X-Men Fic: Home
Title: Home
Fandom: X-Men (comicverse)
Pairing: Bobby/Jean-Paul
Rating: Eh. PG?
Disclaimer: I'm only borrowing them.
Spoilers: Anything up to and including X-Men Annual #1. See author's notes for details.
Summary: Jean-Paul tries to acclimate to being back at the school, and Bobby tries to acclimate to having Jean-Paul around again.
X-posted all over the place
Author's Notes: This story takes place right after Rogue and company take Jean-Paul and Jeanne-Marie to the SHIELD heli-carrier to have them deprogrammed. This chapter takes place before the current Pandemic storyline.
A/N #2: When the twins are alone, they're speaking French.
A/N #3: I've never seen concrete proof that Megan was in JP's flying class, but JP taught flying, and Megan flies. So it seems logical that she was in the class.
Chapter 1 (of 5)
***
Jean-Paul Beaubier placed a large piece of chocolate pie on a plate, and then turned to his twin sister. “Would you like more pie, Jeanne-Marie?”
“You are trying to get me fat,” she accused playfully.
He gazed at her fondly. “Never,” he said. Placing the pie on the table, Jean-Paul sat across from his sister. “It has been a while since I’ve enjoyed solid food. I intend to savor this pie.”
Jeanne-Marie rested her chin on one hand. “I have missed you, brother.”
“That is a comfort, Jeanne-Marie. Not many people can say that with a straight face.”
“That they’ve missed you? You have people here who seem to be pleased at your return.”
Jean-Paul glanced at his sister, and then focused his attention on the pie. “Perhaps.”
“Rogue seems pleased to see you. As does Robert Drake.”
Jean-Paul bit his lip. Bobby Drake was a sore subject with Jean-Paul, and not one he cared to discuss with his sister. Or anyone for that matter.
“You and I share a bond now,” Jeanne-Marie reminded. “I understand what he means to you.”
“Then you understand that talking about him makes me uncomfortable.”
“Fair enough.” Jeanne-Marie reached across the table and stroked her brother’s cheek. “You plan to remain with the school?”
“It is my home now,” he said. “You will stay with me?”
“My place is with you, brother.”
The twins both leaned across the table in unison and pecked each other on the lips.
Jeanne-Marie looked over her brother’s shoulder. “You realize we have an audience, brother?”
Jean-Paul glanced toward the doorway of the kitchen and saw a group of school’s young charges-Victor Borkowski, Alani Ryan, Josh Foley, Santo Vaccarro, Megan Gwynn, and Cessily Kincaid.
Victor smiled and waved. “Hi, Mr. Beaubier. Mr. Summers said you were awake.”
Santo piped up. “So, you’re not all night-of-the-living-dead anymore, right?”
Josh shot Santo a dirty look.
Letting out a weary breath, Jean-Paul waved them into the room. “Are you going to stand there and case the place, or are you going to come in?” After the group moved closer, Jean-Paul turned to Jeanne-Marie. “Sister, these are a few of our students.” After he introduced each student, he said, “Victor and Alani were in my squad.”
Megan bounced on her heels and looked for a moment like she might take flight. “I was in your flying class.”
“And Megan was in my flying class.”
Jeanne-Marie stood up. “I’m pleased to meet all of you.” When her eyes fell on Cessily, images of facing the child in combat flashed in her mind. She covered her mouth. “Are you…well?”
Cessily smiled. “I’m good. No hard feelings,” she said. “You should see how we fight for the remote around here.
“Is there any chicken left?” Santo asked, wrenching open the door of the refrigerator.
“We had a memorial service for you,” Megan blurted out. “There was a pretty good turnout, too!”
Josh buried his face in his hands and muttered something unintelligible.
Alani sat down in an empty chair. “Mr. Summers told us what really happened to you, Mr. Beaubier,” she whispered.
“You don’t have to whisper, Alani,” Victor said. “We were all at the assembly.” Leaning against the table, he asked. “Do you remember all the martial arts stuff the Hand taught you?”
Jean-Paul felt his breath hitch. “Yes, actually I do.”
Suddenly, Josh spit out, “Mr. Beaubier, I’m sorry.” His voice cracked. “I tried to save you, but I couldn’t. You…wouldn’t get up.”
Jean-Paul stared at the boy. “You…tried to revive me? Josh-”
Santo walked over to the table, a container of chicken resting in his arms. “Hey, Mr. B,” he said cheerfully. “We totally have something in common.”
Jean-Paul shot Santo a glare, and then looked back toward Josh, who had now walked a few steps away.
“Seriously,” Santo continued. “I died and came back, too.” He held up his rocky hand. “High five.” When Jean-Paul didn’t respond, Santo turned to Victor. “High five.”
Victor gazed at him. “Why should I high-five you? I haven’t died and come back.”
“Yeah, well, who’s the real X-Man?” He pointed at himself. “That would be me, the guy who died and came back.”
“So you’re a real X-Man, now, huh? Maybe you should change your name to Dream On.”
Santo squared his shoulders. “Why don’t we play Mutant Dodge Ball? You run and see if you can dodge my arm when I throw it at you.”
Jean-Paul sighed. “Oh, enough.”
“Are we bothering you?” Cessily asked quickly. “‘Cause Mr. Summers says we’re not supposed to bother you.”
Before Jean-Paul could answer, Bobby Drake blew into the kitchen. “X-Babies! Does this look like the game room?” He held the door open. “Scamper away and leave Mr. Beaubier and his sister alone.”
After the students trudged out, Jean-Paul turned to Bobby. “I’m capable of bellowing at students myself, you know.”
“Yeah, well,” Bobby said, dropping into a chair next to Jean-Paul. “I just like pushing them around.”
Jean-Paul leaned closer to Bobby. “Josh tried to revive me?”
Bobby hesitated. “Yeah,” he said. “He tell you that?”
Jeanne-Marie moved from her seat across the table to a chair next to her brother. She didn’t say anything, but her presence made Jean-Paul feel at ease. Nodding, Jean-Paul said, “I’ll need to talk to him later…”
After an awkward silence, Bobby said, “So, I’m not a block of ice anymore.”
“I can see that,” Jean-Paul said, taking in Bobby’s human form. “Lorna must be pleased.”
“Yeah,” Bobby said, fidgeting. “That. I ended that a while ago.”
Jean-Paul raised an eyebrow. “You did?”
Leaning his chair back on two legs, Bobby said, “Broke her heart. So much so that she had to run off the space to get over me.”
“Well, I think you’d be hard to get over,” Jean-Paul said. “Megan said there was a memorial service for me.”
Bobby leaned forward, until all four legs of his chair were on the ground. “The kids told you lots of things.” He glanced around the room. “I read that poem.”
“At my memorial service?”
“Yeah,” Bobby said. He glanced at Jeanne-Marie. “No one’s ever asked me to read something at their funeral before.”
“You should be flattered,” she said. “Jean-Paul is notorious for keeping people at arms length.”
“I was flattered,” Bobby said. “And I’m thinking now that I’ve read at Jean-Paul’s funeral, I might be in demand. Everyone will want me to read at their funeral.” He stared at Jean-Paul. “I need to stop saying the word ‘funeral.’ You’re sitting right here. In fact, I should probably leave you two alone.” Bolting out of his chair, he said, “We’ll grab lunch before Rogue and the rest of us ship out.”
“All right,” Jean-Paul said. After Bobby disappeared, Jean-Paul turned to his sister, who was smiling knowingly. “What?”
Jeanne-Marie wrapped an arm around him and laid her head down on his shoulder. “I’m seeing a side of you I don’t often get to see.”
“He makes me feel vulnerable,” Jean-Paul admitted quietly.
“It’s not just him,” she said. “You’re good with the children.”
“They would beg to differ with you most of the time.”
“You try so hard to keep your wall up,” Jeanne-Marie said.
Jean-Paul let out of long breath. “All the better to protect my heart.”
“Still, though. I think this place is good for you.” She pecked her brother on the cheek. “And I think Bobby could be good for you.”
Jean-Paul closed his eyes. “Perhaps.”
Fandom: X-Men (comicverse)
Pairing: Bobby/Jean-Paul
Rating: Eh. PG?
Disclaimer: I'm only borrowing them.
Spoilers: Anything up to and including X-Men Annual #1. See author's notes for details.
Summary: Jean-Paul tries to acclimate to being back at the school, and Bobby tries to acclimate to having Jean-Paul around again.
X-posted all over the place
Author's Notes: This story takes place right after Rogue and company take Jean-Paul and Jeanne-Marie to the SHIELD heli-carrier to have them deprogrammed. This chapter takes place before the current Pandemic storyline.
A/N #2: When the twins are alone, they're speaking French.
A/N #3: I've never seen concrete proof that Megan was in JP's flying class, but JP taught flying, and Megan flies. So it seems logical that she was in the class.
Chapter 1 (of 5)
***
Jean-Paul Beaubier placed a large piece of chocolate pie on a plate, and then turned to his twin sister. “Would you like more pie, Jeanne-Marie?”
“You are trying to get me fat,” she accused playfully.
He gazed at her fondly. “Never,” he said. Placing the pie on the table, Jean-Paul sat across from his sister. “It has been a while since I’ve enjoyed solid food. I intend to savor this pie.”
Jeanne-Marie rested her chin on one hand. “I have missed you, brother.”
“That is a comfort, Jeanne-Marie. Not many people can say that with a straight face.”
“That they’ve missed you? You have people here who seem to be pleased at your return.”
Jean-Paul glanced at his sister, and then focused his attention on the pie. “Perhaps.”
“Rogue seems pleased to see you. As does Robert Drake.”
Jean-Paul bit his lip. Bobby Drake was a sore subject with Jean-Paul, and not one he cared to discuss with his sister. Or anyone for that matter.
“You and I share a bond now,” Jeanne-Marie reminded. “I understand what he means to you.”
“Then you understand that talking about him makes me uncomfortable.”
“Fair enough.” Jeanne-Marie reached across the table and stroked her brother’s cheek. “You plan to remain with the school?”
“It is my home now,” he said. “You will stay with me?”
“My place is with you, brother.”
The twins both leaned across the table in unison and pecked each other on the lips.
Jeanne-Marie looked over her brother’s shoulder. “You realize we have an audience, brother?”
Jean-Paul glanced toward the doorway of the kitchen and saw a group of school’s young charges-Victor Borkowski, Alani Ryan, Josh Foley, Santo Vaccarro, Megan Gwynn, and Cessily Kincaid.
Victor smiled and waved. “Hi, Mr. Beaubier. Mr. Summers said you were awake.”
Santo piped up. “So, you’re not all night-of-the-living-dead anymore, right?”
Josh shot Santo a dirty look.
Letting out a weary breath, Jean-Paul waved them into the room. “Are you going to stand there and case the place, or are you going to come in?” After the group moved closer, Jean-Paul turned to Jeanne-Marie. “Sister, these are a few of our students.” After he introduced each student, he said, “Victor and Alani were in my squad.”
Megan bounced on her heels and looked for a moment like she might take flight. “I was in your flying class.”
“And Megan was in my flying class.”
Jeanne-Marie stood up. “I’m pleased to meet all of you.” When her eyes fell on Cessily, images of facing the child in combat flashed in her mind. She covered her mouth. “Are you…well?”
Cessily smiled. “I’m good. No hard feelings,” she said. “You should see how we fight for the remote around here.
“Is there any chicken left?” Santo asked, wrenching open the door of the refrigerator.
“We had a memorial service for you,” Megan blurted out. “There was a pretty good turnout, too!”
Josh buried his face in his hands and muttered something unintelligible.
Alani sat down in an empty chair. “Mr. Summers told us what really happened to you, Mr. Beaubier,” she whispered.
“You don’t have to whisper, Alani,” Victor said. “We were all at the assembly.” Leaning against the table, he asked. “Do you remember all the martial arts stuff the Hand taught you?”
Jean-Paul felt his breath hitch. “Yes, actually I do.”
Suddenly, Josh spit out, “Mr. Beaubier, I’m sorry.” His voice cracked. “I tried to save you, but I couldn’t. You…wouldn’t get up.”
Jean-Paul stared at the boy. “You…tried to revive me? Josh-”
Santo walked over to the table, a container of chicken resting in his arms. “Hey, Mr. B,” he said cheerfully. “We totally have something in common.”
Jean-Paul shot Santo a glare, and then looked back toward Josh, who had now walked a few steps away.
“Seriously,” Santo continued. “I died and came back, too.” He held up his rocky hand. “High five.” When Jean-Paul didn’t respond, Santo turned to Victor. “High five.”
Victor gazed at him. “Why should I high-five you? I haven’t died and come back.”
“Yeah, well, who’s the real X-Man?” He pointed at himself. “That would be me, the guy who died and came back.”
“So you’re a real X-Man, now, huh? Maybe you should change your name to Dream On.”
Santo squared his shoulders. “Why don’t we play Mutant Dodge Ball? You run and see if you can dodge my arm when I throw it at you.”
Jean-Paul sighed. “Oh, enough.”
“Are we bothering you?” Cessily asked quickly. “‘Cause Mr. Summers says we’re not supposed to bother you.”
Before Jean-Paul could answer, Bobby Drake blew into the kitchen. “X-Babies! Does this look like the game room?” He held the door open. “Scamper away and leave Mr. Beaubier and his sister alone.”
After the students trudged out, Jean-Paul turned to Bobby. “I’m capable of bellowing at students myself, you know.”
“Yeah, well,” Bobby said, dropping into a chair next to Jean-Paul. “I just like pushing them around.”
Jean-Paul leaned closer to Bobby. “Josh tried to revive me?”
Bobby hesitated. “Yeah,” he said. “He tell you that?”
Jeanne-Marie moved from her seat across the table to a chair next to her brother. She didn’t say anything, but her presence made Jean-Paul feel at ease. Nodding, Jean-Paul said, “I’ll need to talk to him later…”
After an awkward silence, Bobby said, “So, I’m not a block of ice anymore.”
“I can see that,” Jean-Paul said, taking in Bobby’s human form. “Lorna must be pleased.”
“Yeah,” Bobby said, fidgeting. “That. I ended that a while ago.”
Jean-Paul raised an eyebrow. “You did?”
Leaning his chair back on two legs, Bobby said, “Broke her heart. So much so that she had to run off the space to get over me.”
“Well, I think you’d be hard to get over,” Jean-Paul said. “Megan said there was a memorial service for me.”
Bobby leaned forward, until all four legs of his chair were on the ground. “The kids told you lots of things.” He glanced around the room. “I read that poem.”
“At my memorial service?”
“Yeah,” Bobby said. He glanced at Jeanne-Marie. “No one’s ever asked me to read something at their funeral before.”
“You should be flattered,” she said. “Jean-Paul is notorious for keeping people at arms length.”
“I was flattered,” Bobby said. “And I’m thinking now that I’ve read at Jean-Paul’s funeral, I might be in demand. Everyone will want me to read at their funeral.” He stared at Jean-Paul. “I need to stop saying the word ‘funeral.’ You’re sitting right here. In fact, I should probably leave you two alone.” Bolting out of his chair, he said, “We’ll grab lunch before Rogue and the rest of us ship out.”
“All right,” Jean-Paul said. After Bobby disappeared, Jean-Paul turned to his sister, who was smiling knowingly. “What?”
Jeanne-Marie wrapped an arm around him and laid her head down on his shoulder. “I’m seeing a side of you I don’t often get to see.”
“He makes me feel vulnerable,” Jean-Paul admitted quietly.
“It’s not just him,” she said. “You’re good with the children.”
“They would beg to differ with you most of the time.”
“You try so hard to keep your wall up,” Jeanne-Marie said.
Jean-Paul let out of long breath. “All the better to protect my heart.”
“Still, though. I think this place is good for you.” She pecked her brother on the cheek. “And I think Bobby could be good for you.”
Jean-Paul closed his eyes. “Perhaps.”