Vacation

Chapter rating: PG

Chapter 5

When Rogue woke up in the morning, she instantly realized it was late. The room upstairs had no blinds, unlike the room downstairs, but simply curtains that could be pulled, and therefore allowed quite much of the streaming sunlight in, this warm May-morning.

Rogue groaned and tried to blink the sleep out of her eyes. Logan lay next to her in the bed, with his broad back against her, apparently still asleep, since she heard him snore.

Rogue picked up her wristwatch from the bedside table, and screwed her eyes up to see the hands clearer. Five to eleven! Jesus! Then it *was* late, even later than she’d thought. She turned around again and gently nudged Logan.

“Wake up!” she whispered. “It’s late. We should be going down and having breakfast.”

Logan only grunted in reply at first, but then he rolled over to his back and passed his hands over his face, moaning.

They *were* at the cabin, but not were they used to be. That room was already taken. He could hear voices from downstairs; Magneto’s and Xavier’s, which indicated the other couple was already up.

“Yeah, you’re right,” he said finally, sat up and swung his legs over the bed edge. “Let’s go down and have a bite. The weather’s nice.”

They got out of bed, and started looking for clothes in their bags. When they went up here to sleep a few hours ago, they hadn’t bothered unpacking anything, but simply left the bags on the floor.

Rogue chose a pair of denim shorts, a red sleeveless T-shirt and a sports bra to wear underneath. Logan pulled on the same jeans as yesterday, and a white T-shirt that pulled around his swelling muscles, leaving nothing to the imagination.

Rogue pulled her brush through her hair a few times, and tucked it into a ponytail. Then they went downstairs and were met by the sight of Charles and Erik sitting at the kitchen table, eating breakfast and speaking in low voices.

Charles was wearing a short-sleeved, white shirt and knee-length beige shorts, and Erik still wore his robe. They had opened the kitchen window, which let in a wave of sunlight, bird twitter and the fresh scent of fir needles, forest and spring.

They both said hello when Logan and Rogue entered, though Erik quickly lowered his eyes and looked into his teacup instead.

Charles smiled when he saw them. “Good morning,” he said with a smile. “Sit down and have a bite.”

Rogue gave him a shy smile and Logan grunted a hello before they sat down; Logan chose the chair beside Charles, and Rogue sat down opposite him, next to Magneto.

“How did you sleep?” Charles asked. “Was the bed comfortable? Our voices didn’t wake you up, did they? We tried to be quiet so you could sleep.”

“Oh, yeah, the room was alright,” Logan said slowly.

“I haven’t been up there so often,” Charles went on. “You know, it can be difficult for me to...”

“It was very kind of you to let us stay and rest,” Logan said, not quite sure of what Xavier had meant this morning. Had he meant they could stay at the cabin all weekend, or had he just given them permission to rest before they started driving back home?

Charles smiled when he noticed Logan’s slightly bemused expression.

“Of course you’ll stay here,” he said mildly. “I suppose you had planned this for much longer than Erik and I had. The cabin is fairly large. Here is room for us all.”

A clear sigh sounded from Magneto when Charles had finished his sentence, but he didn’t contradict, or make any objections since he had promised his lover to try.

Logan shrugged while chewing. “Sure,” he said. “What do you say, honey? Wanna stay?”

Rogue nodded. “I’d love to. I like the atmosphere here. So...peaceful...”

It might not be so peaceful for much longer, Erik thought, but he kept his mouth shut and looked neutral. Charles grasped it, of course, and pleadingly reached out his hand across the table and placed it atop Erik’s. His gaze said, “please, remember what you promised...”

Erik gave Charles a tiny smile back and nodded almost imperceptibly. “Yes, don’t worry,” he mouthed. “I promise.”

“What did you promise?” Logan asked curiously, staring at Erik.

Erik quickly pulled his hand back and shook his head. “No, nothing...” he murmured dismissingly. “ I just hope we’ll all get a nice weekend here.”

Logan’s curiosity turned into confusion, but then he just shrugged again. “Yeah, I hope so too, of course...”

They consumed the rest of the meal in silence, but Charles couldn’t help worrying a bit, and wondered how this w wor work, especially between Erik and Logan. For the first time he started doubting his decision a little. Maybe it had still been best to send Logan and Marie back home?
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

A couple of hours after the breakfast Logan decided to go out for a walk, and check out the environments, perhaps even the lake, he said. Rogue didn’t want to go with him, since she claimed it was too hot, and remained at the cabin. Logan didn’t try persuading her after that, and went away by himself.

Rogue stayed together with the professor and Magneto, who were currently sitting at a table out on the patio, playing cards with an old pack Erik found in one of the bedroom drawers. The cards had become yellow in time and some of the corners were a bit worn, but all the cards were left and they were all whole.

Rogue was sitting at the kitchen table with a glass of ice-tea in front of her, watching them from the open window. Erik was dressed now, wearing a shirt similar to the one Charles wore, and the same beige pants as yesterday. He had no socks, only a pair of open slippers.

Even Xavier looked very easy and relaxed now, unlike his usual manner at the mansion; always so neat and cultivated in his dark suits and silk shirts. Rogue respected him greatly and always became very shy when he was close, but now... Now he seemed more like a man who was actually having a good time as well, not just someone who ran a school and was a mentor for his students.

It’s Magneto, she thought. He’s always more relaxed and open with him. And happy. Professor Xavier sure was friendly and helpful, but strict and formal. Now she saw him laugh out loud, and although she couldn’t hear what they said, it was obvious that they were joking with each other.

Suddenly Magneto leaned in and pressed a hasty kiss to Charles’ cheek, then rose and went inside the house. Soon he entered the kitchen and saw Rogue sit there, all alone, and obviously bored.

“Hello dear,” he said, walking toward the fridge. “Are you still here? So you didn’t accompany Logan on his walk?”

Rogue grimaced. “Nah, it’s too hot,” she explained. “I can’t be outside in that heat,” she added and used her hand to cool herself.

“You shouldn’t sit in here alone,” Erik said as he took out a bottle of mineral water. “Come out and sit on the patio with me and Charles. We’re playing cards. You can join, if you like. Thee the the merrier.”

“Really?” Rogue asked, slightly hesitant. “I don’t wanna get in the way...”

“Of course,” Erik encouraged her. “Come on now. Bring your drink if you want.”

She nodded and smiled carefully while she started getting up. Erik gave her a warm smile to drive off her insecurity, and placed his hand on her shoulder. “Come on,” he said with a wink.

Rogue brought her ice-tea and followed Erik out on the patio. Xavier sat there, waiting for them. He smiled when he saw her. “Marie,” he said, “how nice of you to join us. Come on. Have a seat.”

Rogue felt that she was still feeling a bit, well, troubled in professor Xavier’s company, but she did what he asked and sat down in a white plastic chair by the table.

“Where did Logan go?” Charles asked.

“He went out for a walk,” Rogue replied. “I didn’t go. It’s too hot outside.”

“Oh, really... Erik and I are playing cards,” Charles continued. “Would you like to join, Marie?”

“What are you playing? I’m no expert on card games...”

“Whist,” Magneto said. “Do you know the rules? It’s an old game...”

“Whist...” Rogue said frowning. “No... I’m afraid I don’t.”

“The rules are quite simple, but it might take some time before you get into the game,” Charles explained and picked up the pack, starting to mix the cards. His hands were nimble, and a pleasant smattering noise sounded every time the cards clashed against one another.

Suddenly Erik snorted. “Well, Charles, I suppose you’re right,” he said ironically. “I’ve played whist for over 50 years, and I still lose almost every time I play against you. I wonder why, really!”

Charles gave him a long look. “Erik, you aren’t accusing me of cheating again, are you?”

“You win too often,” Erik pointed out. “How you do it I can’t tell.”

“Maybe I am simply a better player” Charles countered.

“You win too often when we play chess as well.”

Charles smiled. “Then we’ll have to play something where telepathy is useful. Do you know any card games, Marie?”

Rogue shook her head. “I don’t think I can come up with any right now...”

“What about Casino?” Charles suggested. “We all know that, right?”

“Alright,” said Erik. “Do you know it, Marie?”

“Casino?” Rogue said thoughtfully. “I really think I’ve played it some time. But that was long ago. Can we go through the rules once more?”

Charles patiently explained the rules to Rogue, and told her what cards were worth points. Rogue nodded in understanding, and even remembered some from the last time she had played this.

“Ten of diamonds is worth two points, right?” she asked. “And two of spades is worth one?”

“That’s correct. I think you know this now,” said Xavier. “Then let’s see... Who wants to give?”

“You can do that,” Erik proposed. “That gives us an advantage.”

Rogue sipped her ice-tea while they were playing, and Erik and Charles shared the bottle of mineral water Erik had brought from the fridge. It was very hot outside; the thermometer outside stood at 28 degrees C. She was suddenly very glad she hadn’t gone with Logan. I had gotten a heatstroke and died! Rogue thought.

After five rounds of Casino, Xavier had won four, Rogue one, and Erik none.

“There’s something wrong with this!” Magneto snapped angrily and threw his cards on the table. “Charles, you are cheating! In practice there is no chance you can win so many times in a row!”

Charles sighed, and put down his cards as well. “I don’t cheat,” he said quietly. “It’s not possible in this game. You are a bad loser, Erik. You always have been.”

Erik snorted again. “Then how do you explain why you always win?”

“I am lucky, that is all,” Charles said calmly.

Erik gave him a sulky look. “You *always* say that.”

Rogue had trouble keeping from laughing when listening to the bickering of the two elder men. She realized it was common between them, and should not be taken very seriously, but deep down inside she couldn’t help wondering if Erik’s suspicions were justified. It had to be *something*, since Charles was always “lucky”, as he called it.

“Okay,” Charles said at last. “You play with Marie. I’m withdrawing. At least you can’t accuse her of cheating. I’ll go into the living room to read in the meantime.”

He began manoeuvring his wheelchair away from the table, and disappeared through the front door, leaving Erik and Rogue alone on the patio.

Rogue bit her lower lip. “Oops!” she said, trying not to smile. “I think you pissed him off!”

“Nah, it isn’t so serious,” Erik replied dismissingly. “I know him by now. He always sulks when I accuse him of cheating. But shall we do as Charles suggested, and settle this score, just us two?”

Rogue laughed. “Okay!”

“What do we play for?”

Rogue’s smile faded. “Play for? But... I don’t have any money...”

Now it was Erik’s turn to laugh. “No, not money! That’s plain silly. We can play for services instead. What about this – the loser cooks the dinner tonight?”

“That sounds like a good deal,” Rogue answered. “But I really hope I don’t lose, for my cooking really sucks!”

“Maybe you’ll get a chance to prove yourself wrong this evening,” Erik said, smiling slyly. “Shall we say five rounds?”

“Okay,” Rogue agreed and took a last swig of ice-tea before the first round began.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

When Logan returned to the cabin from his so-called “walk” he was sweating like a pig, mildly expressed. Despite his excellent shape and great stamina, the heat had been terrible, and Logan’s body lost large amounts of fluid as sweat in a short period.

He hadn’t even found the lake, which he’d hoped to find, but instead he wandered about on an area approximately two miles from the lake’s west side. When he finally returned he was tired, sweaty and very thirsty, and of course also quite moody.

The first thing he saw when he reached the cabin was Rogue sitting on the patio, playing cards with Magneto. They both looked very cool and fresh, compared to Logan, whose entire body oozed with sweat and itched like crazy.

He rushed to the patio, and saw the two glasses of ice-tea and mineral water standing on the table between them. And before neither of them could even twitch, he’d snatched both glasses and gulped their content in just a few seconds.

“Logan!” Rogue exclaimed, struck dumb by his behaviour. “What are you doing?! That was...-”

“What?” he snapped back. “There’s more in the fridge if you’d like. You should have walked five miles in this heat first, and seen if that didn’t make you thirsty!”

Erik simply raised his brows and regarded Logan in mild surprise, but he didn’t care to comment on anything. Logan met his eyes and didn’t like the look he received. He also didn’t like - without knowing why, really - to see Rogue sit here with Magneto, seemingly having a great time. Both the old man and the young woman regarded him with an anxious and critical look, but Erik’s look above all annoyed Logan. If he had followed his first impulse, he had simply raised his hand and knocked the skinny decrepit old body down to the floor. He didn’t, of course, just stared back at him menacingly.

“I’m gonna have a shower,” he muttered and put the two empty glasses back on the table. “Marie, come inside later, so we can talk.”

After that he turned around and went inside the house, leaving a fresh scent of sweat after him. Erik knitted his forehead when he’d left and waved his hand back and forth to whisk away the smell of sweat that lingered after Logan.

“What is wrong with him?” he murmured.

“I’m sorry,” Rogue began, feeling she had to try explaining Logan’s behaviour. Then suddenly Erik started laughing.

“Yes, my dear, you should be, for you’re cooking tonight!”