(no subject)

[un_gloved]

Rogue had been good at pool before she got to the island. Now she was a master. She cracked the racked balls with one deft shot and sunk two. She gave a low, pleased whistle and moved around the table to set up her next one. The jukebox was playing an Emmylou Harris song. She'd finally gotten it to play real country.

"J'ai fait tout, j'ai fait tout. Ce que j'ai pu. J'ai fait tout, j'ai fait tout ce que j'ai pu.'

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[pokerplayereyes.livejournal.com]

Ned hadn't been able to work out the game that Rogue was playing, so he was sitting with one foot up on the table and a book across his knees, his glasses low on his knees.

"What are you doin'?" he said, for the third time.

[un-gloved.livejournal.com]

"Playin' pool!" she said brightly, with a wide smile and an innocent shrug.

"If you want me t'teach you, you just haveta ask," she continued, shooting him a self satisfied, teasing little smile over her shoulder.

[pokerplayereyes.livejournal.com]

"I reckon I'm okay," said Ned, doubtfully, though he didn't stop watching her as he flicked through the book in his lap. "You carry on."

[un-gloved.livejournal.com]

"Oh, I will," she promised, twirling the pool cue in one hand for a moment before catching it with both and leaning over, setting up her next shot. She liked playing the tricky ones, when she played alone.

"I'm aces at carryin' on." She sank another two balls, and looked over at him as she circled the table again.

"Whatcha readin'?"

[pokerplayereyes.livejournal.com]

He lifted the book, showing her the cover.

"Viva la Revolution," he said. "It's about some revolution in some place called France. Bloody wizards and their bookshelves."

[un-gloved.livejournal.com]

"I speak French," Rogue said, and sang along with the timely lyric from the jukebox.

"J'ai fait tout, j'ai fait tout. Ce que j'ai pu." Her voice was melodic, as husky when she half-sung as when she spoke. She knocked the cue neatly across the tabletop and knocked one neatly into a corner pocket.

"It's a country on Earth."

[pokerplayereyes.livejournal.com]

"An' earth is where you come from, right?"

He turned his head against the back of the couch to watch her more closely as she moved around the table. The last couple of days, he'd had a hard time stopping watching her.

[un-gloved.livejournal.com]

"Yup. It's across th'ocean from the country I'm from. Probably an atlas somewhere I could- ah," she said, setting the cue down and leaning against the pool table, lifting a ball out of a pocket.

"If this is th'Earth," she said, and pointed as she spoke, "North America's here, 'n Europe- where France is- is about here. Long flight."

[pokerplayereyes.livejournal.com]

"Fly? What? Like birds?"

Ned arched an eyebrow and put his book down across his knees.

"Come over here and show me that again."

[un-gloved.livejournal.com]

Rogue padded over, absently dragging the top of her foot along the back of her calf when she stopped in front of him, offering up the six ball.

"Fly. Like birds. We've got airplanes, flyin' machines. People c'n ride in 'em and get all over the world, real fast."

And also she could fly. Like birds. Or had flown. The weekend had reminded her of how badly she missed it, how much she loved it.

[pokerplayereyes.livejournal.com]

"You're havin' me on," said Ned, looking up at her, with a faint smile lingering around his mouth. "It's not nice."

[un-gloved.livejournal.com]

"I'm doin' no such thing. Look." She went to the bookshelf, looking over the spines.

"C'mon, don't hold up- ah!" She drew a book down, then went and sat by Ned, offering the book (http://www.amazon.com/Flight-Years-Aviation-Jonathan-Metcalf/dp/0789489104/ref=sr_1_12/104-7257118-9555926?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1182115018&sr=1-12). "See?"

[pokerplayereyes.livejournal.com]

Ned leant over to look at the book, his arm against hers as he studied the book.

"Bloody hells."

[un-gloved.livejournal.com]

She leaned against him a little and pretending not to notice that she had.

"I c'n tell you one wilder," she said, eyebrows lifting a little, tucking her hands under her knees.

[pokerplayereyes.livejournal.com]

Ned turned his head, almost close enough that his nose touched her hair.

"Oh, yeah?"

[un-gloved.livejournal.com]

"Mmn-hmmn," she said, idly tracing her fingertips along the spine of the book.

"Y'know how I used t'have powers?"

[pokerplayereyes.livejournal.com]

"Yeah," said Ned, absently brushing the tips of his fingers over her wrist. "Yeah, you told me."

[un-gloved.livejournal.com]

Goose bumps ran up her arm, stemming from the touch. She hesitated, looking over at him, glancing over his face which was closer than she had, genuinely, realized, then looked back down again.

"That was one of 'em. 'n the one I miss the most."

[pokerplayereyes.livejournal.com]

Ned's hand stopped, his fingers on the bone of her wrist.

"Wait," he said, eyes suddenly wide. "You could fly?"

[un-gloved.livejournal.com]

She nodded, expression wistful, eyes on the cover of the book.

"Yup. I could just step off the ground 'n go."

[pokerplayereyes.livejournal.com]

Ned thought about this for a moment, thought about questioning her, but then he remembered the look in Keel's eyes, and the question that he'd asked.

From how far back?

His hand slid down, his fingers threading quickly with hers to squeeze her hand.

"You must miss it."

[un-gloved.livejournal.com]

"More'n just about anything," she admitted. "It could be hard, but havin' powers was... well, not just a responsibility." She looked up at him and smiled.

"It could be wonderful."

[pokerplayereyes.livejournal.com]

"M'sorry," said Ned, thinking about the things that he missed and now they weren't nearly as special as flying.

[un-gloved.livejournal.com]

"Don't be silly," she said, ducking her head slightly. "Nothin' t'be sorry for. Take the changes as they come. I can't fly anymore, but I can-" She hesitated, looking at their hands where they sat, still clasped.

[pokerplayereyes.livejournal.com]

He looked at their hands, clasped together on the couch cushion and raised an eyebrow.

"What?"