"Stardust"
By: Angelic Temptress
X-Men
Not mine.
/
Erie, Pennsylvania was empty and gray – a big, little city where most residents knew one another. Logan had sent the two of them there to track down a smalltime crook that could possibly narc on a bigger fish Logan was looking to fry. Or so he said.
She and Remy had taken a car over from the city. It had been a six-hour drive full of awkward silences and whatever they could find on the radio. She'd forgotten her iPod and hadn't gotten around to adding music to her phone. Remy hadn't offered his, but she didn't even know if he kept music on it.
After checking into a motel – a room with two beds – they made their way to a restaurant nearby, a joint where the waitresses all wore polo shirts and cash registers sat beside a display case full of pies and sugar cookies. The teenage hostess, who had a small band-aid on her nose camouflaging what Rogue thought was a piercing, sat them in a booth. The place was pretty empty, but they'd missed the lunch rush. It was a little after three.
Remy stared intently at his menu, his hands flipping through the laminated pages as he searched. "What kind o' establishment don't have liquor?" he mumbled.
"A diner," she answered.
"Diners in New York have alcohol."
"This ain't New York, sugah. 'Nother hour, and we'd be steppin' into the Midwest." She smiled, but he didn't bother to look at her.
Their waitress, Jen, took their drink orders with a cheery disposition. She had black-lined blue eyes, porcelain skin, and crooked teeth. Rogue figured she was a biker's girlfriend, maybe had a Harley herself.
"What's on your mind, Remy? Since we left the motel, you been actin' strange."
He finally made eye contact. "Let's just get lunch, Rogue."
The waitress returned with her Coke and his iced tea, and they each ordered cheeseburger combos. He asked for a cup of chili before the burger came out, and Rogue asked for a salad with ranch dressing. Jen was quick to return with those.
"I'm gonna ask Logan to stop assignin' us together," he stated frankly as he squeezed his lemon wedge and dropped it in his tea.
She ripped her straw from its package and shoved it into the soda. "This because of tha' mess wit' Joelle? Or because Ah asked you to think about joinin' the Avengers?"
"Non t' both, chére."
"What changed?"
"Don' feel like bein' around you no more."
Her heart sank, "You don't mean that, darlin'."
"Don' I? You got me in your back pocket, Anna. You call, an' I come runnin' like a lovesick schoolboy." He shook his head and peppered his chili.
"'Cause you an' Ah are friends," she rationalized. "You're my friend, Remy. Ah'd do anything -"
"Stop."
"You love me."
"Love is the stardust o' yesterday." Remy recited. "Does us no good now." He swallowed a spoonful of his chili, considered the taste, and swallowed another.
"What does that even mean?" When he didn't explain, she stabbed her salad. "We've been workin' different teams. This is the first we've worked together in months… Does it hurt ya that much t' see me?"
"You know nothin' 'bout me if you don' know dat answer."
Jen returned with two platters in hand. "Cheeseburger combos," she announced and set them down.
"Merci, chéri," Remy smirked.
And the waitress ate it up. "Oh. Well, you're welcome." She blushed and a giggle escaped her throat.
Rogue obnoxiously squirted ketchup onto her plate as the waitress walked away. "You could have any woman ya want, Remy LeBeau."
Remy glared at her. "Je te veux."
Relief swept over her, but she wasn't sure what relief meant. Instead, she ate a fry. "Oh Remy. Ah just don't know."
His red eyes softened. "Dat's why I gotta stop dis. You know how I feel. Expectin' somethin' t' change is insanity." He bit into his burger, chewed, and added, "Dis don' change what I said. I will always be here, petit. Jus' not the way it was."
They finished their meal without saying much. He avoided looking at her, but she couldn't take her eyes off him.
She thought about how warm his hands were and how warm his skin was naturally. Whenever she touched him to borrow his kinetic ability, their connection felt electric. He was the only person she'd ever touched who did that to her.
Before they could ask, Jen brought the check and a piece of pie with two forks.
"Peachberry," she said. "It's on the house." She smiled. "When you're ready, you pay up front. Thanks for stopping in."
Remy took the first piece, and she watched as he brought the sweet pie to his handsome mouth. He made a face of satisfaction. "Dis pretty good."
Rogue took a bite too, surprised by how much she liked the taste. She wasn't sure if she'd ever had Peachberry before. "What's in it? It's sweet an' bitter at the same time." She thought she saw him smile.
"Peaches, blueberries, and cherries, and I think de word is bittersweet, chére."
"Yeah. Yeah." Her phone rang, a Johnny Cash ringtone, and she picked it up. "Hey Logan."
"You and Gumbo make it?" he demanded.
"Yup. Just finishin' lunch."
"Ring me when you find the guy."
"Yes, boss." Rogue ended the call. "Time t' get movin'."
They finished the desert quickly, paid, and headed outside into the gloomy weather. The wind had picked up, and Rogue rewrapped the scarf around her neck, catching Remy's eyes as she did. He took a step to the car, but she walked into his path.
"Ah know how incredibly unfair I've been t' ya and how incredibly patient ya been with me. And Ah don't want ya t' do nothin' ya don't wanna do."
"Rogue, don' do dis."
"Ah love you, Remy. Ah do. An' if you don' want to wait while I figure this shit out, I understand. But know Ah love ya." Rogue stood on her toes, took his face in her gloved hands, and kissed him softly.
"I know," he said and brushed past her and to the car.
/End/