Haha anyway the chapter we've all been waitin for! and i just realised, it's not 'chere' but it's 'cheri'. haha ENJOY!


Living the X-Men Life 07

Piotr caught Remy in the kitchen, who was making a sandwich out of everyone's sight, a smile tugging at his lips. "Remy," he began, the smile widening on his broad face, the slightest tune of amusement in his deep Russian voice. "Please tell me you are not attending school classes, my friend."

Remy lazily swung his head around. Must have been Scottie and Jeanie. The Professor told them and now the whole Institute must be laughing their butts off. "Good news travels fast, eh?"

Piotr merely shook his head and said before leaving, "Take this easy."

A loud guffaw resounded as soon as he disappeared out of sight that Remy jerked up his head. Asshole. It was not everyday Piotr laughed, let alone at somebody for God's sake. This must be some great cosmic joke.

Another set of footsteps on the tiles set his annoyance level higher up the charts as he helped himself to lunch, his back to whoever it was.

"So what did Scott and Jean want with you?" Rogue asked.

He knew he could count on her, at least her. "'Bout last night. At your door."

She sat herself down opposite him from the table. Oh yeah. The immediate temptation sent a rush through him. "What they say?"

He chewed thoughtfully. No, not now, conversation is what it calls for. "No idea. Ended with Professor callin' me up." Then he noticed the sudden glitter of humour in her eye. Looks like she found the great cosmic joke funny too. "Not funny, Rogue."

Her face remained masked. "Everyone's laughin' out there that you're goin' for classes. Why'd you agree to teach anyway?"

His ego sprung up. "Make myself useful? It's borin' sittin' doin'nothin'."

"Borin'." Her voice was laced with scorn. "You've only been here two days. Take it as R&R time before real X-Men life starts."

He scoffed slightly. "Battle stimulations, target practice, chores. How excitin' can it get?"

"Yeah, say that while you're doin' laundry for twenty-one people. Includin' bedsheets." She was tuned on her irritated channel.

Now would be a good time to catch her off guard. Under the table, he touched her calf with his as he invaded her inner leg space. "Maybe it'll be fun for two to check out the city. A little tour 'round."

She looked up at him, a flicker of what he would call desire passing in her eyes. "Ah' don't think so." He felt her foot push him aside.

He put his foot back. "It could just be you and me. But if you like a crowd..." Slowly, it travelled up her knee. She barely flinched from his touch but her head lowered so her eyes glared at him from behind a tuft of white, daring him to do more. "It can always be the three of us."

"Like who?" Teasingly, her other leg encountered his unused one, going beyond his knee, sending a jolt to his drawers.

His lip curled back as he sank into the chair to stretch out further. "You, me and my bike." He stroked her calf tenderly.

"And why should I." She momentarily closed her eyes. The flicker in them had sparked a little, but she hooded the full effect behind her eyelids. Then she flashed them open and kept obstinate eye contact with him. Her foot retreated down. The motion was so calmly delivered the jolt was even stronger going out than coming in. Oh, cheré, Ah'm loving you so much right now. "Ah don't owe you anythin'."

"So you don't mind the bike, eh?" He hooked his foot behind her knee and stroked the back of her calf.

"Ah didn't say yes yet, Remy." she said, her voice a little softened.

"Ah thought I was Gambit?" He kept a measured pace in his stroking.

That got her trying to force back a smile. She succeeded, in less time than he would have liked. "Remy," She removed her legs from him and crossed them aside. She seemed to be thinking something over. Deep thoughts.

He finished his last bite and dusted the crumbs from his fingers, waiting. Patiently.

"Nothin'." Monotonous. Quick. Short. She got up, without even a see-ya-later glance.

He sat himself up, his curiosity aroused more than any other emotion. She was still not ready. Now, where did he go wrong with it? "Alright." As she walked away, sense told him to leave a better impression in her head. "Ah'll call you later."

She smiled. To herself. But hey, it was a start!

Parfaire (Perfect).


Rogue glared at her reflection. "What's wrong with you?" Screw-up! Retard! Useless! Dense! "You can't even get your powers to work right." All her friends had their mutation under control. Kitty, Kurt, oh-so-perfect Jean, even deformed Evan managed to flame up his spikes at thought. Scott had his visor and Kurt has his holo-inducer.

But that was not the problem here. Well, maybe it was. Alright, it is the problem. No touching, no feeling, no life and no love. Sitting around with a romance novel, year in, year out, while everyone else was crushing, dating, hugging, kissing. She could not hold his hand though she yearned with all her heart to. It sucked. She sucked.

She wanted to tell him today. Not her feelings, but her problem. There was no damn way anything would work. No shit about it. She knew what would happen: they could get together (he makes it too obvious), go on dates, and she bet in a month or two, her mutation would be a serious hindrance to any potential moment. She would be happy to just be around him. But a guy is a guy! And they have their needs – worse is that Remy is a major need-er. She knew his head inside out from that brief touch on Blood Moon Bayou, in any case, how he worked. He just might be in love with her, but if he could not love her without dying out, Rogue could expect to find him at jazz bars with other girls piling themselves on top of him. And he would not tell her a shit about it.

What made her want to tell him was that he would keep all of that to himself. His head was a cesspit of lies, secrets, deceit, guiltless betrayal, lust. His actions may be complicated outside, but his mind was clear enough. Clear enough to think, to scheme to get what he wants. Why else is he called Gambit, for God's sake?

No knock, no tapping, no pre-emptive warning. "Ah didn't know Rogue talks to herself." came another Southern voice from outside.

What the hell does he think he is doing? "Go away before someone catches you again." she yelled back.

"Ah told you Ah'll call."

So he did. She untangled herself from her curled position to sit up on her bed. "My phone ain't ringin'."

"'Cos Ah lost mine. Can I borrow yours?"

Huh? What kind of answer is that? It's a flirt's trick; a cheesy line to get her to open the door and talk to her. She realised it must have worked because she had gotten off her bed and reaching for the knob. The faint smell of cigarettes was on his shirt as she looked at him. "What're you doin' here?"

Minty breath. "Can't say Ah'm passin' by." He was referring to that time when he appeared at her school for reasons unknown and then she followed him to the Brotherhood house then – yeah well, another episode of X-Men history. He looked beyond her into her room, which was not difficult with his height. If she were to look straight she would be looking at his bare throat. "It's damn dark in there."

Blast you then. "If you don't like it, stay out of it!" She shut her door –

– Not before he stuck his foot at the doorpost. "Ah just wanted to talk." Oh yeah? About what. What else are you gonna ask for that Ah can't give you? "Fah'ne. Don't talk to me then. Ah got somethin' to say." He paused, his red orbs bearing into her. "What're you beatin' yerself up for?"

"That isn't sayin' somethin'. You asked it." she replied wryly. Ah hoped you would. She could not look at him.

"Yeah." He glanced about and sped through his words. "Now Ah'm gonna ask if you're comin' out or can Ah come in for awhile 'cos Jean Grey's comin' this way."

Did he really hear it or is he just playing her out? Better take no chances with Jean. "Okay."

He slipped in and she closed the door. The first thing he did was switch on the lights then walk over to the small music player on her dressing table. He turned it on. "Ah would open the curtains, but if anyone looked in and saw me, or heard me –" He raised the music volume. "– Is it alright?"

Guessing he wants the lights on so Ah'll be on mah comfort level. HE being in HER room already put all her senses on high alert. She crossed her arms. His eyes widened that she had tucked her arms under her chest so she re-crossed them. He looked about her room then back at her. "Anyway, Ah'm gonna get to the point with you. D'you wanna go out with me sometime?"

His manner was so matter-of-fact she wanted to slap him. All her theories jammed up her brain until her only reply was a flat, lame, untrue "Ah can't."

"Why not?" He found a chair and sat with his elbows on his knees, looking up at her standing by the door.

She leaned into it. If she were to tell him everything, it would take all night. The theories were shoving at each other to get into her tongue and she bit it back.

"It was brief but Ah enjoyed that kiss." What kiss? When did they kiss?! Oh God, where? "Don't think you remember. Bein' under Mesmero's control and all. In that crap of a warehouse back in the day when we were still fightin'? You dropped in and went on with all those powers, knocked us all out. Piotr, Creed and John – that's Pyro – went like lights. You were merciless, Rogue." He seemed to grin a lot. "You took a little longer with me."

She could not help but ask something off his topic. "So how did Ah kick your butt?"

He was always able to bring the topic right back. "You snuck up on meh and gave me that kiss."

Whew. Whoa. She did? "Ah know you're lyin'."

"Ah'm not playin' you." His look was so earnest it seemed honest.

"You really wanna go out with meh." she whispered. It was meant to re-confirm with herself, but he seemed to comprehend her over the music.

"Oui? Non? (Yes? No?)" he asked.

French. His most seductive weapon. Damn him. "Ah don't understand a word you just said."

"Then you'd better go for my classes, eh?" He stood up from the chair and began pacing toward her. "Chéri. D'you know what it means?"

"Ah don't even wanna guess." She pressed her back against the door, her insides tightening. A warm flush heated her core as he drew closer.

"Then Ah'll tell you." He made it to stand inches away from her. "Beloved, mah darling."

Her breath caught in her throat. "Ah'll have to double check that." she whispered.

"Got your reference right here..." He took her hand and laid a kiss on it, the second one in twenty-four hours. Then he raised his head and slowly brought his bare hand toward her face. She jerked in fear of hurting him but he had her cornered. Carefully, so it seemed to her, he took the white strand that hung over her face and pushed it back, without touching her skin. He still held her gloved hand, the heat pouring from him into her. He continued to push her hair back to gaze over her face.

She had better ask. It was now or never. "You don't mind mah powers?"

"That's what you're here in the Institute to handle." He cradled the back of her head where her hair shielded him, pulling her from the door. Her core burned as the space closed between them.

That's not what Ah wanna hear from you. "You're avoidin' the question."

He chuckled. "It's part of your charm."

As much as she would have loved to be loved at this point, she had to stop it. Her theories were damn right. She put a hand over his mouth. "Remy –" Her fear told her to push him away, hurt him so bad he would run and never come back. Another fear rose at the 'never come back' part of the plan. A moment like this might never come again. She broke against herself and kissed him.

Not really. Her hand was in the way. But he did not seem to register the awkwardness to the same degree she did. It took an instant before he released her hand and slid his hand to the small of her back. He pulled her body to press against his and held her there. She never felt so warm before. The heat within burned so hotly it drove her body to tighten into him. Yet she never felt so weakened. Her legs went boneless. His body seemed to lead her to walk back, though her feet could not feel the ground. She barely noticed she was against the wall, held up by his body against hers. The pressure of his lips in her hand lessened, lessened until she felt cool air replace it.

She lowered her hand, staring down into the black pools around his red eyes. He seemed hypnotised for awhile too, both of them breathing heavier than before this.

"D'you know..." His voice had deepened and become more husky. "...what you're legs are doin' t'meh?"

Self-consciously, she glanced down. Her legs must have had a mind of its own, opening up to allow his hips in. If he held her a little lower – a guilty sort of pleasure tickled her. "Ah – Ah kinda liked that."

He appeared pleased to hear her say that. "Would you like another one?" Then his face changed. "A real one."

The seriousness in the way he said it frightened her. "No!" She straightened her legs and he had to put her down. "D'you wanna –"

"Die?" he finished it for her. Then he shook his head and smiled at her, stroking her hair back again. "Oh, Rogue." He paused. "Would you like to –"

"Go out with you sometime?" she finished him. She could get used to this game. The game they were both so keen to play.

"Oui?" He was going all French on her again. She had no idea what he said, but she decided it was a safe take that it meant 'yes'.

"Oui." she repeated the vowel.

"Demain?" he asked, hands on her waist. "Means 'tomorrow'."

"Oui, demain."

He hissed and her core sizzled up again in sweet sympathy. "You have to talk French more often." he whispered. "You say it perfectly."

She had let him talk her into it after all. "So what time is your slot?"


The next morning...

"...and that gives you – X equals 23.4519... Round off to 3 s.f. – we get 23.5." Instructor Jean finished the trigonometry sum as the kids groaned or scribbled down the answer. "Does anyone need a repeat?"

The room door slid back with a stylish whoosh! All eyes turned to the tall hazel head that came through it. His expression held such an innocent gaze that the students began to snicker.

"You're late." Scott muttered.

Remy LeBeau shrugged his shoulders insensitively. One should make a good first impression to those whom one is to teach. Pause. Oh well! "What did Ah miss?" He walked over to the middle of the blackboard and cocked his head at the doodles he saw. An odd-looking shape made of four differently shaped triangles. What was the point here? Find X. It's right there. Next to that line in that triangle over there. Ah don't see the problem. "This?"

"It's called Trigonometry, Gambit." Jean walked up to him. "Take a seat." She gestured to the chairs and desks with the chalk in her hand.

"Don't mind if Ah do." He walked straight to the back corner of the classroom, avoiding the desk Tabitha sat at on his route there. Invisibility is his best defence.

Scott cleared his throat to get attention back to himself and Jean. "Anyway, for you guys who don't understand what's going on, here's a repeat..." Whatever else that followed, Remy could not understand. Sine cosine tangent co-tangent secant co-secant. Quoi (what)? Pourquoi (what for)?

Remy went from sitting to slouching to sinking into his chair. Oi! He shook lethargy from his brain. What just happened? He just had a good workout at the Mansion's gym that morning, making him late for both breakfast and class. Had coffee too. Séjour éveillé (stay awake)! He leaned on the table instead. It just made the situation worse. Before he could register his movements, his fist had to support his head and his brain began telling him "Just a quick fiver. No harm."

Far away, there was a tapping. Consciousness stirred within him. The tapping came closer. He tried his voice to make a deep sound in his throat and opened an eye. A pair of sunglasses on a face in his face told him the entire story of falling asleep in class. He sat his heavy head on his forearms crossed before him. "Yeah?"

"Just stay awake." Scott quietly reprimanded him like a child before making his way back to the blackboard. The kids sniggered.

"Dude!" whispered a shaggy blonde boy.

"You're awesome!" whispered the mutant with the ice powers – what's his name?

Tabitha had to add a wink to her sentence. "Deserves an applause." Tenez-vous là (stay right there).

Another one with spiked blonde hair and orange strands up front fidgeted in his seat to face Remy. "Did you seriously never went to school?"

Oh, shut up. "D'you see why?" Remy mumbled.

"Gambit! Stop distracting the students!" Jean shouted across the classroom. "Ray, Sam, Bobby, Tabitha, turn around."

Whoa. Woman, you wanna take this outside? He raised his palms lazily and leaned into his chair, crossing his arms.

"Alright Amara." Jean continued. "Since you answered the last question, you can call anyone to answer the next one."

"Anyone?" Remy had a bad feeling about that tone. "Can I call him?" There you go. The accusing finger in his direction.

"No." He answered stiffly. He may be subject to the humiliation of attending school but he was not going to find X.

A very evil, very happy look was on Jean's face. "We're all sure you know at least how to solve this..." She meant X. "Just humour them, Gambit."

Nobody saw the light bulb flash atop his head. He strode up to the blackboard. Passing Tabitha, she jabbed his ass with her pen. He jumped, brushed his ass, kept walking. Taking the chalk, he circled the X, drew a line from his circle away from the diagram and wrote "Here it is", handing the chalk to Jean.

The class was in an uproar as soon as he stepped back from his work. "That's sick!" "Awe-some!" and cheers from all quarters.

Jean and Scott. Upset. Bon (Good).

"Do you at least know one plus one?" Jean asked sarcastically.

Remy knew it was rhetorical, but he could not help himself. This was too good to pass. A dirty-minded smile crept up his lips. "Three, mademoiselle."

Her new look was of the incredulous type. "Really. How does that happen?" She held the chalk to him. Another rhetorical moment, but –

– He took it and drew the stick figure of a man, a '+' sign then a woman (signified by a skirt; he figured drawing breasts would get him laser-blasted out of the room). He gestured to the picture then added an '=' sign. Then he drew the male stick figure, a smaller stick figure and the woman stick figure. Three stick figures. Two lovers and the fruit of their love. He lowered the chalk.

The girls squealed."Oh my gawd!!!" The boys laughed their nuts off. "Ho GOD!"

Remy kept his eye contact with Jean and Scott, who were silently fuming. "Alright. Alright." He erased the crap clean from the blackboard then turned to the kids who had begun some gossip. Without asking their permission, he decided to set things right."Hey, listen here!" No one took any bloody notice. "Tais-toi!" They probably had no idea what he said but they shutted up.

"Ah've no idea in hell what's this –" He gestured around the mathematical diagrams on the board. "– and Ah don't give a damn. But," He sighed for the effect of regret. "Ah think if somebody taught it to meh, Ah won't be runnin' aroun' the streets of New Orleans pickin' pockets, blowin' up property, kidnappin', workin' for Magneto and other things. Shit happened. Ah didn't go to school." He paused to let the effect sink into their listening heads. "You petites got it good. Don't screw this up for yourselves." Then he waved a hand to the instructors, who were rather stunned. Cest très bon (that's very good). At least he would not be reported as 'a selfish, irresponsible lout who spoilt everything' in class today. "Où, écouter tes moniteur-monitrice. Listen to your instructors."

Well, he had done enough here. He dusted his hands and placed a friendly hand on Summer's shoulder as he left the classroom. "Bonjour and au revoir, monsieur." For Jean, he gave a slight bow. "Mademoiselle Jean."

"Thank you." she replied.

Whew. He was out of there.

Passing the corridor was Logan, who shot him a what-the-hell-is-he-doing-out-here look. "Expelled on the first day?"

Ha. Ha. "Kicked myself out." He kept a straight, businesslike face.

Logan's face called him a hopeless case. "Don't screw the kids up. They've got a whole better life ahead of 'em than we do."

Yeah, they do. "For the better of mutant-future." He nodded grimly. "Got it."

Though he still had no idea how to go about this whole teaching thing.

But to other more interesting schedules, he had a lunch date with a Southern angel!

Welcome to the X-Men! YEOW!


Yes, Remy, YEOW! HOT DATE HOT DATE! haha those who want to have a hot date chapter, REVIEW THIS STORY NOW! =]

- peace out!