••••

I call up Stephanie to ask if she wants me to pick her up or meet her at the party. There is only ever one cosplay party this time of year, and while I've always known about it, I've never been comfortable going alone.

"Come get me, and we'll go together," she says, and I can tell that she's excited about me going. "Who are you going as? I want to see if we'll match," Stephanie asked.

"Uh-uh," I tell her while smiling, though I know she can't see me.

"You get ready, and we'll see how well we match when I get there," I replied. She protests, but in the end, I win out....

I knock on her door a short while later, and Stacy answers.

"Gambit, huh? Now I know what to dress as!" Stacy tells me, while grinning triumphantly. She's trying to pretend she's Stephanie again.

"You're going too, Stacy?" I ask, and then laugh when she pouts that I know who she is.

"How do you DO that?" she demands, but I give her an enigmatic smile in response.

"Well, no. I got invited to another party, and I'm looking forward to it. Good choice of costume, though you're a little too well-built for it. Gambit's tall, but with your current build, you're a little wider than he is," Stacy said mockingly.

"Is that a fat joke?" I ask, poking her in the sides, playfully.

She laughs and then yells up the stairs, "Stephanie, Nick is here. You're safe to come out."

I wonder at the last part, but when I see Stephanie, I understand.

She's dressed up as Rogue, up to and including dying her hair red, except for a white spot in front. Her blue eyes sparkle as she smiles widely, seeing me in my matching outfit.

"I guess we match after all," I tell her, returning the smile. She runs to me and flings her arms around my neck before kissing me.

"I've missed you," she says breathlessly, coming up for air a few moments later.

I wrap my arms around her thin waist, and love how her outfit hugs her curves.

"Mon, chere, your touch truly does entice da life right outta da Gambit," I quote playfully.

She laughs at my accent, and I realize just how much I've missed the sound of her musical laugh.

"I've missed you. And your cute laugh, and long lashes, and beautiful eyes, and.... Shall we go?" I ask her, giving her a tight squeeze behind.

Her mouth moves to a pouty position, and in her Rogue outfit, I think it's pretty cute.

"You don't want to fool around first?" she asks me.

"Is it always sex with you?" I ask her, remembering when she'd used a similar line on me a while ago.

She laughs at the turnaround and drags me out the door.

The party is at a large house, bordering on a mansion, and there is music blaring everywhere, lights flashing, and costumes galore. Considering how cold it is outside, I'm surprised by how skimpy some of the outfits are; some are barely legal in public.

I immediately excuse myself to the bathroom and put in my contacts. When I return, Stephanie has moved away from the spot I'd left her at, but I only have to sense for her switches to find her.

To my surprise, she is chatting with another Rogue. I grab us a couple of drinks and join them. The other Rogue is pretty cute, I can't deny, but I can tell she is wearing blue contacts and a wig. Stephanie's costume is easily better.

Stephanie doesn't notice I'm there until I hand her a drink.

"Oh, you're back," she says, barely glancing at me.

"Nick, this is Mary. We have a few classes together." By her tone, it doesn't sound like she enjoys those classes.

"Nick, huh? Cool contacts." Mary says, turning the full effect of her bright blue eyes on me. She places her hand on my chest and gets a little uncomfortably close as she gazes into my black eyes.

"They can just draw you in, can't they?" Her lips part, and I know she is giving me the go-ahead to kiss her by the way she is looking at me, and the shape she makes with her red lips.

I step back and turn my back on her. I'm here with Stephanie, and no matter what I may do when I'm not with her, I'm not going to kiss another woman in front of her.

Stephanie looks at me for the first time since I got back, and I see she is startled by my eyes. She quickly gets over it, though, as she gives me a quick peck on the cheek and a, "Thank you."

She takes my arm and pulls me away. When we're far enough away, which is not too far considering the music, I lean over and ask what that'd been about.

Stephanie studies my face for a bit before answering.

"That's just Mary. We've been rivals since elementary school. She's always been jealous of me and wants whatever I have, including boyfriends."

She glares over at Mary, who is smiling at us. Apparently, the rival knows we're talking about her. I don't doubt that Mary has been successful in the past at stealing men. Dressed as she is, she looks absolutely stunning. I still find Stephanie more attractive, dressed up as a better Rogue, but I can't deny that Mary's wanton behavior affected me.

One of Stephanie's words catches in my mind.

"Boyfriend? Is that what I am?" I asked.

She studies my face for a bit before answering with a shy smile. "Maybe. . . After the way you just turned away from her, it definitely points in your favor." I look back at the other woman and notice her smile turn a little sour.

I take my date out onto the dance floor, and she laughs at my clumsy attempts at dancing, but I don't mind, just enjoying the way she sounds and how her long lashes bat at me.

Mary doesn't seem to be done with us, though, and at one point, I find myself sandwiched between the two women. They glare daggers at each other, around me, and I really start to get uncomfortable. It really doesn't help that Mary keeps running her hands all over my body.

"Let's go," I tell Stephanie after Mary grabs my crotch for the second time. I'd thought the first time was a fluke, but when she gets a firm hold on my cock the second time, I know it's intentional.

"And let her win?" She shakes her head. "I won't let her drive us away. Just ignore her," Stephanie replied, but that's easier said than done.

I pull Mary's hand off my ass and give Stephanie a passionate kiss, hoping the other woman will get the hint. When I don't feel her behind me, I think she does, until I realize she has only moved to the other side of Stephanie, and is now running her hands all over her body.

I'm utterly confused at this point. What game is Mary playing? When I see Mary try to kiss Stephanie's neck from behind, I grow even more confused and pull my dreamy-looking Rogue over to me.

"What's going on?" I ask again. "I thought you hated her."

She looks at me a bit dazedly, before looking around and seeing Stephanie smiling at us again.

"What? Ahh, I mean, yeah, I do. I don't know what she's thinking." She looks at Mary again, with a puzzled expression on her face.

"Maybe you're right. Let's go. We can see the countdown at my place, and I really want to be alone with you."

I nod, still uncertain about her answer, but figure if it gets us out of this situation, all the better.

We walk out to my car, but Mary is yelling after us. I don't want to see a cat fight break out, so I try to hurry us along, but Stephanie stops instead.

Groaning, I decide to put an end to this before it goes any further.

"Look, Mary, you're cute and all, but I'm with Stephanie. Go bother some other guy." I try to be nice, but I know my voice sounds a little harsh in my annoyance.

Mary looks at me with an odd look before shaking herself.

"I'm not here to talk to you. I want to talk to Stephanie." I remain standing there, and Stephanie grips my hand, as we look at the other Rogue.

She looks hard at me for a minute, and I realize she wants me to leave, but I'm not going to leave Stephanie alone with this other vixen. After a few seconds, Mary sighs and speaks some more.

"I guess if I need to say this in front of him, then I will." She turns to face Stephanie, her expression and tone serious.

"Stephanie, I'm sorry for everything I've ever done to you. You've always been so beautiful that even as kids, I was jealous of you. I know I stole some of your boyfriends, and I never even knew why, with some of them. I didn't even like most of them."

Stephanie's grip on my hand grows tighter as Mary speaks, and I can feel the anger nearly radiating off of her in the cold night.

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