They used to be friends, had much in common, from unrequited love to uncontrollable powers. Still times change, and now Blaze has everything Rogue ever wanted, including Gambit. But what if the roles could be reversed? Guest starring Star Trek: Enterprise's Dr Phlox as Genie
Disclaimer: Don't own the X-Men. Do own both Blaze and Raven.
A/N: Probably the closest thing you will ever get me to writing a full on movie-verse ROMY, though making no promises! It's all Jukebox's fault anyway, for writing both Rogue and Gambit so well and so inspiringly. So this one's for you, thanks so much for your support for both Corrinth's and my work, and keep up the good work of your own. Flashbacks used below are from the movies (obviously) and from my other works.
01
Prologue
Previously…
The tuneless tinkling of an old piano filled the house in Meridian, Mississippi, like the smell of rotten eggs. Up in her sanctuary, her bedroom, the rosy-cheeked brunette teenager barely registered the so-ordinary sound. Even as her mother's chubby fingers faltered over the scales, innocently boring, the girl named Marie was worlds away. Kneeling barefoot on her bed, her fingers followed the string of pretty beads north over the route she'd planned. No not just a route, a pilgrimage. A journey to find out just who she was…
"An' when are you gonna do this?" David seemed to find the whole idea amusing, smiling crookedly up at Marie from where he lay sprawled on her bed.
I dunno..." Marie answered with a sweet sigh, flopping down on her belly besides him. "After high school, before college…" Glancing over at her boyfriend, she gave a shy smile and quickly dropped her eyes. Would he? Would today be the first time she ever kissed a boy? Her pulse began to race as David itched a little closer. Marie couldn't help it, looked up to meet his eyes. She wanted him to kiss her. But he was so confident, what if she wasn't any good at this? Her mouth suddenly went dry, his eyes were already closed, long dark lashes brushing the soft skin of his cheeks.
His lips were on hers softly, so softly. He tasted sweet, gentle lips exploring hers. Marie could hear her heart pounding as she too closed her eyes. An addictive touch, she wanted more, kissed him back gently at first. Marie thought the flush of energy she felt was her own, her adrenaline maybe. She wasn't thinking about it. She didn't realised anything was wrong, that David's eyes had opened again in pain.
Images, flashes of knowledge that wasn't hers… Marie pulled away from the kiss as she realised David had stopped kissing back. David's body fell backwards and away from her, breath rasped through his chest. Strange veins stood up hideously all over his face and he began to fit, to shake uncontrollably. Panicked, terrified, Marie flung herself away from him and screamed…
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Gently, Rogue reached out to touch Bobby's shoulder with a bare hand. He turned back to her slowly, looking so intently at her she could feel herself beginning to blush. He smiled at her, and his voice was a little husky as he spoke.
"These were my grandmother's." Iceman held out the pair of pale old gloves to her generously. But not once did his intense, ice blue eyes leave hers. Alone together in his room with no one to bother them, there was only one thing he could be thinking. And much as part of her knew it wasn't a good idea, Rogue was thinking exactly the same thing.
"You wont hurt me." Bobby promised, shaking his head a little as if to emphasise his point. He closed the distance between them, stooping slightly to reach her lips. His kiss wasn't gentle as David's had been. It was charged with a need, with energy from having to wait too long to be allowed to kiss her. He pulled back, drawing Rogue to stand on her tiptoes to maintain the contact. The kiss was over sooner than she wanted it to be. But at least he had been right; Bobby was fine.
More than that, Rogue released as she smiled up at him, she had a brief taste of what it was like to be the Iceman. Turning her face slightly away from Bobby, she exhaled a stream of cold air. It frosted delicately in the warmth of the room, making both of them smile as Rogue whispered, "Wow…"
They kissed again; their ardour pushing them beyond what they both knew would be safe. Breath coming quickly, Bobby's arms pulled Rogue closer and she went willingly. Her hands ran over his shoulders as she pressed her lips firmly against his. Bobby's eyes shot open, and weakly he pushed her away. Rogue opened her eyes in panic, but Bobby couldn't even look at her.
"I… I'm sorry…" She stuttered as he gasped for air like a fish out of water, turned sideways and cutting her out. Whatever he'd thought it would feel like, touching Rogue like that, this pain clearly hadn't been it.
"It's okay." He told her stubbornly, Iceman's voice husky now for clearly a different reason. Rogue knew then that it wasn't, it never would be okay. He was afraid to touch her again, so would every man be that ever came into her life… She was cursed…