He actually thought about knocking, but what was the point? That he'd even considered knocking pissed him off even more. He was already late, and the rest of the team was waiting in there expecting him to barge in. Fucking losers, Victor thought. Nothing but a bunch of hypocrites and losers! What was he doing hanging around a place like this anyway? It wasn't like that bald professor of theirs held him prisoner or anything. It wasn't like that at all. No one had that kind of power over him. No one would ever have any kind of power over him again. He hated the way she made him feel; hated that he even gave a damn because that meant his mind was set on something else besides himself and his own survival. And all for what? Well his little god forsaken angel's days of weakening him were over! If she didn't know it already then she was going to find out.
Victor had seen them leave the locker room together. He'd watched them and they might as well have been plastered to each other, even if they were trying to be discreet. The smell of sex and lust clung to them, filling his senses to the point where it felt like he was going to choke on it. She wore happiness all over her face. Rogue's scent was all over that runt too, and he didn't even have to take a big whiff to know it was the same for her.
Victor knew what her arousal smelled like, what she looked like when she climaxed, what she sounded like. Felt like. But he'd been nothing more than a substitute to her! Well fuck her for making him feel like this! She wasn't worth it and he was going to make sure she knew it.
He shoved the door open, making it bang loudly off the wall behind him. All heads turned, some looking at him in contempt, others in surprise, but almost all looked wary. Good! They ought to be wary, especially the little brunette with the pouty lips that had concern written all over her face. Fuck her concern! It wasn't concern for him because he didn't need it and she sure wouldn't give it. No, for her it was all about the runt sitting next to her.
The only available seat was right across from Rogue, between Jubilee and Kurt, so he took it begrudgingly.
"Nice of you to join us," Logan couldn't resist tossing in.
Victor held his tongue on what he wanted to say, biding his time for when he'd throw everything he could up into his nemisis' face. However, he couldn't go without saying something. His pride wouldn’t let him.
"I thought I better show since the team might need some *real* strength for whatever they got cookin'."
"Can we start the meeting now that Goldilocks is here?" Logan directed towards Scott.
Creed growled low in his chest. Someday he was going to kill that piece of shit!
Rogue's eyes narrowed at his threat towards Logan. "Maybe you would've made it on time if you weren't staying *out* so late," she added, thinking of Victor on his balcony.
He didn't even look at her when he stretched back in his chair. "Well maybe you shouldn't stay up so late either, snoopin' around. Didn't your mama ever teach you it was rude to stare?"
She quieted at his statement, not trusting his judgment to not bring up the incident - and many others - in front of the entire group. Logan was looking at her curiously while she picked at a piece of paper and the rest of the team had gone silent, watching the exchange between the three. Suddenly her chair wasn't comfortable at all but she tried not to let it show, knowing Victor would take it as a sign of nervousness.
Creed broke the moment by taking a deep breath, then sniffing the air dramatically.
"What the hell is the matter with you, Goldie? You got sinus problems? A fur ball?" Logan sneered.
"Just wondering if you finally took a bath runt. 'Cause you smell different. Better," he looked pointedly at Rogue, "*much* better."
She tried to cut her eyes at him without being obvious, making Victor snicker triumphantly.
The three of them had the team's rapt attention, so Scott cleared his throat loudly in an attempt to refocus everyone.
"If you're done talking then maybe we could get started?" he said firmly while looking at each of them in turn, without managing to get eye contact. "Rogue? Logan? Victor?"
"You implying something?” Logan said, ignoring Scott - his focus set on his arch enemy across the table.
Victor shrugged. "Am I? Why don't you ask your little girl if you're so fuckin' curious?" he said, not bothering to hide the scorn in his voice.
Rogue shot him a glance, both annoyance and anxiety painted on her face as her eyes darted between him and man sitting next to her. Victor couldn't make himself look at her, not that he didn't want to, it was just that something felt off. Wrong. *She* was making *him* feel uncomfortable as hell and he'd had as much unease as he was going to take. He wanted to discipline her, yell at her. Hurt her. Yes. Hurt her and you'll be fine.
Logan's eyes narrowed. He leaned across the table and pointed a finger at Victor.
"You leave Rogue out of this 'cause I'm tellin' you, I am sick and tired of you tryin' to fuck things up." Logan rose from his chair while he continued to glare at Victor who sprang from his seat.
"Logan sit down!" Scott commanded, "and that goes for you too Creed. We have things to discuss, but if the two of you refuse to obey my orders then I'm going to ha-"
Victor gave a laugh. "Oh really? *I'm* tryin' to fuck things up? Well as *I* see it," he mocked, "maybe *you* should stop throwing stones runt. I'm not the one with a passion for working out behind dive bars. You're doin' a pretty good job of messing things up yourself."
"You fuckin' bastard!" Logan growled and was about to make his way around the table when Peter grabbed his arm.
"Logan. Scott said this meeting was important," he said calmly.
Logan jerked his arm free, still glaring at Victor, and made his way back to his seat. Rogue eyed him worriedly, but made no move to touch or say anything to him.
"And you," Scott snapped while pointing at Victor with a pencil, "sit your ass down and be quiet. We've more important issues to discuss than what goes on outside these doors."
"I brought the entire team together for two reasons," Scot began loudly, finally gaining control over the room. "Firstly, we've caught wind of some activity from the Brotherhood, this time under Mystique's leadership. I want everyone to be prepared in case we get a call. Second, I need a small strike team to go out ASAP to recover some information. Chances are it could get dicey, so I need strength and it's gonna be quick in and out. I want Logan, Creed, Kurt, and Kitty."
"You think that's wise?" Logan said to Scott. He folded his arms across his chest and nodded towards Victor.
"What - Creed? He's on the team, same as you."
Logan shrugged. "You know his history. Once a traitor always a traitor, and especially in this case ..." he continued maliciously.
Scott sighed. "Okay, I understand your c-"
"Well in *this* case I need to go, especially if the team needs someone that might actually pose a threat," Creed insisted. "Plus, I take care of things that need takin' care of," he added plainly, turning to look at Rogue. She met his gaze and there were hundreds of questions in her eyes, enough to make him divert his own eyes and stare back at Scott instead.
"But I ain't going if it's on her squad," he said, hoping she'd take it as an insult.
"And why not?" Scott asked.
"Maybe because she don't know what the hell she's doing or maybe because I just ain't going if I gotta be on *her* squad," he insisted again.
"Well Rogue's not even going on this mission so that shouldn't be a problem, should it?"
"No there won't be a problem 'cause I want off her team," Victor sneered. From the corner of his vision he noticed Rogue's brow crinkle in confusion at what he'd just said.
Jubes snorted and eyed him. "I thought she was your 'little angel'," she mocked, not loud enough for the team to overhear but enough for him to catch what she'd just said. He glared at her, not taking the bait.
Scott frowned at his statement. "You want off her team?"
"I thought I just said exactly that," Victor growled.
Rogue's voice cut through his thoughts, she was trying to come off like nothing was wrong but he could smell the worry and confusion mixed with threads of anger on her. He was damned if she was going to have any kind of hold on him ever again. She was supposed to be nothing to him. Just like he obviously meant nothing to her. She'd never given a damn about anything except the runt.
"You could at least have the decency to look me in the eye if you're gonna call me incompetent, Victor."
He slowly turned his head to look straight at Rogue and gave her something very close to a smile, but it was cold and didn't reach his eyes. They were as black and untamed as ever.
"I'd call you a lot of things sweetheart, but incompetent ain't one of 'em."
"How 'bout you not calling her anything, asshole?!" Logan growled. He'd heard enough of the man's mouth and his anger was intensifying at Creed's disrespect towards Rogue and his sick use of the endearment. "I don't even want to hear you say her name. One more time, say it one more time and I'm coming over this table to slice you in fucking half and tin man here won't be able to stop me."
Scott took a quick look around. "That's enough!" he said, knowing he was about to lose control of the meeting again.
"Why should you care what I call her?" Creed asked. "Don't act as if you're protecting her feelings either - look at what you do. Don't play her high and might protector with me boy!"
Logan's fist came down hard on the table as he jumped to his feet. "Don't ever call *me* boy!"
Victor was on his feet too. "I'll call you *and* her whatever the hell I want."
Rogue pulled on Logan's arm, encouraging him to sit back down. She didn't know where this confrontation would lead, but it couldn't be any place good. The attention of the entire team was now honed in on the three of them and she knew Victor could rip her entire life to shreds right now. Victor saw the worry in her eyes and the look she was giving Logan. Her hand now rested affectionately on his forearm and it was enough to spur on Creed's ire.
"What's the matter honey?" he cooed to Rogue. "You mad I don't wanna play teammate anymore - sweeeetheeaaart?" Victor drew the words out slowly, mocking Logan while he did it.
As Logan lunged across the table, Peter grabbed him again, this time with help from Hank as the nice doctor moved before anyone could see. Kurt simultaneously reached for Victor, bamfing him across the room towards the door. The team knew it was best for everyone if the two didn't tear into each other, but they couldn't help but watch in anticipation.
"That's it!" Scott shouted. "Meeting is over! Everybody out! Creed. Logan. In my office. NOW!"
Everyone shuffled loudly towards the door, overcompensating for the quiet tension in the room. As Logan headed out behind Rogue, Scott grabbed his arm, staying him.
"A word," he said and it really wasn't a question.
Logan nodded and let Rogue know he'd be out later, but Scott's intention was for the strike team to leave immediately.
Rogue left the room, her body feeling strangely tired and achy. She hadn't realized she'd spent the entire meeting as one big, knotted muscle - just waiting for the worst to happen. Most of the team was already well down the hall, but Rogue felt his presence as soon as she rounded the corner.
"Like the gift I left you?" she heard Victor hiss from a dark corner. He moved towards her abruptly and then he was there, only inches away.
"I said, do you like the gift I left you?"
Rogue just stared at him blankly. Gift. Surely the package in her locker hadn't been from him. Why would he give her a present like that? And why the note on top of it? He'd wanted to apologize for something and she automatically assumed the gift was from Logan. Victor didn't seem to have it in him to say he was sorry.
"I'll have to ask the runt if he approves since it's obvious you're still hard up for him. Wonder what he'd think about seeing you in something like that knowing *I'm* the one that put it on you. Do you think he'd mind?" he sneered.
She couldn't speak, but she couldn't move away, just like she couldn't break away from his intense gaze. He wasn't just angry and jealous, he seemed hurt. Rogue didn't think he was even aware of that fact. Victor was seething with anger, but this time it wasn't with his usual arrogant indifference. Now he was truly furious. Rogue didn't know what he'd do, but she was not going to sit idly by and let him ruin everything. She couldn't beg him not to say anything though, so she was stuck at his mercy. The man didn't know the meaning of the word.
"You'll make things worse. Don't say anything to Logan. Please," she forced out, trying to sound composed.
"Oh, now you beg! To protect him. Answer me," he growled. "You think he'd mind? Do you think *I* mind?! Do you?!” he broke off, his mouth drawn into a hard line. With a final dangerous growl, he pushed past her nearly knocking her to the floor.
Rogue had no desire to follow. It wasn't until later that she found out both Logan and Victor had left with Scott immediately on the mission. She wandered the mansion all afternoon, wondering and worrying about what Victor might do.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
He shoved the door open, making it bang loudly off the wall behind him. All heads turned, some looking at him in contempt, others in surprise, but almost all looked wary. Good! They ought to be wary, especially the little brunette with the pouty lips that had concern written all over her face.