"Self-Insertion"
Part 2
by Osiris Brackhaus

 

"I'm sorry Bobby was such a jerk earlier on," Rogue said to Reuben as Peter had closed the door behind him. "I really have no idea why he reacted like that."

"It's ok, Rogue, I don't mind." The blond mutant had to fight hard to suppress a blush, for he knew just too well why the Iceman had so brusquely rejected the idea of taking Reuben with them to the movies. "He probably just wanted to be alone with you tonight and felt like I was intruding."

"Nonsense. He's been rather tense lately anyway, and I am sure it's got nothing to do with you."

"Um, yeah. Probably."

For a while, both students sat diligently over their respective homework, then, Rogue looked up again, watching the other mutant as he unselfconsciously chewed on his pen. Clad like always in black trousers and a tight, white turtleneck, Reuben looked slender to the point of frailty, but the way he moved hinted at a sinewy stamina. The fine, black leather gloves he wore up to almost his elbows were something very unusual and yet very familiar at the same time to the young woman. After a while, she said softly:

"You're the first other mutant that wears gloves as well. But you never talk about your talent. I am sorry that it hurts you."

Reuben looked up from his books, smiling around his pen, replying: "But it's not hurting me."

"Emotionally, I mean."

The blond youngster looked at Rogue for a while, his usually omnipresent smile wavering just a little. "It's ok", he then said in a low voice, "it's only me getting hurt. Most of the times, anyway."

"Is there anything I can do for you?" The young woman genuinely seemed to care, and Reuben was hard pressed not to feel flattered. "I mean", Rogue went on, "when you talk, it's like you could light the world with your smile, and then, once you feel unobserved, you look so... lost."

"Now do I?", the student asked, still smiling softly. "That was a very nice compliment."

"Looking lost?"

"No, before that. About my smile."

Feeling uneasy all of a sudden, Rogue looked at her hands, intently searching for something she knew wasn't there. This boy on one hand was so very strange at times, managing to catch her of guard with both compliments and caustic remarks he handed out like free candy. And yet, she felt related to him in a way, for deep inside, she felt he might be a person who could understand how she felt, being as handicapped with his talent as she was. The gloves were only a hint at what they might share. If she only could talk to him without him turning each word in her mouth to sound either mushy or mean.

"And it's even more of a compliment as you have Bobby. I wouldn't wonder if his smile were the only one you'd notice."

"You sound like you fancy him", the white-streaked girl snapped, only to hear Reuben reply evenly:

"And you sound as if you seriously haven't noticed yet."

For a few heartbeats, Rogue just sat there and blinked, surprise battling in her heart with an unexpectedly strong feeling of jealousy. HER Bobby? How....

"You really didn't know?" Reuben was just as surprised himself, putting his book and pen on the table and turned closer to the girl. "I'm sorry, Rogue. I thought it had been all over school by now. It's true, and if you weren't such a decent person yourself, you'd have a real competition in me." Smiling with the corner of his mouth, Reuben took the other student's hands in his, trying to look in her still-downcast eyes. "Hey? Everything ok?"

"Yeah -" Rogue blinked as if waking from a daydream, looking at Reuben. "I just never thought.... I mean - I heard them talk about you, and... I thought it was just the standard shit you get to hear about every new student."

"Well, half of it probably was." The blond mutant snickered softly. "But I bet it was the half no-one really thought it would be."

"So you're..."

"Gay? Yeah. And straight. And bi." Reuben let go of Rogues hand, explaining with a mirthless grin: "I fancy boys. And girls, and men and women. Doesn't matter. Haven't tried animals, yet. Makes me kind of a slut, I think."

"Oh stop it, Reuben! You always try to gross people out if you think you can't charm them", the dark-haired student said, adding: "Doesn't work with me, though."

"Why not?" He didn't even try to object.

"Don't know." Rogue shrugged. "Too obvious, probably."

For a moment, none of them spoke, then the girl asked: "Is it that why Bobby didn't want you to join us?"

"Yeah...", Reuben answered, but the hesitation in his voice had been too obvious.

"What exactly happened between the two of you?", Rogue asked with a sharp edge now. "It fits, in a way, for he's acting that weird since the night when you arrived at the institute. Did you try to make a move on him?"

"Oh Rogue, that's not fair", Reuben exclaimed, obviously feeling most uncomfortable. "Please, I don't want to lie to you, and I've promised several people I won't tell."

Crossing her arms in front of her chest, staring at the other student, looking far from relenting.

"So you did."

"Please, Rogue! Let's say I can perfectly understand why he doesn't want to spend much time with me around, and I really can't mind him. I was just me being the idiot I am. Nothing else."

Still the girl looked at him, unsatisfied but somehow knowing she wouldn't get much more information this way.

"Please don't ask any further. Your Bobby is a real sweetheart, and he loves you more than anything else. Nothing else matters."

With a soft sigh, Reuben took up his book again, trying to concentrate on his homework again. But with Rogue sitting there next to him, her gloved hand folded in her lap, thinking, he found himself staring at her again soon enough.

"Rogue?", he asked softly. "You alright?"

The girl looked up, smiling to Reuben's great surprise. "This is so weird. Even when I saw you the first time in class I thought we two might have a lot in common. But I never thought it would include my boyfriend. If ever you touch him, you're dead meat, Reuben."

Laughing softly with relief and oblivious to Rogues unintended pun, Reuben said: "Well, you're the only one who 'has' him. I can only admire him from afar." Smirking at the somewhat proprietary smile in Rogue's face, he added: "And I heard you're kind of fond of Logan, aren't you?"

"Who said that?" The white-streaked girl blinked in a weak attempt of objection.

"Oh, I just heard a thing or two", the blond mutant replied, pretending to read in his book again. "And I got eyes to see how you watch him."

"This is..." Rogue searched for words, troubled by how easily her affections could be seen, apparently. "I never thought it would be that obvious."

"Well, if someone knows what to look for, it is."

A long moment passed in silence as the two students watched each other calmly, both of them thinking of the ones they would never be as close to as they would have liked.

"You see quite a lot considering that you're here only for a week or so", Rogue finally said, and Reuben shrugged.

"Maybe. But only if it comes to relationships. If it's, say, math, I'm blind as a bat." With a slightly defeated snicker, he pointed at the book in front of him. "Or take history. As long as it's not about who bedded whom, I read it and forget it one action. To me, it seems I'm only perceptive when my hormones start kicking in."

"Are you saying you fancy Logan as well?", Rogue asked with a sneaky voice, and the blond charmer grinned at her widely.

"You're rather perceptive as well, aren't you?" Nodding in agreement, he added: "Logan's not really my type when it comes to looks. Great body, but far too hairy. But he's got this... I don't know."

"Strength?", Rogue suggested.

"Untempered passion. He's soo hot." Reuben's grin gained a definitely dirty edge, fading as he saw Rogue looking awkward. "Oh sorry. I'm such a boor. It's not the coolest subject around you, is it?"

"Well, I'll have to live with it anyway. So don't worry. Bobby and I will find a way to sort this out one day."

"I bet you two will. And he's definitely worth the wait."

Rogue looked at the blond mutant suspiciously, asking with a cool menace in her voice: "I hope you only SOUND as if you speak from experience."

"I -", Reuben started, stopped, blushed and cringed basically at once. "It's not what you think!"

"Reuben!", the girl pressed out, annoyed and worried at the same time. "What the hell is going on here?"

"Please, I -"

"Hey guys!", Peter called out jovially as he entered the room he and Reuben shared at the institute. "Made any progress with the chores?"

Icy silence greeted him from both other students, and he arched a surprised eyebrow. "Should I better leave?"

"No", Reuben immediately said, but a look at the calmly fuming Rogue next to him made him stop. "I'm sorry, Peter. It's just very difficult. And personal."

Looking at the two student's in his room, the young athlete decided he would be far better off than to get caught in the fight that apparently was brewing in his room. Grinning softly, he turned on his heel, saying: "I just remembered I could go to the gym a second time tonight. Just make sure Bobby doesn't find out, or he'll be at your throat in no time!"

"Peter," Reuben replied mirthlessly, "that would be the very last thing he would do, believe me. And that's the whole point."

Blinking at his flatmates cryptic remark, Peter just shrugged, gave a short nod to Rogue and left almost soundlessly. For a while, Reuben continued to stare at the door, then turned around to face Rogue who hadn't moved an inch since Peter had suddenly shown up.

"Rogue, this is very difficult for me....", Reuben began. "But I, I...."

"What have you done to Bobby?" Rogue's voice was low enough to qualify as a whisper, but the menace was more than obvious in it.

"I - " Suddenly fighting tears, Reuben threw his arms up in a gesture of helpless exasperation. "I never wanted to hurt anybody!", he exclaimed pathetically, looking miserable enough to weaken even Rogue's smouldering anger. "Please, Rogue, believe me, believe me..."

"What has happened...?", the girl asked, now more concerned for both her boyfriend and Reuben than she was angry. She had gotten so used to Reuben as a constantly smiling rascal that his sudden display of emotional pain deeply unsettled her.

"It was a stupid idea of mine that terribly got out of hand.", Reuben said softly without looking in Rogue's eyes. "Please don't ask any further. If you want to know any more, ask Bobby. If he decides to tell you, it's ok, if not, I'll never tell."

Rogue looked abashed, unsure about how to deal with the situation. Somehow something had happened Bobby didn't want to talk to her about, and that worried her to no end. Yet she considered Reuben a close friend already, and she couldn't really bring herself to think of him as someone who had hurt he boyfriend.

"Please, Rogue, I promised. I'm the worst liar in the world, but I won't break my word."

With sudden resolve, Rogue closed her book and said tersely: "I think I have to talk with Bobby."

Reuben just sat there, watching her, his face a mix of fear and sorrow.

"We will finish our homework later," she stated while rapidly packing her stuff. "After I know what's going on here."

Without another word, she took her books and left the room, managing not to slam the door only with a conscious effort.

Reuben stared in her general direction for a long moment, then went to his bed and buried his face in the pillows. He wasn't here for much more than a week, and already he was doing it again. Those he felt closest to were beginning to feel creeped out by him, and the more he tried to gain their trust, the more it seemed he pushed them away.

When Peter returned some time later, he found his flatmate lying on his bed with his head underneath his pillow, crying silently.

-----

Bobby looked at his latest attempt at art in discouragement. He had been working on a huge block of ice in the last hour, shaping it by his will alone, aspiring to find any shape that would please his eyes and heart. And though he considered himself all but unskilled, it seemed a task almost impossible to achieve.
Though whether it was because his skills were insufficient or there was something wrong with his heart or eyes, he couldn't tell.

The young mutant had hoped working alone in one of the institute's ateliers would help him calm his mind and settle his feelings. But far from it.
For being the Iceman, he thought grimly as he took a rag to polish some invisible flaws out of the sculptures crystalline surface, I'm feeling pretty uncool. With a sigh, he stopped his pointless work and stared at the window and the park beyond.

That night in the kitchen affected him more than he would have ever liked. He should feel enraged, raped, betrayed, Bobby thought, angry at what he had witnessed and done against his will. But he didn't.
Instead, he pondered how much actually he had been forced, and how much he had most willingly obliged. It had been such a rush, such a genuine emotional high that even if it had been only conjured up by Reuben's talent, it had still felt so good.

I just had wished my first time to be less... whatever, Bobby thought. With a woman, perhaps. And with less participants.
And less violent.

The memory of Logan clawing at Reuben in mindless passion still made him shudder, and definitely not of excitement. To see people so out of control, so... mad. The images haunted his mind, and even though all he could remember of Reuben was how sweet and lovely he had been, Bobby couldn't stand to be around him.
And Logan.... If that was how he loved people, God have mercy with those he hated!

Taking up the rag again, the youngster started to slowly walk around the statue, once more trying to find out why it seemed so imperfect and yet without anything he could see to improve on.

A soft yet insistent knock on the door made him stop, especially as he heard his girlfriend's voice outside, saying:

"Bobby, are you in there?"

"What's up, Darling?", he asked, casting a worried glance at the statue in the middle of the small room.

"We have to talk." Her serious voice didn't leave any room for discussion. "Let me in."

"I- ", Bobby started, then broke off and said instead: "Door's open. Come in."

Slowly, Rogue opened the atelier's wooden door, stopping dead in her tracks as she saw what her boyfriend had been working on the whole afternoon.

"I'm sorry", the Iceman cut her off before she could say a word. "You weren't supposed to see it anyway. It's just... just a study."

"Oh my god...", the young woman whispered in awe, slowly walking around the icen sculpture. "This is beautiful..."

"It's not." Bobby was wringing his hands behind his back, fighting to suppress a blush about the unexpected compliment. "It's not even looking remotely like you."

"Of course not!", Rogue exclaimed merrily as if it was the most natural thing in the world. "It's far more beautiful than I will ever be. Oh this is awesome!" She practically jumped at the young artist, slinging her gloved hands around his neck, pecking just the tiniest of kisses on his nose. "I love you."

Now blushing seriously, Bobby held her for a moment, then said softly: "I just wish I could make it as perfect as you are."

Grinning widely, Rogue's cheeks flushed slightly pink, and she put her head against her boyfriend's chest, careful not to touch him skin on skin.

"So, lovely", the young mutant said after a while, "What do we have to talk about?"

With a soft sigh, Rogue untangled herself from Bobby, walking a few steps until she said softly:

"It's about you and Reuben - ", she started, but before she could say a word more, her boyfriend cut her off.

"What has he told you?!"

"Nothing." Rogue looked at Bobby, and the turmoil of emotions she read in his face was worse than she had feared. "And that's my whole problem. Look, whatever happened between the two of you, I have no idea. He's the worst liar I've ever met, but he keeps the word he gave to you. You are troubled, Bobby, and you don't talk to me about it, did you think I wouldn't notice?"

Bobby just stared at the wooden planks of the floor, completely at a loss of what to say. After a few heartbeats of almost painful silence, Rogue added:

"I love you, Bobby. I am worried and I don't know how to help you if no one talks to me. I am afraid of losing you."

"You are not losing me."

"You don't trust me to be able to deal with what has happened to you, so I've already lost you to a certain degree."

"No, honey, no. I love you, and nothing ever will change that."

"Has he hurt you?"

"Who, Reuben?" Bobby sounded awkward, adding: "No. He has only gotten himself hurt."

Once again, a fearful shudder ran through the young student, partially at the memory of Logan pulling his fingernails so hard across Reuben's back that he drew blood, partially at the memory of himself kissing the same wounds to lessen the pain.

"Bobby?" Rogue sounded worried, and as he stretched out his arms in her direction, she didn't hesitate a single moment.

"Just hold me for a while", the Iceman said softly, hugging her tight. "Just hold me."

"Shh...." Rogue was very worried by now, close to panicking, for whatever had happened to Bobby had deeply shaken him up. But she had no idea what to do but wait and offer her help, and maybe make him feel loved enough to trust her with whatever had happened that night. "It's ok. Whatever it is, we'll find a way to sort it out."

"Yeah." Nudging her hair softly with his nose, the young mutant added: "I love you."

----

"Reuben?"

Peter stood next to his flatmates bed, looking worriedly at the sobbing boy who hid his face underneath the pillow. This was one of the situations the young athlete outright hated, being forced to deal with someone else's emotions.

"Reuben?", he asked again, and as he still got no answer, he sat down next to the blond mutant, gently putting his huge hand on the other student's shoulder. "Are you ok?"

Immediately, Reuben jerked away from him, frantically scrambling into the furthest corner of his bed, yelling: "Don't you TOUCH me!"

Blinking in surprise, Peter slowly drew back his hand and stared at the other student who now sat in the corner of his bed, hugging his pillow like a defensive shield. Tears glistened on Reuben's red-puffed cheeks, and his chest was still heaving heavily.

"Sorry..." Peter said a bit lamely, mostly because he didn't know what else to say. His flatmate sniffed, then nodded and replied:

"It's ok. Not your fault. I'm sorry. We're all sorry."

For a while, both students looked at each other, trying to figure out anything not too stupid to say, until finally, Peter said: "I am sorry it didn't work out as you wished." With a jovial smile, he added: "I bet you'll find another girl soon!"

Reuben gasped in surprise at his flatmate's complete misunderstanding of the situation, then smiled, grinned, giggled and broke into almost hysterical laughter, tears still running down his cheeks.

"Oh my god!", the charmer laughed under tears, "Peter, you have no idea!"

"What's so funny?" Still feeling unnerved by the other student's fickle mood, the athlete wondered if he had said something really funny or very, very stupid. Probably, he had done both. "What?"

"It's just, ...oh Peter! If Rogue were the problem it would all be so easy."

"I don't think I understand what the problem is."

"The problem?" Reuben used the pillow he was hugging to wipe the last tears out of his face. "Me, as usual. I made a move on Bobby the very night I arrived here, and Logan came in and all went terribly out of hand."

The charmer looked at Peter and actually managed a friendly smile. "Thanks for caring."

"Sure." For a moment, the russian student looked at his flatmate, then something odd in what Reuben had said came to his mind. "You made a move on Bobby?", he asked sounding slightly disturbed.

Reuben nodded with a wry grin, replying: "Yep. I though him just too sweet not to try. Fucked it up most royally, though." Seeing Peter's frown, he added: "Is that a problem for you?"

Ponderously, Peter shook his head, saying: "I think it's ok. You couldn't know that he's together with Rogue."

"No, you silly!", the blond youngster exclaimed, playfully slapping at Peter with his pillow. "I mean about the fact the he's a BOY!"

"I - umm..." The athlete looked at his feet, then at the window, than at Reuben's feet and said: "I think it's ok. But you're not fancying me, are you?"

Awkward silence spread, and as Peter finally managed to look at Reuben, he saw the blond student bite in his pillow not to laugh out loud. The charmer's eyes were sparkling so vividly that Peter almost knew the answer would not really be the 'no' he had hoped for.

"So, are you?"

Reuben shook his head, replying with a choked "No." It sounded so terribly fake that even Peter couldn't help but grin widely, although he felt rather insecure about how to deal with this. "Look, Peter," the slender student explained, "You're very sweet, and handsome like hell, but you're not really my kind of guy."

Now it was Peter's turn to blush softly, even more so as Reuben added: "And I know what a terrible crush you have on Kitty. I would never dare to intrude."

"Thanks."

"I will only admire you from afar, and try not to stare at you too hard when you walk around the room wearing nothing but your shorts in search of your socks. I will just keep the image in my heart for my lonely nights."

Turning deep crimson, the athlete rose awkwardly, very carefully not looking at Reuben.

"Peter, that was a compliment", Reuben explained calmly, adding: "Don't worry. I just don't want you to feel spooked by the fact, so I wanted you to know."

Wordlessly, the huge athlete nodded.

"Look, if it's too awkward for you, I'll go right to the Professor and ask him to put me in another room," the charmer offered, but Peter shook his head again.

"It's ok. I'll just need some time to get used to the thought."

"Spassibo, Peter. Otchen spassibo."

Again without looking at his flatmate, Peter nodded wordlessly, calmly beginning to sort the books he would need tomorrow for his courses. With a sigh, Reuben rose from his bed to pick up his history book and pen and sit down on the pillow again.

Maybe, he thought, I will one day manage to get things like this sorted out. But probably, it'll still take a long while. I just wonder how the Professor stands to be around so many young and emotional people. I can hardly sort out what's in my own head, how bad must it be when you hear all the garbage the others produce as well?

-----

"Professor Xavier?", Storm asked politely, disrupting the concentrated silence of the lesson. "It's Ambassador Doctor Godenberg calling from Stockholm. Shall I tell her you'll call back?"

The professor looked up from the small table where Rogue, Bobby and Reuben were busy translating a Latin text he had given them as a test. "No, Ororo, it's fine. I will talk to her now. If Catherine calls at this hour, it will be very important." Looking back at the young students, he added "Go on with your work, I will return soon. And Reuben, yes, I will know if you cheat."

Without waiting for any response, Professor Xavier turned his wheelchair and left the room, Storm silently closing the door behind him.

"You didn't really think of cheating, did you?", Bobby spat caustically as soon as he was sure the Professor was out of hearing range.

"No", the blond charmer defended himself, "I just wondered IF he would notice."

"Of course he would." Rogue sounded very convinced, absent-mindedly tapping her pencil against the table while trying to concentrate at her task. "Does anyone of you know what 'intrare' means exactly?"

Bobby shook his head, Reuben looked thoughtful for a moment, then said: "I think it must be something like inside, or within. Maybe 'enter'?"

"So you don't know either, do you?" Rogue looked at him with a smirk, for Reuben's unconventional approach to Latin had caused already more than one embarrassing moment. Apparently fluent in Italian, he just couldn't be bothered with learning words of a dead language, instead preferred to guess what they might mean, taking the Italian words he knew as a lead. Sadly enough, it worked out as often as it did not.

The blond mutant shook his head, grinning, and returned to his own text. For several minutes, the wintergarden where they were having their classes in was silent except for the occasional soft scraping of a pencil on paper. Then, Reuben looked up only to find Bobby staring at him thoughtfully. With a wordless question, he cocked an eyebrow, but the Iceman didn't react.
A sad expression on his face, Reuben voiced a silent 'I am sorry' at Bobby and tried to concentrate on his test again. But the other mutant didn't take up his respective work, so before long, the blond student raised his look.

Studying him with his piercing blue eyes, Bobby sat there in his chair, his face so unreadable it made Reuben twitch nervously. Then, slowly, a smile grew in the corner of Bobby's lips, and Reuben thought the sun was rising in his heart. The charmer hadn't even hoped the Iceman would relax his vaguely hostile demeanour towards him one day, and seeing him smile was a tremendous relief.

"You owe me", Bobby said softly, and Rogue looked up in surprise. "You owe me a lot." Apparently, she had once again missed an important moment of the enigmatic relationship between her boyfriend and Reuben, and it bugged her to no end. But seeing the secretive looks of the two boys, she also knew better than to ask. Given time, Bobby would tell her anyway. At least, she was glad that the two of them seemed to start sorting out whatever had happened between them.

"Gladly so", Reuben replied with deep gratitude in his voice, adding: "You only have to ask."

Seeing the pure joy the charmer was radiating, Bobby knew he had made the right decision. Sure, Reuben still was an indecent and complicated person, but he was also caring and too honest for his own good. The Iceman knew that the incident in the kitchen had hurt Reuben more than it had hurt him, and that the charmer had never intended to harm Bobby in any way, all the contrary.
There was still a lot to be settled between them, and surely a lot he would still need some time until the Iceman would be able to talk about it, but anyway. It had been an accident, and Reuben hadn't deserved his hostility. So he had flashed a conciliatory smile at the blond youngster, and the relief he saw in his smile had told him he had done the right thing.

Glancing at Rogue who still watched the two boys doubtfully, Bobby explained: "It's ok, honey. We just sorted out something." Taking her gloved hand in his, he added: "Reuben's painfully irresponsible and stupid as a brick, but I've decided bearing a grudge against him wouldn't make much sense. Especially, it wouldn't give him the chance to make amends. As long as he keeps an arm's distance between him and anybody I care for, that is."

Beaming, Reuben nodded, and the white-streaked girl shook her head in exasperation. "I just don't understand you guys. But as long as you two are happy, I will be as well. Though I fear I will just die of curiosity one of these days."

"Shh, Love", Bobby whispered at Rogue. "Just give me some more time. Trust me."

"Of course I do." Rogue gently touched his sleeve with her forehead, smiling. "I just wonder what - " Abruptly, the young woman stopped as the door to the wintergarden was opened again and the Professor returned.

"Well, I think I am bearing happy news", Xavier pointed out as he arrived at the small table. "At least, I think you will consider it such."

Looking at their teacher with unspoken questions in their eyes, the three students abandoned all pretence of being interested in their Latin texts.

"Professor Grey and I will have to leave next week for a scientist's summit in Stockholm, and we'll be gone for two weeks." As none of the kids around him picked up what he was implying, he added: "Unfortunately, this is the week Ms. Munroe planned to help a friend of hers in Uganda, and Scott was touring Washington with two of his classes. So there will be basically no classes at all."

"Holidays!", Reuben hooted blissfully, and Bobby and Rogue looked equally intrigued.

"Storm is preparing a special note to the parents to inform them that their children are coming home for a while. If the you want to, that is."

"Well, my parent's probably won't be thrilled if I don't come home", Bobby started with a sidelong glance at his girlfriend.

"Can't we just spend the time together?", Rogue suggested. "Maybe just go somewhere on a trip together?"

"I don't think our parents would allow us a holiday together, completely apart from the fact that neither you nor I have the cash to pay for more than a trip to the mall." Bobby sounded disappointed at his own realism. "But I bet my parents will be thrilled to meet you, as much as I have told them about you already."

The girl smiled politely, but Bobby had known from the beginning that meeting his parents and living in their place had not been what Rogue was dreaming of.

"I , err", Reuben started, only to be stared at by both other students at the table. "I don't know. I have a nice little house at the east coast, close to the beach. I would invite you there, if you don't mind."

Both Rogue and Bobby looked at each other hesitantly, waiting for the other one to say anything first. Then Rogue turned to the blond mutant, asking: "And your parents would be ok with it?"

"My parents?" Reuben snorted disdainfully. "When I was talking to them the last time, they were living in Geneva. No, that is MY house we are talking of. And I would be most glad to welcome you there."

"You have a house of your own?", Bobby asked doubtfully, but before Reuben could answer, Rogue asked: "So it's not a coincidence?"

"What?"

"Your name. Morningchilde."

Reuben shook his head, and suddenly Bobby understood. "So your parents are THE Morningchildes of MorningChilde Goup?", he asked, surprised at suddenly having a personal connection to one of the world's biggest multi-national corporations.

"Yep. And as my parents decided I was becoming 'unrepresentative', they suggested buying me a house of my own. So we would be completely undisturbed."

"But our parents would never allow us to go somewhere without adult supervision", Rogue stated discouragedly, but Reuben turned to the Professor who had been quietly listening all the time.

"Can't we tell them it's a school thing?", he suggested eagerly. "It'll do a hell of a lot for their Italian. And we could go visit places and museums!"

"What's got a trip to the east coast to do with our Italian?", Bobby asked, feeling slightly run over by the events.

"Italy east coast, Bobby, Italy." Reuben grinned at him with unabashed pride, explaining: "About two hundred kilometres south of Venice, in a village named San Giordano di Vale. Please, Professor Xavier?"

The Professor smiled at Reuben's enthusiasm, but knowing of the special situation the blond mutant and Bobby shared, he said: "Only if you take a teacher with you."

To everybody's surprise, it was Bobby who spoke first.

"What about Logan?", the Iceman suggested, and immediately Rogue exclaimed:

"Oh that would be GREAT, Bobby, if he - " Thinking twice, she stopped in mid-sentence, carefully studying her boyfriend. "Are you really sure?", she asked. "I mean, you and Logan don't get along too well."

"Oh, that'll be ok", Bobby said with a suspicious glance at Reuben. "I just thought he would be perfect to protect us if anything got out of hand." Seeing Reuben flinch, the Iceman added in a conciliatory voice: "And just having him around will already be quite a protection. Though I doubt even that will be necessary."

"Logan is a very good idea, Robert", Professor Xavier stated, sounding very positive of the project. "I will talk to him immediately after class. And I am somewhat sure he will even come with you without me having to apply to his conscience."

For a second, the students were stunned speechless by the sudden prospect of a holiday abroad, then Rogue exclaimed still slightly disbelieving: "We're going to Italy!"

Turning to the Professor with a mischievous grin, Reuben asked: "What do you think, Professor? Will we be able to pass Logan off as our arts teacher?"

 

If you enjoyed this story, please send feedback to: Osiris Brackhaus

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