8/20 Instance: Runaways

[fourpawsonthefloor]

Timeline: Around March 13th

Raya: Raya sat on one of the kitchen chairs, swinging her ankles lazily as the music played in her earbuds. She hadn't anticipated bringing it, but it had been in the bag she'd very hurriedly stuffed with clothes. Tante had gone out to get groceries, leaving her alone in the house, which somewhat worried her. Just the feeling of being alone in someone else's house was a little unnerving.

Rogue: Rogue stopped at Remy's door and gave a swift knock. She knew he was out of town with Johnny, but she came to see if Tante wanted any help keeping house. Or, maybe share some cooking tips with her. Rogue grinned, hoping Tante would share some secrets, then knocked again when no one answered. "Hmm." She tested the door knob and stuck her head in, "Tante Mattie? Ya here, ma'am?"

Raya: The door opening startled her, making Raya jump slightly and pull out her earphones. "Um...she's not here, she just left..." She stood to peek around the corner that separated the kitchen from the entry. "Rogue?"

Rogue: Rogue looked at Raya in confusion. "What're y'all doin' here?" Her tone was a bit more harsh than she had meant it to be. "Where's Tante gone?" She fought the urge to ask why she was here again. Rogue came in and shut the door behind her as she went through the living room to the kitchen.

Raya: Raya unthinkingly backed up at the same pace as Rogue advanced, nervous at the distinct sound of the door shutting. "Um...Remy said I could stay here." She hit the chair she'd gotten up from and stumbled, sitting down hard and unexpectedly. "Tante went to get groceries. You just missed her, not five minutes ago."

Rogue: "What?" Rogue was shocked at that. She narrowed her eyes a bit, "Why do ya need ta stay here?" Rogue was a bit shocked that she was jealous of Raya. But not so shocked at the familiar possessive tightening in her gut. "Think Ah'll wait f' Tante ta get back then." Rogue turned from Raya and started to make a fresh pot of chicory, keeping her jaw set tight.

Raya: "What? I just asked." Raya wondered what had made Rogue angry, and hoped it wasn't her. "I just, um. Wanted to not be at the school. Remy said I could stay here for a while." Her face settled into a faintly worried look at the way Rogue turned away stiffly.

Raya: "She said she might be a while getting back. I don't know what she went to get, really. Something to put with dinner I guess." Raya resisted shrugging, straightening on her chair.

Rogue: "Perfect. Wanted ta learn some new cookin' tricks from her. Ah'll wait," she repeated. Rogue went to get a mug and stood, watching the coffee pot as it brewed. "A while? How long is a while?" This was her thing. Her way to help him. Now Raya was living here? The possessiveness and jealousy was peaked with a spike of fear.

Raya: "I don't know..." Raya wondered why Rogue was being so closemouthed with her. Though it probably didn't help that she hadn't told anyone where she was going, or even that she was. "I didn't really mean to come here... It just sort of happened that way."

Rogue: "Mmm." Rogue took in a deep breath as the scent of the chicory filled the kitchen. She looked around for something to do after she finished with the coffee, but frowned, she knew Tante kept the kitchen spotless. "Sort of happened that way? Ok."

Raya: Raya blinked at the clipped tone. "What?" The last thing she wanted was for a friend to be angry with her, especially right now.

Rogue: "What are ya doin' here?" Rogue poured some of the steaming liquid and turned to look Raya in the eyes. "An' how long have ya been here? Cain't have been too long, Ah'm here at least once a day."

Raya: Raya blinked, confused. "Um. I think three days. I don't know really, I haven't been keeping track." She avoided making eye contact with Rogue, after the first second-long meeting. "I told you. I just didn't want to be at the school." Restraining her blush didn't exactly work too well, this time. And she didn't have anything to hide it without her veil.

Rogue: "Didn't wanna be at tha school, why? Just felt like comin' down here?" Rogue couldn't seem to get the tension out of her body or the slight anger from her voice. She took a deep breath and forced herself to calm outwardly even if she didn't feel it on the inside.

Raya: "I just didn't." She answered very quietly, looking at her knees. "There's too much there I don't want to see." She thought of the little velvet box currently sitting at the very back of her mail slot, before forcibly pushing that thought away.

Rogue: "Why?" Rogue knew she was pressing and at the moment, she was totally ok with it.

Raya: "I really don't want to talk about it." Raya was getting the very horrible feeling rogue knew something she wasn't lettting on, and that made her terribly uncomfortable. What did she want from her?

Rogue: "Alright." Rogue took a drink and leaned her hip on the counter as she watched Raya over the mug. Raya wouldn't try to take over what Rogue was doing. Would she? Rogue arched an eyebrow as she watched her. "So why here? Why not somewhere else?"

Raya: Raya shook her head slowly, watching the end of her braid wave back and forth. She desperately wanted Tante back, maybe then Rogue would get what she wanted and leave her alone again. "I just got here first. It wasn't really thinking about where I was going." She admitted softly

Rogue: "How long ya plannin' on stayin' then?" She frowned deeper and took another drink.

Raya: "I don't know. I wouldn't stay very long if I'm still here when Remy comes back." She shrugged a tiny bit and looked pointedly at anything but Rogue.

Raya: "Does it make you mad that I'm here?" She finally got up to asking, worrying her lip between her teeth.

Rogue: Rogue gave a small nod, taking in what she said. Good. So maybe she wasn't here for that. "Not anymore." Rogue nodded at the coffee pot. "Chicory?"

Raya: "No, thanks." Raya shook her head and rubbed at the back of her neck, pulling her hands over her braid. "You were going to get Tante to help you cook?"

Rogue: "Just teach me some of her secrets if she was willin'. Never needed any help cookin'. Just like ta improve any chance Ah can." She finished her mug and poured another one. "Tante's best cook 'round. Hell, Tante Mattie is tha best cook in tha world as far as Ah'm concerned. Certain Rem'd say tha same."

Raya: Raya broke a tiny smile at the confidence in Rogue's statement. "She's a nice woman. And a really good cook." She didn't specify what it was she'd had that Tante had cooked, but figured Rogue would guess close enough. "I like her."

Rogue: "Ah do too. Love her in fact. She's got a real nice mama-presence 'bout her... Ain't had that in a long time." She smirked, "Ya seen her whack Remy with a spoon yet? It's down right hilarious. But don't laugh too loud or she'll whack ya too," Rogue snickered.

Raya: "No, I haven't. Remy was gone before I woke up." She shook her head slowly, putting her heels up on the rungs of the chair. "She's taught me how to cook a few things while I've been here. She said I might as well watch and learn." She twined a small bit of loose hair between her fingers, still pondering Rogue's mood change.

Rogue: That helped ease Rogue a lot as well. She had come before Remy left, but only barely. "It's a sight, lemme tell ya." Rogue shook her head some and finished off her chicory before going to the sink to wash it out. "Smart woman. Learn what ya can from her."

Raya: "I'm working on it. She makes good food, but it's kinda complicated to follow." She smiled lightly at Rogue's back while she washed out her mug. "But at least I can follow the names of everything. I think she was surprised at that."

Rogue: "Nah. Ya just gotta get used ta it's all. It's a different type of food. Tha food y'all make is complicated f' some other people too." She smirked and put the mug back up after it was dry. "Eh, tha names ain't that hard."

Raya: "For people that don't speak French, I'd guess they're more difficult." Raya moved her shoulders restlessly, biting her lip. "I like the taste, though it's very different. Spicy." It felt strange to be talking about such inane things as food at the same time as she was trying not to think of the letter she was still writing to break her own engagement. This can't be normal.

Rogue: "Mmm. Gotta say, it's mah favorite kind. 'Sides things mah mama used ta cook..." Rogue twitched her nose some and hopped up on the counter to sit. "So ya gonna tell this here Rogue why ya ran? Anybody understands runnin' it's me."

Raya: Raya sighed uncomfotably. "I didn't run away. I just didn't stay in one place." She wondered if this was how relatively normal people felt, sitting in other people's kitchens and talking about everything under the sun. "I didn't want to stay there, having to watch all my friends do the things I can't. Just not right now."

Raya: "Selene came once and said I should be able to just say no to all this and have it be fine. I don't think she understands that the way I do things is just too ingrained to change that easily."

Rogue: "Shit, sugah. That's tha hardest thing 'bout mah powers. Why do ya think Ah rarely stay in one place f' too long? It hurts ta watch people touch an' be lovin' ta one another when Ah cain't. Or couldn't at least... Still kinda cain't." Rogue frowned then shook her head, realizing she was getting off track. "It ain't easy. Say no? Ohhh, 'bout that whole marriage issue? That why ya ran?"

Raya: "I told you I wasn't running. I intended to go back." Raya hunched up unconsciously, looking down at the wood tabletop. She hadn't really intended to elave, but here she was. "I got my engagement ring in the mail. The mail, of all things. It doesn't even feel real."

Rogue: "Ya can run an' still intend ta go back. Runnin' don't always mean stayin' gone, ya know." Rogue winced, "Geez, tha mail? Sounds kinda heartless..."

Raya: "It is." Raya answered, winding her fingers over her braid, nerves evident. "I just don't want everybody to know. More than they already do, anyway."

Rogue: "So ya don't tell 'em. Have ya talked ta Orlando 'bout it yet?" Rogue tilted her head as she watched Raya, then looked out the window for signs of Mattie.

Raya: "Ben was there and saw it, I'm sure he's told everyone by now." She pressed her fingers into her eyes, resting on the elbow propped on the back of the chair. "I've tried to talk him out of it but he doesn't listen to it. He just says he'll work everything out and that he'll take care of me. I just don't want him to."

Rogue: "Mm. Sense of duty ta him then? Well that's good... Sometimes." Rogue chewed on her lip as she thought. "Maybe ya should talk ta Tante 'bout it? Sure she'd have some good advice f' ya."

Raya: "I'd rather she not know, really." Raya bit the corner of her lip. "In a few weeks I guess I'll be going back home to... Well. I'm still trying to figure out how to refuse."

Rogue: "Ya could just not show up." Rogue shrugged, "Sure, would piss some people off, but Ah'm sure it'd work."

Raya: Raya shrugged back at her. "I don't know. I don't want to piss off the people I know, because they're the people I've known all my life."

Rogue: "Ah can understand that... But look at me, huh? Ran away when Ah was twelve... Found out just recently that they weren't pissed off at me at all.."

Raya: "I didn't run away, though." She chewed on the inside of her cheek lightly, closing and opening her eyes several times. "I didn't know you ran away when you were so young. That must have been difficult." She rubbed fingertips over her eyes, drawing them together over the bridge of her nose. All the intense deliberation from the past few days had given her a rather nagging headache.

Rogue: "No, but it's still a betrayal ta ya family same as runnin' away." Rogue chewed her lip, "Yeah, Ah did... Real soon after mah powers manifested. Ah never looked back 'till Ah got here. Always wondered in a part of mah mind, but never went lookin'... Mah point is, they are ya family. An' they love ya no matter what..."

Raya: Raya blew a breath out, gathering her legs up and resting her chin on her knees. "You know my aunt is my only blood family? I guess it's a little weird, not knowing where your own parents are." She shrugged the introspective thought off, brushing away the loose half-curl that wanted to lay over her eye. "Where did you go when you left before? did you come stay here?"

Rogue: "Mah aunt is mah only blood family, too... Though Ah rarely contact her." Rogue cleared her throat. "Ah travelled all over tha South... Places Ah stayed tha longest were in Mississippi an' Louisiana. Few months each. Nearly a year in Louisiana..." She licked her lips, "Didn't come here 'till Ah'd been on mah own f' eight years."

Raya: Raya smiled, if absently. "I'm glad you're here. You're a good friend." She sighed gently, one arm brushing against the bulge of cell phone in her pocket. It was turned to silent, so even if it rang she wouldn't feel or hear it. It just worried her to have it off in case something happened. "How did you make it so far without anybody with you? A family, or friends."

Rogue: Rogue's brow furrowed and she was quiet for a long while as she contemplated her answer. Finally, she spoke up, "Ah just did. Kept goin', takin' things a day at a time, doin' what Ah had ta do ta get by. With mah mutation, Ah pretty much beat it inta mah own head that Ah wasn't safe ta be 'round. So Ah couldn't have family or friends." She gave a small shrug.

Raya: "Oh." She studied Rogue for a minute, ot ay least the part of her that was in her line of sight. "I can see how you'd think that. But you've touched me and with no catastrophes. For my part, at least." She hurried to add that, as she really hadn't discused in too much depth what it had felt like for Rogue. "I'm actually glad you're here. Even if I don't want to see everybody, it's kind of lonely here."

Rogue: "Now, Ah'm startin' ta get ok with it... But, it still takes a lot of," Rogue made a face as she searched for a word, "preppin' on mah end. Ah know what mah powers can do ta other people... An' Ah really don't like hurtin' anybody. Ah mean, mah first kiss put tha boy in a coma... Takes a lot ta get past that..."

Raya: "I can only imagine." She idly reached behind her shoulder and brushed across the ropelike scars that stretched across her skin.

Rogue: Rogue shrugged a bit. She didn't have to tell her about killing Carol, so she wouldn't. "Still think mah powers are a curse... But Ah'm startin' ta get a bit more used ta 'em. Like playin' with new powers anyhow..."

Raya: "If that helps..." Raya shrugged. She really didn't know what she could say to that.

Rogue: "Nah. Doesn't help. But it's fun. Like tha rush of it." She hopped off the counter and started looking for something to keep her hands busy. "Hungry?" She peeked in the fridge, then frowned, "Well no wonder Tante went shoppin'..."

Raya: "I told you. She's been cooking a lot." Raya chuckled. "More than I think two people could eat in a month, much less a week." She knew Tante had been somewhat...distressed, at her refusal to eat very much. She'd heard the muttered phrase 'too tiny' several times as she was turning away.

Rogue: "Ya don't know Remy's usual appetite then," Rogue grinned over her shoulder and shut the fridge. "Sure she's tryin' ta woo him back ta tha finer points of his upbringin'... Namely, tha food."

Raya: That made Raya smile. "Her food is incredible...though I don't know much about his youth. He's never been very talkative."

Rogue: "Nah, he's not one ta talk 'bout tha past." She smiled at her, "Don't take it personal'r nothin'." Rogue moved to sit in the chair next to Raya and looked out the window. "Hope Tante gets back soon. Wanna cook."

Raya: "I know the feeling. But I keep wondering if there's not something he's consciously avoiding. Other than TJ." Raya avoided looking out the window, preferring to study the floor tiles.

Rogue: "'Course he is. All of us are." Rogue shrugged, "But he's got a good handle on it. So don't ya go worryin' 'bout him, 'kay? That's mah job," she winked.

Raya: "Too late. He's a nice man; I very much like him. Or at least what little I know of him." She felt a little odd at Rogue's brush-off of 'don't worry about him', bbut she didn't say anything on it. Rogue had known him far longer than she had.

Rogue: Rogue nodded, "He is. Has a heart of pure gold." She smiled a bit. Rogue nodded at the window, "Think Ah see Tante comin' up. Wanna come with me ta help her with tha groceries?"

Raya: "I can do that." She smiled, more at the relief of having soemthing clear to do than anything else. She nervously rubbed a hand over her hip pocket where her phone rested, ignoring the ominous silence from said object in favor of following Rogue.

[Ult_Sm86]

Ben didn't tell anyone! Why would he?