Rogue stared miserably at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. She really needed to learn to control her temper. She'd gotten herself into one hell of a mess today. She should have just let Lance's stupid words go. She never should have taken them personally.

But she did, and Gambit had to make it all that much worse by voicing his quiet observations concerning her visits. He knew why she was really there with Kitty all the time. She'd been mortified when he'd said it out loud. She moaned softly in despair, letting her head thunk against the mirror in misery.

It was her own fault. She never should have made that stupid comment of him checking her out all the time when she knew it was the other way around. She couldn't help it really. Ever since he came back into town she was curious about him. They'd had a connection in New Orleans and he'd given her his favourite card.

It was stupid to think of it as a love token, especially since he rarely ever spoke to her now that he was back. She wanted to try and strike up their easy conversations from New Orleans, but somehow whenever she tried the words got stuck in her throat.

So, instead she spent her time pretending that she couldn't care less that he was around, and secretly adored him in her private thoughts. She had thought for a moment that the thought police had caught her when Lance used her name in the same sentence with Gambit's. Her heart jumped up her throat and she'd immediately gone on the defensive.

Now she'd ended up in Kitty and Lance's appallingly embarrassing bet. How the hell was she supposed to seduce a man? She'd never even had a proper boyfriend, and even if she did, it wasn't like they could touch. She was royally screwed all because of her big mouth. Why couldn't she ever just admit defeat and back down?

She thought back to all of her past three 'love interests'. There was Cody, the boy she'd danced with when her mutation manifested. He had liked something about her, although she wasn't sure what. Then there was Scott, the leader of the X-men, who just happened to be in love with the perfect Miss Jean Grey, and consequently not her. Although, she had tried to ask Scott out a few times, but she always got flustered and tongue tied. She was definitely not a seductress at all.

Lastly, there was Gambit. The boy who had openly admitted to watching her, the boy she once had no trouble speaking to at all, even though she'd found him incredibly handsome and charming since day one. Most times she was arguing with him or telling him off, which made it easier to talk to him, but then there was New Orleans. They had had a real conversation and she'd actually trusted him with many of her real thoughts. Thoughts she didn't want to say out loud to anyone at the mansion.

Except ever since he'd been back, things were awkward between them. At times, she thought the only reason he'd been nice to her in New Orleans was because he needed her help and not because he genuinely liked her. The way he acted when he saw her arriving at the Brotherhood house with Kitty all the time practically proved it.

She just knew she was going to make a fool out of herself with this bet, but she couldn't back down now. The idea of losing to him and having to admit what he did to her insides was a far worse punishment than anything she could think up.

Thankfully, this bet would be between just the two them, with only Lance and Kitty over seeing.

"Rogue would so win!" She heard Kurt's outraged voice in the hall. "Meine sister will take that creep to the cleaners!"

Rogue froze in horror, pressing her ear up to the door.

Oh Lord, Kitty didn't

"Seriously, Little Boy Blue! Rogue doesn't know the first thing about handling a man like that, or any man at all! Forty bucks says Gambit takes the win." Boom Boom's voice echoed down the hall.

"I'll take that bet! She's hooped and I give her five days tops." Jean's voice agreed.

"Jean!" Scott's voice rang high. "Rogue's on our team, she's our friend."

"Oh come on! Even I have to admit, as infuriating and arrogant as Gambit can be... those eyes, that grin, the body- it takes a girl's breath away."

Rogue could hear Jean's delightful laughter through the door. She could only imagine the type of face Scott had just made.

"I agree with Kurt. I am only just now new to group, but I know Gambit and I know he is liking the Rogue a lot," Piotr Rasputin's poor English in a heavy Russian accent boomed loudly. "Forty dollars say that Rogue, she is be winning bet."

"Thank you, Piotr!" Kitty answered exasperated. "I knew you'd talk some sense!"

Rogue groaned and curled up against the wall. This was a hellish, hellish nightmare.


Gambit ran his hands through his hair. How the hell was he supposed to seduce Rogue when just her very presence made him shudder in joy? She could ask him to do absolutely anything and he'd do it. Hell, he was already willing to do her bidding for more than a week, so what did it really matter if he lost?

For starters, he'd never hear the end of it if he lost. He was supposed to be the Brotherhood's infallible leader. He'd lose all respect from these miscreants if he lost to Rogue. He never should have taken this bet, and he never should have goaded her on with that stupid lie about her coming to see him instead of just keeping a watchful eye on Kitty.

He had reacted badly when she finally voiced what he did every single time she was around. He had thought his ogling had been much more discreet than it really was. He hadn't thought she had noticed. She did, and that meant he was getting sloppy.

She already knew the spell she could cast over him, and it was horrifying, especially when she'd said it out loud. Of course his natural response was to deny it and he did… rather poorly.

Now he was stuck in this bet. He had seventeen days to regain his pride. Thank God nobody else knew about this. It was just a private, friendly little bet between four people.

"Oh man! She is soooo screwed!" He heard Toad's nasally voice in the hallway, "Naturally, Gambit's moves are almost as smooth as mine."

Remy cringed.

The rest of the Brotherhood joined him in the living room, still discussing the awful bet. He couldn't believe Lance had blabbed about this.

Well, actually, yes he could.

"Yeah," Pietro answered quickly. "Twenty bucks says Gambit takes the win!"

"Ha! Yeah right," Wanda's voice piped in. "My money is on Rogue all the way. Twenty bucks says she'll win."

"What makes you say that, Sweetums?" Toad asked eagerly as Wanda shoved him away from her.

"One word—breasts," Wanda answered in a superior tone. "Gambit checks hers out all the time."

Remy felt like saying that he was right here in the room and there was no need to talk about him like he wasn't there, except he wasn't so keen on drawing attention to himself.

"I still say Gambit will win," Lance objected. "Rogue has no idea how to seduce a man, especially with her mutation. Have any of you ever seen her with a guy before?"

Remy groaned inwardly. Her mutation was half of the seduction already for him. The idea that he couldn't touch her skin made her all the more enticing and all the more irresistible.

"Rogue's hot." Was all Dukes had said, which meant no one had any idea whose side the big lummox was on. Somehow it bothered Remy that Dukes so openly admitted to thinking Rogue was hot, when he couldn't even do it himself.

Seventeen days.

A time bomb.

Remy took a deep breath, and grabbed for the phone. His sharp movement made his presence known to the rest of the Brotherhood, who all stared at him in surprise.

"Dude, how long have you been sitting there?" Toad asked with a worried expression on his face.

Remy stood up and pointed the cordless phone at the slippery little fellow. "I am going to win this bet," he validated out loud with determination before taking himself and the phone out of the room followed by Lance and Toad's cheering. He hesitated in the hallway before popping his head back in. "And, Toad?"

"Yeah, boss man?"

"Your seduction skills are nowhere near mine, try to remember that."

Remy left the room with a smirk as Lance continued to jeer Toad while Dukes laughed. It was just the distraction Remy needed to keep the rest of the group off the phone lines while he attempted to phone Rogue. The absolute last thing he wanted was those damn testosterone fuelled idiots listening in on this phone call.

He confidently strode all the way to his bedroom and proceeded to dial her number.

Halfway through dialing he panicked and hung up.

He cursed quietly before tossing the phone on his bed. He never had any problems ringing up a girl before. Except Rogue wasn't just any girl. She was his definition of perfection, and trying to chat her up would be like a mere mortal hitting on a goddess. It was stupid. He'd never had trouble talking with her before.

In New Orleans he had found himself opening up to her more than he would have or should have. He felt they had a common ground and suddenly after he'd made that connection, she wasn't just a pretty face to him. He'd even felt guilty tricking and using her. He had actually apologized to her and meant it.

That had been a first for him. Just like right now. This was going to be a first. He was going to pick up that phone and phone her, take the bull by the horns. He was going to make the first move. At least he'd look like he knew what he was doing, and his confidence in making a bold first move would hopefully throw her off. It was all about distracting the audience with your hands while hiding the cards. Making them believe they saw something that wasn't there.

He picked up the phone and proceeded to dial her number.

He was Gambit the charming master of seduction. Girls naturally were drawn to his appeal and charisma. He was known as a legend for his silver tongue and smooth words. He could get a girl undressed faster than he could get himself undressed.

He spent a little more time convincing himself that Lance was right. He was at the advantage. He'd done this hundreds of times. Rogue, as far as anyone knew, had never even dated. He could handle anything she threw at him.

"Hello, Xavier's Institute for Gifted Youngsters, how may I help you?" a regal sounding voice asked pleasantly.

"Oui, allo, I'd like to speak with Rogue, s'il vous plait."


Author's Notes: Jean's dialogue, "Even I have to admit, as infuriating and arrogant as Gambit can be... those eyes, that grin, the body- it takes a girl's breath away", is taken from a quote Jean makes in the comics about Gambit.

Remy's French: "s'il vous plait"- "please."