10/18 Issue: First Girlfriend

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Esynthia
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10/18 Issue: First Girlfriend

Post by Esynthia »

Timeline: April 11th, 2023 – Morning after Issue: Shocking!

Rogue: Rogue's alarm went off and she smacked it with one hand while the other stretched above her head. Her eyes stayed closed as she debated actually getting out of bed yet or waiting until the snooze alarm went off. Tony would probably still be asleep, so she could likely push it a bit. But then the room phone rang and she flailed with a yelp at the surprisingly loud sound. She had set up a wake up call and forgotten.

Rogue: Well, her eyes were open now, so she swung her legs out of the bed and pulled on her jeans that lay on the floor. Rogue yawned and ran her hands through her hair while she shuffled to get her gloves from the dresser. Coffee... She needed coffee... Bleary eyed, she opened her door to find the cart waiting for her with the steaming carafe and two mugs. Room service was the best.

Rogue: Once she had the mugs poured, she kicked gently at Tony's adjoining door as a makeshift knock. "Up an' at 'em, Atom Ant," she couldn't make her tone chipper, but she could pretend with the words at least. Neither of them were morning people, so at least she didn't have to put on a fake face about it.

Tony: Tony Stark was not a morning person, but yet he was awake. The scotch glass in his hand was long empty and he was staring out the window at the view from on high. The city was waking up.

Tony: He startled and drew in a long breath at the thump on the door, too low to be a knock. "It's... open," he called, pausing halfway to clear his throat.

Rogue: Rogue shouldered her way into the room, carefully watching the liquid in the mugs until she passed the point of danger where the door could jostle her wrong. She looked up to the bed and was surprised to see that it hadn't been slept in. Her gaze shifted to the figure by the window and frowned at the fact that he was still dressed from yesterday.

Rogue: "Um... Ah guess y' don't need coffee t' wake up?" She slowly walked towards him, treating him like a spooked horse. "Are, um... Are y' alright, Tony?"

Tony: "Coffee is always welcome if it's before the time nonrespectable people like me should be up." He blinked and pulled his gaze from the world outside, turning his head just enough to see her in his peripheral vision. "Atom Ant? Really? I would expect nothing less than Cosmo Spacely."

Rogue: "Y' really want me t' compare y' to a man who doesn't pay his workers enough an' is short, fat, an' bald t' boot? Ah rather like thinkin' of y' as tha super smart hero who c'n lift more'n his body weight an' is real good with computers." Rogue tried a smile and held the coffee out for him since he wouldn't look at her. "Penny f'r ya thoughts?"

Tony: Tony's eyebrow rose and he smirked, looking up at her and setting aside his scotch glass to take the mug. After a beat, he placed it beside the glass on the small side table and reached past her to snag one of the other chairs by its arm. He pulled it over and jerked his head toward it. "Pennies are obsolete. Have a seat."

Rogue: "Maybe so, monetarily speakin'... But they bring luck." Rogue took a deep breath and held it as she sat, wrapping both hands around her mug. She was so about to be fired. Her gaze shifted to the city outside and wondered if Bobby meant it when he said she could crash at his place for a bit.

Tony: "Is it pennies that bring luck or is it copper? And considering the modern penny is primarily made of zinc..." The corner of his mouth twitched and he watched her nervousness.

Rogue: "Pretty sure it's th' penny. Its worth ain't measured in cost, nor in weight'r metal. But in what faith ya put int' havin' it." She looked down into her mug and realized that it was starting to cool, therefore, would quickly not be palatable. Rogue took a long drink and looked back out the window. "A penny's worth is what it means t' you t' have it. Not what it means t' other people."

Tony: Tony opened his mouth, closed it, then frowned. "That's... beautiful. I have no idea what that means, but really, really good delivery. Impassioned. I like it." Tony picked up his coffee and took a drink.

Rogue: Rogue laughed and adjusted to curl a leg under her, bringing the other up to prop the heel on the edge of the seat so she could use her knee as a balance for her coffee. "Just means if somethin' means somethin' t' you, shouldn't matter what other people think."

Tony: He just took another drink. Sometimes, playing dumb worked out in his favor, but sometimes it got tricky.

Rogue: Rogue sighed and rubbed the lip of her mug with her thumb. "Guess Ah should start packin' then."

Tony: Tony lowered the cup and actually looked at her. "Is that what you want?"

Rogue: "No." She lifted just her eyes to look at him. "Isn't it what you want?"

Tony: "Why would I want you to pack?" He met her eyes.

Rogue: "'Cause Ah'm fired?"

Tony: Tony sighed. "You're not fired."

Rogue: "Ah'm not?" Her head lifted a bit. That was good news. "Then why've y' not slept yet?"

Tony: "Maybe you were onto something with that extended metaphor about pennies." Tony paused to look out the window, his jaw shifting as he considered how to put this. "I... don't care how people see me," he said, eyes snapping back to hers. "It's sort of a gift and a curse, I suppose."

Rogue: "Ah only care how people see me if Ah care 'bout them. But typically, if Ah care 'bout 'em, they like me f'r who Ah am." She frowned, "But Ah think it's mah turn t' say that Ah have no idea what y' mean."

Tony: "Yesterday, I found myself caring very much about what a very particular group of very lovely women thought of my motivations." His head tilted as he watched her.

Rogue: "Ya did? And why was that?" Rogue chewed on her lip as she studied his face. She hadn't really had a chance to talk to Carol or Jess about how it went and now she was a ball of nerves all over again.

Tony: "Rogue." He cleared his throat. "I really want you to, um, be honest here." Tony shifted in the chair and tried to school his expression from looking like he had gas. "Forgetting that I'm the president and you're my bodyguard, which - wait, that probably didn't help to put you at ease..."

Tony: This was why he didn't do emotions. He was terrible at it. "Have I ever made you... uncomfortable? In any way?"

Rogue: "No, Tony, ya haven't. Not in any way that matters." She brought a hand up to scrub at her face. It was still early and she wasn't fully awake. And he hadn't even slept yet. "Ah mean that it's easy f'r me t' get flustered, but y' ain't made me feel forced upon. If that's what ya mean?"

Tony: His eyebrows went up. Easy for her to get flustered? "Good," he quickly answered. "I most definitely never wanted to, um, pressure... you..." He sighed. "Contractual relationship aside, you could kick my ass across the state. So the idea that I could force you into something you don't want is preposterous, right?"

Rogue: Rogue closed her eyes and let her head fall forward. "Tony... Y're charmin'. An' with mah ...history... it's relatively easy f'r me t' be charmed. All it really takes is a man who's genuine an' not scared o' mah not bein' able t' touch. So while y' couldn't force me physically, it'd be easy t' coerce me if Ah let ya." She sighed, "Ah needed what ya offered. Is that bad?"

Tony: The quip about flattery was right there but he pressed his mouth closed on it. "But, you didn't... let me, that is? Coerce you."

Rogue: "Maybe a little," she answered honestly. "But it was 'cause Ah wanted ya to." Rogue looked up at him again, "Tony... Tell me what's goin' on, please?"

Tony: He fidgeted with the mug, then set it down and after a moment was able to look at her again. "Carol and Jess had some... concerns."

Rogue: "Jess had concerns, too? Of course she did." Rogue sighed and shook her head. "It's Shaw's fault... An' then Carol's f'r bringin' booze an' neither o' us rememberin' what happened, so Ah let her touch me so Ah could get th' memories an' know what happened that night. An' 'cause o' that, Ah saw Shaw's thoughts, an' Carol's worry, an' it just kinda... Ugh!" She moved the mug from the top of her knee just in time for her forehead to land there.

Tony: Tony's brows went up and down as he tried to follow that. "Sebastian needs to keep his opinions to himself. I did tell him that, of course it was after I told him my opinion of his coffee maker."

Rogue: "An' there was no orgy," she added to her earlier stream of rambling. "An' maybe he does... But," Rogue took a deep breath, "was he right?"

Tony: "No orgy. There was, however, a dead hooker. I saw him." Tony grinned. He still couldn't wait to tell Hope about that one.

Tony: "Was he right..." He knew he really couldn't deflect this too much longer. "No."

Rogue: "He weren't paid f'r nothin', so cain' be a hooker," she smirked. "No," Rogue repeated and lifted her head to rest her chin on her knee. "Not about any of it?"

Tony: That was the sticking point, wasn't it? Tony ran his tongue over his teeth and rubbed at his goatee. "Maybe part of it."

Rogue: "Which part, Tony?" Rogue wasn't sure which part she wanted Shaw to be right about, but she did know that she needed to hear him say it, whichever it was.

Tony: "Ressurrecting the X-Men? That's a solid PR move. It's a lasting legacy, that hopefully will keep human-mutant relationships moving forward in the right direction." His eyes flicked to hers, then back to the skyline.

Tony: "I am kind of second-guessing it now that I'm told there are naked blue kleptomaniacs in the facility, but I borrowed some equipment from Sebastian and started on a prototype containment unit." He nodded toward another table near the unused bed.

Rogue: Rogue couldn't help but smirk as she looked where he had nodded. 'Borrowing' from Sebastian Shaw was a good time in her books. Her eyes went back to his profile as she thought over the rest of what he had said. The X-Men weren't a ploy to woo her. That was good in her books, too. So now it was just what he hadn't said.

Rogue: "What am Ah t' you, then?" She hoped her tone conveyed her curiosity and that he didn't take any of her so-not-a-morning-person tone to be as upset or accusatory.

Tony: Tony glanced at her and then back to the skyline again. "Genetic traits run in families, right? Of course, you know that... it's bio 101. Everyone knows that, and you're an intelligent woman." Tony made a face. "Starks are terrible - absolutely terrible - about expressing their feelings, about anything important."

Tony: "I suspect you knew that, too." Tony shifted in the chair and looked back at her with a smirk.

Rogue: Rogue's mouth twitched at the corners when he danced so adorably around the subject. "Mmhmm. Ah did know that. Which is why Ah didn't ask how y' felt 'bout me. Ever, really." She tilted her head to the side a bit as she watched him. "While it's always nice t' hear how someone feels 'bout you, good or bad, that ain't what Ah asked now either. Not really."

Tony: He snapped to attention. "It's not? Because that's what I heard, or rather, what I took from that. Obviously, you're my bodyguard." Tony smirked. "You do an excellent job guarding my body. I should really give you a raise. Remind me."

Rogue: "Well, that's what Ah am t' Tony Stark, th' President. What am Ah t' Tony Stark, th' man?" She chewed her lip as she watched him, making a mental note about the raise for later.

Tony: "I, uh." And now she had those big green eyes on him, and he'd always had a weakness for those. "You're..." He sighed. "I care. Isn't it obvious?"

Rogue: "Yeah, it is. Ah never doubted that, Tony." Rogue wrinkled her nose. "Ah care, too. But Ah guess, what Ah'm askin'... Do y' care 'bout me as a friend who y' sleep with on occasion or is it more'n that an' Ah was just too stubborn t' see it?"

Tony: His head tilted. "I haven't..." Tony's eyes narrowed as he studied her face as if she were a complex equation he needed to solve. "It's been a long time since I've cared like this."

Tony: "So is that maybe both?" He sat up, leaning forward to rest his elbow on the arm of the chair.

Rogue: Rogue watched him for a minute, letting her brain roll that answer around a bit. "Only you c'n answer that one, Tony... Ah think it'd be okay if it was both, though. 'Less Ah'd lose mah job. Then it ain't okay," she tried for a smile. "Y' owe me a raise, after all."

Tony: Tony grinned. "I see you remembered that part." He reached for his scotch, realized it was long empty, and went for the lukewarm coffee instead. "That's a point. Carol and Jess believed that if we... explored that both option... that your ability to protect me would be compromised."

Rogue: "Ah don't think Jess has ever really understood me. We don't have a whole lot in common 'sides Bobby an' it's a known fact that her husband is mah least fav'rite person." She set her mug back on her knee and ran both thumbs along the edge, eyes tracking their movements. "Ah didn't even know there was a 'both' option 'til now."

Tony: He cleared his throat. "That is, if you're interested in a 'both' option." Tony made a face. "No pressure. Because of that coercion chat we had yesterday. By the way? They're terrible at interventions. Next time? Just ask me."

Rogue: "Ah told ya Ah get easily flustered... Carol offered t' find out if y' liked me... An' since Ah had her psyche in mah head sayin' it was a good idea, Ah said okay."

Rogue: Rogue stood and moved to look out the window where she couldn't see his face, or he hers, while she thought things through. On the one hand, she hadn't been truly involved with anyone since Sam. But then, he hadn't been involved with anyone either, so at least they were on equal footing there. On the other? He was her boss and the President. "None o' this is easy f'r me either, ya know," she spoke to the window softly.

Tony: Tony waved a hand at her explanation, then realized she couldn't see it. "Don't worry about it."

Tony: He watched her at the window, blocking the view he'd spent the night staring upon. Fitting. It made him smirk. "We can... carry on and see what happens?"

Rogue: Rogue closed her eyes and thought through the conversation she'd had with Bobby the night before. "Y're just sayin' that 'cause ya don't want a girlfriend," she teased, trying to lighten her mood a little. It didn't really work. Finally, she turned to face him, giving him the full attention of her green gaze. "What is it that you want? Ah don't wanna coerce you either, y' know."

Tony: His eyebrows found his hairline again and he ran a hand through his hair. "Whoa. That's cart before horse, isn't it?"

Rogue: Rogue's own eyebrows went up before coming back down to frown in confusion. "Ah didn't say 'wife', Tony. An' Ah was just tryin' t' make a joke..." Maybe this was a bad idea. He was a billionaire playboy after all.

Tony: Tony knew what he wanted to say. More or less. Getting it out was always the trick. "No, I know." The corner of his mouth twitched again as he looked up at her. "I... think..." he dragged the words out as he rephrased it a half dozen times in his mind. "I would like to see where this could go."

Rogue: Rogue fiddled with her sweetheart bracelet as she watched him try to figure out what he wanted to say. And she knew she probably wasn't reacting in the best way. It certainly wasn't rom-com worthy. But he had given her a straight forward answer and it kind of made her heart skip a beat at the same time it made it break.

Rogue: She looked down at her bracelet and took a breath. He would be happy for her. He would want her to be happy. Her eyes flicked back up to Tony's and she gave him a small smile. "Okay." She was in, but, "What now?"

Tony: "Okay? Yeah?" Tony jumped up from his seat, winning grin already in place. He paused just short of touching her. "I... have no idea. I haven't had a girlfriend in twenty years." He shrugged and laughed a little.

Rogue: His excitement was contagious and she laughed, glad already about agreeing. "So... Ah am ya girlfriend then? Or is that still cart b'fore horse territory?" Rogue screwed up her face, "Ah've not had a relationship of any kind in eleven years, so Ah'm right there with ya."

Tony: "I mean, sure. We can keep it casual, because we don't want the press to freak out." Still grinning, he reached for her hands.

Rogue: Rogue arched an eyebrow, "Those two things don't go t'gether very well, so y're gonna hafta help me figure out how they do." She looked at his hands and stepped away to set her mug down, stood there for a moment, then disappeared to her room. Rogue quickly replaced Sam's bracelet for the inhibitor, stripped her gloves, and went back to Tony's room. If he wanted her to be his girlfriend, she wanted to be able to touch him.

Tony: "I have PR people for that..." He watched her vanish and his nose twitched sideways as he looked back out the window. He hadn't misread all that, had he? No. He was Tony Stark. Which was also part of the problem, so maybe he had...

Rogue: Rogue chewed her lip as she watched him stare out the window. She wanted to fly to him so that he wouldn't know she was back, but inhibitor... So, instead, she walked as softly as possible and slowly slipped her hand into his. "PR people won't help me know th' difference."

Tony: He heard her coming back and glanced over his shoulder, then grinned when he felt her bare hand in his. Tony gave it a squeeze and turned to face her, sliding between her and the window. "Yeah, they will. You'll have to go to the meeting, too."

Rogue: Rogue laughed and shook her head in slight disbelief. "That ain't what Ah meant..." She slid her other hand into his free one and took a breath as she met his eyes. "Are we really gonna do this? Ah'm a backwoods bumpkin an' y're th' President of th' United States... We don't exactly match."

Tony: "No? Well, so what? Everyone is different." Tony gave her hands a squeeze and stepped into her. "I'd say my different and your different seem to get along swimingly so far."

Rogue: "So far no one's known 'bout this. 'Til ya kissed me while leanin' over Carol yesterday." Rogue studied his face for a long moment. "Is this gonna be an exclusive thing? Or am Ah gonna hafta keep vettin' dates y' bring back...?" That thought made her a little upset, but she braced herself for the likely answer. He was Tony Stark after all.

Tony: Tony shrugged one shoulder and laughed. "I wasn't invited to the orgy." He smirked and cocked his head. "Rude, by the way. So I invited myself!" He watched her expressions as she spoke, and on impulse, leaned in to kiss her.

Rogue: Tony was good at trying to distract her and she let herself melt into the kiss for a moment before pulling back. He wasn't that good at distracting her or she wouldn't have this job. "One: you were busy havin' y'r own fun in here. An' that leads me t' two... Ah need an answer t' th' other question."

Tony: "One: she wasn't that much fun, hence why I sent her home and spent the remainder of the night listening to you three." His mouth twisted into a wry grin as he continuted. "Two: I am more than willing to try it. Exclusivity, that is."

Rogue: "Y' coulda joined," she said softly with a smirk. "Ah've not kicked ya outta bed yet." Rogue gently pulled her hands from his and placed them on his chest, giving him a serious look, "Are you sure? Ya ain't exactly known f'r bein' able t' do that."

Tony: "With my daughter's ex? No thanks," he laughed, his hands moving to her hips to pull her closer. "But yes, I'm sure. We should give this a fair shake, right?"

Rogue: Rogue laughed at his ability to pull her so easily without her powers and slid her hands up to clasp together behind his neck. "Right. If we're both willin', an' we both care 'bout th' other, don't see why we shouldn't give it th' ol' college try." She lifted onto her toes to kiss him. "Th' PR meetin' is gonna be hell."

Tony: "Oh, it's going to be absolute hell." He ramped up the grin. "Why else do you think I want you there?"

Rogue: "Ah thought it was just 'cause it involves me too... But now Ah'm thinkin' it's more bodyguard business." She smirked and moved a hand to run through his hair. "Why didn't y' sleep last night, Tony?"

Tony: "Maybe that's both, too,." Tony snickered at her assessment, tilting his head and quite enjoying her fingers in his hair. "I was working." He jerked his chin toward the table again.

Rogue: "Workin' on what?" She tipped her head and leaned over a bit to try and see what it was. "Ah'm glad it wasn't worry that kept y' up, though."

Tony: "I asked Carol to go tour the Danvers facility but she said it would be a security risk for me to see these naked blue demons. Rude." He sniffed. "So, I'm going to catch one." Tony looked at the table, then the room in general and cleared his throat. "I think better when I'm working."

Rogue: "Ugh, those things're disgustin'. Y' may not want t' catch one. Not a huge security risk, though, so long as y' don't mind things bein' pilfered. They're like imps from th' fairy tales." Rogue looked back at him and brought her other hand in to play with his hair. "So it was worry then... Ah'm sorry."

Tony: He met her eyes and smiled a little. "It's fine. It's all worked out now, right?" Tony glanced back at his project. "They sounded like gremlins, which sound like a fun problem to figure out."

Rogue: "Well then y're more'n welcome t' try. But f'r now?" Rogue's gaze shifted to his shirt and she tugged it from his pants gently, then set to work on his buttons. "Maybe it's time f'r a nap b'fore we hafta go out an' actually handle some presidential business? It's a workday, after all."

Tony: "A nap? Is that on the presidential itinerary today?" He grinned. "Like the snack? You know, they wouldn't even give me a juice box yesterday? Terrible hosts."

Rogue: "Terrible hosts, terrible at interventions... What will we do with those two?" Rogue finished unbuttoning his shirt and moved to undo his cufflinks, pulling his hand up to kiss his palm while she did. "Th' snack was just meant t' keep ya placated. Cain't have y' throwin' a tantrum when they're tryin' t' get inf'rmation from ya."

Tony: "I'm... not actually a toddler." He smirked and enjoyed her attention to removing his shirt.

Rogue: She cupped the cufflink in her hand and went to the other sleeve, flicking her eyes up to him as she did so. "No, but y' can get quite testy if y' don't get food." Rogue paid this hand the same attention with the added soft sucking of his wrist when the cuff was undone. "An' we cain't have ya gettin' testy with th' press, so y' need a nap, too."

Tony: Tony swallowed and sighed in pleasure. "I'm not testy. I'm always delightful." One corner of his mouth cocked up in a grin as he watched her with heavy-lidded eyes.

Rogue: "No," she lowered his hand and stepped back in to push his shirt from his shoulders, "ya not." Rogue smirked up at him, "But that's what Ah'm for, right? T' smack ya upside th' head when y' start actin' a fool?"

Tony: "That is what you're here for, yes." Tony's grin grew even wider and he shrugged off his shirt, letting it hit the floor. With a quick move, he stepped forward and caught her face with both hands, capturing her lips for a hard kiss.

Rogue: Rogue let the cufflinks in her hand drop to the floor behind his back as he surprised her with the kiss. Her eyes closed and she felt her body pull to him like he was a magnet, fingers splaying on his shoulders to keep her balance. If this was how he was with his girlfriends, she was kind of sad they hadn't done this sooner. He'd kissed her twice this morning already and it was rare when he started with kissing.

Rogue: "This ain't nappin', Tony," she murmured against his mouth after she broke the kiss.

Tony: "I would say I'd nap when I'm dead... but your job is to keep me from dying. I propose, instead, that I'll nap, with you, after we consummate our new relationship." Tony's brow raised as his eyes darted all over her face.

Rogue: Rogue felt her face heat and she gnawed on her lower lip to try and stop the grin that was forming. "Now, Ah think that kinda proposal is one Ah c'n live with." She brought her hands up to either side of his face and kissed him in a similar fashion to how he'd kissed her.
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