[Doug & Marie] Just friends, right?

[x-rogue.livejournal.com]

In which Doug asks Marie on a notadate and survives.


After finishing up with Marie-Ange, Doug went back to stash his laptop in his room. Then, summoning up his courage and telling the butterflies doing jumping jacks in his stomach to kindly shut up, he headed off to Rogue's suite. For a minute, he held his hand poised to knock, unable to do so. Finally, taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and knocked.

Marie poured water into her teacup and then turned down the music that was playing. "Hey, c'mon in," she called.

Opening the door and peeking in, Doug said, "Marie? You busy?"

"Not at all," she said cheerfully. "What can I do for you? Come on in, silly, you don't have to stand out in the hall."

Doug wandered in, hands shoved in pockets for lack of anything else to do with them. Besides, if they had been out, Doug probably would have been dry-washing them from the level of nervousness he was feeling. "Just kinda stopped by since I don't have any homework to do, thought I'd see how you're doing, what you've been up to, if you're sure I'm not bothering you."

"I got got back from Manhattanville." She was beaming. "It's /gorgeous/. No, you're not bothering me. I was just going to look at some scholarship forms. Sit. You want some tea? Anything wrong?"

Doug sat rather abruptly, not sure if his legs would keep him vertical anymore without his knees starting to knock. "Tea sounds great. And no, nothing's wrong." Inside his head, what Doug liked to call his pessimistic voice was flaying him. ~She'll never say yes, she'll never say yes...~

"I was just making myself some." She fixed her own while she let his steep. "Well, then you're in the minority around this place these days. I hardly know what to do with everyone sniping like this. Then again, I'm prejudiced because I'm in such a good mood. What do you take in your tea?"

Doug smiled. "Good moods are...good." ~God, did that sound stupid.~ "And sugar, please." Leaning forward, he took his hands out of his pockets and rested his arms on the table. "I've been doing some work with Kitty, trying to find Ms. Frost. Had to get Angie to help me make sure I wasn't mistranslating something." He blushed deeply. "But other than that I've been keeping a fairly low profile.

She brought him his tea and sat down across from him. "That's great, Doug. Really. You have such a cool gift. It's got to get a little... distracting some times. Or irritating. Especially if you know when people are lying. That would drive me batty. I'd want to smack people more than usual."

Doug nodded. "It's come in handy once or twice. I think it helped us figure out things were not going very well with Jamie after the hurricane. For that alone I'm grateful." He shrugged. "But sometimes I feel kinda useless. I mean, it's not like I'd be able to do much on an X-Men mission."

"Are you kidding?" She sipped her tea. "Look, we have to deal with people everywhere we go. Missions aren't just bashing things and whatnot. You'll be absolutely brilliant on retrievals when you're ready. It'll be so good to have you along. And later, think of everything you'll be able to do when you're older. You could be a negotiator or a lobbyist. That's /way/ more important than kicking down doors and dodging bullets."

Doug shrugged. "In my head I know that, but in my heart I just...well, first off I feel vaguely guilty that I can pass for human in all but the closest genetic scans. There are those of us who can't. Plus, you were talking about bullets. That's all it'd take to do me in. Just like any other normal person."

"Me too," she said simply. "And don't feel guilty, Doug, not ever. We need you. You can pass, but you're not trying to. And some day, the fact that you can may save people's lives. You have great gifts and we're lucky that we have you.“

Doug blushed rosily. "I...thanks." He stared at his hands.

"No problem. Everyone needs perspective. You're such a modest guy, it's too easy for you to think you're not going to be important. I've been here a while, and I know what matters most. You didn't get to know, Jean, did you?"

Doug shook his head. "No, and from everything I've heard about her, she sounds like she was quite the lady."

"She was fantastic, she really was. And the best things she did, aside from saving us... they weren't out in the field. They were out talking to normal people, making them listen. Like the Professor does. They're both really good people. It just shows on them, and people listen. It shows on you too. So I know what I'm talking about. No putting yourself down, okay?" She smiled at him over her cup of tea.

Doug, by now, was in a pretty much continual state of blushing. "I...I'll try." Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he said quietly, "So, um. There's a reason I came over. I wanted to ask you something."

"Now that I've talked you into a corner..." She laughed. "I think I win. So, ask. And beware putting yourself down around me again."

Doug drummed his fingers nervously on the table. Finally, he began talking, and in his nervousness began a bit of a run on sentence. "So, I really had a nice time at that concert we went to with Jamie and Kitty and I think you're really nice and a lot of fun to be around and I was wondering if maybe you wanted to go out and do something just you and me and I guess you could consider it a date but only if you wanted to and you are under no obligation to say anything simply to be nice and not hurt my feelings and..." He trailed off and took a deep breath.

Marie listened to the whole sentence, her expression attentive. "I don't really date anymore," she said when he was done. "I just... it's a long story. But if you wanted to go and do stuff, just as friends, that'd be nice. It'd be fun to get out and do something and not be with people who are being all /couple-y/, or angsting about not being a couple, or whatever else, y'know? Not that I don't love the people around here, but... I should shut up before I put my foot in my mouth. Your answer is yes.”

Doug tried to hold back from breathing an audible sigh of relief. Friends was good. Friends was less pressure. Friends was still the possibility of something more, and not outright rejection. "Okay. That's...that's great. Um, what are your plans for the weekend?"

"Oh, this weekend?" She bit her lip. "See, I'm flying to LA for a few days on Thursday, I won't be back until Saturday afternoon and I may be kind of on call all Saturday, and that's assuming everything goes well."

Doug sat thinking for a moment. "Um, LA? What for? If you can say, anyway. And when will you know about whether you're on call on Saturday? Team stuff?"

She shook her head, smiling. "No, it's more a personal trip, a favour for a friend. Not team stuff. And, well, I won't know until the time comes, really. Everything's very up in the air."

Doug nodded. "Would this friend be Angelo?" He smiled. "That boy could use a bit of a boot to the head in the form of something nice being done for him, remind him that there are people here who care about him."

She put her finger to her lips. "Shh. Yeah, it's for him. He really needs this and I'm kind of honoured that he's letting me be the one to help him out. I hope it all goes well. I don't want to screw this up at all."

Doug patted Rogue's hand carefully. "I have faith in you. You're doing a good thing. And you won't screw it up." Sitting back, he thought some more. "So, Saturday night is questionable. What about Sunday?"

"Sunday might be good. I think I might need a break by then. If things go badly, I'll probably be asking you for help, anyway, so it's not like we won't be seeing each other," she said. "I might not be a lot of bubbly fun, though."

Doug smiled encouragingly. "That's okay. Not everyone is bubbly fun a hundred percent of the time. Besides, I think you're fun to be around, and a good person, not just when you're bubbly." He chuckled. "And since I seem to have become the informal peer counselor of the mansion, I'd be remiss if I wasn't there to provide help when you need it."

She looked at him speculatively. "Going to make that your career?" she asked.

Doug blushed and stared at the table where his hands were idly tracing patterns. "I don't know. I mean, I think there's a lot of ways I could put my power to use. Lawyer, politician, counselor..."

"I don't mean your abilities," she said, leaning forward to tap the back of his hand lightly. "I mean what do you want to do? What moves you?"

Doug suppressed a shiver at even the momentary contact of Rogue's hand. ~Stay cool Ramsey, stay cool...~ "I...I don't know. In a lot of ways I kind of feel like I'm spinning my wheels right now, looking for a direction. But all that stuff at the mall really brought home to me the kind of persecution and prejudice that mutants face. And all I know is, even if I don't know how, that sort of willful ignorance..." He blushed some more. "Well, it offends me. And I want to figure out a way to fight that. Not with fists. Violence begets more violence. But with words. And education." He ducked his head.

"Good for you. It's not just for us, it's really for everyone. What we face, anyone different will face, until someone finds a way to teach people not to behave that way... until we ingrain that in our cultures and faiths. Long road, but worth every step." She leaned back in her chair. "So, Sunday... any ideas?"

Doug continued staring at the table and scuffed a foot against the leg. "Well, one, but I dunno if you'll think it's silly."

She grinned at him and poked his foot with hers. "Try me."

Doug shrugged. "Ever since I watched this show called Sports Night, which is set in New York, I've wanted to go ice skating in Rockefeller Center, because a lot of the winter episodes have stock footage of that area. It's just always seemed like a neat thing to do." ~And sort of romantic, but I'm not going there. Friends friends friends friends...~

"Now why is that silly?" She frowned at him. "That sounds fabulous. I love winter, I love New York, and I love crowds. Sounds like fun to me."

"I just..." Doug shook his head. "I have no idea why it'd be silly. It just seemed like...well..." He trailed off.

"What?" She tilted her head inquisitively.

"I...you..." Doug trailed off again, hands in pockets, shoulders hunched and looking bashful.

"I see one problem here," Marie said lightly. "Who's going to translate for /you/?" She softened her words with a smile. "You...me...?"

If anything, the smile actually caused Doug to look even more like a poleaxed steer. "I...I was sure you...you wouldn't..." he stammered.

"Wouldn't go out and do something with you?" She looked pensive for a bit. "I guess I have been rather withdrawn, but it's not been just being anti-social, there were good reasons. And if you can put up with hanging out with me even though I'm not the type to date anyone anymore, then... of course I'd say yes. I kind of avoid the whole social scene because I'm just not part of that anymore, but it doesn't mean I don't like being around people, especially the very nice ones."

Doug swallowed slowly, then took a deep breath, trying to regain composure. "Of course I'd want to hang out with you. Like I said, you're a good person, nice, and fun to be around. And I can understand the not wanting to date anymore. I'd lie if I said I wasn't interested in dating you, but I wouldn't ever pressure you. Besides, I'm more than willing to be your friend, and who can say what might come of that? I made an idiot out of myself once trying to take things too fast, I'm trying not to do it again."

"That's really flattering." She blushed and shook her head. "I think I can trust you to understand that this is how it has to be for me. That whole dating and romance thing...that's not for someone like me. It makes it hard to relate to people, especially at our age. So, yeah, if you want to do things with me still, understanding that, then it works for me."

Doug tentatively reached across the table to take hold of Rogue's hand. "Marie, I understand where you're coming from. Maybe you should understand where I'm coming from. I think you're an amazing person, who I would be honored to have as a friend. For the person you are, I will take whatever is given to me and be content." He blushed, afraid that he had been too forward or said too much.

"You're way too sweet, Doug." She shook her head and smiled a little sadly. "Thanks, though."

Doug smiled back, sadness matching Rogue's. "I'm not too sweet, Marie. I'm just sweet enough. I am the way I am, and that's me. It's what I do. And you're quite welcome."

"Well, how about you come see me when I get in from LA? I'll be all jetlagged and whatnot, so come and remind me that we're going Sunday. I'll make sure to get the 4x4 for us, if I can." She gave his hand a little squeeze and then let it go.

Doug very firmly quashed down the tingly feeling remaining in his hand from the contact and smiled. "Will do. I can't wait."

"As for this evening, I've promised someone some Oreos and company." She stood up, picking up their cups, an affectionately tolerant expression on her face.

Doug grinned. "Then be gone with you, fair maid." He made shooing motions with his hands. "I'll see myself out, then. G'night, Marie." Taking one of her gloved hands, he kissed it in a reprise of his gallant gesture upon first meeting her. "Until Saturday, milady."

She laughed at him. "You're impossible!" She carried the cups to the kitchen, still laughing. "I'll see you Saturday, Doug."

Doug wandered out the door and back down the hallway to his room, a giant smile plastered on his face. He wisely waited until his door was closed to start capering around like a madman, pumping his fist in celebration.