The glow of the red against the black had gone but she knew he was still there, eyes closed but still present.
She could feel the anticipation in the air, sensed something changing and suddenly a fuchsia glow lit his face and his red eyes glowed like stars in the darkness. He was hauntingly, achingly beautiful, handsome and young, but ageless. He had changed, she could see, different hair; longer and untamed, clean shaven and dressed not in his acolyte uniform but in his long trench and dark clothes which faded into the darkness.
He was looking down at the card in his hand and a moment later he was striding forwards, avoiding the mansion's automated security as stealthily and gracefully as a cat.
When he disappeared from view she sat up and walked towards the balcony. Trying not to disturb Kitty she opened the door to see what was happening, only to find him somersaulting over the wall to stand before her. That same smile, those same eyes, and a card held out for her.
Taking the card, Rogue murmured, "'Bout time ya decided to speak ta meh." Looking at the dancing Joker, she folded her arms across her chest and appraised him silently.
"neh, ain't decided nothing yet chere " he returned, "Tha's why I'm up here. Don' tink it's fair to make dis decision wi'outcha one way or de other."
"What decision? Ah cain't speak yer mind for ya"
"Non, but if I do what I wanna, I need to know goin' in dat I gave you a choice too. Ain't just me this affects an I done a lot too much o' selfish decisions in mah time to make dis another of 'em."
His sincerity made Rogue look at him again: he looked tired, leaner and quieter than last time she saw him. A new weight had settled on his shoulders and he looked like a man trying to hide the lost little boy inside him, or protect that little child from more pain.
"Ah don't know what choices yer talkin' about swamp rat but I know ya carry a world's worth of pain in ya heart and ya don't think ah should trust ya. Ah got enough of ya up here in mah head to know that."
He looked up, startled by her insight. "ya don' know why I feel dat pain hein? Even tho' ya got a little me in your head?"
"Ah tried not ta look Gambit, I know how much it frightens you, people knowin' ya secrets and ah didn't wanna steal 'em from ya."
"Merci, I had no right ta expect dat of ya after all I done to you 'n yours."
"S'Okay, Ah kinda hoped Ah'd get the answers from ya in person one day."
"I can't promise dat Rogue, I'm sorry, some t'ings, dey too big, too dark, for sharin'."
He looked away, too ashamed to meet her gaze but she held a gloved hand out and lifted his chin, asking him to meet her eyes;
"Not with me – Ah seen darkness ya ain't nevah thought a soul could overcome and some of mah closest friends taught me ya cain't hide from the dark, ya can only shine a light on it."
"Mebbe' so." But he shook his head. "Don' ask me dat yet. I ain't ready."
"Alright. Now what did ya wait 3 months ta ask meh?"
He smiled sheepishly before answering: "I wanna join de x-men."
At her surprised expression he held up a hand before continuing: "I'm serious, I wanna do this for me, not because I'm runnin' from something or cos someone's at my back. Fo' the first time in my life I wanna make a choice dat's all me."
He paused and leaned back against the balcony. "But first I needed to talk ta ya, se how ya feel cos a year's a long time and you…ya know I like ya Rogue, if I join dis team I'm gonna be in ya life whether ya like it or not." He lowered his voice; "and I'm hoping we get ta know each other a lil' better."
He couldn't help his sly grin as she rolled her eyes at his innuendo.
"Raght, sure, the girl who cain't touch and the guy who always wants ta"
Gambit's eyes glowed as he turned serious again. "I mean it tho' – I ain't no Southern gentleman and I sure as Hell ain't a good guy but I wanna…"
"Ya wanna try to be."
"Oui, I ain't good Rogue; I done t'ings, been dat guy. I don' know if I can be good enough for yo' or de x-men, but it ain't dem I worried about. If'n I leave de x-men, dat's just my loss, but if I mess up wit' you, it ain't just me who'll be hurtin'."
"Remy…"
"Non."
He brought up his hand and held her gaze. "I know we ain't nothin' ta each other yet but I'm sure gonna try ta get under ya skin Rogue 'till ya happy wit' me dere. But I wanna warn ya, I don' know if I can be the right man to be an x-man."
He watched her take it all in, reading her eyes as she thought it over, looking up to him as she decided;
"Ah don't know what ya done Remy but Ah know what Ah seen of ya and Ah think ya can change; bad guys don't beat themselves up like yer doin and they don't try ta change. Ah cain't say what's gonna happen with you and meh but..." She lowered her voice to a whisper, "...Yes, Ah'd like a chance. If that leads to heart break, Ah guess it'll be a journey worth takin'."
She hesitated, glancing away; "Ah don't know if Ah can trust ya, Ah got a whole mess o' ya fear up in mah head and Ah hope we can learn to trust each other, but whatever happens, Ah want ya to join the x-men. Ya deserve this chance Remy."
"Thanks chere."
He turned to go but she caught his arm and asked; "Why the joker Remy? Why is that ya card? Ah get the queen of hearts but you get the joker?"
He paused, looking altogether adorable half hanging off the balcony already. "Ya know anythin' 'bout cards?"
She replied embarrassed, "Not much"
"de joker, it de only card don' belong to no suit but can join wit' any o' dem, it de wildcard, de only one can trump any card." He paused, unsure whether he was revealing too much; "In tarot it's de fool, de 'excuse' the joker, he can be anything, but he's always on his way ta becoming something."
She touched the card gently. "Sounds tiring; never fitting in, bein' used when it's convenient for others, never knowing who ya really are."
He smiled tenderly, "mebbe we gon' change dat, non?" and with that he blew her a kiss and leapt from the balcony into the welcoming darkness.
French/Cajun translations
Hein: huh? (an exclamation of disbelief)
