Chapter 10

"You alright, Stripes?"

Rogue looked behind her shoulder and looked at Logan. She was leaning on the balcony off her room.

"Why'd she say that? Even if... even if there was anything romantic happenin' between us - which there's not - Ah'm nineteen. Ah think that kinda qualifies me as an adult."

Logan stood beside her, looking off the balcony into the night sky as he smoked his cigar.

"Forget Kitty," he said. "She's got a lot of growing up to do."

"It was completely rude and unjustified."

"Don't let it bother you."

"Remy left. How can it not bother me? He's the best friend Ah've made in years and because that... that... because she can't keep her stupid opinions ta herself..." Rogue trailed off in frustration.

"He said he'd be back, didn't he?"

"Well, yeah."

"So, don't worry about it. The Cajun's not the type who can just sit still in one place for long."

There was quiet while Rogue considered this.

"Ah guess not," she conceded finally, then grinned at him. "After all, you would know."

Logan snorted.

A couple of days turned into a week before Rogue came out of the danger room after a session with Bobby and Jubilee to see Gambit leaning on the wall outside the door.

"Remy!"

In one fluid motion she had her arms wrapped down him, hugging him tight. Gambit grinned at her.

"If I didn't know better, chérie, I'd say yo' missed me."

"Now why would Ah miss a big ol' swamp rat like you?"

Gambit chuckled. Rogue caught a whiff of something and pulled back with a slight frown.

"Have ya been smokin'?"

Gambit shrugged.

"So the ladies tell me, no?"

"Smart ass."

"Yo' only wish yo' were as smart as my ass."

Rogue giggled.

"Don't change the subject, saloon boy. Ah thought ya quit eight years ago."

"I did."

"So?"

"So what, chére?"

Rogue rolled her eyes and held out her hand.

"Hand 'em over."

"Excuse me?"

"The cigarettes. Hand 'em over."

"Yo' want one?"

"No, and ya don't either. They're bad for your health," she gave him a Look. "Now, swamp rat."

Gambit regarded her in amusement.

"I really don't think so, chérie."

"Fine."

Not the slightest bit put off, Rogue started rummaging through his trench coat pockets.

"What are yo' doing?"

"If ya not gonna hand 'em over like Ah asked, then Ah'm just gonna have ta find 'em muhself. What kinda friend would Ah be if Ah just stood by and let ya pick up that filthy, disgustin' habit again, huh?" Rogue demanded, then pulled a face. "What on earth is this?"

"Yeah, yo' might want t' stay outta that particular pocket."

"Just how many pockets do ya have anyway?"

"Here," Gambit said, fishing out his packet of cigarettes and holding them in front of her face. "Happy now?"

Rogue swiped them from his hand.

"Much."

"I don't know why I put up with yo'."

"It's because Ah'm so cute and adorable."

"And modest," Gambit teased.

"Glad ya noticed."

"Wanna go out fo' lunch?"

"Sure, just lemme shower and get changed. Really stinky after danger room."

"Oui," Gambit replied fanning his nose with a grin on his face. "I can tell."

"Oh, shush you," Rogue retorted as she walked off. "And get some gum, smoke-breath!"

Gambit snickered.

"Hanging around?" asked Logan from behind.

Gambit turned and shrugged.

"Haven't decided yet. See how t'ings go."

Logan grunted and lit his cigar.

"I'd offer you one, but you've already had words with the little woman," he smirked at him.

Gambit chuckled.

"Yo' itching fo' a fight, mon ami?"

"Yeah. You're the only one around here capable of giving me a decent work out."

The two men looked at each other and snickered.

"... and Jubes puts on this mock-innocent voice and says 'Ah was talkin' about brushin' muh teeth'," Rogue giggled.

Gambit snorted.

"Where does she pick up all dese jokes anyway?"

"Internet, where else?"

"I don't know... somehow I can t'ink of much more interesting t'ings t' look up on the net dan dirty jokes."

"That's because you are a dirty joke," Rogue grinned as she dug her spoon into her chocolate ice cream sundae.

"Wanna help me get clean?"

Rogue licked the ice cream off her spoon and pointed it at him.

"Won't remove the 'joke' status."

"Skunkhead."

"Don't call me that."

"Why not chére? It gets such a good reaction."

"Maybe Ah should dye it."

"Aww, but it looks cute on yo'. Besides, I'll still call yo' skunkhead, skunkhead."

"Ya would."

"Absolument."

"Remy?"

The two looked up to se a striking brunette at their table.

"Oh... Kate, hi," Gambit said.

Well, this was going to be awkward. Kate looked at Rogue, then back at Gambit.

"It didn't take you long to move on, huh?"

Rogue decided that the best course of action was to remain silent. What with Gambit's arm around her, she doubted she could defuse the situation by pretending to be his daughter Anna like they had at the French restaurant some weeks back now. Kate was obviously upset. Gambit shrugged.

"T'ings weren't working out between us, chérie."

"So the first thing you do is jump into bed with another woman?"

Gambit sighed and stood up, took her hand and gazed into her eyes.

"Yo' are a wonderful woman, Katie." he said softly, turning on the charm. "You'll find someone else who'll make yo' forget all about me."

"But I don't want to forget you, Remy. I thought we had something."

"We did, chérie, but it passed."

Rogue concentrated on her sundae. Awkward much?

"Can't we bring it back?"

"It's not that easy."

"It could be. Just ditch the whore and come with me."

"Uhh, excuse me?" Rogue cut in.

"You heard me," Kate spat. "Whore."

"Ahh, if only Ah was capable."

Gambit recognised Rogue's dangerous tone and started getting nervous.

"Uhh, Rogue -" he began, looking at her.

"Rogue?" Katie interrupted sharply, then stared at her. "You're Rogue? This is Rogue?"

"Oui," Gambit replied, sounding resigned.

"You bastard!" Kate cried, slapping Gambit hard across the face. "How could you?"

"I did tell yo' it wasn't working, chérie. I'm sorry if I hurt yo', but I -"

"Save it. I don't want to hear your excuses," she snapped at him, pushing him away.

She turned on her heel and fled while Gambit slowly sat back down.

"So, what was that all about?" Rogue asked, breaking the awkward silence.

"How's your sundae?"

Rogue tilted her head in mild amusement.

"It's fine, thanks."

Well, if he didn't want to talk about it, she wouldn't push it.

Gambit found it easier to return to the old routine in the mansion than he thought it would be. Not that there was much of a routine with half the population home for the holidays but there was enough. No one mentioned what happened at the Christmas party; in fact it was easy to forget the Incident even occurred. Of course, it did help that Kitty was at home celebrating Hanukkah with her family.

Christmas Day arrived and the morning was spent exchanging gifts. Rogue gave Gambit a couple of movies on DVD that she knew he liked, and was more than a little surprised when he gave her a small present in return.

"I thought ya already gave me a present," she teased.

"Dis one's better," Gambit shrugged.

Strangely he found himself actually more nervous about this present than he had been about the underwear.

"Well, thank ya," Rogue smiled.

She pulled away the wrapping paper to find a jewellery box. She glanced at him tentatively before opening it and finding a pair of deep green emerald earrings.

"Oh," she breathed. "Remy..."

She looked up at him seeing this intense yet completely unreadable expression on his face. She smiled and reached out to touch his face.

"Thank ya," she said softly. "Ah never expected... Ah... Thank ya."

She watched as his face relaxed into a smile.

"Put 'em on?"

"Sure."

Rogue took out the gold hoops she had been wearing, placed them aside on the table and put in the new earrings. Once in place, she turned her head so he could see.

"Ah ha, I knew it," Gambit said as he touched her hair by her ear.

"Knew what?"

"I knew you'd make 'em look beautiful."

"What?" Rogue said, giving him a mock-pout. "Ya sayin' Ah'm ugly?"

"Hideously so," he joked. "Good t'ing yo' have brains, no?"

"Well, in that case Ah definitely won't be modelling no underwear for ya. A hat maybe, since you're all so fond of muh head."

"Yo' really have t' stop teasin' me chérie. One day I might just give int' the urge t' pounce on yo'."

Rogue snorted.

"That's all Ah need. Your mind floatin' around in muh head."

"Might give yo' all sorts o' ideas."

"And bad habits. Plus Ah wouldn't have muh brains any more, so Ah'll be hideous and stupid."

"Dat not nice, chérie."

"Neither is callin' me hideous, rude boy."

"Yo' started it," he grinned at her.

"Ah can finish it too, if ya want."

"By all means go right ahead. I'm all yours."

"Oh really?" Rogue asked coyly.

"Oui."

"Wow, there are so many different responses ta that Ah'm havin' trouble decidin' which one Ah like best."

"If dere's one dat involves yo' hauling me up t' your bedroom and havin' your wicked way wit' me, I'm all for that one," he nodded. "Or my bedroom. Either will do."

"Muh wicked way with ya huh? What if it involves ritual sacrifice?"

"Aren't all ritual sacrifices virgins?"

"Nope."

"Oh right. Forgot about how the Amazons used men for sex and then sacrificed them."

"Actually Ah was thinkin' more about the Aztecs."

"Don't yo' need a temple for dat?"

"No, no, ya asked if all ritual sacrifices were virgins."

"This is true. So what kind of ritual sacrifice we looking at here? Because I'm t'inking the Amazonian one sounds really good."

Rogue snickered.

"Ya would."

"Although, personally, I t'ink I'd rather avoid the whole sacrifice part o' the ritual."

"Imagine that. What a shame, because y'know, it might have been an interesting experiment. See how far we'd get before Ah sucked all the life out of ya," Rogue said cynically.

Gambit considered for a moment, then grinned at her.

"Dere are so many possible answers t' dat I can't decide which one I like best."

Rogue snickered.

"Lame brain."

"Scamp."

"Player."

"Tease."

"You like it."

Gambit shrugged.

"And now yo' know my deep dark secret, oui?"

Rogue laughed at him.