Disclaimer: Remy/Gambit belongs to Marvel but Max belongs souly to me.

A/N: This is my first x-men related fic. I have read a good amount of remy/logan fics and thought that Remy just needs a friend that he can count on. I would like to give special thanks to my friend BJ2 I wouldn't have got this done without her. This is the beginning of many more fics. This is a beginning of a type of series that will include my character. If you have any comments please feel free to review and email me with your thoughts. Enjoy.

-Taking Chances-

Max stared out the window at the lone figure sitting on the dock by the lake. He was 15 years old and the "new kid" at the school and was still learning what was expected of him so what he was contemplating could be considered risky. At 5'10" and 175 pounds he was about the same size as the man who he was watching. He ran his hand through his thick wavy, black hair before letting his chocolate brown eyes settle on it and let out a sigh. Max held out his hand and an orb of blue plasmic energy formed in the middle of it with little more than a thought. He watched it for a minute like he usually does when he needs to think and then he let it fade away and looked back at the man outside.

He'd heard rumors about the young man he was currently watching; Gambit used to be a member of the team, and depending on who he listened to, some said he still was. He'd only returned a week ago from some botched mission in Antarctica and already he'd totally divided the house. It seemed he was something of a miracle to some and a returning nightmare to the rest of them.

He chewed his lip and sighed, none of that mattered to him now; the man out on the dock was lonely, and hurting, and desperately needed a friend, and he couldn't ignore the need to try to help him any longer. He walked slowly toward the dock, trying to judge whether the man had even registered his arrival. When he didn't run, Max decided it was probably safe to sit down. He watched the older man out of the corner of his eye, he seemed to be totally lost in thought and even though it was a beautiful night, the man had his arms wrapped around his body as if he were cold.

After suffering through what felt like hours of uncomfortable silence Max decided he couldn't wait any longer and quietly spoke, "Nice night, isn't it?" The man beside him gave no indication that he even knew Max was there so he tried again, "You're Remy, right?" There was still no sign that Remy even heard him so Max, took a deep breath and continued his one sided conversation undaunted, "We still haven't been properly introduced... I'm Maxwell Demone, but everyone just calls me Max." He held out his hand but Remy just continued to stare out at the lake.

Max waited a moment to see if he'd get a response before he dropped his hand and continued talking, "Your codename is Gambit, isn't it? You know I've been here a month and I still don't have one. I just can't think a good one up; don't want to be stuck with a stupid codename, right?" Max glanced at Remy and smiled before looking away, "Oh, I almost forgot!" He held out a plastic container, "I didn't see you at lunch, or dinner, or well, any of the meals since you got here so I brought you this. I figured you must be hungry. I made it myself," he said as he waved it toward Remy, "It's my mom's secret recipe... I think..." he added with another small smile.

"What're y' doin' here, homme." Remy didn't bother to look at him as he spoke in a low voice.

Max smiled, encouraged now that Remy was finally responding. "What's it look like? I came out to talk to you, that's all."

Remy finally turned to look at him, "But why? Don' y' know practically everybody else here hates me? I know y' heard stuff about me, y' don' even know me so why y' talkin' t' me, bringin' me food... why y' bein' s' nice t' me?"

Max put the container down and leaned back with his hands behind his head to look up at the stars, "Because you're sad. I can... I can kinda feel when people are sad or lonely and you're very sad... I wanted to help." He noticed that Remy was intently listening so he continued, "You need someone to talk to, heck, I know when I'm upset I always need someone to talk to. And yeah, I've heard things-"

Remy interrupted, "And?"

Max looked over at him again, "And I don't really care."

"Y' don'?"

The shock in Remy's quiet response made Max' heart ache, the man sounded surprised that anyone still cared. "Naah, it's all hearsay to me," he caught Remy's eyes and saw the tiredness and hurt they held, "I'd rather hear it from the source. Besides, that's the past, right?"

Remy was looking out across the lake again but Max saw him nod slightly, "And the reason I'm being so nice to you is because, well, you need someone to talk to, whether it's to just break down and let all your feelings out, say what you are thinkin', or to just talk cause you are lonely."

Remy looked back again and Max kept going on, "You need someone, someone to be there for you, to be there when you need them to confide in or to just be there to hang... you need a friend." Max gave him another smile, "And about not knowing you," Max sat up and looked at the lake, "I'd like to get to know you and I'd like to become someone you could talk to and I'd like to be your friend if you let me."

He turned to Remy and extended his right hand, "So, what do you say?"

Remy looked back at the lake and said very quietly, "And what about when you leave Remy just like everyone else does?"

Max shook his head determinedly, "Not gonna happen, I'm not that easy to get rid of. Trust me I ain't goin' anywhere."

Remy glanced back at Max and say the sincerity and warmth in his eyes.

With his hand still out Max said, "So, what do you say, can you trust me, Remy?"

Remy stared at his hand. He wanted more than anything to trust the teen, he wanted more than anything to believe he really could start over, that there was really someone here who would give him that chance. He took a shaky breath and slowly reached out to take the younger man's offered hand, "Only one thing Remy can say, thanks ami."

"No problem, Remy." Just then Remy's stomach growled and with a chuckle Max grabbed the container of chicken and noodles and held it out to Remy, "I think it's time for dinner."

"Remy t'ink so too." He started to eat slowly, unsure how the food would settle in his empty stomach, but soon he was eating it with gusto, "Wow ami, this is really good!"

"Thanks, glad you like it. There's more where that came from back at the mansion and the good thing is it's even better reheated," Max told him with a smile.

"Remy like the sound of that," he said around another bite.

Max looked back at the lake and then asked "Hey Rem, what does ami mean?"

Remy stopped suddenly and looked up from his food, "It ...it means friend, Max." He warily looked at the younger man a second before going back to eating.

Max looked back out at the lake with a smile and replied quietly, "Hmm 'ami' I like the sound of that."

-end-