Title: Of Blind Dates and Beards

Author: The Xylia

Genre: Humor

Rating: G

Description: Bobby is going on a blind date, but he has to figure out how to get out of the mansion without being noticed. And he thought that was his biggest problem…

Universe/time: AU: Set directly after X1, but Logan has come back before any of the X2 events. (Nightcrawler, etc.)

Spoilers: From X-Men 1

Disclaimer: The idea of X-Men and mutants all belong to Marvel comics, the creators of the X-Men comics, 20th Fox Century, and anyone else officially involved with X-Men. I am not making any money from this. However, this story-line and Bobby's date are mine; please don't use/steal them.

Other author's notes: Very short chapter, I know, but there'll probably be quite a few of them.

As I develop this, I'm beginning to wonder if it's a very strong plotline, but I absolutely had to follow the plot bunny, so…It should be funny, at least.

Telepathy is in italics, though I'm not sure there'll be any in here.

I would appreciate correction of any wrong details if I happen to use anything from the comics, which I don't know tons about.

"I can't believe I did this." The speaker, Bobby Drake, aka Iceman, looked completely miserable.

"So skip it," his roommate and best friend advised. "What's the big deal?"

"You don't understand!" Bobby exclaimed. "If I skip it, she'll never talk to me again. And she's not going to accept my saying I'm sick or something, because she's already fed up with my constant putting her off."

John sighed in annoyance. "So what if she doesn't talk to you again? You just know her through that idiotic dating site."

"She's the only girl I can get to talk to me!" Bobby protested forcefully. "And the purpose of the date is to know her off the 'Net. Look, can't you distract the teachers so I can get away for a few hours? I've done the same for you."

"Name one time when I actually asked you to cover for me for something this crazy." When Bobby opened his mouth, looking like he was going to recite a few dozen, John realized his he had asked for cover several times before, for things Bobby probably considered crazy. Shoving the thought aside, John added quickly, "And the girls do talk to you."

"Yeah, to tease me," Bobby retorted. "Oh fine, they do talk to me, but can you imagine anyone else actually wanting to go with me? This girl does! Please, you wouldn't deny your best friend what might be his only date ever, would you?"

John eyed the teenager kneeling before him, outstretched hands clasped together in the classic begging position. "Oh, all right," he snapped sourly. Bobby's whole face lit up as he quickly stood.

"Great!" Bobby exclaimed happily. "I was thinking I could be sick tonight. If anyone we don't trust tries to see me, you make the smoke detectors go off. Simple!"

John glared at him. "How long do you think it'd take Cyclops to figure out who caused the fire?"

"We'll put plugged in appliance things next to the smoke detectors, along with the candles you'll make flare up. He'll just think someone was careless."

John threw up his hands in exasperation. "You have this all planned out, don't you?" he muttered snidely. "Fine."