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A Diamond in the Rough	By : DrunkenScotsman Category: X-Men - Animated Series (all) > General Views: 4702 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own X-Men, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 20
- 21
Chapter 21: Mercurial Maneuvers

Emma managed to answer her phone with a steady-voiced “Hello?”
A deep, silky voice from the other end asked, “Miss Emma Frost, I presume?”
“This is she. I just saw Father’s message that you’d be contacting me, Mr. Shaw.”
A deep chuckle. “I hope it wasn’t too presumptuous of me, but when your mother offered your number, I could hardly turn her down.”
“Of course not, sir,” Emma replied, fighting to keep her voice even. “That would have been most uncouth.”
“I’m pleased you understand.”
“I do wish she’d asked first, but what’s done is done,” she added in a light tone that belied her actual feelings on the matter. “Honestly, Mr. Shaw, I was beginning to wonder if I’d hear from you again.”
Another deep chuckle. “Business matters have required my attention since we met at your parents’ house at that party,” Shaw replied. “However, when my personal assistant informed me that the Bolshoi would be performing Le Papillon in Boston tonight, I immediately thought to invite you, Miss Frost.”
The Bolshoi? Emma’s jaw dropped in a most unladylike fashion, and she felt a swell of relief that no one could see her. “That’s quite thoughtful of you, Mr. Shaw. Awfully short notice,” she chided in a tone that she hoped would read as ‘playful’ over the phone, “but I’ll excuse it since your pronunciation was flawless.”
“Unintentionally so, I assure you,” replied Shaw smoothly; Emma couldn’t quite tell if he was referring to the short notice or to the pronunciation. “Your mother assured me you’re on break, so an outing like this won’t interfere with your classes.”
Blast – there goes the simplest rationale for declining, Emma groused to herself. Aloud, she replied, “Opportunities like this don’t present themselves often, do they?”
“I hear Winston in those words,” replied Shaw in an approving tone, and Emma couldn’t deny the thrill that filled her on hearing it. “Your mother gave me your address; shall I pick you up at six?”
Emma swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. “How could I possibly decline the Bolshoi?”
There came a pregnant pause before Shaw responded, “Miss Frost, I look forward to seeing you tonight.” Emma recognized the subtext: Wear something nice. “Until then.”
He hung up, and Emma let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. On unexpectedly-shaky legs, she returned to her “guests” in the living room, where she returned to her previous spot on the sofa. “Apparently,” she began, staring at the wall, “I have a date tonight.”
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jean pinch the bridge of her nose. “With that Shaw creep? Seriously? Emma, I thought we agreed – that guy’s bad news. Why would you go on a date with him?”
Emma flushed, and her eyes flicked towards the redhead. “It’s the Bolshoi,” she replied in a tone indicating that her reasoning should thus be obvious, “performing La Papillon. I’ve wanted to see that one for ages now. I couldn’t possibly turn that one down.”
“How thoughtful of him,” Jean replied sourly.
Xavier studied her over his steepled fingers. “Miss Frost, while you were on the phone with Mr. Shaw, Jean brought me up to speed.” His eyes seemed to bore into her. “I’m afraid I must partially echo her sentiments.”
Emma pursed her lips and shot a displeased look at her redheaded friend. Jean folded her arms in response. An idea struck. “Professor Xavier, have you had dealings with Mr. Shaw?”
“Not directly,” he replied in a measured tone, “but I do know that he’s handled shipments for Worthington Industries.” He turned partway to Jean. “They manufactured many of the structural components in the basement, including Cerebro.”
Jean nodded. “Weren’t you in contact with a Warren Worthington about joining the Institute?”
Xavier’s eyes narrowed. “Indeed, though I hadn’t intended to mention it with Miss Frost present.”
“Sorry, Professor,” Jean apologized sheepishly.
Emma smoothed her dress. “I was about to ask if you knew whether Mr. Shaw is a mutant.”
Xavier smirked. “Unfortunately, I’d rather not disclose anyone else’s status if they’re not directly affiliated with the Institute.” He regarded Emma thoughtfully. “Or, for that matter, to anyone unaffiliated. Not unless I suspected someone were in grave or immediate danger.”
Jean frowned, clearly unhappy with that. “I still have a bad feeling about this. Please be careful, okay?”
A small smile alit on Emma’s lips. It feels nice that she’s this concerned. “If it’ll set your mind at ease,” she offered, “I could text you at intermission to check in, or when I get back.”
Jean considered that, her fingers fidgeting among her long, crimson tresses. “If I don’t hear from you, I’m using Cerebro to find you.”
Xavier’s eyebrows shot up.
Jean raised her chin unapologetically. Almost defiantly.
“I wasn’t planning to deny the request, Jean, but it would’ve been polite to ask,” Xavier chided, though the warmth in his tone indicated he held no ill will toward his student.
“I assure you, sir,” interjected Emma, “it would be a moot point anyway.” Her eyes flicked to her friend. “I’m a woman of my word.”
Jean tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “It’s not you that I’m worried about.” Her brows knitted together. “Er, well, I am worried about you, but—”
“I knew what you meant,” interjected Emma, a bit sharper than she’d meant to.
Xavier stood and half-bowed to Emma. “Ladies, allow me to excuse myself. I have other matters to attend to, but you two are most welcome continue your conversation privately. Miss Frost, it’s been a pleasure to meet you. If there’s ever anything I can do for you, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Directly, or through Jean if you’re more comfortable with that. Until we meet again.” He smiled warmly at both young women and faded away.
Jean scooted to the edge of the sofa, closing the distance between them. “Listen, Emma, I…” She ran her fingers once more through her long, crimson locks. “I think I owe you an explanation, and maybe an apology.”
Emma turned to face her counterpart more directly. “Not at all, Jean darling. I appreciate that you’re so worried about my safety. I doubt Mr. Shaw will do anything that would jeopardize his business relationship with Father.”
The redhead nodded. “I don’t think my concerns are entirely unfounded. I have such a bad feeling about this Shaw creep.” She sighed. “But… I also know myself well enough to recognize that I’m jealous.”
Emma smirked. “Don’t tell me you have designs of your own on Mr. Shaw,” she teased.
Jean gagged. “Ew, no. Not remotely.” She shuddered before continuing, “Before I dated Scott, I would get so jealous when other girls would flirt with him or get close to him. Even while I was dating someone else. Even when it was Rogue, whom I consider a dear friend, even if we weren’t super close at the time… or aren’t even now, for that matter.”
“Which one was she?”
“The one not wearing a swimsuit in the beach photo,” supplied Jean. “It has to do with her powers, but it’s not my place to get into that with someone she doesn’t know.”
Emma shrugged. “Not important to your point anyway, I think.”
Jean shook her head. “At the time, I didn’t recognize my jealousy towards Scott meant that my feelings for him weren’t simply platonic.”
Emma’s brow furrowed. “But you’ve already had that particular epiphany regarding me.”
A warm smile spread across Jean’s face. “True.” Her smile faded. “In this case, I think I’m jealous that someone else can openly take you out on a date…”
“… when you and I couldn’t do the same,” Emma filled in. “At least, not without consequence.”
Jeans’ smile saddened. “That’s it exactly.” She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair again before brightening. “Or not without great care. Maybe we can figure something out when we get back to campus.”
Emma blinked for a moment before a small smile formed on her lips. “I’d like that.”
With that, Jean reached over to take Emma’s hand. Emma started, not expecting to feel the warmth of the redhead’s skin against her own. She stared at their hands for a long moment before returning her gaze to those green eyes she so admired. “I don’t understand,” she confessed. “You’re not actually here, so how…?”
“The mind makes it real,” the other telepath answered with a cryptic smile.
She leaned closer.
Emma leaned in as well.
Their lips met, and the warmth of them flooded Emma’s senses. Jean tasted just how Emma remembered. She missed the scent of Jean’s shampoo, though.
The kiss deepened. Jean’s other hand cupped Emma’s cheek, and Emma placed her hand atop it. Emma sighed through her nose with bone-deep contentment.
Something rough and lithe brushed Emma’s lower lip. After momentary surprise, she deduced that Jean had licked her. Jean repeated the action, and Emma decided that she most certainly liked the sensation.
When Emma responded in kind, their tongues collided. Emma’s first instinct, filled with embarrassment at the snafu, was to break the kiss. Jean, however, seemed to seek out Emma’s tongue with her own, soon stroking and nuzzling in ways Emma would never have thought to do on her own, though she tried to match Jean’s movements. Her hand trailed down Jean’s forearm.
Jean moaned into Emma’s mouth.
Something blossomed inside Emma at the sound, something hot and needy, so unprecedented that it almost felt foreign, except that it also felt so deeply rooted as to have always been part of her. She couldn’t name it. She couldn’t begin to describe it.
All Emma knew was that she wanted more.
More of this feeling.
More of whatever was happening between her and this beautiful, kind, brilliant, heroic redhead.
More of something else, too, something inchoate, something she’d never felt before but which sang through every vein and every nerve in her body.
Not that she’d get what she wanted just now: Jean pulled away, ending the kiss with one last, teasing tug on Emma’s lower lip with her own.
For her part, Emma’s eyes fluttered open, and she panted for breath. Heat seemed to suffuse her whole body.
Jean’s cheeks glowed, and she flashed her friend a flustered smile. “Sorry,” she murmured, “I forgot we weren’t going to pursue this.”
Once Emma could trust her voice, she replied, “You’ve made a compelling counterargument.”
“How so?”
“Our telepathy gives us ways to pursue this safely,” Emma answered with a flash of insight. “That was the subtext of… all that, wasn’t it?”
Jean laughed. “Not intentionally. I just wanted to kiss you again.”
Emma harrumphed amusedly. “Fine, fine. At any rate, after that, this mutant power… it seems, for the first time, like it could actually be a gift after all.”
Jean laughed again. “Don’t say that, Emma! It only makes me want to kiss you some more.”
Emma raised her chin. “I wouldn’t object, Jean darling.”
Jean shook her head and pulled even further away, but the warmth of her smile made Emma’s heart flutter away any ill feelings. “Tempting, but I should probably go train with Wolverine like I promised. And you have a date tonight, remember?” she added sourly.
Emma pursed her lips and stood. “It’s for the good of my family, namely Father’s business relationship with Shaw.” She fixed her friend with a meaningful look. “While I do find him intriguing, he doesn’t spark the same feeling inside me that I feel around you. I may be… inexperienced in such matters, but I’ve begun to recognize the difference.”
A flush of pink painted Jean’s cheeks. “Again, it’s not you I don’t trust; it’s Shaw.” Her tongue darted (most distractingly) between her lips (also attention-grabbing). “Just…don’t forget to call or text me so I know you’re okay.”
“Of course, Jean darling. Could I convince you to help me pick my outfit?”
Jean chuckled and shook her head.“I wish I could, but I really do have to go. Talk to you later, Emma darling.” With that, the redhead waved and vanished, leaving Emma to prepare for her date.
The clock showed she had just under three hours.
Plenty of time.
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A/N: I honestly didn't expect them to kiss again so soon, but that's what felt right as I was writing. I think I also wanted to reestablish the main relationship of this story on stabler footing before getting into Emma's date with Sebastian Shaw.Also, the title of this chapter is the title of a ballet, but one that seemed fitting for a chapter that seemed to surprise me with where it went.Please leave your thoughts (good, or bad, or mixed) in a review!
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A Diamond in the Rough