"Self-Insertion"
Part 3
by Osiris Brackhaus
Sitting underneath the immense bougainvillaea tree that shaded the large terrace, both Rogue and Reuben wondered if life could reasonably get any better.
Since two days, they were at Reuben's place, and until now everything seemed to work out most peacefully. Logan had been relatively companionable, Bobby was surprisingly friendly even around Reuben, and seeing all this, Rogue started to feel as relaxed as she hadn't been in years.
Reuben's place had turned out to be a small, turn of the
last century villa, surrounded by an ancient, overgrown park that reached
down directly to the waterfront. Their host had displayed a certain malicious
joy at overwhelming his three guests repeatedly, but even after their flight
or the first-class train trip from Milan airport the old-fashioned splendour
of his house had stunned them. Rogue still had to smile when she remembered
Bobby's face as he saw the huge bathroom that adjoined the rooms Reuben had
shown them as theirs. She had been dancing in the blue-tiled marvel, laughing
and feeling a bit like in a fairy tale. He had looked so... in love with her.
Even for that little moment, coming here had been worth it.
Now she was sitting in one of the place's many comfortable deck-chairs, sipping on a cool fruit juice, having nothing to do but wonder what she was going to wear for dinner and look out on the Adriatic sea that spread behind the trees. Everything here seemed to exude a relaxed calm, a certain mellow dignity of many ages of luxurious leisure. Dolce far niente, as Reuben had taught her. How sweet it is to do nothing.
Turning her head, Rogue looked at her host lying in a chair next to her. Reuben was reading a book, wearing trousers, turtleneck and gloves like always despite the warm weather. Here in the shade, the white-streaked girl found the temperature most agreeable, but outside in the plain sun, it must have been scorching.
"This is a lovely place, Reuben", she said softly, feeling all mellow and happy. "Thanks for having us here."
"It was the least I could do." The blond mutant turned around to meet her eyes, smiling gently. "Even if I wouldn't owe Bobby so much, I would have loved to have friends I could invite here."
A moment passed in silence, disturbed only by the rustling of a soft breeze in the trees, making a few of the purple flowers rain down on them like very alien snowflakes.
"It is almost three years ago when I was hiking here in the region, and I walked by this place", Reuben started to tell to no one in particular. "The house was abandoned then, and the park completely weeded. I broke in and squatted here for a week." Grinning at the astonished look in Rogue's face, he went on: "When my parents decided to buy me a place on my own, I said this one or none at all. They were a bit surprised, for they probably had thought more of a nice posh flat somewhere in Geneva. But I told them it would serve nothing if they bought me a place close by when they did it to get rid of me."
"Did they really want to get rid of you?"
Reuben shrugged, explaining in a low voice: "I am not sure. Not consciously, anyway. But they were all but disappointed as they realised they would not see me again but for Christmas."
"That's tough. Do they know you're a mutant?"
The young student snorted disdainfully, but Rogue had learned by now that this was his way to deal with things that really hurt him. "They were the ones to find out."
"Oh." The young woman suppressed the urge to ask what had happened, instead hoped Reuben would tell if she just was silent long enough. And she was right, for after a while, her host continued:
"I think I creeped them out. Less the fact that I am a mutant, but they would have preferred something they could have bragged about to their friends. A telepath, perhaps, or a teleporter. But my talent is absolutely not suited as a subject on a cocktail party, and thus I stopped fitting in their world. As they realised that on top of everything I also fancied boys, it became just too much for them. I travelled Europe for the next years, and then settled here in Italy." Smirking at Rogue, he said softly: "And I really have no idea why I tell you all this. I must be boring you to death."
"Not really", the young woman replied, feeling sorry for the boy next to her, although her parents hadn't been much more understanding than his. And Bobby even hadn't dared to tell his parent until this day. Being a mutant wasn't very fashionable these days.
"You're the first people ever I invite here. I still have to learn how to be a perfect host."
"You are doing pretty fine so far", Rogue replied, cheering at Reuben with her glass. "And your place truly is a small paradise."
"Yep", Reuben agreed fondly. "Especially when the view is as great as it is right now", he added, pointing at Bobby and Logan who came walking up the paved path from the beach where they had been swimming for almost two hours by now. Both were wearing nothing but their swimming trunks, seawater glistening on their skin, their hair wet. Walking together in companionable silence, they looked as if they were enjoying the day as much the two mutants on the terrace did.
Reuben was fighting hard to suppress the urge to sigh deeply. Having Bobby so close by and yet so out of reach made his heart ache all the more. He knew he didn't even have a dream of a chance. But having the blue-eyed mutant walk around in front of him basically naked wasn't helping one bit. Nor could he suppress the memory of Bobby's sweet, gentle kisses that night in the kitchen, and he dearly hoped for Rogue to find a way to be able to touch her boyfriend. It would be such a shame to waste this extraordinary gift she had in her boyfriend.
"Hey, Reuben, what's for dinner?" Logan asked, very purposefully walking into the blond mutant's line of sight, adding in a low voice: "Looks like you're getting hungry."
The charmer flashed a wry grin at Logan, then shrugged uninspired. "No idea. Maybe I can go drive down to the village and get us some seafood we could put on the grill tonight."
"Seafood." Logan sounded all but thrilled. "Didn't we have that last night already?"
"That was St. Petersfish", Reuben said, thinking. "I could see if they have some moscardini at the marketplace, they would be great as barbecue."
"More fish?" The huge fighter sounded even less convinced than before.
"Squids." Reuben smirked at Wolverine's appalled sneer, than added: "What about the two of us go down to the market and see if we can find anything we all agree on. What do you think, Logan?"
"Sure, why not. I'll just go and get a shirt."
"May I suggest you also get some trousers?", Reuben called after his hairy visitor, shaking his head with a wide grin. "He's really impossible", he added as he turned around, only to find Rogue and Bobby holding hands, completely lost in each other's eyes.
With a cramping pain in his chest, he turned around, walking
away from the happy couple. This was just too hard. He liked both of them,
and wished dearly he could simply be friends with them. But seeing them happily
together, they reminded him so painfully of what he didn't have. Picking a
few wilted flowers out of a shrub, he silently fought the wish to cry. There
was no reason to be unhappy, he thought fiercely. They call me their friend,
they are so happy together, I should be happy as well.
I still feel terrible.
I am such a wreck.
Kneeling down next to a long, rectangular lotus basin, Reuben touched the water surface, watching the ripples spread soundlessly and disperse. In moments like this, his talent felt like a cruel joke, allowing him to gain all the love he desired, and yet making sure it would turn into despise as soon as the effect was over. It was so unfair.
Silently, he sat down, basically thinking nothing at all. He didn't even notice quiet tears beginning to run down his face. Only when he heard steps approaching, he frantically tried to put on a happy smile, wiping the tears away with his sleeve.
"Reuben, are you there?", he heard Rogue's voice calling out for him.
"I'm here!", he replied, yet still felt to exhausted to stand up. So when the young woman walked around the corner of a big camelia plant, she found her host sitting on the paved border of a narrow pond, his face reddened and still slightly moist.
"Reuben...", she exclaimed softly. "What's wrong?"
Her genuine care was just too much for him right now, and again, the tears started to run freely. "I'm sorry", he said. "I'm just such a wreck."
"Hey", Rogue said softly, kneeling down next to the blond charmer. "Why are you crying?"
"It's just... I... " Fighting a violent sob, Reuben needed a while to recover enough to speak again. "You and Bobby are so happy. I... I..." Waving his hands in a negating gesture, he pressed out: "It's just self-pity. It'll pass. I'm sorry you have to see me like this."
Sighing deeply, Rogue hugged her fellow student, as always watching out not to touch him. "I know how it feels, Reuben, believe me. And there is no day I do not thank the powers that be for what I have with Bobby. You'll find your match, Reuben, I promise. Someone who can appreciate the love you have for them and return it."
Blinking at the female mutant through his tears, Reuben sniffed and tried a brave grin. "I think I'm just jealous." Grinning even wider, he added wryly: "And I am too fucking decent not to respect what you share."
"You're a sweetheart, Reuben", the young woman said gently, adding with a soft punch at his side: "A very silly sweetheart, though."
Smiling again, her host took her gloved hand, gently kissing her knuckles. "Thanks, Rogue. That was very kind."
"No prob." Looking at Reuben for a moment, she added: "You really have no reason to feel so insecure. You have very good friends, and love will only be a matter of time."
"I know", Reuben said soft enough to qualify as a whisper, adding in a stronger voice: "Just promise me one thing. Take good care of the Iceman. He's a true gift."
"I know." Wondering where the blond student in front of her took that knowledge, Rogue nodded.
"Actually, where is Bobby?", Reuben asked, sobering up with the sudden change of subject.
"He went down to the beach again, catching some more sun. I just wish I could put on a bikini and join him."
"But you feel too exposed when you're not fully clad, don't you?"
"Too dangerous, yep."
"I can soo hear you, Rogue, believe me."
"What about having another drink and then maybe go and see if we can make some better use of your tremendous kitchen than seafood barbecue?"
"You can cook?" Reuben looked genuinely impressed.
"A little", the white-streaked mutant replied with a smirk, offering her hand to Reuben. "Come on, let's go."
----
It was late in the night that Reuben climbed out of the sea onto one of the rocks the formed most of what he euphemistically dubbed beach in front of his place. Everybody else was sleeping soundly, and bright moonlight was flooding the calm scene.
The blond charmer loved those lonely night swims, for only when he knew no one would show up all of a sudden, he felt safe enough to shed all his clothes that had become more of an armour to him than anything else. The water was still warm from the day, and the rock around him radiated the heat they had collected earlier on. The tiny waves on the sea glittered with reflections of the moon and the stars, and Reuben actually found himself smiling happily.
It had been quite a lovely day, after all. He and Rogue had
gone through the kitchen, deciding on several things they might want to make
during their holiday, and had then taken both Logan and Bobby into town for
shopping. Seeing Bobby and his girlfriend haggle with an old merchant about
the price of a pile of tomatoes in broken sentences had been a delight, and
Logan's fierce determination not to show how icky he thought the fish-market
still brought a smile onto Reuben's face. They had found a shop with imported
German beer that seemed to pacify him, though.
Rogue had found a cream-coloured scarf and some incredible huge, seventies
sunglasses, and when they drove back to their home a few kilometres outside
of town, both Reuben and Bobby had stared at her in unabashed admiration.
She had looked like some old-fashioned movie-star, the ends her scarf flying
in the wind. Even Logan had smiled at the way she exuded a deep contentment,
and her joy at playing pretend this was the real thing had infected them all.
Dinner had been full of laughter, stupid stories about parents and siblings,
and even Logan had seemed at ease, at least as much as that was possible.
Eventually, Rogue had shown definite signs of having had a glass of wine too
much, and Bobby had brought his giggling girlfriend to bed, grinning widely.
Logan had had a cigar in companionable silence and excused himself for a late
walk, and Reuben had cleaned the place superficially. They would do the rest
together the next day.
Only when he had heard Wolverine snoring in his room below,
Reuben had decided to go for his lonely swim. Now sitting on the rocky beach,
hugging his knees, looking out onto the glittering black sea, he smiled at
the prospect of having another ten days of similar peaceful leisure with his
friends ahead of him.
With his friends. Reuben let the thought resound in his head. The first time
ever since his talents manifested, he had people he could call friends, real
friends, no one he had bought or forced by his talent. Right then, Reuben
felt really happy for the first time in years.
"Hey...."
The sudden sound made Reuben jerk around, and to his great surprise it was Bobby who stood some few steps behind him, wearing nothing but shorts, an insecure smile on his sweet lips.
Immediately, Reuben was all the concerned host again, asking: "Everything ok?", but the way Bobby calmly nodded made sure everything was fine. At least, superficially so.
"I just can't sleep. Jetlag, probably. Or it's the fact that Rogue's wheezing like an old chimney. I don't think she's ever really had alcohol before." Giggling softly, Bobby sat down on the narrow pier that led out onto the water, thoughtfully looking at the other mutant. "What about you?"
"I usually take a swim this late at night. The sea is very calm here, and still warm from the day. And normally", Reuben added with an open smile, "I'm all alone here, so I don't feel too awkward when wearing so little."
"Oh." The Iceman blinked, then said softly: "If you want me to go, you just have to say so."
Looking straight at the other student, Reuben slowly shook his head. "It is very hard for me to keep you at the right distance, Iceman", the young charmer replied. "But no, I would be glad if you'd share this moment with me."
A long while passed between the two mutants without anyone of them speaking a word, then Reuben said softly: "Bobby? That night in the kitchen, I ..."
"It's ok", the Iceman replied before his host could say any more. "I know you didn't want things to happen like they did."
"And still the damage was done."
Bobby nodded, then pointed at the marks that showed dark on Reuben's skin in the silvery moonlight. "You still bear the scars."
Surprised, it took the blond student a while before he knew what his guest was talking about, then he smiled sadly and replied: "That's normal. Happens to me regularly. But the outside wounds heal easy. I'm more concerned about what I damaged inside." Gesturing at Bobby, he added: "Inside your heart, that is."
Purposefully looking elsewhere, the Iceman didn't say anything
for a time, asking himself if there truly had been any lasting damage done
to him. The events had deeply confused him, admitted. Everything had felt
so... real. Even though he had known all the time his feelings were caused
by Reuben's unusual talent, he still had decided to stay. The other mutant
had warned him, and still he had chosen to kiss the charmer.
And that, in the end, was what worried him. Had that been a very subtle part
of Reuben's talent or had it been a hidden desire of his own? He loved Rogue,
there was no doubt to that, but still...
Everything had seemed so bloody natural that night.
"If there is anything I could blame you for," Bobby said a after a long silence, "it is that I now have to life with that insecurity. And that you have spoiled my first time."
"Oh my god", Reuben whispered full of guilt. "I am so sorry."
"It's ok. It's not as if it was really bad. Actually, it was rather sweet." Blushing slightly at his own words, the Iceman added: "It was just completely different from what I had planned. And it was nothing I gave by my free will alone. So I feel a bit cheated on that."
"I'm so sorry, Bobby, so sorry..." Reuben looked at the young student sitting in front of him, his legs dangling into the sea. "It loses it's effect when I repeat it that often, doesn't it?"
The other mutant nodded with a calm grin. "Do you really regret it?"
"What am I to say? I regret that it went so far, that you had to witness how people like Logan react on my talent. Apart from that? No, not really. Actually, I cherish every single second of it. You're the sweetest man I've ever had."
"I am not really sure that 'sweet' is what I want to be", Bobby replied with a wry grin, not really managing to hide his blush even in the moonlight.
"Call it whatever you want. You've got the heart of an artist. Rogue is more gifted with your love than she can imagine."
A few heartbeats passed with none of the young men speaking, then Reuben asked softly: "Bobby?"
"Yes?"
"Thanks."
"What for?"
"For still trusting me."
Laughing softly, Bobby kicked a splash of water in Reuben's direction, saying: "You're a scamp, but not a liar." Calmer, he added: "That's what's making your compliments so damn dangerous."
With a soft sigh, the Iceman rose to his feet, saying: "I think I'll try to get some sleep after all. And you should go to bed as well."
"I'll just sit here some more, then I'll go."
The other mutant nodded and started to walk up the pier until he came by the rock where Reuben was still sitting. There he stopped, looking at the charmer with an unreadable face. Slowly, he stretched out his hand to touch Reuben's naked shoulder, but the blond student moved out of his reach.
"Don't", Reuben said with a slight waver in his voice. "Please don't touch me."
"You told me I could walk away." Bobby seemed so serious that the other mutant was at a loss of words. "If I wanted to, that is."
"And what if you don't want to?"
"That's what I am trying to find out."
Both men stared at each other, insecurity and longing memory flickering in their eyes. Then Reuben softly leaned back into the Iceman's touch, closing his eyes as Bobby's hand touched his skin. As the Iceman gave a soft sigh, the blond youth looked up again, feeling as if the other man's blue eyes looked down right into his heart. Slowly, the Bobby smiled, taking his hand off Reuben's shoulder.
"Sleep well", he said, then turned around abruptly and left.
Amazed, Reuben followed him with his eyes as the mutant walked up the meandering path, and even as Bobby had disappeared behind the first trees for a long time already, his gaze still lingered on.
How incredible, Reuben thought with loss and joy running amok in his heart. He had just lost a potential love, but he had gained a close friend in the same moment.
It had been a perfect day, after all.
----
"Oh this is just soo unfair!", Rogue exclaimed with played frustration.
Looking down into the little bay with unveiled envy, both Rogue and Reuben grinned at Bobby who had made use of his talent in an almost audacious way. There he was, lying on an ice-shoal that was loosely tied to the pier, gently rocked by the soft waves, looking completely at ease and untouched by the almost oppressive heat everybody else had to suffer.
Laughing, the two friends walked down the path from the house to the beach, chatting about last night's extensive dinner and the plans they had for the following days. By now, everyone felt relaxed enough to go and see some of the places that would have to make this a school excursion. And Logan had been positively growing restless.
"Bobby?", Rogue yelled as they walked onto the pier. "Can we talk to you for a moment?"
Raising his head, the Iceman waved them to come closer, then sat up and started to pull the shoal closer to the beach with the rope he had tied to the pier. Rogue had taken a liking in the Grace Kelly scarf-and-sunglasses look, adding a very stylish note to their stay, especially so as her gloves suddenly didn't seem to look out of place at all anymore.
"And I always wondered how you could stay in the sun all day", Reuben mused amiably as they reached the pier's end. "You're cheating!"
With a wide grin, Bobby blew both mutants on the pier a kiss that turned into a cool breeze, tiny snowflakes glittering and immediately melting again. "You two look so posh again", the young student said, smiling. "Thinking of going somewhere?"
"Not tonight", his girlfriend answered. "But we thought of maybe going to Venice tomorrow. Wouldn't that be great?"
"I don't know..." Bobby didn't sound too enthused, turning around on the ice to lie on his stomach. "Why can't we just stay here?"
"Because your parents will wonder what kind of class excursion it was when you have done nothing but lying in the sun." Reuben shook his head at Bobby's choice of resting place. "On an ice-shoal, of all places."
"And going to Venice sounds far nicer than to go to one of the museums in Milan", Rogue added persuasively. "And it would be so romantic."
"You think Logan could stand that?" Bobby smirked, apparently getting to like the idea.
"If not, he can still go and chase the pigeons off the St. Marcus place." Reuben replied snottily. "Where actually IS our 'teacher'?"
Instead of an answer, Bobby pointed to a place somewhere down the beach, where the rocks rose to form a cliff several metres high. Just pulling himself over the cliff's crest, Logan looked like being cut and pasted from an advert. Spreading his arms, the huge man jumped, diving into the water as if he had done it quite some times already.
"Ouch", Reuben exclaimed almost painfully. "He shouldn't do that, really. There are some mean, nasty rocks right under the surface where he's diving..."
"Oh, don't worry", the Iceman said, sounding not particularly concerned. "I think he's met them already with his typical head-first way the second time he dived in."
Grinning at the painful grimaces in both Rogue's and Reuben's face, he went on: "I think he's been cleaning up the underwater landscape ever since." Gesturing 'claws' with his fingers, Bobby added: "I bet now it's safe even for us do dive there."
"Oh my", the blond youth exclaimed. "He's really getting bored."
All three broke into laughter, watching Logan emerge from the water like some ancient Greek athlete, beginning to climb the cliff once more. Even from here, they could see the muscles of his shoulders work underneath his skin, and one by one, all of them fell silent, watching the display, lost in their private thoughts.
Rogue was the first one to turn back again and gaped at the two apparently leering boys. "I just don't believe this", she exclaimed, playfully slapping at Reuben's neck as he was the one closest to her. "Stop staring at your teacher!"
"You're telling?" Reuben replied with a dirty grin, nudging her shoulder in return. Rogue snorted softly, turning to her boyfriend, saying:
"That Reuben here is having thoughts on everything that moves on two legs is no new information. But that YOU are giving him the look really surprises me."
"I just - " Bobby started, then stopped as he felt his insecurity would give away his bad conscience anyway.
"Don't press him, Rogue", Reuben said softly. "If at all, it's my fault anyway."
"What are you -" The girl broke off as a faint yet insistent ring was coming from the house. "Telephone?", she asked hesitantly, and Reuben replied with relief in his voice:
"Now that's what I call 'saved by the bell'. I'll go and see who I have to thank." Without another word, he turned around and jogged up the path to the house again.
"Such a scamp..." Rogue said softly, then turned around to her still-crimson boyfriend. "Oh my god Bobby!", she exclaimed, laughing at his mortified look. "Don't look so shocked. I know you well enough to be sure I am standing in no danger at all to lose you to him", she said with an explaining nod in Logan's general direction and the Iceman blinked as that particular thought had been pretty much the last one on his mind. "I just never thought you'd have an eye for guys as well."
"It's not - " Bobby cringed, then braced himself, saying: "It's only memories, Honey. Nothing else."
"What 'memories' could you and Logan possibly share?", Rogue snapped, then shut up as two thoughts connected in her head. "Was he there that night as well?", she asked, and her boyfriend's silent nod confirmed her suspicions. "What was it", she snapped again, "an orgy or what?"
If it was possible at all, Bobby blushed even more, and Rogue kicked at the ice-shoal in frustration. "How long will this stupid incident stand between us?", she asked, frowning grimly at Bobby. "What can possibly have happened that you don't trust me with it?"
"It's not you I don't trust, love, just me."
The young woman's irritated frown grew even deeper, but right then Reuben stepped back onto the pier, calling: "Rogue?"
"What?", she called back fiercer than she had initially intended.
"Here's some Johnny Allerdyce, says he wanna talk to you."
Surprised, Rogue and the Iceman exchanged a confused glance.
"Pyro?", Bobby asked softly, thinking of his friend who had one day disappeared from the institute. Rumours had it that he was now running with the mutants around Magneto, that he had joined the other side. His confusion and worry were mirrored in his girlfriend's face.
"So do you want to speak to him?", Reuben asked as he arrived at the end of the pier, holding out a cordless telephone to the girl.
"No", Rogue answered more on instinct than anything else.
"Err, Johnny?", Reuben spoke into the phone. "She says she doesn't want to speak to you, that you're a sick fuck and that if ever you think of calling her again, your dick should shrivel and - "
"Stop it!", Rogue yelled, yanking the phone out of Reuben's hand. "Johnny? Is that really you?"
"Rogue?", Pyro's voice asked at the other end. "Who was that?"
"Just some idiot", she replied, showing the finger to Reuben. "Where did you get that number from?"
"I have resourceful friends, Rogue, and when I heard you were on holiday here, I thought I'd call you."
"How... flattering..." Confused, the white-streaked mutant looked at the two other boys, rolling her eyes in irritation. "And, what do you want of me?"
"Nothing in particular", her former friend answered. "I'm living not so far off these days, and I wondered - I wondered if I could maybe ask you out for dinner?"
"NO!", she exclaimed furiously, noting in the corner of her eyes that both Reuben and Bobby were now standing on the pier, both having their arms crossed in front of their chests, both looking very concerned and protective. And very sweet. "I mean, I don't think this is a good idea, Johnny..."
"Why?", the mutant on the phone asked guilelessly. "We could leave the whole mutant-fraction stuff out of it. Just you and me and some nice place. It'll be very romantic - "
"You're completely out of your mind, Pyro." Now Rogue was seriously fuming. "I am here with Bobby. I am together with Bobby, in case you have forgotten. And I'm definitely not going on a date with you, sicko!"
"But Rogue, I -" Too enraged to listen even for a single word more, Rogue gave a furious grunt and hurled the phone out into the sea in a wide arch. Then she turned around, her chest heaving, and stared at the two boys who looked at her vaguely impressed.
"Great." Reuben was the first to speak again. "That was the only cordless phone in the house. Just. Great."
"Are you ok?" Bobby walked over to her, hugging her around her waist. "What did he say?"
"He wanted a fucken date!" Rogue still couldn't believe it. "But he won't call again. I swear."
"At least not on THIS phone, anyway." Reuben added dryly, then suggested: "I think we all could use a drink. What about we all go upstairs and calm down?"
Silently, the other mutants on the pier nodded and followed their host to the bar.
"Logan!", the blond charmer yelled as they approached the cliffs. "First round of drinks! Come on, your beer's waiting!"
----
But it wasn't until the next evening that things really got out of hand.
They had woken up only around mid-day, had decided against a trip to Venice and instead had spend another day with tanning, shopping and preparations for an early dinner. Rogue and Reuben by now had turned into a first-class team in the kitchen, and everyone enjoyed the sumptuous meals they produced, though sometimes the two had needed a little help of the locals.
Today, they had managed to coax Logan into some more seafood, and as Reuben carried out a large tray of prepared squids onto the terrace, he asked: "Have you seen our 'teacher'? He promised to take care of the grill tonight."
"No idea." Rogue shrugged, arranging some flowers on the large table, feeling very satisfied with the result. She had never thought of herself being the nesting-instinct type of girl, but in a place like this, she found it almost natural to add a touch of perfection to the already lovely surrounding. "Probably he's on his cliff, diving again."
"I just wonder how many times one can jump off the same cliff before it gets boring." Reuben wiped his gloved hands on the kitchen towel he had tugged into his trousers like an apron. Surveying the table Rogue had laid out, he beamed at the young woman. "This looks lovely. Just one last thing..."
Reuben disappeared down the steps that led into the garden, only to return seconds later with a huge white hibiscus flower in his hands. "Here", he said as he gently tugged it behind Rogue's ear. "Now everything is perfect."
Grinning widely, the blond mutant watched Rogue touch the flower carefully with and then walk over to a close-by window to look at her image in the glass.
"Bobby will love it," Reuben remarked, smiling fondly. The young woman turned around and looked at her host.
"You really seem to get things sorted out with him, don't you?", she asked, and her fellow student nodded in reply.
"I think we're friends now. And I think we have both come to terms with the fact that that's as close as it's ever gonna be."
"You still sound jealous." Playfully, Rogue slapped at the blond man with a napkin, laughing as he started to chase her around the table with his kitchen-towel in return. When they came to a halt, each one standing exactly on the opposite side of the table, Reuben replied under his breath:
"Well, I still am, in a way. But it stopped making me sad. I think I have learned to be happy for the two of you."
"Good for you", the white-streaked mutant replied. "Now where IS Logan? If we don't get the fire started soon, we will have to wait for hours until we get anything to eat!"
"Except maybe the three kinds of bread, the olives, the pickled peppers and the salad, and the whole plate of melon and ham, not to forget the wine and the cheeses and...." Grinning, Reuben stopped listing the various dishes on the table, instead took a deep breath and yelled: "LOGAN!!! DINNER!"
As no-one answered, Reuben tried once more, yelling: "LOGAAN! DROPPED YOUR CIGARS INTO THE POND! HOPE I DIDN'T SPOIL THEM!"
Only reaction to his commotion was a snorting giggle from Rogue, who sat down on one of the chairs and poured herself a glass of the wine that was already standing on the table.
"You really seem to like that stuff", Reuben remarked, getting himself some wine as well. "I don't think that would be legal in the States, would it?"
"Nope."
"I'm not sure if that is one of the things you were supposed to learn during your stay here. Professor Xavier will have my head if your parents ever notice."
"Well, we're in Europe here", the young woman replied with a wide smile, leaning back in the chair as if posing for a picture. "And anyway, you're the last one to complain, you're drinking all the time."
"Yeah, but I'm also the only one who wasn't DRUNK even once since we are here. Ne c'est pas, ma chêre?"
"Spoilsport." Rogue sat up normally again, looking down to the beach with a slight frown on her face. "I really wonder what they are doing there. Probably trying to see who can hold his breath longest or some stupid stuff like that."
"What about you going down to the beach and get the two boys up here and I'll try and see if I can light the grill without setting fire to the whole place?", Reuben suggested, picking an especially nice olive from it's plate and eating it almost reverentially.
"Better than waiting here anyway." Rogue stood up and walked a few steps towards the park, then stopped and turned around again. Picking up her wine-glass from the table, she toasted towards her host, saying: "Never leave home without it."
Laughing softly, both mutants toasted at each other, then the young woman walked down to the beach, leisurely taking her time to enjoy the scenery, stopping to smell some flower or have a sip of wine at every other turn of the path.
"Oh my...", Reuben said softly to himself. "I'm really bad company. First I'm getting Bobby to, well, whatever, then Rogue's getting the hang of red wine and outdated outfits. What's next? A purring Logan?"
Smirking, Reuben set out to prepare tonight's barbecue, and only when Rogue returned all alone after quite some time, his splendid mood faded.
"Hey, where are the boys?", he asked as the young woman stepped up onto the terrace again, his frown matching hers.
"They weren't at the beach." With a worried look, Rogue put down her empty glass of wine, thoughtfully looking at Reuben. "Any idea where they could be?"
Wordlessly, he shook his head, almost jumping as Rogue suddenly exclaimed: "Oh my GOD!"
"What?!" Following her look, Reuben found her staring at the grill, gaping.
"Heavens, Reuben, that is no barbecue, that is a conflagration!" Rouge gestured at the feet-high flames that burst from the fireplace, her voice somewhere between shock and amusement. "You'll get all of us fried!"
"Well", her host replied dryly, "it'll burn down sooner or later anyway. I'm more concerned where Bobby and Logan are. Didn't he have like this acute hearing? He should have heard us yelling long ago."
"This is getting spooky, Reuben. I don't like this one bit."
Silence grew between them, and the two young mutants almost jumped out of their skin as suddenly, the phone rang. It took a long, hesitant look between them until finally, Reuben went into the house, answering the phone.
"Prego?" the blond charmer sounded as if being annoyed by the disruption of a peaceful late afternoon. "One second."
He walked towards the terrace again, meeting with Rogue halfway there.
"It's this Johnny again. I've put the speakers on."
With a worried frown, the young woman picked up the phone, asking: "Johnny? What's it? This is really not the time."
"I just thought to ask you again if you maybe now, after having thought of it, might want to come over for dinner?"
Gaping in exasperation, Rogue needed a heartbeat to reply: "Pyro, you're really losing it! I'm together with Bobby, and you're becoming more and more -"
"Bobby won't bother you any longer." Pyro replied as if telling her a wonderful surprise, and both Rogue and Reuben paled as the implications of that trickled into their minds. "I made sure of that."
"Ohmygod", Rogue whispered, looking at Reuben, the asking with a shaking voice: "What have you done to him?"
"Oh, nothing specific yet." Pyro sounded exceedingly satisfied with his work. "Just rest assured that you're free of him forever."
"You're such a - " Looking for anything to say, Rogue glanced around nervously, panicking, and then slammed the speaker back on the phone. "OH MY GOD!", she yelled. "That fucking maniac has got Bobby and Logan!"
"Why did you hang up?", Reuben yelled back, equally excited.
"What should I have told him?! 'Give them back'?"
"Yeah - Anything! How will we ever find out where they are?"
"We have to do something!"
"Sure." Reuben snorted wryly and went over to the bar to pour himself a drink. "Like what? Call the police? Great idea. They'll need days to even find out where they are now. We have no lead at all."
"Oh fuck!" Rogue sounded as if close to tears. "What are we supposed to do?"
"No idea. If you hadn't quit the call, you could have accepted his date. Maybe found out where - "
"Asshole! I'm afraid, I'm worried, I want to scream! I don't KNOW how to react when my love is kidnapped."
With a deep sigh, Reuben emptied his glass, then pondered if to pour himself another one and decided against it. "We'll have to find out where he is. He said he's living close by, didn't he?"
"Can't we just trace the call?"
"Honey. This is a remote house in a remote village in eastern Italy. No digital telecommunication nodes. We'd be lucky if they would have been able to trace him while you were speaking."
"Oh fuck."
"Do you have any number of the Professor or another of the teachers?", Reuben asked, sighing again as Rogue shook her head.
"Nope. Only the Institutes official number."
"So this hour of the night, we would end up on the answering machine till tomorrow. Fuck."
"Logan must have some numbers...."
"And where?"
Discouraged, the two youngster looked at each other. Then, with a shrug, Reuben said:
"I'll call the police. They're pretty clueless, but pretty corrupt as well. They might be of some help after all. You could go and see if you find any numbers among Wolverine's stuff."
Rogue nodded, glad to have anything to do but panic. Yet, as she only had walked two steps, the phone rang again.
Running towards the phone, she picked up the speaker. "Yes?"
"Marie? It's me again, Johnny. We somehow must have been disconnected..."
Looking at her fellow student with wide eyes, she voiced a wordless 'Oh. My. GOD!', turning to the phone again, saying: "Yeah. Italy. Nothing works as long as you don't bribe someone."
She sounded surprisingly cool, Reuben noticed, only her hand nervously tapping on the little antique desk the telephone was standing on gave away her anxiety.
"I- well, what do you think?"
"About what?"
"Hum - about dinner..."
Shaking her head in disbelief, Rogue put on the fakest smile Reuben had ever seen, replying: "Well, now as you say it again, it's actually not such a bad idea."
"Great. I - shall I pick you up?"
"NO!", Rogue yelled almost instinctively, then immediately calmed down, adding: "I mean, you don't have to bother. I'll get there on my own." Rolling her eyes, she gave an exasperated look at Reuben, who stood next to her, a faint smile on his boyish face. "And you are sure Bobby won't bother us?"
"Absolutely. I've made sure he's in a place where he can't escape."
In suppressed anger, Rogue ground her teeth and kicked at the desk, which of course had never been build to withstand such an attack. So with only three legs left, the poor old furniture swayed for a heartbeat, then fell to the ground, drawers spilling their contends all over the floor.
"What happened?", Reuben heard Pyro ask, while Rogue was still staring at the debris at her feet in complete disbelief. "Rogue?"
"Oh, Pyro - sorry. Nothing, it was nothing." Trying to step out of the chaos without destroying more than she already had, Marie sent a voiceless 'SORRY' in Reuben's direction, saying loud: "I just dropped... - a pile of books."
"Books?"
"Yeah. I was looking for a piece of paper. Wanted to write down where to meet you. Wouldn't do if I'd miss you, would it?"
"No, sure." Pyro actually sounded more flattered than suspicious. "So, err, tonight?"
"Yeah. Perfect!" Rogue gestured hitting the wall with her head, adding with a strangling motion: "I really look forward to see you again."
"Me too. So what about the Casa Incendia? It's a nice, cosy place, and the food is lovely."
Reuben nodded appreciatively at Pyro's choice of location, whispering: "I know where it is."
"Cool. How do I find it?" Rogue asked anyway, keeping up with appearances.
"What about you come to the marina of Caromerino? I'll wait for you at the huge fountain, the one with the anchor in the middle."
Again, Reuben nodded, and Rogue replied almost merrily: "Cool! That'll be hard to miss. At what time?"
"Err.. eight?"
Looking at the clock, Rogue frowned impatiently, suggesting: "Say seven? We could still have a walk and a chat if it's too early to eat..."
"Yeah, of course. Great." Pyro sounded severely impressed with his own charms. "So we'll meet at the marina fountain of Caromerino at seven tonight."
"Yep. See you then!"
Careful not to sound as enraged as she was, the young woman put the speaker back onto the phone. Then she took in a deep breath, and screamed at the top of her lungs. Only as Reuben handed her a vase, an encouraging grin in his face, she stopped.
"We're in Italy." The blond mutant said with a huge grin. "Try it. But try not to hit people, windows or pictures. Go for a wall."
Rogue's surprise lasted only for a mere second, the she took the offered vase, throwing it against the living-room's opposite wall. As the pale porcelain shattered upon impact, she blinked, straightened up and said: "That really helps...."
"Yep. You were massively cool. I'm impressed."
"Well, it's not really hard being a better liar than you. Oh my, what a mess." With a soft sigh, she looked around, adding: "Sorry about the desk. Is it far to Caro... Caromerino?"
"Not really. Twenty minutes. And don't worry about the desk. It's just wood. Bobby and Logan are what we do have to care for now."
"Right. So we really go and see if we can free them on our own?" For a moment, Rogue sounded discouraged. "I think, it's really mad - what can we do against him? If he only tries to kidnap us as well?"
"Well, it would definitely be more sensitive to stay here and wait for the adults to take over."
Several moments, none of the two young mutants spoke. Then, shrugging, Rogue said: "So if we leave now, there'll be enough time in Caromerino to have a look at the place before Pyro turns up?"
With a wide grin, Reuben nodded. Quickly, they covered the food and doused the fire in the grill, as well as some parts of the already smouldering rosemary hedge behind it. Then, on their way to the car, Reuben said:
"I'll direct you. It's pretty easy to find, but going there by car, we'll have to drive some detours."
Rogue stopped dead in her tracks. "I though you were going to drive."
"Well, I can't drive a car. Never learned it."
"But - right. It was Logan who drove us to town.... "
"Don't tell me you can't drive as well."
"I have no license."
"That's not what I asked. Having a license is the very last thing that matters right now."
"I can't drive a car. Is that plain enough?!" Most distressed, Marie threw up her arms. "This is just so unbelievable. What are we gonna do now?"
"Well, we can still always take my Vespa."
"Your what?"
"A small, Italian motorbike. Don't need a license."
"Ok. We'll try. And we'll get to Caromerino in time?"
"Actually", Reuben replied with a wide grin, "we'll get there even faster. We can cut off some of the detours..."
"Oh my. That doesn't sound good."
"Hardly anything sounded good since our boys disappeared."
"True. Now, as we're about to enter our first mutual adventure - what exactly is your talent?"
Reuben looked at his friend, hesitantly at first, then braving a smile. "My touch makes people love me."
Suspicious, Rogue asked: "Like in 'fall in love with you' or like 'want to LOVE you'?"
"Both. As long as they touch me, they feel happily in love and want to cuddle, if we kiss...."
"Oh my god." Rogue walked along her fellow mutant for a moment. "So THAT'S what happened that night."
The blond charmer just shrugged. "I'm sorry."
"That is the most useless talent I have ever heard of."
"You of all people tell me?" Reuben was seriously relieved that she apparently didn't want to dwell on that kitchen-incident any longer than necessary. "You who can only borrow?"
"Just forget it. We're the least useful team of mutants ever. This is so crazy. How are we gonna save them?"
"I have no idea. Not yet, that is. We'll think of something."
"Sure. Oh. My. God."
"Ahh - don't worry. We'll save them. We're the good ones, we can't lose. Here, look. This is my Vespa - lovely, isn't it?"
Distrustful, Rogue mustered the garishly coloured vehicle that looked as if having been build in the same year as the old villa it belonged to. "It's very pink," she finally said.
"It's MAUVE."
"Whatever. Let's hurry. We've got our boys to save from evil mutants!"
"The way you say it makes it sound really wacky."
"Shut up and drive."
"Prego, Singorina."
If you enjoyed this story, please send feedback to: Osiris Brackhaus
go to PART 4