Disclaimer: Damn The Man.
A/N: I am a total weirdo. I just figured –Hey! No one ever writes fanfics that deal with events in the currents comics, so WTF. If you are a little confused, check Chamber and Gambit's Wikipedia pages for details and timelines. This is set kind of in the future when … well see the summary below…
(Full) Summary: After acting as X23's traveling companion for some time, Gambit returns to Utopia, which had been abandoned by most of the mutants in favor of San Fran, where they have been welcomed back. He passes by the X-Club lab to find Dr. Kavita Rao and a certain patient…whom he quickly befriends…
A/N #2: Ending has been edited. 10.28.12
Day One
Once bustling with the remaining mutant population, Utopia, which was located on a floating asteroid, only held the X Men and a select few who had decided they rather liked the island.
Remy cut the engine of the motor boat and hopped onto the dock.
No one stood waiting to greet him, but then, he hadn't informed anyone of his intentions to return.
He hadn't really want to; they would've asked him questions –"Why?"
Would anyone believe him if he said he wanted to find a home and settle down? Of course not! He was Gambit, Remy LeBeau, Prince of Thieves!
And he was nearing his forties. Thirty-four years old! He wasn't cut out for running around the world anymore. He wasn't as energetic as before… he was practically going gray…
Remy snorted aloud as he climbed up to the main building of the island; okay, so maybe he wasn't that old…
"Hey Gumbo,"
He noticed Logan sitting on a window sill in the lobby, beer in hand.
"Logan," He nodded in acknowledgment.
The older man sniffed the air, "You seen X?"
"Oui, I was travelin' wit' Laura f' a while. Jus' watchin' over her…"
Logan nodded, "How's she doin' out there?"
"Met Daken." –Logan's eyes narrowed, so Remy added: "She's one tough fille; I wouldn' worry too much 'bout her. 'Sides, dey get along. Most o' de time."
"Hmph," Logan grunted.
Remy walked by and up the staircase.
He was greeted by Emma and Scott as he passed by the Meeting Room and they had some small talk before he moved on through the building.
Eventually, the Cajun found himself in the sublevels, where the islands scientists were working in their respective labs.
Dr. Nemesis was no fun to be around, and Madison Jeffries was talking to Fantomex, who Remy tended to avoid and dislike… maybe it had something to do with the man's obviously fake French accent.
Since Hank was working with S.W.O.R.D, there was only one scientist left: the resident biologist, and creator of the Cure –Dr. Rao.
Remy sauntered into the Indian woman's lab, "'Lo?" he called out, finding it empty.
"Over here!" A voice called,
Remy walked around a curtain to where Dr. Rao was with a bunch of patients, apparently taking note of their various conditions with the clipboard in her hand.
A few he recognized as former students –now X-Men. They seemed pretty healed, so they must've been getting check-ups.
Most of them glanced at him in acknowledgment and only a two muttered a hello.
"Hello Mr. LeBeau and welcome back. How may I help you?" Dr. Rao smiled pleasantly,
"I was jus' lookin' 'round. Nuthin' t' do, y' know?" He smiled.
"Ah," she nodded, "You're welcome to hang around, then,"
He smiled again and looked around the room. There was a panel of windows on one side of the room that opened onto a balcony. He climbed out and stepped over to the rail, looking over the ledge. It was a long plunge down into the ocean. He stood there for a moment, appreciating the view of the city, and then began to walk along the balcony. It turned off onto another side of the building, where there were only rocks below.
Remy was startled to see someone standing on ledge of the balcony, looking down.
"Chamber?" He said, nearing the man.
Startled, he looked back and nearly lost his footing. Remy reached out and grabbed the younger man before he could fall to his death.
/Blood hell! Wot where y' thinking?/ Jonothan Starsmore yelled telepathically, climbing down at once.
"Me? You were de one lookin' t' jump!" Remy accused.
They glared at each other for a moment and the Chamber said, "Gambit, right?"
"You're Chamber?" Remy nodded.
The Brit nodded, too.
"Didn't y' used t' have a mouth?"
/Yes. Legion's alternate universe or whatever the bloody hell it was took it away. Thanks for reminding me./ Chamber said moodily.
"Sorry."
/Apologizing isn't going ter do anything./ he scoffed.
A moment passed.
"Were y' plannin' on jumpin'?"
/Of course not./ Chamber replied immediately.
Another moment went by silently.
/You can call me Jono, by the way./
"Remy."
They shook hands.
Day Three
"Is Chamber allowed t' go int' de city?" Remy asked Dr. Rao one day.
"He's allowed to go anywhere he wants; he just doesn't." she said.
"I thought he was a patient." Remy said questioningly.
Dr. Rao shook her head, "I keep an eye on him and his powers, but he's not sick or in any danger to himself."
Remy smiled to himself and thanked her before heading down the hall to the medical room.
Jono sat on the usual bed, at the very back of the room.
"We goin' int' de city today," He announced as he crossed the room.
/I don't want ter go ter San Francisco,/ Jono said.
"An' why not?" Remy crossed his arms.
Jono frowned –or at least his brow furrowed and he squinted a little, which was how he frowned- /People stare at me. I don't like it./ he replied.
Remy looked at the younger man's bandages and said, "I'm starin' at y'. Don' like it?"
/Yer not staring like I'm something disgusting./
Remy laughed, "People in de city have seen some really disgustin' things, homme. Y' mutation ain't even dat bad compared t' some o' de ones dat have come up dese days."
/If my powers get out of control, I could destroy half of the city!/
"So could Cyclops, or Storm, or Hope, or even Iceman. I probably could, too." Remy added in afterthought, "Besides, at least y' can touch people," he poked Jono's shoulder, "Dere are people who can't touch."
"I heard Rogue had her powers under control," Jono responded,
"Oui, but I remember dere was a student of de mansion a long time ago who had a death touch. Poor boy drained organic life forms of life."
/What happened ter him?/
"He died in Necrosha."
Jono crossed his arms and glared.
Remy grinned, "It'll be safe," he insisted.
/Fine,/ Jono grumbled.
"You'll love it, mon ami," Remy assured him as he grabbed the Brit's arm and towed him out of the room. They stopped a group that was about to leave the island and boarded the motorboat.
At the docks, Remy pulled Jono off the boat and toward the street.
/Where're we going?/ Jono grumbled,
"Lightin' up, homme, y' beginnin' t' remind me of Summers…" Remy snorted and rolled his eyes.
/Yer can't blame me fer bein' wary. Bad luck follows me where ever I go./
"I have enough luck f' de both of us, then," Remy said cheerfully.
/An' where're we supposed ter go? I don't like shopping, I can't eat, and I can't drink./
"We'll figure it out," Remy replied, "Sight-see, y' know. Could be fun."
/Could be fun,/
"Don' be so pessimistic."
/Yer have ter be, when yer live like we do. Where else do you have ter write yer will at the age of fourteen?/
"See, I never wrote one. Y' only write a will if y' tink y' won't be able t' survive." Remy said smugly.
/I didn't say I wrote one. I don't exactly own anything of value./ Jono said.
"Den we'll have t' buy y' somethin' of value!" Remy exclaimed, dragging Jono into the nearest shop.
…
Day Five
"Y' can't sleep? An' y' never thought t' mention dis to me before?" Remy said incredulously.
/It never came up,/ Jono shrugged.
"Dat's 'cuz y' never talk 'bout y'self," Remy said. He leaned back against the hallway wall for a moment and tapped his chin. Suddenly he announced, "I have an idea. Jono, you're a telepath, right?"
/Obviously./
"Can y' tap into other people's thoughts?"
/Not very well… I mean, they have ter be really close by…/
Remy grinned, "Dat's bien, mon ami."
/So… wot's yer brilliant idea?/ Jono said cautiously.
"It's still early. You'll find out later."
…
"Y' like de stars?" Remy asked as he led Jono onto the roof of Utopia's main building.
/Dunno,/
"Never too late t' find out, den, huh?" he said, pushing open the door.
He pulled Jono out onto the roof and grinned in the dark, "Gorgeous, ain't it?"
Jono gazed in awe at the night sky and nodded.
"C'mere," Remy walked over to the center of the roof where there was a cardboard box sitting. He pulled out two pillows and set them out on the ground, "It's prettier lyin' down, Jono,"
They laid back in silence, staring at the twinkling lights above them.
/This was yer idea from earlier?/ Jono wondered.
"No, dis is jus' f' de view. My idea was that y' could link us telepathically. Dat way, whens I sleep, y' can sleep, too."
Jono propped himself up on his elbows and stared and Remy in amazement, /Would that work?/
"Can't see why not, homme, an' it's worth a shot, too,"
/Alright,/ Jono laid back again, /When should I do it?/
"Anytime," Remy murmured sleepily.
Jono relaxed and closed his eyes, opening his mind. He found Remy's mind and dived in. It was warm and dark, and soon he was drifting away. Jonothan Starsmore fell asleep for the first time in years under the stars.
…
Day Six
Jono awoke with a start and looked around.
Remy was leaning over him, smiling apologetically, "I tried t' sleep f' as long as possible," he said.
Jono sat up, disorientated, and rubbed his eyes, /S' fine. Jus' give me a moment, will yer?/
"How was it?" Remy asked.
/Sleepin' after all those years awake?/
"Oui,"
Jono looked at Remy for a moment and then his eyes crinkled at the corners like he was smiling –just without a mouth, /It was amazin', ter tell yer the truth./
Remy grinned, "Dat's good,"
/Good that you sleep well at night./
The Cajun cocked his head to the side and considered this, "Dat's right…y'd have de same dreams I would if I had any, wouldn't you?" he said.
/Yer don't have dreams, do you?/
"Used t', few years ago."
/Not now, though?/
"Used to," Remy repeated, playfully shoving Jono's shoulder.
Already unbalanced because of the way he was sitting up, Jono flailed and then fell over.
"Desole!" Remy said.
Jono suddenly snorted and then laughed, which was very strange when heard telepathically.
"Eh, Jono?" Remy said, uncertainly.
The Brit composed himself and propped himself up on his elbows, /Sorry. I have no idea why I found that so bloody hilarious./ he said.
Remy smiled, "Y' jus' have t' laugh sometimes, I guess."
/Don't think I've ever felt that urge before./ Jono observed.
"Oui… Doesn' really happen t' anyone 'round here anymore." Remy sighed,
/Maybe it will –mutant kind's been saved an' all,/ Jono said.
"How could I f'get?" Remy said.
Jono's eyes crinkled at the corners.
…
Remy threw a folded blanket at Jono as he sat down next to him.
/Wot's this?/ Jono held it up and let it unfold itself.
"If y' gonna sleep now, don' y' wanna be comf'table?" Remy said,
Jono stared at the blanket again and then flopped back on the bed he and Remy had pushed near Remy's, /Guess I forgot how it works –sleeping,/
"Didn' Weapon X give you -?"
/A mouth, yeah, ter speak and eat with, but I still couldn't sleep./
"Oh," Remy opened his mouth again, but Jono beat him to it, /Don't be sorry,/
He closed his mouth and nodded. Then he sat down on his own bed and laid back, turning off the lamp on the bedside table, "'Night, Jono,"
/'Night./
…
Day Eight
"I've been thinkin'," Remy announced one afternoon.
/That's new,/
The Cajun tried glaring, but found he couldn't. So he went on: "Can y' make psi-links like other people?"
/Sure,/ Jono nodded. He leaned forward in his seat, wondering and suspecting where this was going.
"Could y' link us, den? If y' do it jus' right, you'd be able t' sleep any time."
Jono stared at Remy for a long time.
"Eh, Jono?" Remy said after a moment.
/Yer know if I make the bond, we'll be linked emotionally, right?/
"I'm an empath –nothin' I can't handle."
/Yer positive about this?/
"It'll benefit you." Remy said firmly.
/That's quite selfless, Remy. Yer might regret yer decision later on./ Jono crossed his arms.
"Jus' do it, Jono." Remy ordered, "It's f' you."
/Alright./ Jono took a deep telepathic breath. Leaning forward, Jono said, /Empty yer mind. Relax. I'm goin' ter try./
Remy followed Jono's instructions and then Jono closed his eyes. There was a moment when Jono entered Remy's mind where he was almost shut out by automatic defenses.
He pushed past them and arrived in a white landscape. "Remy?" He called out. He had a mouth here, of course.
"What is dis place?"
Jono turned around to see a younger-looking Remy LeBeau approaching him.
"Astral Planes," Jono replied; "Yer head."
"What're we doin' here?"
Jono pointed ahead of them to a large vault door that had faded into existence, "We need ter get in there. It's the most guarded part of yer mind. That's where we're going to make the link."
"Oui… eh, how we gon' get in dere again?"
"We jus' walk in…We have ter open the door first, o' course…" Jono walked forward confidently.
"Mebbe I shoulda asked dis earlier…" Remy said as he trailed after Jono, "mais have you ever done dis before?"
"No," Jono paused, "Not ter other people, anyway. Emma made one fer us back when I was with Gen X. I severed it a few years ago, though."
Remy walked up to the front of the big, intimidating vault door. "We gon' break in, den?"
"That would be the plan, yeah."
"That's a real stupid plan, mon ami,"
Jono grinned with the mouth he possessed on the Astral Planes, "That's the only plan."
Remy reached out and tugged at the door. To his surprise, it opened with a hiss.
Jono peered over his shoulder, "Yer jus' had ter 'ave Antarctica in there?"
Remy was staring into the snowy landscape with wide eyes.
"C'mon, then," Jono ducked under Remy's arm and into the room. He took a few steps in and was instantly overwhelmed by a gust of wind, "Bloody hell!" he cursed, getting back to his feet. He turned toward Remy, "Let's go!" he shouted over the wind.
"Don' t'ink dis is a good idea!" Remy replied nervously.
Jono reached out and grabbed Remy's arm, "Remy, yer supposed ter be scared shitless. This isn't real, though. It's not cold, and yer can't even feel the snow. Now let's move."
And so they proceeded forward.
Jono was leading Remy forward, of course, because the Cajun was sort of dragging his heels.
At last, the snow began to clear, and they reached a giant metal safe.
"Dis is really strange…" Remy muttered, staring up at it.
Jono pulled open the door, "Last stop; in yer go."
"It ain't gon' start snowin', right?" Remy said, half-joking, and half-apprehensive as he stepped inside.
"No, Remy. This is where we make the link. Deepest part of your mind." Jono climbed into the small room after Remy and closed the door, sending them into darkness.
Jono spoke into the room, "Ready?"
"Oui."
The younger man reached up and his hand found the side of Remy's face. He closed his eyes and focused, searching for this astral projection's mind, and then he found it and went inside.
…
Remy's eyes flew open and he found himself seated at the table in the cafeteria. Jono was sitting across from him, looking expectant, mouth gone once more.
Remy didn't feel all that different. Physically, he felt the same. He didn't quite feel alone anymore –not like he used to, even when there was somebody with him. There was a warm feeling in his mind and he knew it just had to be Jono's presence. "I t'ink y' did it." He said shakily.
/Think I did./ Jono agreed.
"So… T'ink it'll actually work?"
/It does. See?/ Jono closed his eyes and summoned up all the gratitude he felt and sent it through the psi-link. He heard Remy gasp and he opened his eyes. The Cajun was panting slightly, looked completely awed. Slowly, a grin spread across his face and he looked up at Jono. "Y' really feel dat way?" he asked, blushing a little like a flattered school girl.
Jono nodded, /You've done so much fer me –more than anyone's done in a while. It means a lot to me, Remy. Thank you./
They stared at each across the table, and Remy said, "I'm gon' be sleepin' on de roof tonight. Dere's a full moon. I t'ink it will be beautiful."
Jono tilted his head to the side, deciding whether or not he heard an invitation in the comment. /Mind if I tag along?/ he asked after a moment.
"Wouldn't have it any other way, mon ami." Remy replied.
Day Nine
Remy woke up, and it was one of those days where he did so and had no idea what was going on. He registered the morning chill before he remembered where he was, and he immediately curled into a ball under his blankets to preserve some heat.
These automatic instincts passed in a moment, and Remy uncurled a little and peered around sleepily.
He was startled to find Jono's face so close to his.
The other mutant was still fast asleep.
Remy slowly let out the breath he had sucked in, and rolled over before sitting up. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and looked back down at Jono.
He smiled slightly and reached over to fix the younger man's blankets. Jono shifted in his sleep but didn't wake up. It was nearly two hours later when he awoke. He peered around groggily and saw Remy sitting nearby, a cup of coffee in his hands.
The Cajun turned and offered him a grin upon seeing that he was awake. "'Mornin', Jono."
He sat up with a mental groan and rubbed his eyes, /'Mornin', Rem./ he said telepathically.
"Awake?"
/Extremely. What time is it?/ Jono asked, sitting up.
"Eh, ten-thirty?"
He raised his eyebrows. /It's late./ he noted.
"Did y' have anythin' planned f' today?" Remy asked.
Jono gave a mental snort, /No. Suppose I should check in with Kavita. I haven't been by her lab for a few days./
"Two," Remy reminded, "It's not dat much." He stood up and motioned Jono to come with him, "Y' can do somethin' else today."
/Like what?/ Jono asked, looking interested.
"Let's go into de city again. We can visit de new building, see if it's as nice as Warren's sayin' it is." Remy said.
/I don't really want ter move back into the city./ Jono confessed as they were seated in a motorboat, speeding across the water.
"Why not?" Remy frowned. He had to yell a little to be heard, as opposed to Jono, who used telepathy to speak.
/Utopia's nicer,/ Jono shrugged, /Even if the accommodations aren't as great, it's quieter. There isn't so much bloody disruption, and everything doesn't move so fast./
"Don' like livin' fast?"
/Wot's the point of that? You'd jus' die earlier./ he replied.
Remy was silent for the rest of the ride to the mainland.
Day Ten
"Gambit, I must ask you how you do it." Dr. Rao said, approaching Remy during lunch. The only time Jono and Remy weren't around each other these days was during meals. Jono tended to avoid cafeterias and such and instead went off to disappear somewhere.
Remy grinned, "Look so good? I get dat a lot." He joked as he set his plate at a table.
She rolled her eyes, "Jono," She elaborated, "how did you manage to pull him out of his shell like you have? I couldn't get him to talk if his life depended on it."
He raised his eyebrows, "Didn't even curse at y'?"
She shook her head.
"Well. Ain't dat somethin', den?" Remy said. "Must jus' be de charm." He flashed her another grin and she gave him a look of amusement before moving off.
Remy watched her go and then stopped smiling. His eyes narrowed and he concentrated on the psi-link he and Jono shared.
Sadness. Loneliness. Bitterness.
He frowned and made his way out of the cafeteria, forgetting his lunch at the table. As he walked, Remy grew even more impatient. He had decided very firmly that he didn't like the way Jono felt all of the time. Moments from their days together suddenly clicked and made sense.
From the moment they met; Chamber had been contemplating a very serious decision. Remy recalled times where the Brit would suddenly stop talking for a while. Just the day before, when they had hung out at the X-Men headquarters on the mainland –whereas Remy had been chatting energetically with some of the team, Jono had barely said a thing and had stayed on the outside of every conversation.
Remy quickened his pace until he had arrived at the room he and Jono shared. It was empty. Jono's bed had not been touched since the night before.
A chill ran down Remy's spine and he exited the room and hurried down the hall in search for his friend. He went to check the next place Jono would be found; the roof. He was halfway up the staircase when he turned and found Jono on his way down.
/Yer okay?/ The Brit frowned, no doubt having sensed Remy's panic through their psi-link.
Remy grabbed the front of Jono's jacked and used it to push him up against the wall. "Day we met," he said frantically, "Y' weren't really plannin' on jumpin' were y'? You never denied it."
/Christ!/ Jono yelled in alarm, /Wot the bloody-? Remy! Put me the fuck down!/
"Answer me." Remy said, shaking him.
The Cajun looked a mess. His red-on-black eyes were wide and they had a wild look to them. His hair was in disarray from when he had been running through Utopia.
Jono stared at him with equally wide eyes. He knew that lying wouldn't work with Remy. /Yer want me ter say yes? That wot yer want ter hear, Rem?/ He said steadily, /Sure, than. Maybe I was goin' ter jump./ he waited for Remy's reaction.
Nothing happened. The thief's grip on Jono did not loosen –he didn't even blink. "Why?" he asked quietly.
/Why?/ Jono snorted, /I was bloody miserable, that's fucking why./
Remy started to step away but he reached out and grabbed him. /But yer want ter know wot really matters? I didn't. I'm still here; I didn't jump, and I haven't even considered taking my life again./
They stared at each other in silence. The only sound was that of Remy's breathing.
/Remember that./ Jono said, tapping Remy's chest with his index finger.
"Y'know I'd bring y' back an' kill y' myself if you ever died?" The Cajun asked after a moment.
/That's clichéd./ Jono told him, /But yeah. I know./ And if he had a breath to lose, he would have lost it, because then Remy pulled him forward and wrapped his arms around him.
Jono laughed telepathically and hugged Remy back fiercely, /Yer a bloody idiot./ he said affectionately, /And one seriously paranoid bloke./
Remy leaned back, but their arms were still wrapped around each other. The sexual tension suddenly became extremely noticeable.
/Remy-/
Lips pressed against bandages, and despite the barrier, they could both feel it. It may have been the amount of emotion pouring of Jono, or maybe everything that was coming through the psi-link, but Remy could never say he didn't feel like Jono's lips were pressed against his.
"I think I love y'?" Remy said, seeing the question in Jono's eyes when they broke apart.
The corners of the Brit's eyes crinkled as they would if he could smile. /I think I love yer, too./ he replied softly.
They remained standing there, quietly wrapped in each other's arms for a long time, reveling in the touch.
And that was just okay with Remy.
THE END?