Disclaimer: I own nothing, nada, zip.
Scene 02
"Who died Gumbo?" Logan asked, mooching into the kitchen and stealing a soda.
"Unfortunately no-one," Gambit replied. "I could use some inheritance."
"Broke huh?" Logan was unsympathetic, "that'll teach ya to go shopping." He opened his soda, releasing a hiss of gas.
"It taught me not to go shopping with Blaze…" Gambit muttered unkindly.
"Uh-huh," Storm was sceptical as she placed a steaming cup of sweet, black coffee in front of the Cajun. "Of course it has nothing to do with the fact that Blaze's last boyfriend was a certain wealthy individual by the name of Warren Worthington the Third. You wouldn't be trying to compete at all, would you Remy?"
Of course he was trying to complete with Angel, and the whole mess wasn't made any easier by the fact that Warren was now dating Gambit's ex, Rogue. The same Rogue who two days earlier had come home wearing a brand new designer jacket and the exact pair of $200 boots Blaze had been drooling over for weeks. Blaze had declared she didn't want the boots after all, but Remy knew she was lying. Hence the extravagant shopping trip today, the meal at a luxurious restaurant the night before, and the concert tickets he'd got stashed in his room to surprise her with later.
"You're spoilin' that girl," Logan interrupted Gambit's train of thought, "mark my words, it'll come back to haunt you."
"T'anks for the support Logan," Gambit drawled sarcastically. Looking up at Storm he said, "I jus' wanna make her happy."
"She is," Ororo replied, "but not because you're spending money on her." Logan made a funny noise like a suppressed laugh. Ororo glared at him and then turned back to Remy. "Have you tried explaining to Blaze that you just can't afford to carry on like this?"
"Don't get me wrong Storm," Gambit said. "You know I adore Blaze, but you saw her today. She lappin' it up comin' home with all that stuff and the other girls droolin' over it. She's the queen of superficial, she ain't never gonna understand that I'm broke."
"The way I see it," said Logan, "you got two choices. Dump Blaze," Gambit looked suitably horrified, "or get a job."
"A job?" Gambit looked even more appalled at this idea.
"That's a wonderful idea," Storm approved. "You'd be setting an excellent example to the students as well as making some money. I'm sure the Professor will approve and let you reduce your training schedule so you can work as well."
"Not to mention if you're in work Blaze can't spend your money," Logan pointed out pragmatically. "Here," he tossed Gambit a copy of that morning's paper that had been on the counter. "Good luck Gumbo, you're gonna need it."
Storm and Wolverine left the room as Gambit opened the paper up to the 'Help Wanted' section. The thought crossed his mind that there were other ways to make money, ways that his experience and qualifications made him rather good at. Gambit shook his head and forced himself to dismiss the idea. He had come so far from the old days in New Orleans. He didn't want to go back to being a criminal.
Did he?
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Gambit soon found out that getting a job was not as easy as just deciding he needed one. There were application forms and curriculum vitae to consider, and that was just to get an interview. Fortunately, he knew just the creative genius to write something to get a foot in the door. Raising his hand, Remy rapped three times on Kitty's bedroom door and then let himself in.
"What d'you mean, you need me to write you a CV?" Kitty was sitting at her desk with her homework spread out all around her. Gambit crossed the room and perched on her bed. "I have, like, five assignments due in for school this week. I don't have time to write you a CV."
"I'll make it worth your while," Remy promised.
"How?" Kitty was not convinced. Gambit hesitated for a moment, but then produced the two concert tickets he'd been saving. Kitty saw the band name and made a lurch to grab the tickets, but Gambit yanked them back out of her reach.
"Two conditions," he said. "One, you get the tickets if the CV you're gonna write me gets me a job."
"No problem," Kitty agreed urgently, eyes fixed on the tickets.
"Two, you give Blaze the second ticket."
"Absolutely," Kitty agreed. Gambit put the tickets away, despite Shadowcat's crestfallen expression.
"You can have them afterI get a job," Remy promised, "now how about that CV?"
"Ok," Shadowcat grabbed a purple-covered notebook and opened it to a fresh page. Taking a fuzzy pink pen, she tucked her feet up under her and put the pen to paper. "So, like, what qualifications have you got?"
"I gotta night school degree in charm, wit an' style…" Kitty had been writing down what he was saying, but once it became clear he was joking, she stopped and glared at him.
"Be serious!"
"I am," Remy admitted. "I never graduated high school Kitty, you know dat."
"What about previous jobs, work experience, that kind of thing?" Kitty asked, sucking the end of her pen thoughtfully. Gambit just looked at her. Snapping out of it, Kitty remembered whom she was talking to. "Oh yeah, the whole crime-family-gang-acolyte-thing… Forget I asked."
"Can you do anyt'ing?" Gambit was starting to get worried. He hadn't expected this to be so hard. Kitty didn't like the look of desperation on her fellow X-Man's face, so she bit her lip and made a decision.
"I'll try."
"You could always jus' lie," Gambit offered as a hint as he got up and left the room.
"Trust me," Kitty said, "I intend to…"
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"It's official," Kitty announced as she arrived at Gambit's room later on. "I am a genius. Hey, what are all you guys doing here?"
"Watchin' my TV," moaned Remy. He unhooked his arm from around Blaze's shoulder, climbed off his bed and stepped carefully over Amara, Roberto and Nightcrawler who were lying on the floor. The other four mutants didn't even blink, their eyes glued to the soccer on Gambit's TV. Brazil, wearing yellow, were playing Argentina who wore blue and white stripes. "Dey been kicked outta every communal room in the mansion, so they decided to come here instead. I wouldn't mind, but dis is the most borin', mind-numbing game o' the most borin' mind-numbing sport I ever…"
"Shush," Magma insisted, whilst Kurt grabbed the TV remote and hit the volume button. The sound of the angry Scottish commentator got considerably louder. Roberto shifted to sit on his haunches so he was closer to the screen. Gambit made a silent plea to Blaze, but she just grinned and shrugged, then turned back to the game. Shaking his head Gambit led Kitty into the corridor where they could hear themselves think. No sooner had to door closed that there was a collective shout of "GOAL!" from the room. Typical, thought Gambit.
"So whatcha got?" Remy asked Kitty.
"It's a complete work of fiction, but I think you can carry it off," Kitty joked, handing him the neatly typed CV. "Well, what d'you think?"