Who: Bruce & Rogue What: Chatting and stuff When: Recent Notes/Warnings: Nope
Rogue was better. She couldn't wait to get her hands on someone with healing because she was hating the broken ribs. They were healing but they took forever. She was moving easier now, limping but much easier. She was off the painkillers, and down to nonplaster wraps on the minor breaks.
Her ribs were still bound like a mummy, and while she didn't like the risk, she was in a tank top because it was just too much clothing with the wraps on. She had it curled up like a crop top, anything not wrapped in ace wrap was smooth, pale, toned skin.
She wore running leggings, though, for comfort and minimizing skin contact, though she did wear flip flops. She was heading back to her apartment after some xrays when she saw Bruce, and put on a sweet smile. "Hello neighbor!"
Things had been non-stop chaos for the last month or two and Bruce was actually grateful for being busy because it kept him from missing Bobbi. Not that he was happy they’d discovered a new threat, one that could be on par with HYDRA and Thanos. Especially considering the way that people were showing up after escaping Genosha.
He did return Rogue’s smile when he saw her as he was leaving his apartment to go to the library and grab a new book. She had by far been in the worst shape of their recent arrivals and he was glad to see that she seemed to be healing well. “Rogue,” he said. “You’re looking well. How are you feeling?”
"Ready ta crawl out of mah skin. Healing itches." She offered him a lopsided grin, oh, she knew how busy things were. Deep down she was pleased with all the work she'd been doing despite being six kinds of broken.
Everything hurt and she was over it.
"Also tired of junk food and tv. Ah never cared much about tv before hand, this has done nothing to help that." Her smile was warm, genuine, sweet. "How are you?"
“I believe I promised to cook for you,” Bruce said. “Do you play chess?” He’d never been a big fan of TV either and could understand why she might be going a bit stir crazy. As much as was going on, he figured he could take a few hours to spend with this poor young woman who’d been through so much.
He also figured he could make sure she was aware of the library if she preferred to read.
"That is true, you did." She grinned at him, "ah certainly wouldn't turn that offer down." Rogue had to think for a moment, she'd never played but at least one person in her head had.
"Ah do, yes, though ah am probably a little rusty." Today was a good afternoon, there was no doubt things were going her way. "Ah wouldn't mind playing."
Bruce returned her smile. “I was just heading up to the library, but I can do that later. Why don’t you come in and we can play a game or two while I make something,” he suggested. Thanks to Friday, his kitchen was always well stocked even when he didn’t have time to get out to the market himself.
After his lab accident, he’d been afraid to be around other people for fear of hurting them, so he felt like he was uniquely qualified to understand what Rogue was going through right now and he wanted to do whatever he could to make things easier on her.
Rogue smiled, “Sounds like a plan to me.” she limped over to his side of the hall, she still hurt and was trying not to show it, she rested a hand on her back pocket, as if making sure she had her keys, though Friday would probably let her in. She offered him a warm, kind smile. “Ah am very appreciative.” She would follow him inside.
Rogue hated her skin. Hated how much she had to hide. Oh, she was grateful, she learned a lot, she could do so much with it, and it made her uniquely suited for her job. It made her a perfect little mole. She carefully avoided contact with him, though, as she slipped inside.
When they got inside, he gestured to the comfortable furniture in his living room, which was pretty much identical to what was in her own. “Would you like a cup of tea?” he offered, heading to the kitchen to poke through his fridge and cabinets, trying to decide what he was going to make. He wanted to make something comforting and nutritious, but also didn’t want it to take too long.
He had some beef cubes in the freezer that he could thaw easily enough and make a quick stew with frozen veggies and some bite size tomatoes. “How do you feel about beef stew?” He also had some frozen bread that he could bake to serve with it.
“Tea would be great - and stew sounds lovely.” she smiled up at him as she moved to take a seat, the audible sigh of relief was unashamed. She didn’t mind that he knew she was feeling better sitting down than she was standing up. She pushed her hair back and tucked it behind her shoulders.
She glanced around his apartment, taking in the similarities and what was different, committing everything to memory as she did so. She was comfortable, though, because Bruce made it easy to feel that way. He was kind, and under it all, she had not experienced kindness in a long time. She liked it.
“Great,” Bruce said, filling the tea kettle and getting it started while he pulled out all the ingredients he needed for his stew.
He wanted to keep the conversation light while he cooked, knowing that the topic of what she’d gone through wasn’t one she cared to dwell on, but small talk wasn’t exactly his forte. “Have you thought about what you’re going to do?” he asked. “School. Get a job? Anything like that?”
She smiled up at him, “Not a clue - ah’m a bit old for school at this point, ah think, and ain’t ever had a job, so don’t know what ah can do.” she looked sheepish, “ah’m sure it’ll sort it’s self out, right?” she said hopefully.
She… had a job, and she was doing it well, but he was right, she’d have to do something else to look … honest. She was bad at being an honest citizen but if it kept her cover in tact, well, she had to do it, right?
Bruce glanced over while he worked on assembling his stew. “You’re never too old for school,” he said. “You could take some intro classes, see if anything catches your attention.” He had the feeling that prior to her captivity, she hadn’t had a great life, though he wasn’t going to ask too many questions about that either, figuring that she would prefer to look forward rather than back.
“And you could also probably get a job of some kind with SHIELD. Or Stark Industries. Plenty of options so you don’t go too stir crazy.”
She smiled up at him, “Maybe, though, ah would have to get my GED first - ah never finished high school” she admitted with a shrug of her shoulders, she wasn’t embarrassed, it was just a thing that had happened. “Ah ran away before ah got that far.” she laughed, “so, that’s a hurdle.” she shrugged a bit.
“Ah do not think ah am smart enough for Stark Industries, and ah don’t know a ton about SHIELD, but they probably want someone who graduated high school?” Rogue smiled, “it’s okay, ah’ll probably work some dead end retail job. Also the skin thing - they’d probably want me as a tool to use. Which, ah guess would be fine.”
A sad little smile from the Rogue.
A few years ago, Bruce would have agreed with her concern that they would try to use her ability as a weapon. Now, though? He thought they would be more respectful of the pain it would cause her. “I don’t think they would,” he said. “But if you want to pursue your education, I’d be more than happy to help.”
It wouldn’t be any trouble for them to arrange the paperwork for her to take her GED and go from there if that’s what she wanted to do.
Rogue smiled a bit, “Maybe, Ah am not sure how long it’s been, really. Ah wouldn’t know where to start, but it wouldn’t a bad thing to do. Maybe ah can be useful in other ways.” she offered him a brighter smile, obviously turning the idea over in her head. In honesty, it wouldn’t be hard for her to pass. She had enough people in her head with a full education.
She could probably pass most college classes too. “It would be nice to get that done, though, and maybe have a chance at a better life.” she smiled at him, “Thank you”.
“Of course,” Bruce said as he finished chopping veggies and adding things to the pot on the stove. “I don’t know what your life was before all of this happened, but we’re all here to help you now. I can’t even imagine what you’ve been through.”
The tea kettle whistled and he quickly moved to turn off that burner and start brewing some tea.
“Well, Rogue’s mah name for a reason.” she grinned at him, “ah ran away, home wasn’t great, so ah just booked it and took off on my own. Did damn well until ah got caught and sent to Genosha.” she said, then smiled up at the kettle.
A shake of her head, “ain’t the worst life, aint the best, now ah just have to adapt. Ah can do that, for sure. Just glad ah got people willin’ ta help, wouldnt’ know where to start on my own.” she flexed her fingers, looking at them. “Can’t touch people, normal jobs would be hard”
Bruce carried out a mug of warm chamomile tea to her. He figured something soothing was the best option. He also set down a cup for himself and then went to get his chess set so they could play a game while the stew was simmering on the stove. In about a half an hour, he’d throw the bread in the oven and they could eat while finishing up their game.
“Well, once we get things sorted out for me and Steve, we can take a look at figuring out if there is a way to reverse what they did to you,” he said. Team Science would need a new puzzle.
Rogue carefully took the mug of tea, cradling it in her hands for a moment, it was nice to have, and she kind of liked the feeling. Too bad the voice in the back of her brain was reminding her exactly why she was here. She smiled as he set up the board for them to play and she had to pull one on of the voices to remember.
“That would be lovely, thank you. Ah would truly appreciate it.” she smiled gently, and at one point when he was in the kitchen, she’d add a little more of the serum from Sinister to his tea. She felt a little bad, but, she had a job to do.