After only a few weeks, Rogue discovered that not only was Gambit a flirt - a shameless, shameless flirt - but he seemed to enjoy flirting with her. Oh, he flirted with all the girls alright, but there was something about Rogue that kept him coming back.

...

"Forget the past, chère," Gambit smirked at her when she asked about his one night, "'S better to live in the here and now, non?"

"Really?" she laughed, though she didn't find it funny, "That's the best ya got, Gambit?" Rogue rolled her eyes and left the kitchen, forgetting all about the ice cream she intended on getting.

...

"Can't help it, Roguey," he said, "You tres belle."

Kitty and Jubilee chirped in delight. Rogue barely looked at him even though she wanted to punch him for calling her Roguey (but she wasn't about to reward that kind of behavior).

"Women actually fall for that crap?" she snorted and shook her head pitying those poor women as she turned away from him to her much more interesting book.

...

During a Danger Room training session where random partners were drawn, Gambit and Jubilee went up against Wolverine and Rogue. Everything had been going their way and then, somehow Gambit had Rogue pinned down.

"You may have lost the game, you and your furry partner but, for you, at least there is a chance to claim something from the day." Rogue shot daggers up at him. Where the hell was Logan, she wondered as she continued trying to escape Gambit's hold, but he didn't seem to notice and kept right on talking, "Champagne, candle light. Magic time, chère."

"Magic time?" Rogue parroted. She actually stopped struggling, but grimaced as if in pain. "That...that was just lame, Cajun."

He narrowed his brown eyes at her for one split second, but then his smirk was back. He'd just asked her out, in a roundabout way, and not only had she refused, she called him lame. Him. Remy LeBeau. Gambit. Renowned ladies' man. Prince o' Thieves. King of Hearts.

"D'accord." He forced his usual casualness and ease to return, then got up. When she didn't take his offered hand, he only shrugged and turned to leave.

To Rogue's surprise - and satisfaction - it stopped. He stopped. His lame-o lines ceased. His always trying to get close to her ceased. Seems he finally got the point that she wasn't interested and moved on to Lorna. Good. Rogue was relieved. It was quiet without his constant yapping. It was peaceful without his popping up everywhere she was. She should be happy, she was. Except, she wasn't.

How many times had she shooed him from her table whether it was lunch or dinner - he never managed to make it down to breakfast - but he only smiled at her and continued at her side. But now, he was with Polaris or Storm, or anyone that wasn't her and Rogue couldn't help the frown that made its way to her face.

She stood to toss her untouched food.

"Hey, where you going?" Kitty asked, but Rogue left without a reply.

"What's with her?" Jubilee said, biting her apple.

Kitty shrugged. When she looked around the room, she caught sight of Remy's concerned expression. It quickly morphed into his charming smile. He winked at her, then turned back to Lorna. Kitty narrowed her eyes at him waiting for him to look up again. He never did. Frustrated, she turned to Jubilee once more.

"I don't know what it is," Kitty replied, "but something's going on. Everyone's acting weird." She planned on finding out what exactly what was up at Xavier's.

Meanwhile, Rogue was out in the hallway, leaning back against the wall. She was being ridiculous. So he didn't sit with her. Again. It's not like they were friends or anything. He was a flirt and got tired of her not flirting back. That was all there was to it. Besides, she got what she wanted, right? So...why was it bothering her so?

...

Rogue made it clear, practically said she didn't want him around, didn't particularly enjoy his company, and wanted as little to do with him as possible. Remy didn't understand, all the filles liked him. Something was wrong with the southern belle and it had little to do with him. He was close to labeling her a lost cause when he noticed something: the side-glances and the half-lidded lingering looks he caught her giving him.

It intrigued him that she said things so vehemently, while her body contradicted in quiet, almost imperceptible ways. Sure, she tried to keep him at a distance and sassed him like no one had in years, but her ears perked up whenever he spoke, especially to a femme. There was an ever present soft flush to her cheeks when he was near her. And, on more than one occasion, he overheard her ask Logan what else the gruff Canadian knew about him.

It wasn't a lost cause, he decided. It wasn't a lost cause at all. He dropped the stub of his cigarette on the ground, crushed it under the heel of his boot, and returned indoors. He simply had to try a different approach with her. And judging by her reaction to his not sitting at her table for the second day in a row, he was on the right track.

AN: Just wanted to point out that the line that ends "Champagne, candle light. Magic time, chere" is from X-men #4 (1992). Yup, gotta go waaaay back for that one lol.