Please Enjoy!
Taunting Repartee
Chapter Fifty-Six
Magneto huffed in frustrated as he dialed a number.
"Hello, sir," Pietro said.
"Hello, son," Magneto said warmly. "Are you alone?" he asked. There was a brief pause: no more than two seconds.
"Now, I am," he replied: Magneto could hear the smirk in his son's voice.
"What can you tell me about April Fool's day?" he asked.
"It's today," his son replied: the slightest hint of a question in his voice.
"Aside from that," he asked.
"People pay pranks on other people. It supposed to be funny," he answered
"Supposed to be?" Magneto asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Well, it kind of depends on which side you're on," he said: with mirth in his voice. "You see, the person who's playing the prank is laughing the whole time. But the person the trick's being played on, they're not usually laughing. Whenever someone plays one on me I always plot my revenge," he answered.
"I see," he muttered: as he contemplated seeking to play a trick on Rogue. He quickly dismissed the thought. He didn't want to give her another excuse to be anger with him. And he hardly wanted to give Charles more ammo to turn his girl against him. "How long have you been participating in this holiday?" he asked.
"Since I was about five," he answered.
"Really?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah, Wanda and me used to go at it every year," he said with a smile. "I'd pull her hair, she would hide my toys, I would spit in her food. It would just escalate. We did some crazy stuff to each other," he smiled.
"And how was it I never became involved?" he asked curiously.
"That was the line," Pietro laughed. "We could play as many jokes as we wanted on each other, but we could never do anything that would catch your attention. Father, if you had known what we were doing, you would have grounded the both of us so fast," he laughed.
"I suppose I would have," he chuckled as he opened up the glove-box and took out his planner. He looked over the rest of the week. "I think I would like to hear more about some of the tricks you two played while my back was turned. Are you busy at all, Thursday night?" he asked.
"No," he answered: sounding slightly surprised.
"Would you mind calling your sisters and asking them if they are available on Thursday night to get dinner?" he asked.
"No, I wouldn't mind at all," he answered a smile in his voice.
"Thank you. I think it would make the most sense to have the dinner in Hawai-" he started to say before there was a loud pinched scream in the background. "What was that?" Magneto asked: slightly alarmed.
"That was the sound revenge makes," Pietro answered a smirk in his voice.
"Pietro, I'm gonna kill you," he heard Avalanche scream.
"Dad, I really gotta go," Pietro laughed. "Can I call you later tonight after I talk to Wanda?" he asked: almost too quickly for him to understand.
"Of course, son," he answered.
"Gotta catch me first, Lance," he laughed tauntingly. "Thanks, dad," he smiled before as he hung up. Magneto hung up the phone with an amused huff.
"What else am I unaware of?" he asked himself in disbelief. He glanced at the watch on his wrist. It was nearly six o'clock. He let out a sigh as he started the car. He didn't want to be late.
Charles and Hank had just finished speaking to the institute's construction foreman when he felt Magneto's presence near the grounds. He let out a sigh as he saw a car pull up to the gates.
"So, is this going to become a regular occurrence?" Hank asked.
"It appears so," Charles said dryly as he watched as Magneto put a cell phone to his ear.
'Prof?' he heard Rogue call out to him.
'I know Magneto's here. Yes, he may enter the grounds,' he told her.
'Thank you,' she thought before he watched Magneto close the phone. A moment later the gates opened and Magneto rode up as Charles made his way to the institute's entrance. He heard Magneto exit the car as he moved up to the elevator.
"Charles, Mr. McCoy," Magneto greeted with a nod.
"Magnus," he greeted in kind. "Or should I call you Max?" Charles asked bitterly. Magneto's eyes narrowed.
"I started using that alias before you were born. For nearly fifty years it was my name. Legally it is my name still," he started to reply.
"Because you hold the legal system in such high regard," Charles commented cuttingly.
"I hardy need to apologize to you for such matters, Charles," Magneto said. Both of them were on the cusps of another shouting match. He watched Magneto take a deep breath. "Perhaps, I should wait for Anna in the car," he said: calmer.
"Perhaps, you should," Charles agreed before the elevator opened.
"Hey," Rogue started to say with a smile as she exited the elevator. Her smile soon faltered. "Everything okay?" she asked in response to the obvious tension between them.
"Everything's fine," Magneto answered. "How are you, my girl?" he asked with a smile. Rogue walked up to him and put her hand on his arm.
"I'm fine," she smiled before she leaned up and gave him a kiss on the cheek: which lasted entirely too long in Charles' option. "How are you? Pissed?" she asked.
"Hardy," he said pleasantly. "I'm a bit confused, but I suppose that will pass," he said.
"After I'm done explaining everything to you, yeah you will be," she said with a smile. "I mean, if you still wanna get dinner tonight. I'll understand if you don't," she said. Where was this coming from?
"Yes, you played a trick on me," Magneto started to say dismissively. Charles raised an eyebrow at the comment.
"You played an April fool's day joke on him?" Hank asked Rogue curiously.
"Yeah," she answered with a laugh in her voice as she let go of Magneto's arm. She was clearly amused. Magneto let out a sigh.
"What was the joke?" Hank asked as Rogue started to laugh softy. "Was it that funny?" he asked curiously.
"It depends which role one's plays in the trick, I've been told. You might find this amusing, Mr. McCoy," Magneto said. "We were playing chess last weekend and Rogue remarks that there are other games of strategy in existence. She starts listing them off: including one called Hungry Hippos," Magneto explained. "I've never heard of it naturally, because it doesn't exist," he said slightly annoyed as he glared at Rogue. She only continued to laugh softy to herself.
"Nevertheless," he said turning back to look at Hank, "she explains the game's long and proud history with the people of hungry," he said mockingly: as Hank began to smile. "How their missionaries adopted the game from Africa tribes in the early nineteenth century. How its popularity endured the test of time: not wavering when the country became communist. The details this woman came up with," he exclaimed before Rogue started to bust out in a fit of laughter: Hank laughed slightly himself. Magneto shook his head: a smile on his face.
"It's like Parcheesi, she says. Expect with hippos-" he started to say before he began to laugh himself.
"Yes?" Hank asked amused.
"Expect with Hippos instead of harems," he said with a laugh. Hank and Magneto both laughed at the joke. "Ludicrous, isn't it that I fell for such a trick?" he asked amused.
"I heard Rogue argue before. She's very convincing," Hank started to say.
"You don't have to tell me," Magneto laughed.
"The date didn't make you suspicious?" Hank asked.
"Before today I was completely unaware of the holiday's existence," Magneto explained. Charles raised an eyebrow at that.
"Really?" Hank asked surprised. "Do you usually live in another country?" Hank asked: his mind searching for an explanation. "If you don't mind me asking?" he added almost immediately.
"Not at all," Magneto commented dismissively. "And no, I've residence within the U.S. for the last thirty years or so. I can't account for my lack of knowledge," he said.
"It's 'cause you isolate yourself, Max," Rogue said more seriously. The laughter in her voice was gone and all eyes were on her. Her eyes were on Max. "You've trapped yourself into this small world where everyone stands at attention whenever you enter a room. You're mission, your cause: it's your life's work. But that's the problem, Max, you're at work twenty-four seven."
"There are things you can only talk about, certain topics that ya can only bring up when you're with friends. But you've spend the last thirty years surrounding yourself with employees.No one would try to play an April fool's joke on you, not without being afraid of losing their jobs," she said. "I tried telling you a couple of weeks ago but you didn't see how you could be isolated and it got dropped," she said rolling her eyes.
"So, you had to show me," Magneto said.
"Yup," she smirked. "The look on your face when you realized what was going on was priceless," she said with a laugh. Magneto's eyes widen.
"You were there?" Max asked in disbelief.
"Maybe," Rogue smirked. Max just glared at her for a moment.
"What color hair did the manager have?" he asked.
"Brown," she answered easily: waiting for him to realize his mistake.
"So, you were-" he started to say before she used his power to shift his car slightly: causing the car's alarm to go off. She sensed Magneto going to turn off the alarm with his abilities. Rogue used his powers to join in his efforts: they turned off the alarm together. "Damn it, Anna," he exclaimed. She just smirked.
"I'm afraid you've lost me," Mr. McCoy said.
"Rogue, absorbed me a few moments ago. Either she was present and watched my humiliation from afar or while we were talking she could have easily looked over my memory," Max explained.
"Or both," Mr. McCoy added.
"Or both," Max repeated mostly to himself. "Either way it makes little difference whether or not she was present. She knows everything regarding the event," Max explained slightly annoyed.
"Unsettling, ain't it?' Rogue asked pointedly. She watched Magneto's eyes widen once again before he met her gaze.
"Very much so," he remarked softy. He let out a sigh before he met Rogue's gaze. "Whatever happened to not bring up bullshit from the past?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. She couldn't help but laugh at his question.
"We have history, Max. It ain't going anywhere," she said with a smile. "If you bring up something I did in the past, if that reference makes me mad I'm gonna be pissed. And I'm gonna call you out on your bullshit and I might refuse to talk to you for a while. That's just something you're gonna have ta deal with."
"But," she said strongly, "that rule works both ways. In this relationship we are equals. If I bring up something from the past and it pisses you off then you have the exact same right to be pissed at me," she said as a smile came to his face.
"Can we take this discussion to the car? I would still like to make our reservation," he said.
"Sure," she smiled.
"Nine o'clock curfew tonight, Rogue. Please don't forget. It's a school night," the Professor said. She turned to see that he was making his way towards the elevator.
"I won't, Prof," she answered. She heard him let out a sigh as he made his way into the elevator.
"We best be off," Max said. "Have a good evening, Mr. McCoy," Magneto said.
"You as well," Mr. McCoy said.
"Later, Mr. McCoy," Rogue said as Mr. McCoy smiled at her. The two of them started to walk.
"You were saying?" Max asked as they walked up to him car.
"Just that you have the same right to decide that maybe you don't wanna spend the evening with me," she said.
"But, I do want to spend the evening with you," he pointed out as they got into the car.
"So do I. I wanna spend a whole bunch more of them with you," she said as they turned to look at each other. "I decided Max, I want this relationship to work," she told him. He gently took hold of her face and kissed her. She smiled against his lips. They pulled back slightly: his hand moving to her clothed shoulder.
"I guess, the real point I'm trying to make- okay well one of them, is that I ain't going anywhere," she said with a smile. "So, you don't have to be afraid of losing me. I promise you, that if I decide that I don't wanna be with you anymore that it won't come as a surprise. It won't be abrupt or for some stupid reason. I don't know if-"
"My love," he interrupted gently, "there's no need for that sort of talk. If the times comes that either of us feel the need to bring this an end we will handle that situation the same way we handle all our others," he said.
"Play mind games with each other until we wind up having sex?"she asked with a smirk. He laughed loudly at that.
"Precisely," he agreed with a chuckle. She leaned up and kissed him again. He pulled back from the kiss with a happy sigh. "…I am so glad we found each other," he said earnestly as he sat back against his seat.
"Me to," she agreed honestly. She held his gaze for a moment: enjoying the loving look he was fixing her with. She used his powers to start the car. His eyes widened in surprise for a brief second before returning to normal. "Someone had to, cause if you keep looking at me like that, I don't think we're gonna make the reservation," she said with a smirk. He leered at the comment. "And I'm really hungry," she added.
"Alright," he said as he took hold of the wheel. "So, while we're on the subject: are there any other ideological points you would like to get out of your system?" Max asked as he pulled away from the institute.
"Well, you know what'll help with that whole isolation thing you got going on?" she asked.
"I'm open to suggestions," he said.
"Watching a movie or two," she said.
"No, it can't be," he exclaimed sarcastically as she let out a laugh. "The action you have been trying to convince me to take for weeks now? That's the solution?" he asked.
"I know, uncanny, right?" Rogue asked with a smirk.
Magneto's laughter died down after a moment.
"Maybe," Max said suddenly in answer to the question he knew was on the tip of her tongue. "It'll depend upon what you'll ask me to watch, I suppose… I don't know, just maybe," he answered.
"It's better than a no," she said. He smiled at that.
Magneto and Rogue walked into restaurant. His arm rested comfortable around her shoulder as they walked up to the restaurant's hostess.
"Two for dinner?" the hostess to the restaurant asked.
"Yes, I have a reservation under Max Eisenhardt," he told her.
"I moment please," the hostess replied as she glanced at the book in front of her. "Yes," she said as she grabbed two menus. "Please follow me," she said looking up at the two of them. They followed her to the small candle lite table, near the back corner of the restaurant. Next to their dining table was a small table parallel to theirs. It had nothing on it besides a table cloth, as he had instructed.
Max watched the pleasant smile on Rogue's face as they sat down. The hostess handed them both their menus.
"It's turns out that we will not be needing the extra table," Magneto said as the hostess handed them both their menus.
"I'll let the busboy know," the hostess replied.
"Thank you," Max said.
"The waiter will be with you shortly," she said.
"Thank you," Rogue said.
"Thank you," Magneto echoed. The hostess smiled as she walked away. Once the hostess was gone Rogue let out a soft laugh. "What?" he asked curiously as he opened his menu.
"Where do I start?" she asked with a smile as she opened her menu. "We were gonna play here?" she asked with a laugh.
"Why not?" he asked. "I can still make a chess set," he offered.
"I think I'm good on games for the day," she laughed.
"Very well," he said as glanced at his options. "What else?" he asked.
"We're sitting as far away from everyone else as we possibly can," she laughed. "We're isolated," she exclaimed with a smile. His eyes narrowed for a brief moment.
"My apologizes, Anna," he said mockingly. "I was under the impression we were going to be playing a broad game here tonight. I thought a bit of privacy was called for," he said.
"It would've been," she agreed softy. "Max, I wanna say one thing to you about your kids," she started to say.
"Pardon?" he asked completely taken off guard by the comment as he met her gaze. "I know you usually ask me to shy away from that topic," she started to say: her tone more serious, suggesting she would back down from the comment if he disapproved.
"Yes?" he asked: willing to hear whatever she had to say.
"On Thursday, when ya see them, you should tell them your real name," she said. "It was fine them not knowing a month ago since you weren't using it. But now that's some people know it, me and most of the x-men, you should tell them. I just know that if were me and if I didn't know either of my parents' real names. And my parents' enemies knew it before I did, I'd be pissed," she explained.
"Would you?" he muttered absentmindedly as he thought about her words.
"Definitely," she answered.
"I suppose I should tell them," he said: the thought hadn't even crossed his mind until she brought it up. "While we're on the subject of families," he started to say.
"Yeah?" she asked.
"You should call your father," he commented. He watched her cast her gaze at the table.
"He say something about me?" she asked a moment later.
"Not in so many words, but I can tell he wondering why you two haven't gotten dinner as of yet," he said.
"I've been meaning to- it's just-" she started to say: her voice faltering.
"I know," he said. "But he doesn't. What you tell him is completely up to you, my girl: in regards to us, in regards to everything. You could just talk about school, how much of a bitch Raven is," he suggested as Rogue let out a laugh.
"You're right," she said."I'll call him first thing tomorrow," she said determined.
"Why not today?" he asked. She gave him a look.
"It's April Fool's day," she exclaimed.
"Which mean you can't speak with your father?" he asked confused.
"Which means, I can't set up a dinner that's six years overdue. What is something comes up? He wouldn't believe me the next time I asked him to spend time with me. I wanna rebuild our relationship. Not destroy it by accident," she said. "I thought you were starting to get this," she said.
"So, did I," he sighed. "I clearly have much to learn," he said as the waiter walked up to them.
"Are you two ready to order or do you need a few more minutes to decide?" the waited asked. They looked at one another.
"Max, do you know what you want?" she asked. He nodded.
"Do you?" Max asked.
"Yeah, I decided," she answered.
"I'll have a shrimp cocktail," Max said as he glanced up at the waiter.
"I'll take the steak dinner, middle well," Rogue said as the waiter took their menus and walked away.
"Are there any other holidays I should be aware of?" he asked.
"You know what Saint Patrick's day is right?" she asked.
"I mark the date in my calendar every year to be certain I'll not in New York City that day. The damn parade they throw makes it impossible to do business anywhere in the city. For the life of me, what I don't understand- Maybe you can answer me this, Anna- although I'm not certain if you'll know. I doubt you've ever been to that parade yourself," he said as he pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant.
"I've got memories of people going," she shrugged.
"Who's?" he asked curiously.
"Victor's," she commented with a sigh. "Let's just leave it at that, alright. The nightmares I used to have, not all of them were of people dying. Didn't mean they weren't fucked up as all hell," she said: he watched her shutter.
"Are you alright?" he asked concerned as he put his hand on hers.
"Just, consider yourself lucky that you had never had to watch your parents try to seduce drunk women," she said as closed her eye. He could hear her breathing deeply. She opened her eyes a moment later. "I'm alright," she said.
"Anna, there's-" he started to say as the waiter walked up to the table with their drinks, as well as glasses two of water. Rogue took hold of the glass of water the moment the waiter placed it on the table. He hated seeing her suffer like this: a victim of her own powers. "There is no reason on this earth why you should be cursed with memories of that sort," he said after the waiter had left the table.
"Maybe I'll ask Prof to help me get rid of them," she said.
"You most certainly should," he insisted gently as he squeezed her hand.
"You were gonna ask something." she said: clearly wishing to change the subject.
"Yes, I was. Why is it that everyone feels the need to beintoxicated?" he asked annoyed. She let out a laugh at his question.
"Cause its Saint Patrick's day," she said.
"That's it?" he asked in disbelief. "The date itself allows for open displays of inebriation?" he asked.
"Yup," she replied.
"You see, this is why I've never concerned myself with understanding the masses," he said as she rolled her eyes.
"You know some of the people in the masses are mutants," she pointed out.
"I never claimed there wasn't. But our kind have the ability to easily rise above that," he said.
"Not if the world is only filled with mutants. In any society there's always gotta be a lower class right?" she asked. He raised an eyebrow at her questions.
"An interesting thought, my girl, but we're decades away from out numbering humans. That question won't be relevant for at least a century," he said. "What made you think of that?" he asked curiously.
"An old fairy tale Irene used ta tell me. The story of SaBa Nor, and his four horseman of appacolapse. Saba Nor was this mutant who had contact with some weird alien technology and with it he wanted to turn all humans into Mutants, enslave all the mutants he just created and rule over the earth for all time," she said. "But this counsel was able to trap him before he got around to doing it. So, the story had a happy ending, I guess," she finished softly.
"An interesting choice for a bed time story," Magneto commented darkly as Rogue's eyes grew distant. "Anna," he called gently as he squeezed her hand. Her eyes refocused on him. "Are you alright?" he asked. She took a deep breath as her eyes were casted on the table.
"I wish I could just stop thinking about her," she said. "I just- I have too many god damn memories of her. I can barely go a day without something getting brought up that makes me think about her," she said frustrated.
"The more memories you build without her in your life the easier it will become to keep her from your thoughts," Magneto said. "It was years, for me, before I stopped seeing remembrances of camps at every corner. The same will happen for you, Anna. It will just take time," he said.
"I hope you're right," she sighed.
"I am," he said strongly as he squeezed her hand again. She smiled at that.
Thank you everyone for the suggestions on who Magneto should call. Quicksilver worked out the best once I started writing. Thank you Genobeast! :)
Thank you for reading! Please review!
Do you guys want to see Magneto's dinner with his kids? Let me know!