Destroying Love's Young Dream (RP for phasing_cat)

[watch_the_nails]

Victor didn't make it a habit of his to carry a phone with him anywhere, but lately, it seemed to be something of a good idea. For a start, trying to work the damn thing with his claws was irritating as hell, not to mention the annoying noises it made when it did ring. He could recall a time before phones had even been invented, and he remembered it as being blissfully quiet. Still, the thing had its uses occasionally.

...but now wasn't one of those times, at least as far as he was concerned. He was making his way through the woodland near to the house where he'd lately taken up residence, doing his best to track down a deer that he'd spotted in the past day or so, and the need to hunt was just burning in his blood. He'd finally managed to corner the creature a short distance away from the house when that damned phone had begun to ring.

Dammit!

Comments

[phasing-cat.livejournal.com]

Kitty couldn't believe she was actually doing this as she dialed Victor's number. Bobby had chosen Rogue, she should just accept that and move on... but something was keeping her from doing the one thing she should. Victor's idea of making Bobby jealous had stuck in her head from the second he'd said it. While she was sure he was still just trying to get her in bed, she didn't see any other options at this point.

She hit 'send' and waited for him to answer.

"Victor? It's Kitty. I've decided... let's do it."

[watch-the-nails.livejournal.com]

His initial irritation as having his hunt ruined was soon replaced by a warm, smug feel of satisfaction as he recognised the number that was calling. Grinning, he raised the phone to his ear with a wicked purr, unable to keep the pleasure from his voice as he spoke.

"Kitty, babe. You're makin' the right choice."

When he'd first talked with the girl he'd had the feeling that she could be won over. She was vulnerable, crying out for affection, and so blinded by her desire for this Bobby kid that she didn't even realised just how starved of it she really was. She'd be easy pickings - she just didn't know it yet. At least, that was how Victor saw the situation.

[phasing-cat.livejournal.com]

She bristled at being called 'babe', but held her tongue. He was doing her a favor, after all, she shouldn't bitch at him.

"I guess time will tell if I'm doing the right thing or not. Look, they're going out on a date tonight, and I found out where. Could you meet me there at 7? They'll already be there, so it will look like a coincidence." She hoped. She gave him the name and address of the restaurant before she could change her mind.

"And dress nice. You know, a jacket and tie? It's a pretty fancy place."

[watch-the-nails.livejournal.com]

"A restaurant?"

Somehow, Victor managed to bite back a sneer. Why the hell did she think he'd want to go to a restaurant? He sure as hell didn't look like the suit-and-tie type, and he'd barely set foot in a high-class eatery in his life. Still, just as Kitty had to remind herself that he was supposedly doing her a favour, Victor had to tell himself that the outcome would be worth all the effort. He was determined to mess up some young mutant's life, whether it be Rogue's or Kitty's or Bobby's - preferably all three. And if he got to fuck Kitty in the process, well, that just made things even better.

No way in hell was he doing any of this for anyone other than himself.

"Sure, fine. I'll be there. See you later, Kitty-cat."

He growled as he ended the call, already running over in his mind the preparations that he'd have to make. He'd need to wash, for a start, as well as finding some kind of a suit. Sighing, he headed back towards the house to begin getting ready.

[phasing-cat.livejournal.com]

She stared at the phone in her hand for a few minutes after he hung up. There's no going back now, she thought.

She quickly showered and got ready, putting on a little black dress she had bought a long time ago but never worn, and more makeup than she'd ever put on in her life. She hardly recognized herself in the mirror. Despite still feeling like a kid a lot of the time, she looked like a grown woman in the mirror. She reminded herself that she was nearly 18, this is how she should look.

She took a cab to the restaurant. It was a beautiful place, big glass windows all the way around and lots of white twinkling lights in the trees. It was obviously designed for romance, and as she waited outside she spotted Bobby and Rogue at a table near one of the fireplaces. She turned her back to them, she wasn't ready for him to see her yet, and pulled her wrap closer around her bare shoulders as she waited for Victor to arrive. Please let this work, please God.

[watch-the-nails.livejournal.com]

Victor turned up not long after seven. He wasn't really familiar with the idea of being fashionably late, and he figured he wouldn't get off to a good start with Kitty if he kept her waiting. The whole point was to impress her and make her act more favourably towards him, and he knew he couldn't do that by making her stand outside in the cold. He'd walked to the restaurant, as he tended to do everywhere; he didn't tend to drive or take lifts and old habits died hard. He couldn't help but notice the clothes the young mutant wore as he approached, noting the way they clung to her body and enhanced her figure. This Bobby Drake must have been one hell of an idiot to turn that down.

"Kitty?"

He spoke her name as he drew near. He was wearing a pair of trousers that weren't caked with mud for once, and a crumpled shirt which clearly hadn't seen an iron for months; still, it was a change from his stained old coat.

[phasing-cat.livejournal.com]

She smiled nervously as he approached. He looked nice... and uncomfortable. He stopped in front of her, and she had to crane her neck to look up at him. He was even more massive than she remembered... the thought crossed her mind that they must look ridiculous together.

"Okay, so if they ask, this is our third date, and you're crazy about me. We met at the park, you saw me feeding pigeons or something and couldn't resist talking to me or something like that." She was babbling but couldn't stop herself.

She had an idea, and reached up to hug him, standing on her toes. She wrapped her thin arms around his neck and whispered in his ear. "They're already inside, at the table by the fireplace. Can you see them? Are they looking?"

[watch-the-nails.livejournal.com]

He didn't need her encouragement to play up the part of the eager lover. Kitty clearly lacked confidence and to Victor, her desire for Bobby was merely a more deep-seated cry for affection and recognition; she just hadn't realised it yet, and the feral was more than happy to give her what she didn't even know she needed. He practically purred as she slid her arms around him, welcoming the touch of an attractive young female, and he glanced inside to try and see whether the supposedly happy couple were watching.

"Not sure," he lied, noting that Bobby and Rogue were so intent on each other at that moment that they weren't even paying any attention to whoever was standing outside. "Maybe you'd better make some more fuss of me. See if they notice."

[phasing-cat.livejournal.com]

She turned her head slightly and planted a light kiss on his cheek, then giggled a little and wiped off the lipstick she'd left behind. He was vibrating slightly, and for a moment she thought he might actually be purring, but then dismissed the idea. The idea that just a hug from her would inspire that reaction in anyone was unfathomable.

"I don't make fusses. This isn't going to work if I don't act like myself." She pulled back and took a deep breath before looking inside, disappointed to see Bobby and Rogue were oblivous to her presence. She turned back to Victor and forced a smile as her tiny hand practically disappeared in his. "Thank you for doing this. Are you ready?"

[watch-the-nails.livejournal.com]

His clawed hand closed around her own slim fingers a lot more readily than she may have thought. The truth was that Victor did feel proud to have Kitty on his arm, but probably not for the reasons she imagined; he wasn't getting any younger and he knew it, and having the chance to have people think he'd managed to ensnare such a prize as Kitty was one hell of a boost to his male ego. He couldn't have cared less what really happened with Bobby and Rogue, he just wanted to pose and strut like the Alpha Male he thought he was, show his dominance and mark his territory with a desirable female at his side.

"Ready as I'll ever be, sweetheart."

There was a hint of warmth in his voice, the satisfaction he felt becoming very obvious as he grinned down at her, revealing a glimpse of his sharp fangs.

[phasing-cat.livejournal.com]

His hand was warm and surprisingly comforting. The flash she saw of his fangs was less so, but it was now or never, so she walked with him into the restaurant. Kitty had thought ahead and made reservations, so the maitre d' led them straight to their table.

It couldn't have been more perfect if Kitty had picked it herself. Their table was behind Rogue, directly in Bobby's line of sight. Kitty saw him catch sight of her from the corner of her eye, but pretended like she hadn't seen him at all. It was a cute, intimate little table for two by the window, lit by the glow of a small candle. The maitre d' pulled out her chair for her, and she sat with a smile, looking across the table at Victor and forcing herself not to look in Bobby's direction.

[watch-the-nails.livejournal.com]

Despite his air of confidence and the near-swagger in his step as he strolled into the restaurant, Victor had barely felt so much like a fish out of water in his life. He wasn't used to suits and fancy dining; he wasn't used to visiting establishments where your feet didn't stick to the floor as soon as you walked in. His discomfort showed in the tense line of his shoulders as he took his seat, and the way he bared his fangs as he tried to fathom just what the hell he was supposed to do with two sets of knives and forks. He was so intent on investigating the cutlery that it took him a moment to realise Kitty was staring straight at him.

"So y'reckon we should... oh."

His voice trailed off as he caught a trace of Bobby's scent, resisting the urge to turn and look at the younger male. The boy was an idiot. If Victor had had two girls fighting over him, he'd have done his best to take as much as he could before they both realised what was happening.

[phasing-cat.livejournal.com]

"Hold my hand," she whispered, reaching across the table. He placed is paw, er, hand, over hers, and she smiled like she was smitten. They were in the spotlight, and now it was time to put on the show.

She opened her menu with her free hand and started looking. She looked back up at him and had to stifle a laugh, he couldn't have looked more out of place if he tried. "Don't worry, just follow my lead. Nobody cares if you use the wrong utensil, I definitely don't. Just don't forget to put your napkin in your lap." Maybe this was a bad idea, she thought.

[watch-the-nails.livejournal.com]

There was a part of Victor that wanted to tell Kitty to stuff this stupid charade, drag her out of the restaurant and force her to do what he wanted as soon as he had her alone - but he held back. If there was one thing he'd learned in his unusually-long life so far, it was that pleasure could be derived from trickery and deception almost as much as it could from bloodshed and lust; now was one of those times. He'd just have to be patient.

He nodded as he did as Kitty said, closing his clawed fingers about her own whilst placing the napkin in his lap with his other hand. He glanced across at where the happy young couple were seated and as he did so, he felt a surge of hatred rise up within him; he resented their contentment, resented their happiness and the way they could just sit there laughing and smiling, lost within each other. It was something Victor had never had - something he knew he never would have. It was nothing to do with how Kitty felt about things. He just wanted to destroy what Bobby and Rogue had out of sheer spite.

"You known him long?" he asked in a low growl, his gaze returning to the girl sitting opposite him. "You gotta want him bad t'go through all this."

[phasing-cat.livejournal.com]

She nodded. "Almost five years. He was the first friend I made when I came to the mansion. She just showed up a couple years ago and ruined everything." She shot a look that was as close to pure hatred as it came for her at Rogue's back.

"You see how she's almost completely covered? She can't even touch people without sucking the life out of them. He can't see that's what she's doing to him, but maybe this will show him there's a better alternative." She looked back at Victor with a smile. "Me."

She took a quick glance back at their table, and her eyes caught Bobby's. She smiled and gave a little wave, then focused on her 'date' again as if she was completely enamored. "So what are you going to have, sweetheart?"

[watch-the-nails.livejournal.com]

He watched with interest as Kitty described Rogue's ability, as well as her history with Bobby and a few other facts about the Westchester mansion he'd been hearing things about. He was genuinely intrigued by what she had to say, but not because he cared about the girl's feelings; Victor had his own agenda when it came to other mutants, and it had nothing to do with their well-being or happiness. He couldn't help but smile as the girl confidently stated that she was a good match for Bobby, since her certainty would make things a lot easier.

"Sweetheart?" He raised an eyebrow, too, at the pet name she chose for him. Terms of endearment weren't something Victor encountered very often. "Well, since y'asked, darlin', I'm gonna have the steak, an' the rarer the better."

[phasing-cat.livejournal.com]

She couldn't help but giggle at the way he called her 'darlin'. She knew it was fake, she knew he was being sarcastic... and yet it still made her heart flutter. He may be an animal, she thought, but he can still be kind of charming.

"That sounds good, I think I'll have the same thing. But cooked, not raw." She made a face, hoping it would make him laugh. She checked herself, trying to remember that she didn't really care if he liked her or not, as long as Bobby thought he did.

"So, I don't know very much about you. What's your mutation... other than the claws and the teeth?"

[watch-the-nails.livejournal.com]

Kitty's response to his choice of meal did make him laugh, a wicked chuckle emerging from his throat as she pulled a face. He'd expected that kind of reaction and it pleased him to know that he could make women feel discomfort, even in as a supposedly safe environment as this one. She already knew that Victor was interested in her body, and seeing her squirm like that only made him want her more.

Patience.

"Didn't I tell you that you gotta wait an' see 'bout that, kitty-cat?" he purred, hoping that she'd be intrigued. She could interpret his words in whatever way she wanted; he didn't mean them sexually, he just hoped that she'd tolerate him hanging around for a while longer out of curiosity if nothing else.

[phasing-cat.livejournal.com]

She made another face, obviously frustrated. "Fine, don't tell me, Vic. And I won't show you mine either." She smiled sweetly for anyone watching, her teeth clenched behind it.

The waiter chose that moment to arrive. They quickly placed their drink and dinner orders. The waiter kept looking sideways at Victor, and something about it annoyed the hell out of Kitty. She may not be in love with him, but any mutant being treated like a freak was unacceptable to her. She was about to ask him what his problem was when he left. Kitty squeezed Victor's hand, careful to avoid his claws.

"Well, there goes his tip. Jerk."

[watch-the-nails.livejournal.com]

Victor barely even noticed the waiter's attitude towards him. He'd grown so used to that kind of response over the years that it was second nature to him now; he tended to presume that every human would hate and fear him just because of what he was, and in a way, he revelled in it. Self-pity had long given way to arrogance and pride at what he could do. They expected a monster, and that's just what he'd give them.

"You're not gonna show me yours?" he teased, finding himself surprised at the way Kitty was still in voluntary physical contact with him. It was unusual for females to want that kind of connection; it wasn't something which he lost sleep over since, as with the way humans reacted to him, he'd long ago accepted that was the way things were. It didn't mean he didn't still find it startling at times, though. "Not even if I walk y'home an' don't try an' stick my hand down your top?"

[phasing-cat.livejournal.com]

She tilted her head at him and glowered, unsure whether she believed he would actually do something like that. She knew there were bad people in the world, but she'd never met one personally. Her ability to wrap her mind around the concept of someone forcibly touching her against her will was seriously lacking.

"As if you could." She raised an eyebrow at him. "No one touches me if I don't want them to." She felt secure in that statement, knowing that thanks to her ability, she could never really be hurt. It was one of the things she truly loved about having it, that constant sense of safety.

She slowly pulled her hand from Victor's and picked up her purse. "I'm going to go freshen up, I'll be right back." She smiled and stood, then walked back towards the entrance where she'd noticed the restrooms were. She could feel his eyes on her back and stood up a little straighter, sashaying her hips just a little more than usual.

Just as she turned down the small hallway that led to the restrooms, she heard a familiar voice call her name. She turned to find just who she'd hoped - Bobby.

"Hey, Bobby." She said with a satisfied smile.

[not-a-popsicle.livejournal.com]

"Kitty? What the hell is going on?"

He was dressed in a nice suit with a black jacket and tie. His blue eyes sparked with anger and worry, She was on a date with him. a brotherhood member and someone who'd seem more like he'd rip Kitty in two then take her out for dinner. Rogue had simply rolled her eyes and told him not to worry about it. But he did, and he was annoyed.

[phasing-cat.livejournal.com]

He looked good, so much so it almost distracted her from what was going on. Almost, but not quite.

"It's called a date. I assume you're familiar with the concept, since you're on one too." She put on the best annoyed and slightly innocent face she could manage. This whole acting thing was harder than she'd thought it would be.

"Why do you care?"

He grabbed her arm as she started to turn around.

"Kitty, whatever you think this guy, and I use the term loosely, wants, you're wrong."

She pulled herself out of his grasp, struggling to stay composed. "What he wants, Bobby, is me. Is that so hard to believe? Just because you didn't want me doesn't mean nobody does. So why don't you go back to your girlfriend, and let me enjoy my date with a real man in peace?" Her trip to the restroom forgotten, she stormed past him to go back to the table - and ran straight into Victor. She was so surprised she didn't have time to phase, and had to step backwards to keep from falling down.

"Victor?" What the hell?