"-so we apparently have a choice." Aaron finished explaining the meeting to the new girl - Rogue – who was sipping from a Coke can. They and Caim were sitting around a small circular table towards the front of the room talking over the other voices and the music. Caim leaned back in his chair and ran a hand through his hair, glancing at the girl out of the corner of his eye.
"Wha' do y'all think?" she asked.
How does she keep her twang up here in New York?
"About taking it?" Aaron asked.
"Ya."
"There's no need, there's nothing to cure. There's nothing wrong with us."
Rogue set her Coke can down and that was when Caim noticed that she too wore gloves, though hers were brown and seemed to be thinner than Caim's. Rogue caught his eye and he glanced away, tugging his own coverings up higher on his wrists.
"Says you," Caim mumbled.
"What?"
Caim's attention snapped up to Riley who had just appeared in front of him with two more cans of Coke in his scaled hands.
"What did you sssssay Kyle?"
Nothing. "Says you," Caim replied slowly, though he couldn't believe that he was actually allowing the words to pass his lips. He didn't want to get into an argument with Aaron or Riley. "Not all of us like our powers, or want them. Some of us don't want to have to hide them."
"You don't have to hide yoursssss Kyle. I've sssssseen it and it lookssss like normal a tattoo."
Caim remembered how during one of the meetings he had pulled off his sweater in the bathroom to change and he hadn't seen Riley standing behind him. So stupid of me. The shirt Caim had been wearing underneath had a burn hole over his fire tattoo.
"I have more now-"
"Ssssso?"
A thick silence hung over the table and Caim looked away, though that didn't mean that Riley did; Caim could still feel his stare boring into him.
"What about you?" Caim asked. "You have to hide yours when you go out." You'd have trouble passing those off as tattoos.
"I don't care though. I just do it. I would walk around without conccccealer if I could-"
"If you could." Caim turned his attention back to the snake boy. "And you can. Will you do it?"
"No."
"Because you're ok with yourself and you're ok with your powers. Some of us aren't."
He looked over at Rogue – She seems to be on my side here. - at this point, who met his gaze.
"It's true," she said with a slight shrug.
Exactly.
"Don't get it guys," Aaron said.
"You can't tell us whether or not ta," Rogue snapped.
Aaron sighed and Caim thought that he saw a shade of red seep into the other male's eyes. What the heck?
"Rogue!" The deep voice of the blue man carried over to them and Caim looked over. He knows her?
"Riley, Aaron!"
And them too.
The man smiled as he arrived at their table and Caim noticed Rogue smile a little. "Hello Mr. McCoy."
Mr. McCoy gave them a kind smile, resting his hand on Aaron's shoulder. Aaron and Riley switched glances and Caim shifted where he sat, looking at the ground. He felt his agitation diminish and when he looked up he noticed that the others seemed calmer; the red shade in Aaron's eyes was gone.
What was that?
"And who is this?" Mr. McCoy asked.
Me? Caim turned his attention to the man whose blue exterior turned out to be fur. And I thought scales were different.
"He'sssss a friend of mine," Riley replied.
Caim smiled inwardly.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Mr. McCoy said, extending his hand. "Hank McCoy."
"Kyle," Caim replied, shaking his hand.
Mr. McCoy smiled and looked around at their group. "So what you are discussing?"
"The cure," Aaron replied, "and whether or not to take it."
"Do some of you think it's a good idea?" Mr. McCoy glanced around the group but his eyes lingered on Rogue a little longer than anyone else.
Why's he looking at her like that?
"I do," Caim admitted, crossing his arms.
Mr. McCoy met his gaze. "Oh. May I ask why?"
Caim shrugged a shoulder, as though it didn't matter. "I just don't want my powers. Never have and I doubt I ever will."
"Has anyone ever taught you how to use your powers?"
Of course not. Who would teach a mutant how to use their powers unless their parents are mutants too?
He didn't reply.
"Alright. Well it is your choice-" He looked at Aaron. "-and no one should tell you differently." He smiled then, and clapped Aaron on the back. "Well, I send my well wishes to you all. Have a good night." He left, whistling quietly to himself with his hands in his pockets.
"Doessss he ssssstill teach at the ssschool?" Riley asked, turning to Rogue, who half nodded.
"Kinda. He drops bah with Miss. Dugan every couple weeks." She took a sip from her pop, and just as she did the door to the back of the gym where she had entered banged open.
"Rogue." The guy saying her name wasn't asking if she was there, but simply demanding that she acknowledge the fact. Caim looked over to see a brown haired guy, probably around his age, with ruby coloured glasses stride into the room. He didn't push people out of his way, but moved around them without saying anything when he bumped them. "What are you doing here?" he asked when he reached their table.
Like you don't know.
Caim crossed his arms and didn't move, even though the guy was standing just a couple inches too close.
Rogue glared up at him from her seat. "When Ah called for a ride home Ah didn't ask for you."
"Hey Ssscott."
The guy – Scott – looked over at Riley, who was smiling at him. Aaron stood behind him and was giving Scott a level look that betrayed no emotion.
"Long time no sssee."
"Hello Riley, Aaron." Scott gave each of them a slight nod before turning back to Rogue. "We're going home. Now."
"You are." Rogue took another drink. "Ah'm stayin'."
"Rogue." His voice was slightly menacing now, but Caim had a feeling that it was more of a show than anything; he didn't look like a violent person. You can't be violent in pressed jeans with your shirt tucked in.
"Leave her alone," Caim told him, though he didn't raise his voice.
Scott turned to face him, looking him up and down. "And you are…?"
"Kyle."
"Well, Kyle, if you would be so kind as to stay out of other people's business that would great." He turned back to Rogue. "We are going. Now."
"Let her stay Scott," Aaron told him. "I'll drive her home after it's done."
"Thank you Aaron, but the professor wants her back now."
Rogue swore under her breath and stood, finishing her Coke in a last swig. "Fuck. Fahn." She looked at Caim. "Nice ta meet ya, hope ta see ya 'round." Then she left, making it obvious with her loud footsteps and burning gaze that she was not going voluntarily. Caim watched her go with something like admiration and awe. She sure knows how to make an exit.
From behind him Aaron sighed and Riley laughed a bit. Caim turned to face them and found them smiling slightly at each other.
Looking away Caim stuck his hands in his pockets, pretending to glance at the clock behind the metal netting set high up on the wall. "I should head out," he said.
"Really?"
No. He looked over to see Riley staring at him, frowning slightly.
"Do you have to?"
No… "Yeah. I'm meeting someone."
Riley was quiet for a moment and Caim didn't let himself think about Riley wanting him to stay.
"Alright," the snake-boy replied finally. "Let'ssss go get your stuff and… yeah."
He turned and started to make his way through the crowd, but not before Aaron kissed his forehead. It took a second but Caim quickly followed him, wanting to leave as soon as he could.
When they reached the door where Caim's bag was stashed Riley turned and faced him. "Don't lie to me Kyle, pleassssse. Why are you leaving?"
Don't ask. "I told you."
"Then who are you meeting?"
"A friend." That's a piece of the truth…
Riley stared at him, his yellow eyes boring into Caim's. "You know Aaron isssss here now. Drop by every oncccccce in while and you and I can hang out."
Don't look so hopeful, please. "Ok."
Riley ran a hand over his hair, tugging at the end of his ponytail before unlocking the room and grabbing Caim's bag from just inside the door. After he finished relocking the door and Caim shouldered his pack Riley stepped up to him and gave him a hug. Caim froze, not able to move for a minute, but then he felt Riley start to pull away and he hugged him back, not wanting him to let go yet. Don't think like that Caim. Do not think like that. You're just going to kill yourself.
"Don't get the cure," Riley told him. "Ssssstay the way you are."
Caim closed his eyes. Of course. Not like he was going to say anything else.
"Come vissssit."
Would love to, but nope. "I will."
"Good." Riley pulled away and gave him a slightly flirty grin. "Sssso I'll sssssee you around."
Stop saying that. Caim forced himself to give Riley a slight smile back. "Yeah." He paused. "Bye." Then he turned and left, not intending on coming back.