Author's Note – A short story. Pretty inspired by the constant heavy rainfall in Florida and power outages that I have to go through. Gah! Please pardon how horrible this was written, I just returned from writer's block!

Sadly I do not own any character in this story, they all belong to Marvel.

Flames and Raindrops

-I-

A glow was peaking through the midst of the fog and it was admired for the haze it brought.

Rogue looked out into the window as the rain was pouring heavily, the loud droplets of water that dripped upon the pane of glass taking on her interest. A marvelous feat it was but somehow she felt it was quite unusual for her to pay attention to small things such as rain water.

It was quiet in the mansion; everyone seemed to be fast asleep under the weather circumstance. However it was much different to Rogue as she could not even get the ounce of sleep that she had been craving today. She didn't like the battering sounds of water so loudly during the night. The sound of quiet brought an eerie ambience in the depths of the halls and Rogue felt a bit intimidated by it.

This is so stupid to be afraid. This could be a lot worse with Storm's powers and all.

Immediately a shot of lightning enlightened the dark sky with a loud boom and it was not soon after her room lights had dimmed out.

Rogue then turned to the small candelabra on her bedside and began to light up the candles held by the silver arms. The burning flames on each three of the candles emitting light in the dark room. Rogue began to give her attention away to the flame upon the candle wick, watching as the flame swayed slowly.

"Couldn't sleep chere?"

She turned towards her open room door and gave a sour look.

"What do ya know Cajun?" she spatted and he only managed to give a cocky smile.

"Well I don' know chere. 'M t'inkin' you're a bit scared of thunderstorms. Thought I could offer some company." He replied and began to walk towards her small bed sitting on the edge towards her.

Another loud piercing thunder then rang into the air causing Rogue to jump immediately upon impact.

"No Ah'm not," she retorted and brought her knees closer to her body. "Just scared of the quiet 'round here."

Remy only shrugged, "'M used to this. 'Sides I find dis to be very relaxin'"

Rogue scoffed, "Well that's you, Ah'm different."

"What's so different 'bout us chere?" Gambit replied, "Y' never know 'bout us. We could have some some'ting in common."

"Are ya challenging me?" she asked in an annoyed tone, scooting away from him. Gambit only managed to laugh.

"How 'bout a game oui?"

"What kind of game? If it involves cards no thank ya."

Remy then shifted himself as he sat right across from Rogue on her small bed. Giving a beaming smile, he then pulled himself closer to her. Rogue's heart began beating rapidly at how close he was to her and how much she could smell his scent. It was instantaneous and it was rather exciting, but she could not bring herself to move no matter how much her mind was screaming at her to do so.

"No I promise dey don't involve cards, belle."

His eyes began to boar into hers ever so seductively, did Rogue's heart just stopped?

"The question game eh? Feel like y' up to it?" He asked with eyes very pleading.

"Fine." She stated annoyed. Annoyed at the fact he's manipulating her by being just absolutely gorgeous. Yet he was completely aggravating, he was just so hard to read. Why oh why did he play so many mind games with her? It was so hard to focus now a days, he was always on her mind. It was bad enough that she almost called Bobby 'Remy' at one point. She's been embarrassed enough with the blushing every time a girl would mention him in one point of a conversation mostly about how hot he was (and is) and how much he is wanted throughout the entire mansion.

She couldn't help but feel a bit tang of jealously. Jealous, because he has every other girl swooning herself over him. Jealous, because for one he's doing the same exact thing to her.

But why was she jealous? She had Bobby. He was everything that she imagined a guy could be…

And maybe Kitty Pryde thought the same too.

In all honesty however, Rogue wanted nothing to do with him. She couldn't stand the fact that he would follow her everywhere she went, trying his best to use his charm against her. All the while she actually liked the attention. However she wasn't stupid when it came to Remy's history with dazzling young girls off their feet.

She wasn't going to fall for it!

Rogue then was distracted as he heard Remy begin to speak with his distinct accent that she sometimes pretended to hate.

"Ask me a question chere. Any type of question. And I'll answer it as truthfully as I can."

"Well this is different," she said sarcastically.

"Quoi?"

"How do I know you're tellin' the truth?"

"I assure y' chere." He replied, "now go ahead ask me."

She groaned in annoyance. She had to come up with something, maybe the question of why he was so irritating at the same time.

"Your favorite food?"

"Hmm… tough one. But it be between gumbo and jambalaya. C'mon! Ask a better question den dat!"

"What is your favorite color?"

Remy sighed in disappointment, "Fuschia."

"Fuschia? Remy?" she laughed and he shrugged.

"Looks good on me, y' t'ink so chere?"

She ignored his statement and thought of another question.

"Um, do you prefer the pool or the beach?"

"Neither. Are y' gonna make it interestin' or do I have to?"

"How many girls have ya kissed?" she asked, curious to see what his answer would turn out to be. Rogue was guessing it was in the near hundreds… and it bothered her.

"Nope, it's my turn now." He said and began to rub his palms together smiling all the while, "y' had y' chance."

Rogue crossed her arms together and shook her head. She really didn't feel like answering questions right about now. Stupid thunderstorms.

There was a long pause in silence as the flames began to wave frantically. Perhaps from all the tension in the air?

"How do y' feel 'bout me chere?" he asked breaking the silence, "answer me, truthfully."

Rogue looked at him shocked and appalled. Did he really have to ask her about this? It was a good thing that the room was so dim because he couldn't see the blush on her cheeks that were forming right about now.

Just lie to him! Lie!

A streak of sweat began forming on the line of her forehead. Is it getting hot in here? Her breath began to become a lot shorter along with her heart seemingly trying to escape from her ribcage. Tears began to form along her eyes due to the slight embarrassment that she was facing with right now.

"Why do ya play these games with meh?" she asked softly.

Remy arched a brow in concern, "What're talkin' bout chere?"

Rogue sniffled and anger began to swept through emotions quickly.

"Don't act like you don't know, Lebeau. You play with mah head constantly. You know Ah have a boyfriend. So why do ya do this to meh? Why don't you just leave me alone?"

Remy didn't take a glance at Rogue as her expression on her face was that of anger, annoyance, and just pure hatred. He didn't know anything of this hurt feeling inside of him. Damn it, he did think that this girl was one of a kind. She was just stood out from most femmes he knew. Sometimes he would flirt with her constantly to test her limit. Usually most girls would give up and just fall towards him. But Rogue was… different. He knew that she had a boyfriend, but that wasn't the reason.

He sensed that Rogue was beginning to have certain trust issues towards Bobby or "Popsicle" as he liked to call him. While he managed to sneak a peak of the couple during lunch or during training in the Danger Room, it just seemed that their relationship looked so bland. It looked as if she wanted nothing to do with him at all. The same could be said for Bobby.

In fact, distinctly in the Danger Room he had remembered Rogue was in trouble during training. During that entire time Remy saw Bobby vying for Kitty Pryde's attention. That in itself angered Remy. Remy didn't really understand why he felt so angered but he just had the big urge to punch "Popsicle's" face in.

And when Rogue began to spat at Remy's advances for the longest of time, she never really distanced herself from him. It really made Remy wonder for a time what was going through her head.

"Mebbe chere, dat dere is somet'ing there… between us." Remy said and he looked up to see her tearful face. But Dieu, she was very beautiful.

"There is nothin' between us! Ah love Bobby, Ah do." She sniffed and brought her knees closer to her chest tightly.

"Y' love him. But y' know what he does even when you're not around chere. Dat is not love when he's around y'."

"What do ya know 'bout love? Ya probably said those three words to some unlucky bitch and ya didn't even mean it!" she retorted.

"I know it when I see it." Remy replied, "s' funny. Y' t'ink I don't know about love? Dere's more then what y' see chere. I promise you dat. Look at me in the eyes Rogue, tell me that I'm not lyin' to y'"

There was a pause of silence between the two. The candle flames then began to wave frantically upon the wick. Remy told the truth about his feelings and he wasn't going to let it burn out. He knew Rogue was mutual with the feelings he had, she knew what Bobby did. So why couldn't she just see it? Why was she so blinded by it? Was she just so desperate for someone to love her?

Y' goin' so soft for dis femme.

Rogue looked up at him in the eyes and was easily amused how serious he was. Was he stating the truth to her? Or was he just doing his old routine to feel sorry for him and take him in? Instantly she let her gaze fall back down to her knees, embarrassed at the stupid thought of Remy Lebeau saying that he was actually falling for her.

"I know dere's certain issues that y' don't want to talk 'bout. I'm not gonna push it any further if y' say so." Remy said breaking the silence.

Rogue didn't say anything but she managed to burry her face into her knees completely, obscuring her face. She felt the strong surge of frustration and anger towards him.

"Ah hate what you do to me Remy." She said muffled. "Ah hate you."

Remy was going to say a few bit more words to her but he did not want to talk to her or face her in the state that she was in. He couldn't help but feel hopeless to see what was really going on between her and him. He let exhaled letting the last words of hers flow through his mind.

Silence passed by and Remy then stood up from the bed and turned his back from her.

"I'll let y' be chere. I'll see y' in the mornin'. We can talk some ot'er time. G'night."

He didn't need to hear a respond from her.

Rogue then lifted her head only to see him disappear from the dim light. The storm had subsided officially leaving only a drizzle to be heard from the outside window. It wasn't very long however when the lights came back on. Looking at her candelabra however she noticed two distinct cards sitting near by.

A king of hearts right next to his rightful queen.

She then took the two cards into her hand and was in disbelief what had just occurred in her room.

Was it really real?

Rogue took the two cards in her hand as she got up to turn off her room lights and close the door. Laying upon the sheets of her bed, Rogue began thinking about what Remy Lebeau was saying to her this very stormy evening. She laid there, having the courage to think about what would happen tomorrow morning she decided to put the cards next to her bed as she watched the candle flames finally blow out.

-fin-