half-painted canvas almost mirrored the image of their view, except that the colours in Piotr's version of it were far more vivid, and pretty, and the sky was much bluer. "Wow, you did this?"
"Yes," he nodded.
"You're talented," she admitted, she moved closer to inspect, "it looks almost like a photograph..." she whistled.
"I made the sky more blue, because it is dull today," he admitted, his expression thoughtful.
Rogue smirked, "it's funny, I never pictured you for a painter. All the muscles...the haircut, I thought you'd be...you know..."
"Typical jock?" he asked.
"Well, yeah."
"I am bad at sports," he admitted.
"Ah hate sports," Rogue commented, she leaned on the rail of the balcony and stared out over the woods.
"How are you finding it, here?" asked Piotr, dabbing lightly at his canvas.
"It's...fine, really."
"It was nice of your friends to visit you so soon after you left," Piotr admitted.
"It wasn't a visit, it was sort of like an intervention, and it failed," Rogue commented, feeling a little hurt about bringing it up.
"In...ter...ven...tion..." Piotr repeated the words, his English was good, but he clearly didn't understand the word.
"Intervention, you know like...someone trying to interfere and make you change your mind or do something differently?"
"Oh, so they want you to go back?"
"Yes," she nodded.
Piotr had a perfect opening to ask why she had not gone back, or why she did leave the X-Men, yet, he didn't bring the subject up. Rogue was glad he knew when to let a subject be dropped.
"So...what do you think of this whole thing about Remy taking over the leadership?" Rogue asked casually.
"I think...it might be a good idea," said Piotr, "he is good with clever thoughts, and fast plans."
"Enough with the compliments about him," Rogue chuckled, "what do you really think about him?"
"He is not bad person, he likes to pretend he is."
"Yeah," Rogue agreed, "Ah know that."
"Blackenin' my name, are we?" came Remy's voice from the open doorway.
Rogue gasped a little, having not heard his approach, she quickly recomposed herself, and turned, "all he said was that you're not so bad a guy."
"Exactly," said Remy, smirking, "Blackenin' my name. Keep people thinkin' I'm an asshole, or they won't be scared of me no more," he smacked Piotr's arm playfully. Rogue noted Remy's hands were slightly dirty; mud had worked its way into the little creases on his palms.
"You never scared me to begin with," Piotr chortled.
"What have you been doing? Rolling in the mud?" Rogue asked as she touched the sleeve of his trechcoat which was caked with dirt. She flicked the crumbling dirt from her gloves awkwardly.
"Somethin' like that," said Remy, he swept his hair – which was slightly sweaty – from his forehead, his cheeks were slightly flushed.
"Exercising in the woods?" asked Piotr.
"Exactly," Remy stated, seeming quite truthful about it, "you really work up a sweat in there," he added, almost smugly.
"What were you doing? Free running?" Rogue queried.
"Yeah," he leaned against the door frame.
"Is that how you get mark on your neck?" Piotr gestured to Remy's throat, pointing to a faint red line there that seemed to be turning into a bruise.
Remy looked slightly alarmed for a moment, and he brushed the backs of two fingers against his throat, seeming to remember something. Then, calmly, he replied, "Yeah, ran into a damn branch throat first. Hurt like hell, too."
"Idiot," Rogue commented.
"The woods are unpredictable. Just like me," Remy teased. "You ever free run, chere?" he asked casually of Rogue, a smirk still playing about his face. Rogue wondered what it was that he found so amusing all the time.
"Only when Ah'm running from something big and bad, or chasin' someone," she folded her arms, "Ah do mixed martial arts, a little kick boxing."
"I know, I've seen you in action, remember? I'm lookin' forward to trainin' with you. These guys don't know their asses from their elbows when it comes to hand to hand combat. Doesn't make for very interestin' workouts."
Rogue let her back lean against the rail. "I'll spar with you any time you want, LeBeau. I'll kick your ass," she grinned.
"You think?" he asked, raising an eyebrow, he folded his arms casually and crossed one ankle over the other.
"Ah don't think, Ah know," she folded her arms too.
"Lookin' forward to it, then, chere," he grinned back at her, and gave a wink. "Listen, since it's your first night here, and since I have to make up that whole thing in Louisiana up to you, I thought I'd maybe take you to dinner. Nothin' fancy, maybe for pizza or...whatever you like, really..."
Rogue looked to the floor, "Well...Ah don't know. You see, the last time you took me to a restaurant, it all went wrong, remember?"
"Yeah, but that ain't gonna happen twice in the same year," he stated. "So how about it?"
"Ah..." she paused, "Ah don't think so," she scrunched her face at him.
"Oh come on, why not? You got better plans?"
"Right now, Ah don't really feel like goin' out into town and runnin' into anyone Ah know It's too soon, you know? Ah don't want to repeat myself over and over about why Ah've left, and they won't leave it alone. Everyone at the institute is always out on the town on a Saturday."
"I see. So how'd that whole visit with your friends go earlier, anyway?" he asked curiously.
"As Ah expected it. They asked me to come home, and Ah didn't..."
"They must be good friends to care enough to come here," Piotr spoke up; Rogue had almost forgotten he was sitting there painting his still-life.
"Yeah..." Rogue sighed, "anyway...Ah'm...you know...gonna go and...uhm..." she paused, trying to think of what she could find to do in this place. The television seemed to be always occupied by someone, and there was no recreation room here to find something to occupy her time.
"Yes?" Remy asked, "what plans do you have that are so much more interestin' than standin' here talkin' to me and Pete here?"
"Ah'm gonna go run a towel over the walls of my room and try to dry it out a bit," she lied after a moment, determining that she'd never even find a towel that wasn't sitting on the floor in a damp state already.
"Okay, you go do that," Remy waved her off, smirking. "Have fun."
Rogue went down to the ground level of the warehouse just in time to see Magneto leaving his 'office' room. His eyes fell on her, a cool and calm stare as he spoke in a softer tone than she was used to.
"Rogue, may I have a word with you?"
"Uhm...sure," Rogue shrugged; she let him lead her to the room and stepped in first. He closed the door behind himself and then moved to sit behind his desk as Rogue drank in the sight of the room. It was part office, part bedroom, and nearly all metal. This didn't surprise her in the least.
She stood awkwardly, feeling uncomfortable there. Somehow, seeing where Magneto slept made him feel all the more human than she'd ever thought him to be. It seemed to her that it'd never really occurred to her that he ate, slept and judging by the conception of the Maximoff twins, most likely had sex too.
It was odd...the thought of Magneto having sex was the most unsettling thought of all.
"How are you settling in?" asked Magneto as he leaned forward at his desk, his hands clasped together.
"Fine," she said with a shrug as she looked down at him, she liked the way his hair almost looked like white silk in the cold overhead lights.
"And Gambit has done all he can to make you feel welcome?"
"Yes," she admitted, thinking back to his offer of dinner, and his tour. "He's been very...welcoming."
"Good. If you have any problems in the next few days, you should speak to him."
Rogue's eyes fell upon a suitcase that was against the wall behind his desk. "Are...you going somewhere?" she asked.
"Actually," Magneto said after a moment, "yes. I'll be gone for most of the week."
"Oh," she said, feeling quite deflated. Already, he was going off? Leaving her with the rest of his team and putting any plans to help her on hold? She'd expected to be fobbed off with a few excuses at least before he decided to do so. "Ah...see."
"Do not think that I have forgotten why you are here," he said gently, "Actually, I must go for that reason."
"Really?" she asked, blinking.
"Yes. To build the machine I need to help with the evolution you yearn so much for, I need special parts that I can only find in Japan. I could send for them, of course, but I've experienced problems with this before and would much rather go and obtain them myself."
Rogue nodded, understanding, and afterwards, she said, "so...you're really going to do this for me?"
"If you still want me to," Magneto admitted. "Should you change your mind...that is up to you, but if you really do want this then yes, I shall do this for you. It will take time though, you must be willing to wait, as it may take a few months to replicate my original designs. But it will all begin with this journey. While I am gone, Gambit will take care of you."
"Ah don't need taking care of," she shot quickly, wishing she hadn't spoken so quickly.
"Of course you don't. You're an independent girl, I admire that about you, Rogue."
Rogue thought it very unlikely he admired anything about anyone, but she said nothing to suggest she felt this way.
"All I mean, is that should any issues arise, then Gambit would be the one to speak to regarding it."
"All right," she agreed.
"I've discussed the situation regarding your college courses at Bayville community college with Charles, and he has agreed to continue to pay your tuition until you graduate."
Rogue felt relieved about this, she'd thought she might perhaps have to take on a part time job or two to pay for her schooling, she hadn't expected the Professor to want to continue paying for her education after she'd turned her back on the institute, and she hadn't thought to mention the situation when she'd told him of her plans to leave.
"I'm not sure if Gambit explained the situation about money, here, Rogue, but I pay my team, and I pay well," explained Magneto. "Gambit will be in charge of giving out allowances until I return."
Glad that there would be at least some form of income from this, she felt satisfied enough for the moment to not bother bringing up how much that sum exactly would be. She wondered if Remy LeBeau could be trusted enough to pay the proper amount or if he'd be dipping into the funds, being a thief at heart and all.
"In the meantime, while I'm away, try to work with the team, and with Gambit, even if you find reasons to disagree. Here, with the Acolytes, you'll find less compromise than you would have found with the X-Men. Understood?"
"Perfectly," Rogue nodded, she tried to keep her eyes on his, hoping that showing that she had the confidence to do so might earn her some kind of unspoken respect.
The door opened behind Rogue, and she turned to see Wanda stepping into the room, without even having knocked.
"I want to talk to you," Wanda stated to her father, breezing right by Rogue.
Rogue noted the girl had just taken a shower, clearly, judging by her damp hair, and face free of makeup.
"I'm in the middle of a meeting," Magneto pointed out.
"With her?" Wanda scoffed, "don't make me laugh."
"Enough," Magneto gave her that look he seemed to usually reserve for Pietro. Rogue stepped towards the door uneasily.
"Ah'll...Uh...leave you two alone," she offered.
"Wait," stated Magneto, "I'm not finished."
"Yes you are," Wanda spoke up. "Seriously, Gambit as leader? He couldn't lead himself to water if he fell out of a boat in the middle of the goddamn Atlantic ocean."
"Gambit will make a fine leader, and clearly is the one here most suited to the task."
"Why can't I lead? I'm smart enough."
"Your attitude right now is proving otherwise to me," Magneto responded calmly.
Rogue hovered awkwardly near the door, wondering why Magneto had made her stay to witness this argument. It was nothing to do with her, after all and she was very uncomfortable having to endure it.
"I'm sick of your acting like I'm not capable of doing anything..." Wanda smacked her hands against his desk frustratedly. In reaction to her powers, the lighting above flickered, one of the bulbs exploded and sparks fell from the ceiling.
"Wanda, go take your medication, and calm down. I don't have time for this right now. And also, I'd like to add, I'd like it if you would dress more appropriately."
"What's wrong with how I dress?" demanded Wanda, gesturing to the clothes she'd changed into following her shower, which were now a very short black leather skirt and a red fishnet top over a leather bra. Rogue blinked at Wanda's question. She'd have thought it was more than obvious in this case.
"You dress like..." Magneto trailed off, seeming reluctant to say it.
"Like?"
"Like a prostitute," Magneto finished.
Rogue gaped at this comment, she looked between them both. Did he just accuse his daughter of looking like a whore? Rogue thought in disbelief.
"I won't have my daughter dressing this way. I don't like the way the young men here look at you."
"Well I do," said Wanda, quite matter-of-fact about it. "And I'll dress however I want. I'm eighteen, you can't make me do shit."
"Wanda..." he warned.
Wanda's eyes fell on the suitcases behind him, Rogue saw her posture change.
"You're leaving?"
"For four days," was his calm response.
Rogue wondered if perhaps he may stay away longer just to avoid more of Wanda's behaviour. She certainly wouldn't have blamed him.
"I hate you," Wanda remarked icily to him before spinning on her heel and leaving the room; she slammed the door behind herself. Another of the overhead lightbulbs blew, plunging the room into a dingy dimness now.
Magneto gave a sigh, "I'm sick of having to replace those bulbs," he admitted, looking up at the ceiling woefully.
"Is...is there something else you wanted to talk to me about?" Rogue asked.
He paused, he seemed to have lost his train of thought. "I forget...no, wait, now I remember," he sighed, "Gambit told me that there's an issue with your new room that you were concerned about?"
"It's fine," she lied.
"Are you sure?"
"It's not important. I'll figure something out. It's just a little damp is all...it'll probably dry up."
"When I return, we will find a way to rectify the problem," Magneto assured. "You may go now."
Rogue had almost been glad to leave the room...that was until she came face to face with Wanda right outside of it. The young dark-haired girl's eyes were squinting at her.
"Uhm...problem?" Rogue asked, trying to sound just as icy as Wanda did.
"I know what you're doing."
"Excuse me?"
"Don't act like you don't know what this is about," said Wanda, before she took off walking and disappearing around the corner. Rogue didn't care where the girl went...as long as it was far from her.
End of Part Four