A.N.: So it would seem my little one-shot has now become a possible actual story. It started as just a little one-shot since the idea absolutely refused to leave me alone making it impossible to concentrate on the story I was trying to work on. Now it is growing into something more, possibly. I typically only post stories I have written pretty far ahead in so that's another thing that makes this one unique for me. If there's anything you'd really like to see here, then be sure to drop me a line or put it in your review. I'd love to hear your ideas!
Disclaimer: They belong to Marvel and the fact that I can't get enough of them just shows Stan Lee's brilliance.
Remy realized that his investigation of the new sensations and thoughts produced by the feisty goth wasn't going to work out if she wasn't on board with his plans. How to sway her opinion of him and of them was proving to be more challenging than anticipated. He weighed all the possibilities in his mind while blowing the smoke from his cigarette out his bedroom window he watched her as she wandered to the gazebo and gazed out at the view.
Rogue held in her sigh as the psyches got restless again. She shoved back the snarling Sabertooth trying to rage through her thoughts, grimacing with the effort. Some days were harder than others as far as controlling her mental passengers. After her rather intense training session with Logan she wasn't surprised that it was Creed who'd decided to act up, pushing the artificial boundaries she'd set up around him. He always seemed to want to come out and play when she'd been working a lot with Logan. It was only after actual training, however. When the two of them had done something low-key like run errands for the Institute or something he was fine.
She knew her defenses were not as strong as usual these days. There was a tendency for her to struggle more when she was stressed and that was an almost constant state for her these days. Kitty was sneaking out to be with Lance more and more and Rogue kept needing to cover for her. Kurt was still freaking out about Amanda knowing what he looked like and wanting him to go natural in public instead of using the hologram the professor had given him and asked Rogue's advice daily. She had no idea why he'd choose to listen to her, but whatever.
If Rogue had to watch the melodrama between Jean and Scott much longer she was pretty sure she'd hurl in the middle of a meal. It was all so stinking stupid. Jean might be annoying, but she wasn't an idiot. She had to know he liked her and it was clear as crystal that she was into him, too. Why they had to play these head games was beyond Rogue and she wished they'd just get on with it already.
Bobby and the other younger students, Rogue was convinced, were all riddled with ADHD with only a couple of possible exceptions. Amara wasn't a total freak, but she was such a princess it drove Rogue nuts. Sam was the one kid she could stand being in the same room with for more than ten minutes. It probably had something to do with their common southern heritage. He was just cool.
Then there was that dang Cajun. She had all sorts of names for him in her mind, but knew that if Irene ever heard her actually say any of them she would've been in a truckload of trouble, so out of habit she never spoke them… she just thought them REALLY loud. Sometimes too loud she figured, since Jean had given her a big-eyed stare just this morning when she'd thought something not entirely flattering about him as he'd winked at her while reaching around her to reach for a coffee mug. Rogue couldn't help it, though. Honestly, the guy would drive a saint to drink. Ever since that day he'd 'rescued' her, as if she even could be a damsel in distress, he'd begun popping up practically everywhere. If she hadn't felt how solid he was that day she'd swear she was being haunted. Instead of Rogue being creeped out as would have happened with a specter, she was just irritated.
At school, he appeared by her locker between almost every class and walked with her to her next one even though she never even acknowledged his comments or greetings. Rogue had no idea how he was making it to his own classes on time. At the mansion she might round the corner of some shelves in the library only to run into his tall form. If she was working out, he was there sweating right along with her. When she left the danger room after training on her own he was always propped up against the wall right outside when she emerged. During group training she found him on her team almost every time and he was always watching her back. That was probably the most aggravating of all… did he think she was incapable of handling things herself? She'd been training most of her life and could probably take him in a fight, she figured.
Other people were even beginning to comment on the whole ridiculous thing. Tabitha was going to find superglue in her shampoo bottle if she didn't stop making dumb remarks. If Kitty squealed one more time Rogue was convinced she'd lose some hearing. The pitch that girl could hit could deafen defenseless animals, Rogue was certain. Jubilee, Bobby, and the others were driving her crazy with their giggles and whispers every time they saw her.
Somehow this whole situation had gotten completely out of control. The only person who'd reacted with any shred of sense was Logan. His only recognition of the attention Remy was showing her was to ask, "That new kid buggin' you, Stripes? I can deal with him if you want." His offer was accompanied by the display of one set of claws and a menacing smirk. She'd declined, but kept the option open for future consent should the guy not back off.
Even the other two adults in the mansion were feeding the insanity in their own ways. The professor would do that thing with his hands and smile at her whenever he saw Remy trying to garner her attention. She'd even gone to him to complain and he'd only said, "I think it is good for you to have someone pushing those barricades you insist on maintaining between yourself and the other students, Rogue." Rogue couldn't believe it when he'd said that and had even stood there for a minute waiting for the punch line to the joke, but it never came. Xavier had only asked if there was anything else she needed.
"If Ah did Ah wouldn't bothah comin' ta' ya' since it does no good anyway," she'd mumbled before slumping out the door. It was probably a good thing she didn't hear his amused chuckle as the door swung shut on her retreating back.
Storm had only spoken to Rogue about it once, probably because the two of them weren't exactly close or anything. All she'd said was how, "Nice it is to see you with your new boyfriend." Rogue had squelched that concept flat in no time at all, but what got to her with the elegant woman was the little smiles Ororo probably thought were subtle that she always wore when Remy skulked around Rogue. They were almost as nauseatingly saccharine sweet as the whole Jean and Scott deal. Blech!
Her sole sanctuary from the barrage of harassment these days was her room. In there, though, she had to contend with Kitty's sweet, but very bubbly personality since even though they had their own rooms now, Kitty still hung out with Rogue almost constantly. It's not like a locked door would do much to keep the phasing girl out. It didn't bother her most of the time, but sometimes she just couldn't take it.
That's why Rogue was currently sitting on one of the bench seats built into the gazebo, her feet pulled up so her forehead rested on her knees while she focused on the breeze blowing lightly through her tousled hair waiting for the various voices in her head to quiet more. Not until the slight rustle of fabric sounded behind her did Rogue realize she was no longer alone.
Before the other figure could ascend the single step up to the gazebo, she was off her seat and assuming an aggressive battle stance, ready for whatever the unidentified opponent may throw her way. When she saw who it was, she relaxed enough to stand fully upright and propped one hand on her hip. "And what do ya' want now?"
"Chérie, what you mean? I haven't seen ya' since dis mornin'."
She rolled her eyes. Sarcasm dripping from her disdainful tones, she replied, "Yeah, that's what Ah mean, Bayou Boy. Ya're ev'rywhere these days, doggin' mah steps. What's your deal?"
For the first time Remy considered things from her point of view. Where he thought he'd simply been setting himself up to run into her more often so they could get to know one another a bit, she apparently felt stalked. It was true that over the past couple of weeks they saw each other about six or eight times a day outside the usual casual meets they'd had before, thanks to his careful observations of her habits.
He'd never imagined it was that noticeable, let alone so completely unwelcome. Most girls of his acquaintance were more than happy when he paid them special attention. Rogue wasn't most girls, though. That, after all, was part of what drew him to her to start with. Remy should have known not to use the typical approach with the sassy southerner. He should have realized she wouldn't take it well at all. Now she was even more aggressively antagonistic with him than ever. He was such an idiot. How was he supposed to fix the mess he'd already made of this?
Feeling a bit off his stride, Remy dropped his usual pretence for a moment and shrugged one shoulder awkwardly while looking down at the floorboards. It was the first time Rogue felt like he was being completely genuine around her. The only outward indication of her softening attitude was the way her hand dropped to hang by her side and the loss of the hardness in her green eyes.
"Look, we don't even know each other, really… an' we both know how many of tha' girls here are salivatin' over ya' so why are ya' tailin' me like I'm ya'r latest heist." Everyone at the mansion knew that he'd been a thief before coming here; he'd made no secret of it and took her comment in good humor as she'd intended.
Remy sat on the nearest seat, looking totally at ease, and indicated the empty expanse with a sweeping gesture of one arm. After a slight hesitation she sat several feet away, but he was pleased to note her position wasn't as far from him as she could be either. "I t'ought we might have fun t'gethah. Ya' know, we have stuff in common an' I wanted to get ta know ya' bettah. You're a hard girl ta' know, though, chérie."
Rogue folded one leg underneath herself and propped her head on one hand, using the railing for support. "Maybe Ah don't want ta' get ta' know ya', Cajun. Didja consider that possibility?"
Lips twisting in wry acknowledgment of her point, he admitted, "Ovah de last coupla days dat t'ought has crossed my mind." His humorous side showing, he leaned forward to continue, "I was kinda hopin' dat wasn' de case, dough." He sat back again looking far more comfortable now that the conversation was moving along smoothly. "Ya' got too many friends or somet'in', chérie? I know I've got room for one more. I'd sure like ta' fin' out if dat could be you, Rogue."
She tilted her head to one side, considering all he'd said with an air of skepticism that as natural to her as breathing. "It's funny… Ah nevah really thought of ya' as tha type ta have a lot of female friends that weren't, ya' know, 'friends'," she finally announced, using her fingers to make air quotes, emphasizing her point.
"Dere's a first time for ev'ryt'in', right?"
"Ah don't know, Cajun…" She shook her head slowly, still thinking it through. "What makes ya' think we've got so much in common anyway?"
"For one t'ing, neither of us is 'xactly de typical X-homme," he alluded to their shared less-than-completely-law-abiding, not completely clean-cut upbringings and pasts with one raised brow. Spying the barely perceptible upwards quirk of the corners of her lips he grinned and went on. "We bot' from de south," she interjected before he continue, though.
"Yeah, well, that's true, but so's Sam."
He nodded. "'S true… We also bot' t'ink Jean an' Cyke are imbeciles."
"No kiddin'!" she allowed, vehemently agreeing.
Seeing that she still wasn't ready to let him in, he tried to wait her out. She twisted a lock of white hair around one finger while she contemplated his simple offer of friendship. He'd heard rumors, but couldn't help wondering what had made this girl so incredibly uptight and untrusting. What could have happened that made her approach his simple offer of friendship with the same caution and trepidation as one would adopt when negotiating a peace treaty between warring factions? Before he could think on that any further, she spoke.
"If we were ta' try this… there'd hafta be certain understandin's between us. Ya' know… ground rules."
"Règles?" What was de fille going on about now?
"Yeah, like no tellin' me tha sordid details o' your datin' life." She knew friends, even girl-guy friends talked to each other about their dates and stuff, but she didn't want to know. It was bad enough knowing she'd probably never have any of that, never be able to touch anyone, without having to listen to people telling her all about what she was missing out on.
"No problem, chérie." Remy agreed instantly. It wouldn't be a problem because he had high hopes for this relationship and wouldn't be stupid enough to talk to one girl about his others. No man with sense would do that anyway. Even his cousin Lapin knew that much! "So, we doin' dis?" He acted relaxed, but inside was tense with apprehension.
"Ah," she still hesitated, but finally relented, "Ah guess we can try."
He grinned at her. "Ya' won't regret it, Roguey."
"Ya' think ya'r gonna keep callin' me that an' I regret it already," she shot back.
"I'm sorry, assez. It won't happen again." She only narrowed her eyes at him in warning. "Really; ya've got my word," he vowed with one hand over his heart.
