Intermediate: Not So Different

[Rogue]

Not So Different…

Setting: Takes place two weeks after Rogue has been rescued.


Rogue: Cat
Kevin Ford/Wither: Ray




Rogue:The room felt empty. She hadn’t felt this way in a long time, not sense she had first come here, back when she had to prove herself everyday. But now she was lucky to be alive, lucky to even be here at all. Green eyes shifted in the darkness softly illuminated by the light filtering in from beneath the bathroom door, she gazed at how nothing had changed, well there were a few get well cards from the students laying on her desk and for once her room was actually clean, the usual piles of clothes not littering the floor and letting the fuzzy pink rug and hardwood floor peer out for once. Eyes shifted again to the clock, it’s glowing red numbers reading 2:00 am and a sigh left her lips, sleep was hard to come by when you had the memories of a mad man running through your head.

Tossing the covers aside, Rogue stretched, the action forcing a small wince from her body as her muscles were still weak. How badly she wanted to laugh at that, it was a sick cynical notion really… her weak. But yet part of her enjoyed it because she felt like anyone else. Grabbing a pair of black warm-up pants, the southern beauty slipped them on over her lower half and then grabbed the black silk robe Remy had given her for her birthday last year and slipped it over her upper frame which was clad only in a white tank. Quietly she headed down stairs, taking the route that would have her end up in the kitchen to avoid going passed Logan’s room. Not that she didn’t appreciate his concern, but she didn’t need him hovering either, she was a big girl after all.

Finding herself successfully in the kitchen, Rogue began to rummage through the freezer in search of ice cream, her favorite guilty pleasure and late night snack. Finally settling on cookies n’ cream, the Southerner settled herself at the breakfast nook and enjoyed her cold treat in the comfort of the shadow casted kitchen.*



Wither: His form stood in the snow outside. Snow, how silly the notion was, back in Atlanta snow was few and far between. Atlanta. He sighed slightly and shook his head. Nothing was ever going to be the same for him, ever… not like when he was a kid. How was it, at his age, he could still reminisce about the past? Never had he truly missed Atlanta-only his father. A shake of his head when he thought about it… the deaths he had to endure of friends and family through his life which were nearly his fault. A twitch of sorrow tipped near his outer lash of his eye but he forced it back. Nothing he could ever say could bring any of them back, not even his father. Taking a step back through the cold snow, his boots crunched the snow melodically almost as each step was creating a song. Interesting.

However, the note of interesting grew as he saw the kitchen light turn on. His brows knit before he turned heal first and began to crouch. If it was a teacher, he couldn’t risk being seen out of his room, again. Yet this person was younger… different. Then he saw the white streak and stood, pushing the fallen flakes off his bare skin. As rare as it was, at night he did tend to air out his body and not wear a shirt. “You should be asleep…” he said softly as he opened the door quietly. “You’ve been through a lot as of late… and well, you obviously know.” He felt like he was babying her, but he wasn’t… he just didn’t want anyone else hurt.*

[Rogue]

Rogue:As she sat there in silence of course she began to think… an action she has tried to avoid doing to much of since the whole incident, but despite her being a mutant she was still a human being and prone to human tendencies. Jean and the Professor both had made it very clear not to feel guilty, that none of what happened during the rescue mission was her fault… but still everyday she’s found it hard not to feel blamed or to blame herself. When you’ve lived a life like Rogue’s, one learns quickly when you’re being judged and every set of eyes that had fallen on her the past two weeks were judging, blaming and even felt hate towards her and she knew it… after all it wasn’t the first time folks in this place had felt such ways towards her.

Again she sighed, she hated feeling so alone like this again and angry, angry because the one person she could count on didn’t even know what she had been through… but that wasn’t his fault, but she felt guilty about that too. Slowly she came to the realization she wasn’t alone at the moment, eyes lifted as did an eyebrow, “So should you.” She took a spoon full of ice cream and smiled a bit as she swallowed, “ After all, ah’m not tha one breakin’ curfew.” It was a little strange to have students in the place again, but it wasn’t her call and in a way it sort of brought life back to the mansion.

“ Thanks for yer concern howevah.” With that she went back to her ice cream hoping the kid would get the message and scoot, but after three spoon fulls she looked up and low and behold he was still there,“ Ah don’t think we’ve met, ya can call me Rogue. An’ just Rogue too, nonna this Miss stuff, “ She smirked a bit, “ it makes a gal feel old.” Her green eyes which once had a sparkle to them studied the boy before her… he seemed troubled and uneasy about something and his eyes held both sadness and anger in them while his stance and body language spoke of frustration, “ There’s more ice cream in tha freezer if ya care ta join me.” He probably wouldn’t, but it just wouldn’t be southern of her to not offer.*



Wither: Eyes looked the woman before him over… she wasn’t too much older than he was after all… and well, lets face it, everyone could dream-even in her decrepit state she had much to offer looks wise. He moved slightly to shake her hand… then moved his hand back and placed one upon his upper arm. “They gave up giving me curfew… futile to attempt.” He joked slightly, but the tension in the air was thick and he had a feeling he knew what it was about. “Well, call me Wither, Rogue… cause well Kevin just doesn’t fit me anymore.” He nodded some and leaned against the wall… the tacky wallpaper ashing beneath his bare skin. Jumping forward he let his jaw tighten before he shook his head. “No thanks… however thanks for the invitation.”

Slowly he turned towards the wall to evaluate the damage-not too bad. Then out of the corner of his eye he saw a spider web. His body shivered at the thought of that woman’s hands over him. The memory made him want to hurl. “You know… if I didn’t runaway and almost die that day… you would never have been rescued.” He laughed after the thought but shook his head and moved a hand to dust ashes off his shoulder. Silently, Kevin hoped she didn’t see it… but his luck never worked that way.*

[Rogue]

Rogue: Had she been a couple of years younger and not already involved, Rogue figured she’d had a thing for the kid, he had the broody, troubled, rugged handsome thing going, but of course those type always came with extra baggage. Perfect example was Remy and he covered the entire field of extra baggage and her type of guy. Again she found herself giving a silent sigh, a part of her wishing more could be done for her lover’s current condition. At least in a few days she’d be hopefully given a clean bill of health from Jean and she could have visitations down to the med-lab. Again she arched a brow at his comment about him not having a curfew and smiled, “Ya sound like Logan.” The comment was made in somewhat of a whisper as thought by speaking his name he might hear it.

She eyed the offered hand and then eyed it’s owner a moment, “ Ah--” But before she could finish her sentence he had drawn away perhaps remembering what she could do, that is if someone bothered to let the students know. Luckily once her strength returned fully that wouldn’t be an issue as much, “ Ah think ah like Kevin better if it’s all tha same.” Green orbs shifted to the wall where his hand had been, “ Although ah see how ya got yer moniker.” By now the ice cream sat forgotten and most likely beginning to melt, she was feeling kind of full anyways as she watched his reaction to what he had done to the wall, which resulted in a change of demeanor.

And then guilt fell down on her again as he mentioned the sacrifice he had unknowingly made for her… and for a moment Rogue sat there in silence chewing on her lower lip, “ Ah… didn’t know, an’ ah’d thank ya but runnin’ away and almost dyin’ is something ah doubt ah’d wanna be thanked for.” Inwardly she reeled at his laughter… he should’ve just slapped her instead, “ So why’d ya run?” Standing she began to follow him, “ Life here ain’t that bad last ah checked.” So maybe she was poking her nose in where it didn’t belong, but this kid was really starting to remind her of well… herself.*



Wither: For a moment he laughed… he could make himself laugh at the most awkward situations. However for him, this wasn’t too awkward. “Kevin was my name given to me by my father… honestly. I’d prefer not to be called that anymore.” Granted he loved his father with an undying passion… and he could never forget everything his father had done for him in life… however he was gone, and so was the Ford life he had once lived. Eyes turned to her, “Mississippi… interesting.” Was all he said, he had learned long ago how to in a way, disguise his voice to seem as if he were from the New England states… but Atlanta was home sweet home.

“I hadn’t run per say… however here can be hell for someone like me… yet I was following and trying to find a friend who we thought ran… and well I was attacked… similarly to you actually. And well Jamie helped save me and we were both paralyzed by the poison for a bit.. he worse than me, he helped me a lot, but…” he turned to her. “You called out for help and because he was in a weird limbo, he could find you.… a walking talkin cerebro.” He laughed once more and his hand shot up to his neck. The two puncture wounds still looked fresh and rather green in color but he didn’t mind. Taking a deep breath he shrugged and began to walk out. “Hey think about it this way… everyone’s afraid of touching you… everyone thinks they’ll die if they even brush against you… how would you feel?”To be honest, Wither had no clue about Rogue’s powers, he was clueless… however how close they were… would scare him.*



Rogue: Folding her arms lightly, she studied the wall where his hand had been as she passed it and shivered slightly, if she ever started feeling bad about her main ability she planned on thinking of Kevin’s problem, it was worse than hers for sure. This was another testament proving that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side, a saying she knew all to well herself because being without her mutant abilities was worse than having them in some strange way, a situation she hoped she never had to deal with again despite the benefits. At his request she nodded, “ Ah see, it has sentimental value?” She was prying… something she did often without meaning to, sort of a bad habit, “ Sorry… ya don’t hafta answer that.”

As they walked she listened, the story was an odd one, but to her it somehow wasn’t so odd, “ Yeah… lucky for me.” She still felt guilty about the whole thing and she figured he probably wouldn’t quite understand it, mostly because he wasn’t her and wasn’t dealing with the complicated aspects of it. Everything was complicated when you’re Rogue, “ Poison?” It wasn’t really a question but more of a reaction as he finished the tale of how it came to be that she was rescued, “ Ah do hope y’all know how terrible ah feel ‘bout those two boys who were killed…” For a moment her eyes burned and her vision became blurry, but she pushed her emotions aside and tucked her hair behind her ears, “ Everyday since a part of me wished ah woulda died instead.”

Somehow Rogue knew he understood exactly where she was coming from, but it seemed he didn’t realized as he began a monologue she was all to familiar with, “ Ah’d reckon ah’d feel alone in tha world… like nobody gave a damn an’ jealous of those who could experience thin’s ah couldn’t like love.” She let their eyes meet a moment, “ Ah was twelve… he was mah first love, mah first kiss… an’ for a long time mah last.” At that moment her emotions won out, “ He was left in a coma til ‘bout three years ago when he finally died.” She brushed the few tears which had escaped away and smiled, “ ‘Lanta huh? Nice city.” *

[Rogue]

Wither: To him she sounded slightly raving due to the fact, well… her kidnapping caused the death of others. But honestly to him it wasn’t that way at all. “Hey Brian and David did what they had to… did what they were on the team to do. They know that and we need to respect that they died for a cause.” If he could have he would have put his hand on her chin and lifted it up-despite her age, he was still taller than her-possibly a flaw of being male. However, he couldn’t… so he just looked away himself. “We all feel terrible… but death is a part of life… just for some it happens sooner-to them or to ones they love.” He almost sighed but he caught himself, emo sounding talks tonight. Shaking his head he sat down on a bar stool in the rec room and eyed her.

It was like talking to someone who knew for him… not just another ‘uh huh’ person. That’s when he realized, they had taken a nice little walk while talking, in order to land in the rec room at least. Then she shocked him and said her piece. “Yeah jealous… upset…” but he broke down crying suddenly and he jumped up. “Ah was twelve… he was mah first love, mah first kiss… an’ for a long time mah last. He was left in a coma til ‘bout three years ago when he finally died.” His eyes wondered over her for a moment… how did this work that he would meet someone with abilities like him? Ignoring her next question he sighed. “I was about twelve maybe older… I don’t know… I was crying because my powers did something to my dog … my dad had a talk with me about it."

"I remember him telling me that they wouldn’t always be uncontrollable. They wouldn’t always be on when you least expect it and off when you want it on… He was right. My dad’s voice quieted and his voice became raspy. He didn’t say anything though, he just continued to hold me, try to make me feel better…. But when I expected him to talk, I looked up and he disappeared around me in a pile of ash. Since then my powers haven’t shut off like when I was little… they haven’t been controllable. And I killed the only person who loved me… ever.” His jaw clenched before her question came to mind again. “Yeah Atlanta… gamblers paradise… and home sweet home.”*

Rogue:She waited for some kind of reaction, either he’d figure she was lying or he’d be freaked out by the truth. Granted she wasn’t as bad off as Kevin was, but she wasn’t too much luckier either, they both had their issues. Inwardly Rogue found herself chuckling at the whole interaction, this was something Scott or Ororo did. Hell even Logan did the whole pep-talk bonding thing, but for the Southern Belle this was a first and it felt sort of weird to be on the other end of the spectrum and yet it was refreshing to be the one giving something rather than receiving. Funny how life works sometimes. She nodded a little bit knowing all he said about Brian and David was true… but still it wasn’t easy for her and she’d most likely be dealing with the fact for a while, it was just the way she worked.

As they walked she found herself taking in the mansion in the darkness… it seemingly had a different feel at night, it almost felt empty. Empty… when was she going to stop feeling that way? Taking a deep breath, Rogue steeled her nerves, her patience running on thinner ice with her own progress, not since she was blinded by Stryfe had she felt so out of control of her world, the only other time being when she drained Carol Danvers. Soon the advanced into the rec. room and there paused unless they planned to go through the wall that is, “ Ah know this is gunna sound like a broken record to ya, but someday ya’ll have control, it might not be full control but ya’ll git it.”

Suddenly she felt like she was talking with a forked tongue in a way, “ It won’t be easy… b’lieve me ah know an’ it might not even happen in tha way ya think. “ She smiled it was both encouraging and sad at the same time, “But it’ll happen.” Cautiously she placed a hand briefly on the top of his hair before returning her arms into a folded position, “ But a word from tha wise don’t be to hard on yaself… it only makes tha situation that much more diffcult an’ when folks try ta help ya let’em even if it doesn’t cure the problem it still brings ya that more closer to a solution.” As soon as the words left her lips she began to laugh, “ Ah must’ve taken whut ah’ve been through a lot harder then ah thought… ah’m beginnin’ ta sound like Cyclops.” Laughing felt good, for once she actually believed it was medicine for the soul.*

[Rogue]

Wither: He flinched at the touch to his hair. He was always cautious, he never even knew if he was just going to poof, go bald one day. “I stay hard on myself so I can make myself learn to control it. I’m trying… but things… they just keep happening to make me not want to stay here… like I have a higher chance of putting someone in danger if I’m here. It’s not smart for me to be here, that’s for sure.” He nodded in a ‘matter-of-factly’ way. “If someone really offered me help, you think I wouldn’t take it? But then what, my dad’s death would be in vain… he could have helped me… he could have been here still…. He should have pulled away.” Shaking his head he just put his hands up and sighed.

“No… NO I’m fine… and I’ll take anything I can get… but as for you sounding like Cyclops, that’s just funny… because he tried to refrain from talking to me.” He shrugged it off slightly and eyed her a bit. Why couldn’t he touch people… and why couldn’t she? What was the damn plan for them? What would make God want to make people untouchable for. It made no sense! But then again, the idea of god… truly made no sense.


Rogue: Some where in the back of her mind, Rogue was wondering if all this was wise or not, obviously this kid was in a bad place right now and needed a friend… but was it such a good idea for her to become that friend? Of course her biggest fear was it could all become complicated, something she really didn’t need right now and she figured Kevin didn’t either. But perhaps this would not only help him… but her aswell, because she had to get used to the fact she could no longer touch people again… and maybe never again thanks to the hell her kidnapper put her through. So much for dreams coming true she thought bitterly to herself as he began to vent, grow even more angry.


“ Cyke’s dealin’ with alotta stuff right now… granted that ain’t no excuse an’ alotta of it’s prolly mah fault, tha Professor tried ta help me for years an’ all ah evah got out of it was to feel more sorry for mahself.” Arms unfolded a bit as she took a seat as well, “ Don’t go thinkin’ ya don’t b’long here when ah say this but… they’re not sure how ta deal with it b’cause the only other person they’ve had similar is me an’ that didn’t go to well an’ who’s payin’ now? Still me… b’cause ah gave up.” And there wa the root of it all, she honestly gave up, it became to much bother and so she stopped trying…, “ Ah jus’ don’t want ya to make the same mistake…” She toyed a moment, fidgeted with the tie of her robe and sighed, “ b’cause you remind me a lot of mahself… an’ it’s kinda scary.” <c>

Letting silence enter the conversation, Rogue shifted a bit and pushed her hair back, “ Ah’ve jus’ realized how much ah’ve been callin’ the kettle black here… talk ‘bout slappin’ mahself in the face.” It was beginning to seem like a life and death experience was real beginning to change the Rogue in some ways that she never thought possible before, “ But none tha less… if ya ever wanna talk, ah’m around.” Standing she just stood there for a moment unsure of what else to do, a part of her wanted to just leave the room and the other half wanting to stay put just because there was actually someone she could relate to and visa versa.*

[Rogue]

Wither: Eyes went out to her. “I don’t care about him really… he never helped me. Oh and Dani never did either. I really miss Ms. Frost. She always let me talk-even if I was hesitant and stuff.” He shrugged slightly before yawning and standing himself. “Sometimes it just takes one to talk to another similar to them, for said person to realize what they truly need.” Sadly he hadn’t gotten that out of this conversation, but Rogue… obviously she did. He smiled slightly and walked up to her and gave her the slightest peck on the cheek… one that sent jolts of pain through both.

Less than even a half a second and he felt what she could do. Green orbs glanced at equally green eyes, before he began to walk up the stairs. “Good Night Rogue… thank you for having this talk with me. We’ll talk again soon… I hope.” He nodded some before the walk became a jog upstairs.

Rogue: Letting out a long sigh, Rogue simply shook her head, for some reason the inability to touch came with more factors such as constant anger and hate. She’s felt both all her life and seemingly so had Kevin… she didn’t say it but she felt sorry for him and in the same aspect she felt even more sorry for herself, “ Sometimes…” Funny thing was Rogue had little idea what she wanted, let alone needed and she had a good idea that they weren’t the same things. Why did life have to always be so damned complicated?

And then before she could react, her motor skills still suffering a bit at the moment she felt his lips briefly touch her cheek. Green orbs went wide at the sensation which was anything but pleasant and cynically ironic because it was the second time she had felt what it was like to be touched by a power scarily similar to her own, “ Night…” She said a bit startled as her fingers brushed over the area were his lips had touched only to find her skin felt extremely dry at that spot. Curious she moved to a near by mirror in the hall once he had left and watched with odd curiosity as the small bit of a healing factor she did possess kick in and begin to repair the scale like impression his touch had made. Satisfied it would be unnoticed by morning, Rogue headed back upstairs to try and get some sleep, if possible with her mind now chewing on several things… and questioning things she probably shouldn’t.*