Haruka's Fanfiction

Author's note: This is a 'what SHOULD have happened' fic based on a scene from the X-Men 2 movie/novelization. It was originally written for my spanking fanfiction ML. If spanking in fics bothers you, do NOT read further.


Enflamed (X-Men Movieverse)

By Haruka (haruka@ymail.com)

--

St. John Allerdyce was pouting. He tried to look like he didn't really care, but wasn't fooling anyone, least of all Scott Summers.

More harsh words might have been said after the incident in the food court except for that newsbreak on the tv about the attack on the president. Everyone had rushed back to the Xavier Institute after that, most pre-occupied with thoughts of the assassination attempt. On the way, however, Professor Xavier took Scott aside and they talked about what the children had done.

"We need to deal with the attack on the president as quickly as possible," he said, "but we must also impress upon those children the importance of control."

"I'll handle it, Professor," Scott told his mentor with confidence. "I'll teach them a lesson they'll remember, then I'll meet you in the conference room and we'll decide what to do about the would-be assassin."

The Professor nodded and said nothing more about it. Scott in turn went to tell John, Bobby, and Rogue that they were to report to the library as soon as they reached the Institute. That was the reason for John's pout.

By the time he and the other two walked into the library, the pout had turned into a scowl.

"This is bogus," he complained, dropping down onto the sofa and putting his feet onto the coffee table. He flicked his lighter on and off methodically.

"You're telling us?" Rogue turned to stare at him. "This is all YOUR fault!"

She was cute when she was angry, John thought, but that didn't mean he was going to accept all the blame.

"How so? Those creeps in the food court started it. I just finished it."

"Yeah, by setting one of them on FIRE!" Bobby exploded. "And you didn't finish it, _I_ did! If I hadn't coated that poor guy with ice, he --"

"Neither one of you finished it," Rogue interrupted. "The Professor did, and any minute now someone is going to come in here and finish _us_." She folded her arms and leaned back against the large desk, looking as if she might cry. "Thanks a lot, you guys."

"You did your part," John rested his arms on top of the couch as he leaned back to regard Rogue mischievously. "I saw you flirting with those guys."

Rogue's jaw dropped. So did Bobby's for that matter. Very satisfying, John thought as he grinned inside.

"I did _not_ flirt with them!" Rogue argued hotly, her Southern accent becoming thicker in her annoyance. "Okay, I smiled at them ONCE -- that's not an invitation!"

"They took it as one," John pointed out.

"Shut up!" Bobby told him. "You're just trying to shift blame off yourself and you know it!"

"I don't need to shift it -- there's plenty to share." John met Bobby's eyes evenly. "And don't tell me to shut up."

"I'll say anything I want to you when you act like a jerk!"

John jumped up off the couch and Bobby moved forward. Rogue quickly insinuated herself between them, yanking off her gloves and holding warning hands in their faces. "Knock it off, both of you, or I'm dropping you here and now!"

"That's enough!"

All three children turned to look at Scott in the library doorway. His eyes hidden behind his ruby quartz glasses as usual, his annoyance was nevertheless easy to see in the knit of his brow and the tension of his mouth. He walked in and shut the door.

"Don't you three know when to quit?" he asked. "Or maybe that's a stupid question considering what happened at the museum."

"Tell it to Pyro there!" Bobby accused. "He set some guy on fire!"

"At least _I_ was subtle about it," John retorted. "The ice prick here was the REAL show off -- everybody saw what _he_ did!"

"Watch your language," Scott warned him.

John winked in Rogue's direction. "Sorry. Forgot there was a lady in the room."

Sometimes John's flirting was appealing to Rogue, but not now. She gave him a dirty look in return.

"Rogue, why don't YOU tell me what happened?" Scott said, turning his gaze on the pretty girl.

Rogue sighed. As angry as she was with John, she didn't want to get him in trouble, and she wasn't so sure about how safe she and Bobby were in this, either.

"A couple of boys were talking to John and they took his lighter," she said. "The guy lit his cigarette with it and blew the smoke in John's face and ...."

"And?" Scott prompted, glancing toward John, who feigned boredom with a roll of his eyes.

"And ... John used his power," Rogue said.

"Only a little," John clarified. "Wasn't my fault his clothes and hair caught."

"Of course it was your fault!" Scott said angrily. "If you hadn't used your power at all he couldn't have gotten burned, could he?!"

"I don't know, he was pretty dumb-looking," John chuckled. "He probably could have burned himself just lighting his cig."

Scott glared at him for a moment, then looked back at Rogue. "Then what happened?"

"Um, the guy fell down and his arm was burning and so Bobby ...." She bit her lip, glancing at her boyfriend.

"I used my power to put out the flames since HE wouldn't do it!" Bobby said, shooting John a scathing look.

"Right out in the open?" Scott asked.

"Yes," Bobby admitted, then added defensively, "but I didn't have any choice! I--"

"You could have thrown your soda on him or smothered the flames with your jacket," Scott told him. "You didn't HAVE to throw your power at him in front of 100 people."

Now it was Bobby's turn to pout.

"How did the whole thing get started, anyway?" Scott asked. "What brought those kids to your table?"

"Um, I guess I did," Rogue said. "I sort of smiled at one. I didn't mean anything by it -- or at least I didn't mean what _he_ thought I meant."

Scott shook his head as he looked at the three of them. "This could have easily been a disaster. That boy could have died -- he may already be scarred for life. The fire could have spread --"

"Not with ME there to contain it," John remarked.

"Except that YOU weren't doing anything but enjoying the show!" Scott snapped. "A dangerous display of power in public is extremely detrimental to our cause, you should KNOW that by now!"

John shrugged. "It doesn't matter anymore. If the President really was attacked by a mutant, we're screwed, anyway."

"One issue at a time, John," Scott said grimly. "And right now, the issue is your carelessness and lack of self-control." He went around the side of the desk and pulled a flat wooden paddle out of the top drawer. Even John couldn't look nonchalant at the sight of that.

"What the hell is that for?" he asked.

"What do you think?" Scott said. "It's to impress a lesson on you about not showing off and holding onto your tempers. Obviously the last time you were grounded for it wasn't enough -- maybe this will be."

"Since when does anyone get PADDLED here?!" Rogue exclaimed.

"It's always been an option, even back when I was a student," Scott said. "It's just not one that's usually employed except in extreme situations."

"We don't have to put up with this!" John protested.

"You damn well deserve it, John," Scott told him frankly. "And if you're going to remain here, you're taking the punishment."

"All of us?" Rogue asked in a small voice.

"Yes," Scott answered. "I'm aware your part in this was smaller, Rogue -- your spanking will reflect that."

"I'm sure that's a comfort to her, considering she didn't DO anything," John snapped.

"For once I have to agree with the firebug," Bobby commented. "Rogue shouldn't get paddled."

Scott looked back and forth between the two boys and nodded. "All right, if that's the way you both feel. It's true that Rogue at least didn't use her power or contribute to the fight. BUT she didn't do anything to help it, either, so as her punishment, she can stay and watch the two of you get it."

Rogue gasped and the two boys exchanged a look of mutual trepidation.

"Robert," Scott said, gesturing toward the desk.

"Why me first?" Bobby asked, trying not to whine but fearing it came off that way anyhow.

Scott's body language changed in such a way that the kids got the definite impression he was losing patience. "I'm not going to tell you again," he said to Bobby. The teenager looked at Rogue and felt his face heat up. He was too nervous to lower his body temperature enough to hide it. He moved toward the desk and paused, looking at Scott quizzically.

"Jeans down, then over the desk," his teacher told him.

Bobby bit his lip and turned toward the desk. He unfastened his jeans and pushed them down, grateful that Scott was apparently going to allow him the dignity of his underwear. He placed his palms flat against the desktop, bending over slightly.

"You're going to want more stability than that," Scott suggested. "Bend right over and grasp the opposite edge."

Oh _no_, Bobby thought in horror, but the look on Scott's face did not allow further argument. Feeling more than a little self-conscious, he followed the X-Men leader's instructions. His backside was now presented perfectly for receiving the paddle and he wanted to just seep through the floor as if he were Kitty Pryde.

He felt Scott shift beside him and then the paddle cracked across his buttocks hard enough to make him gasp. He gritted his teeth and vowed not to make anymore noise during this punishment -- not in front of Rogue or John.

Rogue was biting her own gloved finger, fighting back tears as she watched Bobby get spanked. It wasn't fair, she thought. All he did was save a boy from being horribly burned. She looked at John to see if he was properly scared shitless awaiting his own turn.

He was smiling.

She wanted to wipe that smirk off his face in the worst way, but figured Scott's paddle would do that for her. And she planned to enjoy every blow he received, just as he was enjoying Bobby's.

On the other hand, Bobby wasn't enjoying it at all. His vow to remain silent was getting harder to maintain. Even through his underwear, the paddle was hurting. His pride was beyond hurt -- it was in the emergency room on touch and go. He wished he knew how Rogue was reacting and at the same time never wanted to know.

Most of all, he wished he could turn John Allerdyce into a mutant popsicle.

Scott was keeping careful track of how many blows he delivered to Bobby's rear end. He also didn't fail to notice how John was taking it.

Bobby had started to cry. Scott decided that was good enough cue for him to finish up this boy's punishment and start on the one who needed it more.

He gave Bobby two more swats, then put a comforting hand on his back. "Okay, Bobby, it's over. You can get up."

It took a moment before Bobby could force his fingers to release their death-grip on the desk, but when he finally did, he stood slowly. He brushed at his eyes with one hand and the tinkling sound of thin ice cracking could be heard as tiny shards hit the floor.

Scott waited until Bobby was dressed again before squeezing his shoulder so he would look at him. "I'm sorry I had to do that, Bobby, but you knew the rules and you broke them."

The teenager nodded resignedly and Scott pulled him into a brief hug. "Good boy," he said softly, then pushed him gently in Rogue's direction. "Don't go anywhere," he told them, then looked toward John. The boy's face took on a guarded look.

"What?" he asked tersely.

"It's your turn," Scott said. "Pants down and over the desk."

John gave a snort meant to sound like he was scoffing at the idea. The anxiety in his eyes and the way he stepped backwards contradicted the bravado. "No," he said.

"I'm not kidding around, St. John," Scott said sternly, using the teenager's full name. "If you won't submit to punishment you'll have to leave the Institute."

Now John laughed for real. "Right, like the Professor would throw a kid out on the street! I've got nowhere to go and he knows it." He headed for the door.

Scott Summers rarely lost control, but since Bobby had gone through his punishment, he wasn't willing to let John escape his. In two strides, he had caught John by the shoulder and spun him around --

Only to find a lighter in front of his face. With the flame ignited.

Scott remained still. If John activated his pyrotic power, he'd be disfigured at best. Dead more likely.

Then the flame and the lighter were both encased in a thick coat of ice. John gasped and dropped it, turning to glare at Bobby and giving Scott the opening he needed. The X-Men leader grabbed John's arm and twisted it behind his back, then steered him toward the desk, forcing him to bend over it.

"NO!" John yelled, struggling. Bobby pointed to the floor under John's feet and made a thin coating of ice form there. John found he could no longer get stable footing, and that coupled with his arm behind his back kept him face down on the desk.

"Wait, Scott!" Rogue called out.

Oh, thank you, Rogue, John thought gratefully. He had liked her for a long time, but she was always so wrapped up in Bobby that he'd started to think she didn't like him at all, even as a friend --

"You forgot to take his pants down," Rogue said helpfully.

John felt as if he'd been stabbed through the heart. He didn't have time to dwell on it, though, because next thing he knew Scott was unfastening his pants and yanking them down, leaving him in his underwear.

Then came the paddle. It cracked across his bottom mercilessly. The shock of pain caused him to cry out at the first blow, after which he ground his teeth together to keep from doing it again.

It wasn't easy. Over and over the paddle descended, burning heat building in his flesh. He fought to gain purchase with his feet, but his shoes still slipped on the ice and all he succeeded in doing was wriggling around pathetically and making it even harder to draw breath against the desk.

The cracking of the paddle was loud, and the explosion of pain with each blow matched it. This isn't fair! John thought angrily. They all ganged up on me! I wouldn't _really_ have hurt Scott! Why does Rogue like Bobby so much? Why did she go out of her way to hurt me like that?

Something tickled his nose and he realized tears were streaking down his face. His nose grew stuffy and he opened his mouth to breathe, then was caught off-guard when another painful blow came and a strangled cry escaped him.

"Scott, I think he's had enough," he heard Bobby say. John resented the interference. Mind your own business, you jerk. You just want to look like a hero for Rogue --

He felt Scott release his arm and John slowly moved it off his back, letting the feeling come back to it before trying to push himself up. He felt his feet slip out from underneath him on the icy patch and although Scott tried to grab him, he went down hard on his sore backside, tangled up in his lowered jeans.

He could feel Scott trying to help him up, but he didn't want his help -- he didn't want anything from him. He looked like a fool sprawled on top of Bobby's ice with his pants down around his ankles and tears still streaming down his cheeks. Rogue was staring at him -- oh God, was that pity in her eyes?!

Then Bobby started over, offering a hand to pull him up, and that was it, John couldn't take any more. He shoved Scott away from him and rolled off the ice patch, then yanked his pants up, found his feet and tore out of the library, shouldering roughly between Bobby and Rogue as he went.

"You all right, Scott?" Bobby asked, going over to help him up.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Scott said, shaking his head in self-disgust. "I should have known that would go badly with him."

"He didn't give you much choice," Bobby said wryly.

"Should we go after him?" Rogue asked.

"No, he'll want to be alone," Scott said. "I'll talk to him later. Right now I've got to get to that meeting with the Professor about the assassination attempt." He gave Bobby's back a pat before walking out of the room.

Rogue sighed and Bobby put an arm around her. They were turning toward the door, when Rogue spotted something. "Bobby, look."

He followed her gaze to a spot on the carpet by the desk. John's lighter lay in a small puddle of water.

Rogue went over and picked it up, looking back at Bobby, their eyes meeting with the same statement in them -- 'He must be _really_ upset if he left this behind.'

--

John locked himself in his room, not caring that it was Bobby's room, too. His butt hurt, and unlike his roommate he didn't have the power to lower his skin temperature in precise places. The burn from Bobby's spanking had probably dissipated the moment he could do so without Scott noticing.

Wiping his eyes with his sleeve, John thought about how Bobby made the ice patch under his feet to keep him from escaping. He also thought about how Rogue betrayed him, and how Scott abused him.

No one cared about him here. Why did he even bother sticking around? Oh, right. Like he told Scott, he had nowhere else to go.

For now.

--

(2003)

X-Men is owned by Marvel.

This fic is not to be re-posted.