WHO:Paige and Rogue WHAT: Rogue's still nosy WHEN: Afternoon of July 5th WHERE: Mansion grounds
Paige had slept in the next day, and woke still feeling the thrill of last night. It was rather nice...dancing with the Tony Stark. The smile didn't leave her face during her jog or subsequent peeling off of skin. Who needs showers? Taking a seat on one of the benches, she reached into her pocket, studying the card she'd been given. Tony Stark's private number. Squee!
After her 'exhilarating' danger room session with Scott, Rogue had taken a quick shower in order to ease her aching muscles. It didn't work quite as well as she'd liked, so she'd gone for a brisk walk around the Mansion. Coming up behind Paige, she smiled. Here was another story she wanted. She walked up slowly, and saw Paige looking at Tony Stark's card. Classic.
"Whacha got there, sugar?"
Fumbling, she almost managed to drop the card. "Nothing." Right...putting the card back now. "It's nothing."
"Don't look like nothing to me," she trailed off, sitting down next to the young blonde. "Come on, y'all know you're dying to tell someone and since Jubilee is still off in training..."
"I could talk to family about it." Not that she would, mind you. She grimaced just thinking about the tough talk Sam'd give her.
Rogue gave her a big smile. She could imagine that conversation; Sam wasn't known for his subtlety. "Well, if you want me to leave you alone then, Ah can do that."
Especially when it came to his sister and men twice her age... She shrugged, trying to look nonchalant. "You can stay.."
In a way Rogue felt bad putting the younger girl on the spot, but at the same time, she was living vicariously through everyone else so why not get the details. "That mean you're goin' to spill? Ah saw you dancin' with Stark at the party you know."
Paige flushed, head ducking. "He came up and asked me to dance. Tony. Stark." It was amazing.
"The man himself. How'd he find you?"
A shrug of her shoulders. "I was just standing there...not talking to anyone...and all of a sudden I'm talking to Mr. "Oh just call me Tony Stark." An incredulous look to the woman sitting next to her.
Oh Paige, she thought. He probably does that to every young, beautiful girl. Instead, she said,"Oh no way. Did y'all dance long? Ah didn't notice." She noticed.
She thinks this and she doesn't say anything to Paige? "For a little while....then he had to go talk to his other guests. But he gave me his number...said he'd cook dinner." She had to smile.
Rogue had to snort at this. "Oh Paige, sugar. Ah doubt that number is his private one. His expensive secretary probably does." She gave her a rueful smile. "Men like that babe, they ain't genuine. Ah don't want to see you get hurt... don't put too much stock in anythin' he says."
She's nineteen...she's allowed to have some dreams, isn't she? "Not too much. But I try to look for the best in people."
"And that's what makes you so special, Paige. Heart a' gold." Rogue had never been much for optimism; her life was full of pain and hurt but she had to stop herself from bringing Paige down. The number of one of the most eligible billionaires? That had to be exciting.
"Well, Ah hope it all works out for you."
She grinned at Rogue, taking her arm. It was exciting, yes. "And if it doesn't, you can say 'I told you so' all you like."
"Oh sugar, Ah would never say that," she said in disbelief. "God, am Ah that catty?"
A chuckle. "Nome." Slipping back into Kentuckian. "Not at all."
She laughed. "Okay, so Ah can be a little..realistic sometimes. Ah don't consider it pessimism mind you. Just gotta know where things are and where you stand is all."
"Don't worry. I won't get so carried away my feet leave the ground," Paige assured her. "Mama Guthrie didn't raise no fools." Eternal optimists sure...fools, though...
"Us southerners gotta stick together,chile. We were raised right and proper, not like these yanks," she said, thickening her accent on purpose. It was always fun to just sit around and talk 'southern' with Paige.
She chuckled. "No kiddin'. Don't even say 'please' or 'thank you' half the time...." She looked around. "And just so you know...I was planning on making some peach cobbler later... Real Southerners have first dibs."
Rogue threw her head back and laughed. "And Ah''ll bring the iced tea. Sweetened." She shook her head. "Ah'll never understand yanks and their need to drink unsweetened tea." She wrinkled her nose. "Gross. No wonder they knocked over all that tea, back in the day. Didn't know what to do with it all."
A nod. "Makes me gag. And adding sugar in after the fact never works."
"Exactly. Oh! And you know what Ah would kill for? Some grits and cornbread. Just like Mama used to make for me. My REAL Mama," she corrected herself. "Not Mystique."
"What about homemade fried chicken? Dripping with grease...." Yum. Yep, that's right...move away from the Mystique comment.
Rogue groaned. "God Paige, y'all are gonna make me hungry with that kind of talk, and with the strict regimen Scott's got me on, Ah can't afford to eat that kinda stuff. Speaking o' which, has he been ridin' yo' ass to get to trainin'?"
A shake of her head. "I ride my own ass. Jogging ev'ry day...try to eat healthy... Josh used to call me a 'keener'. Said I tried too hard."
"God, Ah wish Scott wanted me to just jog. Don't go on vacation, Paige," she counselled the younger woman. "It just ain't worth the headache o' tryin' to get back into it all. 'Specially when durin' that time, the fearless leader is gettin' into everyone's pants."
Paige tried her best to not look shocked. "He... Never mind...none of my business."
Rogue laughed. "He ain't as perfect as people seem to think he is, sugar. Now, Ah've been around here for awhile, Ah've seen all sorts of shit. Lots and lots of shit, she thought to herself. "We're all human you know? Mutant or not, we all got our own problems to deal with. Ain't no one god."
"Of course not," Paige shook her head. "But there are some things you just don't expect."
She shrugged. "Ah suppose." And it did sound very odd. Scott. Cheating on his... well whatever she was. Even though from what Rogue gathered from her earlier conversation, no one really seemed to know what was going on other than the fact that it was happening.
"Oh well," Paige sighed. "Any more advice from my mentor?" It was said teasingly.
She laughed outloud at this. "Mentor? Oh suge, y'all don't want my advice. Ah just want to make sure you're happy and that well, shit don't go sideways for you. Come find me anytime, we'll chat."