Happy Birthday Flower of Fire!
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Taunting Repartee
Chapter Fifty-Four
Magneto stood in his kitchen as he finished washing the dishes that they he and Rogue had used earlier that day. As he had been washing them a thought had occurred to him: a question actually. Something he had meant to ask her days ago but it had kept slipping his mind. He dried his hands with a towel before he walked over to the phone and picked it up. He dialed a number and waited for someone to pick up.
"Xavier Institute," a young male voice answered.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Wagner, ma-" he asked.
"M-magneto?" he asked nervously.
"Yes, Mr. Wagner. May I please speak with Rogue?" he asked.
"Hmm… I'm not really sure where she is right now," he said.
"Is she still speaking with Charles?" he asked.
"Hmm… I'm not sure," he answered.
"You could perhaps contact Charles and ask?" Magneto suggested dryly.
"Kurt, who is it?" he heard Ms. Pride ask.
"It's Magneto," he answered in a hushed voice.
"Does he want to talk to Rogue?" she asked in a whisper.
"Yes," Magneto said loudly. There was a long pause.
"Could you hmm, like, hang on for a minute?" Ms. Pride asked. He had been excising patients for the past few days but honestly he didn't feel like waiting with his ear to the phone.
"Just tell Anna that I would like to speak to her one last time today. She knows how to contact me," he said.
"Hmm, okay," she said.
"Thank you, Miss Pride," he said before he hung up the phone.
Charles watched everyone in sublevel seven heading for the exit as Kitty came into the room with the phone in her hands.
"Hmm, Rogue," Kitty said as the others left the room. Rogue, Kitty and himself were the only one's still present.
"Yeah, Kitty?" Rogue asked as she stood up.
"Magneto called," she said uneasy.
"Did he say why?" she asked.
"He just said he wanted to talk to you one more time today," she shrugged.
"Thank you, Kitty," Charles said as he watched Rogue take the phone from her. Rogue met his gaze as Kitty walked out of the room.
"Do you have any idea why he might be contacting you again so soon?" Charles asked. Rogue shook her head no. Charles let out a sigh.
"Might as well get this over with," she said before she dialed a number on the phone.
"Put it on speaker, please," Charles said. Rogue nodded as she took a seat next to him.
"Hello?" Magneto answered.
"Hi, Max. Is everything okay?" Rogue asked: a mix of concern and suspicion in her voice.
"Everything's fine. Nothing has changed," Charles heard Magneto said quickly as he heard typing in the background.
"So, what's going on then?" she asked.
"There's something I needed to ask you," he answered.
"And where was this question earlier today when I asked you if there was anything you needed to ask me?" she asked with mirth. Magneto let out an annoyed sigh. "Are ya losing your patients?" she asked.
"A bit, yes," Magneto answered.
"Took long enough," she said. "Thanks," she added. "You've been really sweet lately," she said. Charles kept himself from making any comments. Although many thoughts run through his head: none of which he knew either of them would want to hear.
"Can I assume that you appreciate that?" Magneto asked. Charles couldn't help but let out a frustrated groan.
"I must sound like a broken record," Rogue mused as she stood up.
"Nevertheless, I appreciate your appreciation," Magneto said jokingly.
"Jackass," she said with a soft laugh. 'Prof, ya really wanna hear the rest of this conversation?' she asked as Magneto chuckled.
'Not particularly,' he thought dryly. Rogue nodded as she started to walk away from him.
"So, what's so important that it couldn't wait till Saturday?" she asked into the phone as she turned the speaker off. Charles let out a sigh as he watched her walk out of the room.
"Honestly, it could have waited. I simply didn't want to forget about it again. And I should know where it is," Magneto said to Rogue through the phone as he sat in front of his computer in his office.
"Know where what is, Max?" she asked.
"My car," he answered dryly. There was a pause. "Anna?" he asked.
"Okay- just- before I tell you where it is, just- do us both a favor and remind yourself how much that car meant to you," she said before pausing. "So, are you feeling utterly indifferent yet?" she asked. He couldn't help but smile.
"Is it still in one piece?" he asked with mirth.
"Yes…," she said uneasy, "I mean, I'm pretty sure it is. That's the way I left it," she added.
"And where did you leave it exactly?" Magneto asked.
"Well," she started to say.
Twenty minutes later Magneto stood in front of a lake. Yes, a lake. He stared blankly at the bummer of his car, as that was all he could see of it. The rest of it was submerged in water; ruined. With a sigh he used his powers to lift the car out of the lake.
'It is just a car,' he told himself for the countless time.
Magneto walked into his café Saturday morning just five minutes before ten am. He saw Anna, sixth in line, waiting to be served at the front counter. He noticed his girl was eyeing the pastries in the glass display cabinet.
"Good morning, Anna," he said as he walked up beside.
"Morning," she said with a yawn before she covered her mouth with her hand. "How are ya?" she asked as she moved her hand back to her side: her eyes meeting his.
"I'll been well," he said pleasantly. "How are you?" he asked.
"I'm doing okay right now," she said with a smile. He restrained himself from leaning down to kiss her.
"Would you like something to drink?" he asked.
"Hell, yes," she answered. He chuckled as he put his hand around her shoulder and glided her off of the line. "Tea, Earl Grey, plus, I kinda want one of those bear-claws," she said as she glanced back of the counter. He smirked.
"Just one?" he asked.
"Yeah," she said with a yawn.
"I'll meet you in the back room in a moment," he said as she made eye contact.
"I can help ya carry stuff, Max," she said.
"I can assure you, I'll manage," he said with a smile.
"Ya sure?" she asked. He nodded promptly. "Okay, see ya in minute then," she said as she turned away from him. He watched her go as he walked up to the counter
"Good morning, Miss. Johnson," Magneto said to the cashier as he walked behind the counter.
"Ahh- good morning Mr. Lensher," she said surprised. "Can I get you anything?" she asked as she quickly made three cups of coffee.
"No, that's alright. You have your hands full enough as it is," he said as he got two cups and started to make the tea for her and coffee for himself. "Tend to the line. I'll handle my order," he said.
"Thank you, sir," she said as he before he turned his attention back to his task.
"Here you go," Rogue heard Max said a few minutes later. She glanced up from her seat on the couch to see him holding out a cup for her.
"Thank you," she said with a smile as she took it. She watched him take a seat beside her as he placed a paper bag on the table in front of them.
"My pleasure," he said with a smile as she took off one of her gloves. She reached forward with and put her gloveless hand in the paper bag as she took a sip of her tea. She let out another yawn. "Tired?" he asked: slightly concerned as she took a bear-claw out of the bag.
"You know how much I hate being awake on Saturdays," she commented with a smile.
"You the one who choose the date, my girl," he reminded her.
"Me? Max, you wanted the whole weekend. We were arguing about it for over an hour before we came to this compromise," she told him.
"Did we?" he asked with raised eyebrow.
"Yeah," she answered before she took a bit out of her bear-claw.
"How's everything at the institute?"
"The usual," she said bluntly as she refused to make eye contact with him. "So, what are we doing today?" she asked changing the subject.
"Breakfast, seems to be first on our agenda," he said.
"After that?" she asked.
"Training your powers," he said as she watched him take out a stop watch. He placed it on the table. She eyed the watch curiously as she took another bite.
"What are we timing?" she asking.
"I'd like to use the same theory with your physical powers as we did with your mental ones. Rather than focus on the aspects of your powers you can't control on your own. We're going to have you master small aspects that are. But, of course, in order to gain control of any sort we have to learn how your powers work, the rules so to speak. We going to start with how long an absorption lasts," he said as she finished eating her bear-claw.
"Okay," she said as he created a small metal ball.
"We're going to start with one figure tip for one second," he said he moved the object out of his hand and into the air. "Once we've touched I want you to hold this ball in the air here," he said as she glanced over at the ball; noting where it was. "Once the ball starts to drop, I will assume that my powers have faded and pause the stopwatch. We'll going to repeat the test five times in a row for one second, and we'll see what our average is. This process should give us a fairly actuate reading," he said.
"Okay," she said with a slight smile.
"Also, I want you to keep your mind clear when you're touching me, and only considerate on keeping the ball in the air. Other than that think of nothing," he said.
"You think what I'm thinking about can affect the absorption?" she asked.
"I don't know. It's something I'd to test. But one experiment at a time, my girl," he said as he held out his hand to her. "Shall we?" he asked. She answered him by touching him for one second. She heard him start the stopwatch as she took control of the metal ball in the air; holding it in place.
"Sixty seconds," Max said a minute later after the ball had fallen.
"Exactly?" she asked.
"Exactly," he confirmed as he showed her the watch. "Again," he ordered as he held out his hand. She touched him once again.
"Sixty seconds," he said again.
"Really?" she asked.
"Yes," he said.
"Huh," she huffed.
"Again," he said with a smile.
"Sixty seconds," they said in unison. He glanced up at her she smirked at him.
"Are we really gonna do this two more times?" she asked.
"Once more should suffice," he said.
"Let me guess, sixty seconds," she asked with a smirk as Max glanced down at the watch.
"Indeed," he smirked. "It seems that your powers have a one to sixty ratio. It least, that's how it appears. This time two seconds," he said. She answered him by touching him again.
Once the ball drop again Rogue glanced up at Max. There was a look of amazement on his face.
"Two minutes?" she guessed.
"Yes," he laughed. "You're powers have a measurable ratio," he said in disbelief as he glanced up from the stopwatch. "I was not expecting that," he said with a smile. She returned his expression. He glanced down at her lips before turning back to the stopwatch. "Two more times," he commanded.
"What?" she asked.
"Three times for each test going forward and I will be convinced," he said. She let out a sigh. "What are you sighing about precisely?" he asked with a chuckle.
"Do you know how much work it takes to not think about anything; in my head?" she exclaimed.
"Tired," he asked again.
"No," she said.
"Bored?" he asked.
"Kinda," she said. A smirk appeared on his face before he stood up. He walked over to the bookshelf behind the couch. Picked up a pair of black gloves and put them on.
"We could just make the tests more interesting," he said walked back to the couch and sat down again.
"Interesting how?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. She watched him pick up her glove and hand it to her. She took the hint and put it back on.
"I think you can guess," he said as he reach forward and took hold of her waist. She let out a soft laugh as he pulled her onto his lap. She placed her hands on his shoulders. "Any notions come to mind?" he asked as he ran his hands over her back.
"Fuck, that feels good," she muttered as she closed her eyes. He chuckled. "You have an inhibitor field here, right?"
"Of course," he answered.
"You wanna take a break?" she asked.
"Later," he chuckled. "For now," he said as he hands rested at her hips, "we continue training," he said as she opened her eyes. "A two second kiss," he said.
"What am I gonna do on your lap for two minutes?" she asked.
"That's the interesting part," he smirked as he leaned in slightly. "Same rules as before, keep the ball up until my powers fade," he said.
"Ya want me to keep anything else up while I'm at it," she smirked as she rubbed against him playfully.
"If you wouldn't mind," he chuckled. She laughed softly as his lips met hers. She used his powers to bring the ball back up into the air as he pulled back from the kiss a moment later: he heard him click the stopwatch on. "Close your eyes," he whispered in her ear. She grinned as she did what he asked. His hands move up and down her back: massaging her as she let out soft moans.
Magneto heard Rogue let out a moan in protest as he stopped the massage.
"Two minutes," he said with a chuckle. He watched her open her eyes and glance down at him. "Again," he smirked before he kissed her. 'One, two, three,' he counted to himself before he quickly pulled away and started the stopwatch. "Don't forget the ball, Anna," he reminded her. Once she lifted it back into the air he resumed the massage. He couldn't help but smirk as he felt her use his powers to undo the clasp on her bra. "Since you asked so nicely," he chuckled as he moved his hands underneath her shirt onto her breasts. He heard her gasp as he took hold of her nipples; twisting them playfully. He let out a groan as she rubbed their groins together.
He watched the ball start to drop as he quickly paused the stopwatch with his powers. She let out a groan of frustration as he stopped his sexual advances. "Two minutes," he said as she opened her eyes. "Anna, would you mind taking off your shirt?" he asked.
"Fuck, no," she muttered: her breathing heavy. He let out a chuckle as he removed his hands from her person. He watched as she pulled her shirt up and over her head. She discarded it to the floor. Next she took off her bra, throwing it to the floor as they stared into each other eyes. "Now what?" she muttered as she ran her hand through her hair. He let his eyes wander over her body. He ran his hand down the front of her body. He watched her eyes close as he slowly ran his hands up and down her body.
"There's something I've been wondering about," he said as he moved one of his hands to hip.
"Yeah?" she asked as she placed her hands on his chest. He tugged her a little closer to him.
"We know that your skin absorbs," he said as he used his free hand to take off one of her gloves. He touched the tip of his finger to her finger nail. As he suspected touching it did not absorb him. "We know your hair doesn't," he said as he moved her hand into his hair. "Now, we know that you cannot absorb through someone else's hair or nails," he said.
"It has to be skin," she muttered.
"So, we've assumed. I'd like to confirm that once and for all," he said as before he leaned forward. He carefully angled his head as not to let any part of him touch her skin. He licked her nipple. A gasp escaped her mouth.
"I didn't absorb you," she muttered in disbelief; her tone thick with lust.
"I know," he leered before he licked circles around the nipple as he moved his hand to her groin. His other hand moved to her free breast. She moaned as he began to rub her down there over her pants. He stole another gasp from her as he put his full mouth on her breast: sucking on her nipple. 'One, two, three, four, five,' he thought before pulling away and starting the stop watch once again.
"We're still-" she started to ask.
"Yes, yes we're still continuing the tests," he said as she opened her eyes. "Are you still bored, my love?" he asked with a smirk as their eyes met.
"No," she laughed as he watched the ball rise into the air.
"Good," he smiled as he undid the zipper on her pants with his powers.
About an hour and a half later Rogue and Magneto laid naked in each other arms on the couch. Their breaths finally regulating, Rogue turned her head up to glance at him.
"Lunch?" she asked.
"Lunch sounds good… We should probably shower first," he added.
"You have a shower here?" she laughed as they started to sit up.
"Yes actually. Down the stairs, in one of the rooms down the hall," he said as he used his powers to open the bookshelf.
"That's useful," she said as she stood up.
"I've always thought so," he agreed as he stood up and followed her towards the door. "Would you like to go first?" he asked. She turned to face him placing her hands on his stomach.
She slowly ran her hands up his body and around her neck as she asked: "Who says we need to take turns?" she smiled. She rubbed the back of his neck.
"No one in particular made that rule," he smirked as he ran his hand down her sides. She kissed him.
"So, why should we follow it?" she asked as his hand caressed her butt. She lifted her leg up as his hands ran down the side of her leg.
"We simply shouldn't," he said as he took hold of her hips and lifted her up against him. She wrapped her legs around his waist as she pulled him to her lips. "Besides, we wouldn't want to waste the water," he added.
"Definitely not," she said with a straight face. A second later she felt a grin appear on her face as he chuckled. She laughed as she moved her hand to his cheek and pulled him into a kiss. "Get another condom," she ordered with a smile.
"Yes, commodore," he smirked. She let out a laugh before she pulled him into another kiss.
About three hours later Magneto sat in an arm chair in the back room of the café. Rogue sat on the couch. A Chess set sat between them on the glass table: as did the stopwatch, a few empty Chinese food containers, and the box Rogue's new cell phone had come in.
The small metal ball was once again being levitated by Rogue. They were in the middle of their longest test yet; seeing if the one to sixty ratios held up after a one minute absorption. They were also in the middle of their third game of Chess. Magneto had won the first game: Rogue the second.
"How long's it been?" she asked.
"Thirty-two minutes," he answered after a quick glance at the stopwatch.
"I meant since you last moved. You are taking forever," she complained. He glanced up to see a smirk on her face as she played with her new phone.
"I will take as long as I damn well please, Anna," he said.
"Can't blame a girl for trying," she grinned.
"I think, you will find that I can," he said as he turned his attention back to board. "Speaking of which," he started to say.
"Speaking of what?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Why a lake, Anna?" he asked. He had asked her earlier while they were out getting food but she had shrugged off the question. She had been shrugging off a lot of his questions today, actually. He supposed he could understand; until now he had gained his knowledge from spying on conversations he was not meant to have witnessed. Now that control was in her hands she was claiming it, once and for all.
"I think you can guess," she quoted with a smirk as they made eye contact.
'Not that she isn't skillful in her deflections,' he thought as he let out a chuckle. "Humor me?" he asked. She let out a sigh.
"I figured a bath would be bad for whatever kinda machine you were using," she shrugged.
"A wise assumption," he commented.
"Only 'cause I was right," she laughed. "If the inhibitor field was small enough for you to carry I would have been screwed," she said. "… just like your queen," she added with a smirk. His eyes narrowed at the comment as he glanced over to the piece in question. It was currently threatened but her knight. He had been trying to figure out a way to save the piece. But her rook was in just the right position to check his king if he moved the queen itself. His pawns in this instance were useless. Actually limiting him in terms of where he could move.
He let out a sigh.
'My queen is forfeit,' he thought in annoyance as he turned his attention to his king. Once the queen was lost to him, he knew she would go after the king. He had to think ahead to save the king and the game. Perhaps he could check her first: altering the focus of the game?
His eyes widened for a moment.
'I almost missed that one,' he thought to himself. Part of him wanted to speak up and ask her to stop attempting to manipulate him, but he wasn't in the mood to be called a hypocrite so he decided against it. He could however keep redirecting the conversation himself. "How could you have known that Mr. Wagner would be present?" he asked.
"Cause I told Scott to bring him," she huffed. "Were not fighting anymore so what does it matter?" she asked annoyed.
"It doesn't, I suppose. I simply wish to understand how it was I was manipulated. I thought you might be able to relate to that," he said as he laid down his king.
"You don't wanna play anymore?" she asked confused.
"This conversation is far more interesting," he said with a smile. She let out a sigh as she used his powers to reset the pieces.
"Maybe I'm tired of interesting conversations," she told him: taking him surprise. "Maybe I'm tired of talking about myself all the time. Maybe I just wanna try to forget about all the bullshit I've had to deal with, all the planning- just all of it. Playing Chess with you is fun. It was fun the first time we played. It's fun now. I know you've noticed the way I way I won't answer your questions. You and Prof are the only two who get what I'm doing."
"But it's not just you, Max. I'm not really talking to anyone, right now. I'm listening, 'cause I can handle that. But I'm tired of explaining. I hadn't even gotten dinner with Victor yet cause I know all he's gonna wanna do is hear about my life. A part of me- … I don't wanna explain anymore. So, can we please just play Chess?" she asked.
He let out a sigh as he moved a pawn forward.
"Thanks," she smiled as she turned her attention to the board.
"You're welcome," he said as she moved another piece.
By the way the birthday chapter offer is still on the table for anyone who would like to take me up on it. I've also decided I want to have a little more fun with this idea.
So, anyone who wants to take me up on it I was wondering if you would be willing to tell me something you would like to see in my fic: it can be anything, a situation, two people you would like to see have a conversation, a line or a word you would like to see in the chapter, a character you would like to see make an appearance. ANYTHING! I want to make it special for you, so you know that it is YOUR chapter.
And like Magneto, I enjoy the challenge. ^.^
If you don't want to give a suggestion of any kind, please let me know. This is totally optional! Either way there will be a new chapter posted on your birthday, if you want one!\