The lights were dimmed low in the hotel bar but as Rogue approached the corner booth she could already make out Pietro’s scowl.
“Well aren’t you just a barrel of sunshine,” she muttered as she slid into the seat across from him.
He nodded at her slowly and took a drag on his beer. His eyes moving around the gradually crowding bar, never really stopping on her.
“That snake husk leave yet?” he finally asked.
“Yes,” she nodded.
He was silent again as the song playing on the speakers changed and several more people joined the tiled dance floor.
“It was nice of your friend Hank to set us up in this hotel.”
“You know you can thank him yourself, the X-Men whether former or not aren’t all that bad.”
He snorted and finally locked his gaze on her.
“Don’t sell that shit to me, Rogue,” he spat. “Not after the fact you’ve spent the past three years avoiding them.”
Glancing down at the table she whispered, “My judgement ain’t always a crowning achievement Pietro.”
He laughed darkly. “No, after this past experience it’s obvious your judgement has a tendency to be off.”
“Pietro,” she interrupted his glowering sharply. “What really has you so worked up? It was your own judgment to get Logan involved. Why is he suddenly a problem?”
Leaning forward he cradled his beer and stared at her.
“He was the best for the job. How was I to know you’d come back from apparent death?”
Sitting back as though she’d been struck, she stared at him in shock. “Is that the problem then? That I’m alive? Would you rather I be in the ground?”
“No,” he snapped. “That’s not what I meant,” he finished softly.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“It’s different now,” he mumbled.
“How?”
“Because he’s still here.”
“Pietro…”
“And he’s trying.”
He pushed his beer away. “I figured he’d been gone by now, but he’s not. He’s still here. Why do you think that is, Rogue?”
“Hank…”
“Oh, please, Rogue,” he interrupted. “Wolverine ain’t here to catch up with Hank. He’s here still because you’re alive. Because somewhere along this little adventure you’ve done something or said something to show him there’s a chance that you aren’t who you were pretending to be. That you have a chance to fix it.”
Rogue stuttered and stared at him in shock.
“Please, I don’t want to hear you try and explain it.”
Sighing, he reached for his beer and smiled at her lightly after taking another sip. “I’m happy being your friend, Rogue.”
“You’re a good friend to have too, you know,” she whispered affectionately and reached out to squeeze his hand. “And thank you, for everything.”
His smile turned into a smirk but she spoke up again before he had a chance to respond.
“And I won’t pull this shit ever again.”
His smirk grew.
“That be nice, Rogue but we both know you ain’t someone who can sit still.”
“Neither can you,” she responded back with a knowing smile.
Laughing he tipped his beer bottle towards her. “See yah on the road sometime then, Rogue.”
“You can’t get rid of me that easily,” she laughed back and reached for his beer taking a sip.
He chuckled deeply. “No, you’ve definitely proven that.”
“What do you say we finally have some fun, now that no one is after us?”
“I say you’re a smart man, Pietro.”
***
The music in the hotel bar had escalated as the night wore on and more people filtered in and out. Rogue caught the staged relaxed smile on her face in the mirror at the back of the bar and reached for her drink as the young man beside her continued to chat her up.
“Can I get you another?” he asked her sweetly, as his dark blue eyes sparkled. His body automatically leant towards her.
Shifting her eyes away she smile wider and grazed his hand. “Sure.”
“Can I speak to you for a moment?” Wanda’s voice suddenly rang between them.
Rogue glanced at the serious look on her friend’s face. Frowning a little she nodded and excused herself.
Wanda’s hand gripped her upper arm surprisingly and dragged her over to the far wall.
“What’s wrong, Wanda?” she asked hurriedly, noticing the slight flare of anger in her friend’s face. “Has something happened?”
“Yeah,” Wanda huffed and let her grip go. “Apparently, you’ve gone and lost your mind again.”
In response, it was Rogue’s turn to frown.
“Things suddenly get to real for you again, Rogue?”
“Wanda.”
“You’re being a bitch,” Wanda interrupted.
“Excuse me,” she snapped back in disbelief.
“Oh, please, stop with the act. You know exactly what you’re doing.”
“Wanda, you need to...”
“I never knew you to be such a coward.”
Rogue’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “Are you purposely trying to ruin this night?”
Wanda laughed lightly. “Not me, Rogue. Not me.”
Glancing around the room once, Wanda spoke again. “What are you doing here Rogue?”
“Well I thought I was celebrating with friends,” she responded tightly. “I guess I was wrong.”
“Go and talk to him.”
Rogue’s eyes widened a little and Wanda smirked at her.
“What are you so afraid of?”
Shaking her head, Rogue glanced around the room once and shrugged her shoulders. “He’s probably got his bag packed already by now and is checking out.”
“Is this really worth it?” Wanda asked sincerely. “This game you play, is it really worth it in the end? You want to waste a few more years?”
Rogue was quiet as she observed her friend.
“I’m not saying you’re going to work it out but doesn’t he at least deserve an answer?”
When Rogue didn’t responded, Wanda’s eyes narrowed as she hissed, “The man deserves an answer.”
Cocking her head, she watched Wanda for a moment after her outburst and turned to leave. “Why do you suddenly care?”
Wanda pulled her back quickly and she didn’t fight it.
“Give it up, Rogue.”
“Stop hiding. You’re not only hurting him, you’re hurting yourself.”
Wanda sighed. “But that’s the point isn’t it? You, punishing yourself. You need this too.”
“I helped you run from my father but I’m not going to help you run any more from Logan.”
“This is all because you thought the guy I was talking to is cute isn’t it and you wanted him,” Rogue answered back finally.
Wanda frowned and opened her mouth but Rogue swiftly glanced at her and smiled warmly, despite the glow to her eyes. “I’m kidding,” she whispered.
Closing her mouth, Wanda smiled at her in relief.
“He’s outside.”
“Thanks,” Rogue responded and reached over to hug her. “I don’t deserve you.”
Wanda laughed. “Hey, part of the reason this friendship has never fallen apart is because we’re too stubborn and thick to let each other go.”
Rogue pulled back and laughed. “Let me guess that’s a hint at how stubborn I’m being right now.”
“Oh, not a hint, more like a full fledge proclamation,” Wanda responded and pushed her in the direction of the patio.
Swiftly, Rogue made her way through the tiled dance floor but not before a familiar hand reached out and grabbed her, twirling her elaborately.
“Will you make a dying man’s wish and dance with me for a moment, beautiful?”
Rogue shook her head in amusement. “You’re not dying, Jaime.”
Jaime pulled back in playful surprise. “Well, perhaps but I am skilled at the foot work and I need an equally skilled partner.”
“You’re so full of it, Jaime,” she responded affectionately.
Nodding his head slyly he pulled her closer in a position that was more of a hug than a courting dance. “I’m glad you’re back, Roguey,” he whispered.
Leaning, back she smiled at him. “Me too.” Quickly, she gave him a peck on his cheek and pulled back.
“But maybe you should go ask Wanda to dance.”
“Maybe I will.”
Pulling back she smiled at him once more before glancing to the right. “And Jaime, give her your full attention,” she finished by raising her eyebrows at his twin copy dancing on the other side of the room with a blonde.
Rolling his eyes in mock surrender he nodded and disappeared through the crowd.
Watching him for a brief moment in amusement she turned and ventured out towards the patio which was surprisingly far quieter than the inside of the bar. A few smokers huddled together in the corner, surprised by the crisp air of the summer night; she could tell fall would be coming on its way soon.
The scent of a fine cigar tickled her nose and she spotted the dark figure standing by himself at the end of the patio. The moonlight briefly highlighted the side of his face before he reached over for the beer that was resting on the banister.
Taking a deep breath, she moved forward, admitting that she was slightly surprised he was still here and that part of her was relieved despite the butterflies she felt in her stomach. There was no point in pretending with him anymore. She could say she was Rogue all she wanted but the walls she had built had slowly fallen down one by one in the last few days. There was always going to be a part of her that was Marie around him.
Just Marie and Logan. Nothing to hide behind.
Stepping forward she spoke quietly but firmly, “I suppose I owe you some answers.”
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