Scott and Rogue (Backdated)

[x-cyclops.livejournal.com]

Scott and Rogue spend some time training and chatting.

It shouldn't be this hard,she told herself. In fact,it should be easy. Scott had already asked her her plans, and it wasn't like she didn't have the skills to be on the team again.

Still. It wasn't easy knocking on his office door. Part of her had wanted to send a text message or an email again, but Rogue wanted to be a little more professional.

She took a deep breath and knocked a few times.

Scott looked up from his desk a pen paused in his fingers where he'd been twirling it while he read another report, "Marie, come on in." He smiled and gestured to the couch in the corner of his office gratefully dropping the report and standing up, "To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?"

Rogue gave a little snort. "Always gotta be so endearin', huh? I came to talk to ya, but you're making it sound like I never see you," she teased. "Are ya jealous I had girls' night with Jean and y'all weren't invited?"

"You know me, I just can't handle myself," he replied with a grin as he sank down onto the couch, "I am totally jealous about your night out, although now I think about it, from the sound of it I might have been safer here out of the way."

She sat down next to him, nodding enthusiastically. "Ya should've seen it. It was beautiful.  ‎I ain't seen her like that in eons. Just Pow! Right in the kisser. Whole bar was in shock and there we went, scurrying like two little mice." Rogue laughed again at the memory.

"Seriously though, I kinda wanted to talk to you 'bout well....maybegettingontheteamagain?". the last part was blurted out, in the hopes she wouldn't lose her nerve.

"What was that?" Scott leaned forward in his chair to pour Rogue a cup of water, "I'm not gonna bite your head off you know but you have to at least stop of air and punctuation."

She nodded and took a slip, noting her palms were sweaty. "I wanted to talk about getting back on the team," she enunciated slowly. I've been working out lots and practicing with Jessica...‎got my regular Danger Room sessions...I think I can bring my A game again, and be an asset."

"Well," Scott leaned back in his chair and pursed his fingers, "I;ll be honest that's a big ask. You see, as far as I'm concerned you were never off the team," he flashed the younger woman a smile. "You were rusty when you came back yes, we saw that in training, but you've been working hard at it and been improving. You'll be up to your old standards in no time if you keep up like this."

"What? How does that work? Shouldn't I audition or something? Beat up Wade? Steal cookies from Lorna? Show that I got skills?"‎ This had to be a trick. "I gotta earn those leathers, Scott!"

‎

"You already did," Scott pointed out, "you shouldn't have to go through the training more than once. You'd prefer me to set you something like the 12 tasks of hercules? I mean beating up Wade and stealing cookies from Lorna would make for a pretty awesome story to tell," he mused.

"Now you're jus' makin' fun of me," she mumbled, crossing her arms.  "Although, knowing this school, no one can keep secrets, and I'd show up to the kitchen, dressed in black, and Lorna'd have a plate waiting for me, with a note saying I have to share with the kids."  She sighed dramatically, and leaned her head back on the couch.  "So what does this mean really? I'm not goin' back to my ol' position or nothin', right? That I definitely need to work on and earn.  And it's probably not like before," she continued, "where it's train all day, train all night, and sleep about training....right?"

Scott looked guiltily back at his table and the training schedule he'd been working on, "Not all the time," he hedged, "but you know how it is, so many people to train, only one danger room to train them. We normally manage to get people into training at times that suit their habits, but you may end up with an early morning or late night or two. We all have to do that," he allowed, "for the rest of it, we hae a lot of new people around, but it's the same as it ever was, you get what you earn and deserve with us."

"That's fine," she said. "I've been stealing time with Kane anyways,and definitely been doin' a lot with Jessica. Most of my time with Jess is flyin' and figuring out the boundaries of her strength 'n' all, but it's been good practice."

She tapped her foot on the floor before blurting out, "I really appreciate this, Scott. Oh captain, my catain, and all that jazz. I won't let you down. No more random AWOLs from me."

"Having a training buddy isn't a bad thing, it'll let the two of you push yourselves that little bit further, I've always found that's the best way to motivate people. A little bit of friendly competition is always good, as long as you don't end up like Logan and me," he warned her in an amused tone of voice. "So how're you settling in with everyone else at the mansion?"

Rogue gave a little laugh at the mental image of Kane, dressed like Scott. She would definitely be the Wolverine of that rivalry. "I think I'm doing okay," she said with a nod. "I've met most of the new to me people, and reconnected with others.  ‎I think being on the team will help with this floatin' feelin' I've got. The art classes have been fun and keeping them as a drop in was a good choice. Kids come when they wanna and it's often enough that I spend lots more time out there than in the Mansion." She settled into the couch a bit more. "I feel happier than I have in a long time," she confessed.

"Well you've come home," Scott noted with a smile, "the mansion is like that. No matter how long you've been gone it always welcomes you back like an old friend and before you know it it's as if you never left. I think that's why we keep coming back, you can't find that kind of attitude anywhere else." Scott's eye's twinkled as he grinned at Rogue, "Oh I'm sure we can have the team help with the floating thing and bring you right down to earth. We're good at that. SO have you uncovered any budding picassos at the mansion?"

She shook her head, with a smile. "Nah, but I have spent time talkin' with Angel, and seeing the other artists around.  I drag people out, more often than not, but that's because I can draw and talk at the same time.  I'm kinda awesome that way."

Scott laughed, "That is a pretty awesome skill," he agreed, "never managed that myself. I can draw, or I can talk, but never both, which is why I never got into teaching art, but I can draw a graph like no-one's buisness," he informed Rogue with a grin.

Rolling her eyes, she teased, "You're such a neeerd, Mr. Summers. Why do I like you anyways?"

"Because I'm awesome and amazing," came the deadpan reply.

She burst out laughing.  "That you are!  It's probably why there's never been a revolution here, huh.  No mutiny or nothin'."  A pause. "I don't think Logan counts."

"Never even a whisper," Scott agreed, "Though that's probably due more to Charles' vision than anything that I've done," he allowed. "He has the knack of pulling people together and making them beleve in his vision of the future.

"But without the leader, he's jus' a man with a vision. You're the one on the ground, takin' us right in there. Y'all have proven yourself over 'n' over again. I'm proud to be on your team, Scott, cause I KNOW ya got my back." With a sparkle in her eye, she added, "You don't get paid enough for this shit."

‎

Scott snorted, "Truer words have never been spoken," he agreed, "Now if you could just tell Charles that I deserve a raise that would be awesome, although I do get room and board for free, so I'm not really in much of a position to complain am I?" he asked in an amused voice.

Rogue gave an exaggerated sigh.‎ "Fine then, if ya wanna be grateful an' all," she stated, barely containing giggles. "I guess you're right...like always.....but if ya do end up with a raise, pretended I was involved, 'kay?"

Scott grinned and tipped his glass of water at Rogue, "If I do get a raise then the first round is on me."