Author's Note- The song is "Ever the Same" by Rob Thomas.
Party Time
You're just one more hand me down
Cuz no one's tried to give you
What you need
So lay all your troubles down
I am with you now
I'm here for the hard times
The straight to your heart times
When living ain't easy
You can stand up against me
And maybe rely on me
And cry on me yeah
-Matchbox Twenty
"We've never been invited to a party before," Todd confessed to Jamie as he, Fred, and the younger boy walked down the stairs.
"Me either," Jamie said. "They said I was too young," he unconsciously thumped out his chest, "but I'm fifteen now."
"No drinking," Rogue ordered him as she walked past. Jamie sighed. Pietro was zooming around the room draining beers and other drinks with alarming speed. To everyone's shock Wanda had decided to show up. She tripped Pietro using her own powers as he ran by her.
"You're going to pass out if you keep that up," she warned.
"High metabolism," he said sticking his tongue out at her. It reminded her of when they were kids. She almost smiled.
"Let's play 'I've Never,'" Tabby said.
"Isn't that a drinking game?" Kitty asked.
"C'mon, it'll be fun," Tabby said.
"I, like, guess."
"Can I play?" Jamie asked.
"Yes, but with soda," Jubilee told him. They sat down in a big circle after getting out enough shot glasses for everyone.
"I'll start," Tabby said.
"This'll be a hard one," Ray joked.
"I've never stolen a friend's boyfriend or girlfriend," Tabby announced. Pietro was the only one who drank.
"I've never kissed," Jamie said. Everyone but him took a shot.
"Ah've never had sex," Rogue said. Remy, Betsy, John, Tabby, Pietro, Ray, and to everyone's shock Fred took a shot
"A gentleman never kisses and tells," he said of the shocked glances.
"Remy has never... had sex in a graveyard," Remy said. Betsy took a shot. Everyone stared at her for a full ten seconds.
"I've never had a threesome," Evan said. Fred and Remy took a shot.
"What the hell...?" Ray muttered. "Um... I've never had sex on the beach." Betsy, Remy, and Fred took a shot.
"Mon ami, y' have Remy's respect."
"I've never stolen anything," Roberto said. Remy, Ray, Tabby, Fred, Todd, and Pietro took a drink.
"I've never smoked," Rahne offered. Remy took a shot.
"I've never masturbated," Kitty said. All the guys, Jubilee, Tabby, Wanda, and Betsy took a shot.
"I've never been in a non-mutant related fight," Todd said. Fred, Kitty, Wanda, Rogue, Remy, and Roberto took a shot.
"I've never kissed a member of the same sex," Wanda said. Tabby, Remy, and Amara took a shot.
"Explain," Rogue said.
Remy shrugged. "Well, Remy was drunk and it was a game of truth or dare gone wrong… very wrong."
"A simple game of truth or dare with the other new recruits," Amara told them.
"I've never killed anyone," Betsy announced. Remy and John took a shot.
"Self-defense," they said together.
"I've never held up a store," Fred said. Remy, Todd, and Pietro took a shot.
"When?" Kurt asked the Brotherhood boys.
"When Mystique disappeared," Pietro said. "We really needed money, we had no choice. My turn. I've never had sex in front of a camera."
"Low blow speedy," Remy said taking a shot.
"Why?" Kitty asked.
"Long story," Remy shrugged.
"I've never posed in a magazine," Kurt said. Again Remy took a shot.
"Really?" Rogue asked.
"A little magazine back home," Remy said.
"Fully clothed?" Tabby asked.
"Oui."
"Darn."
John shot Remy a grin. "I've never been married."
"Damn it, John," Remy groaned taking a shot.
"You're married?" Rogue asked looking hurt.
"Was," Remy said, his speech getting a little slurred. "Belladonna, we were teenagers, and it was an arranged marriage."
"Anything ya haven't done?" Rogue asked.
"In Remy's defense most of dose t'ings were for Belladonna… or because of her."
"I've never dated a movie star," Amara offered. With a sigh Remy took another shot. "I thought I had him that time."
"Who?" John asked, having never heard that.
"Anne Hathaway, very briefly," Remy said.
Jubilee scratched her chin. "Um... I've never committed arson."
"Merci, p'tite," Remy said as John took a shot.
"Let's stop before Remy passes out," Kurt offered.
"Good idea, mon brave," Remy said.
Later
"Y'r de most belle femme in de world," Remy whispered to Rogue. The two sat on the couch.
"Right," Rogue muttered patting his hand absently.
"Non, y' are. Remy's an expert, neh?"
"Sure ya are," Rogue said.
"Stop placatating Remy! Remy be a homme, not a l'il fils." The Cajun sounded more like a petulant child than a man at the moment.
"Sorry, Gambit."
"Why do y' never call Remy, Remy?"
"Why do you never refer to yourself in the first person?"
"It's like y'r tryin' to distance y'rself from moi."
"Ah am. Give it up, Remy. I can't touch you. You can't want a girl who can't hold your hand much less kiss or have sex."
"Y' don't know what Ah want, chére," Remy told her sounding perfectly sober.
Across the room
"You're my new idol," Jamie told Fred. "How do you talk to girls? I always get nervous."
Fred looked a little uncomfortable with the attention. "It's not hard. Just look for an opening. If she's reading comment on the book, if you've never read it ask if it's good. If she's walking a dog comment on how cute it is. Above all be sincere, look into her eyes and smile."
"That's all?"
"Trust me, it's foolproof." He glanced at Todd who was staring longingly at Wanda. "Usually."
In another part of the room
"Kitty, I was, um, wonderin'... would ya like t' dance?" John muttered.
"Sure," an overly high voice chirped.
"Bugger off, Pietro," John growled.
"Poor Johnny-Boy can't talk to the Kitty-Cat," Pietro teased.
"Can't you leave me alone?" John asked almost pleading.
"Odds are against it," Pietro admitted. "So, what's going on? Talk to me."
"Why would I tell you anything, speedy?"
"Because I can help. I've known Kitty longer and I'm pretty good at talking to girls."
"Apparently not as good as Remy or Fred."
"I'm still reeling over the fact that he got any action. But I'm happy for him. And proud, my little Freddie us growing up." He put his knuckle in his mouth as though to fight off tears.
"You're a very strange bloke," John said wonderingly.
"Yeah, I know. So here's what you do. Stop being a coward. Just ask her. Kitty loves to dance. She'll say yes."
"You're right," John said.
"Of course I am."
"Okay. Here I go." He stood and made his way over to where Kitty was sitting talking to Wanda of all people. "Hey, I was just wonderin' if you'd like to dance?"
Kitty looked at Wanda as if for confirmation then smiled. "Um... sure."
"We were drawn from the weeds
We were brave like soldiers
Falling down under the pale moonlight
You were holding to me
Like a someone broken
And I couldn't tell you but I'm telling you now"
Kitty stepped into John's arms looking nervous. Not half as nervous as John, though. He placed his hands on her waist. He had never been as scared as he was when Kitty laid her head on his shoulder. She was trembling a little herself.
"We would stand in the wind
We were free like water
Flowing down
Under the warmth of the sun
Now it's cold and we're scared
And we've both been shaken
Look at us
Man, this doesn't need to be the end"
John slowly began to relax as he got used to the feeling of Kitty in his arms. She in turn was almost melting into his embrace as they swayed together. She couldn't remember the last time she had danced like this.
"Just let me hold you while you're falling apart
Just let me hold you so we both fall down"
"This is nice," she whispered, her breath hot against his neck.
He shivered. "Yeah. It is."
"Fall on me tell me everything you want me to be
Forever with you
Forever in me
Ever the same"
John was Lance's complete opposite. John was wild and sort of crazy, Lance always seemed to be in perfect control. John was a true romantic, she knew that from the incomplete manuscript she had pilfered from his room, Lance didn't have a romantic bone in is body. Plus, John was surprisingly gentle. He was there for her without imposing himself. He was around without being annoying. He was a good friend. She closed her eyes and wished briefly that she could let him be something more.
"Call on me
I'll be there for you and you'll be there for me
Forever it's you
Forever in me
Ever the same"
"I'm never doing this again," she had said to Logan
"Doing what again?" Logan had asked.
"Loving someone. It hurts." She was coming dangerously close to breaking that promise to herself.
"You okay, luv?"
"Yeah," Kitty smiled.
"You may need me there
To carry all your weight
But you're no burden I assure
You tide me over
With a warmth I'll not forget
But I can only give you love"
John shrugged closing his eyes again and just relishing the feel of her in his arms. He didn't know the next time that he'd be able to hold her like this.
"Fall on me tell me everything you want me to be
Forever with you
Forever in me
Ever the same"
Kitty took the time to breathe in John's scent. He smelled clean, she could only smell the soft scent of his aftershave. No cigarette smell like Lance always had clinging to him. She looked up into John's face and sighed. It would be very easy to fall for the Australian, if she let herself.
"Call on me
I'll be there for you and you'll be there for me
Forever it's you
Forever in me
Ever the same"