Something Beyond Seeing: Part 10

by MizzMarvel


Part 10: Questioning

Pietro is no longer even a blur passing through the hall sometimes. Rogue watches out the window to the garden where she last saw him, but he・s never there. She asks St. John where his bedroom is, and he doesn・t know. She thinks of the skinny, silver-haired boy, so tired and alone, and despite everything she misses him. But it feels like he・s been lost・at least to her.

***

Somewhat grudgingly, St. John has allowed Piotr into their friendship・to an extent. They eat together at dinner, and every once in a while they・ll all sit outside on the grass, Rogue and St. John talking while Piotr is silent, just smiling and listening. But even though he hasn・t made one questionable move, St. John is wary of him.

・I don・t know about ・im, Rogue. This continued silence of his bothers me.・

・Ya were the one who said he couldn・t speak English!・ Rogue exclaims. ・So how come yer pretendin・ ya just figured it out right now?・

・Well, silence is okay is you・re not hangin・ out with ・im anyway! But when you talk to him everyday and he・s part of your quasi-clique, it・s weird! You can・t blame me there. I mean, he should be pickin・ up SOME of the language by now, y・know?・

・How can ya just pick up a language? Ah think he・d need some Russian to back it up, if he were really learnin・.・

St. John shakes his head in defiance. ・A few words, a phrase or two! If a guy・s hearin・ only English for as long as this one has, he has to pick up SOMETHIN・. It just doesn・t make sense otherwise.・

Rogue rolls her eyes. ・Jeez, yer jumpy this mornin・. What, a dingo eat yer baby?・

His eyes widen. ・Shut up! A dingo really ate my baby sister!・

Her mouth drops open. ・Oh mah God! Yer serious?・

・Sheesh, no. You・re so gullible.・

She punches his shoulder. He punches right back.

・Hey!・ she shouts. ・Yer not supposed to hit a girl!・

・What, but you can hit me whenever it catches yer fancy? That・s not exactly equality, y・know.・

・Jerk.・

・Yep.・

***

Later in the night, there・s a knock on Rogue・s door. She is lying on her bed, reading Sir Thomas More・s ・Utopia.・ Briefly, she glances up.

・Come in,・ she says, knowing the list of possible visitors to her room is short.

The door opens and St. John walks in.

・Hi,・ he says. He goes over to her closet and opens it, then rifles through, scowling.

・Hey, get outta there!・ Rogue yells. She sits up and frowns.

・Do you have comfortable shoes?・ he asks, ignoring her completely. ・And pants that fit decently?・ His head pops out of the closet for a moment to look her up and down. ・Unlike THOSE ones, I mean.・

・Like ah really have a selection,・ she mutters.

・Well, do you?・

・Yeah, St. John. Why?・

・Because first thing tomorrow we・re goin・ to the city.・

・What?!・ she cries. She throws her book down and swings her legs over the side of the bed. ・Ya talked to him for me?!・

He grins. ・Yeah. Well, actually, no. I talked to Sabertooth, who talked to Magneto. Magneto then thought about it, and told Sabertooth, who talked to me again. So, to make a short story long ・it was a process. But yeah, you・re goin・. So we have to get your clothes situated now.・ He starts pulling out random shirts and sweaters, though really there are very few. ・You need something loose, but not loose enough to trip over. Nothing too nice or you・ll get robbed. Nothing too, uh, flattering, or・well, just don・t.・

・What about this?・ Rogue asks. She fingers the metal collar around her neck.

・Hmmm. Got a scarf?・

・Ah think so.・

・You・ll make a fashion statement then. All the better, really.・

She stands up and starts sorting through the clothes, staring at each article critically, like she never has before. Since he・s stressing the importance of her outfit so much, it must be absolutely perfect. Nothing will inhibit her chance at finally getting out of the house. She needs to feel free, if only for a few hours. Nothing will stop it from happening.

Rogue holds up a baggy, navy blue sweater. ・This?・

St. John glances at it and nods. ・Fine.・

・An・ the pants an・ the shoes? That・ll be all right?・

・Sounds like it.・

She breaks into an uncharacteristic grin, wide and ecstatic. ・Yer the best, St. John.・

・Yes. That is true. Now, if only some attractive male models shared that opinion・・

・Well ・・

・Please don・t comment on that. Leave me my hope.・ He rolls his eyes and laughs. ・Not all of us can have silent giants in the house who・re dedicated to creating our portraits.・

・Shut up.・

His face contorts into mock outrage. ・Well! This, to the guy who・s arranged for your holiday to Hammer Bay? Kids these days, no gratitude・・

・Haha・・ she replies, but realizes suddenly that she doesn・t quite no how she feels about the idea of Piotr liking her・that way. She・s not overly well-versed in the concept of crushes. But before she can ponder on the subject further, St. John continues:

・But, uh, Rogue? There・s one more thing・・ He looks sheepish, as if he doesn・t know WHY he has to say whatever he・s going to say. ・I・ve basically been told, just so you know, that if you・re to run off and get away・well, I・m dead, y・know? Literally. So, if you・d oblige me by NOT doing that・・

Rogue laughs uneasily. ・Don・t worry.・

・Heh・good.・

It disturbs Rogue that the thought of running away hasn・t even entered her mind in a long time. Shouldn・t she be planning some escape, get back to Bayville with Evan, Fred, and Mr. McCoy? Of course she should. It・s only natural. In fact, it・s obviously expected that she・d want to leave.

Leave Piotr.

Leave St. John.

Leave Pietro.

Rogue frowns, troubled.


To be continued・