A Perfect Circle

Things have quieted down in dorm 200-B. This was the room notorious for frequent "hang-outs" and rowdiness after hours, but...not anymore. Bobby looked around. He pretty much had the room to himself, since John had defected and Orzel had skipped town without letting the rest of the crew know where he was going. He heaved a sigh. It didn't matter anymore. Although his only friends for the time being were Jubilee, Kitty and the occasional brat that demands to see his power or play with him in the yard -- Bobby had kept to himself and allowed himself to become a hermit.

It had been a few days since he'd talked to his supposed "girlfriend"; a few days since he watched her walk away from her in a fit of rage after he pointed out how irritated he was with her that she'd walked up and kissed a stranger with the pathetic excuse of "oh, you just don't know or understand"...at least, that's how he saw it. How was he to just blow off the whole issue that many men were fawning all over her, and vice-versa? Bobby was tired of being walked all over, bottom line! Was it a crime to feel so...trapped?

Nevertheless, Bobby did miss -his- Marie. Closing his eyes, he shook his head. He was somewhat miserable, and part of him was wanting to admit that. He missed hearing her voice, the southern drawl it held as she rolled her eyes and pulled out some sarcastic quip over something stupid he'd done. He missed looking into her green eyes and feeling that numb love he claimed to have found by merely being in her presence. Was this it? Had their fire died too?

God, he hoped not. He saw how torn Scott was when he lost Jean, why wasn't he so torn over Rogue? Because she was still alive. A deep sadness tugged at Bobby's heart as he sat in silence, pondering his existence...

What would anyone else do? The cryokinetic kept asking himself this, as if he'd get some strange telepathic answer from the Professor or any other telepathic mutant in the facility. It was hard for him to see things from the outside-in, to try to better understand the situation...to try to figure out what he was doing wrong rather than sit back, sulk and --

he sighed.

It's no use.

Lying back on his bed, he grabbed a racquet ball from the floor and tossed it into the air, catching it with ease. Bobby fell into an idle trance, tossing the ball upwards and catching it until someone's presence was felt by the door. The wood slowly crept open...

It turned out that it was possible to indulge in too much of a good thing. Having left Bella to her own devices after the foray in Gambit's room, Rogue bade her farewells and headed back to her own room. Almost against her will, actually. The fact remained that Jubilation Lee still inhabited the same space. Sure, the feud between them was beginning to look a little ridiculous, but Marie sure as hell didn't care. There was history, between the two. So much history, and it couldn't be forgotten just like that.

So she walked. Boots treading softly against the carpeted halls as she made her way back towards the girls' dorms in the early hours of the morning. Girl talk was fun and all... but what Rogue really needed right now was time alone. To think. Or did she?

The entranceway to the boys' dorms wasn't far away from her own turning. In fact, she almost walked right past it before she heard that thump. Halting in her steps, Rogue craned her head round, green eyes peering over to the closed door, behind which the suspect noises were coming from. And there it was again. Curiosity piqued, Marie backtracked and diverted down to the first room along the boys' corridor. It just so happened to be Bobby Drake's.

They hadn't spoken at all. Not since the incident on the hill, in which they both said and did things they managed to regret. Rogue did, certainly. Her spiteful tone as biting words flowed from her mouth, and her enraged mood as she stormed away from the boy, left him sitting there alone in the cold, misty morning atmosphere. Just his kind of weather, she knew.

Strange, that.

Even through all the fights, the tension and misunderstanding, Marie still remembered small details about Bobby. His favourite things, what tended to make him frown... the way he'd be full of quick wit, whenever John was around, and he'd make her laugh with the lash of his sharp tongue. The bright spark that would ignite in those ice-blue eyes when they were close. She'd stand before him, barely close enough to touch, and she'd stare into those orbs for hours on end quite happily. Feel the gentle tickle of his breath excite her receptive skin... and it had been enough. When had that changed? When her behaviour took a dip for the worst, no doubt. As Rogue stood in front of the door to Iceman's room, and listened to that occasional thump as it disturbed the otherwise perfect silence, she knew. There was a twist of pain deep in her heart as she acknowledged her part in the downfall of this relationship. It had been love based on friendship - surely the best, strongest kind of love possible. She had screwed it up.

She knew.

Perhaps she did miss him.

What Marie couldn't do now was walk away. With that confusing wash of thought rushing through her already over-active mind? No. She had lost her temper, a couple of days ago. For that, she was sorry. The last thing she truly wanted was to add her relationship with Bobby to the steadily growing pile of regrets that mounted inside her. With that thought, a gloved hand reached for the doorknob, twisted it, and pushed the barrier open, into the darkened room itself.

It took a moment for Rogue's eyes to adjust to the light - or lack of it. There, sprawled on his back, on his bed near the corner of the room, racquet ball in his hands. Slipping slowly into the room and leaning back against the wall near the doorway, Marie folded her arms and watched on. He looked so peaceful.

A glance to the clock on the wall opposite, before she spoke the first few, sheepish words. Her face was already heating up. "Can't sleep?" The leecher said softly, tentatively. "It's two in the mornin'."

If he wanted her out, he'd have no qualms in saying so. If he wanted to talk... then talk he would.

He felt her standing there. Bobby didn't have to be a psychic mutant to know the presence of his own girlfriend. He guessed that's how Scott always knew where Jean was, he just knew, from being around her so much. Closing his eyes briefly, he opened them again and began to speak. "What do you want? Don't you have someplace better to be?" Bobby spoke up, ceasing his motions in throwing the ball up into the air and consequently catching it. He was irritated enough as it was, he didn't want to talk to anyone, and even if he did, he would have gone to talk to her himself.

"What?" Her eyes widened in shock that he'd given her such a reply.

"Get out." He wasn't amused. Bobby wanted her to leave as soon as possible, before he got any more angry, if that was even possible here. His head was teeming with nasty remarks and qwips he could have thrown at her in the blink of an eye, but he chose not to. The simple short and irritated responses were enough.

Marie shook her head, trying to justify herself: "Bobby, I just wanted to --"

"Bobby, I just wanted to talk..." He rolled his eyes, mocking her tone as if she was a whiny child, "I said out. I'll be ready to talk to you when you want to stay serious about 'us'..."

He trailed off, watching her as she felt tears well up in her eyes as she darted off the way she came, leaving the door swinging and wavering before finally slamming shut.

-----------

"Can't sleep?" Came her soft voice, "It's two in the mornin'."

Bobby snapped out of his trance, dwelling on the eerily vivid conversation that played in his head. Would he have wanted things to go that way? Probably not...but at the same time, he didn't know what there was to say to her at this point. Wasn't she happy she'd been rid of him for the past few days? She did after all, leave him in the dust on that hill. She left him in a fit of aggravation after he put his foot down. "Yeah. Dunno why. Just can't sleep."

With a bit of a reluctant sigh, Iceman sat up, immediately acknowledging the presence of his girlfriend, the two in sitting in perfect silence for a few moments. He kicked his legs over the edge of his bed and motioned over for her to step inside, remaining neutral in response and attitude, not sure how he was expected to go about talking to her just yet. "You?"

Inquiring icy eyes moved over to stare into those mysterious green orbs of his ... girlfriend. Bobby waited patiently for a reply and hoped the conversation that was to come would end up better than the one that played out in his mind.

The lack of a response was beginning to worry her. Still stood with her back resting against the doorframe, arms folded across her chest, Marie looked on with a definite frown forming on her features. Bobby's eyes had closed. Was he ignoring her, or had he spaced out?

"Yeah. Dunno why. Just can't sleep."

Green eyes lifted to the boy's face, examining it from a distance. Ice-blue eyes had reopened, and he was frowning up at the ceiling. God, this couldn't get more awkward if they tried. Was he still hurting from the aftermath of Alkali Lake, and her own behaviour towards him? The Iceman sat up at last, legs hanging over the edge of the bed as he shuffled over, indicating for Rogue to enter further. At least he hadn't resorted to screaming at her to get out, as she had feared. Obliging, Rogue turned, shut the door very slowly and quietly, and ventured into the darkened space. Coming to a halt after a few steps, she lowered her arms and let her gloved hands rest on her hips. Her path had left her standing immediately before Bobby as he sat there, on the edge of his bed. She took to staring down at his blonde head. The tension was so thick, it was almost tangible.

"You?"

Finally tearing her gaze away from the boy, Marie's stare passed edgily from the floor to the window, and the faint, silvery glow from without that barely illuminated the area in which they stood. Bobby still felt as uneasy about this as she did, that much was certain.

"Yeah... me neither," the Southerner mumbled softly, nervously reaching up to brush away a strand of white hair that had fallen across her face, "Haven't slept properly for a while, now. Doesn't help that ah'm full of ice cream, either." A small laugh escaped the leecher's lips. Only now, having spoken those words, did she begin to feel that all-over body ache initiated by the Danger Room training seize her muscles and drag her down. She needed sleep. She needed to recover.

"Look... if you want me to go, then let me know," Rogue continued in an unusually dejected tone as she allowed herself to gaze in Bobby's general direction once again, "Ah just wanted to see how you were doin'. Ah miss... talkin'." What the untouchable mutant had meant to say was that she missed him. But a couple of things held her back. Foremost, her uncertainty in conviction.. and the notion that Bobby might just leap out of his seat and chew her out if she was too forward with this.

Considering the mood the Iceman was in, she needed to tread carefully.

"Yeah... me neither,"

Considering all of the evening and late-night shenanigans that Marie has found herself in, Bobby found this one to be a very pleasant scenario. From welcoming Gambit (which, he hadn't gotten over yet) to waking the night-terrored Wolverine, she was in good light here. They were just two kids, in love and in a shaky predicament. The empty room was quite a danger zone, but knowing that the situation had dust unsettled, Bobby was in no mood to think anything of it.

"Haven't slept properly for a while, now. Doesn't help that ah'm full of ice cream, either."

Bobby smiled. It was good to hear her laugh...hell, it was good to hear her voice even. He hadn't been so torn up on his insides since the day she walked away from him in the gardens, when his heart was torn to shreds but his machismo pulled him through. She looked like she was here for a purpose and that would be to try to clear things up. As stubborn as he was he sure as heck didn't want to break down from his high horse and let her know she could walk all over him, no...this was a new leaf they'd turned. Well as stubborn as Marie was, he knew it probably took so much in her to march down the hall and come to him to apologize, whether it be the pressure from her admirers, roommate Kitty or just her conscience. Whatever it was, he was very grateful.

He silently stared, unsure of how to cut the air. The two had given their introductions accordingly and he didn't know if it was his turn to 'serve the ball' of conversation or not.

"Look... if you want me to go, then let me know, Ah just wanted to see how you were doin'. Ah miss... talkin'."

His heart beat a little quicker than steady in his chest. Looking at the sincerity in her eyes and seeing the moonlight kissing her hair as the rays shone in through the shutters, Bobby was truly taken by her sweet proposition. This was nothing like his short and vivid reverie, but he was quite relieved it wasn't. He couldn't see her in tears, not again...not anymore. He was going to be a bit more firm, but he didn't want to be an asshole.

Standing up, Bobby looked about the room and gathered his thoughts in the short stride it took to step forward to his Marie and finally looked down at her with a soft smile. As tempted as he was to throw his arms around her, Bobby refrained from such and just stuck to talking for now. He nodded. "I know...me too. I miss you." He came clean. There was no use in hiding the obvious. But whatever speech she wanted to give, the floor was hers. He was ready to listen.

Marie's heartbeat was sounding a little too loud to her own ears, thumping relentlessly against her ribcage in the silence that ensued. It looked to her as though Bobby was seriously considering her words, mulling them over thoroughly before choosing his words of reply. Better than having him snap, she supposed.

And then he rose, taking a stride towards Rogue until he was no more than a few inches away. The moonlight made those ice-blue eyes of his look quite eerie, the leecher noted... as though the luminance was actually coming from within him. Oddly mesmerising. She couldn't look away. The Iceman's face had softened considerably, too. Marie couldn't remember the last time she'd seen it like that, what with all the stress of the Alkali Lake aftermath, and their own minor dispute...

"I know...me too. I miss you."

At that, Marie tilted her head upwards, locking emerald orbs onto the boy's and holding his stare as the smallest of shivers chased down her spine. This hadn't been futile, as she had been scared it would be... he missed her.

Drawing in a breath, Rogue's lips began to curve into the barest of smiles. It sounded as though Bobby expected her to say more, to spill a thousand and one apologies and regrets that she just didn't have it in her to voice. What she did do instead was take a step towards the cryokinetic. A tiny step, but enough to close the distance that remained between them. No space left... nothing but them, bodies lightly touching and the moonlight bathing their forms. She could feel his breath on her face, a light caress that tickled her senses, made them stand on edge.

"What d'you want me to say?" Rogue replied in a whisper, so quiet that she was almost mouthing the words to herself... but she knew he could hear them. "Do ah need to say anythin'? Tell me..." and in an almost unconscious movement, Marie leaned in towards Bobby. His eyes filled her vision. She couldn't see anything else.

"Do... d'you want to do this?" She added hesitantly, her gaze finally falling, first to his mouth, then down to his shoulders. After all that had taken place, Marie sure as hell wouldn't blame Bobby if he wanted to keep this as a friendship, if that. Was it desperation driving her, or something else? It was hard to tell. Either way, that heavy curtain of tension was beginning to fall over the two again, as the pause before Bobby's answers stretched onwards.

Bobby remained proverbially frozen in place as she stepped in closer. Dangerously close. He wasn't sure if she realized what a temptress she really was, but that was past them now. She was so worried, but the looks of it, that he was going to turn away from her, but not this time. Bobby was serious as she much as she'd sounded sincere, thus he did not move and waited for her to make the move.

"What d'you want me to say?" Tipping her head up, she gave a barely audible whisper that sounded a bit chilling down his spine. As much as Bobby wanted to lean down and take her lips on his, he just remained still, waiting to hear what she had to say for herself. He was definitely at attention with her, but did she have true purpose in standing before him?

Closer and closer the moved until their bodies were touching and her eyes wandered from his lips, down to his shoulder. "Do ah need to say anythin'? Tell me..."

Bobby finally made his own move; he lightly trailed his hand down her cheek in a soothing caress and he found his way down her arm, feeling a tingle in his fingertips before finally finding a comfortable resting place at the small of her back, reaching around to envelope her in his grasp. He was comforted by her mere presence, and soothed by the feel of her body against his. Even being a man, he wasn't thinking of anything else except the mere fact that he was overjoyed to know she was before him.

"Do... d'you want to do this?" A question that puzzled him. It wasn't what he wanted to hear, no, but it was quite surprising to hear.

Bobby repeatedly beat himself up inside, trying to find the right words to say, trying not to offend her in the least. He took long, steady breaths as the silence beat between them and stared down into her soft green eyes.

Iceman cherished this moment and looked at her in the moonlight, a different light than he was used to. They never got to spend many moonlit hours together since their curfew was pretty early. That was before the whole mess at the lake and the reconstruction and they didn't really bother to monitor too many of the children at this point -- now he wasn't even in the mood to care or even mind if someone walked in on them in their 'moment'. It was just him and Marie, no one else. Nothing else mattered, at that rate. He was entranced by the beautiful woman he had in his arms and she was something he didn't want to lose.

...but she was doing all the talking.

"Do what?" He instinctively spoke up, in a whisper a bit louder than her own words. "All this time I've waited for you to say something...all this time, I'd been waiting for your. What have I done wrong that you felt the need to leave me and leave me for your others?"

If this was the wrong thing to bring up, he was sure Marie would storm out like in his vivid dream, but if she understood, she would remain with him in the room for a bit longer. "Please don't get mad at me for saying this, Marie. I was a bit hurt to hear you didn't think I loved you anymore or at all...but I do. I just figured you had some place better to be...someone better to be with.”

They'd managed to get very close, very quickly. Rogue automatically flinched as Bobby's hand rose. The closeness of their proximity meant that it didn't take much for his bare fingers to reach the soft skin of her face, trace down her cheekbone to her chin. There was the tiniest of pulls, the briefest throbbing pain in her head as green eyes closed, and Marie let out a shuddering sigh. With that touch and the promise it held, she was weakened. Bobby's hand continued, trailing down her arm and slipping around her waist, taking her into a grip that was satisfyingly possessive, pulling her even closer as a pleasant thrill chased down her spine.

Her own arms lifted, snaking around the boy's neck and shoulders, resting there comfortably. Their faces were just about touching, eyes locked as an atmosphere of almost suffocating intensity fell over the two.

"Do what? All this time I've waited for you to say something...all this time, I'd been waiting for your. What have I done wrong that you felt the need to leave me and leave me for your others?"

Rogue let out a silent breath. They were so close now that she could just about feel his lips brushing against her own as he spoke. A frown had appeared on the leecher's brow, at Iceman's comment. Gambit meant nothing to her. There was Logan, but the less said about him and her feelings, the better. "My others?" she whispered in return, leaning back slightly to take in her boyfriend's face. "How am ah supposed to say anythin' when ah don't know what to say?"

A light shake of her head, and Marie looked down. He'd managed to get her this close... had been brave enough to touch her and was less than an inch away from kissing her lips, yet he still found space to bring her down.

"Please don't get mad at me for saying this, Marie. I was a bit hurt to hear you didn't think I loved you anymore or at all...but I do. I just figured you had some place better to be...someone better to be with."

Vague irritation was bubbling in the pit of her stomach, but Marie managed to swallow it down. Yes, she had got the impression that Bobby didn't have feelings for her anymore, and the Southerner had found a stronger, more reliable source of comfort elsewhere. But why couldn't this just be about them, for once?

"Ah'm here now, aren't ah?" Rogue mumbled, "And ah'm sorry for everythin'. Thought ah screwed up for good. Thought you were gonna chew me out, the second ah walked on in here."

Returning emerald eyes to those orbs of ice blue and not relinquishing, Marie filled her lungs with air, breathing Bobby in. "So it's up to you. If you wanna carry on from where we left off... ah'm not complainin'."

Perhaps it was that Rogue simply needed to be close to someone, or that she truly didmiss being in the cryokinetic's comapny. Either way, it was his move. The way he remained holding on to her like that, though, Marie was already pretty certain that she knew where this was heading.

Their relationship wasn't like a game of tennis or basketball. It was more like tetherball. You either hit the ball back and forth or get tangled in some strange position that you wonder both how it happened and how the hell you get out of it. It was his volley now, apparently. As much as Bobby wanted to just yell and scream til he was blue in the face, it was probably the wrong way to go about it and the last thing he wanted to do was ruin the moment and let go of what sweet, serene feel he had when Marie was in his embrace.

Bobby felt Marie raise her arms and wrap them about his neck. It was all to comfortable, he realized, feeling a slight tingle as her skin brush against his on occasion, bringing a sharp and satisfying chill down his spine. He sensed she was a bit annoyed with what he had to say as her face came to a position so close to kissing, Bobby was ever-so-tempted to lean down and just take her lips onto his. He could feel her sigh, her warm breath beating against his chin and his neck.

"My others?" His ice-blue gaze sought hers as she pulled away slightly to look up at him. "How am ah supposed to say anythin' when ah don't know what to say?"

A beat.

He could tell that she was just sick of the outside noise clamoring the peace of their relationship. How could he help it? No, he told himself, Stop bringing it up in your head. It'll only make things worse. He realized that recounting the wrong doings on her part would only make him agitated and probably make him say something she didn't want to hear.

"Ah'm here now, aren't ah? And ah'm sorry for everythin'. Thought ah screwed up for good. Thought you were gonna chew me out, the second ah walked on in here."

Lightly chuckling, Bobby just looked down and shook his head, finding his gaze fixated on Marie's beautiful green eyes as the Iceman was suddenly warmed by her beauty. The windstorm that had been relentlessly blowing through his mind finally came to a halt. The sands settled...the blizzard ceased. Maybe it was the moonlight? Maybe not? Or maybe it was the mere fact that the two had found time to spend alone and in the peaceful surroundings of his big empty room, filled with no sounds to disturb them, no people walking by to screw up the "moment" and no others to think about. Bobby had his Marie in his arms...his Marie. Finally.

"So it's up to you. If you wanna carry on from where we left off... ah'm not complainin'."

"I just..." Bobby paused, looking around as if he was searching for something to say. When he finally thought he found it, he found his lock on her eyes once more. "I...I'm sorry."

Trailing his hand upward again, Bobby held her face in his fingertips, slowly playing with the tingle at their contact, bringing yet another chill to his chilled spine. She loved being touched, he remembered she told him that once, since it wasn't often that someone willingly touched her skin. His fingertips danced along the soft porcelain of her skin, before finally reaching back around her waist to hold her tightly against him. "I want you to know that I missed you, Marie. I know that there are others out there but--" He paused, knowing that she may want to interrupt, so he pressed his chilled finger against her lips, finding some sort of brief immunity to her leeching, "but you're here with me now and that's all that matters to me. You're what matters to me and I'm so happy to know that at the end of the day you can come to me and we can stand here, with your -- your eyes glistening in the moonlight, with...with your skin...so soft under my touch..."

It was like he was getting carried away and Bobby's chilled lips were pressed against Marie's in one beat of his cool heart. It was exhilarating, to know that he could kiss her for a short period of time when he was slightly chilled (hell, it was thrilling to know he could kiss her at all!) -- but it was only a matter of time before she started taking his life force. Thus, he reluctantly pulled away, keeping his girl held in his arms as he looked down at her with the greatest sincerity in his ice-blue orbs. "Marie, I love you. Please...please don't forget that."

"I just..."

Just what? Was Bobby about to ruin this? Kill the moment, and whatever last bonds they had left between them and were trying to build on, standing pressed so close to each other, arms wrapped around each other. So damn close... yet those ice-blue orbs still managed to tear away from her own gaze, wandering about the room as the Iceman tried to find the right words. Marie's eyes followed him, studying his face as best she could before he opened his mouth again.

"I...I'm sorry."

There it was. All she'd ever wanted to hear from him, in the first place. A slight nod of the head was all the leecher gave, her acknowledgement of his apology. Too late? Possibly. Too little? Hardly.

Those hands slid upwards from her waist, and Rogue could feel that chill chasing along her spine again, nerves standing on end in expectation. Bobby's chilled fingertips tracing her cheekbones, drawing undefinable lines along her jaw as that bizarre tingle danced across her flesh and she closed her eyes, letting out an audible sigh as her head tilted back slightly. Bliss, that was what this was. Bliss... and want. As fleeting as those touches were, they excited her. Left her helpless, stranded, needing more. But as soon as it had started, the sensation ceased. Arms wrapped around her waist tighter this time, bringing the two even closer together. Was that even possible? Either way, it was a clear statement. Bobby was claiming Marie as his.

"I want you to know that I missed you, Marie. I know that there are others out there but--"

Others. Where was he going with this? And why did he have to keep mentioning the notion, letting Marie's mind drift elsewhere? The Southerner was just about to open her mouth in protest, but that frosted finger pressed against her lips, forced silence. Apparently, the slight icing over gave them a few extra seconds' contact, before the pull began. Locking her gaze on the boy, Rogue remained quiet.

"but you're here with me now and that's all that matters to me. You're what matters to me and I'm so happy to know that at the end of the day you can come to me and we can stand here, with your -- your eyes glistening in the moonlight, with...with your skin...so soft under my touch..."

Touch. At that, Marie's entire body shivered involuntarily, knees weakening. Simple words and that finger on her lips had her straining at the bit, longing for that contact. "Bobby..." Rogue whispered against his mouth as he leaned in, her voice deepening, eyes darkening, "D'you know what you're doin' to me...?"

That kiss was all the answer she needed. His chilled lips touched her own, brushing against them as green orbs fluttered closed again, gloved hands raking into his hair, pulling him closer. It was so brief... almost chaste. But Marie was so taken in... she attempted to deepen it, tongue flickering briefly against Bobby's lips before the pull finally began, and he edged away. There was that pang of frustration again as Rogue remained stock still, savouring the ecstasy of that tingle on her flesh for one last second. She was still hungry for more.

"Marie, I love you. Please...please don't forget that."

He still held her. For now, that would be enough. Leaning forwards, the leecher laid her head against the Iceman's shoulder. Momentarily content. "Ah know," she whispered into the crook of his neck, warm breath grazing his skin, "And ah won't." Just as long as he didn't, either. This was all too perfect. Take away the factor of her poisonous skin, and Marie would be left a happy woman.

"Bobby..." Her voice sounded quite shaky as she trembled at his mere touch. "D'you know what you're doin' to me...?"

Bobby could almost feel her animal instinct kick in as she returned his kiss with deep hunger, as if this was what she was craving all along. Is this what he needed to do to keep her under wraps? Is this the man she wanted to be with each night? One who confessed his love to her? Nevertheless, he was caught in a web of ecstacy as he kissed her with frost-laced lips, a chilling sensation lingering there even as he pulled away. His love was confessed to her by word of mouth, by contact through his cooled kiss and now by the loving glance he was giving her directly into her eyes with his own ice-blue orbs that glowed in the hue of the moonlight that poured in through the small half-circle window high above.

"Ah know,"

The two were quite comfortable in their stance, holding one another as his girl curled her head into the crook of his neck, feeling her warm breath beat against his skin as she spoke. Even though she wasn't touching him, this kind gave him the same kind of feel as if he was, sending a pleasurable tingle down his spine and he released a gentle sigh out of his lips.

"And ah won't."

Good, he thought, becoming quite enthralled by her body pressed against his. There was a swift beat of silence before he allowed another frosted kiss against her numbing lips, the pouting pair of luscious lips she doned. He could only take to much of the pull before finally pulling away, quite exhilarated by the feeling that once took so much energy out of him it was like a sharp pain taking over...but not now. It just didn't matter anymore.

"Well good," he nuzzled his nose against her, something he'd grown accustomed to doing when he was bidding a brief farewell to her after splitting for the evening hours.

The passionate flame burned a bit brighter inside of him as he took her in his arms and moved over to the bed, falling back onto it with her in his arms, feeling their faces touch and immediately pulling away as not to endanger himself or his Marie. ...my Marie... he thought to himself. It had such a great ping to it when he ran it through his head, and it sure as hell felt good to have her there with him, finally on good terms.

"God, I missed you so much..." he spoke in between a spell of short kisses, laughing a bit as he shifted his weight below her. It was kind of funny that he didn't find it awkward to be lying with her this way. The two had taken naps in the commons together, on a couch -- sitting beside one another...but never had he been in such a comfortable position like this before, with his girl. The two were like two pieces of a puzzle, lying together...perfectly.

A silence ensued between the two as they simply stood, holding each other in the moonlight. After her own mumbled words, Bobby didn't speak... but she knew he acknowledged and understood. As if on impulse, his frosted lips met hers tenderly, that were going slightly numb from the cold. As wonderful as it was to be able to kiss him like this, Marie could only wish that he didn't have to ice over in order to do it. This was the kind of closeness she craved, the kind denied her so often. She'd do anything she could to hold onto it for as long as possible.

But then the pull began, but the Iceman lingered at her lips for long enough that Rogue felt that uncofortable throbbing ache in her head. The boy gasped, pulling away slightly. The leecher's natural reaction came soon after, flinching away in fear of herself. That was what caused the true hurt. The knowledge that she could have this closeness, but not for long enough to sate her completely. With the touch, she caused him pain. She caused everyone pain. That was what was breaking her heart.

"Well good,"

He finally spoke, nose nuzzling into her neck affectionately, as he always used to. Letting out an ice-tinted breath, Marie closed her eyes sadly. Gloved hands remained tangled in his hair, holding him there as that tingle jumped across her flesh, where his breath touched her. He was killing her. She wondered if he knew.

A tug on her waist, and Rogue snapped out of her reverie. Bobby was pulling her back towards his bed before she could protest, both falling onto it, the leecher letting out a tiny yelp of surprise as their faces touched. Flinching away again, Marie leaned back... only to realise a second later that she was now lying on top of the Iceman, hovering over him with faces inches apart, her long hair hanging around them like a curtain. Rogue paused for a second, simply observing Bobby. She could practically feel the passion emmanating from him. It kickstarted something in her, too... reawoke that hunger. Marie was suddenly very aware of the position of dominance she was in, almost pinning Bobby back to the bed.

"God, I missed you so much..."

Again, their lips met. Briefly... and again... light kisses, taunting and teasing the Southerner, tempting her to lean into him further. The love in his voice. Marie couldn't recall anyone ever having loved her like that, before. It made her want to cry. Pulling back slightly, she nodded, smiling. "Ah missed you too," she offered, returning a few of those featherlight kisses before sliding down a little, resting her weight as she half-lay on the Iceman, head cradled at his shoulder, gloved hand resting on his chest. Emerald orbs strayed to the window, and the moonlight that entered the room from without.

"Don't let me keep you up," she whispered up to Bobby, reluctant to move even then, "It's late. We should be gettin' some sleep." They could continue this in the morning. But Rogue could feel her own eyelids beginning to feel heavy, weighing down on her while she desperately fought to keep them open.

"Ah missed you too," She spoke.

Iceman had a feeling of ecstacy spread through his body by merely knowing that she'd given in to his sincere proposition and confession of love.

He felt her weight against her, and comfortably rest back with her pressed onto him. The bed below him, that usually felt as hard as a rock, seemed like a cloud to him, a fluffy cloud of comfort. Any place he lie felt wonderful, as long as he was with her, feeling her cuddle against him. It was rare to find a time like this, where he could curl up in the evening hours with his beloved and just lie there. It was moments like these he was thankful he met her and fell for her the moment those green eyes hit his.

Finally, he thought. Just don't go and ruin things, Drake. Bobby tried to silence his thoughts, since he pretty much poured out the contents of his clouded mind. The silence was bearable now that they were there, the seemingly ill-fated lovers, lying together in perfect harmony - as cheesy as that would sound. They weren't yelling, they weren't arguing, they weren't even speaking now...there were no more words to be said.

The only thing that came to mind now in a time of clearing, in a time of bliss was simply: Why?

Did he not do well enough to deserve the words back to him? He practically busted his ass to keep her from leaving him from that very position...but nothing. Bobby became a little disappointed on the inside, unsure of what he did wrong, but he quickly dismissed the thoughts -- pushing all of the bad energies away from him in this moment of sheer elation. As she curled under his arm, he placed his hand just below the middle of her back, softly stroking her clothed skin with his thumb. He just had to be careful, is all. The slight brushes with her skin were thrilling, but any further and it could mean danger.

Ice blue eyes stared at the ceiling as he rest idly with his love.

"Don't let me keep you up," She whispered to him, as he looked over to her face to see it glowing in the light that shone through from outside. He smiled. Her eyes were slowly closing. "It's late. We should be gettin' some sleep."

A beat. What could he say? He just didn't want this moment to end.

Say something. Bobby told himself.

"Stay with me," he whispered down at her, watching her porcelain face as it was illuminated by the moon. They could get caught and reprimanded for being together, but he was actually all in innocent fun. They were just a couple, lying together. If they didn't do anything, in all honesty, he would argue back. He needed her there. That, and the two were half asleep anyway.

As much as he would want to stray from scoldings and the lot, it was a risk he was willing to take. "I need you here..."

"Stay with me,"

What else was she supposed to do, wrapped up in his arms like she was, with his fingers tracing delicate patterns along her clothed back, offering the comfort and closeness she so desperately sought?

Tilting her head back, Rogue shifted her gaze upward to the Iceman's face... only to find him staring back down at her, taking in her features as she was bathed in moonlight. Marie could almost hear his thought process. If some adult walked in and caught them like this, no doubt Rogue would be thrown straight out and the two of them would have to explain themselves... as harmless as it all looked, as innocent as it felt to be lying there in Bobby's arms surrounded by the silence, people in this place always knew just how to get exactly the wrong idea. The situation might have been different just a few moments previously, when Marie had been lying on the boy, hovering over him as he delivered those kisses.

"I need you here..."

That alone was enough to make Marie freeze as her stare remained locked to Bobby's. That was new. She had never been needed by anyone before, and the way he said it... as though he'd truly fall apart if she left his arms... it made Marie's eyes soften, her hand sliding along his chest as she pushed herself up, sliding forwards a little so she was level with the boy's gaze. "Ah'm right here, darlin'," She mumbled, propping herself up on her elbow, head resting in her palm as that leather-clad hand continued to drift lightly over the Iceman's chest. It was oddly gratifying to Rogue, knowing she had the power to comfort him like that. She hadn't called him 'darlin'' in a long time, either. The word almost sounded foreign as it slipped past her lips.

"Sleep, Bobby." Her voice lowered to the barest of whispers as she watched him, those eyelids slowly drifting closed over ice-blue orbs. Rogue would stay with him until she was certain he was lost to slumber, before slipping away from his arms and returning to her own room.

Strange, how peaceful Bobby's face looked now. Was it because he'd put all his own doubts to the back of his mind... because she was there with him, and that was what he had wanted in the first place? All Marie was aware of was the warmth of his body as he held her, the momentary peace that surrounded them both here, in the dark. Who knew how that might change, come the morning.

"Ah'm right here, darlin',"

Darlin, he repeated in his head, comforted by the term of endearment that she rarely used on him nowadays. Sure, it was called for, considering the given situation, but it was good to know she still had it in her to consider him her "darlin'"...and that southern drawl just put a warm ping in the words as she spoke.

"Sleep, Bobby." She cooed him, remaining at his side like he requested.

"Please stay, honey..." Iceman spoke lazily to the woman before him, his eyes still shut.

Bobby shifted in his position as he wrapped his arm around her waist, idly stroking her side. His heavy eyes came to a close as he found himself at peace with what had come to pass here. This was such a beautiful moment he wished to cherish but the messengers of slumber were calling to him after such a strenuous time in the training. Bobby's aching muscles seemed to cease from throbbing, however, when he thought about where he was and how good it felt to have Marie there, within his grasp.

How long would this last? He asked himself.

How long would the harmony enveloping them last, indeed. It was only a matter of time before either one of them lost their temper...He held onto her now, tightly. He didn't want her to leave, and he didn't care whether or not he got in trouble...he just needed her.

Bobby sighed inside, fighting the thoughts of doubt and worry. He was with her now, and that's all that mattered...and that's all it took, to lull him into his deep sleep.

"Please stay, honey..."

What else was she supposed to do, when he was lying there with his arm draped around her waist like that, hand tracing up and down the curve of her side? It should have been comforting, that gesture of affection and closeness... but despite Bobby's apparent need for closeness - verging on desperation, Marie couldn't help but twitch a little. They were lying in such proximity that the slightest slip of the hand could mean unwanted leeching, pain inflicted on the boy against her will. Yet she didn't say a word. The two had managed to make their peace, and Rogue would be damned if she managed to break it so soon.

Letting out a soft, resigned sigh, Marie peered down at the Iceman. Lids were closing over those ice-blue eyes at last, arm tightening around her as he lost himself to slumber. The action caused the Southerner's body to stiffen slightly. She just wasn't used to this - this kind of closeness. Sure, when they had been together before, there had been the odd hug and brief kiss... but it had never been anything more. This was verging into territory she wasn't entirely sure she could handle, as much as she craved for it. Her body just wasn't cut out for this kind of thing.

Within minutes, Bobby was out. Breathing had become regular and gentle. Marie remained still for a moment, hand resting on the boy's chest as it rose and fell gently. God, he looked so peaceful... and that was something she had almost completely forgotten people were capable of, in the seething mass of sadness, anger and hurt that had been looming over the Mansion since their return from Alkali Lake. It would be a shame to wake him from whatever dream had materialised in his mind.

Green eyes trailed over to the bedroom window, staring out at the moonlight that filtered through the curtains, casting a gloomy glow over the objects in the room. Wherever it hit, shadows looked darker, longer, more threatening. It sent a light chill chasing down Rogue's spine as she began to slip herself away from Bobby's embrace. Slowly, returning her eyes to him and studying his face as she sat up, his arm slipping from her waist, down her hips and flopping on the mattress at his side. Crawling back and setting her feet back to the floor, Marie didn't waste time in heading for the door, slipping through the portal as it opened, closing it behind her without a sound.

As wary as the leecher was of being caught by senior members of staff, she couldn't help that tiny flicker of a smile that traced along her lips. She was glad to have him back.