*
~ *
"Ah’m just untouchable. Even someone dense as you can understand
that."
Remy LeBeau sighed, running a hand through his dark, tousled hair. He
had lay on his bed all day long trying to sort out his thoughts. The only
thought that came to him was Rogue, her kiss, her voice- everything about her!
Of course, they weren't bad thoughts at all, but with the memories came the
realization that he would never be able
to really touch her for longer than three seconds.
Rogue was just a girl. He never cared for a girl. Remy was the king of
flings and one-night stands. Why should this girl matter to him? She couldn't
touch him! So why couldn't he stop thinking about her? Why did he want her so
much?
Gambit was so deep in thought that he barely heard the door open. When
he looked up, he saw Rogue standing in the door way. She wore a smirk, a
low-cut green shirt, a ripped jean jacket, torn black jeans, and her usual
combat boots. He blinked to make sure he wasn't hallucinating.
"Ah thought we were goin' on a date, sugah."
Gambit grinned. "Didn't even give me a warnin', huh chere? 'Sides,
I t'ought you were too grossed out wit de idea of goin' anywhere wit lil' ol'
moi."
"A deals a deal," she replied coyly. "An ah got some
questions f'r ya anyway."
"Remy got a question for you. How'd ya find me?"
Rogue tapped her forehead. "Unfortunately, ah had y'r slimy
thoughts in mah head. That's how ah knew where y'all were hidin'."
"Who woulda t'ought a gal like you would be so brash?"
She rolled her eyes. "So where are we goin'?"
"T'ought you'd be de one pickin' de place."
"Ah know, but ah guess you technically won, gettin' what you wanted
an all. Besides, ah bet you know tons more interestin' places around here.
Bein' such a charmer."
"A compliment?" he asked, mock-incredulously. "D'accord
<okay>, but only if we go t' New York. Gambit knows de best place t'
hangout."
"Then what are ya waitin' f'r?" Rogue asked. She crossed her
pale arms across her chest.
He laughed. "Patience, chere. Gambit needs t' get dressed for de
occasion. You mind steppin' out, or ya plannin' on watchin'?"
"You wish," she snarled.
"Oh and chere?"
She turned around. "What?"
Remy smiled and looked her up and down. "I love de outfit. Tres
<very> biker."
Rogue gave him the one-fingered salute before slamming the door behind
her. "Asshole."
*
~ *
Gambit started up the Harley once the two of them were outside.
"Hop on, chere?"
Rogue looked at the pink helmet he was offering with disgust. She shook
her head. "No way in hell! Ah'll just ride without one. Ah hate
pink!"
"Remy'd never forgive himself if he ruined your pretty lil' head.
So put it on, si'l vous plait <please>."
She gave the Cajun a look of death and crammed the thing on her head.
"Happy now?" she asked while swinging her legs around the bike.
"Estactic," he said with a wink. Gambit revved up the engine.
"Hang on, chere."
Reluctantly, Rogue wrapped her arms around his warm waist. "This
better be a short trip," she mumbled as the bike sped off. She didn't like
the idea of touching Remy like this. She didn't like the idea at all.
"So where is this place?" she shouted over the roar of the
wind and engine. "An what's it called?"
"It's downtown an called Chez Benoit. Heard of it?"
She almost gasped. Chez Benoit was only one of the most exclusive and
expensive restaurants in New York City! "How the hell do ya expect t' get
a table? An ah thought we were goin' t' a major party spot, not some fancy
diner."
"We'll eat dinner, den go t' dis special place not too far from
Chez Benoit. An don't you worry, chere. Remy'll get a table. I have certain
connections."
"Sure," she muttered, but he didn't hear her.
Rogue was glad she hadn't worn her usual skirt the way she was straddled
over the seat and pressed firmly against Remy. However, she wished he had given
her the chance to look proper. Then again, he wasn't dressed to impress,
either. Unless one considered jeans, a wife beater, and a trench coat fancy.
Rogue enjoyed the closeness she and Remy were sharing way too much, and
the thought frightened her. Guys like Gambit were a complete turn off. She
liked nice, honest, and moral guys like Scott. Gambit was such a player. He
didn't care about her in the least. So why did she want Gambit so much?
Shouldn't she hate him?
He had an ego the size of Jupiter and reminded her of Johnny Bravo for
Christ's sake! The first time Bobby had watched that stupid cartoon, Rogue had
been struck with the comparison. Remy was a completely egotistical muscle head
with a pretty face, too!
But he was so cute! And how many guys like Remy LeBeau would pay
attention to her? Rogue was no Scarlet O'Hara. He would realize his mistake
like all the others. She simply couldn't be touched, and nothing would ever
make her attractive to hands-on guys like Gambit because of that fact.
No, Rogue told herself firmly. Ah will not fall f'r him. Not anyone.
It's pointless. Ah've already been down that road before. It only leads to
regrets. Plus, Gambit's the enemy! Ah saw inside his head. He's probably only
using me cuz ol' bucket head wants t' keep tags on all the X-Men.
That's, like, so not true! Kitty said suddenly. I mean, I totally dated
Lance, and it, like, worked out fine. Gambit really likes you, and you, like,
like him too, right?
Zat guy's real trouble. You should stay avay from him. Ve don't want you
to get hurt!
Think about the team, Scott said. He's only using you for information on
the X-Men. You were right before.
Oh be quiet, Scott! Jean scolded. She likes him!
LOVES him, Kitty corrected with a giggled.
Ah do not!
Love is a sick joke. You should know that by now. Mystique's words of
"encouragement" were resurfacing again. Dear child, you can't really
believe he'll accept the fact that you can't touch. Scum like his kind only
want one thing: sex.
Also not true! sang Kitty. Why would he, like, still like Rogue if all
he wants is, like, like, like-
Sex? Kurt finished for her.
Rogue could almost see the girl blushing furiously. Like, yeah!
Because he's a spy! insisted Scott.
Because he thinks there's a way around it. You'll see. He will learn in
time that his efforts are futile.
He's just young, Magneto snapped. Mystique, you're being too hard on the
girl. What are you saying, that she doesn't have the liberty to have feelings
for some boy just because of her powers?
She must learn sooner or la-!
SHUT UP! Rogue screamed. Just get the fuck outta mah head! This ain't
y'r life!
"You okay, chere?"
Rogue blinked, watching the real world materialize slowly. She shook the
voices away and forced a smile. "Uh... yeah. Sorry, ah was just sorta
spacin' out."
She was glad the psyches were gone. She must of looked like a dork,
zoning out while "voices" gave her relationship advice.
There is no relationship, Rogue reminded herself. Ah hate him.
Gambit smiled and pulled into a parking spot. "Well, we're
here."
The place was even more beautiful than she could imagine. The building
was made of stone. Statues, vines, and other decorations wove around the
exterior. She could only picture what the inside would look like.
"Are you sure about this?" Rogue asked. "Ah dunno... ah
just wanna go home." Her mother and Scott's words were returning and it
made her think twice about this "date."
He shook his head. "No way, chere. You'll enjoy dis. Trust
me."
"Trust you," she repeated with sarcasm. "Right."
Gambit grabbed her gloved hand and led her
inside the swanky bistro. It was lit with chandeliers and the walls were
covered by original paintings and Mardi Gras masks. People in suits and dresses
were eating and laughing all around them. Rogue had never seen a place so
exotic and beautiful in her life.
A man dressed in a tux took one look at the two teenagers and made a
face. He was obviously the Host, as he was quick to tell the two, "Desole,
mais nous n'avons pas de tables disponibles en ce moment <sorry, but we do
not have any available tables at this time>."
Remy grinned and gave Rogue a "let me handle this" look.
"Surement vous pouvez trouver une table pour le Monsieur Remy LeBeau
<Surely you can find a table for Mister Remy LeBeau> ?"
The man's eyes widened in shock.
"Monsieur LeBeau mes excuses. S'il vous plait, la droite cette facon. Nous
avons une la plupart des table excellente pour vous et votre compagnon femelle.
<Mister LeBeau, my apologies. Please, right this way. We have a most
excellent table for you and your female companion>."
A man appeared when the host snapped his fingers. The host gave him two
menus. "S'il vous plait Monsieur LeBeau de decouverte et sa date notre
meilleure table <Please find Mister LeBeau and his date our best
table>."
He nodded gravely, and led them to a table right by the French windows
and below one of the many hanging chandeliers.
Rogue watched Remy with interest as they breezed by the other costumers.
Why was Remy LeBeau such a authoritative name?
"Here is your table," the man said rather nervously. He placed
down the menus and Remy and Rogue took a seat. "Peux-je vous interesser
dans un vin pour commencer avec? Peut-etre votre normal, Monsieur LeBeau
<May I interest you in a wine to begin with? Perhaps your usual, Mister
LeBeau> ?"
"Ceci est non 'normal' la fille. Je pense que je prendrai le
chardonnay de maison, s'il vous plait <This is no 'usual' girl. I think I
will take the house chardonnay, please>."
Gambit looked at Rogue, who just sat quietly. "Chardonnay okay wit
you, chere?"
"Ah really don't think wine is appropriate-"
"Chardonnay c'est <Chardonnay it is>," he told their
waiter. "Et s'il vous plait apporter le baguette avec le vin <And
please bring the baguette with the wine>."
The waiter nodded, and then disappeared.
"So, Remy guesses you have even bigger questions now," he said
with a smile.
"Ah don't even know where t' begin," Rogue said honestly.
"Ah may have absorbed some of y'r memories, but none of 'em give me the
slightest clue why LeBeau is a name that can give us an instant table at Chez
Benoit."
"Well you know I am a t'ief, right?"
She nodded. "That much ah'm certain about. But that still
doesn't-"
He interrupted her. "Well, in mon hometown, we have two clans. De
t'ieves and de assassins. De assassins are de rival gang, you could say. Dere's
t'ieves and assassins all over de place. Chez Benoit jus' so happens t' be
owned by one o' our t'ieves. An since de LeBeau family is one of de highest
ranked t'ieves, dey give us LeBeaus respect."
"But that girl was an assassin," Rogue said before realizing
her mistake.
"Dat fille was different, an I don' wanna talk about it," he
snapped.
She lowered her head and traced a design on the table cloth.
"Sorry." Belle had to be a serious old flame from the way his eyes
glowed. Perhaps he... loved her? The thought made Rogue green with envy.
"It's okay, chere," he said. "You didn't know."
The waiter arrived with the bread and wine, breaking the awkward
silence. "Votre baguette et Chardonnay, Monsieur LeBeau <Your baguette
and Chardonnay, Mister LeBeau>."
He poured the wine into the two glasses. "Apprecier. Je serai
posterieur pour prendre vos ordres <Enjoy. I will be back to take your
orders>."
"Remy, y'r not even of age," Rogue said, examining the liquid.
"Aren't they contributin' t' the corruption o' minors or somethin'.?"
He laughed. "Oh, it is a bit illegal, isn't it? But you know, we
t'ieves don' always follow de book."
"Ah think ah'll pass," she said, pushing the glass towards
Gambit.
"Remy is not gettin' you drunk, if dat's what you t'ink. That's
what de club is for." He flashed her a winning smile. "Just for
romantic effect. Remy promises."
She picked up the glass carefully and took a sip.
"See? Not so bad, is it?"
Gambit raised his glass. "T' new beginnin's an new friends,"
he said.
Rogue's crystal goblet clanked as it met Remy's. "What you
said."
Remy nodded as the waiter left. "Well, you haven't told me much
about yourself, chere. An Gambit wants t' know all about such a belle
<beautiful> creature."
"There isn't much t' tell," Rogue replied, blushing.
"Humor me," he said with a smile. She looked absolutely
breath-taking that night, especially as the candle light illuminated her pretty
features. "Gambit knows you not modest. Here's a nice ice breaker: how
'bout you tell me your name, eh?"
Rogue rolled her eyes, but smiled. This guy really was a charmer...
*
~ *
"Dinner was wonderful," Rogue told him. "Guess Cajun as
y'all are, ya do have some taste."
He wrinkled his nose. "Be nice, chere. De fun is only startin'.
You'll see. Remy'll show you de time o' y'r life."
She shivered, realizing he had said those same words to Belle. Remy'll
show you de time o' y'r life. The old envy returned again, though the feeling
was unwelcome. Belle had done
everything with Remy before Rogue, and because of that Belle would always be
above her. But Rogue shouldn't be jealous. She didn't like Gambit!
He led her towards the kitchen after they paid their check and did not
Rogue's worried expression. "Come on, chere," he said with a large
grin.
"Where are we goin'?"
"You'll see."
A few workers turned to give the couple odd looks as Remy dragged her
past the kitchen and into a new hallway. She was suddenly aware of pounding
music and loud laughter.
"Name?" a large African American man asked when they reached
the door he guarded.
"Master T'ief Remy LeBeau," he said with a grin. "Like
you don' already know. An dis fille is mon <my> date, Rogue."
The man smiled, and shook Rogue's hand. "He better be treatin' you
wit respect," he said. "I'll make sure t' deck 'im if he don'. A
pretty fille like you can do better den dat loser."
"Ah, play nice, Malick. Don' scare de girl away!"
Rogue smiled. "Ah take it y'all know each other."
"Like brothers," Malick said with a laugh.
"Speakin' o' family, how's Tante Mattie?"
"Bon <good>," he said. "Told me she misses de ol'
trouble maker."
Remy looked at Rogue. "Go on ahead, chere. I've gotta catch up wit
Malick here."
Malick grinned at her. "Nicole's downstairs. Maybe she'll show you
around. An don' you worry. I won' keep Remy for too long."
She nodded and began her trip down the stone stairs. Some rap song
blared from the room below. A few people squealed with laughter, and Rogue
could hear loud conversations carry over the music. This was definitely the
party spot Remy told her about.
A short blonde with brown eyes waved at Rogue upon her arrival to the
club-like basement. "Hi!" she called.
Rogue forced a smile at the perky blonde. "Are you Nicole?"
she asked.
"Nah, I'm Sandrine," she replied with a girlish giggle.
"Nicole is over there." She pointed to a skinny African-American
girl. "Nicole's Malick's little sister."
"Thanks," Rogue said, contemplating whether or not she should
introduce herself to Nicole. This place wasn't her regular scene, but it was
nice to get out and have fun once in a while. So why not?
"Hi," Rogue said to the girl. "Ah'm Rogue. Y'r brother
told me ya'll would give me a tour?"
"Nicole," she replied. She offered a hand, which Rogue
reluctantly shook. "You know my brother?"
"No, mah... friend Remy does though. They're up there chattin'
away."
Nicole grinned. "So you're Remy's new gurl, huh? Glad he finally
got some since knocked int' him. I kinda got sick o' seein' a bunch o' bimbos
attached t' his arm. But you, your actually decent."
She smiled. "So ah'm guessin' Remy used t' bring home the
Britneys?"
"Pretty much," Nicole replied with a laugh. "So how long
have the two of you been datin'?"
Rogue shook her head. "Oh, no, we're not datin' at all. We're just
here on a..."
"Date?" she finished. "Face it, gurl, you're so on a
date. An Gambit ain't dat bad, is he?"
She rolled her eyes. "Just a pretty face an a big ego."
"Yeah, Rem's always been pretty damn confident wit himself. But
he's a good guy once ya get t' know him. Used to almost be family back in New
Orleans."
"So why did y'all move t' this hell hole?" Rogue asked.
"Can't see why anyone would leave a great place like New Orleans."
Nicole sighed. "Dose stupid assassins are drivin' most o' de
t'ieves out. Mon pere <my father> is sick of livin' in fear wit all de
fightin' dat goes on, so we decided t' move away from it all. But I don' like
it at all. It's almost as if we're running from de cowards."
"Ah wouldn't want t' run away, either," she agreed. "But
sounds like thangs were pretty bad back there."
"Yeah," she said, sipping a blue beverage. "Oh, you want
a drink? There's a bar over there. I'll get you somet'ing if you want me
to."
"Ah'm not too keen on drinkin'," she said apprehensively. Her
powers coupled with alcohol only promise that they would go out of control. She
had enough trouble keeping them in check already. Rogue didn't need something
to make them even wilder.
"Oh, come on, just one drink," Nicole said. "How about a
Smirnoff?"
Rogue sighed. She didn't want to seem rude. "Yeah, that'd be
great."
Nicole led her to the bar. She smiled at the dark-haired bartender.
"Hey Tim. Can you get us two Smirnoffs?"
"No problem," he said, grabbing two bottles from the cooler
and actually iced with his hands. The frost covered the drinks in a matter of
seconds. It was almost like something Bobby would do.
Rogue gaped.
"What?" Nicole asked, taking the drinks. "Haven't you
ever seen a mutant before?"
"Ah am a mutant," she replied. "Ah just didn't know any
o' y'all were muties too, except f'r Remy."
"Most o' de t'ieves in our clan are mutants," Nicole said
as-a-matter-of-factly. " 'm a mutant myself. I can turn myself into
shadows. My brother has super-strength."
Rogue laughed. "Well with all that muscle ah can't see why he'd
need it."
"What's you power?"
She was suddenly interested in the calories of a Smirnoff. Pale green
eyes scanned the label. "Oh, nothin' spectacular like that. Ah can, just,
uh- heal quickly." She silently prayed Nicole wouldn't want to see her
powers in action.
"That's awesome," she said with a grin. "I would trade
you powers any day!"
"So would ah..."
"Tryin' t' steal my date?" a male voice interrupted.
Nicole looked up. "Remy! Malick!" she exclaimed, hugging them
both. "Took ya long enough. I was bein' t' think dat y'r date was bored,
Rem."
He smirked. "Do mon friends bore you, chere?"
Rogue shook her head. "Nicole was very... entertainin'."
The girl laughed. "Thanks, I think!"
Malick rolled his eyes and looked at his little sister. "C'mon,
Nicole. We better leave dese two lovebirds alone, non?"
She nodded. "Good idea. Nice meetin' ya, Rogue!" Nicole called
as her burly brother dragged her away.
"Interestin' characters, eh?" Remy asked.
Rogue shrugged. "Nicole was nice enough. Told me all about
you."
"Good t'ings I hope."
"Ah wouldn't tell either way," she replied. Rogue pretended to
zip her lips. "Ah don't kiss an tell."
"Secrets, den? Dis is not a good way t' start a relationship."
Rogue took a swig of the alcoholic beverage. "What
relationship?"
He laughed. "You wound me."
"Hey, this ain't that bad."
"What? De drink? Gambing t'ought ya weren't too keen on
alcohol'." He smiled and took a drink of the beer he and Malick presumably
stopped to get before. "Not dat dere's anyt'ing wrong wit changin' your
mind."
Rogue took another gulp. "Good, then. Ah'm in the mood t'
dance." She paused. "Well, are ya gonna ask me t' dance, or are ya
just gonna leave a gal hangin'?"
"May I have dis dance?"
"Of course..." she replied, taking his hand and feeling
incredibly silly.
Remy put his arms around her waist as the two mutants grinded to the
music. "Gambit t'inks dis is a very naughty dance," he said with a
wicked look. "Do dey allow dis at de prom?"
"Are ya, complainin', sugah?" she said, amazed that the
foreign moves came from her body with such ease. She slid up and down Remy's
body with her backside, turned around, and got down with it. Rogue never
learned how to dance like that. Who the hell did that ability belong to?
He shook his head vehemently. "'Course not, chere!"
Gambit wasn't complaining at all!
*
~ *
Rogue giggled as she stumbled on the dance floor, Gambit trying
desperately not to get trampled on in her drunken state. "Ah think ah need
somethin' t' drink," she slurred and reached for a glass of beer on the
table.
Remy sighed. "Cherie, Gambit t'ink dat you've had plenty t'
drink."
She managed a drink despite his protestations. "Isn't that what you
want?" She ran a gloved finger across his jaw line. "Wanted t' get me
t' loosen up?"
"An dat's all, chere," he said. "You got Remy's
word."
"That's too bad," Rogue said sulking.
Nicole walked by and laughed. "I t'ought you were gonna take it
easy on de booze, Rogue."
She looked offended. "Ah am not drunk!"
Her body proved otherwise as she fell over. Luckily, Gambit moved quickly
and caught her.
"How many beers did she have before she got that drunk?"
Nicole asked him. "Like fourty?"
"Non, only about six. Pourqoi <Why>?"
"She told me dat her powers are were rapid-healin'. I figured dat
would make her pretty immune t' alcohol."
He looked at Rogue with both confusion and pity. Why would she want to
lie like that? Did she hate her powers that much? Well you wouldn't be too
happy if you couldn't touch anyone one, now would ya, Gambit? he asked himself.
"I t'ink we should go now, chere," he told her.
Rogue giggled. "Like, okay!" She giggled drunkenly once more.
"Oh mah Gawd, that was so Kitty."
Nicole waved. "See ya later, Rogue."
She waved her hand around wildly and yelled. "Bah-bah, everyone! Ah
had a wonderful time!"
Mon Dieu <My God>! Remy thought with slight embarrassment. She be
so drunk!
Remy led Rogue through the back door and into a dark alley. It was three
o'clock in the morning, and the restaurant was obviously closed, so they had to
take a different route to the parking lot.
"Let me drive!" Rogue exclaimed when they reached his
motorcycle..
He shook his head and climbed on. "Gambit knows de way better dan
you."
She put on the helmet and slid on the seat behind him. "Spoilin'
mah fun..."
As they disappear into the night, Remy wondered how much trouble Rogue
would get in trouble for not only staying out past curfew, but drinking as
well. The adults at the institute seemed even more uptight than Magneto, who
only forbade his charges to consume alcohol inside of the house. Gambit knew
that Xavier wouldn't appreciate Rogue drinking at all.
"Chere," he said said. "You can't go home."
Rogue giggled. "No kiddin', sugah. Ah figure the Prof will have mah
head."
Gambit grinned even though she couldn't see his face. "Well, den,
Remy, bein' de gentleman he be, I insist dat you stay at mon place. Jus for de
night, so dat you don' get in any sort of trouble."
She wrapped her arms around his waist more tightly. "Ah don' think
it would be quite proper," Rogue said giddily. "Ah've never slept at
a boy's house before."
"Den you'll get a chance t'."
He knew it wasn't fair to ask this of her. After all, she was too drunk
to say no, but he really didn't want to get Rogue grounded for life. Besides,
Remy obviously couldn't try anything considering her powers. And he was a man
of his word. Even if he could, her wouldn't.
The large Victorian came into view, and he parked the bike as quietly as
he could manage.
"Shhh, chere. We're gonna have t' sneak around back so we don' wake
nobody up."
Rogue nodded and took her helmet off. The simple action almost made the
girl fall over. Remy had to help her through his window and into his room.
"Remy'll give you de bed," he said, laying her down on the
queen-sized waterbed. "You need t' rest."
"Aren't y'all gonna lay with me?" she asked with a wicked
smile. "After all, ya planned this evening jus for this, didn't ya?"
"Non, chere." He walked over and grabbed a wastebasket.
"Gambit put did here jus in case you get sick."
Rogue was already out like a light, so Remy just covered her up and
placed a small kiss on the top of her head. "Bonne nuit <good
night>, chere. An don' get too sick in de mornin'."
Remy smiled and made his make-shift bed on the floor. Snuggling under
the covers, he realized how much he needed that night with Rogue. Made me
forget all 'bout mon troubles. he thought. Jus hope tomorrow Rogue isn't de one
in trouble. He turned on his side and closed his eyes, drifting off into
much-needed sleep.
*
~ *