Spider-Man & The X-Men: Dreams & Nightmares

Author's Note: Happy X-Men '97 Day, y'all! I figured it would be the perfect time to update this story given the occasion. Though, I once again apologize for this update taking so long in the first place. Imma reply to some reviews, and then we can get started.

CRUDEN: Yup! Deadpool is gonna be involved in a lot of shenanigans in this story, lol.

Lady Nunes: Good news! I am proceeding! Haha.

demonboy121986: Logan and Gambit are definitely gonna have to take some chill pills in this story. They'll get nicer… eventually.

Anyway, thank you to everyone who left a review, favorited, and followed this story! Let's get right into it.

Intro Music: X-Men '97 Theme Song

Chapter 5: Southern Hospitality

Well, you could definitely say that Peter Parker's time at the X-Mansion has certainly been quite the experience, despite the short amount of time. Maybe you can attribute it to his infamous Parker Luck, but wherever he goes, some form of drama is bound to follow him. In this case, the drama he faces now relates to relationship drama, which is nothing new for him, but now he's dealing with mutants. Gambit isn't exactly the biggest fan of Peter and Rogue becoming closer, to put it lightly. Plus, after what Logan said to Peter, this left our red and blue costumed superhero to not be in the greatest spirits. Did he make a mistake in accepting the X-Men's offer to live at the X-Mansion? He hopes he didn't. He knows that he and Aunt May were going to be homeless otherwise. Still, what if… what if this doesn't work out?

His mind has been all over the place recently, and the one person who wants to help him out is Rogue, the sweet southern belle from Mississippi. In fact, she's the one that told Professor Xavier that Peter and Aunt May needed somewhere to stay. If it wasn't for her, then who knows where Peter and Aunt May would be? Though, now she wants to help Peter's mental state, because whether or not he admits it, Rogue knows he's been kinda down. So, she felt inspired to invite Peter on a fun night out. Ultimately, Peter accepted the offer, but not without thinking about Logan's words that constantly rang in his mind.

"If this is a sign of things to come, then it might've been better for you to be homeless, Bub."

While Peter was thinking about this, Rogue would try to snap him out of it. "Hey, sugah. Ya still with me?"

Luckily, Rogue's attempt seemed to work since it got Peter's attention. "Oh, uh… sorry. Guess I got lost in thought." he told her, letting out a sigh afterwards.

Rogue placed her gloved hand on top of Peter's shoulder, soon saying, "Don't worry 'bout it. As a matter of fact, I don't want you to worry about anything tonight." she paused for a moment, as she formed a warm smile on her face. "Let's just focus on havin' some fun, okay?"

Man, something about Rogue's words assured Peter that everything was going to be alright. Was it the southern accent? Her kindness? Her smile? All the above? Because as of right now, Peter definitely thinks it's all the above. There was just a certain charm to her that he couldn't ignore, and before he knew it, a smile had crept onto his face as well. They had been walking around the city, and honestly, the scenery was quite pretty. The neon city night lights were proving to be a major factor in the prettiness, and the background sounds of people enjoying each other's company only added to the good vibes. Sometimes, this was rare for both Peter and Rogue to experience. Ever since that fateful day when Peter got bitten by a radioactive spider, he's never really had time to slow down and relax. And as for Rogue, she's used to constantly listening to people protest against mutants, so this was a nice change of pace.

BGM: Baxter Robinson - Feel The Night (Author's Note: Please play this song! It'll work better as you read the following events, lol. It's basically a montage.)

However, it's important to note that Peter hasn't said anything to Rogue's comment yet, because now… he was lost in thought for a different reason. Rogue's smile turned into a smirk, feeling the need to tease Peter a bit. "You gonna just stand there and smile at me all night, or are we actually gonna do something?"

Dang it, she got him. By the look on his face, Peter showed some embarrassment, but he wouldn't give up without a fight. "Miss, if I'm not mistaken, you're the one who smiled at me first." he teased back, which made both of them laugh.

"Ooh, good one, Mister Parker. I'll give ya that one." Rogue said, playfully punching his shoulder. Then, she would start to look around the city, and eventually, she would notice a nearby arcade called Golf N' Stuff. Her eyes immediately lit up at the sight, proceeding to point at the arcade so Peter could get an idea on where she wanted to go. "You ready to lose at the arcade?" she asked him, clearly wanting to light a competitive fire under Peter. It would work too.

"Oh, you're on!" Peter exclaimed, as the two friends would go on to race to the arcade like they were children. There was something pure about this sight, though. The innocence, the happiness, these are the moments you wish that could last forever. Once they made it inside, they both claimed that they won the race. They would jokingly argue about it, but they would eventually agree on settling with a tie. And that was the last time they settled on a tie, because after that, Peter and Rogue were competing against each other in the variety of games the arcade had to offer. One minute, they were racing each other in go karts, then it was Rogue sinking a hole in one at the mini golf course, and after that, they were jumping up and down on trampolines. It wasn't a secret that they were having so much fun. Furthermore, the fun wasn't just coming from the games at the arcade. They were having fun because they were spending time with each other. And once they made it to the photo booth, Peter and Rogue were taking some of the goofiest pictures possible. Although, there were some pictures that looked somewhat more serious, and honestly, it made them look like a happy couple.

Even though they're not a couple, but you get the point.

Over the time they spent together, they won tons of tickets at the arcade, which meant they could get a big prize, or multiple smaller prizes. "So, which prize do you want?" inquired Peter.

Rogue began to rub her chin, looking at everything the arcade had to offer before making her choice. "That stuffed horse looks cute!"

"Stuffed horse it is then." replied Peter, giving the tickets to the employee. Although, Peter stopped to look at the employee for a moment, because he looked familiar. He looked like he was a teenager with a darker complexion, and a mini afro. For a minute, he couldn't connect the dots, but he figured out that he's actually saved this employee before. Miles was his name, if he remembers correctly.

"Here's your prize," Miles said, handing the stuffed horse to Peter, who would then hand it over to Rogue. Peter and Rogue would both give Miles their thanks, before walking outside to the parking lot. Parked outside was Rogue's red convertible, and she would place the stuffed horse in the backseat. She got in the driver's seat, while Peter got in the passenger seat. Rogue had already started up the car, but before she made any other moves, Peter had to tell her something.

"Hey, Rogue," Peter said, wanting to get her attention.

Rogue would turn to look at Peter, asking, "What's up, hun?"

"It feels like I've been telling you this a lot lately, but once again… thanks for everything. I truly mean that." Peter's words were definitely sincere. "I had a lot of fun tonight, and it was all thanks to your persistence in getting me outta my funk."

Rogue smiled, thinking that Peter's words were sweet. "Aw, you're makin' me blush!" she joked. "But you're welcome, darlin'." added Rogue. She was about to drive off, but then she saw something sad. Well, it was sad for her anyway, and it served as a reminder as something she could never have. She saw a couple holding each other's hands freely, and quite noticeably, the happy mood changed just like that. Peter wasn't sure what the problem was, but he could definitely tell something was wrong.

"Are you okay?" Peter asked, wanting to check up on Rogue.

Rogue heard Peter's question, but she remained silent for a few short moments. Although, she knew she had to answer Peter eventually. "I'm fine. Nothin' to worry about." Her tone was definitely more somber compared to the happy tone she had not too long ago.

Hearing this, Peter wouldn't accept Rogue's answer. "Come on, you can talk to me, Rogue. Let me help you." Peter pleaded. "It's the least I could do after all the times you've helped me."

Rogue knew Peter had a good heart, but this was a subject that she never really wants to talk about. She started thinking on if she even wants to go down this road, because a part of her feels like it would ruin the fun night they had together. She also knows Peter probably won't leave her alone until she tells him what's wrong. So, as a sigh escaped her lips, she looked down and began to speak. "Remember when you asked me if I had a regular life before the X-Men?"

Peter gave a confirming nod. "I remember."

BGM: Spider-Man 2002 Soundtrack by Danny Elfman - Alone (Author's Note: Play this too!)

Rogue paused, before going on with her story. "Well, I had a boyfriend. His name was Cody Robbins, and one day… when we finally decided that we wanted to kiss each other, that was the same day I found out I was a mutant." she explained, as Peter would tilt his head in response, not knowing where the story was going. "He's… in a coma now. He's in a coma because I kissed him." Rogue clarified, making Peter's eyes widen. "At first, I didn't know what to think, but I eventually realized that my powers would prevent me from bein' able to actually touch other people." Rogue then proceeded to open and close her gloved hands. "That's why I wear gloves all the time… So… Ya know… To make sure I can't hurt anybody else."

Rogue continued to look at her hands, still explaining her story. "Once my parents found out I was a mutant, they disowned me, I ended up runnin' away, and before I knew it, I found myself joinin' the X-Men." She was still leaving some important details out, but that's a whole other can of worms in itself. Maybe one day, she'll feel comfortable enough to tell Peter the entire story, but for now, this'll have to do. "Sometimes, I wish I never had my powers…"

As Rogue ended on that note, Peter had a sympathetic look on his face, trying to figure out the best thing to say in this situation. "Rogue… I'm so sorry." he started off, before adding, "If your parents disowned you for being a mutant, then they never deserved you in the first place. You're amazing, and don't you ever forget that." Peter told her, and Rogue would turn to him while showing a surprised look. "As for your powers, I think I know what you're feeling, because there's been so many times in my life where I became frustrated with my own powers. I never asked to be bitten by a radioactive spider, I never asked to be Spider-Man, but then I had to realize something for myself. Sure, I never asked to be Spider-Man, but instead, I chose to be Spider-Man."

Rogue looked at Peter, wondering where he was going with this, but he would continue with his explanation. "Life taught me a valuable lesson after my Uncle Ben died. I wish I listened to him while he was still here, but… he always used to tell me that our trials and tribulations send us down a road, and ultimately, they make us who we are. We just have to be careful who we change into." Peter said, being unaware that his last quote made Rogue think about her time with her other mother. "His death made me realize I needed to share my gifts with the world to try and make it a better place. He once told me… with great power, comes great responsibility."

Peter then showed a smile while looking at Rogue. "Being with the X-Men, fighting for mutant rights while also trying to protect everyone else, nobody forced you to do that. You chose to do that. You chose to help others. You're using your powers, your gifts, to help others, and it doesn't get any better than that."

This was a lot to take in for Rogue. She knew about the death of Peter's Uncle Ben, but the words he said really made her put her entire life into perspective. She was thinking about everything, and truth be told, she still doesn't know all the answers. Though, she does know one thing.

Peter is right.

And ultimately, it would lead Rogue to say this.

"Your Uncle Ben must've been a really good man."

Peter's smile only got bigger. "The best. There was no one better."

In return, Rogue smiled at Peter, getting closer to him before eventually giving him a heartfelt hug. "Thank you, Peter."

Peter went on to hug Rogue back.

"Anytime, Rogue."

END OF CHAPTER 5: SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY

BGM: The Newton Brothers - X-Men '97 Theme

Logan: Hey, Bub. We need to talk.

Peter: Should I be scared?

Logan: Yup.

Peter: Welp, I'm gonna die.

Next time on Spider-Man & The X-Men: Dreams & Nightmares!

Advice

Deadpool: Somebody save him!

Author's Note: And there goes chapter 5! I'll try to be more consistent with this story, especially since X-Men '97 is a reality now. If you guys like what you read, leave a follow and a favorite! Don't forget to READ AND REVIEW! See ya guys next time!