By the end of her quarterly evaluation with the Professor Rogue’s ears with burning with embarrassment and anger. She stared unseeingly at the written assessment of her work, but she’d already memorized every humiliating word.
Sloppy.
Behind in martial arts.
Uses mutation ineffectively.
Spotty marksmanship.
Erratic results.
Careless.
I can’t sit through this any more of this shit echoed in her head as if she were trying to block out the piled up insults from seeping into her mind. It took everything she had to keep tears from forming in her eyes. She wasn’t going to cry because like most men they would think she was sad. She wasn’t, she was so fucking pissed she couldn’t see straight, only a haze of red covering everything in her view. The rage that pulsed behind her temples was so strong she thought with little effort she would shoot deadly rays out of her eyes like Cyclops and pulverize the man sitting next to her into dust.
Wolverine. He sprawled there like he didn’t have a care in the world, like that his words didn't ring in her head like a pounding dirge. Like he hadn’t just ripped apart his so-called best friend’s hard work for the last 12 weeks in advanced combat training. That he hadn’t just embarrassed the shit out of her in front of the Professor. The cocky bastard even had a twisted little smirk playing on his face. She knew he could smell the acid in her scent as her anger spiked higher and higher, threatening to explode, and he sat there like nothing unusual was happening. She wanted to kill him.
Xavier also felt Rogue’s frustration and ire; she was broadcasting uncontrollably and her vehemence coated his mind with dark searing heat, like lava incinerating all rational thought in its path. He shifted uncomfortably at the sensation and thought now would be a good time to wrap things up before something unfortunate happened.
“Well, Rogue. After hearing Wolverine’s assessment of your work this quarter, do you have anything to add?” He was almost afraid to ask.
Oh, she was plenty she wanted to say, but none of it was suitable for this meeting, and she would be damned if she’d let that feral fucker hear her voice crack in barely controlled, violent indignation.
“No sir,” she said tightly, her lips pressed firmly together to hold back the spew of invectives she longed to throw at her former friend. “May I go now, sir?”
Xavier inclined his head in acquiescence. The 20 year old mutant stood swiftly and stalked to the door, every line of her frame radiating with coiled wrath. He was surprised when she shut the door quietly behind her; he’d expected the woman to slam it from the frame.
“I thought that went well,” Wolverine drawled.
“My old friend,” Xavier noted, “I’ve never know you to be deliberately obtuse.”
“Hmm?” the surly man grumbled as he shifted to cross one foot over his opposite knee.
“Don’t tell me you couldn’t tell how upset she was at your review of her work. She was very surprised and extremely angry about it.” Xavier studied the man in front of him. “Why haven’t you brought up your concerns with her before now? Why save it for this meeting when you could have corrected her behavior and given her a chance to address your concerns?”
Wolverine barked out his version of a laugh. “Oh god Chuck, I could win an Oscar, swear to God.” The man thumbed his eyes, pretending to wipe away tears as he chuckled harder. “She’s doing great, better than anyone else in the class, could kick half the team’s ass by herself.”
Xavier’s face fell in shock. “Then what is this?” He tapped the negative review form on his desk.
Wolverine grinned, “She might be better than almost everyone else, but she’s still not perfect. And she’s got the potential to be that. Absolutely.”
“Then why didn’t you say that instead of doing this?” Xavier now crumpled up the offending document and waved it abstractedly. “She’s extraordinarily upset, Wolverine.”
“Chuck, you know half-measures don’t get anywhere with that girl. You tell her she’s doing good but could do better and she only hears the positive, gets comfortable sitting on her ass with that,” Wolverine said confidently. “I’m glad she’s upset, shows combat training means something to her. It’s all or nothing with her, so I gave her nothing. Now she’s going to want it all. Be perfect.”
Xavier regarded his friend, “Sometimes you surprise me with your insight, old friend.”
“Yeh, well you didn’t hire me just for my pretty face.” Wolverine stood smoothly and left the office. He knew he’d have to face the kid’s wrath sooner or later and he was looking forward to it. But not just yet. She had to simmer for a while until she was boiling over, then they’d have a conversation.
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Story Notes:
I've had the WORST day and needed to bang out a 3 chapter smutlet to vent before I wound up throwing something at the wall.
All will be posted tonight or tomorrow night.
Still working on Mutant High, next chapter of that will be up this weekend.
All will be posted tonight or tomorrow night.
Still working on Mutant High, next chapter of that will be up this weekend.