Sweet Summer Moment
By Sunhawk, 2001
"C'n I have this dance, chere?" Remy holds out his hand to the seated Rogue, neatly breaking her heart with his smile.
He's too beautiful ta exist…. is the only thought to run through her mind before the green-eyed woman stands and smiles at him. "Ah'd love ta, sugah."
It's a lovely summer twilight, after a day of peace. The X-Men had gotten together for a baseball game, followed up by a barbecue earlier that day. Someone had brought out a stereo, and soft music had played all afternoon and into the evening, as they shared a meal, and then gentle conversation. As always, the X-Men had splintered off into small groups—here, Bobby, Hank and Betsy gather, talking animatedly, over there Scott and Jean sit quietly, arms about each other, occaisionally nuzzling.
Rogue shyly puts one hand on the lanky Cajun's shoulder, but he pulls her close to him, wrapping an arm around her waist, and interlocking the fingers of his left hand around those of her right. Rogue happily settles her head on his chest; it has been far too long since she has been held this close, and felt this comfortable.
Remy smiles at the trust she instantly handed over to him—how long has it been since they've last been this good to each other? The hand he had wrapped around her waist begins to gently rub her back through the long, light cotton dress she is wearing, and he feels her muscles go soft and relaxed.
Rogue vaguely wishes for this moment to never end, for this feeling of safety, and not-aloneness, and—yes—love to stay forever. Mostly she is just content to revel in her happiness, close enough to Gambit to be inundated with a scent uniquely his—cologne and a ghost of cigarette smoke, and a summery spiciness that is his alone.
Remy doesn't let go as the song ends and a new one began. Sheryl Crow this time, though he wonders who on the team is a fan of her…..no matter. He is content to simply enjoy the warm body pressed to him, and the love he feels for her.
Are you strong enough to be my man?
Are you strong enough to be my man?
Sheryl Crow sings on, as Rogue nearly cries at the truth in the song. She loves Remy, that is simple enough to know. But she also knows that she is not an easy one to love—impossible to touch skin-to-skin without hurting someone, she'd resigned herself to a lonely existence, until a devil-eyed cajun had come in to her life. Now, she wonders if he is strong enough—and she dearly hopes so.
Gambit pulls Rogue a little closer, as he feels her stiffen at the lyrics. He loves her, has always loved her, it seems, and he knows he always will, in this and any other lifetime they are together. As the song ends, and twilight is on the verge of becoming night, he pulls her into a sweet, strong hug.
Rogue holds onto him for as long as she can, not wanting to give up this warm, loving body to another cold, lonely night. She pushes her face into his chest, holding back tears and carefully recording every sensation, every scent, everything she feels, for a time when she knows it will be needed. His arms around her, warm and sheltering and comforting, means that everything will be okay, that she isn't alone in this world, that there is someone out there believing her worthy of love.
Remy can't stand to think of letting go of this incredible woman, this creature who seems to love him, who had seen through the façade of a charmer and discovered the sensitive, caring, hurting and broken man within. As she healed him, he fell in love with her. It doesn't matter that he can't touch her skin-to-skin, can't give her a kiss without her hand, or a scarf, or her hair in the way. That was just physicality, and he doesn't need that nearly as much as he needs someone to love him, to give a damn if he comes home at night, or if he is injured in battle. Rogue fills that hole in his life and more, shows him what he'd missed in Belle and all the other women he'd loved in the past.
Softly, hardly able to believe he is doing it, Remy pulls back a little, looks into Rogue's eyes, and tells her, for the first time, "I love you." He speaks with all the tenderness and conviction he can summon up, and knows he's hit a chord when a brilliant smile overtakes Rogue's face, and she answers, simply, "I know. I love you too." And he knows that she is looking at a smile on his face to match her own, and they pull each other in tight. Two lonely souls have been united, two people won't ever have to be alone again.
It is a beautiful summer night.
Disclaimer: Gambit, Rogue and the rest of the gang belong to Marvel. The song belongs to Sheryl Crow.