“Ok, kiddies, vodka is all I could get… and I’m not gonna lie, it’s cheap and nasty.” Jubilee told the group in front of her, holding the bottle of clear liquid up as proof.

“Get some orange juice. The school goes through a bunch of it every week. They won’t miss a gallon. And a screwdriver will cover the taste.” Bobby offered.

Jubilee smiled, obviously liking the idea. “Ok, Bobby, you’re on OJ detail. We’re going to need glasses too. Don’t get caught!” Bobby picked his cohorts and they slinked out of the attic.

Jubilee turned back to the rest of the group, this was going to be a great night. Graduation was in just a mere twenty hours, thirty five minutes, and twelve seconds… not that she was counting or anything. This was their last night as students and they were going to party.

She had concocted this little shindig as a farewell to… well, to everything. School, those going to college, those leaving the mansion, they were going to say goodbye to everything they could think of.

Jubilee had done most of the planning herself. She didn’t want any of the adults to find out. So, she got everything she needed and invited here “clique” of friends.

Bobby, John, and Remy came clomping back in. All their stealth lost somewhere between the attic door, kitchen, and back again. Glasses clinked as the boys sat them down on the lawn table Jubilee had… procured… after dinner.

“Ok, kids, time for some fun. Drinking game?” Jubilee asked. Everyone nodded and pulled up a chair. Rogue was to Jubilee’s right, Kitty to Jubilee’s left. Betsy, John, Piotr, Remy, and Bobby scattered themselves around the table.

“The game is called Kings.” Jubilee explained as she mixed drinks and began to hand cups out to the others. “Each card has a meaning. Two is you; you pick someone to take a drink. Three is me, you take the drink. Four is floor; last one to put their thumb on the table takes a drink. Five is guys, six is chicks.” She set an extra glass in the center and started to put the cards in a misshapen circle around the glass. “Seven is heaven, you point up. Eight is mate, pick someone to drink with. Nine is rhyme, gotta pick a word then we each have to rhyme a word until you can‘t think of one. Ten is categories, pick something like… board games, then we name types until someone runs out. Jacks are waterfall, person who gets the card drinks and it “waterfalls” until the person before you stops. Queens are question master; you get to ask questions until the next queen. Anyone who doesn’t answer a question with a question drinks. The first three kings you pour as much of your drink into the center glass. Last person to pull a king drinks whatever is in the glass. And finally, aces, you get to make a rule.” Jubilee sat down and smiled at the group.

“Who goes first?” Rogue asked.

With a devious smile, John said, “Since you asked, you can.”

Rogue just sighed and drew a card. “What was eight again?” She asked Jubilee with false innocence.

“Mate.” Jubilee replied.

“Well, I guess that’d be you my dear friend Jubilation.” Rogue tipped her glass towards Jubilee and they each took their drink.

Jubilee pulled the next card. And they continued to play. Finally their game ended.

“New one.” Bobby said, “I’m getting a little to drunk to remember all those rules.”

“Truth or dare?” Piotr offered. Once again there were consenting nods and Okay’s. So they pored more to drink and sat around.

“Kitty, truth or dare?” Piotr asked.

“Umm, truth.” She said a little unsure.

“Who here would you kiss?” Blushing mightily Kitty tilted her head towards Remy. He gave her one of his melting smiles. A hint of his red eyes peaking above the ever present sunglasses.

The teens played the game late into the night.

More than a little tipsy, Rogue answered Jubilee and John’s giggled “truth or dare?” with a brazen, “Dare.”

“We dare you toooooooooo strip down to your underwear aannddddd knock on Logan’s door. And wait at least until he opens it.”

“Oh, good one!” Kitty called out from the corner she and Piotr had sneaked off to after the kiss Bobby had dared Piotr with.

“No, not a good one.” Rogue said suddenly not liking her choice or the game, for that matter.

“Oh, come on! Rogue-y, you just knock on the door, wait for it to open and run!” Jubilee said.

“I can’t go around without any clothes on.”

“Yes you can… you’ve got control. And you’ll have on whatever is under that head-to-toe gear you got on.”

“My control isn’t solid, and I’ve been drinking. So my control isn’t solid. No solid control.” Rogue replied, proud of herself that she made some roundabout sense.

“Oh hush, and do it. Or you finish the bottle.” Jubilee picked up what was left of the depleted bottle.

Nearly sitting on John’s lap, Bobby said, “Come on Rogue, chose.”

Cheeks flaming red, Rogue stood up and drew her shirt over her head. The camie beneath followed, quickly trailed by shoes, socks and pants. The others had gathered around, making cat calls and even throwing a few ones Rogue’s way.

Still blushing like no other, Rogue walked to the door, trying to cover herself with her arms. Her buzz quickly dissipating in her embarrassment.

Jubilee’s warning echoed down the stairs, “Kitty is going to faze down and make sure you do it!”

Reaching Logan’s door all too quickly, Rogue stood uncomfortably for long minutes. Staring at the door, she tried to decide if they’d really send Kitty down to check on her. Deciding the horrible vodka strait would be better than the embarrassment of waking Logan in her current state of dress, she backed up.

The door swung open before she could turn around. “You gonna stand there all night, ki…” “Kid” didn’t quiet make it out of his mouth once his eyes landed on Rogue’s state of undress.

“I, uh, I…” Rogue stuttered.

“Marie, what’s going on? What happened to you?” Logan asked, obviously worried.

“Lost bet.” She mumbled. Not exactly true, but it sounded better to her than playing a kids game like truth or dare.

“Lost a bet, huh? You’ve been drinking.” It was a statement, he could smell the alcohol.

“Uhh, I should go now.” Logan staring at her while standing practically naked in the hall wasn’t in her fantasies of the man. At least not standing naked in the hall, after drinking all night and taking a dare… and Logan, not inviting her in.

Logan didn’t say anything, he just continued to stare. She gulped and took a step back. But he grabbed her shoulders, stopping her escape.

Unfortunately, she couldn’t see his face. He could probably see hers though, she’d never asked just how good his eyesight was in the dark.

His hands were hot on her bare shoulders. Rogue was glad that Kitty had been the one to draw the last king earlier in the night. Rogue had had far less to drink than some of the others; so her hope to use her new found control as an excuse wasn’t really the issue. It was the pair of sweats, old white t-shirt, and lecture she’d be receiving any moment now.

Finally, Logan spoke, “You’re not going anywhere.” His voice was husky.

“I, what? Logan?” He slowly pulled her towards him. Wrapping his arms around her, he nuzzled Rogue’s ear. He then drew her into the room and closed the door.
~~~~~~

“What?! He said WHAT?!!” Jubilee shouted to Kitty.

“Yep. I think Logan finally saw that our little Rogue for being more than a kid. ” Kitty said proudly.

“All those plans we made! And we send her to him practically naked and he just says, ‘Hey baby, let’s hump like bunnies.’ Are you sure that’s what they’re doing?”

“I stuck my head in after they’d been in there a minute or two. Her bra hit me in the face.”

Jubilee just snorted.