Taunting Repartee
Chapter Twelve
Rogue woke up with a jolt, practically jumping out of the bed.
"Hey, are you, like, okay?" Kitty asked her. Rogue looked around. It was morning, and she was, somehow, dressed in her pajamas. Kitty was sitting on her bed, lab top on her lap.
"Yeah," Rogue sighed. "I'm fine," she mumbled as she threw the covers off of her. She had to look at the sheets twice.
They were not the same ones she had fallen asleep on.
Rogue took a deep breath; realizing how clean her bed smelled... How clean she smelled.
...Had he bathed her?
'Oh my god,' she thought as her face flushed.
"Rogue?" Kitty asked, concerned.
How much did she sleep through last night? Did she even want to know?
"I'm fine," Rogue repeated quickly as she got off of the bed. Rogue felt Kitty's eyes following her as she sauntered to her dresser. Rogue tried to ignore her roommate as she opened the first draw and pulled at the first pair of black pants she saw. She closed that draw with her knee as her hand reached for the knobs on her shirt draw, and pulled. Expecting to see one of her black shirts, she paused when she saw a purple one instead.
'Where'd this come from?' she asked as she lifted it out of the dresser.
"Cute shirt," Kitty commented.
"Thanks," Rogue uttered as she noticed there was a piece of paper on top of the next shirt in the draw. The folded white note said 'Anna' on it. She instantly recognized Magneto's handwriting.
"When you'd buy it?" Kitty asked.
"About a week ago," Rogue lied as she snacked the note out of the dresser, hiding it within the folds of the pants. "I'm not sure I should wear it though," she said honestly.
"Let me see it," Kitty said as she closed her lab-top, and placed it on the bed. She got up and walked over to Rogue, holding her hands out.
Rogue gave Kitty the shirt with one hand, as she placed the pants on top of the dresser with the other.
"Hmm," Kitty said as she held it out in front of her. She looked at the shirt and then Rogue, then back to the shirt. "You would look totally hot in this," she concluded. Rogue took a closer look at the shirt.
"And deadly," Rogue added. "That's not making it all the way over my stomach, and my shoulder's would be exposed…"
"Have you, like, seen the front?" Kitty asked with a giggle. Rogue raised an eyebrow. Kitty kept giggling as she turned the shirt around to face Rogue. Rogue gasped. The front dipped lower than any other shirt she owned.
"I don't know what I was thinking," Rogue said with her hand on her hips.
"Hmm, you could wear it if you had something underneath. Something like…" Kitty started to say as she turned her attention to Rogue's dresser. "Hey!" Kitty reached down and picked up a black tank top. "Something like this," Kitty said with a smile as she handed the shirt to Rogue. This shirt was new too. "If you wear this underneath your shoulders will be covered," Kitty said. Rogue raised an eyebrow. "Well… mostly," she with a half smile. Rogue stopped to relook at the shirt. "Now, like, go try them on."
"Huh?"
"I totally want to see," Kitty said bubbling with glee. "Go, go," she encouraged as she waved towards the door.
"Okay, okay" Rogue said as she grabbed the pants. "I'll be right back," she said as she headed out the door and into the bathroom. She placed the clothes on the sink and threw open the pants looking for the note. She found it and started to read.
'Anna, I have cost you two shirts… two?' she questioned. 'There was the one in the elevator that got ripped and…' Suddenlyan image of Eric throwing a torn shirt away from the two of them flashed in her mind. Her face blushed, and breath quickened. Last night he had literary ripped the shirt off of her, not having the patience to lift it over her head.
She took a moment to calm herself before she continued to read the note. 'You have my apologizes. I hope the ones I have brought are adequate replacements…' She stopped to take another glance at the shirts.
They were nice. They just showed more skin then she was used to showing. She looked back at the note, and finished reading it. Rogue couldn't help but laugh.
It was signed 'Your Bastard.'
With a sigh she folded the note again. She glanced at the clothes again, and sighed.
She really shouldn't put on the shirts. It would be like he was marking her… with clothing? The purple was very close to the color of his cape… too close.
But on the other hand she did promise Kitty she would try them on…
'They're just shirts,' she told herself as she rolled her eyes.
And with that thought Rogue got dressed into the clothing Magneto brought her.
A few moments later she took a look at herself in the mirror, and smiled.
'I look good,' she thought satisfied.
"The color suits you," Eric said. Rogue gasped as she looked up and saw his reflection behind her. Her fighter's instincts took over and she quickly turned around, aiming a kick at his chest. He caught her leg in his hands.
"Anna, it's only me," he said gently with a smile.
"Reflex," she explained as she looked up from his white button down shirt, and met his gaze.
"You have seen me here in the institute many times before this morning. One would think you would be accustomed to my presence by now," he said as he released her leg.
"I've always had a warning... before yesterday," she said as she took a step away from him. "…You shouldn't sneak up on people like that," she said strongly as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"You have my apologizes, Anna," he said.
Rogue glared at him for a moment before she said, "Okay..." She almost pointed out that he said he was leaving, but realized that like the other five or six times she had said it, it would do no good. It certainly wouldn't made him leave any sooner. "What are you doing here anyway?" she asked, her voice clearly displaying her annoyance with the situation.
"I came to comment on your new clothing," he said as he took a step forward. "You're entrancing, my dear." he said as he reached out on drew his finger down the strap on the black shirt. Rogue felt her face flush. She paused, trying to overpower the sensual feeling he was stirring in her with something else. Any other emotion would do. That knowing smile on his face wasn't helping any. It reminded her of the soft smile he showed her last night while they were...
Her face flushed a deeper red.
'Stop thinking about that,' she told herself firmly. 'Now ain't the time,' she thought as his fingers ran across her collarbone. "Then why did you leave the note?" she asked, trying to keep her mind on the present. She gasped as his fingers ran up her neck.
"It made you laugh, did it not?" he asked as his hand wrapped around the side of her neck, rubbing gently.
"Yeah," she muttered, her eyes closing as he caressed her neck. He must have stepped closer to her because, after she closed her eyes, she could feel his breath on the side of her neck. His lips brushed over her skin as his other hand went to her waist. Taking advantage of the shirt's high cut, his hand touched bare skin.
"Then it served it purpose," he muttered before he kissed her neck.
"Wait," she said as her eyes shot open. "How do you know I laughed?" she asked. She backed away from him slightly, so she had a better view of his face. He didn't respond. "That door hasn't opened since I closed it," she said pointing at the door. "How long have you been standing there?" she asked. Her eyes widened. "Did you watch me undress?" she asked angered.
"Anna, last night I saw everything there is to see, and now you are acting prudish?" he asked.
"That was different. I let you see me. You had my permission," she said as she slapped his hand off of her hip. "I didn't let you in this room. I- You were standing there and I couldn't see you." She paused as something else occurred to her. "Oh my god," she exclaimed as she looked up at him. "You were the fragment. You were always here, with me. Every time I took a shower or undressed... you watched me," she yelled disturbed.
"Anna, please, keep your voice low," he whispered. "I'm sure you do not want Blindspot to alter anyone else's memory," he warned as his hand caressed her face.
She felt a spark of fear as she was reminded of how Magneto kept his secrets. For a moment she relived sitting in front of the door to the Professor's office. The promise she had made to herself and her family escaped from her lips before she had a chance to stop it.
"I won't let this happen again. I won't," she whispered, the helplessness she felt at that moment consuming her every action.
"Of course you will not allow it to happen again," he said softly as he wiped away tears from her eyes, "my strong, girl." He kissed her forehead as her eyes closed. His hand traveled to her hip, as he removed any distance between their bodies. She could feel the heat coming off of his body, warming her as his arm wrapped tightly around her waist. "My cunning rogue," he whispered before he kissed her cheeks. His hand moved into her hair as he brought her lips to his.
Her eyes shot opened as she felt his tongue enter her mouth. The kiss bringing her, out of the memory and back to the present she realized what she was doing.
As usual the moment she displayed any type of vulnerably Magneto used it to pull her closer into his arms. She was sick of it. This time she was going to make that fact was apparent. Next time he would think twice about pulling her towards him.
Rogue lifted her arms up. She moved one of them to his chest The other she lifted until it was at the same level of his face. Forming a fist she arched it back. She broke the kiss a second before she pushed her fist forward with all her might into his cheek, punching him as hard as she could..
He let out a low growl as his hands sieged her wrists. Using his much larger body he towered over her as he pushed her against the wall. She let out a gasp as her back made contact with the wall.
'That hurt,' she screamed in her head as she tried to knee him in between his legs. He quickly moved one of his hands away from hers and grabbed her knee.
"Anna, stop this," he uttered as he struggled to keep both of her hands restrained in just one of his. "You are not helping anyone, least of all yourself, by attacking me," he said trying to talk sense into her. Despite his words, she still struggled against him, trying to get her hands out of his.
There was a knock at the door.
"Rogue, like, what are you doing in there?" Kitty asked from the other side of the door. Magneto turned his head towards the voice. Rogue used the moment to make one last effort to removed her hands from his hold. Using all her strength she managed to pull her right hand out of his. He turned back towards her just in time to receive another punch in the face. This hit caused him to release her other arm as he stumble back half the length of the bathroom.
"Other people need to use the bathroom," Jubilee yelled as Rogue quickly gained her footing and went to kick him in the chest.
"You leave me no choice," Magneto whispered as small metal strips formed out of nothingness. Midway through her attack, the strips raced to the middle of Rogue's arms and legs, pushing her body against the wall. She struggled against the restrains. She couldn't move an inch.
There were several more knocks at the door as Magneto marched up to her.
"Rogue, what is going on in there?" Kitty shouted as Magneto's hand wrapped around her neck, much as the collar had last night. "Are you okay?" Kitty's concerned voice called out as Magneto's narrowed eyes met Rogue's.
'No, no I'm not,' Rogue thought as Magneto stared into her eyes with anger. He looked as thought he wanted to kill her.
"She's fine," Jubilee said. "She's just taking her sweet time in there. As usual," she shouted as she banged on the door.
"You've decided to take a shower," Magneto whispered harshly. Rogue, frozen with fear, barely registered what he said.
"Come out already," Jubilee screamed as she knocked on the door a few more times.
"Say it," Magneto ordered.
"Rogue, if you don't say something I'm coming in there," Kitty yelled.
"Now," Magneto commanded as his grip on her neck tightened.
"I- I'm gonna take a shower," Rogue shouted out. On cue the knobs in the shower turned, seemingly on their own, adding to the facade.
"You're what?" Jubilee screamed.
"There are other bathrooms," Kitty said. "You can use one of those, okay?"
"I shouldn't have too," Jubilee screamed. "Why didn't you stay in that other bedroom?" Jubilee shouted. "Things were easier then," she yelled as she banged on the door again.
"Yes, they most certainly were," Magneto whispered as the striped formed into four large rings. The two at her wrists moved up her arms, concealed beneath her clothing. The two on her legs moved towards her feet. He let go of her neck as he lowered himself to the ground. He lifted up the hem of her pant's legs and reformed the rings to fit on her ankles.
Magneto rouse from the floor, standing in front of her again.
"Go to that room, Anna," he said as his eyes made contact with hers again. "Do not delay. Have no one follow you," Magneto ordered. "Let me assure you, you do not wish to see what will occur if you do not do as I say," he warned in a whisper.
He stared at her a moment waiting for his warning to take full effect. Her eyes widened with fear. If she didn't do as he said he would take her from the institute. He didn't have to say it. The hardened look in his eyes was all she needed.
Rogue took a deep breath, before nodding furiously. He continued to stare at her, as the knobs on the shower turned again, before he moved away from her.
Rogue's body shook in fear of Magneto and with anger at Jubilee as she stepped towards the door. She couldn't do anything about Magneto, as she had just confirmed, but she could say a thing or two to Jubilee. Rogue's hand gripped the doorknob, ready to pull it open. She didn't look behind her to see when Magneto was. If he was in view of her friends that was his own damn problem.
Rogue took a deep breath as she threw open the door. She saw Jubilee halfway down the hall as the girl turned around to look at her.
"You want the bathroom. It's all your bitch," Rogue said as she walked passed her.
"How dare you?" Jubilee screamed as she gripped Rogue's arm turning her around. "What the hell is that?" she screamed as felt the metal ring through the shirt.
'Fuck,' Rogue screamed in her mind. "None of your business," Rogue shouted. 'Can't I get one fucking break? Just one?' she asked herself in anger. "I've been spending the last hour trying to gain some amount of control over my life," Rogue shouted in Jubilee's face. "What the fuck have you done this morning? Broke a nail?"
"You are so dead-" Jubilee started to say as her hand started to glow.
"What is going on out here?" Scott asked as he ran up to the two of them. Scott grabbed Jubilee's hand. "We don't use our powers on one another offensively," he said as he released her hand. "... Unless you're in the danger room," he added.
"Anytime you want-" Jubilee started to say.
"I've got better things to do," Rogue said.
"You are such a-" Jubilee tried to say as took a step closer to Rogue.
"Do I have to call Mr. McCoy?" Scott asked as he moved to stand in between them.
"No, Scott," Rogue said before she turned to back to Jubilee. "You wanted to use the bathroom remember? You screamed and hit at the door for five minutes complaining. So, I left so you could go in. The only keeping you from doing in there is your own stubborn ass. So, what the fuck are you waiting for?" she asked as Kurt teleported in next to Scott.
"Rogue could you tone down the language a little?" Scott asked. "It's not going to help the situation any."
"Fine," Rogue said as she continued to glare at the other girl. "Seriously, are you just gonna stand there all day?" she asked. Jubilee screamed out in anger as she walked passed Rogue and Scott. Rogue turned around to watch her wall into the bathroom and slam the door close.
"What was that all about?" Kurt asked.
"That," Rogue said annoyed. "As far as I know."
"She was really mad about you yelling at her friend. What was her name?" Kurt asked.
"Amy," Rogue answered, "and that was an accident. I didn't mean to be rude to her. I thought I was talking to Magneto," she said. Kurt shuddered a little.
"Are you okay, sis?" Kurt asked concerned. Rogue smiled as the nickname.
"Yeah I'm fine," she lied. "I just need to go clear my head," she said as she started to walk down the hall. She heard footsteps behind her. "Alone," she said strongly: instantly regretting her tone of voice when she heard Kurt sigh and teleport out of the hallway.
"Did you have to be cold?" Scott asked from behind her.
"No, I didn't," she said softly. "I'm gonna apologize to him later," she said as she hugged herself. 'If I'm still here,' she thought sadly as her hands brushed up against the rings.
"Do not delay."
Rogue sucked in a breath. How long had she been in this hallway?
"Scott, I have ta go," she said before she started to walk briskly down the hall. As she turned the corner she spun around to look at Scott. Realizing those might have be the last words she would get to say to her younger brother, she had to do something. "Cheer him up for me would ya?" she asked hopefully.
"Why don't you?" he asked.
"I got something I gotta do. It's real important. You and Kitty make him feel better, okay?"
"Okay," he said nodding his head. "Finish whatever you have to do fast."
"I'll try," she said, turning the corner as she started to run towards the room.
In less than a minutes Rogue had ran to the guest bedroom she had used to practice her mental powers.
And where was Magneto?
'Not fucking here,' she thought in frustration. She had checked the room, and the adjoining bathroom three times. He was nowhere to be found.
How many hours had she spend in here alone with Magneto? She had lost count. Rogue had spent whole days in this room. Just her, Eric, and her memories.
After checking the room over for a fourth and final time she gave up, deciding to sit on the bed. If he was in the room, he didn't want her to know about it. And if he really wasn't in the room, there was no point for her to search further.
With a sigh she let herself collapse onto her back, her head falling gracefully onto the pillow.
How many nights had she fallen asleep in his arms in this bed?
'Too many,' she thought as tears ran down her face. Rogue quickly sat up. She pulled the purple shirt over her head and threw it on the bed. She pulled at the black shirt next 'That might piss him off more,' the rational side of her mind pointed out. And image of the look he had given her only twenty minutes creeped to the surface of her mind. It had looked like he wanted to kill her. 'Screw his anger,' she thought as she lifted the shirt over her head, leaving her in only the a black bra from the waist up. She didn't want to be in the clothes he had brought for her for a second longer.
She got off the bed and walked to the dresser. Thankfully, she had left a few shirts in there. She opened up of the draws and pulled out one of her black tank tops. It didn't mater that their was almost no difference between the shirt she was putting on and the one she had pulled off as through it was laced with poison. She knew that the shirt she had on now was hers. All her's and not a token of someone else's ownership of her.
Rogue picked up the black shirt Magneto had gotten her off of the floor. She wanted it out of her sight. She closed the draw that had her clothing in it. She didn't want to get her possessions mixed up. She started to walk to the other dresser in the room.
'This room makes no sense,' Rogue thought for the countless time. There was no reason there should be two dressers in the room. One dresser and a closet was more than enough for one person. Everyone else only had one dresser. 'So, why did this room have two?' she asked herself as she opened one of the draws. She gasped as she saw the draw was fulled with male clothing. A pile a white button down shirts, and a pile a of black pants. She recoiled several feet.
That was all the fragment had ever wore. The same white shirt, and black pants. She had thought it was because Eric was only in her mind. Who needs a large variety of clothing when they have no physical presences? Besides, the outfit suited him. The fabrics were comfortable, he had said it himself. She had noticed herself, quite a few times actually.
Now that she was thinking about it, 'That's the same outfit he wore yesterday...' she started to draw up images of Magneto from the past few days. 'And today... and at the school... and the cafe... How the hell didn't I notice that?' she asked herself in anger.
Rogue walked up to the dresser, she closed the top draw, and then opened the middle one. Inside she saw underwear and socks. She slammed it closed and opened the bottom draw. Inside she saw two stacks of books, and a pair of his black shoes.
'I don't believe it,' she thought as she kicked the draw close. She sat on the bed, as she stared at his dresser wide eyed. 'He's been living here,' she thought in disbelief.
She laughed as she drew knee up onto the bed. "Prof's been looking for Eric like crazy and the whole time all he had to do was go up stairs," she said with a short laugh as she rested her elbow on her knee. 'I can't believe it,' she thought.'Practicing in here was- … it was his idea...' She ran her hand through her hair. 'How long has he been living here?' She let out a groan as she rested her forehead in her hand. 'It doesn't even matter. He's living here. He's been living here. He gonna keep living here, no one knows, and there ain't a damn thing I can do about it,' she shouted in her head as she once again noticed the rings on her arm. She brought her hand to the ring and wrapped her fingers around the top of it as best she could. He finger nails painfully pushing into her skin around the ring: she pulled as hard as she could.
Nothing... it wouldn't move.
'Great! He ain't here, I can't get this damn thing off,' she thought as she glared at the ring, pulling. She groaned as she let go of the ring.
If anyone besides Jubilee had felt the rings they would have demanded to know what they were. They would have looked, or told the Professor and then...
'Oh god,' she thought horrified. The Professor would know instantly that Magneto was behind it.
"Understand that if the X-Men become aware of our arraignment they will forget immediately afterwards... It would be... a waste of my telepath's time, and my tolerance, if she had to spend a day reconstructing your family's minds because of a slip of your tongue."
'Or arm,' Rogue thought sadly. She sighed. After attacking him like she did, she doubted that Magneto had any tolerance left. 'I can't even go anywhere,' she cried. 'Not while I got these things on me.' Rogue switched arms, pulling at the ring with all of her might.
'Stupid things won't come off,' Rogue thought frustrated as she let go of the ring. It didn't make sense: her arms got smallest on the way down. She should be able to slip it right off. She sighed as she pulled her knee closer to her body. Her hands went to the ring on her right ankle and pushed down.
Nothing again.
She rolled up the hem of her pants to take a better look at the ring. Even through it was big enough, the ring didn't move around. There was a little bit of space. She should be able to turn it at least an inch. But no... nothing.
There could be only one explanation...
"You're here, ain't ya?" she asked, her eyes narrowing.
Rogue sat there motionless, listening to the silence of the room.
Nothing...
"What are you waiting for?" she screamed. "You're gonna do whatever the fuck you want to me, right? … So, just do it already," she demanded as tears ran down her face. "... It's not like this situation could get any worse," she mumbled as she made the mistake of closing her eyes.
Review time!
LadyNorth76: Sorry I took so long to update. Thanks for the advice about details ^.^ I really hoped you loved this chapter! And I can't wait to hear what else you have to say!
Sinner-Pandemonium: I LOVE your review! The face you used and the "Holy Moly" were perfect. Thank you for that ^.^ I hope you loved this chapter and I can't wait to hear what else you have to say.
Eris R. Lebeau: Thanks for all the reviews! Oh man, where do I start?
Chapter Eight: Thanks! I'm glad you noticed that he didn't mention Kurt. He didn't mention Logan either, for the same reason ^.^
Chapter Nine: Yeah, It's going to be a while before I reveal what Emma's getting out of the deal.
Chapter Ten: I'm glad you liked the suspense. I also love seeing characters for from the comics in these fan fics. There are so many characters in the Marvel universe, there is always going to be someone who suit my needs. I never have to attempt to make an OC. I LOVE that!
Can't wait to hear what you have to say about chapter eleven and twelve.
Darkness-Lightness: Wow! THE best Magneto/Rogue story ever? Thanks! That has to be the best compliment ever!
Just checking, have you ever read "Inappropriate Conduct" by Miss Information? Or ANY Magneto/Rogue fic by either Willowaus, or Sionnain? Because they are really, really, really good. If you haven't, I suggest you take a look. I learned pretty much everything I know about writing Magneto/Rogue from reading their stories.
Thanks again for that compliment. That really made my day!
I hope you loved this chapter and I can't wait to hear what else you have to say.
Meow114: Thank you reading and adding my fic to your favorite story list.
Silver Thief and Dark Lord Of Ori thank you both for adding my fic to your story alert!
Tenchi13 thanks for adding both my fics to your favorite story list! ^.^
And thank you to everyone who is reading! I hope you all loved it!